The Cheshire band’s new single focuses on the story of 16th century nun and reformer Teresa of Ávila whose burial, pre-canonisation, was interrupted resulting in several of her body parts being removed and taken to locations in Rome, Paris, Lisbon and elsewhere. A peculiar end put to honour in the lyrics of the song “Her fingers are in Avila / Her jawbone is in Rome / Saint Teresa / With your body in different places / You truly are without a home”.

‘Saint Teresa’ is the third single out of the new album to be released, following ‘Cold Dreaming’ and lead single ‘Renegade’.

In a talk with NME, guitarist Jez Williams shared: “This is quite a dark album. We started to write it after we cancelled ‘The Universal Want’ tour, so some of the songs reflect that. We wanted ‘Renegades’ to start with this apocalyptic atmosphere. That’s what felt right for us after such a difficult time. Jimi was with us, but we were trying to make sense of all the mess – and that fed into the album. We’re living in pretty fucking horrible times, so we wanted to reflect that but give a little hope. When you listen to Neil Young, it feels like he understands you. It’s music that can hold your hand in this dark world. I see this as a future soul album for outsiders. We want you to feel understood.”

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Set to go on tour this year for the first time in 15 years, the Mancunian band shared recently that their front man would not be joining. They said Goodwin was “stepping back from live to focus on his wellbeing” and added: “Mental health has always been central to Doves and we fully support him in his decision.”

The rockers unfortunately had to cancel part of their last tour in 2021 due to Goodwin’s mental health struggles. Their 2025 tour will hit the road this February and March and will see the band visit 15 different venues across the UK. Tickets are now available via Ticketmaster.

Doves’ 6th album ‘Constellations For The Lonely’ will be released in February on @eminorthrecords.
Listen to the first single, ‘Renegade’, and pre-order now.https://t.co/kqvL9HmfJg pic.twitter.com/4ubVtJvaqJ

— Doves (@dovesmusicblog) November 4, 2024

On their X profile, the band has teased a poster for the upcoming album and as well as a track list:

1. Renegade

2. Cold Dreaming

3. In The Butterfly House

4. Strange Weather

5. A Drop In The Ocean

6. Last Year’s Man

7. Stupid Schemes

8. Saint Teresa

9. Orlando

10. Southern Bell  

Here is the music video for their new single titled “Renegade“:

The band formed in the early to late 90s, after meeting in school where they were all playing in different bands. Firstly experimenting with dance sounds, they eventually set on rock in 1998. After releasing a few singles and EPs which received moderate critical acclaim, Doves released their first full length studio album called “Lost Souls” in 2000. In 2002, their second album “The Last Broadcast” was released and peaked at number one on UK charts.

With “The Last Broadcast”, the Doves gained popularity throughout the country. They released a DVD and a collection of songs called “Lost Sides”. They reached the UK number one once again with their third studio album “Some Cities” in 2005, which was recorded around the English and Scottish countryside. They also released the single “Black and White Town” which peaked at six in the UK: the song was inspired by the band’s hometown Wilmslow in Cheshire, county where parts of the album were also recorded. 

In 2009 Doves released the album “Kingdom of Rust” which peaked at number two on the UK chart and marked their final studio release for over a decade; after releasing the album and a collection of hits the following year, the band took a break to focus on other projects. “Constellations for The Lonely” is the band’s sixth studio album and comes nearly five years after their previous record “The Universal Want” was released in 2020.

The Band had announced a tour for the album in 2021, which was however cancelled due to one of the member’s struggles with mental health. After spending years out of the spotlight after the tour’s cancellation, the band is being welcomed by fans who are overjoyed with the release of the single and the announcement of the album. The band have revealed that much of the album was recorded remotely, to suit the member’s needs and to prioritize their welfare.  

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“Constellations for the Lonely” will be released on February 14, 2025.

2005-2025
This is the end.

Thank you for being the heartbeat of this band.
Final live shows taking place 2024/2025.

Sign up at https://t.co/TKQnwP6bLchttps://t.co/lhDcsDxBC2

— You Me At Six (@youmeatsix) January 31, 2024

After releasing a suitably emo video statement filmed in a graveyard, You Me At Six announced that the time has come for them to bid farewell to the band. However, after keeping this a secret for some time, Franceschi told BBC “I’m grateful that we’re in a position where we can celebrate, in real time, with our fans.”

