Tag Archives: alt rock

Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Rock

Y!KES ‘Uncanny Valley’

Alternative four-piece, Y!KES have released their debut single ‘Uncanny Valley’. The band is comprised of TJ Weston (Drums), Liam Howard (Guitar, backing vocal), Joby Fitzgerald (Lead vocal, rhythm guitar), Matt Ford (Bass) and this new single is the first of five singles scheduled for this year.

‘Uncanny Valley’ is an intoxicating blast of Y!KES’ catchy demolishing alternative rock. It’s snappy rhythm is consumed with relentless energy as punchy drums batter through a groove riddled bass line while shredding exhilarating guitars majestically soar, wail and screech over this mammoth whack of turmoil. It’s a meaty burly tune glossed with an infectious melody and raspy vocal delivery. Ready for the sticky mosh pit Y!KES announce themselves with one attention demanding anthem. ‘Uncanny Valley’ is fiery, full of gusto and one hell of a tune.

The accompanying video is a grotesquely humorous representation of the songs intense themes of isolation and stigmatisation, as well as a showcase for their extreme energy and theatricality. This is a band who are primed and ready to break down the doors of the UK rock scene this year.

Watch the video for ‘Uncanny Valley’ below


Alt Rock, Indie, Indie Buddie Introducing, indie rock, New Music, Rock, Rock and Roll

Indie Buddie Introducing : The Masons

Manchester’s The Masons are set to release their new single ‘Bed’. Formed in October 2017, the band is made up of Aiden (guitar/vocals), Connor (drums), Kyle (guitar) and Mathew (bass). ‘Bed’ is a slick, compact display from this four piece. Sharp melodic guitar floods the track with a golden vibrancy while punchy drums and groove infested bass lines keep a movable sleek foundation. The melody is sublime as it cruises upon this glorious laid back backdrop with ease and a fluidity while the raspy vocals whack on a touch of grit and swagger. The guitar is just magnificent as it ventures from sweetly warm and euphoric to sharp, blistering and steamy all while maintaining a cool mellow dreaminess that is just superb. It’s a very proficient, tightly bound track with some slinky ornamentation embroidered within to add vivid flecks of colour. This is a cool swagger soaked number blending gritty edgy rock with a dash of smooth indie pop to make it infectious and delicious. These guys are ones to watch.

You can check out the track on their Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/themasonslive/videos/582038048844955/

You can catch the band at their next live show at Jimmy’s 12 Newton Street, Manchester, United Kingdom on 24th June supporting The Capital.


Alt Rock, Alt- Pop, Dream Pop, EP Review, Indie, Indie Pop, indie rock, New Music, Surf Rock

The Helters ‘Afghani Super Smack’ EP

Five piece alt/indie band from Wellington Somerset, The Helters have released their new EP ‘Afghani Super Smack’. The band comprised of members Mark Owen (vocals), Davey Roberts (guitar) , Charlie last (drums), Conor Dolan (bass) and Alex Canham (guitar) have been together for two years and have already been featured on BBC Introducing as well as selling out local venues and getting regular plays on local stations over the country.

‘Afghani Super Smack’ is a euphoric collection of tracks that flood with that youthful hazy longing and adrenaline of the Pixies. The Helters’ sun kissed dreamy indie becomes apparent from the twinkling intro of ‘Salt’. They don’t dwell in this delirious haze for long when the track kicks in, it’s edgy and raw as dizzying guitars whirr around punchy drums and attitude driven vocals. The band slap on a breezy biting atmosphere to accompany the pop drizzled melty melody adding bite to the smooth sun-kissed atmosphere. Each track displays new fragments to their melodic guitar elements which at times soars to ethereal heights in tracks such as the blissful exhilarating ‘Four Aces’. The bass in ‘Afterglow’ provides a muscular foundation for the golden guitar moments and showcases the meticulous layering and polished production of the tracks as it contrasts perfectly yet, alone, holds its own captivating elements. The melodies are just sublime as they surge with sugar sprinkled longing and melancholy with an adrenaline heart gripping rush driving it through. ‘Killing Joke’ is another example of the superb bass work as shrilling guitars and rumble on bass create a tense start to the song. It’s catchy and filled with a touch more attitude than its predecessors. This soaring, anthemic, edgy number is the perfect way to end the EP as it is biting, thrilling and dreamy all at once.

