Saturday 22 June 2013

40 Bands To Keep An Ear On


NME recently did a top 40 songs by new bands, they cocked it up as usual and only listed 39, and of that 39 a lot were pompus arty garbage, so here's my own list, it's much better.

1. Valentiine


Three piece girl rock band from Australia, harking back to the good old days of bands like Hole and Babes In Toyland, very good indeed. Debut albums finally getting a UK release including new single 'Chucky' a personal fave of mine.

Valentiine

2. Awooga

Another three piece from Sheffield, this time dealing in riff heavy Soundgardenesque ROCK, their last EP 'V Column' was a delight, they're recording more soon, something tells me this is going to be something special indeed.

Awooga

3. Drenge

There's a rash of two piece bands popping up these days and Drenge are easily one of the best, having seen them live, they wiped the floor with both bands that followed with they're noisy grunge styled rock. Their debut album in August should prove to be quite a listen.

Drenge

4. GOD DAMN

I've already been raving about these guys for a while, download their free new EP 'Heavy Money' to see whats so special, there's nothing more i can say about this band.

GOD DAMN

5. Baby Godzilla

This band should legally be judged too insane to be a band, never the less they continue to destroy crowds (literally) at every opportunity, just don't expect to see them on stage much, the picture above says it all. What do they sound like, previous single was a good mix of technical metal mixed with a bit of sea shanty.

Baby Godzilla

6. Hawk Eyes

Leeds own noise rock, previously known as Chickenhawk, last years 'Ideas' album was a stormer and their new pledge EP 'That's What This Is' promises to be something special judging by the demos.

Hawk Eyes

7. Jonnythefirth / Crybabycry

Whether tearing up the stage as a one man band, or dueting with the sultry Rosie Doonan as part of Crybabycry, Jonny Firth is a name to remember, debut solo album 'Broken Bones' already has people talking and something tells me the forthcoming crybabycry album will cement his reputation.

Crybabycry

8. The Thespians

Strokesesque simplistic rock n roll but relocated to Liverpool, debut album 'Haven't You Heard?' is due later in the year and something tells me this band will be going on to bigger and better things.

The Thespians

9. Mallory Knox

One of my favourite albums of this year so far in 'Signals' huge choruses, massive riffs, Mallory Knox are surely headed for bigger things.

Mallory Knox

10. Palm Reader

"We are Palm Reader. We play loud. We play heavy. We play hard. We play fast." says it all really, heavy as fuck and brilliant for it.

Palm Reader

11. Red Kite

Former Cooper Temple Clause member Daniel Fisher's new band, beautifully haunting is probably the best description of their music, amazing is another. Brilliant band.

Red Kite

12. TOY

Psychedelic, LOUD, Droney, Hairy, Brilliant! just a few words to describe TOY who have been touring relentlessly for the last year, in the vein of Ringo Deathstarr and that ilk but so much better.

TOY

13. Blame

There's a real 90's grunge resurgence going on at the moment and a good thing too, Blame could be the band to lead the pack, huge melodies, fuzzed up guitars, hell one of the them looks like Evan Dando and Kurt Cobain mixed for christsakes, did i mention they were brilliant, now i just need to get a proper copy of their album which seems to be rarer than rocking horse shit.

Blame

14. Dead Sons

Formed from the ashes of Sheffield's Milburn, containing that bands knack for a catchy chorus but mixed with a much dirtier bluesy style, plus you can can get their new album for a fiver.

Dead Sons

15. Carnabells

Yorkshire's own rocknroll runaway train, having caught these guys live recently and listened to their last EP 'She's A Rollercoaster' with the right breaks they could go on to huge things and next EP 'The Ramshackle Rattle' could likely prove to be that break.

Carnabells

16. Denim Snakes

I read a year or so back that Russell Toomey was resurrecting My Red Cell and then they went quite i was pissed off, but then out of nowhere he's got new band Denim Snakes and all is forgiven, it would be a disgrace if this was his 3rd criminally overlooked band and their debut album due soon should rectify this.

Denim Snakes

17. The Chapman Family

The Chapman Family seem more like a cult than a band these days, a cult you must join, it's rare these days to see a band get better with each release, but new single 'This One's For Love' is their best yet, surely we can expect a new album before long.

The Chapman Family

18. Wet Nuns

Another two-piece but this time much heavier, like Sabbath heavy, with their knack for turning bluesy riffs to metal, the last few singles have been head turning, their debut album due in the Autumn should be immense, people say there's no good new music these days, people need to stop being lazy.

Wet Nuns

19. Hey! Hello!

Sugar coated rock, Ginger Wildheart teams up with Victoria Liedtke for one of the surprise albums of last year/this year depending if you pledged for it or not, no one was expecting this album to be as good as it was, cynics!

