Category Archives: Pop Punk

SOCIAL STATE ‘Never Gonna Get It’

Birmingham based duo SOCIAL STATE have released their new single ‘Never Gonna Get It’. The two piece comprised of Andy and Brad blend Indie, Hip-Hop, Punk and Emo to establish an unprecedented sonic identity. They are heavily inspired by growing up in the Midlands, not doing well in education and the antics of teenage youth. Their debut ‘Never Gonna Get It’ is a statement piece which talks about the constraints and misrepresentation of the millennial generation. The song is the first release in the cycle, with numerous releases to come within the following months.

‘Never Gonna Get It’ is a catchy spurt of indie punk filled with adrenaline surging vitality. This duo whack out a buoyant rugged pop-smacked number with a meaty texture and hook filled gang-chant chorus that is sure to ignite a live audience. Their rap flows fluidly as the duo spit out the lyrics with attitude and an air of revolt while jaunty guitars playfully rebound off a snappy beat. This track is infectious – that chorus will have to be peeled and prised out of your head. SOCIAL STATE are a fiery duo providing vibrant light numbers with a meaty substance. Keep an eye out for these brash anti-establishment chappies.

Watch the video for  ‘Never Gonna Get It’ below

 

 


BRONCHO ‘Bad Behavior’ Album

BRONCHO have released their new album ‘Bad Behavior’ an infectious swirl of luscious, teasing and exhilaration tracks to keep you drooling for more. It’s a tasty collection of tracks filled with psychedelic indie pop, laid back tones and insanely catchy grooves to ensure a satisfying listen. ‘All Choked Up’ sets the EP in motion with its churning rhythm creating a danceable foundation for the buoyant guitars and smoky melody. The stop start beat establishes an atmosphere of suspense which is only subdued by the shredding slick guitar solo. This track is so sleek and glossy with dark undertones twirling beneath the hypnotic rhythm. The tracks on the album flow into each other with a smooth fluidity,‘Weekend’ continues the heavenly subtly psychedelic trip with ethereal guitars twinkling between a steady backdrop. Ryan Lindsey’s sweet falsetto vocals provide each song with a heavenly quality. The instrumentation is tight throughout- crafted to perfection with glorious guitar twinkles daintly accompanying Lindsey’s vocals and honeyed melody while the strong beat and elastic bass grooves between. ‘Boys Got To Go’ displays this perfectly, the melodic flow guarantees a soothing listening experience as soft guitars glisten playfully throughout before whining elegantly every so often. BRONCHO provide the most glorious comforting blanket with ‘Keep It In Line’. This track enfolds your ears in a candied soothing melody, beautifully weaved instrumentation and sedating vocals. It’s bouncy, bright but incredibly tranquilizing. These guys delicately unwrap their sound revealing lush textures with each track. Together they gel immaculately- each instrument has its part and yet the tunes they produce feel airy and freeing. The album continues to blossom with ‘Sandman’, bringing a slightly ominous tone into this dreamy mix. The guitar and bass in this track is riveting. The song bubbles and boils around the playful guitar as Lindsey creates a haunting atmosphere. It’s a little more gritty with a creepy almost sleazy vibe but an absolutely thrilling listen.’Undercover’ follows the darker tone of its predecessor lightening it with buoyant grooves stomping between a sliding swagger soaked melody and strutting guitars. This is one well crafted track.The subtle guitar changes from twinkling and gliding to prancing as they flood the track with panache and an infectious funk flavoured danceable quality. ‘Family Values’ is another infectious gem that is sure to put a smile on your face. If you can prise your ears away from the bouncy weaving instrumentation and focus on the lyrics BRONCHO showcase their humorous cheeky side,“I got a thing for your mother / I got a thing to teach your father”. One thing I have come to love about the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based band is their sublime ability to create dreamy woozy tunes likeBig City Boys’. Though the track is hazy and dreamy the instrumental backing is strong, pushing forward with a relentless goal of fun loving with a slick proficient style that is one to be admired. The summertime cruising ‘Get In My Car’ follows. The album version sounds a little tweaked and more crisp to the single version released last year. This summer time gem bops and wiggles over a smooth melody and gleaming guitars. Glissading over to a glam rock flavour, BRONCHO provide us with a tantalizing variety of genres to taste throughout this album. They close the album in the best possible way, leaving us hungry for more. The swagger steeped foot stomping danceable and infectious ‘Easy Way Out’ accomplishes this task without fail. It’s slick, pristine, panache driven indie rock drizzled in rock n’ roll flamboyance with nimble steamy guitar licks and a catchy melodic flow to keep us wanting to dance all night long.

