ECHO LAKE

Like waking up from a dream and wanting to go straight back to sleep so you can return to the dream, Echo Lake's songs are those songs that you don't want to end. But sadly, they do eventually end, so you'll have to savour every last second. What Echo Lake manage to do is balance their dreamy shimmer with a more direct yearning. But if you want solid proof of their wholesome goodness, then check this little factoid: their debut EP sold out the day it came out. You'll be yearning and gurning for Echo Lake before you know it, or you might just really enjoy it.


http://echolakeband.com/



For Fans Of:

Beach House, Still Corners, Seapony

SPECTOR

Is there a band shaped hole in your soul? Even if there isn't, make some room in your life for Spector. They will need quite a bit of room however, because their songs are anthem sized anthems. Spector have decided to go back to a classic style of song writing, where the phrase "mass appeal" replaces the phrase "forward-thinking" on the drawing board. They have a winning formula of making the choruses sound bigger by having every member sing them in brotherly unison, making the guitars sound bigger by backing them up with synths and having a tight rhythm section. They also make an effort to dress up smartly and interact with the crowd when they play live. Champ dares you not to like them.

http://spector.co.uk/


For Fans Of:

The Killers, Mystery Jets, The Maccabees

TV GIRL

Tv Girl sound like someone found a box of old radio jingle recordings and decided to loop them into songs and croon over the top. If that is true, then how genius is that? What is truly genius however is the power of TV Girl's songs to turn your bad day into a hummingly good one. What's more, you can get a huge chunk of their back catalogue for free off the net. Thank the sweet lord of music that there are bands like TV Girl around to put a smile on our grins!

http://tvgirl.bandcamp.com/


For Fans Of:

Washed Out, Chad Valley, Neon Indian

TRUE STORY

THE STICKS

The Sticks are a clattering, jangling, twitching, shaking and rattling force of musical exploration. They sound equal parts scary and dance-y. You could say they are no nonsense in their approach to cracking out their songs and jams, but they hardly make any sense at all. And are all the better for it! You get a feeling of them not giving a fig about anything when listening to their songs. Which in turn makes you not want to give a fig about anything and just flail about a bit. They make a quick and precise musical impression. You will love them.

http://www.upsettherhythm.co.uk/thesticks.shtml


For Fans Of:

Rapid Youth, Graffiti Island, Anguish Sandwich

EAGULLS

Straight from the word go on an Eagulls track, it's clear that more than just punky aggression is going to follow on from the opening chords. On tracks like "Fifteen" they find their own middle ground between angst and contemplation. They also change the pace sometimes, during the same track. Which will see them enjoyed by fans of Fucked Up and other more forward thinking guitar bands. Eagulls put their angst to better use than just sped up shout fests and have more fun with guitar arrangements and sometimes even harmonies. They blast out thunderous, stomach-winding thuds of sound, with a yobbish lead vocal filling your heart with fist pumping joy.

http://www.myspace.com/eagulls


For Fans Of:

Fucked Up, Blood Visions, Crows

BEAT CONNECTION

The beat making boys from Beat Connection sure know how to press the "epic" button on their synths. They also know their way around a good connection of beats too. Their soundcloud is chockablock full of instrumentals that induce head nodding and anthems like "In The Water" and "Silver Screen" that make you want to scream out that Beat Connection are your life. They are a bubbly, out-going, friendly band. If that doesn't make your ears want to go out on a date with them, then what is the point of life anymore? Also, it's summer! So...you know.

http://soundcloud.com/beatconnexion


For Fans Of:

Friendly Fires, Blood Diamonds, Washed Out

SSSSNAKES

These guys are rocking their guitars with riffage that time forgot how to enjoy. Fed up with noodling and abstract distortion shredding? Even if you aren't, Ssssnakes are here to stick it, whatever it may be, to the man. Right in his mug. So let's all kick it. To put it directly and to the point, these dudes are direct and to the point. If they want to go skate boarding for instance, they will tell you about it through the medium of song. Where they came from? Who knows? Probably the land of ROCK.

http://ssssnakes.bandcamp.com/


For Fans Of:

Wavves, Blink 182, Cerebral Ballzy

SECRET ADMIRER - SECRET UPDATE

You can now pick up copies for free from the following establishments of excellence...

The Wardrobe
5 The Ridings Arcade
Northampton
NN1 1EZ

The Nook Cafe
The Fishmarket
Bradshaw Street
Northampton
NN1 2HL

NEW YEARS EVIL

At Champ, we love anthems, and New Years Evil have one of the most optimistic fist pumpers ever conceived. This comes in the form of "Sonic Summer '91". They have more than that cookie of a track up their sleeves however, make no mistake! Their tracks veer recklessly from thunderous instrumental guitar work-outs to vocal lead corkers. What all their tracks have in common is their urgency, their unrelenting pace and their need for speed. Happy new years...evil!

http://newyearsevol.bandcamp.com/


For Fans Of:

72% Morrissey, You Slut!, Blood Visions

YOUR TWENTIES

Your Twenties couldn't be any more frustratingly good. They have played some shows, got some tunes up on the Internet, got some merch, got some blog love and magazine love. But! It feels like they should be ruling the festival slots, airwaves and the world by now. Just scan your hungry peepers over their facebook page and drink in all the fan's comments, pleading and begging for an album or a live performance. They have been in people's consciousnesses since about 2007 because of their knack for whacking out infectious songs with the potential for mass appeal. Their sound is very direct, positive and has a clear direction. They want to walk straight into your hearts and set up camp there. Songs like "Billionaires" and "Caught Wheel" are easy to fall in love with, the ooohs, the clean production and the general polished pop vibes are peng/swag/fit/leng/sick/juicy.

