Following the success of our last show under the Zeitgeist banner, Nathan Horrorshow Tunes and I have decided to do it all again (only this time without the lugging of a heavy drum kit across Kingston, twice).
This time we've booked three of the most exciting UK bands (as opposed to just the two last time), bringing The Black Tambourines, Joanna Gruesome, and Playlounge. All three will play at The Cricketers in Kingston on December 14 for just £2 on the door. Come along, it'll be fun.
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.
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.
A few weeks ago we posted about mysterious Danish artist Athletes and their song Raincoats - an excellent track mixing the sounds of The Cure and My Bloody Valentine in an unusually original and exciting way. Thanks to a tip off by Vocododo, we've now stumbled upon two new tracks from them - and they're both stunning. Anyone fond of the Blouse album out a few weeks back, or those with a soft spot for interesting, inspiring, textured pop music, pay attention.
The world of music blogging is an odd and fickle one. Should I care that Altered Zones blogged about Le Pécheur before I managed to? No, of course not. If anything I should be happy that a band I like are getting the attention that I feel they deserve. But I do care. I'm sorry. I do.
I suppose what I'm actually annoyed at is my own laziness to not post it sooner. Still, listen to the excellently psychedelic and interest sounds of the London/France artist now and try to forget that Altered Zones got there first, if you can. And buy their album, out through Azbin Records when it comes out next month.
It's been a while since we heard new material from Saturday's Kids, which makes this post all the more exciting, for me at least. The young South Wales band are due to put out a new 7" early next year, and 'Black Pocket' is one of the songs taken from it. Carrying the same kind of youthful, post-punk angst that we've grown to love in their previous work; the four-piece also continue to make massive forward strides in sound with this release. They're not content to sit still and be comfortable, and they're all the better for it. Catch them playing two live dates with Future of the Left later this month
Peepholes have announced news of an upcoming LP - Caligula will come out through Upset The Rhythm on November 28. To anyone who has heard the dark electronic sounds of the Brighton/London duo before this will be good news. Those less aware of their work need simply to hear 'Tunnels' - the excellent lead single to come from the upcoming release.
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.
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.
It's been a long time coming, by Islet have finally confirmed the release of their debut album. Called Illuminated People, it'll come out through their own Shape Records and Turnstile on January 23rd.
Luckily for us, the Cardiff four-piece are also giving away a track taken from it. 'This Fortune' is synth heavy and whirring noise - rallying between moments of loud panic and considered calm, much like their excellently loud and energetic live shows, backed by the 'tribal' that we've become familiar with. Needless to say it's good, and the full-length is likely to be more of the same.
The new track from Gorgeous Bully has slight a hint of Johnny Cash to it. That is, a slight hint of Johnny Cash behind tonnes of guitar and vocal distortion - something that the Plymouth musician has been making ace songs under for a good while now. With an EP out soon on Art Is Hard Records, and a seemingly effortless knack of writing pop songs buried below layers of noise, I'm looking forward to hearing more.
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.
Milestones is a feature looking to gain an insight into the tastes of a particular character or bunch of people of the music 'industry'. We ask them a few questions and they kindly answer.
Tye Die Tapes are a cassette only label based near Sheffield run by two friends, and are pretty much the go-to people if you want to find a new band in the north-east of England. Putting out releases by Sealings, Bhurgeist, and Cold Hands among others - as well as putting on some excellent gigs - they do what they do for all of the right reasons and are much-deserving of some more love and attention. Check out James' and Adam's responses to the generic Milestones questions below.
The album that first got you into music:
James: I dunno really, it was probably Nimrod I think I still know all the lyrics to that album.
Green Day - Prosthetic Head
Adam: It was Offspring but not one of the good ones. Conspiracy of One. I seem to have missed all the good albums by bands by one all throughout my life.
The Offspring - Want You Bad
The band that dominated your teenage years:
James: Green Day! I had all their albums on either cassette or CD, I lost interest after'Warning but I still enjoy Dookie and Nimrod.
Green Day - When I Come Around
Adam: I really couldn't pick one. Most of it was pretty bad thrash and death metal. At the Gates blew my mind when I first heard them and I still listen to Slaughter of the Soul sometimes and enjoy it. I used to be really into their earlier stuff too. I also dug some pretty crap stuff. In Flames were pretty good, their early stuff was great. Korn until I was like 15. This really isn't cool, is it?
