The Royston Club - The Patch Where Nothing Grows

The Royston Club, fresh from headlining This Feeling’s By The Sea festival, recently released their comeback single, ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows’. It was produced by Blossoms and The Courteeners cohort Rich Turvey and recorded at Liverpool’s Kempston Street Studio.

*banner image credit: Sam Crowsto

Artwork courtesy of Fear PR

In 2023, the band proved there was still a need for hooks and anthems from bands. ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows’ is not a departure from that; it is, however, a marked improvement. What were indie licks and charismatic vocal hooks have now strayed into guttural rock ‘n’ roll.

This single is about realising that you only get one chance, and anything short of all or nothing is cheating yourself. Leading the charge is frontman Tom Faithful. He oozed charisma on the debut, but now, his guttural howl is beset with a desperation that seeks and wreaks!

There is somewhat of a 00s renaissance around these days. Some pastiche, too many parodies, what The Royston Club have done here is neither sonically nor the sound is their own. Spiritually, though, the Libertines riots, the guerilla gigs from The Rakes and The Others, the sense that a band could come out of nowhere, play anywhere, and change lives oozes from their new-found fire.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming tour:

The Utopiates - Neighbourhood

The North London groove machine returns with the new single ‘Neighbourhood’ on September 20th. Not resting on the laurels of 2023’s critically acclaimed album ‘The Sun Also Rises’, they have spent 2024 in the studio plotting their next moves.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

‘TSAR’ was an array of baggy, rave, and 90s indie grooves, and those hallmarks remain intact. However, this time round, the jagged NYC funk of LCD Soundsystem and abrasive melodies of TV On The Radio filter into the guitar blasts. It’s freshened up a band already at the cutting edge of things.

The introduction of 00s influences continues with the little touches of Does it Offend Say Yeah and Sportsday Megaphone. The nu-rave touches on the synths and production add subtle depth to a marauding groove.

Lyrically, The Utopiates' debut offered couplets to engage with, but the album was ultimately about the sonic. ‘Neighbourhood, however, takes them to another level. Insightful social comment and guttural polemic unite to add another magic ingredient to the mix.

If there is a blueprint to kick off a run-up to a new album, this is surely it. The key touch points of their origins spark new avenues of creativity to produce yet another indie-dance crossover anthem.

Click the image below for tickets to their next gig:

The Ritz – Back Against The Wall

Burton-on-Trent’s The Ritz Are back with their latest single ‘Back Against The Wall’. It was recorded and produced by Michael Smith (Wolf Alice / Elvis Costello / Spencer Davis Group) at RYP Recordings in London.

Last time out on ‘Only Time Will Tell’, The Ritz tapped into the kind of melody that adorns mass crowds and nostalgic joy. ‘Back Against The Wall’ is the counter-point to this. Serious and intense, it charts a turbulent course that only those of pure heart can navigate.

The windswept majesty of The Crooks and the keys of Richard Ashcroft’s early solo albums signify a focus and drive from the innermost parts of songwriter and frontman Robbie Joyce. Joyce’s vocal vividly lays bare his anxieties alongside newfound sonic distress. The records’ sonic pain and anguish ooze through him but always with earnest effrontery. In the moments when the torture swells (“I know the pain will never heal / Of the hurt, the suffering and the despair”), he manages to wade through the quagmire of despair with humble bravery.

Finley Armitage’s guitars shine on this record, particularly in two short but defining solos. The first solo, inspired by the melancholic grandeur of Andrew Cushin and Noel Gallagher’s ‘Chasing Yesterday,’ amplifies the record's volatility. The second solo, a nod to Richard Ashcroft’s ‘Science of Silence,’ injects a level of power and despair that solidifies The Ritz as serious.

It is, though, the hook of Joyce’s couplet “I can carry all this weight / I can’t leave it up to fate” that carries this record and the band to another level. Its power will drop grown men to their knees in gut-wrenching epiphanic moments of change.

With this single, The Ritz have become a serious player. They’ve always had the melodies, but now they have discovered that music is power, and the journey to their debut album is a drooling prospect.