Throughout their career, the “Stay With Me” singers have released 8 studio albums, 2 of which (2014’s Cavalier Youth and 2021’s SUCKAPUNCH) reaching number 1 status, toured extensively and received glowing recognition through a variety of awards. These accomplishments have not gone amiss with the band members, as frontman Franceschi told NME “The thing that mattered the most is longevity, getting closer and closer to that 20 year mark. We don’t need this band for self-indulgent reasons. We’re all really satisfied with what we’ve done, let’s just tie a nice little ribbon or bow around it. You don’t want to be the last ones hanging around at the party. We want to be a band that bowed out, not one that was kicked out.”

When asked about plans for their upcoming farewell tour, the 33-year-old stated “We’ve worked out that our final gig is going to be 20 years to the day since our first ever band practice, which is wild. It wasn’t even deliberate.” However, fans will have to be patient for any more information regarding the tour, as dates are set to be announce in “a couple of months”.

Whilst dates for You Me At Six’s final tour are still unknown, you can ensure you receive information regarding the upcoming shows by signing up here. However, the Surrey based five-piece have some upcoming performances this month, as well as their appearance’s at this year’s Slam Dunk Festival to serve as their penultimate shows. For more information and tickets, click here.

Tour dates:

09/02/2024 – KK’s Steel Mill – Wolverhampton
10/02 – UEA – Norwich
11/02 – O2 Academy – Bristol
13/02 – O2 Academy – Oxford
14/02 – Town Hall – Middlesbrough
15/02 – P&J Live – Aberdeen
17/02 – Liverpool University – Liverpool
18/02 – Guildhall – Portsmouth
25/05 – Slam Dunk Festival South – Hatfield
26/05 – Slam Dunk Festival North – Temple Newsam

Led by the bands Frontman Frank Carter and accompanied by the talented guitarist Dean Richardson, the band has gained a reputation for their electrifying live performances. Their music style, as described by Carter himself, bridges the gap between indie, punk, and rock and roll, creating a sound that is both raw and powerful.

In 2017 Carter described his genre of music to the BBC, Carter expressed his belief that punk is more than just a sound or fashion, but rather a mindset. This mindset is evident in the band’s music, which often tackles themes of rebellion, self-expression, and societal issues. He said “Perfectly fill the gap between indie, punk and rock and roll. Punk to me is not a sound, it’s not a fashion, it’s not a lifestyle. It’s a mindset. You either have it or you don’t.” Sounds from the band back in 2017, including the widely acclaimed track “Wild Flowers“, highlights on the insights shared by Frank Carter during his interview with the BBC.

The album Dark Rainbow, showcases the band’s ability to create a melancholic yet catchy tune. As described by Frank Carter himself, the song “Brambles” delves into the complexities of love, exploring the thorny nature of relationships and the dangers of becoming lost in them. With its heartfelt lyrics and infectious melodies, “Brambles” is sure to resonate with listeners on a deep emotional level. The Singer said, “Brambles is a melancholic bop born from the bramble thorns of love we let grow around us until we are tangled with no method of escaping unscathed. Like our neural pathways become stronger and deeper with each unconscious action, the thorns of love hook deeper and the brambles wrap tighter until we are barely recognisable and even our loved ones can no longer comfort us or lead us to safety for fear of being cut and torn themselves. An ode to the passion of love and a warning not to get lost in it when you go looking.”

The band took to social media to share their excitement about the new video for the single, hinting at the fun time they had during its creation. They stated, “Don’t mind me, just dancing with Brambles.”

As fans eagerly await the release of Dark Rainbow, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes continue to push boundaries and defy expectations with their unique sound and thought-provoking lyrics. With their energetic live performances and their ability to seamlessly blend genres, this band is undoubtedly one to watch in the rock music scene.

In addition to their new album, the band has also announced via their social media a UK tour to delight their fans. The band said, “Our new album, Dark Rainbow, drops on January 26, 2024. The first single, Man Of The Hour, is out now. We’re also pleased to announce that Dark Rainbow will be hitting stages worldwide. For early access to UK and Europe shows, pre-order the album from the official UK store. Worldwide General on-sale starts on Friday, October 6th, for worldwide access. Link in bio.”

Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes UK Tour 2024 dates, purchase tickets here.

06/02/2024 The Great Hall Cardiff Uni Students Union – Cardiff
07/02 – O2 Academy Bristol – Bristol
09/02 – Manchester Academy – Manchester
10/02 – Northumbria Students Union – Newcastle
11/02 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow
13/02 – O2- Academy Leeds – Leeds
14/02 – Wulfrun Hall – Wolverhampton
15/02 – Roundhouse – London
16/02 – Roundhouse – London 

At the Cheshire based group’s gig, singer Matty Healy told the crowd “Because some of my actions have hurt some people, I apologise to those people, and I pledge to do better moving forward. I think it’s also important that I express my intentions, so everybody knows that there is no ill will coming from me.

