New: Kutosis

"Recorded with Rory Atwell" is fast becoming code for "this is fucking good". It seems everything and anything that the former Test Icicle (and current Warm Brains) is involved with is well worth blogging about, and the latest Kutosis recordings are no different.

A three-piece from Cardiff, the band wear their influences openly on their sleeves: fans of Mclusky, Liars, and Les Savy Fav will like their noisy, feisty alternative rock songs. Guitar riffs and distorted, chomping bass lines work wonderfully in unison whilst choruses soar. Satisfyingly heavy yet sufficiently catchy, single Shadows is out on Barely Regal Records on September 5, and full-length Fanatical Love will follow.



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Dead Rabbits

Whereas some bands come across like they're trying to hide their influences from you in some weird way to come across original, Dead Rabbits seem like the kind of band that would gladly lend you their entire record collection just so that another person gets pleasure from the music that they love.

That's not to say that the Southampton four-piece are copycats or unoriginal, just that they wear their influences (Brian Jonestown Massacre, Joy Division, The Beatles, Jesus & Mary Chain etc) proudly on their sleeves and sound like they absolutely love making music with a nod to their idols. Tracks have a fuzzy nostalgic warmth and the band have this indescribable charm - and they're certainly not scared to stray away from the 3-minute-song rule.

Although still not perhaps The Finished Product just yet, it's been pleasing to see the band gradually improve over the last few months and I'm looking forward to finding out where they go next.


Dead Rabbits - Severn


Dead Rabbits - Better Things


Dead Rabbits - Suicide

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Deadbeat Beat

Has anyone had enough garage and 60s pop inspired lo-fi alternative rock kinda stuff yet? If not, and there’s every reason that that be the case, continue reading. If so, this isn't for you. Deadbeat Beat are from Michigan. They make music along said lines – catchy, scruffy, semi surf-ish, garage-y poppy rock, if that's not too many musical genres to include in one sentence. Comparisons to the likes of Surfer Blood and Cloud Nothings are perhaps a little predictable but fairly justified I’d say. I can imagine this being slightly cleaned up and sounding ace on a full-length.

Apparently they have an upcoming split single with Secret Twins on Sneaky Eurekas. That might mean more to you than it does to me. Listen to stuff below or grab a collection of demos for free from bandcamp.


Deadbeat Beat - See You All The Time


Deadbeat Beat - Body Shakes


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Kutosis

Riff heavy Mclusky influenced tongue-in-cheek alternative rock. What could go wrong? Okay, lots could go wrong. But Kutosis do it right. The Cardiff-based trio are loved by their hometown - especially for their live shows - and they're rapdily growing on me too.

They've just released an EP (named "We Are The Animal, You Are The City") through the Cardiff-based label Twisted By Design (who also run a great regular alternative club night in Cardiff and have a compilation of Cardiff bands knocking around from a few years back) and they are also featured on Barely Regal Records' recent compilation. Their track "Small Cities" (which can be found on the Barely Regal compilation, or on the We Are The Animal... EP) is well worth a listen. The guitar parts are really heavy sounding, yet it manages to still be catchy - and the lyrics are worth listening to properly, too.

"Joseph" is available on Last FM as a free download. We Are The Animal, You Are The City is available on iTunes or from the band's online shop, where you'll also find some older releases. You can also watch "Blinking Psychos" peformed live at Reading Festival's Introducing stage below (apologies for the size, I completely fail at HTML editing). They also play Swn Festival in October - another reason to go.