Twin City – I Feel Alive

Bristol-based Twin City are back with their third single, ‘I Feel Alive’. It’s their first single signed to Bubblebrain Records and was recorded at J&J Studios. Tom Smith (Holy Youth Movement) produced it.

*image credit Iwan Jones. Courtesy of Songbird PR.

Last time out on ‘Solid Gold’, Twin City, although expertly, strayed probably too far into Oasis’ sphere of influence. ‘I Feel Alive’ has hints of ‘Definitely Maybe’ but has a funk to its basslines, charting a course very much of its own.  

Conor Feeney’s exquisite bassline kicks this rock 'n' roll affair off like the Devil emerging from the pub. Its devilish twists and turns funk through the soaring riffs and rock ‘n’ roll despair. Feeney’s killer hook allows Louis and Pete Refson’s guitars to build a wall of sound, climaxing with the escapist licks spiralling alongside Louis’ snarling vocals in sheer ecstasy.

Twin City’s Bubblebrain signing has kicked off in some style. Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming show:

Those Heavy Souls – Everything’s Changing

From the ashes of Cardiff’s Columbia comes Those Heavy Souls, the solo project of frontman Craig Lewis. His debut single ‘Everything’s Changing’ was recorded Kings Road Studios in Cardiff with Andrew Sanders producing and Small Miracles’ Steven Kenward guesting on guitar.

All images courtesy of Those Heavy Souls.

Where Columbia was an expression of sex, drugs, and floor rock n roll, Those Heavy Souls has a more thoughtful slant of attack. The build is more subtle, and the electronic production and trippy drums allow a world of Ian Brown's solo era to unite with early Kasabian.

Frontman Craig Lewis, renowned for his powerful vocals and unwavering belief, as demonstrated in Columbia’s ‘Embrace The Chaos’, now unveils a new facet of his artistry. In this fresh venture, Lewis exhibits a wealth of musicality and delves into the Gothic indie realm of Dave Gahan, with his higher notes echoing his admiration for Rob Harvey. These unexplored dimensions in the chorus testify to Lewis' ability to play with his natural soul and rock 'n roll power, a skill that becomes intoxicating by the end.

Lewis’ first solo venture has proven to be more than fruitful. The psyche licks in the closing stages here, segue exquisitely from his days with Columbia into this new vision. Sonically still a force of a nature but now, with deft touches to elevate him to the next level.

Wull – Amber

Liverpool’s Wull returned with their new single, ‘Amber,’ at the start of May. It follows the raw power of ‘Overrun.’ Will it stack up?

*image courtesy of the band & This Feeling.

Where ‘Overrun’ took the ecstatic moments of The Strokes’ ‘Reptilla’ and the frantic joy of Interpol to dark places, ‘Amber’, while blessed with gothic tinges, has an effortless flow that takes their brand of post-punk to the edge of joyous.

With 'Amber ', Wull's musical evolution is evident. The hopeful energy reminiscent of New Order's ‘Crystal’ collides with the debut album mayhem of Fontaines DC. The climactic moments are like warning sirens, both dystopian and utopian, reflecting the past fourteen years of confusion, loss, and hope. It's a powerful metaphor for those wondering about the potential of incoming change.

Each band member's contribution becomes distinct as the mesh of styles reaches its climax. Drummer Oscar Hellewell's tirade of destruction elevates the record to another realm, while frontman Ben Coles' vocals take on a more ethereal quality. This dynamic allows everything to explode into a moment of post-punk brilliance.

Two singles into 2024 and Wull are looking like one of 2024’s breakout acts.

MOSES – Guilty

London’s MOSES are back after two years away. Their new single ‘Guilty’, is the first to be taken from their upcoming third album due for release later this year. Recorded at Magic Garden Studio in Wolverhampton, it sees the band hook up with Gavin Monaghan (The Blinders / Ocean Colour Scene / Rosa Caleum) once again.

Image & artwork courtesy of Rocklands TV.

Last time out on ‘I Still Believe, Do You?’, the band exquisitely and poignantly lit up the struggles of a working-class band in the modern age. It was an album steeped in anguish but never without hope. Upon return, MOSES have found a new mantra, “fuck it”. Everything, including the kitchen sink has been thrown into this!

