YAK - Harbour The Feeling

 



1.    Who got what?

YAK are a psych rock band from London, England. They have been doing the do for a couple of years now. Harbour The Feeling (Jan’16) is the second single from the long player Alas Salvation (May’16).


2. What are YAK slinging?

Harbour The Feeling saunters out of their corner swinging big guitars riffs and in no hurry to hit the showers early. Harbour The Feeling bobs and weaves repetitious garage rock that is pure addiction for fans of the recent English rock’n’roll renaissance.  A statement of intent from another English band punching above their weight. YAK ain't no trippers.


3. Who do YAK sound like?

YAK swim in the same pool as Asylums and Spring King.


4. What’s the goodword from our friends in the press?

“As fast and furious as they come” – DIY.

“A scuzzed up barrage of grinding rifs and primal percussion” – The Line Of Best Fit.

“Riot inducing frenzy” – Monster Children.
 

5. Who put the shine on YAK’s boots?

YAK are influenced by Can, Clinic, Spacemen3, Todd Rungren and Lonnie Donegan or early electronic, Al Green, Turkish psychedelia, Suicide, Elvis Presley, Nick Cave and The Birthday Party, depending on which interview you read.

 
6. Why should I give Harbour The Feeling a butchers?

YAK are taking care of the business of rock'n'roll and business is good. Harbour The Feeling goes park off a bat swung in anger and isn't off kilter with English punk or West Coast garage. You'll be lacing up the boots after this one.


7. Do YAK have anymore bangers?

Give Victorious (National Anthem) a lash. It sounds like the Daleks formed a punk band.


8. Any more words fool?

YAK are signed to Jack White’s Third Man Records.

YAK have made friends and influenced people, warming the stage for supergroup The Last Shadow Puppets, Palma Violets, Beck and The Strokes.

YAK frontman and guitarist Oli Burslem tells a funny story about respectfully taking the piss out of Courtney Taylor from The Dandy Warhols that is worth the time of day.

“I’d sell my soul if I could”

 

 

Chinese Watermelon (Oct’15) is an installment of Riot Girl influenced grunge rock. White Lung and Pink Mountaintops came together as Pink Lung for a one-off single and was released on a mixed artists compilation, Cons EP V.3. Chinese Watermelon was called, “punk rock ruckus” by Exclaim.

“Give me that government good stuff”

  

Fitz And The Tantrums - HandClap

1.    Who are these fine folk?

Fitz And The Tantrums are an indie pop/neo soul band from Los Angeles, California. Bubbling away since 2008 they have three long players on their resume. HandClap (March’16) pops off their third, the lead single for the self-titled Fitz And The Tantrums (June’16).

2. What have Fitz And The Tantrums served up?

HandClap is a bouncy pop number with handclaps. Funky fun.

3. Who are Fitz And The Tantrums similar to?

HandClap is like Parachute's, Crave. Generally Fitz and The Tantrums are similar to Maroon 5.

4. What have the bandits in the press said about HandClap?

 “R&B rhythms and soulful vocals with a glossy pop sheen” – L.A. Weekly.

“Spitfire verses and a surging, skyward hook” – Entertainment Weekly.

“A hooky true-to-formula dance number” – Buzzbands L.A.

5. Which bands put Fitz And The Tantrums’ tunes on the good foot?

Fitz and The Tantrums are influenced by Motown, especially Marvin Gaye, and 80’s soul music.



6. Why should I give HandClap a whip past the ears?

HandClap is a golden pop moment with bounce and may just become one of your guilty pleasures.


7. Do Fitz And The Tantrums have any more pop treasures?

They so do. Checkout The Walker or Out Of My League.


8. Any more words fool?

HandClap was produced by Ricky Reed of Wallpaper and the rest of the new album is produced by Jesse Shatkin who has put shoulder to the wheel for Matt and Kim, Sia and Foster The People.

“Somebody save your soul, cause you’ve been sinning in the city, I know”

It would be rude to go past Wallpaper for the second innings. Wallpaper are a hip hop slash pop band from Oakland, California, led by mulit-instrumentalist, producer and M.C. Ricky Reed. Wallpaper have been kicking arse and taking the piss hard since 2008 and have two long players on their roll of honor. Hesher (2014) bounced big off the second album Ricky Reed Is Real (2013) an album Faded Industry said, “fuses hip-hop pop, and dance music in a carefree, sometimes pointed, fashion.”

“Steel toe docs tracking mud in the club,

Red carpet, don’t give a fuck”

Get Inuit - Pro Procrastinator

1.    Who are these hard chargers?

Get Inuit are a dirty pop band from Kent, England, bashing out the tunes since 2013.

Pro Procrastinator (Nov’15) races off the band’s EP Luge Lessons (Oct'15).

