Subterrania

Subterrania are a four-piece from South Wales. They’re made up of Dylan Cai (vocals), Fin Roach (guitar), Jamie Tooze (bass), and Luis Hancock (drums).

Let’s see what they have been up to:

Shine

Image & artwork courtesy of the band & This Feeling.

A great boozy record is long overdue. ‘Shine’ is that single. The freeness of The Bluetones’ ‘Cut Some Rug’ is folded into the noise and confusion of Oasis and the debauched romanticism of the Longpigs.

Frontman Cai has an innate ability to inject melody into his inflections which lifts them above the ‘Definitely Maybe’ wannabees of this generation. Hancock’s ferocious drumming allows an urgency to build despite the deceptively slow tempo of a ‘Columbia’ or ‘Step Into My World’.  

With Pastel set to play their biggest London date at the Garage next April, Subterrania have announced themselves as the perfect support band with this record.

Benidorm

The debut single comes with great ambition. Bigg riffs and a Machiavellian solo unite to try and stun the world! Whilst laudable, it doesn’t land as much as ‘Shine’. However, the journey from this to ‘Shine’ is one of such stark improvements that it makes Subterrania’s journey unmissable.

Humour

Humour are a five-piece from Edinburgh but forged in Glasglow whilst studying. They’re made up of Andreas Christodoulidis (vocals), Ross Patrizio (guitar), Jack Lyall (guitar), Lewis Doig (bass), Ruairidh Smith (drums).

*images courtesy of Marilena Vlachopoulou

After support from departing hero Steve Lamacq on 6Music, let’s see what they’ve been up to:

Yeah, Mud

A carefree recklessness pervades their Idles via Warmduscher punk poetry. It breeds images of lives spiralling out of control that are utterly intoxicating.

Big Money

Fontaines D.C’s howling 4am guitars, Warmduscher’s feral grooves, and the melodic intensity of Hell Is For Heroes and Cooper Temple Clause unite on this mercurial anthem.

The tale of Peruvian rubber baron Carlos Fitzcarrald may be niche, but the raw power of this single is destined to change that.

Big Reference

Big Reference are a three-piece from Bexhill. Alt-folk royalty Hannah Lou (lead vocals & electric guitar) and Trevor Moss (bass) are joined by Elliot Lampitt on drums as they step away from their archetypal sound.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Let’s see what their new direction has brought so far:

All The Way

We’re so accustomed to hearing Lou and Moss harmonising to autumnal acoustic guitars that the throbbing grunge bass causes a double take. It evokes the slacker indie-rock of the cult movie classic ‘1234’ as the channel Aberdeen (Sarah’s Records) Aberdeen and Pavement.

Lou’s vocals are blessed with a wryness that allows this tale of relationship bitterness to shine.

Another Piece of My Heart

Following a similar lyrical path, they explore long-term heartbreak to the sound of Sebadoh’s punk-jangle.

Moss and Lou’s dual vocals have a sense of youthful abandon, bringing the early Belle & Sebastien record into play. It allows the protagonist’s regret (“stranger to love and all the way back again”) to put on a brave face despite everything.

The Avenues

The Avenues are a five-piece from Hull consisting of Tom Foston (vocals/rhythm guitar), Ollie Brown (lead guitar/backing vocals), Joe Galloway (bass/backing vocals), and Kurt Jackson (drums/percussion/backing vocals).

In 2018, Tom and Joe met through a singer asking local musicians to start a band. After discovering he was stealing their money, the boys kicked the singer out of the band and recruited school friends Ollie and Kurt to complete the lineup.

*image courtesy of Steve Lloyd Thresh

Let’s check what they have been up to:

Part of the Problem

Thunderous drumming and garage backing vocals set fire to this Interpol meets The Walkmen anthem. Tackling the discourse apathy via Ollie Brown’s scorched earth guitar solo will take this band places!

Another Movie

If Interpol made a Bruce Springsteen record, this would surely be it. Jagged licks and dreams of escape unite in this tale of self-doubt and hope.

Brown’s chiming licks are the perfect backdrop to Foston’s Jon Windle (Little Man Tate) via Paul Banks (Interpol) snarl. Together, they chart a tumultuous coming-of-age story which climaxes in Brown’s gunshot firing solo!

