Shining a light on great new music.
Queen Zee and The Sasstones
The Liverpool five piece have been causing quite the stir with their blistering and unruly live shows. We delve into their catalogue to find out more:
Idle Crown
Their last single meshes the angular guitar work of Wire, Television and Johnny Marr’s solo albums with Cabbage-esque vocals during the exciting verses. However, it’s the euphoric closing stages that this song comes to life. With a heavy dose of Therapy?’s banger ‘Screamager’ on show, ‘Idle Crown’ becomes an outsider anthem for all alternative dancefloors!
Boy
If Buzzcocks and Cabbage were to form a supergroup, this would be the results. Sarcasm and wit enthuse the lyrics whilst musically, a savage melody envelops. Whilst sonically worlds apart, the pop nous combining with a ferocious underground sound does conjure images of Nirvana at their best.
I Hate Your New Boyfriend
The relentless but tuneful power in the first half of this track brings the mighty Jim Jones Revue to mind. Then, 2mins into the chaos, something remarkable happens. All the power of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine pours out of the guitars and cascading drums. The Mark E Smith vocal delivery over the top brings a new fire to the genre and takes an aged story of ex-partner envy into the incredible interesting territories.
Yassassin
The London five piece have recently wowed crowds supporting Sleeper on their comeback tour. Now its time for Yassassin to build their own legend.
Social Politics
Their debut single is a catalogue of post punk guitar styles. Ranging from The Breeders to the godlike PJ Harvey, they have produced a solid rebel anthem.
Cheery Pie
An almost slacker rock approach to this number. The slow vocal drawl allows this song to casually build until its glorious Sleater Kinney inspired climax.
Seasoned Like A Chicken
A straight up punk record. Full of attitude and spite, Yassassin get right in people’s faces on this one. The Graham Coxon guitars allow for enough melody to creep in and make this that rare breed of intelligent pop music.
Is Bliss
Hailing from Portsmouth, Is Bliss are a three piece comprised of Jamie Stuart, Dean Edwards and Sam Speakman. They are part of the brilliant AC30 record label setup and will be headlining The Shackwell Arms in Shoreditch Friday 12th January.
Into A Dream
Many bands will talk about what they want to sound like. Few can deliver it within a minute of a song. The opening contains Syd Barret pop-psyche and the stormy shoegaze of Ride's 'Leave Them All Behind' and 'Unfamiliar'.
Amid the turbulence, lies sitar playing reminiscent of Elephant Stone. Not only does it cut through the heavier guitars, it showcases a band with real vision and ability to back it up.
Ocean Blue
Trippy and expansive, 'Ocean Blue' brings to mind the vast ambition of The Verve's 'Gravity Grave' and 'Star Sail'. It has an infectiousness and immediacy to it which begs to open sets a big venues.
Goat Girl
What a fantastic story this band are. Reigniting the DIY scene in South London, they have been forging their own path through a burgeoning community of like-minded souls. Imagine that, people helping each other out! It makes being in a band mean something more than Youtube hits.
Romance aside, this band have some serious musical chops. ‘Cracker Drool’ makes pop music a weird and wonderful thing again. It takes the classic 60s girl group sound and funnels it through The Horrors classic ‘Primary Colours’. Whereas ‘Crow Cries’, sounds like the Savages on acid trip and ‘Country Sleaze’ is a guttural dirge guitar anthem.
Then there is ‘Scum’, this joyous piss take of modern day Great Britain. Musically, it’s a cross between The Coral and Cabbage. It’s pop music at its dialectical best. It’s sardonic yet huggable, it’s cutting but accepting, it’s shambolic but fully formed. It’s fucking great!
Be sure to check them out on their tour in April:
The Shimmer Band
Ambition isn’t everything, but, if more bands had it, then perhaps they could assault the top 40 a terrify parents and grandparents once more. The Shimmer Band, a five piece from Bristol, have it in abundance and are hell bent on headlining anything they can get their hands on. DO they have the tunes to back it up?
What Is Mine?
It's clear to see why they are the natural successors to Kasabian on this offing. Their approach to synths is one of boozy hedonism that reaches for the stars.
The bass hooks keep everything from spilling over to ‘Be Here Now’ indulgence and, thus allows front man Tom Newman become an swaggering psychedelic overlord.