‘Afghani Super Smack’ is a fresh breezy effort from The Helters. It’s sweetly melodic, euphoric and anthemic with a crashing blustery instrumental backdrop that is heart pumping and balmy while their surf-rock elements are tight and simply sublime. All the component parts are filled with the classic 90’s era indie that will make you sweetly nostalgic. A majestic EP for sure and one for those lazy summer days.

Stream ‘Afghani Super Smack’ below


90's Grunge, Alt Rock, indie rock, New Music, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From LIERS 

Dublin’s alternative female fronted four piece LIERS have released their new single ‘Universal Female’. LIERS started life when lead singer Liz Seaver was looking for the right talent to compliment her self-penned music titles. An established singer/songwriter in her own right with two independent albums to her name, Liz has been performing with the line-up of Lead guitarist Ed Scanlan, Bassist Stephen Farrell and Drummer Ronan O’Hanlon for some time at festivals such as Castlepalooza and venues such as the Sugar Club. These four talented musicians are not new to the Irish scene. Liz has previously toured with the inimitable Jack Lukeman and shared the stage with other Irish greats such as Mundy, Damien Dempsey and Paddy Casey. While playing alongside Liz over the years Ed, Stephen and Ronan also formed three-piece ‘Long Tail’ who released the EP “Your Time” and have toured nationwide with Fangclub. The energetic and experienced LIERS are now being repped by Polite Society (Fangclub, Long Tail, Vulpynes).

‘Universal Female’ is a smooth, melodic adrenaline shot of alternative rock. It’s chilled and cool with a whirring buzz fuelled wall of sound. These guys blend a sultry infectious melody with rowdy crashing instrumentation seamlessly to create a wholly satisfying listen. Strident sharp guitars pierce and shred through an elastic rumbly bass and punchy drums while Liz’s dynamic luring vocals slap a hefty dose of sass and power on top. This track is a catchy hook-filled force of nature that steam rolls in and invades your brain leaving you jumping around the room thinking you’re a bad ass. It’s brimming with kinetic energy and blazing spirit with a sing along ready chorus, its sure to be epic live. These guys are ones to watch for sure. ‘Universal Female’ is compact, rhythmically rich and vibrantly explosive in all the right places. It’s definitely worth a listen.

LIERS will also be supporting Fangclub tonight in Whelan’s along with Sub Motion make sure to check them out.

Stream ‘Universal Female’ below


Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, New Music

ROGUE! ‘Sober’

Irish band ROGUE! Have released their new single ‘Sober’. The band who have played shows brimming with energy and fun at Live on Air festival, The Academy, Whelans Summer Watch and BIMM Live, whack out a groovy blast of grungy alternative rock while maintaining a silky sleekness. ‘Sober’ is just as sassy and smooth as it is compelling and mighty. A pulsing snappy rhythm scuffles through dizzying guitars and flashing synths creating a relentless wall of sound that is hefty, mosh ready and fierce. The meaty instrumental arrangement alone is knock out but that female vocal is a sucker punch of power. Filled with soulful sass with an unbelievable control and crisp potency, the vocals lift the track to new powerful heights. With a catchy sing along ready chorus spread on top this track has it all. These guys tie up all the ends bringing a mixed bag of genres together blending them finely to create a sultry groovy cocktail with one hell of a fiery kickback.

Stream ‘Sober’ below

 


Alt Rock, indie rock, New Music, Rock

Novatines ‘Silver Screen’

Bath Based Alt-Rock 4 Piece, Novatines have released their new single/video ‘Silver Screen’. Released through Dirty 38 Records ahead of their UK tour in March, ‘Silver Screen’ is a statement of ethereal madness, beautifully seated in twisted, bitter-sweet detail. Following on from the group’s debut single ‘Medicine’, ‘Silver Screen’ which was recorded live and produced by the band, stretches out a vivid dream and showcases Novatines as something very real. The group have been tipped as one of the ‘hottest new UK guitar bands’ and will be touring throughout the UK this coming spring.