http://www.myspace.com/yourtwenties

For Fans Of:

Fleetwood Mac, Metronomy, The Smiles

JAMES LEROY

Bands that marry over-driven guitars with a constant up beat pace will NEVER GET OLD. The band James Leroy are the latest reminder that ear worming hooks coming from guitars as well as vocals is a good idea when it comes to music. Their sole mission seems to be creating a back catalogue of music that sounds like a radio DJ's entire play list. They vary between radio-ready hip shakers and crunchier, sometimes dancey-er numbers. But they still stay within their taught bubble of guitar sound.  The lyrics also veer from just having fun to more philosophical musings. They also have their own pocket size anthem "Wasting Our Time" which is so great. Their internet presence is minimalist to say the least, but it lets the music do the talking and walking. Who knows what time they existed in, if they are still going or even who they even are? Shivers of excitement!

http://www.myspace.com/jamesleroy


For Fans Of:

The Strokes, NEEDLES//PINS, Your Twenties

HATCHAM SOCIAL

A funny Hatcham Social anecdote here: Champ saw one of them DJ at The Old Blue Last but didn't realise it was them until our mate Joss told us it was. Ok, not that funny. But who needs funny when Hatcham Social provide dramatic yearning with promise and conviction? 'How do they provide such promised prizes?' you cry! The answer is, with swelling guitar lines bashed out alongside the occasional synth chirp, all underpinned by some solid bass. The vocals are just the right side of dead-pan, with leaks of emotion and fun that make the choruses of songs such as "Crocodile" just that extra bit hummable. Some may quiver at the mention of synths alongside guitars, but like fellow Londoners The Horrors, Hatcham Social make it all work. Fans of a very British musical melodrama will fall in love with Hatcham Social, if you haven't already swooned. Hatcham Social have been doing their thang for a while now, another thing we learnt from Joss. Nice one Joss, nice one Hatcham Social. Next time any of you DJ, Champ will be smiling at you in adoration.

 http://www.myspace.com/hatchamsocial


For Fans Of:

The Horrors, Wild Beasts, Weird Dreams

THE SMILES

There are a few bands on myspace called The Smiles, but avoid them and head straight to the link below this gushing paragraph. The Smiles use of light and sprite-ly guitars will make you smile, the dual vocalists will make you smile and the drums that thud like running feet on sand will make you smile. The Smiles will make you smile with their nuggets of perfected popular song, they will make you smile until your face aches. They have a lot of character, which gives their songs a face that you can really love. Their song "California Girls" for instance, is much nicer than the innuendo-fest of  Katie Perry's song of the same title. Like The Beach Boys before them, their simple yet precise and to the point choice of name, lyrical subject matter and overall sound works like a dog riding a skateboard. It just has so much appeal potential. Seriously, it'll put a smile on your face.

http://thesmiles.bandcamp.com/


For Fans Of:

French Kissing, Vampire Weekend, Harlem

Champ presents SECRET ADMIRER

Secret Admirer is our new fanzine, that aims to ask musicians the questions that all you fanboys and fangirls have always wanted to know the answers to. The first issue is out now, featuring interviews with Lee Francis from Archives and the Camden dwelling band Tribes. We aim to put copies in shops and general lovely spaces all over! So look out for Secret Admirer, pick up a copy and spread the word! Keep it right here at Champ for all the updates on Secret Admirer. IT IS FREE!

NEEDLES//PINS

It is a shame that music has lost a little of it's originality. But why not enjoy the fruits of new musical labour that are still growing ripe, even if they do taste like you've tasted them before. Of course, enthusiasm helps, and NEEDLES//PINS have overflowing buckets of that! Don't you worry! What they also have are skatter-brained, strum-tastic, rip-roaring, life-snorting songs. Their sound is effortlessly infectious, so no need for quirky marketing, keyboards or a beanie hat with these guys. Funny name, but soon the only words you'll be able to think about are the words to anthems like "Drop It" and "Kalifornia Korner". Penned by...you guessed it, NEEDLES//PINS.

http://soundcloud.com/needlesxpins


For Fans Of:

French Kissing, Sex Beet, Lovvers

FOXES IN FICTION

The music floating about under the monstrous moniker of Foxes In Fiction is packed, like a pack lunch made by a loving mother, with soaring swishyness and barely-awake vocal laments. Although Champ cant think of many foxes from fictional stuff apart from Fantastic Mr.Fox, Champ can think of plenty of places to listen to Foxes In Fiction. Part of the fun is trying to decipher which instrument is making which ambient shimmery noise. Another part of the fun is spinning around the room, your ears filled with the glorious songs of Foxes In Fiction. Spinning spinning spinning, until you dizzily drop to the ground.

http://www.foxesinfiction.com/


For Fans Of:

Beach House, Youth Lagoon, Teen Daze

BOTTLE IT

Here's a sneaky peek at some table decorations I've been working on for the Nook Cafe in Northampton. Chlo

ICE CREAMS AND YUMS

by Chloe Coles

YOUTH LAGOON

 Youth Lagoon manages to conjure up an epic style that is both broad and contained in it's own world. When listening to tracks like "Cannons" and "July", one is immersed in this world. A world where his whispered croon is at the back of the mix, making it even more mysterious and cryptic. A world where the most simple and roughly recorded versions of instrumentation build and swell to epic proportions. Various instruments help to pluck at the heart strings, ranging from piano to guitar to crunchy percussion. They are fragile little gems of sound, so make like Indiana Jones and dig them out from the Tomb Of The Internet.


http://soundcloud.com/youth-lagoon

For Fans Of:

Therapies Son, Memory Tapes, Beach House