Model Society - Are You For Real?

London’s Model Society have returned with their new single ‘Are You For Real?’. It’s the first from their upcoming EP ‘Entertainment’ via Kitchen Disco Records. Last time out, they delivered bona fide classic in ‘Public Service’, can they pick up where they left off?

Musically, they hit upon the oppressed realising they can struggle and break free of the chains. The guitars are bullish and unifying, but, are clearly in a fight, something we can all relate to.

Lyrically, it seeks to reject those of cultural totalitarian thought. A brave concept in an age where opposing sides seek to destroy rather than engage and enlighten. An aptly timed release with Biden’s election victory in tandem. Neither signifies a bright utopian future but, they are stepping back to consensus building and normality.

This is not the dizzying heights of ‘Public Service’ but, it gleefully sits in its slipstream!

The Institutes – All That You’ll Ever Know

The Coventry four-piece have been building a head of steam in 2020. Their escapist dreams ‘Alleyways’ and ‘Heal In Time’ have been championed by Lammo and, led them to sign with 42’s Records. Can their latest single push the envelope further?

With the pop hooks of Gigolo Aunts, they set out on a quest for meaning. Although isolated, they are never beaten into submission. The struggle leads them to the glory of 3 Colours Red’s ‘Beautiful Day’ and Feeder’s ‘Pushing The Senses’.

Andy Hall’s more aggressive guitars have drawn out something more vital from frontman Reid Currie. A desperation to be heard in a world falling apart couldn’t be more apt right now.

The Institutes are a band for right here, right now, and god willing, huge stages in 2021.

Columbia – Fat Catz

Liverpool’s Columbia have followed the up death defying ‘This Life’ and The Verve-esque ‘Nothing Left For Me’ with their new single ‘Fat Catz’.

Emerging from the sewer, ‘Fat Catz’ is dank and dirty, it’s the party you’re afraid of but know you must be at. Venomous guitars from the Manics combine with the viscous but melodic aspects of The Cult. All the while, Jonny Eccleshall’s bass and Jay Culkin’s drums combine on to create the hallmarks of a ferocious dance track. Jagz Kooner and Eddy TM must remix this!

Their third release has once again, sonically, shown off another side to the band. Lyrically though, they remain constant. Their tales of working class life anchor their outlandish tunes and are all the better for it.

Tourists – Another State

Torquay outfit Tourists have released ‘Another State’, the title track from their upcoming debut album (out Nov 20th). Released via Modern Sky UK, it was mixed by The War On Drugs and Diiv cohort Daniel Schlett at his Strange Weather studios in Brooklyn.

The blissful swirling guitars chime perfectly with the Grandaddy circa ‘Crystal Lake’ production. It takes the sun drenched joy of Real Estate to somewhere fuzzier and unbelievably, more carefree.

Sonically, with so much at play, you’d forgive them for sounding muddled but, like a sun setting on still water, they have conjured a simple beauty to marvel at.

For anyone desperate to escape Trump, covid or personal woes, ‘Another State’ is the artistic ticket to elsewhere you have been waiting for.  

The Kecks – All For Me

The Kecks are back with their new single ‘All For Me’. Released on the 23rd October, it once again saw the North West via Hamburg outfit link up with producer JB Pilon.

Sheffield has always produced great romantic song writers. Cocker, Walker and Hawley possess a romanticism tha now, the Kecks are tapping into. ‘All For Me’ unlocks the heart of Pulp’s ‘Dishes’ and Hawley’s ‘Coles Corner’ whilst flirting heavily with Bowie’s Berlin phase.

On the surface, there is enough warmth in the guitars to enrich the most broken of hearts. By the time of the solo, they will be dreaming of their wedding bells. Lurking though, is something more twisted and interesting. As front man Lennart Uschmaan sings of “take off your gloves and lay into my guts” and “you have got to have some stuff”, something darker bonding this love affair is clearly at play.

Uschmaan delivers such affection through his vocals that, you can’t help be sucked into this alternative love story. This is one hell of a return from The Kecks. May it long continue.  

Howie Payne - It Feels Like Summer

Back in late August, Liverpool’s Howie Payne returned with his new single ‘It Feels Like Summer’. The former Stands member is on the trail of his new solo album, due early 2021.

With Payne playing all the instruments, it should come as no surprise that this is a deeply personal record. The eerily tranquil opening serves up the expressive failure of the male identity.  

