The Crooks – Silhouette Sunshine

Chesterfield’s The Crooks have been in anthemic mood of late. Their previous two singles ‘She Walks Alone’ (full review) and ‘Nevermind’ (full review) massive crowd uniting numbers. On their latest offering, ‘Silhouette Sunshine’, they return to fall to floor rock ‘n’ roll. Will it stack up?

We have said it before and, for this record, we will say it again. Whilst The Crooks have the hallmarks of Oasis, they a much much more than that! Their quality is on par, and at times, it surpasses their idols. Especially on this single!

The aggression and volatility are astonishing. It’s a whirlwind of psychedelia and punk. It’s only a matter of time before Creation23 come out of self-isolation to sign them.

The sex and violence of Supergrass’ ‘Richard III’ collides with the good aspects of ‘Be Here Now (yes, there was some) to create this fire breathing behemoth. They say, if you don’t learn your history, you’re doomed to repeat the past. Well, this ginormous psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll epic comes in under three minutes and thus, banishing ‘Be Here Now’. Somewhere in Muswell Hill, a tear of pride is rolling down Noel’s cheek.

You bet your life this single stacks up!

Stanleys - Measured In Gold

Wigan’s Stanleys release their second single ‘Measures in Gold’ on the 18th March. The success of ‘A Better Life’ (full review here) brought them a huge support slot with fellow Wigan outfit The Lathums. How far can this single take them?

‘Measured In Gold’ is both a damming indictment of the times and, crucially, an aspirational tale of the future. Lyrically, they attack the continued big business choice of greed over people. The sense of struggle most of us feel is palpable, yet, through the lush harmonies and shimmering guitars, hope for change remains strong.

Musically, they continue to melt hearts and enlighten souls. They have freeing depth to their playing, similar to the recent Edwyn Collins records but more vital.

Bands who profess ‘love is all you need’ are ten a penny these days. Few can back up the sentiment with a decent melody. Stanleys can. There is cinematic quality to their gritty indie anthems that is simply undeniable.

Despite the message, ‘Measured In Gold’ is, above all else, a melodic runaway train. The poet vs the philosopher has been an artistic debate as old as time. Who carries more weight? The answers, for music, are subjective (mostly). What Stanleys have proven on ‘Martyr’, ‘A Better Life’ and now ‘Measured In Gold’, is, there is a third way. A straddling of the two camps can be found. Food for thought for anyone seeking political change.

Bugeye – Don’t Stop

For a few years now, Bugeye have been lighting up the underground with their brand of disco punk. Now signed to Reckless Yes, the debut album is finally coming. First up though is, lead single ‘Don’t Stop’, out now. .

Evidently, they have not felt one ounce of pressure signing to a label and recording the debut album. ‘Don’t Stop’ has retained everything that makes them great live. The sexiness and danger of the Pixies and Blondie remains strong.

This isn’t the status quo though, working with Paul Tipler has paid dividends. Not only is it the perfect fit, Tipler having recorded with Elastica and Idlewild. The disco production alongside their stomping punk will make them major players sooner rather than later.

Like all great pop singles, there is something dark lurking behind the music you’re dancing and singing to. ‘Don’t Stop’ examines alcohol abuse, through the prism of regret and hopefully woeful promises to change. It’s an awkward listen for anyone unwilling to dissect alcohol’s influence and for that, it should be truly lauded.

On this showing, the debut album cannot come soon enough.

MOSES – Basically

At the end of February, MOSES stepped out of the studio with Gavin Monaghan once more. The results:

Art work by Ana Ban Ana. The 8th collaboration between the two.

Guitar hooks.

Bass hooks.

Vocal hooks.

This is alt-pop music. Except, it isn’t! BBC6 has become too middle aged and Radio X, well, outside of the Gordon Smart and John Kennedy, we have no idea what they’re attempting. They need shaking by the young working classes.