Jacknife and the Death Call
Another slice of synth fuelled rock n roll. A dangerous game to play, so many get it wrong. Too many are fucking Keane! For now, The Shimmers walk this tight rope to perfection on this fist pumping pop song.
If they were to have a mission statement, its perfectly contained in the chorus:
“We’re never gonna die”
This isn’t a throwaway cliché for the band. Their sound is clearly striving to deliver something big and demanding to be consider rock n roll greats. With all the dialectical tripe of Brexit, their forthright sense of freedom is wholly refreshing.
Sunkick
Every band needs that one hit to reel the masses in, this is theirs. Newman’s angelic vocal is unapologetically pop music nirvana. As the melody soars around him, memories of the utmost personal happiness will race to the foreground of your minds.
The Mercury Music Award will never touch this, but, for the soon to be millions cherishing this to their hearts and singing aloud at gigs, no one will ever care!
Blackwaters
Blackwaters are a four piece from Surrey consisting of Maximlian Tanner (vox), David Carpenter (guitars), Ollie Franklin (bass) and James Watkins (drums).
They are about to head out with Shimmer Band and Bang Bang Romeo as part of This Feeling’s biggest ever tour. Lets check them out:
Let The Good Times Roll
Musically combining the more visceral moments of the Pistols with furious piano smashing RnB of The Faces and Jim Jones Revue, this isn’t for the faint hearted.
Frontman Maximilian has a chameleon quality, blending elements of Rod, Jamie T, Tom Clarke and Strummer but always sounding distinctly fresh. As long as the song writing doesn’t dry up, its hard not to envisage a long career.
Fuck Yeah
This brash angst ridden track pays homage to the punk-rock fire of Slaves and Sleaford Mods with its venomous verses and Oi style chorus. Festivals were ablaze with mosh pits as this decadent stormer bull dozed its way into hearts and minds.
Down
If Sid Vicious' look had a sound, this was it. The filth and the fury courses through the veins of this Undertones pop behemoth.
When The Enemy burst onto the scene with 'Had Enough' and 'Away From Here', there was an almost instant outpouring of adoration. It’s hard to envisage how this doesn’t go one step further. It takes the melodic ferocity of the Coventry outfit and adds the infectious wit of Jamie T.
Iridesce
Camden’s Iridesce comprise of Marco Spieth (lead vocals, piano, rhythm guitar), James Doig (lead guitar), Thomas Guizzetti (Bass / backing vox) and Joe Bennett (23, drums). They recently won the battle of bands competition to open the Shiiine On Weekender in November. So what exactly will they be bringing to the main stage at Minehead:
Rise
The deep tone of singer Marco Speith in the vocal is going to bring Tom Meighan comparisons, but, the inclination to pull on the heart strings like the forever morbid Matt Berninger (The National) and the brooding industrial qualities of Tom Smith (The Editors) will put that one to bed.
Some bands spend a lifetime building towards this level of epic so, to have this in the armoury so early is remarkable. What’s truly great about this, is that you feel they haven’t quite nailed it. They haven’t failed, it feels like there is more to come. Brace yourself.
Bloodlines
Iridesce have hit upon a radio friendly gem here. Speith’s big vocals deliver a hook for both young and old to shout into their hair brushes. Meanwhile, the gentile and shimmering guitars straddle that line of mainstream and underground to great effect. There is enough for the shoegaze and c86 officanados and more than enough to reel in the casual Killers and Kings of Leon fans.
W H Lung
Inspiration
This isn’t your ordinary 7 minute slice of motorik and krautrock. Rather than being other worldly, it’s a hard hitting indictment of the times:
“Qualms with the young / Qualms with the ill / Qualms with the poor / It’s an honoured agreement”
On the flip side, this isn’t your average angst ridden punk song. The guitar playing is expansive and urgent, commanding your full attention throughout. If Primal Scream had cultivated this mesh of political bile and creativity on guitars, the music rags would explode (rightly so), so, let us ignite the flame for W H Lung for all to see and hear.
