Heathers

Blogging for blogging's sake is kind of pointless. I don't write this stuff for the potential 'career' benefit of accidentally stumbling upon a band before they become successful, and I certainly don't do it for the hits - I write about a band for the love of the band. I guess this is just me explaining why the blog hasn't been as active lately as it could have been. That's not to say I'm not finding lots of excellent new music that gets me excited, but I am finding increasingly less time to shout about it. Hello quiet Saturday. Hello excited blog post about Heathers.

I stumbled upon Heathers a few weeks back thanks to a tweet from Cardiff Joanna Gruesome (whose new songs are sounding excellent, by the way) and am very, very thankful to them for that. They're a three-piece from LA and 'Teenage Clothes' is their only song online, but that's okay because it is fucking excellent. Fast-paced, energetic, and catchy sunny indie pop with some really lovely jangly guitar, it's also surprisingly moving and actually really sad thanks to lyrics like "there's no easy way for me to say / there's no easy way for you to stay". Genuine love for this.




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FFNORDZZ

When I was young, I was pretty vocally defensive of Plymouth, the city I was born and raised in, to anyone who ever criticised it. Only when I went to university in Cardiff and visited places like Brighton, Manchester, Bristol, and London did I realise just how shit Plymouth was. There is no live music scene, there are (or at least were, thanks to The Last Shop Standing) no indepdent record stores to buy new music, and there are even very, very few bands from or based in Plymouth - especially now Gorgeous Bully has pissed off to Manchester. So when I find an even semi-good band or musician in Plymouth, I get very excited.

Amazingly, one-man-band FFNORDZZ (formerly briefly FNORDS) is even more than semi-good. Also born and raised in Plymouth (and currently based here oncemore), the musician spends all of his time putting together experimental bedroom pop songs with a dark and sinister twist. Though he has no Facebook page, two songs sit on his bandcamp: 'Surfer Of The Apocalypse' hears frenzied high-pitched guitar sit atop a repetitive, creepy bassier guitar line, while 'Acid At The Beach' is a slightly lighter and catchier psychedelic-tinged surf-pop ditty.

They're taken from a split cassette single with Pagan Moon on Hello, Hello, How Lo-Fi? out on 17th January and I bloody love them both. Check them out below and keep an eye on his bandcamp for apparently 'a lot more material uploaded' throughout 2013.





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Bananacondas

I like the internet. Bands from hundreds of miles away can send me their music and then I can listen to it and then sometimes I really like it and write words about it and other people who might be hundreds of miles away again might read it and like it and then they might tell their friends to listen to it and stuff. That's pretty cool, right?

Bananacondas are a Lansing, Michigan-based "not-so-typical punk" three-piece who write songs with riffs and licks and melodies and choruses that make me want to be at a house party with them doing silly but fun things. It's self-recorded but not to its detriment - the slightly rough sound suits their apparently pretty care-free take on writing songs. Music is supposed to make you feel something, and this makes me feel happy.

There are two free songs plucked from their bandcamp below, with apparently some more songs coming later this month and an album hoped for later this year. I am excited.


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MYSTYRYS

Given their name, you'd be excused for thinking that MYSTRYS were another one of those bands going for the whole anonymity thing to create a sense of, well, mystery. They're not, as it happens, but that's not to say the internet is awash with information about the London band. Though folks like The 405 first posted about them last November - and though they have support from Soft Arrows and Rough Trade DJs at their upcoming single launch party for Normals/Shadows (released through Psychic Healing Network on 27 August) - the three-piece seem to play their cards pretty close to their chest.

Not that any of that guff really matters. What's important is, of course, their music - and it just so happens to be good. While 'Shadows' is an urgent, scuzzy, guitar-led ditty that brings to mind post-punk bands like Killing Joke and Bauhaus, 'Normals' sounds a bit more 'Tom Vek' in its slightly funky feel and unusual song structure. It's noisy, energetic, and all a little bit mucky - and I like that.







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Yucky Slime

Most people won't like this. It's not the best way to start a blog post, but it's true. There's lo-fi, there's noisy, and then there's Yucky Slime bringing it to a whole new level. For those that can handle the fidelity (these demos were recorded in a shed...) and the feedback and the shouting, though, there's lots to love about the London band. For instance: it's fun, it's urgent, it's exciting, it's energetic, it doesn't really give a shit, it'll make you want to jump up and down and spin round round round, and - much like Jay Reatard or Wavves - below the noise you'll find some ace hooks and melodies. Plus, I can rarely resist a sing-along "wooh-ooh-ooh-ooh" (see: 'Battlegasm').