MOSES, for 2 years have sought to bring people together with songs of solidarity and love. For the first time lyrically, they strike out. Taking aim at society’s trolls, they place the target firmly on themselves and, for the want of better words shout:

“come and have a go if you think your hard enough”.

MOSES have hit upon their greatest bass line to date. Funky punk grooves pave the way for frontman, Victor, to sprinkle his unique vocal magic over.

The la la la’s and the yeah yeah yeah’s are begging to howled back at the band on their upcoming headline shows at Lending Room March 28th (Leeds) and ULU April 11th (London).

*Image courtesy of Mike Rădulescu

Fightmilk – I’m Starting to Think You Don’t Even Want To Go Space

British pop-punk has undergone a renaissance of late with Asylums. Their intergalactic psyche meets Ash has taken it too much needed new places. Now, Fightmilk have come back and expanded its horizons further.

Their latest single, ‘I’m Starting to Think You Don’t Even Want To Go To Space’, is released on Reckless Yes 20th March.

Singer, guitarist, and icon in the making, Lily Rae spoke of this single recently:

“I was inspired to write this song by watching someone who keeps loudly proclaiming they're going to save humanity and change the world constantly make excuses for why they haven't got round to it. It's largely about emotional labour and rockets and I'm dead proud of it.”

Even with this in mind, in 2020, this will soundtrack forlorn lovers and young unrequited love sufferers alike. The glorious combination of pop, punk, and dream pop will, however, take you to other places. Namely, hairbrush, bedroom, and arms aloft.

It is the kind of record that UK seemingly forgot how to make and one, that it so badly needs across its airwaves. Infectious vocals, the storming of the gates guitars, and lyrical wit and charm. The nuggets of Cure’s shimmering guitars are, well, a bonus of huge magnitude.

You will be hard-pressed to hear a more complete single all year.

Rats - Dreams

Liverpool’s Rats, a rapidly growing success story on the live circuit. From headlining This Feeling’s 13th birthday last October and selling out a massive hometown date at Invisible Wind Factory last month, they’re becoming an unstoppable force.

At the end of Feb, they returned with their latest single ‘Dreams’. Sonically, their most gentle number to date but, no less impacting. Visions of academy venues, arm in arm, at the end of night sing this loud and proud are well within reason.

Joe Maddock’s vocals have hit an adorable vein of form here. Although delicate and seemingly floating away aimlessly, they contain a working class warmth and, an endearing humbleness.

Their previous singles, have demonstrated devilment, protest, and righteous polemic. Now, Rats are striking way beyond that. Offering up a potential sound of the summer, alongside fragile characters is elite level juxtaposition.

They are not to be missed at This Feeling’s Re-Wired festival this April.

*Image courtesy of Chris Driver

San Pedro Collective – Where Do I Begin?

This collective, wait, this super group are made up of Rikki Turner ex Paris Angels, Suddi Raval ex Together, founder of the Manchester acid rave scene & Simon Wolstencroft ex-drummer of The Fall.

After their formidable debut EP ‘The Demon Sessions’ last summer, they have returned with their new single, ‘Where Do I Begin?’ On Blindside Records.

With their heart and souls forged in Manchester, this modern take on the acid house sound should come as no surprise. An infectious building piece of soul meets a climaxing house style.

Lyrically, it examines the inner torment of dealing with a toxic relationship. If all break ups and heart ache sounded this good, we’d all be getting dumped. Guest vocalist Sarah Bouchier, lends a crisp vocal that sublimely traverses from soul to euphoria.

After a stunning set at last year’s Shiiine On Weekender, keep your eyes peeled for future dates.

Theatre Royal - A Marvellous Death

Last summer, we published out top 5 Theatre Royal singles (full review here). Comfortably the hardest article we have ever written. Take nothing away from their albums, their 3rd made out top 30 of the last decade but, they churn out pop magic every time.

