https://www.themusicguyde.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-01-23 https://www.themusicguyde.com/blog/entry-six-tiktok-killed-the-radio-charts monthly 0.5 2025-06-01 https://www.themusicguyde.com/blog/entry-five-solo-gigs-weird-or-wonderful monthly 0.5 2025-04-18 https://www.themusicguyde.com/blog/entry-four-the-country-revolution monthly 0.5 2025-03-19 https://www.themusicguyde.com/blog/entry-three-glastonbury-the-festival-of-festivals monthly 0.5 2025-03-11 https://www.themusicguyde.com/blog/entry-two-why-live-music-hits-different monthly 0.5 2025-03-11 https://www.themusicguyde.com/blog/blog-post-title-one-t5j6g monthly 0.5 2025-02-24 https://www.themusicguyde.com/album-reviews daily 0.75 2025-06-02 https://www.themusicguyde.com/album-reviews/people-watching monthly 0.5 2025-06-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67a3c9953d9f381ce842bdf8/574e57ce-5cac-4574-8e06-1a8f9d965d7c/b94c4d8796a2b31caca15f7130b6a6d0.1000x1000x1.jpg Album Reviews - People Watching - Sam Fender’s People Watching takes a different route from his previous records. It’s a slower, more introspective album, leaning heavily on storytelling and orchestration rather than the punchy, stadium-ready anthems fans may have expected. While the songwriting remains sharp and the production is fantastic, the album feels just shy of greatness—each track is strong, but few stand out as instant fan favorites in the way The Borders or Getting Started did. That said, People Watching has some of Fender’s most intricate and ambitious work to date, and with the right live arrangements, it could evolve into something spectacular on tour. The album’s opener, People Watching, sets the tone perfectly—big, bold, and drenched in nostalgia- WHAT AN OPENER! The signature saxophone, sweeping string section, and Fender’s unmistakable voice make for a powerful reintroduction. It’s a powerful way to welcome him back, but the album quickly settles into a more subdued rhythm. Nostalgia’s Lie immediately stands out as my favourites with its light, almost vintage-sounding riff, bringing a fresh dynamic to Fender’s usual guitar-driven sound. https://www.themusicguyde.com/album-reviews/hotspot monthly 0.5 2025-06-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67a3c9953d9f381ce842bdf8/01230348-d87b-432d-beb3-c0d9a5f6d680/1200x1200bf-60+%281%29.jpg Album Reviews - Hotspot - If you’ve ever needed an album that just gets you—one that fits the mood whether you’re driving at night, unwinding in your room, or reminiscing about old memories—then Hotspot is for you. From the very first listen, this album transported me straight back to my university accommodation, LED lights glowing purple, music on full blast, lost in the moment. It’s been a long time since an album made me hit replay this many times in a row, but Hotspot managed it effortlessly. NIGHT TRAVELER has mastered the art of reverb-soaked guitars, smooth yet impassioned vocals, and that dreamlike atmosphere that lets you escape from reality for a little while. Adam Fischer’s voice carries so much raw emotion—his breaks and cracks feel almost intentional, like they’re meant to hit you right in the heart. And while some might say the album stays within a certain pocket. I think it’s part of its magic. It sticks to its signature sound, but within that, it plays with different paces and textures to keep things feeling fresh. I will not be throwing this statement a lot in these reviews, but this album has been an instant contender for one of my favourite albums of all time. https://www.themusicguyde.com/album-reviews/blog-post-title-one-m67lw monthly 0.5 2025-06-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67a3c9953d9f381ce842bdf8/48fba43f-344d-45cf-a910-21b7ca8c6df1/OIP+%284%29.jpg Album Reviews - Open Wide - Make it stand out The album cover to Inhaler’s third album ‘Open Wide’ https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews daily 0.75 2026-03-02 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/oasis-heaton-park-manchester monthly 0.5 2025-07-21 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/inhalerblossoms-fabrique-milan monthly 0.5 2025-05-06 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/daydreamers-deaf-institute-manchester monthly 0.5 2025-04-17 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/overpass-gorilla-manchester monthly 0.5 2025-03-31 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/louis-dunford-albert-hall-manchester monthly 0.5 2025-03-31 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/dayglow-o2-ritz-manchester monthly 0.5 2025-03-29 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/the-kites-lions-den-manchester monthly 0.5 2025-03-28 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/gracie-abrams-co-op-live monthly 0.5 2025-03-10 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/james-smith-manchester-deaf-institute monthly 0.5 2025-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67a3c9953d9f381ce842bdf8/d37ea6df-63db-4f14-a413-b4ae198b61b7/IMG_8245.jpeg Live Reviews - James Smith (Manchester Deaf Institute) - It’s something that often goes unnoticed—just how much independent artists have to sacrifice to bring their music to a live audience. Touring isn’t about profit for many of these musicians; it’s about passion, connection, and growth. They handle everything themselves, investing their own money, time, and energy into making it happen. James Smith is no exception. With no budget for a full band, he decided to take this tour on solo—just him, a guitar, and a cameraman. And honestly? He didn’t need anything more. James Smith absolutely did himself proud last night. He controlled the room with his raw talent, his effortless humor, and, above all, his unbelievable voice. This was my second gig this week where it was just an artist and a guitar, and once again, it completely won me over. There’s something about stripped-back performances in small venues that lets you see talent in its purest form . I’ve known of James’ music for years, but I hadn’t fully dived into his new album until now—and let me tell you, it’s fantastic. His setlist blended his older classics with tracks from this latest record, and it was clear how much his sound has evolved. There’s an undeniable groove to his newer material, laced with old-school influences that give it so much character. https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/calum-bowie monthly 0.5 2025-02-24 https://www.themusicguyde.com/live-reviews/blog-post-title-one-wypzc monthly 0.5 2025-02-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67a3c9953d9f381ce842bdf8/96bddd3f-1938-430f-930a-6a28d8442496/IMG_6247.jpg Live Reviews - Valley (Manchester Academy 3) - The night kicked off with Beaux, an emerging UK artist who was an absolute vibe. His voice? Fantastic. His band? Cool as hell. His songs? Definitely adding some to my rotation. I was such a huge fan of his sound, especially Suddenly, I’m Fine and Our House, and his personality and stage presence was great. He set the mood perfectly—a great opener that I’ll be delving into more. Then came Valley. And my god, did they deliver. 21 songs. A setlist spanning their entire journey as a band. Every era represented, from old gems to brand-new anthems. The crowd? Absolutely in the moment. No pointless chatting, no half-hearted swaying—just pure energy. Valley had us in the palm of their hands, and somehow, between bouncing indie pop hooks and emotional singalongs, they found time to ramble about periods, jet lag, and their long-overdue UK debut—and we all hung on every word. I had spent the entire week leading up to the show obsessively listening to Break For You, crossing my fingers that it would make the setlist. I like to avoid looking up setlists in advance, keeping that element of surprise, and sure enough—they played it. And it was everything I hoped for. Another unexpected standout was Have a Good Summer (Without Me), which I now cannot stop listening to. Of course, there were a couple of heartbreakers—no Namedropper (my absolute fave), no Loop Love, and surprisingly, no Oh Shit…Are We in Love?—which is one of their biggest songs. But honestly? 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