You see, as an artist, I want to create an environment for myself to perform where not everything that I do is taken literally… I’ve kind of performed exaggerated versions of myself on other stages, be it print or on podcasts and in an often misguided attempt at fulfilling the kind of character role of the 21st-century rock star – so, it’s complicated.

Sometimes playing pretend is the only way you can truly find out who you are, and you could probably also say that men would rather do offensive impressions for attention than go to therapy.”

An example of when Healy has offended people happened after he appeared on a now removed episode of The Adam Friedland Show, where he and the show’s hosts discussed the heritage of American rapper Ice Spice. On the show, there was a debate as to whether the New Yorker was of Hawaiian, Inuit or Chinese descent, before impersonating accents from these countries and regions.

In response to these comments, Ice Spice told Variety “When I had heard that little podcast or whatever, I was so confused. Because I heard ‘chubby Chinese lady’ or some s**t like that, and I’m like, ‘Huh? What does that even mean?’ First of all, I’m thick. What do you mean Chinese? What? But then they apologised or whatever. And the whole time, I didn’t really care.”

“But that’s funny because I saw him [Matty Healy] at the Jean Paul Gaultier party a couple days ago, and he was like, ‘Hey, you OK?’ and I’m like, ‘Of course.’ He apologised to me a bunch of times. We’re good.”

In an apology at a The 1975 show in Auckland earlier this year, Healy admitted “I just feel a bit bad, and I’m kind of a bit sorry if I’ve offended you. Ice Spice, I’m sorry. It’s not because I’m annoyed that me joking got misconstrued. It’s because I don’t want Ice Spice to think I’m a dick. I love you, Ice Spice. I’m so sorry.”

You can watch Healy’s apology to Ice Spice as told by Entertainment Tonight below.

In this project we see Gallagher going back to his past. He touches base with the life he had, back in the day when he was broke, a daydreamer and wondering what life could be like. It is a way of going back to the beginning for him. The songs that have been already released from the album are “Pretty Boy”, “Easy Now”, “Dead To The World” and, now, we are presented with “Council Skies”. Which is believed to be the last release before the final drop.

We can confirm it is an album close to his heart and has transmitted a different level to his sound. The rockstar himself admits that “Dead To The World” is the best song he has ever written.

Throughout the album expect to hear the likes of collaborators such as Paul “Strangeboy” Lacey, who’ve worked together for a long time running during their musical careers. The Smith’s co-songwriter, Johnny Marr, makes an appearance in three tracks including the already released “Pretty Boy”.  And last but not least ,The Cure frontman Robert Smith has also input towards remixes on a couple of the songs as well as live recordings.

Noel Gallagher explains “It’s going back to the beginning. Daydreaming, looking up at the sky and wondering about what life could be … that’s as true to me now as it was in the early ‘90s. When I was growing up in poverty and unemployment, music took me out of that” on the making of Council Skies.

The name claimed itself when he was sat at his coffee table and saw a book by Pete McKee titled that same way; Council Skies. He rather liked the ring of it and thought it fit only too well into the significance of his album. It is said that the musician got in contact with McKee to request permission for using the same title on his release. A success, clearly.

The album release will be followed up by an arena UK tour. Starting on the 21st of July in Buckinghamshire he will make his way around the country until finishing in Liverpool on the 21st December.

Tickets are available here.

UK Tour dates:

21/07/23 – Pennfest – Buckinghamshire
23/07 – Wollaton Park – Nottingham
28/07 – Crystal Palace Bowl – London
30/07 – Brighton Beach – Brighton
05/08 – Audley End – Essex
19/08 – Caldicot Castle – Monmouthshire
20/08 – Hardwick Festival – Sedgefield
24/08 – Vivary Park – Taunton
26/08 – Wythenshawe Park – Manchester
27/08 – Royal Hospital – Dublin
30/08 – Bonus Arena – Hull
01/09 – Don Valley Bowl – Sheffield
14/12 – OVO Arena Wembley – London
15/12 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham
17/12 – International Arena – Cardiff
18/12 – First Direct Arena – Leeds
20/12 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
21/12 – M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool

The song, released via Polydor Records, has already garnered over 50,000 streams on Spotify. It is the Liverpudlian band’s first release since their mixtape Loud Without Noise, which came out in November and debuted at number one on the UK rock and metal album charts.