‘Silver Screen’ is a passionate track that builds into a powerful rock anthem. Beginning tender and sweet with twinkling guitars the four piece lull you into a melancholic dreamy state before blasting you back with their fiery instrumentation. Sharp guitars wail and sting over punchy drums while the sweet delicate melody broods throughout as if unaware of the surrounding instrumental turmoil. Shredding guitars shrill over the soft melody with a biting abrasiveness that wounds deep lacerating all in it path while pulverising drums and a hefty bass batters and bruises packing oodles of emotion and passion. It’s a sophisticated, mature offering that lays their heart on their sleeve in an exhilarating true rock and roll manner.

Watch the video for ‘Silver Screen’ Below

 


Alt Rock, EP Review, indie rock, New Music

MOTHER ‘Remnants Of A Wasted Dream’ EP

Oxford based indie rock four-piece MOTHER have released their debut EP ‘Remnants Of A Wasted Dream’ after the successful release of their debut single ‘Petrichor’ back in January receiving support from BBC Introducing Oxford, and leading to their first hometown sell-out show. Comprising of Josh Alden (guitar/vocals), Sam Alden (drums), Danny Fisher (guitar) and Everton Barbato (bass), the foursome have played together for the past 3 years in various projects. As their newest project, MOTHER represents everything the boys have always wanted to create musically. Taking influence from an eclectic range of artists, such as Radiohead, Bob Dylan and Foals, MOTHER is the incarnation of years of musical attributes.Their debut EP ‘Remnants Of A Wasted Dream’ was a talking point on their BBC Introducing interview, where the boys discuss how the title was chosen as it can be interpreted in a number of ways. Lending itself to the sensation of waking up from a dream with a vague memory of its content and a feeling of missing out lingering all day. ‘Remnants Of A Wasted Dream’ refers to the awareness that your dream could have provided a useful subconscious insight into your state of mind.

‘Petrichor’ kicks starts the EP with a catchy melody swallowed up in an infectious groove infested rhythm and jagged guitars oozing gob smacking adrenaline. Their sound is edgy, rugged yet insanely catchy. ‘Potent Prophecy’ exudes darkened swagger as the peppy beat bounces along eerie vocals and rugged guitars that creep in with a hair-raising attention-grabbing melody. While ‘The Saboteur’ takes their eerie sound to a haunting new level. A sway-like Radiohead-esque melody laments along mournful twinkling guitars while a steady beat pushes through with a heavy dampening effect. The despair filled vocals flood the track with mournful rainy-day melancholy as the song builds to a dramatic crescendo. These guys have created an EP that packs some serious punches with the gritty mosh ready fierceness of ‘Make Money, Be Happy’ maintaining a rich buoyant rhythm throughout the thick rough soundscapes. There is a sublime rumbly bass line in this track that is just thrillingly electrifying. It introduces the shift in the track as the song becomes darker and ominously intense with shrilling guitars and chilling vocals. ‘Descend Into Madness’ brings us to the end of the EP. Beginning delicate and soft its starts like a mournful ballad and then like the shock from a bolt of lightning blasts into a full out rocking danceable banger. Speedy instrumentation creates a mighty wall of sound while a playful elastic bass rebounds of running sharp guitars and snappy drums. The vocals remain somewhat eerie and crawly until the snappy groovy bridge.

MOTHER have created a compact EP of instantly likeable tracks that creep, crawl, haunt and explode into indie rock bangers all while holding a firm grip on your mind with compelling lyrics and dynamic expressive vocals. Its an impressive collection and a must listen.

For more details follow MOTHER on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/MotherOX4/

 

 


Alt Rock, Americana, Indie, indie rock, New Music

Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir ‘Stop Shakin’

Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir have released their new single ‘Stop Shakin’. Blake Brown is an American singer-songwriter from Denver, Colorado. After participating in many collaborative projects, he started Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir in 2013. The idea was to have the flexibility of playing solo, but to also include a revolving cast of musician friends when they were able to join him. Part of the cast includes close friends and musicians of groups, The Fray, The Films, and Tennis. After 3 EP’s, countless shows, and a debut full length, ‘Long Way Home’, to be released in March 2018, Brown has found mainstay players. His wife, Tiffany Brown and long time friends Jason Legler, Adam Blake and Trent Nelson make up The American Dust Choir, creating a blend of indie-rock and Americana. Brown’s music is rooted in acoustic sounds, and characterized by his seemingly simple, yet complex melodies and heartfelt lyrics.