2. What kind of tune are Get Inuit blazing?

Pro Procrastinator is an English guitar pop epic that ratchets up to punk attack and settles into an epic hard rocker with a gang singalong breakdown.

3. Who do Get Inuit ride with?

Get Inuit are playing Birmingham in April with Vant and Blossoms. Peace and Weezer kick around similar sandpits.

4. What have the cut and paste merchants said?

“An anthem for anyone looking to turn up the tempo. Play it loud. Play it proud” – The Line Of Best Fit.

“Choppy, serrated guitars team up with front man Jamie Glass’ super-sharp vocal” – DIY.

“Packs the hardest punch” – Emerging Indie Bands.

 

5. Which bands have influenced Get Inuit?

Get Inuit gave the  big up to Bully, Blondie, VANT, Weezer, FIDLAR and Vampire Weekend.

6. Why should I give Pro Procrastinator a lashing?

Pro Procrastinator nails the variations from bouncy English guitar pop to punk venom and 90's indie rock bombast. Pro Procrastinator kicks harder than ice on the pin.


7. What other belters have Get Inuit served?

My Oh My is a garage banger and won't leave you hanging.


8. Anything else?

Get Inuit have fluffed for Broken Hands, PUP and DZ Deathrays.

“I can quit when I wanna”

Blossoms are a psych rock band from Stockport, Manchester, England. At Most A Kiss (Jan'16) is a number one U.K. Vinyl Hits song in March'16 and rampaged off the E.P. of the same name. Blossoms have influences like The Doors, The Smiths and The Arctic Monkeys. The Guardian said At Most A Kiss is “indicative of their love of both buoyant synth melodies, unvarnished glam rock and epic 00’s indie pop.”
 

“Into the abyss we’ll climb”

 

 

England's 3 Hottest Punk Bands in 2015 In 3 Songs

1.    Asylums – Missing Persons.

Asylums are from Southend-on-Sea, London, and started kicking arse and taking names in December of 2014.  Necessary Appliances  (March’15) is the new song you can hear on Soundcloud and it rips everyone a new one. Little Indie Blogs call it, “Adrenaline charged exuberance,” and We Close Tonight reckoned Necessary Appliances has, “top quality riffs and emotive lyrics on hand to get you up and smashing windows.”
 

Asylums describe their music as, “the pop hooks of mid-90’s indie via the fuzzy guitars of late 80’s American underground rock.” Singer and guitarist Luke Branch says the bands that influenced him most as a nipper were David Bowie, Dinosaur Jr. and Supergrass. The best banger from Asylums is Missing Persons (Oct'15).

“Let’s go missing”

 

 

 

 

2. Crows – Pray.

 

Crows are from North London and have been taking care of business since May, 2013. Unwelcome Light (March'16) is the new EP and has a bevy of top notch songs. Silent Forest comes off that short player with force and fury, a wailing tune from an EP that DIY said, “Whacks, a petrol-soaked rag in the neck and sets everything ablaze.”  Silent Forest is on Soundcloud.


Crows have been described by Beat Magazine as similar to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and they have also been compared to Wolf Alice and Slaves. Crows debut single Pray (Feb’15) is their finest banger. Brace Yourself nailed Crows colors to the mast, Pray is “bloodthirsty and blunt like a fist wrapped in barbed wire.”

“His crooked mouth, his jagged teath,

And his bloodshot eyes,hypnotise”

 

 

 

 

3. Nai Harvest – Just Like You.

 

 

Nai Harvest are a punk duo from Sheffield who have been belting them out since 2011. Nai Harvest's most popular tune is the more introspective offering Ocean Of Madness (April'15). Ocean Of Madness sways off Nai Harvest's second album Hairball (2015) an album Edmdroid thought, “takes sharp turns into hazy garage punk and feedback-laden grunge.”

Nai Harvest have been compared to The Cribs, Wavves and Cloud Nothings. The band have mentioned love for bands like Blink-182, Good Charlotte and Sum 41. Just Like You (Feb'16) is Nai Harvest's finest banger, a double A side and a rollicking number with a big grinding riff that Upset Magazine called a “scuzzy pop gem.”

 

“Do you want all my love?”

 

 

 

Cage The Elephant - Cry Baby

1.    Who are these trippers?

Cage The Elephant are one of the most popular and influential indie rock bands at the minute. Making exciting and eclectic genre hopping anthems since 2006 and hailing from Bowling Green, Kentucky, they have four long players on their roll of majestic honor. Cry Baby is the second single whipped off Tell Me I'm Pretty (Dec'15).


2. What have Cage The Elephant trotted out for your deliction?

Cry Baby is like seventies classic rock. A psych tinged, roiling, and yet ultimately relaxed, indie rocker.