Lead vocalist and trumpet player Holly Minto, who runs the bands social media accounts, discussed the new release on Twitter, saying “really whole heart into this from all of us. lyrically really allude to my neurodivergent struggles and my struggles with mental health.”

wow i’m getting kinda nervous <\3 for this song release. really whole heart into this from all of us. lyrically really allude to my neurodivergent struggles and my struggles with mental health. i don’t want to fully analyse these lyrics like normal, i want this song to be yours

— CRAWLERS (@CrawlersHQ) March 26, 2023

She also debated the meaning behind the song. As reported here, she said “‘That Time Of Year Always’ encompasses the feeling of envying your younger self before the trauma hits in your early 20s. It’s about missing the ignorance that you had in your childhood; that reflection process which usually happens for me during the winter seasons. Being older, you realize that despite thinking these thoughts stem from seasonal depression, it’s normal to feel that longing for your youth all year round, and to constantly have your younger self in mind when reminiscing about what once was.” The release is accompanied by a lyric video, which features a nostalgic video of the band walking on a windy beach alongside the lyrics.

The band, who are very interactive with their fans on social media, even asked for everyone’s favourite lyric from the song on Twitter. This incited many passionate responses from their fans who have been waiting for a new release. One response said:

“there’s comfort in the sadness and the mess i seem to make” AND OFC “asking strangers for their star signs”

— rosina (@rosinaspam) March 27, 2023

The band first gained success with their hit single “Come Over (Again)”, which was released in November, 2021. The song went viral on TikTok, and its use became particularly popular on videos concerning mental health, domestic abuse, and addiction. The song was used in over 90,000 video responses, and has over forty million streams on Spotify. After the release of their debut album, the band supported My Chemical Romance on tour last year, performed their own sold-out headline tour across Europe and the UK in November, and are set to perform at Download Festival this summer. The quartet comprises of Holly Minto, Harry Breen on the drums, Liv Kettle on bass guitar, and Amy Woodall on guitar.

Stream the new single here.

The band have three performances scheduled:

27/05/23 – Temple Newsam, Live at Leeds in the Park – Leeds

07/06 – Download Festival, Donington Park Circuit – Leicestershire

08/06 – Download Festival, Donington Park Circuit – Leicestershire

Get tickets here.

Edge was born on 30th March 1941 in Staffordshire and formed The Moody Blues at the age of 23. Edge was a key songwriter in the group and was often described as the quintet’s poet. Edge’s poems can be heard on many tracks, with his poem “Departure” being used to open the group’s third studio album In Search Of The Lost Chord. The talented artist also wrote over 13 songs and often contributed to his bandmate’s solo work.

Edge formed The Moody Blues in Birmingham in 1964, the original lineup consisted of Keyboardist Mike Pinder, Multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, Denny Laine on guitar, Edge on drums and bassist Clint Warwick. The band went through a line-up change after their formation which included original members Pinder, Thomas, Edge as well as new members Justin Hayward on lead vocals and guitar and new bassist John Lodge. This lineup would remain throughout the 70s, an era now classed their classic and best-known period.

After their first performance in 1964, the group gained attention through their work in rhythm and blues music. They soon caught the attention of industry professionals and were signed to the management company Ridgepride. Alex Wharton, the company’s founder, was an A&R rep for Record Label Decca Records, the label then signed the band in 1964. In 1965 the group released their debut album The Magnificent Melodies which garnered the group considerable success. The group’s best-known track, “Nights In White Satin”, was included on the band’s second studio album Days Of Future Passed, released in 1967. The band would go on to release 14 more studio albums and eventually disbanded in 1974 but reunited in 1977.

After The Moody Blues’ hiatus Edge embarked on a trip around the world on his yacht Delia, Edge would find inspiration in the Greek Island of Corfu and would later use the musical influences in his work. After his voyage Edge released his solo work, his initial solo single “We Like To Do It/Shotgun” was released in 1974. The following year, Edge released his first solo album entitled Kick Off Your Muddy Boots with the single “The Tunnel/Bareback Rider”.

The artist’s second solo album Paradise Ballroom was released in 1977, Edge used his inspiration found on his trip within the album and fused Calypso and Salsa beats with his original sound. In the same year, the artist also released the single “Everybody Needs Somebody/Be My Eyes”. The solo material was released under Edge’s studio band The Graeme Edge Band, the group also included vocalist and guitarist Adrian Gurvitz and artist Paul Gurvitz.

