Avenue61 is a leading indie music site that specialises in album and gig reviews, breaking new bands, publicising events, and exclusive interviews with the leading cutting edge acts in the alternative music scene. Avenue61 covers a wide range of artists – some you would have heard of, some you won’t. Artists the site has reviewed recently include the Fleet Foxes, MGMT, Noisettes and Ladyhawke. The site is updated regularly so come back to catch up the latest news and reviews from the bleeding edge of the alternative music scene.

Ok, so first off I must iterate the fact that this particular run down is in no particular order, nor is it a definitive list of the best British record labels of all time (as if such a breakdown could ever be truly quantified). It is simply a list of some personal favourites within the British...MORE>>

Every so often a band comes along that truly astounds. A certain poise conjured from within, a maturity beyond their years, a musicality that far outstretches their geographic boundaries, all encapsulated in a breathtaking live set that instantly transports you to somewhere else. Such a band is indeed a rarity, but a recent, if somewhat accidental, discovery at this years Wychwood Festival yielded such a gem. That gem goes by the name of Goldheart Assembly.

Playing to a paltry audience, hindered by the inordinate amount of sunshine, London sextet Goldheart Assembly pulled out a set from their polished musical arsenal including the stomping, garage rock shin-dig Oh Really, the epic Wolves

and Thieves & the hauntingly au fait rendition of Tom Waits’ Clap Hands, to mention but a few. Every song is painted with glorious, harmonic Technicolour allowing James’ & John’s lead vocals, (James & John also playing bass & guitar respectively), to weave together effortlessly, soaring as a single entity high above the canvas of the Big Top stage.

After their set I caught up with Gh’Assembly to talk about pork crackling, Scottish drug habits, Tom Waits & the possibility of some very high profile festival appearances during the summer. (The last of which we can’t disclose for legal reasons, but think Somerset and you won’t be far wrong).

With a steady amount of press coverage behind them, John’s keenness to distance themselves from certain journalistic comparisons soon became apparent.

I think we’re a very British band, someone in the press said we’re the British Fleet Foxes. We can’t necessarily see it.

However, with harmonies as richly layered as those present American West Coast Influences come to the fore but after some much discussed stylistic references some slightly more obscure & interesting influences showed themselves;

We’d love to be compared to a  British Pavement! James’ elation at such a non-referential statement was obvious. He continued,

Sure, with Harmonies there’ll always be those sorta references, ‘cos Dom (Keshavarz, Lead Guitar) is really into that 60‘s stuff, as we all are, but John is really into his American Indie, and The Smiths. We all love Smiths.

It’s interesting with a band such as Goldheart how they derive such a crystal clear soundscape from such a varied array of influences, but an obvious collective influence is that of the great Mr. Waits, as demonstrated through their dutiful homage mid-set. Their sound captures a great deal of the energy that comes with a six-piece band, but their never seems to be an over powering ego present to distract from the songs themselves, each individual allowing space when needed & depth when required, a talent extremely hard to master. This becomes even more impressive considering the band have only been together some 18 months.

With a sound such as theirs Goldheart Assembly will not stay under the radar for long, they are star’s capable of shining as bright as any and with an EP expected towards the end of the year through Fierce Panda Records & a string of festival dates due to be played, it will only be a matter of time before the words on everyone’s tongue will be; Goldheart Assembly.