3. Who do Cage The Elephant approximate?

Cry Baby is reminiscent of a Tame Impala tune with a sense of purpose. Black Keys are an obvious reference and so are Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Family Rain.


4. What pearls of wisdom have the fourth estate dropped about Cry Baby?

“Tambourine-flecked rollicking fuzz” – NME.

“Brooding chord progression and slightly melancholic vocal” – Ultimate Guitar.

“Striking indie punk style” – Red Brick.

5. Which bands have lent a hand in shaping the epic fashion of Cage The Elephant?

The main Cage The Elephant influences are The Ramones, The Stooges, Violent Femmes, Chuck Berry and The Rolling Stones.


6. Why should I bring Cry Baby out to trot?

Cry Baby is a cranky serve at some lady and all the better for it. Stewing in niggle Cry Baby isn't a flight of fancy, it is classic, taint punchingly honest, rock'n'roll. Right here, right now, Cry Baby is a glorious and victorious battle won in Cage The Elephant's campaign to attain rock'n'roll immortality.


7. Do Cage The Elephant have any more bangers?

Jesse James is the hidden nugget and then more standard issue fare Mess Around, the first single from Tell Me I'm Pretty, won't leave the people hanging. Ain't No Rest For The Wicked is an indie anthem from an extensive roll of rock hard genius.


8. Any more words fool?

The cut and paste bandits had a circle jerk over the fact that Dan Auerbach, singer and guitarist for The Black Keys, produced and played on the new album Tell Me I'm Pretty.

Dave Grohl drummed on tour for Cage The Elephant in 2011 when their drummer had an illness.

“You say that I’m insane,

I say you are probably right”

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Awake are a melodic punk rock band from South Sydney, Australia. The men have been on the job since 2012, influenced by Millencolin, The Flat Liners, No Use For A Name and Blink-182. Departure Lounge (Sept'15) is the lead single from The Great Awake's debut album Reasons For Leaving (Feb'16). AAA Back Stage said Departure Lounge has “a full throttle, standout chorus full of great singalong potential,” and another Ocker thought it’s “a good ‘n honest slug of Australian punk rock.”

“We sang along to the drunken songs,

And the strangers that shared the streets”

 

 

 

 

Bear Hands - Marathon Man

1.    Who is hiding and don’t they know the law won?

Bear Hands are a post-punk electronic band from Brooklyn, New York. Playing since 2006 they have three long players on their resume. Marathon Man (March’16) is the second single to bounce off their third long player You’ll Pay For This (April’16).


2. What kinda loot do we have?

Marathon Man is a song that bears repeat plays to dig right into the heart of the musical beast. A strong indie rocker that twists like a snake on hot tarmac and it packs a powerful  bite.


3. Who do Bear Hands sound like?

Marathon Man sounds inbetween New Politics and Interpol. The band are sometimes compared to Talking Heads and often Modest Mouse.

4. What have the cut and paste merchants said about Marathon Man?

 “As god damn good as ever” – Tiny Little Mixtapes.

“You’re going to love their lastest release” – Infectious Magazine.

“Think your the baddest bitch? Think twice says Bear Hands” – Busted Wallet.

 

5. Which bands make the cut in Bear Hand’s book?

Bear Hands singer and guitarist Dylan Rau has big upped Bob Dylan, The Notorious B.I.G and Chance The Rapper as well as saying punk was the genre he most identified with in high school.


6. Why should I give Marathon Man a whirl?

Marathon Man has more meat on it's bones than Agora, it's more of a feed, and that makes it the second best song Bear Hands have ever written.

 
7. Do Bear Hands have any more standout tunes?

Agora is a masterpiece and got the public's attention.


8. Any more words fool?

You’ll Pay For This was co-produced by James Brown who has worked for The Foo Fighters, Spoon and The Arctic Monkeys. The album is mixed by Alan Moulder who has added the magic to music by Death Cab For Cutie and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

Bear Hands are performing a fifteen city tour with legends Cage The Elephant,Silversun Pickups and Foals this month.

Bassist Val Loper stated Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr and Paul Simonen from The Clash are his favorite bass players.

“Sick of the static, I’m sick of your lies,

Think your the baddest bitch, think twice”

 

 

You can’t pass a mention of the King Of New York without paying homage. Born in 1972 and killed by an unknown assailant at the age of 24, Christopher George Latore Wallace (a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G, Biggie Smalls, Biggie) did it large from 1992–1997 making two massive albums and selling over seventeen million albums just in the United States. Hypnotize (1997) was one of two posthomous number ones with Mo Money Mo Problems and both boxed off the second album Life After Death (1997). Hypnotize has “legendary skills on the mic” and “a singlaong hook that everyone remembers.”
 

 

“Hah, sicker than your average

Poppa twist cabbage off instinct”