Airflo

Airflo are a four-piece from Bristol and Newport made up of Cam Artigan (vocals), James Wilson (guitars), Aled Owen (bass), and Tom Wilson (drums).

Artwork courtesy of the band.

James and Aled were previously of the anthemic band The Rotanas. Emerging from their ashes, they seek to surpass their dizzying new heights.

*banner image courtesy of Patrick Thomas.

Let’s look at their debut single ‘Drift Away’.

Drift Away

Richard Jackson recorded Drift Away at Junkyard Studios in Newport (Pretty Vicious / SFA / The Automatic).

In many ways, its the purest of indie anthems. If there was a blueprint for bands in garages and bedrooms in the UK, then this amassing of melody, love, loss, and dreams would be the foundations of it.

Artigan’s vocal leans into the emotion of Jamie Boyle ( The K’s) or Andrew Cushin but he is possessed by something greater. Hope. His breathy indie vocal emits an everyman appeal but, in truth, is closer to the indie gods. His “la la la’s” are doused in romanticism to alleviate the daily grind.

The merest tinge of forlornness to James’ guitar solo gives it a balance of 90% escapism and 10% melancholy. This reverie should never be disturbed!

A concoction of hope and bliss that will attract the masses. It’s inevitable.

Porcelain

Porcelain are a three-piece hailing from Newcastle-upon-Tyne consisting of Curtis Longstaff (vocals/rhythm guitar), Dan wright (lead guitar), and Adam Tibke (drums).

Chief songwriters Longstaff and Wrighjt met at university, with the band fully forming in late 2022 with drummer Tibke enlisting.

*banner image courtesy of James Grant.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

We take a look at their two singles to date:

Hearsay

With Coldplay’s classic ‘Hearsay’ coursing through its guitars, Hearsay reignites the early 00s when indie searched for something purer.

Vocally, Longstaff taps into the innocence and power of Haven’s Gary Briggs and Thirteen Senses’ Will South. Combined, it gives Longstaff an instant presence on the indie scene as a real force to be reckoned with.  

False Alarm

The emotion coursing through this single is astonishing. The emotive rhetoric of The National links arms with the hope of Longview and Embrace to conjure sheer genius.

Wright’s guitars howl with such pain alongside the atmospheric beauty of the Doves debut album to showcase what a truly special band Porcelain already are!

Feral Family

The Sheffield outfit recently ventured to the Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton with Producer Liam Radburn to record their debut EP ‘Playtest’. Image courtesy of Sonic PR.

We take a look at a couple of songs from the EP:

Spice King

A mass of post-punk desolation akin to The Murder Capital’s power swells alongside the snarling fire of Hell Is For Heroes. ‘Smother’’s bassline marauds with the unhinged mania of The Chameleons and Spear of Destiny whilst vocally the brashness of early Kasabian chimes alongside the gothic guitar prowess of The Cure.

Smother

Great shades of light and dark resound out with aplomb. Encapsulated best by their moody basslines and shimmering gothic guitars.

Brooding throughout are basslines that build images of hope being buried by a ruthless dictatorship. In the closing stages, a volatile animal shakes its leash to fight its oppressors. Devastatingly brilliant!

Click the image below for tomorrows gig:

Soaked

Southend three-piece Soaked formed 2022. They’re made up of lead singer-songwriter and lead guitarist Brandon Frisby, bassist Ronnie Cochrane, and drummer Alex Newman. Image courtesy of Astile Doherty & This Feeling.

Let’s see what they have been up to:

Windmill Hill

An ode to all things great about the Essex scene right now. Their playful punk of compatriots Bilk 00s indie revivalists Lock-In hook up to great effect.

Toying with early Arctic Monkeys basslines and the working-class joy of Jamie T, Soaked have reimagined the 00s idols via their generation’s rabid rage.

Takeaway

At Graham Coxon’ solo career peak, his guitars fired out like The Fall and Pavement on a drunk night out. Loitering with the same intent are Frisby’s licks in this tale of teenage boredom.

