Echobelly – Anarchy and Alchemy

Echobelly will forever be tagged with Britpop, but with albums released in 2001 and 2004, they have already proven they can outlive that bubble. They return with their first single in 10 years after successful acoustic and full band tours in recent times.

With the use of a stand up bass, 'Anarchy and Alchemy' takes on a distinct jazz foundation. Meanwhile, Sonya's vocals add a sense of anxiousness, particularly within the abstract chorus. It's a terrific reflection of the times, the chemical sense that things are going nowhere or often backwards looms larger all the time.

Sonya's chief partner in crime, Glen Johansson, is also on fine form too. His guitar playing stokes the fires and provides the anarchy to Sonya's alchemy on this subdued yet raw single. What a pleasure to have them back once more.

You Can purchase this now via their Pledge Music page here:

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/anarchy-and-alchemy

Listen to the new single and Sonya in conversation with BBC6's Stuart Maconie here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b088nkyy

Elbow - All Disco

Oh Guy Garvey, that voice, from the first word it instantly feels like your best friend has come home from a long spell away.

‘All Disco’, inspired by an interview Garvey did with Pixies legend Frank Black, details how he learned to let go of his ‘be all end all’ attitude towards his songs. This seems odd, as Elbow have always sounded at their best when their mind body and soul have been left out there for all to hear.

That said, fans should rejoice at Garvey’s new reflective stance. The world lost too many heroes last year and to have another one slide into murky waters trying to be perfect would be a tragedy.

Elbow’s archetypal sound is out in full force here, lending itself to all things beautiful in the world. So, to combine it with a wise message of letting obsessions will hopefully have a positive effect on the simplistic dialectical discourse the world has adopted of late. 

Temples – Strange Or Be Forgotten

A great pop music return for the Northampton psyche band.

James Bagshaw vocals beautifully borrow from Mercury Rev’s Jonathon Donahue and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker. Sonically, this is similar to their Aussie peers as well, however, it’s a four minute pop song. The conciseness of this record proves that pop music doesn’t need to boring.

Lyrically, this is the most symbolic to date. Questioning the necessity to be so individualistic that no-one cares about you is one all bands could heed presently. Identity is great, but, if you cannot make it tangible to something real and make fans feel anything then what is the point?

The way Temples have driven their love of psyche and prog into the realm of pop music is remarkable. It feels the right time Tame Impala to become path makers and allow Temples’ pop majesty to flourish.

Ocean Flaws - 20:22

What a remarkable step up in class from one of 2016's most promising bands. Previously, they have touched upon The Verve circa ‘Storm In Heaven’ and ‘A Northern Soul’ but, here, they take the genius of Nick McCabe and spliced it with their own magic.  

The throbbing riff that pulsates throughout is a demented heartbeat in this slow building epic. It could, trip along like this and be fine but, the addition of Olivia Russell on dual vocals allows them to expand their sound monstrously.

It would be remiss not to mention the insatiable bugged out psyche via rock n roll solo in this song. As brilliant as Tame Impala have been in the past decade, this solo is serving notice on them and all prog-psyche, it’s time for psyche to get dangerous once more.  

British Sea Power - Bad Bohemian

BSP guitarist Martin Noble recently told the NME:

“It was made to a background of politicians perfecting the art of unabashed lying, of social-media echo chambers, of click-bait and electronic Tonka Toys to keep us entertained and befuddled. All this can easily make the individual feel futile. But I think we’ve ended up addressing this confusion in an invigorating way, rather than imprisoning the listener in melancholy.”

Noble’s sentiments are clear from the off as their archetypal wistfulness soars all around you. In the early days, there was a sense of trying to two foot the doors of hinges with ‘Apologies to Insect Life’ and ‘Favours in the Beetroot Fields’. The charm still remains intact but, it comes with a wisdom and a loving arm around the shoulder. In such a divisive world, BSP’s alternate reality of love and hope is needed more than ever. 

Matt Edible & The Obtuse Angles - Advent Beard

With Christmas fast approaching, the will inevitably be a slew of shite Christmas songs being released. This is not one of them!

Holy Orders frontman Matt Edible has taken time out from the band, and served up what a Christmas classic. It’s a raucous and funny pop song that should be echoed around pubs for the following days of Advent.

Edible's infectious nature is larger than ever and the love just oozes from him. Not even the shit stain Teresa May could fail to feel a bit happier after this jaunt. The bass stomp invokes Slade whilst the backing vocals provide a drunken sense of fun to be shared by best friends.

If you make one Christmas single purchase this December, make it this. 