With two fingers up to an industry that helps so few, they have come out swinging with crunching basslines and a career-best vocal from frontman Victor Moses. Together, they deliver the venom and fury that Foals have been trying and failing to nail down for the past decade.

The breakdown, short, but mystical, erupts into a frenzied attack of gunshot guitars and Rob Harvey-esque vocals. The Music’s debut album’s colossal soul oozes through this razor-sharp return from indie-s unsung heroes of recent times.

Their time is now!

Matt Edible & The Obtuse Angels – Idiot

Hull’s Matt Edible (The Holy Orders / Kingmaker) and The Obtuse Angels are back with their latest single ‘Idiot’. Recorded at Edbile’s home studio, it follows 2023’s comic glam-rock masterpiece ‘Mirror Shoes’.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Like ‘Mirror Shoes’, they tread a similar path of glam-rock and humorous lyrics. Edible pokes fun at those who revelled in a lack of Michael Gove’s experts, leading us all down a path of cultural and financial devaluation for a decade. Sonically, he takes the jovial and mercurial spirit of Sultans of Ping, Jim Bob, and the poetical play of Yard Act to a world of glam-rock riffs with divine results.

The introduction of the angelic backing vocals elevates the comic timing of “im a card carrying idiot” to Bafta award levels.  With a general election on the horizon and said idiots in retreat mode, the hope is that Steve Bray lines this up as Sunak and his non-dom wife toddle off to California on July 5th.

There may have been seven months between ‘Mirror Shoes’ and ‘Idiot,’ but the wait has been worth it. Great melody and sardonic lyrics skip hand in hand, knowing that time is up for the idiots.

Idyllic – Everyone Wants to Know

Liverpool’s Idyllic returned in April to self-release their latest single, ‘Everyone Wants to Know.’ It follows the free-flowing ‘The World is Falling Down.’ Will it match its prowess?

*image credit Trust a Fox Photography

Idyllic has reawakened the 00s guitar scene on their latest single. Instant jagged guitar hooks and enriching indie-soul vocals pull from the finer moments of Pigeon Detectives, The Zutons, and The Kooks’ debut. With a crucial exception, there's is better!

Niall Doolan’s vocals have the warmth of Dave McCabe (The Zutons), the ragged soul of James Skelly (The Coral), and the defiant urgency of Matt Bowman (Pigeon Detectives). Despite possessing obvious talent, his vocal has a humbleness and an everyman appeal—the kind that lights up pubs with comedic tales of heroic defeat.

‘Everyone Wants to Know’ is the perfect counterpoint to ‘The World is Falling Down’. Where the latter rumbles on with infectious expressiveness, ‘Everyone Wants to Know’ taps into an old-school single mindset. Short, punchy riffs unfurl the sweetest of instant gratification!

The Lunar Towers - Morpho Butterfly

Cheltenham band The Lunar Towers recently released their first song of 2024. ‘Morpho Butterfly’ was recorded at Yawn Studios in the Wirral with the masterful songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones and Nathaniel Cummings (Mick Head) producing. The single has been released via the impeccable Colorama Records.

Banner image & artwork courtesy of the band.

The time spent with Ryder-Jones has been well spent by frontman Rory Moore as he slips into The Coral co-founder’s gentle vocal husk. With Jones as his constant, Moore allows hints of Elliott Smith’s moonlit beauty and ‘Goodnight Unknown’ era Lou Barlow to glide in and out of view effortlessly.

Joe Richardson and Robn Sewell’s guitars provide the backdrop to this ode to the natural world and a beguiling woman they once encountered. The joy of The Lemonheads and Teenage Fanclub is never far away from their fingertips. Their wayward beauty erupting into focused bursts of technicolour allows their visions of a “butterfly” or “the girl dreaming of” to swirl with an innocence that guitar music should always be steeped in.

The Lunar Towers' music resonates with summer's lazy, dreamy vibes, punctuated by occasional bursts of genius. Their sound, reminiscent of Belle & Sebastien’s glorious 1996 releases of ‘Tigermilk’ and ‘If Your Feeling Sinister’, captures the fertile periods of youthful ambition.

about-faces – Learn to Surf

about-faces have released their new single, ‘Learn to Surf’. Recorded at Greenmount Studios in Leeds, it was produced by Jamie Lockhart and mastered by Felix Davis at Metropolis Studios in London.

