Tag Archives: alternative rock

Alt Rock, Ambient Music, Atmospheric Music, Indie, Indie Pop, indie rock, New Music, Synth Rock, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Pale Rivers

Pale Rivers have released their new single ‘Icefield’, ahead of their forthcoming debut EP. Produced by Owen Lewis and Steven Mullan, ‘Icefield’ was recorded at Herbert Place Studio’s, Dublin. Based out of Cork and Tipperary, Ireland, the band began playing their first shows around the country including slots at Hard Working Class Heroes, Whelans One’s To Watch and Electric Picnic, as well as some high profile supports for acts such as Teleman, British Sea Power and The Wedding Present.

‘Icefield’ is a deeply moving number bleeding haunting tones of yearning  through ethereal rushes of breezy synths over textured guitar whines and passionate heart gripping vocals. This is a special track that grips the listener with every flickering note. This band keep you on the edge of your seat – the delicate sweet and tender moments are perfect, immaculate and pristine as elegant keys twinkle and glisten between subtle synth wisps as the warm emotional vocals caress the darkly hued haunting melody. Intimacy is key to this track and this is created by those dynamic tender vocal tones which are embellished by soaring, undulating waves of guitar and weaving synths. The track builds becoming more intense and expressive carrying and elevating our hearts and emotions with it as the synths become frenzied and choppy and rush over the tumbling guitar and rippling drum/bass rumbles. This track swoons with deeply moving and atmospheric tones while a rich snappy rhythm holds all the vaporous floaty soundscapes together with a gloopy-like glue texture. It’s a sublime riveting listen and a well crafted gem to hold dear.

Talking about ‘Icefield’, the band explain – “recording this song was very much a case of going with gut feeling rather than planning it out and ticking boxes. Going in to do it we just had a skeleton track and from there, it was very much a case of experimenting and improvising on different instruments, many of which we hadn’t used before. Recording this definitely felt like a journey from start to finish, and in many way’s one of the most fun/difficult but rewarding experiences we’ve had in a studio…”

You Can Catch Pale Rivers live at :

August 5th – Indiependence

August 24th – The Roundy – Cork

 

Stream  ‘Icefield’ below

 


Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Deep Sky Objects

Alt-rockers Deep Sky Objects return this summer with their second single from their raved-about debut EP ‘Deep Sky Objects’. After the success of the Kerry band’s spring tour the band have lined up a string of dates across Ireland including INEC’s Future Sounds. We see the band come into their own with this rockier follow-up to debut single ‘This City’s at War’ while keeping true to their melodic song writing Deep Sky Objects recorded their debut self-titled EP ‘Deep Sky Objects’ in Whitewell Studios with Ciaran O’Shea. The EP was subsequently mastered by Fergal Davis. In March 2018 Deep Sky Objects released their debut single ‘This City’s at War’ to an eager audience and received extensive airplay across regional radio as well as national airplay. Deep Sky Objects ‘Desire’ is our worth a listen track this week.

‘Desire’ is a ballsy dark smeared number that blisters bruises and pummels with melodic ferocity. Driven by a meaty gritty riff this track instantly grabs attention wrestling you to the ground with its eerie melody chilling and creeping  over the boiling explosive instrumental backdrop as Kevin O’Brien’s vocals soar and haunt above this scorching concoction. With a sturdy thundering drum and rooted rumbling bass back bone this track has everything to thrill you to the core and have you moshing along. Drenched in ominous darkly hued tones this goosbump inducing tune is well crafted for sing along lovers, head bang fanatics and slick earworm melody seekers. They then throw a shredding steamy guitar solo on top and bam! these guys have just whacked out a banging tune.

