Nine Black Alps are back with their fifth studio album, Candy For The Clowns, and it sees them returning to top form. As well as being the bands fifth album it is the first full length released by Leeds label Hatch Records, born from the ashes of the excellent Brew Records label.
Nine Black Alps have always had an enthralling grungey sound and lead single Novakaine makes sure the album gets off to a truly spectacular start. Although the band has a very British sound they sometimes carry a college rock theme on tracks like the excellent Patti. Nine Black Alps continue to mix their sound up on the sublime Something Else, a great track with a fascinating sense of the psychedelic. The harsh tones of Destroy Me make for a standout moment and gritty, lo-fi Clownbrings an absolutely top notch album to a conclusion.
Matt Hill
You can get the album here.
Witching Waves-Concrete
London based duo Witching Waves have released their latest single, Concrete on Soft Power Records, a superb independent label that is fast becoming one of my favourites. The lead track is an excellent song that combines fuzzy guitars with a lo-fi post punk sound to make for an enthralling tune. B-Side has a more intricate, shoegaze feel to it before turning into a high octane rock track that features brilliant boy/girl vocals that bounce off each other to superb effect.
Matt Hill
You can get the single here.
Chain And The Gang-Minimum Rock N Roll
Minimum Rock N Rollis the fourth album from Chain And The Gang as well as being their first on the Fortuna Pop label. The band are led by the enigmatic Ian Svenonius formerly of bands such as Nation Of Ulysses and The Make-Up.
This is a fantastic album full of excellent old school rock n roll topped off with boy/girl vocals that work superbly and loads of scuzzy guitars. Most of the songs are short, sharp burst of energetic rock music as can be heard on the excellent opener, Devitalize. Tracks like Fairy Dust and What Are You In Here For particularly stand out amongst a plethora of other fine tunes. I was totally unaware of Chain And The Gang before hearing this truly exciting record and it has certainly made sure that I will look out for their Name in the future.
Matt Hill
You can get the album here.
Horse Thief-Fear In Bliss
Oklahoma based quintet have released their stunning debut album, Fear In Bliss, courtesy of the Bella Union label. This fantastic record is full of uplifting anthems as well as fusing genres like psychedelia and folk together to make for something really special.
Opening track I Don’t Mind really sets the scene for a mesmerising album with its understated tones that are superbly driven along by some resounding beats. The excellent Holding On shows more of the folky side of Horse Thief and shows how the band can easily vary the pace of their songs. Let Gohas a wonderful intro before developing into a tune that really wants to make you move your feet as well as being a particular stand out moment of the album. Fear In Bliss is drawn to a conclusion by the blissful Warm Regards, summing a up a really high quality record.
Matt Hill
You can get the album here.
NARCS-Coast To Coast/Souvenir
Leeds band NARCS are back with this double A-sided single taken from their excellent debut album, TwoBirds, One Stone Later and is yet another brilliant release from Clue Records. I can’t really come up with enough superlatives about Coast To Coast it really is my favourite track from the album and instantly grabs you with its fabulous riffs and hook lines. Souvenir is a much harder track that gets in your face and has an intro that makes you stand up and pay attention. As these tracks were taken from an album I liked so much I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed, although the guys at Clue Records have kindly added on a few tracks from a live session NARCS did as well.
Matt Hill
You can get the single here.
Josephine And The Artizans-Let Me Go
The hip hop/classical crossover collective Josephine And The Artizans follow up last year’s debut single Lacrymosa, with their latest offering Let Me Go. The new single follows in a similar manner and it really is impressive how they manage to fuse the genres together without making it sound contrived. As before the incredible vocals stand out especially when accompanied by some superb rapping and composition.
Matt Hill
You can get the single here.
Brawlers-Worthless
Leeds band Brawlers debut EP is a high energy, fun pop punk record released courtesy of the superb Alcopop Records. The band have also been receiving much critical acclaim recently as well as getting national radio airplay and on the strength of this EP it’s not hard to see why.
The brilliant Mothers And Fathers kicks off proceedings, a superb track which really sets the tone for this exciting record. Next up is Instagram Famous a great punk rock track that highlights how things can become falsely famous due to the increase in social media. Heart Attack features riffs that have an almost metal feel to it at times as well as emphasising the fantastic vocals of Harry George Johns, who I first became aware of thanks to his excellent solo material. The record concludes with the aptly titled I Am A Worthless Piece Of Shit, yet another great track to an end an EP that reminded me of days when I was a fair bit younger which is certainly no bad thing.
Matt Hill
You can get the EP here.
Two Trick Horse-Black Water & Milk
New signings to independent label Destroy All Records. Two Trick Horse have put out their latest two track single, Black Water & Milk. Opener Black Water features the raw power that Two Trick Horse always provide as well as having sense of urgency that makes it a must hear track. Milk is a slightly more intricate tune that still contains their trademark riffs as well as featuring a stunning breakdown that couldn’t fail to get a crowd moving once it kicks in again afterwards.
Matt Hill
You can get the single here.
The Hurriers
The Hurriers are a brand new band hailing from Barnsley and their energetic rock music comes accompanied with a political edge. Truth And Justice is a superb sing a long punk rock, track as well as acting as a commentary on the miners’ strike which greatly affected the Barnsley area. The Hurriers also carry a ska sound as can be heard Happy Families while the brilliant Enjoy The Storm features some great riffs and vocal. After hearing a taster of what this new band is bout I am certainly looking forward to anything that The Hurriers might come up with in the future.
Matt Hill
Check out the band here.
The Red Shades-Shake Your Bones
Leeds based three piece, The Red Shades have self-released their debut album Shake Your Bones, a fine collection of songs with a strong 60’s and 70’s influence.
The record kicks off with the superb Lonely which has an excellent driving intro that gets you straight into the tune as well as setting the tone for the album. Chainsis a really good old fashioned, dirty rock ‘n’ roll track that has some fantastic riffs in it as well as featuring the great vocals that are a constant throughout the record. The Red Shades show that they’re not all about top riffs though, on the brilliantly reflective Beside Me. An incredibly enjoyable album is brought to a conclusion by the fantastic Alison Sings The Blues which has an almost epic feel to it.
Matt Hill
You can get the album here.
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