Shining a light on great new music.
Cafe Spice
The three piece from Manchester are Georgia Gage, Niamh Feeney, Eleanor Lang. We'd come up with more words for an introduction but, their own is superior to anything we can conjure:
To date, they've published just one song online, 'Lauren', a sumptuous piece of harmonising. The folk boom of the late 2000s and early 2010s may have long dissipated, but, with vocals this beautiful and in such high quality, a renaissance cannot be far away.
Be Sure to check their Manchester gig at the legendary Jimmys out February 6th.
Bexatron
Bexatron are a four piece from London. They are hell bent on reawakening the golden ages of glam, punk and post-punk with their volatile and heady spirit.
Lets check some tracks out:
Dirty Disco
Combining early 70s glam-rock with early 80s post-punk sounds bloody iffy on paper, in reality, Bexatron have funnelled these two stylised eras into a sound that screams “come and watch us live”.
Out of My Tree
Unsurprisingly, this is a boozy rock number. So many bands die on their arse professing hedonistic tendencies. Bexatron though, walk that tight rope of “real deal” just right. Self-destruction is rife and guitar solos this good are impossible to ignore!
*Image courtesy of https://www.quitegreat.co.uk
INDIGOs
Between 1990 and 1992, the pendulum of rock music was swinging from the British shoegaze of MBV and Ride to the American grunge of Sonic Youth and Nirvana. In 2019, Bristol duo INDIGOs have decided to set the pendulum in the middle.
Let’s check out what Jack Croft and Sophia Barnes have been up to:
Rebirth
At the heart of this alternate reality is a great pop song. Croft and Barnes have an angelic vocal touch, even amidst the distortion. Breakdowns are hazy and guitar solos are dirty and infectious, various generations of BBC6 are set to be enthralled.
Breathe In
Leaning towards their love of grunge, the enthusiasm of the big riffs is inescapable. Not content to put out a solid rock number, they twist and turn it through their shoegaze prism and deliver Mercury Award level underdog.
*Image courtesy of Gilbert Pillbrow
The Cosmics
The Cosmics are a three piece hailing from Ireland who, despite such little output, have already played Glasto, Isle of Wight, Kendal Calling and Reading festival.
Our friends/inspiration over at https://www.thezineuk.co.uk/ are hosting their Christmas party at Camden’s Monarch Tuesday 4th December so, to whet the appetite, lets check some tunes out:
Johnny
On this tale of the bad boy and his undeniable allure, The Cosmics have taken their love of Sonic Youth and condensed it into a Ramones via Iggy Pop romp.
Inishfree
It’s inevitable that this year’s single would surpass 2017’s work but, the caution to the wind approach was not. To pull this off at such a fledgling stage is quite something.
The riff, a nod to Oasis’ ‘Listen Up’ is distorted through a MBV prism whirs throughout, the perfect platform for the mayhem that ensues. Singer, Erin Grace, adopts the style of Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell. The co-opting of poetry and angst ridden punk combusts perfectly alongside the explosion of Sonic Youth guitars.
Waste of Time
What an opening line!
“I only liked you for your 90s vibes”
Setting the sardonic and cutting tone from the start on this ex bashing banger!
*Image courtesy of Psychedelic Eye
Lacuna Bloome
Hailing from Brighton, Lacuna Bloome are a four piece made up of Niall Logue (vocals, guitar), Sam Leaver (guitar), Molly Walker (bass) and Noah Haines (drums).
With airplay from John Kennedy and b-listed on Amazing Radio, their stock is rising fast. They have now been added to This Feeling’s #Alive tour this autumn. So, let’s see what all the fuss is about:
I Am
A hazy indie rock n roll number with summer tinged nods to the Roses, C86, Ride and the baggy period of Blur.
There is no denying that we live in fractious times. However, when a single, this effortless and free flowing emerges, it's as though peace and utopia have been achieved.
Alright
On ‘Alright’, they combine their lyrical romanticism with the driving guitars of Teenage Fanclub on this swirling pop-pysche number. The spirit of Douglas Copland's 'Generation X' is evoked as they conjure their own world and rail against the tomorrow their being denied. It’s one thing to go against the grain in a band, to do it sounding this joyous is another thing altogether.
Getrz
Getrz are a four piece from Swindon. Recently, they have supported the mighty Sisteray and played Truck Festival to glowing reviews.
Lets see what they have been releasing in 2018:
P.S.A
Another product of the growing dissident punkadelic movement. They straddle the heavy hitting riffs of Breed and the warped psyche of The Blinders. P.S.A is the next line in dystopian rock n roll for this generation to unite behind.
Striking out against all those who ignore them, Getrz are righteous, Getrz are furious and Getrz are your clarion call:
“You're running the country / But you've got no money”
We are the 99%, we are the upper class!