You can catch Deep Sky Objects live at

July 28 – Nellie Freds, Dingle

Aug 3 – Indiependence Festival, Cork

Aug 5 – Luker’s Bar, Shannonbridge, Offaly

Sept 13 – Whelan’s, Dublin

Oct 17 – Kelly’s, Cavan

Nov 17 – INEC FUTURE SOUNDS, Killarney

Stream ‘Desire’ below

 

 


Alt Rock, indie rock, New Music

Silver Citizen ‘Now We Groove’

Three-piece rock band Silver Citizen have recently released their new single ‘Now We Groove’. Hailing from Brisbane, Australia,  Silver Citizen returned in 2016 as a reincarnation of their previous musical undertaking. During this hiatus the band have revamped themselves by introducing refined stylistic approaches, such as heavy guitar riffs layered underneath the discerning lyrics of lead singer Jimmy Wenham. Drawing on the influences of Audioslave and the Foo Fighters, Now We Groove is saturated with a variety of memorable riffs, explosive drums and powerful choruses.

This mosh ready banger pelts in with meaty heavy riffs on top of punchy drum whacks and dynamic vocals. The brawny bass lines weave between the drum rumbles with an elastic groove while the shredding guitars pierce and stride throughout. It’s a mighty unfaltering display of rap rock that thunders in –  fierce and savage ready to pummel your skull with its adrenaline shot of vigour and might. Catchy and melodic with enough heaviness to have a mosh pit in a brawling frenzy ‘Now We Groove’ is pretty slick and extremely engaging.

Stream ‘Now We Groove’ below

 

 


Uncategorized

TheDoubtfulBottle ‘EYE’

Four piece Indie rock band TheDoubtfulBottle has released their newest single ‘EYE’. TheDoubtfulBottle showcase a wide range of innovation when concerning both composition and songwriting in their hard hitting song ‘EYE’. Paired with the notorious and long established producer Jake Rousham who has worked with the likes of The Who this release is captivating to say the least. The inspiration for the piece remains as innovative as the actual composition and arrangement of the music. Drawing on an Orwellian theme of the public being kept under constant surveillance the ‘EYE’ strives to portray the damage that can be done and the mass dissatisfaction at being so heavily watched. The band have featured on both the widely popular ‘Alternative Addiction’ website and Soundfiction with a growing online presence and a whole host of live shows to attend and even festival performances.

‘EYE’ is a woozy surf tinged number driven by a strident gritty riff and driving rumbly bass. It’s a fresh slice of indie rock with intricate motifs weaving together before dissolving into a vaporous drift of dreamy psychedelic indie rock just when the meaty heaviness is about to take hold. It’s truly captivating and satisfying as a pop drizzled melody binds this luscious labyrinth of complexity together. The rooted rhythm keeps the track thumping along while the reamping guitars keep the snappy number chugging through your brain until you are dancing and bopping along. Its catchy and richly layered with the lush backing vocals and abstract sounds flickering throughout making for a wholly unique and tantalizing listen.

Stream ‘EYE’ below

https://soundcloud.com/thedoubtfulbottle/the-doubtful-bottle-eye-wav?in=thedoubtfulbottle/sets/eye


Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Black Honey

Black Honey have shared another new track called ‘I Only Hurt The Ones I Love’, the follow-up to recent pop hit ‘Bad Friends’. The song precedes the group’s debut album, which is expected to land in September. They also have a headline tour coming up, which will see them head out from 13th October, with the finale taking place at London’s Electric Ballroom.

‘I Only Hurt The Ones I Love’ re-introduces that sweltering spaghetti western guitar Black Honey do so well. Once you hear that thrilling shrill you know your in for another infectious striking track from Black Honey. Izzy’s smooth vocals coo over the blistering guitar strides and punchy drums while that tasty melody drizzles a sweet nectarous syrup on top. It’s dipped in the laid-back swagger we know and love from this four piece while they flood the track in haunting mystery with some bopping pop sprinkled on top. This deadly concoction is the scrumptious irresistible sound of Black Honey. The catchy chorus, rumbling bridge teamed with slick bass licks and guitar hooks make for a polished glossy yet gritty blast of chilled indie rock.

