Featured Music Articles

Explore a featured selection of my music journalism below.

The Portsmouth Scene: 11 Acts To Know | Gigwise

A crash course of the local sound

When you think of Portsmouth you two things probably come to mind. The Spinnaker Tower and that viral Chris Kamara clip from Fratton Park. Whilst the “I dunno Jeff” meme cemented us into the brains of football Twitter, did you know Portsmouth also has a vibrant, thriving music scene?

From Saturday nights at the Wedgewood Rooms to Victorious Festival, music is an integral part of our waterfront city. That being said, here are 11 upcoming Portsmouth acts you nee

Louis Dunford: The Popham EP review

An artist to whom storytelling is second nature, Louis Dunford is one of the finest talents around, and he doesn’t hold back when it comes to his brutally honest and heartfelt lyrics born out of political frustration and stories he’s collected of his beloved North London.

My Generation is the opening track, and it's filled to the brim with jangling acoustic guitar and themes of life of the North London working-class. “God only knows what we're trying for, God only knows what we're dying for” of

Album Review: Sea Girls - Homesick | Gigwise

Why change the recipe if you baked the perfect cake first time around?

Since the release of their debut album in 2020, Sea Girls have become the faces of British indie music, reigniting the fire of guitar bands up and down the country. Back with their brand new album Homesick, the boys have stuck to the recipe they know best: catchy hooks and big anthemic choruses counteracted by a few intimate acoustic moments. Adventurous? Maybe not so much. Packed full of fun and lyrical intimacy? Absolutely.

Disabled musicians left in limbo amid Omicron fear

During the month of December losses across the live music, sector hit a staggering £2 million with the main cause of cancellations being that touring parties tested positive for Covid-19. Additionally, sales figures across the industry declined to just 23.6% according to the leading grassroots music charity Music Venue Trust. In just one week (6-13 December), ticket holders who did not show up due to fear of omicron resulted in £859,386 of lost revenue across the sector.

Interview: Dan Haggis of The Wombats on Fix Yourself, Not The World | Gigwise

'The main theme is letting go'

They are the undisputed kings of indie-pop, and even though they're 15 years in, The Wombats are brighter than ever. Their brand new album Fix Yourself, Not The World was released last Friday and it plays on addictive chorus lines and bold sonic waves.

We had the pleasure of chatting to Wombats drummer Dan Haggis all about the new album, the importance of small venues and lyrical honesty when it comes to mental health.

Album Review: Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under | Gigwise

Sam Fender has become well known for tackling hard-hitting subjects such as male suicide, violence and sexism—and now the Geordie rocker is back with his brand new album Seventeen Going Under, a stunning second outing.

Sam’s distinctively soulful yet rough tones blissfully wash over the record, touching on themes of toxic masculinity, the wealth of the 1% and mental health. This blinding second album is made up of both a hard-working spirit and sheer undeniable talent. Opening with the title tr

Interview | Oli Jameson of Marsicans

Marsicans are one of the UK’s most exciting indie-rock bands with over 140,000 listeners a month on Spotify. The four piece from Leeds built an ever growing fan base with songs such as Too Good and Friends making it onto some of Spotify’s top indie playlists.

The Lowdown had the chance to speak to Oli Jameson, the guitarist from Marsicans about the release of their debut album ‘Ursa Major’ and what life has been like for the band during lockdown.

If no one has heard of Marsicans before how wou