Old Town
With nods to The Libertines' vocal delivery of 'Barbarians' and The Strokes' riffs on 'Soma', Getrz have found their alternative soul. It is one full of desperation and degradation, they showcase all the hallmarks of the next aggressive yet fragile sounding icons.
Insomnichord
We always aim to make support slots, you never know when something will blow you away. Insomnichord were ones we walked in late on (thanks TFL) at Water Rats last month. What we walked into was mesmeric!
A cacophony of spiralling psychedelia and otherworldliness just kept pouring out of them like machine gun fire. Let’s take a look at their debut single:
Oh Henry! Oh Man!
The hallucinogenic mind set of Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd oozes through Rollo Ellison's soft vocal. The need to dare like King Crimson is immediate as well.
The manner they fire the guitar solo just seconds from the start is, in spirit not sound, the genius of Peter Green. It’s the ability to take a an aged genre, in this case psyche, stick to its principles but get right in your face with them like Green did with the Blues that’s so impressive
With The Horrors returning later this year, a support slot beckons!
Image Source: Jacob Coleman
485c
485c are signed to the legendary Fierce Panda label and its not hard to see why:
Kapow
If 'Kapow' were to create a guitar sound venn diagram, it would have The Strokes one side, Dutch Uncles the other. The immediacy and power of the New Yorkers is channeled through the Stockport art rocker pioneers. As so many peers are cutting loose, 485c have taken a really interested side route to glory here.
Better The Man
An infectious indie guitar gem which illuminates the darkest of moods. Move over Belle & Sebastien, infectious indie rock has a new king.
Strange Medicine
When all the great mid 00s bands went off to record new material or on to side projects, the mainstream vultures swooned in Scouting for Girls and The Hooisers and killed the scene stone dead.
Strange Medicine is the perfect tonic to that injustice. It resets the clock to The Strokes’ ‘Is This It’ and has lovable rawness to it like The Cribs classic ‘Martell’. Guitars are pop, pop are guitars!
Image Source: Domante Kaminskaite http://www.dkaminskaite.com/
RedFaces
Quite how Sheffield keeps producing exciting rock n roll bands is beyond this Essex outsider. However, in RedFaces, they have an act with perhaps more pop instincts than anyone in the past five years. Here's why:
Take It or Leave It
The trippy bass line, the warped synths and the defiant rock n roll message, Kasabian’s legacy begins here. It’s not got the hallmark quality of the Kasabian debut, but it does have that free flowing youthfulness which will carry it a long way.
Wise Up
The poppy riff will bring ELO to mind and, as this rock n roll standard develops, the traits of Britpop and The View begin to emerge. There is a sense of urgency that can omly emerge from young outsiders looking to make their mark. This is a real return to garage pop music, long may it continue.
Avalanche Party
Hailing from Castleton in North Yorkshire, Avalanche Party are a five piece who are hell bent on taking garage rock n roll to the stadium masses. Lets find out why:
I'm so wet
This marches to the spirit of The Doors via a darker and more dangerous landscape. The swirling guitars and psyche keys project and a rage that keeps appearing the best new bands of late (Cabbage, The Blinders, Dead Pretties). However, there appears to be a level of old school musicianship and pop sensibilities lurking behind the fury, this, more than anything, will carry this band far!
Solid Gold
FINALLY! Someone has taken the quality of Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees and channelled it through death defying rock n roll. The aforementioned are great, but, the extrovert death defying spirit of AP could just take that sound to the masses.
Revolution
Another example of AP taking injecting classic genres with a new lease of life. The glam-psyche of Tame Impala's classic 'Lonerism' and has been cross bred with the immediacy of early BRMC via the vastness of Soundtracks Of Our Lives. Besides the fact it sounds great, it’s the ambition of it all that listeners will latch on to in these bleak times.
Dead Pretties
Dead Pretties are a London a three piece made up of Jacob Slater, Oscar Browne and Ben Firth.
Social Experiment
There haven’t been many better debut singles in recent times. It’s a wry English take on Nirvana and The Strokes, and Jacob Slater’s vocals are outstanding. Despite the big riffs, it is Slater’s vocal hook on the chorus “all the girls and the boys / went to parties in disguise” is so contagious you’ll need an ambulance.
Water
This tale of self-destruction is pure unadulterated rock music. It screams uncompromising! Better still, it has enough melody and snarl to unite rock n rollers and punks.
Confidence
Sick of media outlets employing people to be obnoxious and vile to garner reaction and not further debate, Dead Pretties have drawn a battle line, it’s obvious what side to be on.
Slater’s vocals star again! They flit between Craig Nicholls (The Vines) and Johnny Cooke (Dogs) and deliver a powerhouse of smoky disdain. Coupled with the psyche wig out and you have a bonafide anthem.
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.