TOUTS - Political People

     1.    Who are these whipper snappers?

TOUTS are a punk band from Derry, Ireland. Political People (May'17) is the lead single from their debut E.P. Sickening and Deplorable (May'17).


2.  What kind of tune is Political People?

Classic edgy punk, balls deep in crunching guitar and with caustic vocals. Tight as a nuns cunt.


3. Who do TOUTS sound like?

The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers, and Green Day.

4. What have the press said? 

"A two minute sub-culture anthem" - Indie Is Not A Genre. 

"Switched on and seriously fucking angry" - NME. 

"Raw, sweaty punk at its finest" - King Mob.

5. Which bands have inspired the TOUTS?

Some of their influences are The Clash, The Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones, and The Dubliners. 

6. Why should I give Political People a listen? 

Because you love popular punk with a word to say.

7. What are the TOUTS best tunes? 

Political People is top of the pile but Sold Out is a banger too. 

8. Any more words? 

These lads aren't out of school yet and they are scoring support slots for bands like Kasabian and Paul Weller.

“I hate the same old way”

Benjamin Booker is a blues/boogie/garage/punk rock musician from Virginia Beach, Virginia. His main influences are Gun Club, T.Rex and Blind Willie Johnson. Benjamin Booker's music has been compared to White Stripes, Kings Of Leon, and The Strokes. Right On You (April'17) is the second single from his second album Witness (June'17).  Right On You is an urgent, bluesy, garage rock song that Stereogram praised for its, “swaggering, bluesy strut.”

"I’ll be damned if I don’t get what I want”

Black Lips - Can't Hold On

1.    Who are the Black Lips?

Black Lips are a garage rock band, with a side of bluesy psychedelia, from Atlanta, Georgia. Can’t Hold On (April’17) is the lead single from their eighth album Satan’s Graffiti or Gods Art? (May’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Can't Hold On?

Can't Hold On is a foot to the floor retro-rock song without any frills.

3. Who do the Black Lips sound like? 

Night Beats, The Orwells, and King Tuff.

4. What have the cut and paste jackals said about Can't Hold On? 

“Snarling” – Paste Magazine. 

“As chaotically cathartic as ever” – Stereogum. 

“Shambolic take on garage rock” – Consequence Of Sound.

5. Which bands inspired the Black Lips?

The Black Lips main influences are 13^th Floor Elevators, Led Zeppelin, The Ramones, The Rolling Stones, and Bo Diddley. 


6. Why should I give Can't Hold On a spin? 

Because you like punky garage bands like The Orwells. Because you love retro-rock'n'roll like The Growlers.


7. What are the Black Lips best songs? 

Throw It Away, Take My Heart, and Can't Dance. 


8. Any more words you charlatan?

Satan’s Graffiti or Gods Art? is produced by Sean Lennon (Fat White Family). 

Freedom Fry are a light indie pop duo from Los Angeles, California. Playing together since 2011 they have released a string of E.P.'s and singles. Freedom Fry sound something like Katie Herzig, Blondfire, and STRFKR. Their main influences are Beach House, The Surfaris, and The Ventures. Wild Child (April'17) is a stand alone single and is commercial indie pop with a hint of desert Americana and nostalgic melancholy. Hard not to like though and that's the point.

“Woah, well bless my soul,

Living on love & rock’n’roll”

Deep State - Heavy Lunch

1.    Who are Deep State?

Deep State are a lo-fi, noise-pop, punk, indie-rock band from Athens, Georgia. Heavy Lunch (May’17) is the second single from their second album THOUGHT GARDEN (April’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Heavy Lunch? 

Heavy Lunch veers between basement punk and noise pop while racing along melodically at full-tit. No frills and energetic. 

3. Who do Deep State sound like? 

BRONCHO, The Libertines, and Cloud Nothings.

4. What have the press got to say?

“A high energy rocker that feels akin to the maxed out, lo-fi sprints of WAVVES” – Punk News.

“A deceptively simple, likely centerpiece single” – Best Of New Orleans.  

“Raw, live sound” – Punk Online. 

5. Which bands have inspired Deep State?

Deep State are influenced by Bruce Springsteen, Devo, Fleetwood Mac, State Champion, and Silver Jews.


6. Why should I give Heavy Lunch a listen?

Because you like lo-fi songs that straddle the noise-pop/punk divide. 


7. What are Deep State's best songs?

No Idea Pt. II  is bracing.