Again, most people won't like this. But then, most music is shite and this isn't, so who cares?







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VVhile

Undoubtedly the best perk of writing about music is that bands send you their songs. What makes it even better is when something you have low expectations for turns out to be ace. "A 'noise pop punk' duo from Serbia? Okay..." I thought. But it turns out that VVhile are almost as good at selling themselves short (some might call it being modest) as they are making music.

Their songs are noisy, punchy, catchy, scruffy, in-your-face, care-free and, most importantly, fucking excellent. It reminds me of first album Japandroids and it makes me want to punch the air. Listen to songs below and download a free four-track EP from bandcamp. And someone, please bring them over to the UK for some shows.





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King of Cats

"The eccentric creativity of Daniel Johnston with the voice of a dying cat" is how I recently described the sound of King of Cats for a gig listing (although the second part of that description was duly edited out) and, for a rushed one-liner, I think it gives a pretty decent idea of what to expect from Oxford/Brghton-based 19-year-old Max Levy. With a guitar in hand and his unique and oddly effective voice, Max crafts interesting and intelligent - if slightly weird - songs that feel honest and born out of a need to just make music.

And his SoundCloud page is certainly testament to both his urge to write and write and write and his, let's call it, 'unusual' nature - with over 30 tracks penned and uploaded in the last 12 months, with titles ranging from 'Zombie in a well nailed coffin' to 'I stink of human feces'. The most recent of his numerous recordings are set to be released through new DIY label Reeks Of Effort (a label collective run by members of Joanna Gruesome, Playlounge, YRRS, and more) and I'm absolutely in love with them. Seldom does a man and his guitar sound so interesting and compelling - really good songs with vocals that I really enjoy. Listen for yourself with an open mind below, or stream the whole thing on Reeks of Effort's bandcamp.





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Entertainment

Judging a band by one song alone is a bit of a risky business. Granted, judging them on two recordings isn't much better, but hearing that second song does give you a better feel as to how they sound, as well as easing any fears of a lack of consistency.

I first heard London's Entertainment when they sent me 'You're Still In Me' a month ago to the day. Apparently only a demo, it's that same kind of distorted, fuzzy pop we've been hearing (and, indeed, I've been blogging) a lot of in the past few years and - for a band who barely seemed old enough to have even decided upon a name - it was certainly a strong introduction with a really nice chorus.

And last night came 'Shine' - more of the same in terms of the noisy, 90s-ish, guitar-led sound but already a step up in quality, it's a really assured sound for a band so young. And I'm always a sucker for the "oohs". Hear both tracks for yourself below.





Edit: fixed SoundCloud embeds.





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The Hundredth Anniversary

I want you all to close your eyes for a second. Actually, don't do that. Then you wouldn't be able to read. Okay, instead of closing your eyes, just pause for a moment and imagine what a band formed just four months ago would sound like. Okay, paused? Imagined? Alright. Well let go of that thought now because, well, you're wrong. It's not calatamous or sloppy or at all shite.

Instead it's rather quite glorious, going by Brighton four-piece The Hundredth Anniversary, at least. The band may have only played their first live show a matter of weeks ago, and might have only got around to recording a handful of tracklss so far, but judging from 'Slip' - the only song available online at this stage - there's certainly plenty of reason to be excited. It's brooding and it's warm and it's fuzzy and it's beautiful. They're due to release a split cassette with GUM and Tyrannosaurus Dead through Reeks of Effort on June 30.



Edit: fixed SoundCloud embed:





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Gorgeous Bully - I'm A Little Worried

Plymouth artist Gorgeous Bully has been on a few bloggers' radars for a while now (BF first featured him six months back.), and his easily accessible lo-fi pop sound is certainly pleasing on the ear. But if there was one negative thing you could say about musician Thomas Crang's sound was that it can at times be a little too easy. As good as tracks like 'Quiet House' (taken from the Art Is Hard-released 'The Young Obese' EP) are, his sound can sometimes feel there's something lacking.

You might expect that from a musician writing songs on his own in his bedroom at the rate that he does - but his latest track lifts Crang to a whole new level. 'I'm A Little Worried' - which features on the latest beko release - has that same kind of lo-fi, scruffy sound blanketing his catchy pop melodies, but adds a little more texture and emotion. The results: listen for yourself.



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PINS - Eleventh Hour

Some people will tell you that haunting is an empty word to describe music, that it doesn't mean anything. I disagree. Take a listen to PINS and tell me you don't get a shiver down your spine.