BRONCHO is that band that are cool, fun and make you want to scream and tell everyone about. Their sound is appealing to everyone from the lazy daydreamer to the adrenaline punk-rocker and indie-head in between. The provocative lyrics, incredible musicianship and all out swaggering groovy persona within each track is what makes BRONCHO one heck of a band. The sound is distinctive, Lindsey’s vocals are distinctive and their tunes undeniably infectious. It’s music to make you feel, music to make you dance and bop or tap your foot and do air drums to while you relax on a lazy summer’s day, but either way you feel every delightful note.

Stream ‘Bad Behavior’ below


Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From BRONCHO

BRONCHO have released their new single ‘Keep It In Line’ from the upcoming album ‘Bad Behavior’ out tomorrow October 12th via Park the Van Records. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based band of Ryan Lindsey (vocals/guitar), Nathan Price (drums), Ben King (guitar), and Penny Pitchlynn (bass), has toured the U.S. and Europe extensively over the past few years, including arena shows with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and Cage The Elephant. The band have now gifted us another soothing, blissfully sweet number to keep those summer glistening sunny days implanted in our minds.  Lindsey’s soft, velvety falsetto vocals drift and delicately float over the dreamy delicious melody as twinkling guitars shimmer between a snappy buoyant beat and glittering bass. BRONCHO have created their own glorious world of euphoria to keep us calm and sedated with their sugar sprinkled groove infested tunes that make you want to dance and bop while the sway-able hazy melody swoons you into a delightful stupor. There is no denying when these guys want to crush your brain with fuzz filled tunes they can do it superbly however, this track shows us just how slick, luscious and tightly woven their musicianship can be and it’s beautiful.

Stream ‘Keep It In Line’ below

 


Pin Ups ‘Do You Hate Yourself Yet?

London based three piece Pin Ups have released their new single ‘Do You Hate Yourself Yet?.’After a chance phone call with a friend of a friend, drummer Jesse (hailing from Norwich) and singer/guitarist Josh (from East London) came together in another project Pastel Colours. After stripping down from a 5-piece to a 3-piece and recruiting Jesse’s brother Louis on bass, Pin Ups was born. Their latest release ‘Do You Hate Yourself Yet?’ was recorded in the wee hours of a Sunday morning with producer/engineer Scott Docherty. The song deals with the feelings after waking up from a particularly heavy night out, those of confusion, doubt and self-loathing, as you question why you do it to yourself, and who’s that person over there?

‘Do You Hate Yourself Yet?’  is a combustible track brooding and smouldering in a gloomy grunge atmosphere as stinging guitars jingle their way playfully between punchy drums and a pop drizzled melody. Raspy hushed vocals whisper the verses as the track slowly brews and bubbles. Its moody and vibrant all at once as the song builds into a dynamic chorus sprinkled with 70’s /80’s post punk attitude. It’s catchy with a darker undercurrent that takes over as the track progresses into a blistering instrumental with shrilling guitars whining and screeching over pulverising rhythms, mighty drum whacks and aggressive vocals. This summer soaked scorcher burns its groovy infectious way into your ears with dizzying psychedelic hues among its grunge hostility. ‘Do You Hate Yourself Yet?’ is a tight well crafted Pixies -esque track that makes this trio one to keep and eye on.