‘Stop Shakin’ displays their meticulously created indie Americana simply and sweetly portrayed as a infectious tune. This foot tapping gloriously twangy little ditty is a radiant ball of vitality. Sharp golden guitars illuminate the track with an instant shot of pizzazz and stinging zest while a buoyant beat and raspy warm vocals create a laid-back fun danceable vibe. This track radiates sun kissed tones and easy-going attitude. It’s definitely one to get you up shimmying and shaking. It is well layered with each intricate guitar melody adding a fantastic new dimension and sparkling facet to the track while the rich rhythm livens up the song adding a meaty groovy texture. The luscious honey drizzled melody in so catchy and vibrant it’s a joy to listen to and will be stuck in your head all day.

Stream ‘Stop Shakin’ below

 


Alt Rock, indie rock, New Music

Boston Manor ‘Drowned in Gold’

Blackpool’s Boston Manor have released a video for their new single ‘Drowned in Gold’ which was produced by Mike Sapone (Taking Back Sunday, Mayday Parade, Public Enemy etc) at Barbershop Studios in New Jersey. The band formed in 2013 and, in two short years, worked their way to signing with renowned US indie label Pure Noise Records. They released their debut album ‘Be Nothing.’ in 2016 to widespread acclaim and the band have continued to tour the world since then, whipping up a frenzy in the US on tours with the likes of Moose Blood, Have Mercy and Can’t Swim, as well as completing their first full headline tour of the UK. 2017 also saw Boston Manor perform all summer on the penultimate Vans Warped Tour in the USA, play packed out rooms at Slam Dunk Festival and make their first appearances at Reading & Leeds Festivals.

‘Drowned in Gold’ is a fierce no nonsense relentless rush of gluttony inducing alternative rock. It’s a catchy, bold, brash incarnation brimming with snappy pulverising drums, crashing guitars and a mighty overload of instrumental bashing. With attitude driven vocals that scream and exude passion this track is an instant shot of fiery adrenaline. Toeing the line between chart fodder and alt-anthem this track is a smashing display from the five piece that is sure to have the Kerrang heads going crazy. It’s one for those manic sticky mosh pits. Warning whiplash guaranteed.

When asked about the track vocalist Henry Cox explained: “Drowned in Gold’ is about people being followers; people who never question anything & surround themselves with trivialities and mundanity, We had been writing for a while and wanted to put something out. We’re really proud of this one and so decided to release it ahead of the upcoming UK tour.”

Boston Manor are currently working on the follow-up to ‘Be Nothing.’, which is expected for release in 2018.

Watch the video for ‘Drowned in Gold’ below


Alt Rock, EP Review, Garage Rock, indie rock, New Music

Gallus EP

Gallus are a Glasgow band comprised of members Barry Dolan (Vocals), Craig Duris (Bass), Eamon Ewins (Guitar) and Paul Ewins (Drums). They have released their debut self titled EP and played their first gig at the legendary King Tut’s. These fresh young lads have shown some serious potential within this EP. The rowdy ruckus causing wallops of ‘Weapons’ which features crashing guitar riffs against a jagged driving bassline and pummelling drums showcases a shrilling mighty display that I can imagine is insane live. That instrumental is so snappy, raw and elastic it’s sure to set the mosh pit alight. ‘Making Tracks’ introduces itself with a slick riff and rumble on drums. It’s bouncy, edgy and smothered in rock and roll. It’s my favourite track on the EP as it showcases some really striking nimble guitar work. The shouty vocals maintain the rawness and brawn of their sound while the instrumentation displays an organic whiff of finesse. ‘Maybe Next Time’ begins disguised as the delicate track on the EP. Twinkling guitars and soft vocals introduce the track before it explodes instrumentally into their brand of garage rock. It’s a bit Pixies- esque at times with vibrant golden guitar lines adding a sun kissed glow to the grungy attitude soaked track.

These guys have whacked out an impressive EP that showcases their talent and slick musicianship with tracks that exude energy, adrenaline and some exciting instrumentation. Gallus will be finishing of their year with a free show in Glasgow at Broadcast with 0141 and Heavy Rapids. Following this, they will be supporting Retro Video Club as part of Independent Venue Week so if your around make sure to check them out.

Stream ‘Gallus’ EP below