Hey! Hello!

20. Bloody Mammals

More noise rock this time from that there London, file under Baby Godzilla and Palm Reader style and a whole new noisy scene seems to be forming right before our eyes, love it.

Bloody Mammals

21. Marmozets

Another band who just seem to get better with each release, and louder, like a faster louder Yeah Yeah Yeahs, like they used to be, i have to check out this band live soon.

Marmozets

22. Deadcuts

Mark Keds new band, here's hoping they release more than previous band 'The Lams' one album in about 10 years! Talent like Mark's shouldn't be wasted and the Deadcuts seem to be working a bit harder, lovely dark rock.

Deadcuts

23. The Ghost Riders In The Sky

the 2nd Carter brother to leave Gallows and after hearing first single 'What Could Be' you've got to feel he's not regretting the decision, Ghost Riders could go on to massive things based on just hearing this song alone.

The Ghost Riders In The Sky

24. Axis Of

Northern irish punkrock, catchy as hell, new album 'Finding St Kilda' is destined to make numerous end of year lists. ideally i'd make a mix of all these bands but that would be illegal.

Axis Of

25. The Catharsis

Extremely pissed off would be a good description of Catharsis, along with brutal as fuck and other such adjectives, but extremely talented would also make the list. Not for everyone's tastes but if you like it heavy then look no further than new album 'Romance'.

The Catharsis

26. Corrections House

Another Mike IX Williams of Eyehategod fame project, this ones pretty out there, previous single 'Hoax The System' showed off just how out there, tribal drumming over pummelling riffs, and whats sounds like someone predicting the end of the world, with a full length due by Halloween, i'm pretty fucking excited about this one.

Corrections House

27. Daylight

They might have been going for a few years now but only just releasing their debut has allowed Daylight to hone their 90's alt rock sound to a T, new album 'Jar' even looks like it was released in the grunge heyday

Daylight

28. Northlane

Australia's latest metal offering, Northlane have just released 2nd album 'Singularity' like a mixture of Bring Me The Horizon and Parkway Drive, it's an unrelenting assault, and at times catchy as hell.

Northlane

29. Rat Attack

Self described as Party Punk, and that's exactly what they are, with huge catchy hooks and positive lyrics, Rat Attack are standing out in a field of negativity, just enjoying themselves.

Rat Attack

30. Wounds

Another punkrock band with massively catchy songs, again from Ireland, signed to one of the best labels a band can be In At The Deep End, debut album 'Die Young' is 10 class tunes of punknroll.

WOUNDS

31. Charly Coombes

Previously of 22-20's when they were brilliant, then a few EP's as Charly Coombes and The New Breed, and now finally were due to get a solo album from this extremely talented singer/songwriter, i'll be stalking his webpage till it's released.

Charly Coombes

32. John Coffey

Loud rocknroll from the Netherlands, last years 'Bright Companions' album broke into my top 20 of the year it was that impressive, if only they'd make it over to the UK

John Coffey

33. Pigs

Brutal evil sick music from Unsane members, also managed to have the best album cover art of last year, i don't see these guys making a massive go of it as touring seems to be rare but here's hoping they keep releasing albums.

PIGS

34. Slaves

Another twopiece of raw rock and punk, a bit more gruff than the others but well worth checking out, if they're up north any time soon i'll be making it to one of their shows.

Slaves

35. The Death Rays Of Ardilla

ANOTHER twopiece, and like Drenge brothers, this time with a little more garage rock of old, check out their cover of Jack The Ripper on youtube, another band i can see going far.

The Death Rays Of Ardilla

36. Deap Vally

Hot grungy rocknroll twopiece, whats not to like, it's like an all female White Stripes, there's a lot more GOOD female rock bands coming up these days it's a great thing.

Deap Vally

37. Huw Costin

Another amazing singer/songwriter Huw Costin has just released 2nd album 'Something/Nothing' which somehow has managed to improve on his 'Regrets' debut, you want melody and thought provoking then try both albums now.

Huw Costin

Torn Sail

38. Turbogeist

Another noisy thrashy band laced with hooks and melody a plenty, new mini album 'Ancient Secrets' should introduce them to a much bigger fanbase, hopefully it's just the start of things.

Turbogeist

39. Savages

Another example of a new wave of great female bands, Savages carry the same vibe as Joy Division or Berlin era Bowie, very cold yet catchy

Savages

40. Bleached

More fuzzy bleached rock from the Clavin sisters, scuzzy and catchy as hell, new album 'Ride Your Heart' is pure bliss

Bleached

So there you have 40 bands to check out, if you can't find something you like out of this lot then you should stop listening to music altogether, and you sicken me.

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