Watch the video for  ‘Do You Hate Yourself Yet?’ below


Enemy II Lines ‘What She Said’

Alternative/indie rock four piece, Enemy II Lines, have released their new single ‘What She Said’. The band who are from Navan, County Meath, Ireland, formed in 2016. They are a young band, whose members are Dylan Hickey, Jordan Patton and brothers JohnPaul and Matthew Melady. ‘What She Said’ is an anthemic adrenaline rush of indie rock swirled and carefully rolled in pop punk with some garage residue sprinkled on top. Driven by catchy guitar hooks and punchy drums this infectious number soars and glides upon heart gripping youthful exuberance while maintaining a powerful meaty foundation of hefty riffs and a bulky rhythmic backdrop. The husky warm vocals and pop smeared glorious melody make this track an instant radio ready gem that is impossible to prise from you head. These guys showcase some swagger throughout the track with sublime guitar whines and intricate layering. It’s sing along ready and perfect for the kinetic live setting. Keep an eye out for these guys.

Stream  ‘What She Said’ below

 


Static Vision ‘In The Summer’

Limerick punk band Static Vision have released their new singleIn The Summer’, a catchy sun soaked number driven by a meaty punk foundation. Sharp guitars shrill and stride throughout the track weaving their zealous stings and acute whines between a snappy rhythm. Instantly catchy and sing along ready this track swarms in full fury with a peppy pop sprinkled melody over boisterous instrumentation. The charismatic vocals add a charming yet spicy quality with exasperate screams between nonchalant tones. The guitar is the sparkling gem in this track for me as they jaggedly lacerate throughout with rough riffs and shredding solos that make this track pretty epic. Static Vision have whacked out another hyper slick track to go insane to while that sing along “la la la” swirls around your head all day.

Stream ‘In The Summer’ below


Indie Quick Picks

Jamie Martin

 

Genre: blues/soul/rock singer-songwriter

Bio: The young artist and producer from Glasgow fuses indie and soul songwriting with modern blues rock guitar heroics. Influenced by John Mayer, Ben Howard and John Martyn and known for his combination of honest and intimate live shows, Jamie offers a unique, multi-layered interpretation of the traditional solo singer-songwriter. His introduction to a music career began with production and engineering, experience which he is now utilising with his own sonically diverse and innovative recordings which recall Bon Iver and recent City & Colour albums. Following the release of his debut self-titled EP last year, Jamie played high profile shows at prestigious Glasgow venues King Tut’s, ABC and The Garage and blew away audiences at Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Jamie will be playing more live dates with his backing band this Spring and Summer.

Track: What’s The Use

When asked about the track Jamie said :
“I originally wrote this song about being divided from someone at the end of a failing relationship, but it since took on a more generalised meaning – that basing your views and definitions of right and wrong without a contrasting viewpoint splits us all into our own little self-curated social circles. Sonically, I wanted the song to follow the bleak sentiment of the lyrics with distortion on just about everything.”

Why we Like It: Its a heart wrenching passionate bluesy piece of melancholy alt. soul. With gripping yearning vocals and emotion stirring sharp guitar. Its an eloquent piece of musicianship that drips heavy doses of passion and longing from every note.

You can follow Jamie Martin on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/jamiemartinmusic/
Stream ‘What’s The Use’ below

 

The Indigo Project

Genre: indie-punk

Bio: In the two years since forming, the young 5-piece have played Leeds & Reading Festival, wowed an 8000-strong Millennium Square crowd, supported The DMAs, Ocean Colour Scene and The Sherlocks and built a fervent local fanbase with a string of sold out, exuberant headline shows.
Track: Taste It

When asked about the track frontman Joe Spink said :
“Taste It is a song about wanting someone desperately, despite the fact that you know it’s a bad idea, That person could be almost within arm’s length, but also just out of reach – so close you can almost taste it.”
Why we Like It: Is a blistering catchy piece of indie punk. Soaked in luscious bright vibes and blazing guitar hooks this anthemic track is perfect for festival singalongs. With a sultry pre- chorus followed by a massive infectious sun soaked chorus, its instantly likeable. These guys are ones I’m sure we will be hearing a lot more of.
You can follow The Indigo Project on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/indigoprojectuk/
Watch the video for ‘Taste It’ below

Follow Our Indie Quick Picks Playlist On Spotify Here 

 


