Over the last few episodes we’ve discussed how the music press can make or break a band’s career, and even have a lasting effect on band members psyches’ long after they receive critical acclaim/indifference.

My Vitriol and The Sound provide two fascinating case studies in that regard:

The former were a band who gained massive buzz in the dying moments of the physical format era. The turn of the 21st century saw a frankly obscene amount of cash, coverage and opportunity being flung at bands. Now of course, we’re not naive enough to think that this happens in a vacuum - having well connected friends and family can and does play a part in that sometimes. Indeed, My Vitriol went at it so hard, so early in their careers that it by all accounts led to burn out.

On the other hand, The Sound were contemporaries of bands that had acc ...