Set after the tough times, Payne utilises jangling guitars and heavenly Scouse vocals will be sonic perfection to fans of Payne. Underlying though is the torture he endured to display his gratitude and affection for those who stood by him in the tough times.

As the big key change lands, Payne delivers the lyric “how can I explain, all the things I want to say”. It will leave many a British man dead in their tracks. Hamstrung by their inability to talk, sometimes even be affectionate to their partners, Payne displays masculinity with supreme probity.

Once through this looking grass, Payne serves sheer ecstasy. Love and warmth ooze from every pore so much that, you’ll look back at those dark times in humble amazement they occurred.  

Nobodies Birthday – Shattered Dreams

Reading five piece Nobodies Birthday are back with their fourth release of 2020. ‘Shattered Dreams’, released 30th October, follows ‘Bridges’, Drift Away’ and No Place To Hide’ but, can it inspire escapism to the same level?

The Waterfall-esque guitars contrast with Dom’s robust vocals to create a glorious contradiction of shimmering guitars and a lyrical tale of life ebbing away.

There is robustness to this record we havent seen from the band before. There is a personal anguish when he decrees “leave it all behind leave it all behind / I don’t care for consequences” but, it lends the listener a defiance for the times we live in to rally around.

With the winter crashing down on the UK like a horde of White Walkers, Nobodies Birthday have delivered another set of guitar licks to cart you away elsewhere. However, it’s within the lyrics they begin to move to the next level. This tale, often forlorn and heart-breaking offers a hand of the canvas. It’s that flicker of hope we all have when turning the news on, is there a vaccine yet? No, well, maybe tomorrow.

*Image courtesy of Benji Walker

Bradford - Like Water

Blackburn’s Bradford, back in 1988 were handpicked by Morrissey for a support slot and then signed by Stephen Street to his Foundation label. Their wit, charm and kitchen sink drama pop songs were all set to make them the next big thing.

Alas, they found themselves in the unfortunate category of great songs, unfortunate timing like The Claim, The Orchids and Thousand Yard Stare. The aforementioned all returned in recent years and were met with sell out gigs and albums of critical acclaim. In this vein, Bradford have returned with their first original music in 30 years with new single ‘Like Water’.

With Street at the helm in the studio once more, Bradford’s relaunch begins where it left off. Social observations of the highest calibre. This tale of town centre characters is told with heart and never scorns. It’s this integrity which sets them apart. When its twinned with an effortless sonic flow, it becomes a joyous occasion.

Ian Hodgson’s lyrics have been affected by time but, never jaded. As he sings “everybody’s life runs out / like water”, it doesn’t dwell or recoil inwards, rather, they meander with que sera sera in their heart, pondering what might yet occur.

Ewan Butler’s guitars by no means take a back seat to Hodgson’s song writing. They lend the track the maturity it deserves. A sense of outward facing wisdom permeates throughout the crisp licks.

With their new album ‘Bright Hours’ due in 2021, a post covid world is set to see Bradford sell out many a venue with records this distinct and powerful.

Andrew Cushin - Where’s My Family Gone?

Newcastle’s Andrew Cushin is back with his latest single ‘Where’s My Family Gone?’ and, this time he brought his mates. Having forged a friendship with Noel Gallagher after his praise of former single ‘Waiting For The Rain’, Gallagher stepped in to produce, provide guitars and backing vocals. From demos to Virgin Records and supporting Two Door Cinema Club, Cushin’s rise is one of 2020’s music industry success stories.

From the moment took Ashcroft’s modern classic ‘They Don’t Own Me’ and channelled it through Gallagher’s aching,

It was inevitable Gallagher would become a kindred spirit. They share the ability to paint broken and battered landscapes with the merest of chinks of light to sow seeds of hope. ‘Where’s My Family Gone?’ reaches into the heart of Gallagher’s ‘The Dying of the Light’ and ‘Right Stuff’ and pulls out another aching gem.

Where Cushin departs from his idol and mentor is lyrically. Where Gallagher buried his family past, Cushin has opened his heart and, in a time of such despair, is highly welcomed.  

Noel’s influence is apparent to see, the ‘Riverman’ solo illuminates Cushin’s pain and the production begins to paint broader horizons for him to search. The past eats away at the mortals. For the greats, well, they turn into something we all want to follow.

Shambolics - Love Collides

With the world maligned and the arts being sold down the river by the short sighted Chancellor, hope and escapism are drifting out of site. As the dam is set to overflow and surge away for good, Alan McGee’s Creation23 stable is providing the glimmer we all need.