Watch the video for  ‘I Only Hurt The Ones I Love’ below


Alt Rock, EP Review, Grunge, Grunge Pop, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Rock, Summer Grunge

Fangclub ‘True Love’ EP

Fresh from their first UK headline tour, Irish rock band Fangclub have released their highly personal new EP titled ‘True Love’.  Last year the trio Steven King, Kevin Keane and Dara Coleman released their self titled debut album to mass critical acclaim and also toured the UK and Ireland with their own headline dates as well as playing shows with Biffy Clyro, Muse, Pixies, and SWMRS. Fangclub have gathered major attention from the press (Kerrang!, Rock Sound, Upset) and specialist DJ’s at BBC Radio 1 (Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, Daniel P.Carter, Phil Taggart), and Kerrang! Radio with their monstrous tracks ‘Bullet Head’, ‘Loner’, ‘Dreamcatcher’ and ‘Bad Words’.

‘True Love’ marks massive growth in the bands sound. The swirling and churning dark tones lurk underneath even the most peppy sounding of the tracks. There is something more sophisticated and painful in this EP. The meaty brain crush blast we are used to once again feature on True Love however they have honed in and sharpened everything from meatier ground shaking basslines and immense pounding drum grooves to slick acute guitar lacerations placed perfectly for maximum impact. Fangclub have us firmly in their grips and they are not letting go. Recent single ‘Knife’ sets the thrilling mayhem in motion with gritty basslines grumbling under slashing guitars and demanding drums. The chilled vocals cool the scorching instrumental backdrop for the verse teasing the explosive chorus we have come to love from Fangclub. Slick basslines have become a staple on this EP as they fluidly flow throughout each track with a sublime rooted groove adding a lusty darkness to each track, like a shadowy thread holding each song together. ‘Heart Is A Landmine’ is where their shadowy eerie tones take over. A moody melody bleeds over a punchy backdrop of slithering guitars whining between a mighty rhythmic bounce. It’s a cinematic tune that could feature in a Batman movie especially with its stirring melody and sublime griping guitar feature. It’s pretty dark and dramatic yet magnificently catchy and climatic all at once. ‘Smother’ brightens the tone of the EP. The guitars become lighter as they zealously inject juicy zest between punchy punk flavoured rock. Its sun kissed melody melts upon the gritty soundscapes like butter as a slick guitar solo and sing along ready chorus slaps on a glossy finish. The “buzz kill” ‘Sweater Forever’ follows. This is my kind of tune. It’s a moody sunny day wallowing blast of grunge that is just magnificent. The drums trudge through a gloopy sweet melody while the piercing sting on guitars lament and soar over this sullen tune. It’s both vibrant and sulky all at once as their vivid use of instrumentation and shaky percussion creates gripping heart wrenching turmoil for us to immerse in. Those twinkling keys add a light innocence through the heavy monotony. The scale of emotion presented through music in this track is masterful and exactly how I hoped these guys would progress. The sheer musical depth containing perfectly timed multi facets glimmering through emotional honest lyrics make for a completely absorbing listening experience. ‘High’ closes the EP bringing everything full circle. It’s upbeat, powerful, catchy and filled with scorching guitar lines. The vocals lure you into the relentless onslaught of crashing drums, brawny bass lines and mouth watering guitar work.

‘True Love’ is a flavourful and tantalizing EP from the trio and proves Fangclub have a lot to offer – they are just coming into their prime.

Stream ‘True Love’ below


Album Review, Alt Rock, New Music

The Kax Self Titled Album

After a ten year hiatus The Kax are back with the long awaited deliverance of their reissued self titled debut album. Drawing influence from the likes of U2 and Gang Of Four, The Kax launch their alt rock revitalisation with 9 diverse and individually enticing tracks. Having previously built a name in and around Los Angeles, The Kax aim to take advantage of all that digital services have to offer, this motive pairs effortlessly with the growing online presence that The Kax have been accumulating over the past ten years. The band already have globally famous venues such as The Troubadour and Viper Room under their belt. Recorded and engineered by the well established and acclaimed producer Scott Gilman (Avenged Sevenfold, Alice Cooper),’The Kax’ bears all the professional make up an album may need in order to gain some headway. Two of the songs featured on this album were co written with Sierra Swan, an interscope artist who has toured with the likes of Ringo Starr and Billy Corgan.

