Negative Brody have been together for just over 12 months, and in a considerably short space of time, their popularity has rocketed, particularly in their hometown of Birmingham, Negative Brody is a name that is inevitably going to be the buzz word on everyone's lips this year. Why? Many words spring to mind when thinking about this band to almost effortlessly make them appealing- unique, credible, individual, accessible, memorable and talented.

Consisting of Dean Stevens (vocals), Mark Kemp (lead guitar), Chris Parkes (rhythm guitar), Paul Brooks (bass) and Joel Allen (drums/backing vocals), Negative Brody's energetic live performances are something that truly have to be seen to be believed. Their sound has been described by reviewers and fans alike as "a new sound" because there really is nothing else around at the moment like it. Negative Brody have exactly the right blend of ingredients to make their music as innovative and vibrant as it is. The infectiously catchy and upbeat guitar hooks are as addictive as crack cocaine and I guarantee they won't leave your head for days. NB's moody and penetrating basslines combined with the robust and snare splitting strokes of Joel's drums and Dean's deliciously cracked and gravelly vocals are simply orgasmic. The Brody sound is distinctive yet impossible to pin down to one particular genre, which is probably explained by the diverse musical influences of each of the band members, ranging from Pixies and Nirvana, to Iron Maiden and the Dwarves, right through to Muse and Depeche Mode.

Unfortunately, the band's first demo does not do them justice, even though the recording quality is spot on, the one thing missing from the CD is the visual aspect of the music, and after seeing their live performance this is unquestionable. The band were extremely busy last year, gigging locally to build up their fanbase from scratch, and 2008 is already proving their hard work to be paying off. The band have a lot more gigs scheduled for the forthcoming year, which will shortly be updated on their Myspace page (www.myspace.com/negativebrody). Dates already listed include the first leg of the Surface Unsigned Festival on 4 March at The Rainbow in Birmingham a cancer charity gig at The Flapper & Firkin, Birmingham on 11 April and their biggest gig to date - 28 March at The Underworld in Camden

If you want to experience a band that have the ability to restore your faith in live music, Negative Brody are a must and a venture out to one of their gigs is highly recommended.