*banner image credit: Barnaby Fairley

Artwork credit: Livestock Studios

Learn To Surf’s origins began on frontman Sennen Ludman’s camping holiday. Staring out to the ocean, his friend Noah uttered the phrase, ‘If you can’t stop the waves, learn to surf.’ This profound uttering ignited a spark of inspiration within the band. Lyrics of defiance and poignant piano parts flowed from Sennen, but it wasn’t until last October, when the bassist rearranged it, that it all came together.

Sennen’s lyrics connect the harrowing to the inspiring, dependent on mood. The hook of ‘If you can’t stop the waves, learn to surf’ , alongside the euphoria of the sonic build, has the potential to drag people under as much as it uplifts. It brings a relentless pressure which, if fragile, should come with a warning. Ultimately though, the goodwill out, and no matter if you think all hope is gone, if a loved one is, or when eternal love fractures and fades, learn to surf. Life is going to come at you relentlessly; embrace it!

Wave upon wave of resilience emerges from a band that, four singles in, has found a formula that could see them emulate the indie gods of Arcade Fire and TV on the Radio.

Marseille – She Can Fly

Derby band Marseille unveiled their latest single, ‘She Can Fly,’ last Friday. It is a captivating follow-up to March’s ‘Monkey in the Middle’. This is the second single from their highly anticipated ‘Godiva’ EP, set to be released this September.

Where ‘Monkey In The Middle’ stared down the world with its psychedelic directness, ‘She Can Fly’, as the title suggests, has a more ethereal quality. Without losing a scintilla of heft, Marseille have managed to jab and move here with exquisite poise.

With The Verve’s debut album ‘Storm In Heaven’ as a guiding light, ‘She Can Fly’ leans into the melodic power of ‘Slide Away’. The band, with fleeting moments of driving shoegaze dynamism, pays homage to their influences before embarking on their own rippling exploration.

Stepping on and off the power provides the perfect counterpoint to the psyche assault of ‘Monkey in the Middle, ’ which Labrum intercuts with rippling guitar magic that strays from Andy Bell to John Martyn with a drool-worthy effortlessness.

With two powerful singles already in 2024, Marseille is poised for a breakout year. The anticipation for the 'Godiva' EP, set to release this September, is palpable. Roll on to September.

Click the image below for tickets to Marseille’s autumn tour:

Subterrania – Knows Me Too Well

South Wales’ Subterrania are set to release their latest single ‘You Knows Me Too Well’ this Friday. It’s been eight months since their last release ‘Shine’ hit the airwaves and grabbed rock ‘n’ roll fans’ attention Can they maintain momentum?

*banner image & artwork courtesy of Songbird PR.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Where ‘Shine’ embodied the boozy swagger of early Oasis, ‘You Knows Me Too Well’ brings it right up to date by leaning into the newfound urgency of Pastel. Dylan Cai’s vocal flits between angelic and hopeful to a raw, lo-fi, defiant roar, allowing music lovers to believe in openness once more.

Our protagonist, blessed with a purity sorely missing in society in 2024, becomes heroic in the closing stages as Cai wrenches, “don’t call my name / when I see you here tomorrow / there’s nothing to blame / but you’re drowning in sorrow” from his soul repeatedly.

Cai summons a guttural two fingers to the world leached from soul whilst Fin Roach’s guitars hiss with the recent urgency of Pastel’s ‘Dancing On A Pin’ and ‘Your Day’. Together, they manoeuvre from a heavy, trippy fog to a distilled rock ‘n’ roll clarity.

Subterrania's three singles have tapped into the trippy psyche and violent rock ‘n’ roll of the all-conquering Pastel. Throw in the mysticism of Rosellas and the laudable comeback of The Crooks, and suddenly, a new wave of psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll is less a bedroom dream and more a juggernaut coming over the horizon.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming headline show with This Feeling:

The Outers – Twenty

London outfit The Outers recently released their first single of 2024. ‘Twenty’ witnesses the band join forces with esteemed sound engineer Tom Hough (Azelia Banks, Stereophonics, Rihanna) on an eclectic look back at the Orwellian lockdown of recent years.