Since the news of Edge’s death was confirmed tributes for the musician have poured in, with many citing him as an influence. Edge’s partner, Rilla Fleming has confirmed that the cause of death was metastatic cancer.

The short series is called, ‘Songs I Wrote A Decade Ago’ and features four songs, ‘Life With Strangers’, ‘Timezones’, ‘Cave In’ and ‘No One Should Play God’. Josh thought he had lost them all and with very little memory has shared them one by one with details on how each song was created and what inspired them.

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Back when I was 18/19 I recorded some songs with @mattyjogrady which until very recently I had assumed had disappeared for good. He hit me up recently when clearing out some old hard drives and said he’d found a bunch of tunes we’d done & didn’t think he should just bin them. So that’s exactly what they are, songs that we haven’t just chucked in the bin. Shout out to @nathancottenham for putting some art together for it. I figured some people may wanna hear them, so its for you. I’ll be posting these tunes at 6pm tonight. Josh x

A post shared by Josh Franceschi (@joshfranceschivi) on Jul 2, 2020 at 1:55am PDT

Here’s a little explanation the man himself wrote: 

“Back when I was 18/19 I recorded some songs with Matt O’Grady which until very recently I had assumed had disappeared for good. He hit me up recently when clearing out some old hard drives and said he’d found a bunch of tunes we’d done & didn’t think he should just bin them. So that’s exactly what they are, songs that we haven’t just chucked in the bin.” 

So, without further ado, let’s check out ‘Songs I Wrote A Decade Ago’. 

LIFE WITH STRANGERS 

“So, I’m pretty sure we did this around about June 2009. This is the first song that Matt and I recorded that wasn’t a Ymas song. Like all of the songs I’m posting tonight, this has been untouched since we tracked it then.” 

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So I’m pretty sure we did this around about June 2009. This is the first song that @mattyjogrady and I recorded that wasn’t a Ymas song. Like all of the songs I’m posting tonight, this has been untouched since we tracked it then. Here’s the first one off ‘Songs I wrote a decade ago’. Josh x Produced by @mattyjogrady Artwork by @nathancottenham

A post shared by Josh Franceschi (@joshfranceschivi) on Jul 2, 2020 at 9:58am PDT

TIMEZONES 

“I vaguely remember recording this after we put out ‘Hold Me Down’. To be honest, if we’d done like a deluxe edition of the album, I would’ve showed the lads this one as I felt an acoustic song on HMD could’ve been cool. Anyways, we didn’t and again this one has been uncovered from the deep abyss that is Matt’s studio hard drive.” 

 

 

 

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I vaguely remember recording this after we put out ‘Hold Me Down’. To be honest, if we’d done like a deluxe edition of the album, I would’ve showed the lads this one as I felt an acoustic song on HMD could’ve been cool. Anyways, we didn’t and again this one has been uncovered from the deep abyss that is @mattyjogrady ‘s studio hard drive. Second song from this collection. Produced by @mattyjogrady Artwork by @nathancottenham A post shared by Josh Franceschi (@joshfranceschivi) on Jul 2, 2020 at 10:15am PDT

CAVE IN 

“Ok, when it comes to this one I had genuinely forgotten it existed. I don’t remember writing it, I don’t recall recording it. If Matt says we did & got it on tape so to speak, then it must be true.”

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Ok, when it comes to this one I had genuinely forgotten it existed. I don’t remember writing it, I don’t recall recording it. If @mattyjogrady says we did & got it on tape so to speak, then it must be true Produced by @mattyjogrady Artwork by @nathancottenham

A post shared by Josh Franceschi (@joshfranceschivi) on Jul 2, 2020 at 10:59am PDT

NO ONE SHOULD PLAY GOD

“During these weird times, I’d actually been working on a new song, not sure what I was going to do with it. Turns out it was the same as this. Same guitar parts but different lyrics & melodies. Was weird when Matt sent me this tbh. Spun my head out. Anyway, this is how it is & how it’ll remain.” 

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During these weird times I’d actually been working on a new song, not sure what I was going to do with it. Turns out it was the same as this. Same guitar parts but different lyrics & melodies. Was weird when @mattyjogrady sent me this tbh. Spun my head out. Anyway, this is how it is & how it’ll remain. Last one of the four lost songs from a decade ago. X Produced by @mattyjogrady Artwork by @nathancottenham

A post shared by Josh Franceschi (@joshfranceschivi) on Jul 2, 2020 at 11:32am PDT

You can listen to all these songs here.