‘The Kax’ album is brimming with powerful blistering sounds wrapped in lush melodies and vibrant soundscapes. The shredding guitar riffs plastered all over ‘So Do We’, ‘Better Then’ and ‘Remember Me’ showcase the punchy raw nature of this album as the guitars scorch throughout every track drenched in reverb and attitude while snappy drums and elastic bass lines keep the rhythmic foundations bouncing along. The whole album is an adrenaline shot of dynamic alternative rock with a driving whack of punk undertones. The fluctuant bass lines are another sublime feature throughout all the tracks, particularly in the U2- esque ‘The Hollows’ and the sun kissed infectious ‘Summertime Daze’  as they weave tightly between the sharp guitar with an infectious hip swinging groove. ‘Hungry Animals’ brings a hazy dreamy vibe into the album as the guitar lines become more light and twinkly for the verse before spasming out. The melody in particular in this song is sublime- very catchy and cool as it’s steeped in dreamy pop hues with laid  back vocals spread on top. ‘The Light’ flickers some distorted swirling psych sprinkled disco on the album with whirring guitars over a punchy drum beat and dragged out vocal notes. It’s pretty trippy but flooding with a 70’s tinged strutting swagger. The album comes to a close with ‘Coming Down’, a sparkling guitar driven number saturated in glorious melodies and passionate vocals.

It’s a compact album with heartfelt golden melodies that warm the heart and soothe the soul while packing in a hefty dose of rock edge and anthemic power.

Stream ‘The Kax’ below

https://soundcloud.com/thekaxmusic/sets/the-kax


Alt Rock, indie rock, New Music, Rock

Scally ‘Let’s F*ck’

                   Photo credit:Tanya Cullen:Bronte Photography

Mullingar rock artist Scally has just brought out the video for his third single ‘Let’s F*ck’ due for release on June 29th. The bombastic track packs a massive punch as it echoes shades of Rage Against The Machine. The track is the B-side to Scally’s latest single ‘Get Ready For War’ which was released back in March. It’s a slick raw shot of rock doused in brassy attitude. Shredding guitars crash and strike against rapid punchy drums and a groove laced bass. The track builds to a seizure inducing crescendo filled with thrilling distortion and brain spasming shrills on guitar. The riffs are well oiled and catchy while Scally’s laid back vocals daze through the verse becoming more dynamic for the brazen chorus. This high intensity track is soaked in gritty rock and roll swagger with the usual amount of pompousness you expect from Scally, however the effervescent guitar arrangement perhaps warrants this as it plows and soars through the brawny drums weaving its way around the rooted rhythmic undertow creating an ecstatic dance that practically lurches into the stomping chorus. It’s a raw lacerating groovy number that worms its way into your brain and will be next to near impossible to remove from your skull.

Scally states that the track is about “my friend who fancied this chick for ages and he just wouldn’t go over and chat to her, the verses is me telling him to grow a pair of balls and go over and talk to her and the chorus is all the things he wants to say to her but can’t”.

You can catch Scally  with his band – ‘The Dirty Rats’ live at Danny Byrnes, Mullingar on July 1st

Watch the video for ‘Lets F*ck’ below, viewer discretion is advised.

 


Alt Rock, Alt- Pop, Indie, Indie Pop, indie rock, New Music, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Mellor

Reading quartet Mellor​ are set to release their new single ‘Safe Word​’ on August 17​ via self release. The Mellor name has been around for about 5 years, but this current line up with Gary Kingham on vocals, Sam Igoe on drums, Kristian Bell on guitar, and Josh Woodward on bass has been together for around eighteen months. The lads took the moniker in homage to a certain Joe Strummer aka John Mellor! It’s this current line up that the band have felt comfortable with the music and sound they’re producing. Kristian, Gary, and Josh have known each other since college, and Sam joined the band thereafter. Last year was the first year of releases with the current lineup, they released four singles ‘Fire on Fire’, ‘Bone Idle’, ‘You Were Right’ and ‘Arms Length’ culminating in an EP at the end of the year. With airplay supports from Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music; John Kennedy, Radio X; Charlie Ashcroft, Elise Cobain, Amazing Radio; Tim Cocker, Virgin Radio; Frank Skinner, Absolute Radio; Linda Serck, BBC Intro Berks the lads are making a name for themselves for sure.