At The Gates - Blinded By Fear
The album in your parents' collection that made a lasting impression:
James: My dad had a really 'dad' taste in music, you know Queen, AC/DC, and Thin Lizzy. I remember thumbing through his record collection and be fascinated with the AC/DC album that has Angus Young getting impaled by his SG, but I never really listened to it, because I was like 5 or 6 and didn't get records. But for an album that made a lasting impression I'd have to say it was my mother's Simple Minds greatest hits album Glittering Prize 81/92. I fell in love with the colours on the art work and I'd sit next to the Hi-Fi with my Dad's big headphones on listening to it on repeat.
Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)
Adam: I used to think the front cover to Sgt. Peppers was pretty cool. Never liked the music though. My mum has a lot of New Romantic stuff that is good. There's a Bill Withers greatest hits in there too which has a bunch of tracks off the first album and it's got Use Me pretty early on there, that's a good CD and Bill Withers is the man. I have to pick just one don't I? Bill Withers then.
Bill Withers - Use Me
The album that has dominated your last 12 month's listening:
Adam: Formlessness by The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die. Only four tracks but they're brilliant. Their record label (wish I could remember the name!) gave it out for free with a bunch of not-so-good stuff and I grabbed it on a whim. Before I got a job the 'first thing I'll buy when I get a job' was their second EP but I've still not got around to getting it. I kind of don't want to because it might ruin the magic of that first record. Whoever recorded Formlessness knows how to give a band room to breathe and it's a work of art.
The World Is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid To Die - Gordon Paul
James: URGH! So many! But if I'm brutally honest it's either the new Mazes record or Broken Dreams Club by Girls. I'll go with the Mazes record because it is perfect, I'm such a Mazes fan boy, they are real gents, and Jack writes some of the best pop songs i've ever heard, my personal favourite is 'Boxing Clever'.
Mazes - Boxing Clever
The most exciting new band you've heard recently:
James: Hookworms. Without a doubt, they are easily one of the best bands I've seen and heard this year. They are so passionate about what they do, Matt J the singer runs Suburban Home, and when you spend a prolonged period of time with him, as we did when he recorded our band. The first thing you realise is how quietly proud he is of the band, and so he should be there record is phenomenal and there live show is intense. BUY EVERYTHING THEY RELEASE.
Adam: There are too many, that's why we do this. Twisted are one of my favourites but they've split up already. There are a bunch in Sheffield like Best Friends and Drenge who are ace. Kristen Ward who is Shiny Penny has started a new one called mmhmm or something like that and anything she does is great. Sealings are ace and will no doubt get picked up by some biggish label sometime soon.
Sealings - My Boyfriend's Dead
And the one song that best represents what it is that you do:
Adam: That's difficult, I guess some of the songs I've heard 50+ times when dubbing tapes before I got a tape deck that could do it at 2x speed. I think Rusty Arms by Ethiopians is my favourite track out of what we've put out so far. I actually know the lyrics to that one too. Ethiopians are now Captain Cult Leader and are still rad. I would say a Sealings track because I love them but I have no idea what the lyrics are; they slam everything so hard on their recordings that it's just like an excellent wall of noise. Sometimes you can make stuff out but I usually have no idea what's going on.
James: Oh I've no idea. But I've been listening to Portastatic all day and fist pumping to his song 'Polaroid' so I'll choose that, because it's real nice and I hope we do real nice stuff.
Portastic - Polaroid
Find out more about Tye Die Tapes on their Tumblr, stream some stuff on their SoundCloud, or give them money in exchange for tapes at their online shop.
Myself and Nathan Horror Show Tunes have decided that Kingston-upon-Thames could do with some more gigs, and we've taken the responsibility on ourselves - under the name Zeitgiest (feel free to go 'like' us on Facebook to be kept up to date with future shows).
Our first show will take place in Kingston, at The Cricketer's pub, with Woman's Hour and Yoofs on Wednesday November 16.
Of Woman's Hour, Nathan said: "the bordering-on-tropical melodies and subtly arresting vocals can only inspire one thing, total adoration." while of Yoofs I've previously spouted: "Ramshackle, fun, catchy, scruffy pop songs - if there's any justice in the world these will 'go somewhere'".
And if you don't believe us, listen for yourselves below.