As if to mock our choices, they release another impossibly great pop single on 28th February via Vacilando 68 Recordings. It’s no wonder Louder Than War said:

“why the fuck are they not really famous?”

Why not indeed. This is a tale of an old man rejecting the inevitability of life. It’s his life, and he chooses to leave it young at heart!

Melancholic in subject, utterly triumphant in delivery. It’s one last attempt at scoring the winner, one last bet of all in and one last chance of your name up in lights. Death or glory becomes just another story!

The Medway boys have done it again. Be sure to catch them on their live dates this spring/summer.

Live dates:

Saturday 14th March - The Billabong Club, Rochester

Saturday 2nd May - Maidstone Fringe Festival

Saturday 25th July - Faversham Beer Festival

The Rotanas – Scores on the Doors

Formed back in May 2017, Cardiff’s The Rotanas have been steadily growing on the underground circuit. Feb 28th, they return with their new single ‘Scores On The Doors’, released via Distrokid. Will this be their breakthrough single?

The past few years have belonged to the UK punk scene. Rightly so, there has been a plethora of angst ridden talent. However, if there was anything to learn from Labour’s crushing defeat, howling rage against the status quo alone, is not enough.

Whilst this single is not the answer, it offers a bridge to from punk to something more universally appealing. There is enough spite in Harry Watton’s vocals to lure the fans of Fontaines and, enough psyche on the guitars to tempt the disciples of The Blinders and IDLES.

Sonically, this is a rock ‘n roll wet dream. One where Twisted Wheel and Shed Seven have united. Who better than them, to deliver a tale of carefree abandon vs going home early?

They have been defining themselves as Gritpop, it might just be the framework of angst and escapism Britain needs!

Yuka Tree

Yuka Tree are five-piece punk/rock ‘n’ roll outfit consisting of Kieran Breese (vocals & guitar) Louis McLoughlin (guitar), Jacob Shotton (guitar), Joe Royle (bass) and Ollie Barron (drums).

In January, they released their debut single ‘Preacher’ via Manchester’s 42 Records.  Recorded with Jack Howorth (Fat White Family), it’s their first step into the burgeoning punk scene.

Maybe it’s the that they’re from 5 different cities that, they have more universal appeal than many of the current punk crop. It certainly lends themselves to the Fontaines DC end of the pool than the vitriol of IDLES.

Although not free flowing like early Oasis, the punk-cum-psychedelic hiss of ‘Bring It On Down’ or ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ lurks in the shadows. The stop start nature lends itself to many classic Fall records as well as, the coming of age rebellion of LIFE.

Sure fire ones to watch!

Levellers – Food Roof Family

Have 32 years really have passed since Mark Chadwick and Jeremy Cunningham met in The Eagle in Brighton? 11 studio albums (soon to be 12), and 17 Beautiful Days festivals later, they have returned with their latest single, ‘Food Roof Family’.

With soaring fiddles and unifying polemic, they have tapped into the groove that made them legends on ‘Levelling The Land’. Chadwick’s guitars play great homage The Ruts venomous classic ‘Staring At The Rude Boys’.

Despite being entrenched in punk; they stride out beyond its polemic. Through their song writing, they’ve hit upon a pathway that moves past the aggressive binary times we are living in.

No matter how frenzied or desperate the guitars threaten to be, the Celtic tones of the strings lend an affection that few possess. So much so that, by the time of the chorus, you’ll be reaching for loved ones to embrace and euphorically raise your fists.

Despite their longevity, their passionate rhetoric has not waned. Furthermore, the hooks and ecstasy which propelled them to our hearts on ‘Levelling The Land’, is out in full force. Here’s to another 22 years.

The British IBM - Man of the Hour

The Cambridge three piece recently released ‘Man of the Hour’, the lead single from their new album ‘Play The Game, out tomorrow.

With the ragged glory of Guided By Voices in their hearts, they stagger their way to rock ‘n’ roll’s promised land. They’ve combined the effortlessness of Pete Astor and the alt-pop of The Wannadies, with rock ‘n’ rolls rabid desperation to be heard.

