Author: Lisa Hafey

Lisa has been writing for over 20 years, starting as the entertainment editor on her university newspaper. Since then she's written for Popwrapped, Maximum Pop, Celebmix, and ListenOnRepeat. Lisa loves all good music, and she's interviewed Kevin Godley, Trevor Horn, Paul Young, Peter Cox (Go West), Brendan B Brown (Wheatus), Bruce Foxton (The Jam), among many many more. Lisa is also available for freelance writing - please email lisa@essentiallypop.com

Blueburst Brings Lush Guitar-Based Alt Rock To The Forefront With Latest Release ‘Senseless’

July 28, 2023

Released July 7, ‘Senseless’ is the new single from guitarist/vocalist Craig Douglas Miller, who performs as Blueburst. While he’s probably classed as a “new” artist, the 50 year old Miller had moderate success with his band, The Reach, back in the 1990s, before taking a 20 plus year hiatus due to untreated clinical depression, writer’s block, and, in his words, “perhaps a few too many gin and tonics”.

Battle Tapes Are ‘Brand New’ With The Video For Their Latest Rock/Alternative Track

July 24, 2023

Los Angeles band Battle Tapes have so far released 2 albums, 4 EPs, and quite a lot of singles, and so you’d believe it if I said they know what they’re doing. Not only that, but they’ve composed music for classic video games, such as the bracing, ‘Feel The Same’, which was featured prominently in ‘Grand Theft Auto V’. Their latest single, ‘Brand New’, continues with their stock-in-trade rhythm guitar and synth rock, accompanied by instantly memorable melodies, and serves as the centrepiece for ‘Texture’, their latest album, released this year.