Skaters ‘In Your Head’

Skaters have released their new video for their single ‘In Your Head’. Following the excellent comeback ‘Rock and Roll Bye Bye’, playing a sell-out tour with Ratboy and putting the world to rights with their live session for Annie Mac on Radio 1, Skaters are kicking down the doors again, this time it’s in the form of their skewed take on pop with new single ‘In Your Head’ which sets up the release of their sophomore album on March 24th on the band’s very own Yonks Records. Based in New York City via LA and Hull, the international partnership of the band brings all sorts of original ideas to the table which is clear to hear on the new single ‘In Your Head’. The track is the closing track on the band’s full-length album and is the perfect closer to an album which unites clever songwriting and interesting production.
‘In Your Head’ is chilled laid back punk pop, its smooth cool with enough fizz to refresh and add zest to a sticky summers day. Skaters take the NYC/CBGB grit and mix it in with the English spit before letting that ferment in some California sun. Sharp stinging guitar licks brighten up the track and pierce through the thick spongy sticky beats. Thrilling distortion and subtle swirling instrumentation radiate scorching heat and evoke hazy lazy vibes encouraging you to sit back with a cold one and relax. The velvety smooth vocals which are almost drowned in the hazy sun kissed instrumentation exudes attitude with a daydream free spirited vibe. The accompanying video is as charming as it is bratty, as a ballet-dancer-come-street-hoodie is seen pirouetting down the street of Hull, providing a perfect backdrop to perhaps the true meaning of ‘In Your Head’. Lead Guitarist and founding member Josh Hubbard describes how the video came to be;
“The ethos brought to this new project is similar to that of the DIY ethos… but it’s more inclusive, so we’ve coined it DIWOP2, which his short for ‘Do It With Other People Also’. We reached out on the internet to people and people got back. Conversations were had, relationships forged and collaborations were born….
This here video is the outcome from one of those ‘online’ conversations started on the internet. Hull transplant and very talented DP Josh Moore teamed up with us and took a walk down ‘Whitefriargate’ the UK City of Culture’s newly paved high street, real life, in a real city with real people… you can win them all.”
Watch the video for ‘In Your Head’ below

 

Bear Trap ‘LENA, YOU’RE A MIRACLE’

Bear Trap are a Punk Rock band from Manchester. Band members Callum (Guitar/Vocals), Matt (Bass/Vocals), Sam (Guitar), Dean (Drums) have released their first track ‘LENA, YOU’RE A MIRACLE’ which i’m told is “inspired by every shitty love movie that ever left you slightly feeling something”. Riding the wave of punchy punk Bear Trap explode with strident guitars pounding drums and animated chorus. Its vigorous yet melodic and bright all while belting out frenzy causing chaos. Its fast pace, to-the-point, and catchy sound certainly gets your foot tapping, puts a smile on your face, and echoes in your head. A good start for a fresh faced new band.
Bear Trap will start playing live shows from 25th March with a support slot at Zanzibar in Liverpool, followed shortly after with a spot at Lennons Bar in Liverpool. They are set to play Fab Cafe in Manchester on the 25th June.
You can follow Bear Trap on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/beartrapsuck

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week comes From Artificial Pleasure

London-based Artificial Pleasure have released their new single ‘I’ll Make It Worth Your While’. The trio Phil McDonnell, Dom Brennan and Lee Jordan give us a track that fills your entire body with an overwhelming desire to dance. This irresistible track is brimming with funky grooves and swanky guitar flicks that give a contagious itch to move and shuffle. With twinkles of Bowie -like elements ‘I’ll Make It Worth Your While’ is a peppy strut of genius. Effortless cool vocals slide and strut with a charm and charisma that makes you think “god their cool”. Ablaze with feverish swagger and panache teamed with a mighty bassline it gives you a flamboyant punch in the face with blissful pop punk. Exploding with vibes of loosing control its a hit that leaves you craving more . This sweet track is an ear worm that will have you on your feet in no time bellowing “Let me out! I really wanna dance!”
Stream ‘I’ll Make It Worth Your While’ below.