This is fine.
If you’re in the mood for something a bit heavier, might I suggest you check out this new single from Manchester based lads Mister Strange. The song “High Heel Heavy” features this sludgy, kinda dirty, yet bright somehow, take on the garage rock genre. This one would be perfect if you’re into things like Fuzz, Thee Oh Sees, or Wand. You can stream the song below or via other platforms as a part of the band’s recent signing to Pnkslm.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Gorgeous Bully, and since 2018’s Closure, the project has mostly been quiet…though that doesn’t necessarily mean songs haven’t been written. Today we get to hear one of those, and while brief, its exactly the stuff I love about this band. It’s just a really straight-forward rock tune, with a heavy strum and a theme I think the entire world can relate to over this past year. The perfect hint of fuzz on the vocals is quite endearing too, just pumping in the hooks. Looking forward to hearing more as the year goes on!
Weird how listening to a new artists on your radar immediately takes you back in time, like when I first listened to this Mint Eastwood tune, I couldn’t help but think of Jason Lytle and Grandaddy. There’s that soft electronic fuzz that wraps itself around the vocals, squeezing out every drop of pop sensibility. I’ve really enjoyed how the song sits back a bit, showing some restraint too, so it doesn’t go over the top and smack the listener in the face with its pop bravado. Seems like the perfect tune to turn on in the background while you watch the waves of 2021 roll into your life…or you know, if you just want to listen to a really good song.
I love Andrew Anderson. For starters he’s part of both Proto Idiot and Hipshakes, two band’s I quite enjoy. He hails from Manchester, home to great music and my favorite soccer team. But, he’s also filled with ambition, like his latest, Be My Guest LP. It’s an album of 14 songs, each one featuring Andrew composing a track with a featured guest from all over his local scene. Of course, my jangle tendencies had me fawning over “High Window,” which sounds like it’d fit right along tons of the Aussie stuff we’re all into over at ATH. You get some disco-funk along the lines of something Kevin Barnes might pull off in “Tell Me About It,” or you can check in on the calm of “Under the Trees.” Just imagine a playlist full of the sounds that influence your favorite artist, only this time, that artist is playing on the record! It’s cool, plus all the money earned is being split between Booth Centre and Black Lives Matter UK. Stream it all below!
We’re closing down yet another week of mostly stay at home times and the fantastic music continues to pour in from musicians with a ton of time on their hands. Today I am pleased to offer you an impressive new song called “Prunus” from Manchester based group New Luna. What I tend to look for in new music is stuff like this with, what I consider to be, a fresh and unique take on genres which can otherwise get cluttered. These guys will at times remind you of a late 90s indie rock band, but then add in elements of fellow UK bands like The Twilight Sad to create something they can really call their own.
Perhaps it’s too early in the morning for the disorienting post-punk of Manchester’s Handle, but that’s precisely why you need it this morning…get outside of yourself. The band celebrate the absence of a guitar by crafting this pulsating blend of combustible art rock; it’s a mesh of industrialized societal noise swirling about your inner ear. On their new album, the band bob and weave through political and personal, yelping and bouncing through madness as they unleash a barrage of noise meant to disrupt and rebuild. Fell free to immerse yourself in all this song, and album, has to offer; In Threes will drop on March 6th courtesy of Upset the Rhythm and Maternal Voice.
This Handle tune is exactly what I love about the end of the year; folks like to wrap up and pretend like the end of the year is over, yet there’s absolutely fucking amazing songs sneaking out there. This Manchester trio are making this sort of jazzy no-punk, using these incredible rhythms and wonky structures to sort of keep you off balance while you’re hit in the face with this barrage of vocals. It kind of makes you go in and wonder what the hell you just got hit with, so you press play to get that feeling all over again. The song’s little fade out also hints at some of the great little odds and ends that make up their debut, In Threes; it’s going to be released on March 6th via Upset the Rhythm and Maternal Voice.
RayRay and I have both been pretty high upon the forthcoming album from Sprinters, but before the band drop Struck Gold this Friday, they wanted to be sure you had one more reason to grab the LP. “Missing” is one of the record’s standouts, fueled by the perfect juxtaposition between too-cool-for-school vocals and enthusiastic guitar fuzz; it all gels so perfectly that in the end, you’ll find they’ve crafted the perfect sentiment in one tight little pop number. The accompanying video is great, especially for US audiences who might not get the chance to catch the Manchester band too often; they’re clearly enjoying playing together here. Fun times and fun pop win every time; you can grab the LP this Friday from Meritorio Records.
Man it’s been a bit over 5 years since I last heard from my musical friend Neil Jarvis. Apparently he’s since ditched his solo career, and now the Manchester based artist is focusing on his new band Sprinters. Having already released a debut LP, the group now has plans to release new album Struck Gold on November 15th via Meritorio Records. Prior to the release, Jarvis just sent over this hot new number called “Ending” to preview the upcoming album. It’s full of jangly guitars with a lovely, washed out yet engaging sound throughout.
Joel Nicholson’s been working as Butcher the Bar for some time, and in that period, he’s gone from solo to full band and probably back again…but for III, we get the full band pop bombast that’s always lived within the confines of Nicholson’s songwriting. There are straight upbeat pop numbers, and some more pensive tunes here, so just stream it below. You can grab the LP directly from Bobo Integral, and if you’re so inclined, you can read my thoughts about each song below.