After supporting Veronica Falls in their hometown of Manchester and playing at the Best Fit Records launch in London a few weeks back, 'Eleventh Hour' is the three-piece's debut track. Self-released today on cassette and digitally - its dark, brooding, distorted sound gripping from the off and refusing to let go. 'Keep an eye' on these.

Stream 'Eleventh Hour' below, order the cassette, or watch its accompanying video on Vimeo.



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Splashh - Somethings New

If you haven't heard of London three-piece Splashh yet, that's fine, they are very new. But now's the time to wait no longer - with new effort 'Somethings Here'.

Following on from the Art Is Hard Pizza Club-released 'All I Wanna Do' - the excellent lo-fi introductory track that led to them receiving over 500 likes on Facebook in just over a month - 'Somethings Here' shows they're likely to live up to the hype that's building around them. Energetic, catchy, and bloody well exciting fuzzy garage rock. "Hey, hey hey."



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Slowcoaches - We're So Heavy

Other than a dirty fry up, it seems there's not much better to clear a lingering hangover than a musical slap in the face - generously provided today by Slowcoaches. A stream of the Leeds three-piece's forthcoming EP - due for release on cassette by Tye Die Tapes on March 23 - went online earlier today, and appreciatively received it was too.

Title track 'We're So Heavy' is probably the pick of bunch (though it's tough to pick a favourite), with its gloriously fuzzed up and dragging intro bursting out emphaticly into catchy, punchy punk rock in excellent fashion. You can stream and download the track below, or hear the whole thing on Tye Die Tapes' bandcamp. Catch Slowcoaches live later this month, when they head out on tour with Basement Fever favourites Dolfinz.



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Tour Diary: Dolfinz

Back in November, Basement Fever favourites Dolfinz headed out on a tour of the UK. Kindly, they offered to take some photos and write some words of the experience - below.

Friday 18th November
Manchester

We got stranded in the little village where Gav lives called Kinneff, outside of Stonehaven. Meaning we had 2 hours sleep before the nine hour bus journey to Manchester. This combined with a lengthy and difficult soundcheck by The Babies meant i had a huge headache and wanted to die right after we played. But then i got a beer and rocked out to Brooklyn and Manchester's finest. I also met one of the girls in No Womb, she had a cool vagina tattoo on her arm.

Saturday 19th November
Glasgow
Declining Max of Joanna Gruesome's offer to smoke us out with joints housed in a Indian sexual enhancement pill box, and sleeping instead paid off. We were awake bright and early to catch a bus to Glasgow for our second show with The Babies. This was a really cool show, our friends PAWS blew everyones minds like they always do and The Babies were beyond, also.

BLOWHOLE by DðlfinZ

Sunday 20th November
Aberdeen
Home. A weird day. We played in a tiny art studio on Market Street in Aberdeen. The room had a giant eyeball on the wall and rad visuals from M.O.C. It was pitch black, there was no room at all, and nobody could hear shit, so it decended into the right kind of chaos pretty quickly. We had fun.

Tuesday 22nd November
Carlisle
We left behind the trusty Megabus and travelled back down to England in the Tuff Wax mobile, with Shaun and Tom from the label. The entire time in Carlisle was ridiculous. We played in Gav's step-dads restraunt, got around 300 pounds worth of free food and booze and ended up in a strange nightclub, packed full of strange looking English people.

Wednesday 23rd November
Cardiff
Wales! Supporting Islet, bit of a weird show. It was packed with dudes, meaning I had nobody to give sex eyes to during 'Mean Girls'. Everyone stared and refused to move so I went to them and upset a couple of people. That night we ate McDonalds and watched the awful picture Donnie Darko at the home of Richard Scott, of Copy Haho, also from Stonehaven.

Thursday 24th November
Portsmouth
After a lot of sleeping and a Meatball Hoagie from Cardiff's New York Deli we headed for Portsmouth. We played at The Registry with Fear of Men (Bos Angeles couldn't make it). The place looked dead but soon filled out when we took to the stage. People seemed fairly impressed, apart from the unconvincing punk-bro whose drink ended up all over my back during 'Blowhole'. With nowhere to stay in Portsmouth, we drove to London that night to stay with one of our best friends from Stonehaven, Papes, who has a nice flat on Holloway Road.