What we know of Athletes is minimal. Through bandcamp and SoundCloud pages all we really know is that they're from Denmark. We don't even know if it is a "they", a "he" or a "she". But you don't need facts to fall in love with them - you just need to listen to 'Raincoats'. A song that manages to blend melodic The Cure-like guitar riffs with My Bloody Valentine-style whirring synth sounds, topped off with hushed, gruff male vocals to absolutely glorious, dream-like effect. Stunning.
Out today via the consistently excellent Italian Beach Babes is the Mazes / Eagulls split. 4 tracks split between two of the UK's finest, it's exciting and it's fun. Stream below or order now.
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.
To celebrate the launch of their Android app, 8tracks invited a bunch of bloggers to make a mix - and Basement Fever was one of them. Take a listen to my attempt - featuring some of my favourite new music - below.
Californian four-piece Mrs Magician return (having been previously featured back in February) with a new 7" single, out through Grizzly Records on November 11. Continuing with their juxtaposition of noisy distorted sounds with catchy surf-ish pop melodies, it's really good stuff - and bodes well for their debut album, expected in 2012 through Swami Records.
'Guard It Like A Fortress' is the latest dreamy and transfixing lo-fi ditty from London twin-brothers Youthfall, following on from 'Secular Child' (which we heard a few weeks back). Panda Bear-ish echoing guitar sits above synth, whilst minimalist percussion sounds click gently along to the distorted vocals - coming together seamlessly and beautifully.
Coming from Philadelphia, and currently on tour with Asobi Seksu, White Birds write pop songs. Wonderful, wonderful pop songs. Pop songs built on harmonies and guitar distortion, influenced by The Beach Boys, and Fleet Foxes. And as easy as it'd be for this kind of combination to be predictable, dull, and paint-by-numbers - it's not. It's beautiful, it's charming, it's delightful - and they have a cassette out now on Grizzly Records. Limited to 100 copies, odds are it's already sold out given how ruddy ace they sound.
The Machine Room shouldn't be good. They make music that could quite comfortably be labelled funk or disco, but we live in a world where things make no sense and, although your head says no, most other parts of your body will certainly be saying yes. While the Edinburgh group certainly straddle a very fine line - one where their next song could very easily cross it, quickly turning them into Nick Grimshaw-backed tripe - for now they sit on the right side of it; this is good, clean fun.
The wonderful thing about writing about bands 'these days' is that you can do a good job of exploring a city's scene at the click of a mouse. A few days ago BF featured Saint Yorda, a three-piece from Cork making some pretty interesting sounds, and through their SoundCloud appeared Altered Hours. Also from Cork, though with slightly less information about them knocking around on the internet, Altered Hours are apparently a five-piece - putting together a bunch of excellently woozy, lo-fi psychedelic sounds.
It wasn't long ago that Yoofs first featured on BF, but the Bournemouth band don't hang around. As well giving away brand new track 'John Actor Is Monkfish' today, the band are also announcing a cassette 'mixtape' to be released on Art Is Hard in November. Bristol people can also see them live supporting Real Estate at Start the Bus, October 26. Fun.
A three-piece from Toronto, Stacey Adams are everything you'd hope that a band with an EP entitled 'Soft Grunge' would be. The four-track release - available on bandcamp for free download - has a distinctively lazy, laid-back to it; its lo-fi jams (think along Mazes, Yuck, and even Modest Mouse lines) grooving coolly along as if the band don't really care if you listen to it or not. Might as well though?
Dropped today via the consistently excellent Cascine is the first single of London boy-girl duo Pandr Eyez. Entitled Eyes On You, it's a captivating and fascinating piece of work - interweaving dark synth sounds with some eery electronics and hypnotic dubstep-ish bass, topped off with vocals that'd sit pretty comfortably (by no means in no derogatory way) on daytime Radio 1. It feels like biting into a crisp apple, taking a sip from a cold can of Coke, stepping off the train late at night into a dark and deserted platform. Watch out for a full EP, also out through Cascine, October 25.
On listen to Sheffield's Blood Sport, it's difficult to decide whether I really like them or really don't. Whilst their recordings are a bit scrappy (expect instruments to not always be in-time with each other), their sound is inventive, experimental and daring. The band are probably fully aware that a large proportion of the general public will never be interested in listening to their somewhat obnoxious-sounding songs, yet they go ahead and continue making the music that they want to make regardless.