*banner image credit: Martine Lund

Image & artwork courtesy of Rocklands TV.

To date, they have wowed through frenetic energy and punk rock idealism. Now, they are pulling from the emotional power of Fightmilk and the isolating but melodic drama of Brett Anderson’s cannon to forge a new way. It’s pop music! It’s electro! It's indie. It’s Linda Thompson on acid.

The Outers' sound is further enriched by adding fuzzy synths and moonlit howls on the guitar, creating a sense of alienation akin to Suede. Frontwoman Ade’s vocal performance is a career-best, carrying the pop immediacy of Ninja (The Go! Team) and the playful energy of Sonya Madan (Echobelly). It’s a vocal style that echoes the dreams we all had for Polystyrene (X-Ray Spex) in her later years-playful, urgent, soulful, folksy, and defiant as hell.

After dazzling in Brighton for Kick Out of the Jams for the Alternative Escape this week, The Outers have kicked off 2024 with one hell of a bang.

Afflecks Palace – You Are The Answer

Manchester’s Afflecks Palace returned last week with their new single, ‘You Are The Answer’. It was produced by their frontman, J Fender, and will be released on their label, Spirit of Spike Island.

Their trademark lysergic guitars remain, but they’re now clashing with the jagged edges of early REM and motorik drums. The culture clashes have breathed a vibrancy into their sonic vision that surpasses what are already two fine albums.

Artwork & image courtesy of Spirit of Spike Island.

On a lyrical level, 'You Are The Answer' is a poignant exploration of self-doubt and the relentless creative struggle to overcome it. This rock ‘n’ roll desperation propels the band to new heights, hinting that as we age, we must “run faster than you ever run” to chase those teenage dreams.

‘You Are The Answer’ is the sound of a band getting older and wiser, knowing its last chance saloon. Kaleidoscopic guitars and ethereal production appear fleetingly, allowing Fender’s message of seize the day (“breathes new life deep into theses lungs / inhale the flames and spit them out the fire”) to take a powerful stranglehold.

What began as a reimagining of a bygone Manchester has now spread its wings far beyond their home. They’ve enveloped more influences and spat out a more focused, universal, and desirable ode to their roots and, crucially, a vision for the future.

Jamie Reid, Simon Emmerson, & Youth – Ancestors

Sex Pistols and Suburban Press collaborator Jamie Reid and Simon Emmerson (Afro Celt Soundsystem) both tragically passed away in 2023. Before they parted, they hooked you with the iconic producer Youth to make ‘Ancestors’, the premier release on Youth and Alan McGee’s new label ‘Creation Youth’.

*Artwork courtesy of Creation Youth and Danny Watson

KLF’s tribal beats and Massive Attack’s grooves combine in the early part to conjure a hedonistic freedom worthy of Transglobal Underground. The bass-heavy grooves decay into a more destructive John Robb (The Membranes) sonic in the second half alongside a primitive Shapeshifter-era Robert Plant howl.

There’s a timelessness and purity to ‘Ancestors,’ which takes it from Castlemorton to 1968 to Don Letts. Stone Grove and Janette Sewell’s vocals are battle-weary after the last fourteen years but resilient. Frayed but stern in their defiance. Their belief in something better. Their hope for change!

Holy Youth Movement – The Next One

Bristol-based Holy Youth Movement, in collaboration with renowned producer Jagz Kooner (Primal Scream, Andrew Weatherall, Sabres Of Paradise), is set to make a comeback on the 25th of April via Ditto Label Services. This marks the release of their second single from the highly anticipated ‘Shock of the Future’ EP, scheduled for July.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

On ‘The Shock of the Future, ’ HYM was in a realm where dance and rock music roamed seamlessly together. Here, they’re leaning into their love of electronic music far more. The atmospheric build soundtracks a hopeful entrance into a smoke-filled room before you lose yourself in sweat and hedonism.

Frontman Tom Newman, so often an explosion of technicolour, remains in a hushed and measured groove, allowing the synths and Kooner’s production values to shine with a glitched euphoria somewhere between Bicep and Josh Wink.