‘Safe Word’ is a strident, scorching example of the refined airtight indie rock this four piece do so well. Raucous guitars grate, shrill and pierce throughout blasting out some slick licks, shredding riffs and thrilling solos that will have you in a kinetic frenzy of awe. The punchy drums batter, bash and rumble out a bounce-able rhythm to make you jump up and down in a state of ecstasy. The groove infested bass weaves an elastic, sensual foundation through this exhilarating piece of gritty indie perfection. The pop drizzled melody is doused in melodious goodness that is sweet nectar to our honey bee ears as it smoothly flows upon the blistering backdrop cooling the mania with its delicious flow and catchiness. The vocal delivery from Kingham once again exudes swagger and passion wrapped in a raspy dynamic coating. Another magnetic and invigorating track from the Reading lads. These guys are travelling  full steam ahead and have a bright future.

 ‘Safe Word​’ touches on the aspect of everyone having a comfort zone in their life and how many of us often go through life regretting that we didn’t do certain things. Speaking of the track the band said, “People get very comfy doing the same thing day in day out. We think it’s an interesting thought that can applied to many aspects in life, whether it be work, personal, or social.”

You can catch Mellor Live at :

30th June – Texfest, Leicester

20th July – Actress and Bishop, Birmingham

22nd July – Tramlines Fringe, Sheffield (Record Junkie)

25th July – Lock Tavern, Camden

27th July – Bute Festival, Bute – Scotland

7th August – The Horn, St Albans

10th August – The Soundhouse, Leicester

16th August – Gwdihw Cafe Bar, Cardiff

17th August – Oakford Social Club, Reading

Stream ‘Safe Word’ below


Alt Rock, indie rock, New Music

In The Cards ‘The Only Thing’

Stoke On Trent  quartet  In The Cards have released a video for their single ‘The Only Thing’ taken from their new EP  ‘Eyes  Beyond  Reflection’ set for release on  the  22nd  June  2018. The  EP  is  packed  full  of  soaring  melodies  and  powerful  choruses  that  all  have  a  strong  sense  of  empowerment.  In  their  early  years,  when  In The Cards were  finding  their  feet  musically,  their  admiration  for  bands  like  Paramore  and  Tonight  Alive  helped  them  to  write  songs  that  compliment  a  female  vocalist.  They  used  this  to  their  advantage  when  writing  this  new  EP,  carefully  building  and  crafting  their  own  particular  sound.  The  band  recorded  ‘Eyes  Beyond  Reflection’  with  Romesh  Dodangoda  at  Longwave  Studios  in  Cardiff. Having  played  shows  with  the  likes  of  Arcane  Roots,  Dream  State  and  Mallory  Knox,  as  well  as  achieving  airplay  on  BBC  Introducing  in  Stoke, In The Cards  sound  and  style  is  the  result  of  a  mix  of  individual  tastes  in  music,  which  collectively  produces  the  unique  sound  of  the  band;  successfully  combining  sections  that  are  both  delicate  and  atmospheric  as  well  as  hard  hitting  and  heavy.

‘The Only Thing’ is a darkly toned passionate number that seamlessly blends emotive tender vocals with an alternative meaty backdrop. Amy Colclough’s vocals are powerful and brimming with expression while vibrant guitars venture between jangly sweet melodies and crashing, mighty strides as they rebound and pummel against the punchy drums and elastic bass. These guys create an enthralling hefty sound that is smothered in dark hues with sweet golden glimmers flickering throughout. It’s catchy, anthemic and hard hitting as the chorus rushes in on an adrenaline surge of power and compelling vocals. The jagged instrumental lets their alternative rock shine through as they whack out a brawny mosh ready feature before Colclough’s vocals re-enter. It’s a compact song that contains all the component parts of a meaty alternative rock track.

Watch the video for ‘The Only Thing’ below