Their sound is a difficult one to pin down, with the three-piece not easily fitting into any specific conceived genres, nor do they have many obvious musical comparisons (though there are definite hints of the care-free attitude of The Fall, whilst also having a 'math'-ish techy Battles-like sound, and reminding me too of Volcano!) - which is always a good thing. What's for sure is that it's noisy, ambitious and anti-social - yet works (perhaps surprisingly) well, for the most part at least. Download a digital copy of the cassette from bandcamp, or order a physical copy from The Audacious Art Experiment.
Saint Yorda are an interesting prospect. With songs that range from the dark and atmospheric (some might even stick the tag 'goth' on it, in the Zola Jesus kind of sense of the word, at least) noises of 'Death Ray', to the pensive, almost Richard Hawley-with-a-synth sound of 'Yr Bones', to the guitar-meets-electro slow-pop of Sakawa Bones, to the surf-influenced sound of (ahem...) Surf Song', the three-piece from Cork are taking on a lot - and pulling it off. So they might go a bit overboard with the cow-bell at times, and not all tracks are without their flaws, but these lot are pretty impressive. I'd definitely be interested to take a peek into their record collection.
Sitting alongside Dolfinz, Joanna Gruesome, and Bos Angeles both in their scrappy lo-fi sound (and that they are one of my favourite new UK bands at the moment) are YRRS from New Milton and Christchurch (near Southampton and Bournemouth on the south coast of England). Following on from early excellent SoundCloud tracks, the two-piece have stuck a three-track EP onto bandcamp available for free download. If there was ever a time to use the word 'rad' it'd be now.
Something perhaps neglected on BF - an area of my tastes not so well represented here - is electronic music, and an artist that has certainly been impressing for a good while now is Khalid Rafique under the moniker Shells. Putting together that kind of woozy, subtle, and delicately structured electronica that we hear a lot of but that few do quite so well, Arctic and Spiders are two new tracks that the London producer has dropped today.
Despite the fact it was only 6 weeks ago that we last posted about Crushed Beaks, the duo from London have already come a long way since then. What started out as some scrappily bedroom-recorded (but still thoroughly excellent) demos have turned into a single release proper - with tracks Close-Ups and Sun Dogs to go out through Too Pure Records, November 21. The latter - distant yet punchy, melodic and catchy lo-fi beauty - is streamable below. London people can also see them at the Old Blue last on October 5, or at the same place on November 11 for the official single launch.
Let's be honest, lots of the bands that take a clear influence from The Fall are pretty rubbish. An excuse to not sing properly and be lazy musically seems to be how some see it. Totem Terrors - a two-piece from Cardiff, previously using the name Joy of Sex - take The Fall kind of post-punk and move it into interesting directions, putting their own touch on it. Two new tracks have popped onto bandcamp since the name change and both of which are very good indeed. Listen and download below.
Bandcamp is becoming a crowded place. The longer it lives on, the more bands (quite rightly) upload their music to it. But, as we know, most music is pretty rubbish. So when after hours of trawling you stumble upon something even vaguely good, the feeling is euphoric. Of course the risk is that if you find something that is only half-good, in comparison to all the dreadful rap-rock, singer-songwriter folk and nu-rave electro dance, your brain mistakes it as something excellent. Bournemouth's Yoofs (up until very recently going under the name AC SLATER), however, really is very good.
Be skeptical of me and my shattered and musically overloaded brain if you must. I urge you to be skeptical and pessimistic in fact. That way, when you finally get to clicking the play button down at the bottom of this page, you can share in my feelings of joy. Ramshackle, fun, catchy, scruffy pop songs - if there's any justice in the world (thank-you, Lemar) these will 'go somewhere'.
As if Baaneex didn't already come across as diverse and eclectic experimenters of sound, two new tracks from the London four-piece sees them moving into yet more unexplored noises. Space Wagon opens with a chomping repetitive bluesy bass-line straight out of Road Rash II before the spacey, piercing guitar interjects and moves things into an all-the-more progressive and psychedelic direction; whereas Weird Dance 8 opens with frantic, Jay Reatard-style guitar scruff only to be interrupted by repeating electro-ish bleeps - and of course both are topped off with their usual anti-social chants. And yet somehow they pull off both with style. Stream and download below.