8. Any more words? 

Deep State were signed by Chris Watson to Friendship Fever. Chris Watson discovered Dr Dog.

“Sing me a dirge”

The National are an indie rock/post-punk band from Brooklyn, New York (originally Cincinnati, Ohio). They are very popular, their sixth album was Grammy nominated and their last two albums were top five in the U.S. and worldwide. The National sound similar to Interpol, Joy Division, and Wilco. Their influences are Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and The Smiths. The System Only Dreams In Darkness (May'17) is the lead single from their seventh album Sleep Well Beast (Sept'17) and the tune has a bit more bollocks than their usual shtick.

“The system only dreams in darkness,

What are you hiding from me?”

Tunabunny - Incinerate

1.    Who are Tunabunny?

Tunabunny are an eclectic post-punk/pop/rock band from Athens, Georgia. Started in 2008 the band have five albums. Incinerate (May’17) is the lead single from the fifth (double LP) PCP Presents Alice In Wonderland Jr. (June’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Incinerate? 

A low-key indie pop groove with a hypnotic vocal that drives the song. Mellow, yet upbeat, and cool as fuck.

3. Who do Tunabunny sound like? 

Tunabunny have been compared to Sleater-Kinney, Throwing Muses and Gang Of Four. But none of that is similar to this song.

4. What kind of press is Incinerate getting? 

“The presence of both advance intelligence and childlike abandon” – I M Atlanta.

“If you can’t find yourself falling head over heels for this tune, then I think your speakers are broken” – Austin Town Hall.

“Tunabunny are the most important indie band of this decade” – Broadway World. 

5. Which bands inspired Tunabunny? 

They are influenced by Brian Eno and other things like film and literature.


6. Why should I listen to Incinerate? 

Because you love cute phrasing in your vocals. Because you remember another good indie band from Athens, Georgia.


7. What are Tunabunny's best songs? 

Incinerate is the best. Give I Miss You (You Miss Me Yes) a crack though.


8. Any more words?

Nah.

“Drop a match and there she blows”

Mando Diao are a commercially successful alternative rock/garage rock band from Borlange, Sweden. They sound like Franz Ferdinand and The Kooks. Mando Diao are influenced by The Clash and The Doors. Shake (April'17) is a single from their eighth album Good Times (May’17). Shake is a dance rock song. A funky, frolic with a side of indie rock and disco.

“I need somebody to call me honey,

Girl you’ve got me, won’t you take me home”

Nothing But Thieves - Amsterdam

1.    Who are Nothing But Thieves?

Nothing But Thieves are a popular alternative rock band from Southend-on-Sea, England. Their debut album Nothing But Thieves (2015) was top ten in England and sold over 250,000 copies. Amsterdam (May’17) is the lead single from Nothing But Thieves' second album Broken Machine (Sept’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Amsterdam?

Amsterdam is a radio-friendly, modern, alternative rock song that puts steel-capped boots on and goes full tit in the chorus (and wrings-dry the drama from the rest). Amsterdam is the best thing Nothing But Thieves have done to date.

3. Who do Nothing But Thieves sound like?

Foals, Civil Twilight, and Muse.

4. What have the mongrels in the press said about Amsterdam? 

“Catchy as all hell” – Rock Documented.

“A step up in the already stellar quality of Nothing But Thieves music” – Wavebyte.

“Combines their softer sound with an aggressive upbeat chorus” – Beyond The StageMagazine. 

5. Which bands influenced Nothing But Thieves?

Some of their influences are Led Zeppelin, Jeff Buckley, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, and Kings of Leon. 

6. Why should I give Amsterdam a shufty?

Because Nothing But Thieves are one of England's best rock bands at the minute.

7. What are Nothing But Thieves best songs? 

Excuse Me is killer. Wake Up Call and If I Get High strengthen the bands credentials.

8. Any more words? 

Broken Machine is produced by Tim Crossey (Twenty One Pilots, Foals, Arctic Monkeys). 

“So I hit my head against the wall,

Over and over and over and over and over again, and again, and again,

Cause I don’t wanna be like them”

Brick + Mortar are an electronic/indie rock band from Toms River, New Jersey. One Little Pill (April'17) is a single from the E.P. Dropped Again (May'17). Brick + Mortar are similar to River City Extension and Walk The Moon. Some of Brick + Mortar's influences are Animal Collective, The Doors, and Pink Floyd. One Little Pill is a sweet electronic rock song with a big guitar and all-in chorus; and finds the band in stellar form.

“One Little Pill,

To take me straight from sad to happy”