Nothing Is
Slower building than ‘Inspiration!’ but, it never lacks in the emotive department. Vocally, it’s reminiscent of Johnny Marr’s former prodigy Gary Briggs (Haven). Meanwhile, musically it takes the more melodic moments of PiL and Toy at their most destructive. It’s a real credit to the band and producer Matt Peel (Eagulls and Pulled Apart by Horses) that ‘Nothing Is’ lands with real impact. There is so much going on here, it would have been easy for so many layers to become lost.
The Cult Collective
Hailing from Coventry and Birmingham, The Cult Collective are a three piece band consisting of Jake Goodman (vox & guitar), Dale Medlicott (bass), and Ben Gibbs (drums).
The Story of Adelaide
Big character storytelling has always been strong point for British Bands since The Kinks, and Story of Adelaide follows in this fine tradition. Adelaide, a whirlwind personality careering through sexual conquests and drugs, you’d think would be portrayed negatively. However, Goodman’s guitars channel Oasis’ ‘Columbia’ meets The Strokes debut album to conjure enormous affection for the heroine.
Speed Dial
Goodman’s vocals are yet again key to their success here. While the guitars fire like sirens from The Strokes and latterly, BRMC, Goodman’s sense of innocence cuts through the aggression. In turn, it gives a great balance between the immediacy of punk and the swirling rock n roll riffs.
Seeking Thrills
Perhaps, had Oasis not been coked of their tits during ‘Be Here Now’, this would have been the result. The big operatic sounds of ‘All Around the World’ are in full swing but crucially, they are embedded with menace. The throbbing bass, eerie choir like backing vocals stagger like a drunk towards a gloriously deranged solo.
Arable Desert
Arable Desert are three piece from London consisting of Ben, Charlie and Allesandro. Having met in the Spitalfields Fred Perry store, they have become a formidable psyche outfit.
Finding a place between Jimi Hendrix, The Coral and Shuggie Otis seems almost impossible but managed it they have.
Here’s a taste of what you can find on their Spotify page:
Sweet Getaway
This soulful psyche number has that withdrawn drug addled brilliance of Mama’s and Papas and Jefferson Airplane. It allows frontman Ben to showcase his 60s soul via Stephen Stills vocals to perfection.
Head and shoulders above everything though, is a pysche gfuitar solo which just melts away into the ether as though Tame Impala and The Coral had never existed. Glorious!
The early guitar solo steals the show though. In 2017, where the hell is this coming from?!? It melts away effortlessly and will make you doubt if those Tame Impala records will ever see the light of day again.
Let You High
Opening with a big Hendrix style riff, ‘Let You High’ channels its love of 60s garage music in the most laid back of vibes. It has an effortlessness to it, which will make their peers insanely jealous and fans worship them a la Wayne's World.
Keep It Moving
Well, if you wasn’t sure about their love of Hendrix, you will be after twenty seconds of ‘Keep It Moving’. Hendrix’s masterpiece ‘Voodoo Child’ is front and centre in the opening guitar parts.
They cool things off during the verses, Ben’s gruff soul vocals are given space to shine and lead into the sweatiest of lo-fi via blues of guitar solos.
The White Tips
The White Tips are a three piece (Lawrence - Vocals, Hristo - Bass/Vocals, Paul Drums) hailing from Aylesbury. Let's check out a couple of their big riffs to date:
Some Things Never Change
This is a big bluesy rock n roll opening reminiscent of the greatly underrated 22-20’s.
If ever there was a soundtrack to debauched nights in a pub’s backroom dancing to bygone eras of guitar scenes, this is it! It’s full of White Stripes-esque guitars but, there is a English innocence to them which can only come from suburban desire of escape.
Over Again
Like all great rock n roll bands, The White Tips are walking that line of slick performer’s one minute and catasphrophic failure the next. The danger and unpredictability this brings gives a sense of confrontation immediately. By the time of the solo, you’ll be begging for mercy as this sleaze ridden and hook laden rides into battle.
Come down to the New Cross Inn for our second live all dayer to see The White Tips in action:
https://www.facebook.com/events/189850341501848/permalink/228840744269474/?__mref=mb
The Gallerys
Where there is jingle jangle guitars making pop music, you'll always find Travellers tunes, especially when it is of this calibre.
The Gallerys are a three piece band from Kent and have been on tour with Mod legends The Rifles, and Secret Affair, as well as Britpop prince Mark Morriss (The Bluetones).