Dreamlike and luscious, Youthfall's distorted pop sound - laden with fluttering synth layers, reverberating guitar, semi-spoken word vocals and a lo-fi beating drum machine - feels both nostalgic and futuristic, taking influence from yesterday but moving it confidently into tomorrow. Stream and download Secular Child below, or hear more at bandcamp.
Seriously. Look at that line-up. I couldn't have wished for anything better. It's like a dream. Genuinely three of the best 'up and coming' bands around right now - the excellently shameless glam pop of Brighton's Gross Magic, the sweet and vintage fuzz pop of Tashaki Miyaki, and the vibrant lo-fi surf 'vibes' of Boscombe's Bos Angeles - on one bill at London's 100 Club, Wednesday 28 September. And we have five pairs of tickets to giveaway thanks to the lovely folk at 100 Club and Converse.
Simply send an email, titled something vaguely similar to "Gross Magic, Tashaki Miyaki and Bos Angeles competition" with your name and postal address to basementcompetitions@gmail.com before Sunday 26 September to be in with a chance to get yourself two tickets. Strictly 18+, and please don't enter if you're gonna attempt to sell the tix on, it won't work. Winners will be announced on Monday 27 September. ENTER.
Noisy, in your face, and totally fucking 'groovy, baby' is how I might describe Brighton's Sealings. They've been knocking around for a little while, picking up some hardcore fans along the way, but the time is now for them to get some real, proper appreciate. Well, I think, at least. Useful that they've recorded some excellent new songs then, no?
Cardiff two-piece Yajé are a bit odd. Their name is odd both to type and pronounce. Their music is odd. And, surprise, surprise, their song's accompanying videos are odd. There's something ultimately charming and inviting behind all that anti-social raucous noise though, don't you think?
Although evidently still in the early stages of their life as a band, the lo-fi recordings of Kita Akita are eery and unsettling. Minimal both in sound and levels of production, with spoken word vocals sitting atop glitchy electronics and repetitive drum sounds, the music of the Bath two-piece is not one to be enjoying during social events but are more suited to lonesome late-night listens - eyes closed, fingers tapping, head whirring. I don't know quite where they're leading us, but I certainly want to follow.
Joanna Gruesome are fast becoming my favourite new band of the minute for their kick-ass 90s lo-fi sound, and new track Lemonade Grrl could well seal the deal. Expanding on their previous work, and still taking influence from the likes of MBV, The Cherry Smash, Rocketship and Beat Happening, it's twee yet 'FUCKYEAH' at the same time from the Cardiff five-piece. The distorted guitar, the harmonised vocals, the lo-fi drum noise - it all sounds right. News of new releases soon, apparently.
Fuck me, two videos in one day. But in fairness, I haven't been this obsessed with a song for a long time - By Your Hand, taken from upcoming fourth full-length from Los Campesinos, Hello Sadness. Quite a big change from their previous works, but they just can't stop getting better. I have this quite literally on repeat.
It's not usually Basement Fever's "thing" to blog about new videos, but this effort from Among Brothers seems the perfect opportunity. Following on from debut EP Homes (which we waxed lyrical about back in January), the Cardiff six-piece return with Loved, a brand new single - and what progression. Using a similar formula as previous works - a delicate but powerful blend of post-rock, folk, and pop with added electronic twinkles - but, in my opinion, better than anything they've written so far, Loved is interesting, exciting, and beautiful. And the video's a good watch, too.
It's not often I post about split releases, or even specific releases at all, but this upcoming split 12" through Palmist with Burning Yellows and The Whines is ace and deserves attention.
Featuring 5 tracks from each band - both of which are from Portland - the split is out on the 12th through FatCat sister label Palmist who have been doing some ace things since they started not long back. Husband and wife duo Burning Yellows bring the 2 minute-long cutesy, jangly fuzzy pop, whilst three-piece The Whines efforts are considerably more considered, slow-paced but still along the same fuzz pop mould. Seriously though, both are ace and this is a top release.
The Whines - Electric Current Burning Yellows - False Horizons Burning Yellows Facebook | The Whines Facebook | Palmist
Love at first sight, or perhaps I should say first listen - 30 seconds into Get Buried by The Creepy Crawlies and it was pure adoration from then on in. Sitting somewhere between early Los Campesinos!, Jason Schwartzman's Coconut Records and The Flaming Lips, the LA band make quirky, charming pop songs that draw you in and leave you feeling bashful. Really lovely, and I can't wait to hear more.