The results lead to another rock ‘n’ roll underdog that should be heard. Whilst it lacks that truly killer chorus or solo, there is a doggedness that’s impossible not to fall for.

*Image courtesy of Ian Guebert

Shambolics - Sandra Speed

Dunfermline four piece, Shambolics, returned on Valentine’s Day with their new single 'Sandra Speed'. Released on Alan McGee's Creation23, it follows November's sold 7 inch 'Fight Another Feeling'.

Last November, they sold out London’s Water Rats (full review). A stepping stone towards bigger for many, but, for Shambolics, it was a night where they laid bare who they truly were. The pop majesty of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ and ‘Tusk’ and the genius of Alex Chilton shone through their playing. Now, on ‘Sandra Speed’, they have a record to do the same.

The effortlessness and, slightly wayward genius of Chilton’s 'The Ballad of El Gonodo' shines bright. With 70s hedonism gone and, the working class triumph of the mid-90s a vague memory, Shambolics rightly, had to inject an urgent grittiness to the single.

At present, punk is in the ascendency. It’s a great angst filled moment in time to savour. Lurking in the shadows though, are tunesmiths like Shambolics. The spirit of punk in their hearts, they are waiting to infiltrate the masses. It won’t be long!

Ist Ist - Wolves

Manchester four piece, Ist Ist, recently announced their debut album, 'Architecture’ is due for release on May 1st. To kick things of, they have released 'Wolves' as the lead single.

The post-punk quartet have set their lasers to destruct! Frontman, Adam Houghton professes “proof there is no god” as he lays bare, anxieties of social services coming for your children in the night. Alongside his intense vocals, the darkness becomes tangible.

The guitars and bass, throb with so much ferocity that, IDLES, White Lies, Editors, Shame and anyone else they (we) have ever compared them to fade out of sight. They have launched themselves into the universe with a bullet of the utmost severity.

All shall bow down to its glory!

The Blinders – Circle Song

February 13th marked the date when, the most exciting UK band, bar none, returned. The Blinders, following on from their instant classic ‘Columbia’, have returned with ‘Circle Song’. Produced by Rob Ellis, (PJ Harvey, Anna Calvi), it is the lead single from their upcoming album, ‘Fantasies Of A Stay At Home Psychopath’ due out in May.

The Blinders toured last winter, it was a valiant attempt to help Corbyn into power. Alas, their joyous dystopian rage failed to land beyond the converted. The political parallels are uncanny.

‘Circle Song’, musically has dramatically moved away from ‘Columbia’. In as come, the stylisation of ‘Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino’ and the romance of Bowie’s ‘Drive-In Saturday’ to send the trio of in a new direction.  

Such was The Blinders’ connection with Labour last December that, it’s hard not to hear ‘Circle Song’ and be drawn to the Labour leadership contest. While the band needn’t reinvent themselves, this new, more reflective approach allows their talent to breathe. Maybe this is the way for both them, and the Labour party to win over the masses?

The Blinders head out on tour this May from the 1st May, check here for the dates.

Daniel Land – White Chalk

“All love is cast away”

London based artist Daniel Land returned the fateful 31st January to release ‘White Chalk’, the lead single of his upcoming new album. Written with rhythm guitarist, Gary Bruce, it’s available on his Bandcamp page now.

Land is in a spell of creativity at present, having to release his masterpiece ‘The Dream of the Red Sails’ (full review here) and the EP ‘A Certain Kind of Light’ in 2019. This offering has picked up that slipstream of beauty on this Brexit inspired single.

Sombre and reflective, land talks of “selling England” and the “winter that is coming over island”. Whilst this may appear antagonistic, in reality, it’s a heartfelt indictment of how many remain voters felt on 31st January. Land expertly delivers the sense of loss many felt. Not of an economic union, few understood but, a death of love and kindness.

