Music Spotlight #1

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Cardiff is (deservedly) becoming known as a revered musical & cultural hub, what with Sŵn Festival in the autumn, X Music Festival in Bute Park in the summer, Wales Goes Pop! next month, and artists like Rihanna including the ‘Diff in their world tour dates. However, there are also musical gems to be found elsewhere in the Land of Song, and Abergavenny in particular is churning out a lot of awesome music lately.

The flavour of our inaugural Music Spotlight is decidedly rock-y – here we’ve selected 5 tunes that show off some of the area’s newest talent.

The Attix

The Attix, a duo fronted by Abergavenny teenager Chris Williams, shows off some powerful indie rock chops in the video for ‘Like A Stone’ (which I THINK might have been filmed at Abergavenny Castle & the Castle Meadows, but I might be wrong).

(Also, another Abergavenny bonus – the video is filmed in and around the Market Hall!)

‘Broken Places’ is a slightly softer, acoustic-driven offering. Its soaring harmonies would sound AMAZING live, and The Attix have already played at Green Man & Weyfest – it will be exciting to see where this talented act goes next. Follow their Facebook page to keep up with upcoming single info.

Tonepot

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2515311496 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

‘Fat Robot Army’ is a rollicking, melodic alternative rock track. The band hails from Newport, and regularly plays gigs in Cardiff – maybe sometime we can convince them to come up our neck of the woods. I’d like to see how this track translates onstage. It’s the most energetic track off their EP; ‘Unfriend’ also stands out – both tracks have a nice raw quality to them. Check them out on Facebook for more info on their music and upcoming gigs. If you like the tracks, Bandcamp offers a pay-what-you-can option, and I really encourage everyone to pay for the music you like – support your local starving artists!

Stay Voiceless

(warning: bad language in this one!)

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Stay Voiceless (the guitarist is from Tredeger/Abergavenny) describe themselves as ‘day ruiners’, but honestly, this track is…. actually really good? It’s tight and the guitars are crisp, I love a bit of male falsetto in a rock track, and the chorus is pretty damn catchy, so, day NOT ruined.

I really like this track, and apparently I’m not the only one, as it’s already getting good local airplay and has been featured on BBC Radio Wales. It’s being released as a single next month (the 22nd) so keep an eye out for that.

And finally, for now….

Reaper In Sicily

(I’d love to know where that name came from.)

Let’s end on a bit of ‘Power Pop’ from Aberdare!

Right, I know LOTS of things are described as “anthemic” when they’re really NOT that “anthemic” but this track actually is anthemic. The vocals are super impressive – I do like when singers sing in their regional accent. It’s not super-pronounced, but it’s there. (I’m a linguistics student, so stuff like that pleases my inner nerd.) Guitars & drums are pretty tight too; this is a really well-produced track. But yeah, this track is pretty ‘epic’ in the literal sense of the word – it took me a couple of listens to unpack it, so I’d categorise it as a “grower”, which is a good thing in my book.

They’re playing at Ifor Bach (that’s ‘Welsh Club’ to my non-Welsh uni friends) TONIGHT (the 27th) so if you are down in Cardiff, I’d go and check them out, or like their page on Facebook to keep up with other gigs.

Are you a band or musician local to Abergavenny? Do you have HQ original tracks on Soundcloud or Bandcamp?

Abergavenny Now Music Spotlight Article

We are looking for new artists and tracks to review as a regular feature for Abergavenny Now.

If you have new, original music – singles, EPs or albums – and you’re from Abergavenny or the local area, then we want to hear from you!

We’re not looking for particular genres – we want an eclectic mix of everything from rock to rap to electronic.

What we need from you:

  • A streamable link to your track(s) – i.e. Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Spotify or YouTube
  • A short artist bio (or link to one)
  • We are looking for ORIGINAL music, rather than tribute acts or cover bands
  • Studio-quality would be preferred but HQ demos are acceptable

If you would like to submit your music, you can Tweet us, message our Facebook page, or comment below!

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About Author

Author for Abergavenny Now. I’m an English Language graduate, a music lover and arts enthusiast. Excellent at pub quizzes and karaoke.

2 Comments

  1. Hello Honey, you state “Are you a band or musician local to Abergavenny?” yet have bands from Aberdare and Newport. I’m not sure if I qualify but me (Crosskeys) and my mate Andrew (Brymawr) have made these noises. https://soundcloud.com/thelongtenon There’s plenty of tracks to choose from, just let me know if you want to use any and I’ll unlock them for download. At them moment they’re instrumental but we’re so looking for a singer, know of anyone?

    Cheers
    Greg

  2. Hi there

    I’m looking to start up an regular in Abergavenny “Songwriting Circle”.

    The aim is to create an inclusive supportive community of local artists, to meet , share ideas , collaborate and perform new music. Showcasing and developing local talent.

    My own work is available to listen to on https://soundcloud.com/alvy-singer

    I’d welcome any support or advice on setting up the songwriting circle and I can be contacted at s.tyler3@icloud.com

    Cheers

    Simon

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