Luna Bay - Smoke & Mirrors

London four piece Luna Bay have been making solid inroads in 2016 but, they have saved the best till last. Their new single ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ is going to announce themselves as serious players for 2017.

The gorgeous opening will transport people back to those closing moments of a great party in the sun. The dreamy riff just floats about, almost touchable but always out of reach. It feels like a big ecstatic release is coming but, never quite does. Nevertheless, The Maccabees and Foals to find that magic formula and Luna Bay are inches away from it already. 

High Hazels - Joined At The Lip

Sheffield's heir to the Dreampop throne, High Hazels, are back with their new single 'Joined At The Lip'. Small steps are made away from their wistful roots but, their ability to produce beauty remains strong.

Vocally, James Leesley gives a nod to Fury and Como’s crooning skills here, but via his Sheffield roots, much like his great peers George Waite (The Crookes) and Richard Hawley. Lurking lazily in the background is Lou Reed circa the Velvets, which, lends the song an aloofness not yet witnessed from the band.

The closing moments of this song are a thing of majesty. The gorgeous licks on Scott Howes’ guitar float by carelessly, whilst, the synths and faded vocals conjure a gentile haze.

The Academic - 2003 Mixtape

As a generation of Olympic heroes like Bolt and Ennis are reaching the end of their careers it’s impossible to not feel nostalgic for their glory days. Sound tracking this feeling, is The Academic's '2003 Mixtape'. 

Musically, its indie-rock drowning in sunshine and so carefree. However, can a tale of nostalgia ever truly signify happiness? Despite its unrepentant feelings for yesteryear, you wonder hurt has hit the pause button on this part of their life.

As with all their previous singles, The Academic have produced great riffs and euphoric vocals but, the highpoint emanates from Craig Fitzgerald’s delivery of the chorus:

“You and your mistakes / Me and my mistakes / Nothings gonna change the way I feel” 

Fitzgerald cuts a British version of Julian Casablancas in despair and, for anyone hung up on missed chances, well, expect to feel forlorn afterwards.  

Man & The Echo - Distance Runner

Fresh from playing Billy Bragg's curated Leftfield Stage at Glasto this year, the Warrington four piece recently released the single 'Distance Runner'. 

It has the drum roll hallmarks of Milburn's 'What You Could Have Won' and vocal cadence. However, this is just a small part of what makes this cracking single. The Northern Soul swagger radiates from every pore and is certain to have audiences both young and old clamouring for more.  

As with all their work to date, ‘Distance Runner’ is blessed with a warmth which feels cathartic and has the ability to unite. Now more than ever, we need Man & The Echo.

Hello, World!

King Creosote - Wake Up To This

Fife’s Kenny Anderson, has become best known for his experimental work of late, including the bad ass Mercury nominated collaboration with Jon Hopkins. On ‘Wake Up To This’, he has returned to his intuitive pop sensibilities which saw him rise through the ranks of folk royalty during the late ‘00s.

His trademark electronica combining with his infectious acoustic melodies and Celtic vocals is joyous and evokes memories of ‘You’ve No Clue Do You’. The use of strings is a no brainer for Anderson’s brand of melodic folk but, not one we’ve seen a lot of. When you revisit classics like ‘Marguerita Red’, ‘678’ and ‘Home In A Sentence’, thoughts of a full orchestra and the Albert Hall become a burning desire

Whatever it is KC is striving to achieve, surely lies within this single. The combination of folk traditions and electronica offers everything that’s ever been great about him and still finds space for innovation.

Heyrocco - Waiting On Cool

North Charleston's Heyrocco are back with a new EP. Here's our track by track on the three pieces new offering:

Yeah

The EP opens with this single friendly gem. Sounding like Harvey Danger's cult hit 'Flagpole Sitta' via Grandaddy, it offers a lyrical nugget to why punk is a style, it’s a state of mind: 

“when everything stays the same I go insane” 

For anyone bitter with politics at the moment, don’t sulk, get mad and get even. 

 It’s Always Something New  

Across the pond lies a glorious alternative indie/punk tradition of male and female dual vocals. Yo La Tengo, The Rosebuds and Sonic youth to name but three. They are big shoes to fill but, if Heyrocco can maintain this standard for a decade, they might themselves in the mix.  

What’s really admiral about this song is the ending. Just when you think the inevitable guitar solo is coming they just reign everything in let it fade away gently.   

 Slice of Life

The most stripped back affair on the EP. For the most part this song is filler but then, emerging from the wilderness comes a sublime guitar part. Slightly warped and full of emotion, it says in 20seconds what the rest of the song doesn’t quite do. 