Despite the sorrow, Land’s dream-pop guitars, flicker gently, hopeful, and alas, on the horizon, like European shores. Land has set the bar high for his new album, an exciting prospect awaits.  

Noel Gallagher – Blue Moon Rising

The notable quotable returned on the 30th January with his latest single ‘Blue Moon Rising’. Released on his own imprint ‘Sour mash Records’, it’s the second single from his upcoming EP of the same name (6th March release).

It’s been an interesting if not always exhilarating journey on these EPs. Forever searching for innovation, his ability to fins a great melody, blindfolded, in the abyss, had been left behind. Here though, he has found a way of marrying the two without reverting to type.

The low synth, almost techno intro combines with a gentle vocal Noel, subtly, he begins to unfurl a world where something is not quite right. As he decrees “shall we just run away”, the anticipation of what he might do with his skill for escapism fervently grows.

Then it comes, like an understated version of Johnny Marr’s ‘Armatopia’. The disco, soul, and acid house influences he often refers to are finally emerging. Although just loitering, they are slowly leading the lord saviour of 1990s back to the promise land once more.

The Novus - Frosty

Hailing from Stourbridge and Birmingham, The Novus, kings of the DIY scene, returned recently with their new single ‘Frosty’.

After one satanic guitar lick, it’s easy to see why they headlined This Feeling’s Big In 2020 shows in Birmingham and London recently. On the live circuit, frontman Conor Hill, has carried the band to these feats. He is an absolute psychedelic force of nature.

However, from last September’s ‘PMF’ to this new offering, the band now stand alongside him, equally as majestic. They’ve combined the Sabbath combines with the brooding mystique of BRMC and Brian Jonestown Massacre on this face melter.

Pulsating throughout are riffs, from the ‘Voodoo Chile’ playbook but, re-imagined by the fury of The Blinders for modern day Britain.

Stourbirdge, forever associated with its late 80s and early 90s scene, has pastures new to explore now!

Ash – Darkest Hour of the Night

Today marks the release of the Ash’s new single ‘Darkest Hour of the Night’. It’s taken from their upcoming compilation ‘Teenage Wildlife’, a compilation spanning their 25-year career.

Described by head honcho Tim Wheeler “a ray of light to pierce the darkest night of the soul – a redemptive anthem for a new decade,” it is their funkiest single to date. Lyrically, it’s a helping hand of the canvas. Get up and dance, everything will be OK permeates throughout.

It’s in the vain of Blossoms’ pop masterclass ‘Your Girlfriend’, it will stomp its way into your heart like their Phil Spector inspired classic ‘Candy’. Resplendent with handclaps, horns from Rubblebucket and sumptuous backing vocals, it’s clear Ash are still masters of the alt-pop single.

Roll on Valentine’s Day and the release of a truly remarkable back catalogue.

Thousand Yard Stare - Schism Algorithm

Slough’s unsung heroes TYS are back today with the second single from their upcoming album. ‘Schism Algorithm’, recorded at Raffer Studios with Callum Rafferty, is released via Stifled Aardvark Records.

The previous single ‘It Sparks’, ignited their bespoke flames of psychedelia and punk for the modern world. On ‘Schism Algorithm’, they explore the destruction left after the battles they thought on ‘It Sparks’.

Written by frontman Stephen Barnes and led guitarist Giles Duffy, it is very much a collaboration of sonic meets poetry. Barnes explores the post-truth world we find ourselves in with a laser-like focus.  

Through Duffy’s guitars, their classic ‘Comeuppance’ has been developed for the digital age. Every lick reflects the potency of the online world. The undeniable groove lures you in but, just like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, your only ever one step away from venomous bile. Duffy’s guitars, at times, offer hope but, there is a sense of dread and trepidation overarching everything.

This is a fine attempt to marry up rock ‘n’ roll with the new world we live in. TYS new album is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing of 2020.