The Crooks – Wide Awake

Chestfield outfit The Crooks follow their comeback single ‘In The Meantime’ with ‘Wide Awake’. The self-released single comes ahead of their first tour since before the pandemic May. Let’s check it out.

*banner image courtesy of the band and This Feeling.

The acute Nick McCabe licks demonstrate that, this time around, The Crooks are more comfortable with creativity. There’s no rush to launch into the attack anymore. These licks fade into a furore of Ride and Chapterhouse shoegaze, allowing the psychedelic menace in the closing stages to take flight. Allowing the devil to rattle around in his cage for two-thirds makes his release devastating.

With his rock n roll power, Jacko often makes his presence felt from the beginning. His snarling but melodic intensity is a rare find. In 'Wide Awake ', he tempers it down, revealing a more aggressive version of Andy Bell. He stays in this lane, until he bursts into life alongside the blistering shoezgaze.

The vastness and cinematic arrangement is made all the more potent by the three-minute containment. The fleeting nature of all its parts elevates it to something remarkable.

The Rosadocs – Stand Alone

Sheffield outfit The Rosadocs recently returned with their first release of 2024, ‘Stand Alone.’ It was recorded at Chairworks Studio (The Reytons) and mastered by Peter Maher of U2, Coldplay, and Rolling Stones fame.

*banner image courtesy of Scott Antcliffe.

Artwork courtesy of Scott Antcliffe.

The five-piece, basking in the glory of their monumental sell-out at Sheffield City Hall in 2023, are now reaping the rewards. The euphoria of that unforgettable night resonates in their soaring guitars and Maher’s masterful production. This success story, rooted in their working-class poetry, is now being showcased on a grand scale, rightfully earning them the limelight they deserve.

Despite' Stand Alone' being their most mainstream single to date, The Rosadocs have managed to maintain their musical integrity. Frontman Keelan Graney’s cadence in the verses skips with Gerry Cinnamon’s abandon before roaring with Tom Clarke’s (The Enemy) uncontrollable fire. With such vocal power comes great responsibility, and here, Graney knows when to step on and off the gas, giving this record a creative freedom few can rival.

Lyrically, the spirit of ‘We’ll Live and Down In These Town’ album is reimagined for this generation:

“When to school, college, uni just trying to learn / Went and got a degree for money you’ll never earn / Now you’re toeing the line / Losing your mind on your own“

The forging of ‘You’re Not Alone’s sonic with the gritty lyrical despair of ‘This Song Is About You’ is one of the finest juxtapositions the guitar scene has served up in some time.

Graney and Joe Egan’s guitar parts lift ‘Stand Alone’ well beyond just the realm of an indie-punk Enemy number. They ooze warmth and threaten to escape to the dizzy heights of The Courteeners Heaton Park triumphs.

Rock ‘n’ roll has been watered down for too long. The Rosadocs, as a mainstream weapon, have given it a much-needed dose of realness.

Click the image below for tickets to their Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus gig this summer:

Holy Youth Movement - The Shock of the Future

Bristol-based Holy Youth Movement will release their new single, ‘The Shock of the Future’ (Ditto Label Services), on Thursday, March 28th. Produced by the Jagz Kooner (Primal Scream, Andrew Weatherall, Sabres Of Paradise), it’s the lead single from their upcoming debut EP of the same name.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

In 2023, HYM supported Primal Scream and The Dandy Warhols. Both can be heard on this wild electronic rock ‘n’ roll single. The bugged-eyed glam-rock electronic stomp of ‘Detroit’ and the dirge euphoria of ‘Every Day Should Be Holiday’ link arms with Radio 4’s ‘Party Crashers’ on this breakthrough single.

The 00s was awash with bands with dance music sympathies. The Rapture, Radio 4, White Rose Movement, Kasabian, Keith, and Sunshine Underground are among the finest. Whilst they cut through various scenes, there was a world between the single and the remix. HYM are emerging as the seamless middle ground. Guitars roll into synths and back again whilst frontman Tom Newman sways like Nick Drake fronting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. For the first time in an age, rock ‘n’ roll’s wheel is being nudged towards invention and it’s utterly intoxicating.

 HYM will release the next single from the EP ‘The Next One’ on Thursday 25th April. On this breathtaking showing, it’s going to agonising wait to see what they do next.