 Build It Up

‘Build It Up’ is an emotive version of Weezer’s ‘Beverley Hills’. Whereas Weezer build and build the humour, Heyrocco use the stop start riff to lead up to a heart wrenching release.  

Venice Beach

Heyrocco get in touch with their love of the Eels here as they combine hip hop, indie and odd ball production. There is a lot going on in this strange affair which makes us wonder, could they combine some these styles with the punkof ‘Yeah’ to create something truly unique?  

 Perfect World

A great stripped back riff loops in the verses that would make Beck proud. The subsequent eruption is as joyous as Weezer's 'Photograph'. Well played. 

Engine - Formulate A Plan

Timing is everything in music right? Well, Monday night, Radio X’s shining light John Kennedy played ‘Formulate A Plan’ by Leeds outfit Engine. As the flying ants swarmed and humans melted in the unrelenting heat, this single came floating by like the breeze we’ve all been desperate for.

Weather aside, this is a remarkable feat for a debut single. Some artists take three albums to carve out this sort of identity. Producer Dom Freeman has got the heart of James Yorkston’s ‘Woozy With Cider’ here and thus, allowed the bands scattergun nodes of psyche to really shine throughout.

Vocally, it provides many of the great dialectics alternative music can provide. Singer James Elson sounds a polished performer but, there is still a hint of fragility which makes you wonder, might this sun drenched dream drift away at some point? It’s something that Bobby Gillespie and Martin Courtney (Real Estate) have done better than most in recent times and now Elson can begin to dream of adding himself to that list.

Check out more from the band on their Soundcloud page:

https://soundcloud.com/the-engine-1/formulate-a-plan

The Rifles - Wall Around Your Heart

The song opens in true Rifles fashion with guitars blasting out the traps like a four minute warning to the apocalypse. The pulse of the song is one we have seen time and time again from the Rifles and yet, it remains fresh and enjoyable.

This is, in part due to the guitars, particular the solo having a touch of jingle jangle a la Primal Scream’s debut to them. The Rifles though, do not do tranquil sun drenched songs. They offer an adrenalin fuelled ride to said genre and as a result, their massive following will be incredibly happy once more.

Many are criticised for not changing up their game enough. The Rifles often fall victim to said abuse. However, lifelong admirers will tell you what the subtle differences are, they’ll also tell you to fuck off and quite right. In an a time where bands life spans are one album, The Rifles are returning with their fifth in ten years and all without ever receiving airplay. You may not like them but you should respect them. 

Boxed In - Jist

It feels like a barely a moment has passed since the self-titled debut album was released. Nevertheless, Oli Bayston’s outfit are back, and they have served up a slice of sun-drenched electronica to kick-start the summer.

The former head honcho of Keith has built on Boxed In’s debut with crisp and catchy production that Michael Jackson’s ‘Off The Wall’ would have been proud to include.

The melody running through is simple but joyously hypnotic. Picture yourself in sunnier climates than a storm ridden train platform with endless cancellations and this song is the perfect fit.

Bayston maybe in hot demand as a producer these days but, for TT, it’s his own work and that we find so compelling. Combining the opulent production with his grainy vocals is a mix certain to prosper.

Bear's Den - Auld Wives

Timing can be everything in the music biz, catching that mood of the public just right can make your career overnight.

The new Bear’s Den single ‘Auld Wives’ isn’t going to resonate like Pulp’s ‘Common People’ but, the distance sounds, faint beauty and subtle melancholy will certainly catch the mood of 16,141,241 people in the UK today.

Tomorrow there needs to be a call to arms, and a fight back against little Englander’s and inept Tories. Today, let us wallow together in the swirling production of the verses here. As the euphoria slowly gathers momentum in the second half of the song, let us gather our thoughts recognise the good in others once more.

The sweeping vocals combine with synths to provide just enough beauty to keep spirits up. Meanwhile, the sublime bassline rattles through with enough edginess to keep you guessing and ample familiarities to give you hope it will be ok. How apt. 

Stone Roses – Beautiful Thing

After the poor man’s Beady Eye debacle that was ‘All For One’, the Roses have found their form. Ian Brown’s influence reigns supreme as he invokes his ‘Golden Greats’ solo era. The beats and production allow Brown to deliver trip-hop style lyrics to their Mancuninan swagger in the verses and then just beautifully drift away.

All the combinations are working their magic on this record. Brown is the undeniable star of the show which holds back Squire’s guitar wizardry. A good thing, it allows various trippy manifestations to come through in short blasts, which, makes the psyche solo a reward rather than an inevitable outcome.

As ever, Mani and Reni hold everything together with their iconic groove and style. Old or young, their unique class remains. The alternative soundtrack of the summer begins right here.