You Don't Really Love Her
The spirit of their Medway towns and Liverpool of the 80s lives on in this angelic C86 gem. It channels Sheffield's High Hazels through their home town heroes The Claim and Primal Scream's debut 'Sonic Flower Groove', The Gallerys encapsulate everything great about the paisley scene.
Imperfect Perception
Lifting both the pace and aggression. The Gallerys showcase their punk and garage spirit. Much like the Paul Weller in The Jam, James Wood manages to hold his distinct vocals above the aggressive 60s beat music. As the 'I Am The Resurrection' riff combines with the rasping Jam drums in the latter stages, The Gallerys hint that something special is within their grasp.
Paisley
Another slice of jingle jangle pop heaven. The effortless of Stone Roses' 'Sugar Spun Sister' combines with the relentlessness of The La's 'Timeless Melody'.
April
April are a five piece from Nuneaton. They spent most of large year on The Enemy’s emotional farewell tour and recently, a scintillating tour with Cabbage and The Shimmer Band. It’s fine company, let’s see why by examining their last single ‘Open Mind’.
Open Mind
“There’s someone in my head but it’s not me”
Professes frontman George Cook in the third line and essentially, is all you need to know about April.
Sitting somewhere between The Roses’ ‘Love Spreads’ and Kasabian’s ‘Reason is Treason’, April have meshed a furious and relentless piece of dystopian rock music.
There is the briefest of breaks when, for just a few seconds, a trippy Jagz Kooner style of electronica seeps in. It may be ephemeral, but the quality is high and signifies a diverse future for them. Trying to take this section in, is extremely difficult as it’s followed by a behemoth guitar solo. Sonically, its akin to Neil Young’s ‘Cortez The Killer’ but condensed into 20seconds of enchanting brutality.
Cellar Doors
Hailing from San Francisco, Cellar Doors have been around for a few years now but, it’s with their latest work that are threatening to break through with:
Frost
This feels like the kind of psyche meets rock ‘n’ roll that Oasis were always reaching for post ‘Be Here Now’ but never attained. The Roses-esque guitars that ripple through have a timeless escapist quality which give it an instant classic sound.
Meanwhile, the bassline is more akin to the dark brooding nature of BRMC, who, Cellar Doors have previously supported in USA. Such is its urgency, it threatens to burst out of the speakers and cart you off like a Death Eater, blowing anything in its path away.
Prism
Initially, this combines a softer, almost Syd Barrett vocal with a more dance music friendly sonic, not too dissimilar from Depeche Mode and The Music. There is a great warped production which pulsates its way to the mid-point then, the detonation! It explodes like The Who at their very best.
The eruption that ensues, departs from the opening and descends into a drug fuelled prism of terror and violence. All the while, lurking heavenly in the background is an angelic backing vocal which floats along until the ‘Rock n Roll Star’ and ‘Whatever Happened To My Rock n Roll’ closing moments.
The Jacques
Hailing from Bristol and London, The Jacques are an injection of rabid beauty to the world of alternative pop music. They have a string of singles to their name which need some serious attention:
Eleanor Ring Me
In a similar mould to The Streets’ ‘Fit But You Know It’, this track revolves around a great riff. It’s big, brash and infectious and allows the frontman Fin Jacques to switch up from a feral drawl to rough diamond vocals expertly.
This Is England
For fans of The Libertines’ sense of freedom and the debauchery of The View, this one is for you! In the wake of ‘Up The Bracket’ there was an explosion of bands in 2002/03. So many attempted to replicate the authenticity of The Libs but lacked their pop sensibilities (The Paddingtons, Harrisons) or vice versa (The Holloways and Little Man Tate). As The Jacques howl the chorus ‘This is England / Now Tell what you’re proud of’, clearly have both qualities.
A tour with Trampolene simply has to happen!
Artful Dodger
Like Trampolene on ‘Divided Kingdom’, The Jacques show they can do visceral punk rock. It opens with guitars punching their way out of the speakers like The Rut’s ‘Staring at the Rude Boys’ and the Skids’ ‘Into The Valley’ (fine company to keep).
Not content with being another punk bands, The Jacques splice some fine guitar solos which will drag in rock n roll fans as well.
It would appear, in a world dominated by intolerable bores like Ed Sheeran, The Jacques are going to spoil the party and make things interesting again.