Leading his charge are Fife’s Shambolics. A string of shimmering rock ‘n’ roll meets Big Star singles behind them, they have returned their latest record ‘Love Collides’.

With Marr’s jangle set to drug fueled release, they channel their love of Fleetwood Mac into this sauntering pop gem. Behind the glory of the racing guitars lies a relationship clinging on for dear life. Its fingernails claw at the dirt as life’s pressures damningly swirl above all the while guitars howl with anguish.

Shambolics rise to glory is inevitable. Their effortlessness hits a mid-point ecstatic rush where nothing else in the world matters which, when, in a time when everything matters, might just be the most important thing of all.

Fightmilk - If You Had A Sister

Last Month, London’s Fightmilk returned with their latest single ‘If You Had A Sister’ via Reckless Yes Records.

Having built a solid reputation on the underground as a budding pop punk outfit, this offing marks a big shift in direction but not unwelcome. Lily Rae’s vocals have been a huge hook from day but, now, Stevie Knicks’ stardust emanates from her soul.

This is effortless pop worthy of early Madonna via Wolf Alice, Ash and ‘Tusk’ era Fleetwood Mac. It’s the perfect vehicle for its heavyweight message. Rae eloquently highlights, at best, the casual offense women have to tolerate all too often. Sadly, as the song grows to its crescendo of crashing drums and sublime solo, its apparent this is a worst case scenario of domestic abuse.

This new approach has catapulted their new album into the eagerly anticipated category for 2021. Few can walk the tightrope of integrity and bombast, Fightmilk just took an assured stride onto the said rope.

The City Gates - Siegfried 1969

The single is available on their Bandcamp page.

Canada's foremost post-punk cum shoegaze outfit The City Gates present their latest single 'Siegfired 1969'. The single is taken from their new album, due for release in the autumn on their own imprint Velouria Recordz.

The Cure's Gothic guitars get taken to dank landscapes not even they knew existed on this tale of art in East Germany. The track collaborates with Alexander Donat (Vlimmer, Whole & Fir Cone Children) and Francis Nothingwater (La Mecanique). Donat's grandfather was a famous pianist during the cold war era and it is he who is being compared to the Berlin Wall during this colossal noise stomp.

Despite their Canadian roots and German origins, at points, the warped thrust of Middleton's The Chameleons cut through its industrial power. The closing stages ignite into a brooding Depeche Mode via White Lies fire cracker that is simply undeniable; an astonishing force of pleasure.

If only all collaborations were like this.

*Image courtesy of Renee Coutlee

Order of the Toad – Lady's Mantle

With their second album due out this autumn, Order of the Toad have returned with their lead single Lady's Mantle. Released via Gringo Records and Reckless Yes, it is digitally released on all platforms now.

The supergroup of Gemma Fleet (The Wharves) and Robert Sotelo (Upset The Rhythm) and Christopher Taylor have returned with their unique styles to traverse topics such as past lives, conception and fate.

Gloriously pastiche, they evoke the Syd Barret, Fairport Convention and Jefferson Airplane on this exploration folk-cum-psyche adventure. Yet, via Fleet's vocals, they manage to fresh enough to warrant the alternative music lover of today's attention. She splices in punk of her label mates Bugeye and a resilient but cute level of pop heaven.

Definitely ones to look out for this fall. Their music is available on their Bandcamp page.

Black Needle Noise – She Talks To Angels

The single is available on their Bandcamp page.

This Mortal Coil's John Fryer has teamed up with Anjela Piccard on his side project Black Needle Noise's latest single. The legendary producer (Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins, Wire) has chosen to cover the Black Crowes classic 'She Talks To Angels' as the first release from the upcoming album 'These Mortal Covers'.

Out go the iconic guitars and income big resounding synths and Piccard's dystopian vocals. The destructive and futuristic sonic heighten the tracks sense of destruction. With Trump's potential re-election in the fall, it highlights the need for people to reflect seriously and emotionally on what that means for science, racism, public debate, press freedom and common deceny.

Piccard's vocals are formidable. Powerful and soulful, they carry the songs narrative towards the cinematic landscapes painted by the Fryer's doomtastic production. Piccard isn't just showcasing a set of lungs though. Inner turmoil and isolation permeate the narrative to excellent effect.

Katherine Abbott - Lullaby For Lucas

Katherine Abbott is a singer-songwriter from Stratford-upon-Avon. She began her career by playing working men’s clubs in Coventry and the West Midlands. From humble beginnings, come great things and, her latest single is proof of this.