Whatever, Forever by DðlfinZ

Sunday 27th November
London
Following a couple of days lounging around London with no money or cigarettes, and feeling low after the departure of Tom and Shaun for Berlin, we were ready to finish the tour. We arrived at the venue, Power Lunches on Kingsland Rd. Dalston, pretty early. I have to admit i wasn't all that excited about playing because i fell into a bit of a bummer by the end of the tour, but we played really well. We encouraged the crowd to come forward, but they claimed to be 'too scared', which made me smile. Hearing people exclaim compliments to one another during your set rather than approaching you after is much nicer, seems more legit. We met some rad girls and the ultimate party dudes that are Slowcoaches. The next day we took a 13 hour bus journey back to Aberdeen.

FIN.

Find out more about Dolfinz both on Basement Fever or on their Facebook page.

Playlounge

Whether a sneaky attempt to make sure their music is listened to, or a genuine note of interest, new bands letting you know which other bands they're friends with does seem to work in some roundabout way. On contacting me for the first time a few weeks back, Playlounge noted that BF had recently covered their friend's band YRRS. How could I not listen? YRRS are ace. And so, as it just so happens, are their good old buddies Playlounge.

The two-piece from London make a loud, melodic racket - sounding a lot deeper than you'd expect from just guitar, drums, and vocals. It's catchy pop fun with plenty of noisy guitar - so all you kids too ashamed to say you listen to pop can still get away with it. Oh, and they even follow Dolfinz on SoundCloud. Maybe I should introduce them to Joanna Gruesome, too.

Playlounge - Orange Friends

Playlounge - Friendshift

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New: The Black Tambourines - 27 - 25 Blues

News of a new EP from Falmouth's The Black Tambourines has been a fairly long time coming, but judging from '27 - 25 Blues' it looks like it may well have been well worth the wait. The band's third EP Chica will get a release on cassette through the ever-excellent Art Is Hard Records on 19th December, they've announced, and along with the cassette you can also get a fancy t-shirt and poster too.

Although still vaguely surfy and lo-fi, much like the four-piece's work to date, '27 - 25 Blues' feels more mature, more thought-through, and more wholesome than much of the (already very good) stuff that they've made before. The guitar lines are the perfect blend of dirty and catchy, and the harmony vocals on the chorus continue to rattle around your head long after the first spin. It's pop music, but not as most people know it - and it's bloody good.

The Black Tambourines - 27 - 25 Blues

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New: Die Jungen - Cold Night

Die Jungen recently promised news on album details were to come soon - and with that promise came this little free to download teaser. 'Cold Night' follows on nicely from the Southampton-based artists' work to date in its gloriously retro, fuzzy vintage-pop charms - a gentle drum patter underlying the semi-spoken word vocals and that simple but utterly delightful bass-line. This is excellent.

COLD NIGHT by die jungen

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New: Fear Of Men - Doldrums

In the world of new music blogging 24 hours is an eternity and this post is probably already out-dated. Fear Of Men yesterday announced a limited-run cassette release, featuring songs recorded with Henry from Lovvers. They also unveiled 'Doldrums' from that cassette, and, as you'd expect with that kind of musical cocktail, it is excellent. Not that you need to take my word for it - listen and download below. Oh, and they're also touring with Bos Angeles, which is a no-brainer, really.


Fear Of Men - Doldrums

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Dyke Cop

Shane from Livid Kids sent over a link to his new band the other day. They call themselves Dyke Cop, and they sound about as obnoxious as you'd expect of a band with that kind of name. Frantic and lo-fi, Shane called it "rad surf punk" and he's not far wrong. Though anyone not accustomed to listening to songs that sound like they were recorded on a phone will find it pretty impossible to bear, the rest of us losers who prefer our music rough and ready and unpalatable for most of our friends - this is ace. They have an upcoming tape through Mind Fortress Records, but you can get a sneak preview below.


Dyke Cop - Wish I Was Dead

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New: Dolfinz - Whatever, Forever

Any regular reader of this blog will already know of my love for Scottish lo-fi grungey/garagey rock two-piece Dolfinz. They've already been the feature of two blog posts and any reason to shout about them some more is likely to be taken up - and the news of their debut 7" seems the perfect excuse. Featuring two new tracks - 'Teenage Doom' and 'Nosebleed' - it'll be out on Aberdeen's Tuff Wax Records on November 21. They'll also be touring the UK late November, so keep your eyes peeled for details.

The band have also decided to let me give away a slightly older, but as-of-yet unheard, track in 'Whatever, Forever'. In typical Dolfinz fashion, it's scruffy and melodic and ace. Listen and download below.

Dolfinz - Whatever, Forever

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