This is fine.
People, it’s the last business day before SXSW kicks off this weekend and into next week. We will be shutting this ‘ol site down while we are out finding the next big thing so this will be some of our last coverage. Hopefully this has been fun for everyone to catch some differing perspectives of bands coming into town. Our Friday interview set comes by way of another Welsh band, HMS Morris. Hit the jump for all them usual deets.
After absolutely tearing up things with new music in 2022 and then relentless touring last year, Bristol based Dreamwave really churned up some totally deserving buzz. This year looks to be full of more straight jams from the band, as evidenced by this raucous new single called “Mindcave.” For me, I dig it when a band doesn’t mess about and just gets right into the power and energy. No fussing about here. Stay tuned as this is surely just the first of more to come in 2024.
It’s a pretty dreary day outside of the various ATH offices, so I wanted to punch in this brand new track from UK outfit Big Hug, give myself a little kick in the pants. If you’re a close listener, you’re going to hear the careful craft of acts like Braid in the songwriting. Every instant of the song has these guitar lines wiggling in and out of the front of the mix, with a thumping bit of percussion crashing through the tracks’s core. Still, the earnestness of the vocal blasts give this tune the currency to slide right into your every day listening habits; they’ll have a brand new EP dropping on March 1st.
I’m pretty picky when it comes to long musical intros on rock songs; I’m teacher of 13 year olds, so a majority of my time is a rush. But, when I pressed play on the newest single from UK outfit My Best Unbeaten Brother I just felt like this was the track for me today. Something in the song is growling at you instantly; the guitar lines have this edge to them that immediately has you on edge…the anticipation builds for that whole first minute. Then you’ve the seemingly spoken vocal delivery that works through the track as the guitars stab and poke through your speakers; it’s this riotous bit of ramshackle rock n’ roll that’s perfectly balanced to rip through your speakers. We expect a debut LP from the band later this year via Audio Antihero.
It’s been far too long since I sang the praises of Max McLellan and his UK based musical project Psychic Shakes so I plan to remedy that today. Here for your listening pleasure if the new single, “Unfold You,” which is taken from the upcoming new album Forever Now. The single has a really simple, electronic beat driving things with a looping guitar and ever so delicate crescendos and shifts. It’s truly a lovely piece of songwriting.
Forever Now is due out on November 17th via Good Eye Records.
London’s finest new band Talk Show really came on my radar around this time last year with the release of their Touch the Ground EP featuring hit single “Cold House.” After a few singles released over the last year, the band has now just announced a release date of February 16th for their debut LP entitled Effigy. It features the previously heard jam “Closer,” and this brand new joint “Gold” which dropped late last week. You can certainly hear some 90s electro-rock inspiration in these tunes combined with a tense post-punk energy from leading man Harrison Swann.
Pre-orders are now live for Effigy via UK label Missing Pieces.
Late last year, South Londoners Talk Show really delivered a breath of fresh energy with the release of their six song Touch the Ground EP. That one has been seeing heavy spins both at home and during ATH vinyl happy hours around town. As we push into 2023, the band continues to churn out post-punk bangers, as evidenced by this sort of slow burning, change of pace hit “Closer.” You can tell the band is just straight having fun at this point and any listener has got to feel that energy.
This track will be par of Talk Show’s upcoming debut LP due out in early 2024.
Brighton based label Small Pond is possibly one of the busiest indie labels in the UK, which one can discover by checking out the myriad of releases on their bandcamp page. For a quick run down of what the label has been up to recently, a big compilation is upcoming with 16 new tracks from up and coming label discoveries. One of those new bands are locals prom who have offered up this track “Fancy Word For Addiction” for the soon to be released compilation. It’s an engaging piece of a sort of post-emo meets late 90s grunge type tune and serves as a promising preview for this new compilation.
The new compilation from Small Pond, Small Pond Emerging – Volume III, will be released on November 24th. Pre-orders are live now.
Totnes, UK based Pale Blue Eyes really hit a chord with me over the last year with a string of singles showcasing a band who really know what it means to be indie pop. As if all the other tunes I’ve shared weren’t enough reason to love this band, here is yet another gem from them with this indie pop banger called “Spaces.” For this band, it just almost seems effortless at this point for them to pump out this poppy, twee hits and I am here for it.
This track is part of the band’s new album entitled This House which is due out September 1st via Full Time Hobby. Pre-orders are live now.
While Leeds United languish in The Championship this year, locals have to find a way to stay in good spirits and put a positive spin on things. While I honestly have no clue if the Leeds based outfit English Teacher follow the football club, their new song, “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab,” has offered me a beacon of hope for the area. It displays a level of brightness and light paired with just a few touches of edge here and there to really keep in tune with that Leeds’ spirit. Come on lads.
This new track is out now via the band’s new label Island Records.