‘Lullaby For Lucas’ was written about an Austrian opera singer she met walking the Camino De Santiago. Lucas had lost his voice and taken up a nomadic lifestyle. Abbott, borrowing takes from Peggy Sue and Emmy The Great and paints ethereal strokes.

It’s dream like stasis sets the mood for personal reflection on snap judgments we make at the expense of people like Lucas. A lesson that the online world would do well to learn.

Nobodies Birthday – Bridges

At the beginning of lockdown, Reading outfit Nobodies Birthday released double a-side 'No Place To Hide' and 'Drift Away'. On 27th July, they release their next single 'Bridges'.

With their heads in the clouds and their hearts in the stars, they have produced their biggest sound to date. It doesn't land cleanly like the dreamy 'Drift Away' or the rasping 'No Place To Hide' but, it's ambition is heartwarming. Too many strum an acoustic guitar and play it safe with bland melodies. Nobodies Birthday have taken a huge swing and, its not hit the middle of the bat, but it's made solid contact.

To create these vast landscapes without the backing of label money should warrant serious attention. They are right on the cusp of something and we wait with baited breath to see how big it is.

Check back here on release day to hear their rock ‘n’ roll epic!

*Image courtesy of Benji Walker

The Novus – Man On The Bridge

The Novus really stepped up the quality on their last single 'Frosty' (full review here) in February. The Stourbridge outfit returned to the studio with Gavin Monaghan (The Blinders, MOSES, Editors) to record the latest offering 'Man On The Bridge'.

After gigging in London, they witnessed one of Camden's cult heroes. The elder statesman who cuts shapes by Camden Lock inspired them to write this single.

Urgent and undeniable, The Novus have delivered a 00s indie-punk masterclass. The danger of The Rascals locks horns with the riotous Jamie T. What better way to pay homage to Camden's top raver.

Refusing to be just a musical nod to their childhoods, they splice in divine Gothic nuggets which keep the track fresh.

Despite 2020 falling by the wayside, The Novus have lit it up with two great singles so far. Roll on the hat-trick.

Sam Valdez - Clean

Sam Valdez has followed up the critically acclaimed ‘Toothache’ with her latest single ‘Clean’.

Drenched in dreampop guitars, Valdez takes The Cocteau Twins for a mournful journey through the desert. Los, but never without hope, she imparts a creative integrity many spend a lifetime searching for.

This tale is seemingly dark as the protagonist descends into a tumultuous state. However, the deliberate nature of the plunge allows the guitars to catch the odd fragment of hope. There is always a sense of emerging the other side a better person.

Perhaps the intense and immersive landscapes of her home state Nevada are informing her writing. Where else is a tale of soulful redemption better staged than the home of Las Vegas?

Her ability to play with light and dark textures in her fledgling status suggests more than just a bright future.

The Holy Knives – Always Gone (Jamie Hince Remix)

New Orleans brothers Kyle and Kody Valentine are The Holy Knives. Their latest single, ‘Always Gone’, is remixed by the legendary Jamie Hince of The Kills.

Frontman Kody, beds his vocals in somewhere between gloomy glory of The National’s Matt Berninger and the husky drawl of Nick Cave. All the while, their guitars re-create the Western styles of Ennio Morricone (God rest his soul) via Portishead’s 4am misadventures.

Instant images of smoke filled pubs and shady characters are built on this single. A bright and cinematic future lies ahead for these brothers.

In Earnest – Come Upstairs

Southend’s In Earnest are a alt-indie band who write about their experiences with mental health issues.

On their debut single (full review here), Sarah Holburn took vocal duties. It focused on her chronic anxiety and depression. This time round, band member and partner Thomas Eatherton takes the lead.

Eatherton details the difficulties of their relationship with an astonishing honesty. As he describes himself as “woefully unprepared”, desperation floods the senses. He goes on to crush your soul with the line “there is a war in every silence” and then break your heart with “no relief to heal the shame…….no proof that exists”.

Despite this, they utilise cinematic and Celtic folk orchestration to build something sonically rousing. This is coupled with the darkest but most romantic lyrics since The Smiths:

“And if a double-decker bus / Crashes into us / To die by your side / Is such a heavenly way to die”

Eathernet tops this with:

“We could both lock lips / On this sinking ship, watch it all go down / We could seal our fate / On a frozen lake, and just drown”

In a world where mental health services are chronically underfunded, their ability to produce great art from their own turmoil is a triumph of the human spirit.