Two songs in and Soaked are building a cannon of working-class anthems that could see them rival Blur, Jamie T, and The Streets.

Click the image below for tickets to see Soaked at Rochford Festival:

Carsick

Carsick are a four-piece made up of Joe Richardson (frontman, on both vocals and guitar), his brother Jack Richardson (on guitar), Jack Hardiman (on bass), and Tom Armstrong (on drums). With the exception of Jack (who is from Reading), they hail from Wiltshire and were formed over a series of pints in Salisbury back in 2021.  

Images courtesy of @DevPlacePhotos.

Earlier this year they released their debut EP ‘Drunk Hymns’ vial the legendary Alcopop Records. We check out a couple of tracks:

Anaconda Frank

Thrill-seeking violence! Independent venues are going to need to take out higher insurance bonds once this single is unleashed live.

The visceral venom of Soft Play (Slaves) guitars via the poignancy of Jamie T reignites the notion of running with believers!

Runner

Runner shows a more melodic side to the band. Jamie T’s and Mike Skinner’s direct poetic delivery permeates throughout but is never parody.

The protagonist, hopeless, idealistic, and foolishly courageous, a fine insight into the young male psyche! Teenage souls searching for meaning and adventure have a new voice!

Jace Campbell

Jace Campbell is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from the iconic musical city of Salford. Image courtesy of Lucy Wag and Terrace Cult.

Let’s see what he has been up to:

What Will It Take

The latest single from Campbell is beset with great romantic woe. The kind that can only emanate from wayward teenage souls trying to discover who they are.

Campbell’s solid jingle-jangle flow grinds to a poetic halt in the closing stages only to relaunch with a fiercer dramatic climax. It showcases songwriting bravery many profess, but few possess.

Stone Cold

Booming riffs from the ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ and ‘Queen Is Dead’ playbook chime with Campbell’s Liam Gallagher-esque via Tommy O’Dell vocals to glorious effect.

Campbell again brings an intensity that carries this in-your-face number to the devilish planes!

Word Of Mouth

As beautiful homage to Northside as possible. The wobble-funky guitar of Dermo trip away as Campbell delivers his most venomous vocal to date.

Click the image below for tickets to his upcoming show:

The Q-Days

Hailing from Southend and now residing in Brighton, The Q-Days have gathered steam this past few years supporting the likes of The Rifles, Bilk, and Youth Killed It. Image courtesy of Colossal Artists. They’re made up of Zac Mahoney (lead vocals), Ryan Benson-Smith  (drums/ vocals), Zack Christie-King  (bass guitar/ vocals), and Ash Deakin (lead guitar/ vocals).

They recently released their debut single ‘underboard’ and we’re here to check it out:

Underboard

What The Dream Machine beautifully re-ignited on their debut album The Q-Days have taken to another level. Unlike their Merseyside peers, The Q-Days sound lays far more in the present day than fine 60s pastiche.

The psychedelic meanderings of the Beta Band and The Earlies traipse their Suffolk downs flirting with Cream, The Coral, Oasis, and Ride along the way. Frontman Mahoney resides somewhere between Steve Mason, Andy Bell, and Mark Gardener but with a more robust euphoric sonic, their frontman is an icon in the making.

In years to come, ‘Underboard’ will high up best debut single lists. It’s inevitable. The seeds of hope are being sewn with the most potent of fertilisers. It goes beyond just hope, The Q-Days are powerfully mesmeric. The care and precision of the acoustic guitars chiming in mid-point or grooving bassline should be the masterful work of a band triumphantly delivering their third album as they conquer the world.

The Q-Days are the real day.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming show:

The White Roses

“Close your eyes and dream of world you want to see”

The White Roses are a four-piece based in Leeds. They are made up of Ellie Robinson (lead singer & rhythm guitar), Jack Maw (lead guitar & backing vox), Charlie Edwards (bass), and Tom Lepard (drums). Banner image courtesy of Richard Maw.

Let’s see what they have been up to:

This Town

Life-affirming guitars are set against the backdrop of desperate characters attempting to escape their hometown. The kind that smashes down the front doors of best friends and drag them on adventures that Marr had in mind that fated evening in Manchester.