I have a confession to make. I have been ignoring Trwbador for the last few months on the basis of a (purely name-generated) theory that they were a dreadfully boring, entirely average, one-man-band acoustic folk act. They're certainly not that.
The duo, although certainly with folk influences, sit more comfortably with the experimental pop tag - blending electronic beats, acoustic guitar, and wonderful female vocals. This is interesting, enjoyable, and far from my silly prejudice.
Apparently Basement Fever is getting a little bit of a reputation for being massive fans of the lo-fi, and we're certainly not helping ourselves by posting about Body Wash. Although there is minimal production here and the recording quality is a long way from perfect, there's lots to love about the Chicago band. Beneath the fuzz and the hiss are quirky, catchy pop melodies formed from distorted vocals and basic guitar licks. It doesn't sound like much, but the subtle blend of elements of 60s surf, pop, garage rock, and even punk works like a dream. A big lo-fi dream. LO-FIIIII
We know very little about Gum, only that there are five of them and that they are from London. Judging from the three songs available (one of which has two different names in two different places), we can probably safely assume that they are fans of My Bloody Valentine. Whether their sound (layers of reverby, bending guitar and distorted vocals) is slightly too similar to the 90s shoegazers you can decide, but I'll be keeping a close eye on these in the next few months regardless.
"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.
When a band contact you saying they like pizza, weed, and noise you can hazard a pretty good guess as to how they might sound. Portland's Grrrl Friend certainly don't disappoint.
It's lazy, lo-fi, noisy rock music with definite post-punk influences made by people (2-4 of them depending on the band's mood, apparently) who sound like they don't give a shit about much - and yet, despite its hissy recordings and care-free feel, it's surprisingly accomplished. They can carry on not giving a shit about much if music like this is the result.
Their album Happening Now is out now on Gnar Tapes. Listen to some of its best bits below, or download the entire thing for free from bandcamp.
It's no secret that Art Is Hard is one of our favourite independent labels, so to be invited to take part in their latest release reveal is a real privilege.
For those who don't know, the label (based between Weymouth and Plymouth depending on university term-times) are releasing Dry Route To Devon - a compilation of some of the best (yet impressively unknown) bands from the south and south west of England. But, in true Art Is Hard fashion, they're putting out and announcing the release in a novel and unusual way.
Instead of being stuck on a CD, Richard and David have decided to release the compilation as a map. Detailing where each band come from, it's also covered in QR codes for each of of the bands that (once scanned on a smartphone) will take 'customers' to a page full of unique content, information, as well as a place to get the song relating to that band. Just like their first release, a t-shirt will also accompany the compilation, although isn't a necessity for the order.
To reveal the release, they're giving each of their blog friends the opportunity to host a song from each of the bands. Day by day, the tracklisting is being revealed (starting off with Make Believe Ballroom via The 405 on Friday, followed by Hysterical Injury via Gold Flake Paint yesterday), and we're delighted to be unveiling track number 3: Distand Suns from Safari Park.
Hailing from Bournemouth, the three-piece make gloriously fuzzy and nostalgic pop songs, with Distant Suns being no different. Understated and relaxed yet catchy, it's the type of song that people will relate to a lazy evening spent in the sun - and why not? Hear it below, and find more out about the compilation on Art Is Hard's website by clicking THESE CAPITAL LETTERS.
Dropped today via the consistently excellent Cascine is the first single of London boy-girl duo Pandr Eyez. Entitled Eyes On You, it's a captivating and fascinating piece of work - interweaving dark synth sounds with some eery electronics and hypnotic dubstep-ish bass, topped off with vocals that'd sit pretty comfortably (by no means in no derogatory way) on daytime Radio 1. It feels like biting into a crisp apple, taking a sip from a cold can of Coke, stepping off the train late at night into a dark and deserted platform. Watch out for a full EP, also out through Cascine, October 25.
Fuck me, two videos in one day. But in fairness, I haven't been this obsessed with a song for a long time - By Your Hand, taken from upcoming fourth full-length from Los Campesinos, Hello Sadness. Quite a big change from their previous works, but they just can't stop getting better. I have this quite literally on repeat.
