Talons are a difficult band to ignore. With 6 members including 2 violinists, a bagful of crushing guitar riffs and one of the most ferocious young drummers around, I’ve used the term “soundtrack to the end of the world” on more than one occasion to describe their incredible live performance, and now they have a studio recording to back it up…

After the best part of a decade, Big Scary Monsters Records, the little DIY label from Oxford, hits three figures today, Tuesday 7th September with the release of ‘Partied Hard’, a DVD/CD double pack celebrating the wonderful bands who have passed through their doors since it’s 2001 inception.

The long-awaited second album from Adebisi Shank (which fans won’t be surprised to hear is simply entitled, ‘This Is The Second Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank’) is now available to pre-order on CD or 12″ vinyl, both formats are available with a very fetching new t-shirt.

With a name inspired by the terrible Father’s Day gift compilation CD genre of the same name, Dad Rocks! is the new solo project from Mimas frontman Snævar Njáll Albertsson.

It’s not everyday someone drops by your local to play a few songs with a career as vast as Walter Schreifels. Walter has a new album out “Open Letter To The Scene’ on Big Scary Monsters, check the BSM website for more details.

Simon Thompson drinks Guinness with Toby Hayes and chats about recording his albums and the different approach to each. He also chats on past projects Meet Me in St.Louis and Shield Your Eyes, plus we hear a bit about songwriting, touring in Europe and ‘beard stunts’…

BeatCast caught up with Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Kevin Devine during his UK tour for an in depth interview. Find out what he’s been listening to, his views on politics in music, as well as festive birthdays and Kevin reveals a ‘hidden talent’…

Shoes and Socks Off is the ‘new punk movement’. It is ex-Meet Me In St.Louis frontman Toby Hayes and various friends from other bands depending on what record you listen to.
When we caught up with SASO everyone agreed a session in the middle of Trafalgar Square seemed festively appropriate. We just about captured this song before the local bobby took an interest and came to move us along…

All SASO releases available through Big Scary Monsters.

When we heard Kevin Devine was over from Brooklyn and playing at The Borderline it seemed only fitting that we film him in the heart of Soho. On a rainy sunday evening in December we got the chance to film with Kevin where he performed ‘All of Everything, Erased’ from the album Brother’s Blood.

Mimas is a Danish death indie act (in their own words) from Aarhus, Denmark. Recorded live at the Face Bar, Reading, the set includes songs form their debut album ‘The Worries’ released on BSM.