 Yearning for a life beyond the confines of her hometown, Robinson’s masterful vocal walks a tightrope of melancholy and hope. The White Roses deliver an aching feeling of never knowing where an opportunity might come from but always ready for it. When it comes, their talent will see them grasp it. It’s inevitable.

Do It All Again

If there is a secret to life, it’s being present. Living in the moment is where true beauty can be distilled. Despite their youth, the White Roses know it and have bottled it on this piece of indie-rock magic.

Maw’s divine Fleetwood Mac meets The Killers solo is the only thing more beautiful than Robinson's vocal. A piece of mainstream magic to unite all corners of the indie realm and beyond.

Click the image below to their upcoming York gig:

Arkayla

Arkayla are a four-piece from Manchester made up of Cal Blakebrough (vocals/guitar), Finely Rubens (guitar), Theo Savage (bass), and Patrick Hanbury (drums). Banner image courtesy of the band and Debbie Ellis.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

Having formed back in 2020, they’ve already garnered attention from Guy Garvey (Elbow) on 6musicfor their debut single ‘Calling Time’. Let’s examine why:

Calling Time

The guitars are hit that sweet merry spot in a local where friends stagger arm in arm. Arkayla’s have the warmth of The K’s and the danger of The Reytons to conjure visions of a glorious Friday night out.

Frontman Blakebrough injects everything with adrenaline through his Miles Kane circa The Rascals era spiky but always melodic power. Visceral but, always welcoming, Arkayla look set to snarl their way to the hearts and minds of the guitar-loving masses of the UK.

Abbey Moon

Abbey Moon are four-piece made up of Niall Rowan (formerly Sisteray), Jack (Calvacade), Mick, and Marco. At the end of 2022, they entered the studio with Michael Smith (Elvis Costello / Wolf Alice) to record a few tracks. We take a look at ‘Friends of Mine’ the first release from those sessions.

*image courtesy of Moon Man PR / Credit Albert Jagger

Sisteray’s run from 2016 to 2019 was one garnered a lot of well-earned credibility. Punk angst and lyrical polemic took them to the heart of the underground scene. In this day and age, luck seems to play such big part in whether a band breaks through. ‘Alogrithm Prison’, ‘A Wise Man’, and ‘Wannabes’ were just a few of their fine catalogue that still stacks up to the power of The Blinders and the furious glee of The Reytons.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

In 2023, Sisteray frontman Niall Rowan became disenchanted with the post-punk political grandstanding. A seemingly wise decision as it consumes itself by overloading the scene with spoken word dross.

Rowan has gone back to his roots of melodic indie to find a new source of inspiration on Abbey Moon’s new single ‘Friends of Mine’. Rowan, once the punk Philosopher now dances with Alex Turner’s early social observations lighting up the streets of his youth.

There’s a poetical slant on his social comment which enhances the band’s sonic tenfold. Lyrics and music don’t have to match in meaning but, when Rowan decrees “when your young you can do anything” the guitars skip along sun-kissed horizons whilst the drums saunter through the clouds. Burden? What burden!

Rowan has freed his soul with his new outfit. His time is surely now!

Keyside

Rising Liverpool four-piece Keyside are made up of Dan Parker (vocals, acoustic guitar), Ben Cassidy (lead guitar), Oisin McAvoy (drums), and Max Gibson (bass, vocals).

Championed by The Farm, they have already sold out two hometown shows and recently supported The Lilacs at their sold-out Manchester gig.

Let’s see what they have been up to.

Paris to Marseille

Their latest single has the pop instincts of The Lathums and the jangling edge of The La’s on this ode to the Mersey (“across the water / moonlit reservoir”). Forntman Pakrer lights up the record with the infectiousness of former Vida singer Jamie Pollock, the defiance of Darren Forbes (Shambolics), and the mysticism of Tom Dempsey (The Kairos).

Lights Out

If the Shambolics and The View were to jam Peter Green’s sumptuous blues this would surely be the result. An angelic stoner melody that climaxes with Cassidy’s sumptuous solo. Blessed with great brevity a la The Stands, they allow the anxiety of the lyrics to pass by effortlessly but, eventually, their power will catch you up.