WATERS - Hiccups

1.    Who are WATERS?

WATERS are an indie pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. Hiccups (Feb’17) is the lead single from their third album Something More! (May’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Hiccups? 

Hiccups has a pop-punk edge married to the usual feel good, sunshiny, indie-pop singalong chorus. A light-hearted pleasure.

3. Who do WATERS sound like?

Grouplove, New Politics and Mother Mother. 

4. What have the press said about Hiccups?

“Modern take on classic grunge” – The Celebrity Café.

“Power-pop sneer” – Black Book.

“Y’all killed it” – You Tube Comments.

 

5. Which bands have influenced WATERS?

WATERS main influences are Modest Mouse, Weezer, Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana. 

6. Why should I listen to WATERS? 

Because you are young or at least young at heart. Because you don't mind a little pop-punk. 

7. What are WATERS best songs? 

Got To My Head, What's Real and I Feel Everything.

8. Any more words?

Something More! is produced by Tim Pagnotta (New Politics, Neon Trees, Walk The Moon). 

“All of my hiccups,

Only brought me to you”

New Politics are a pop-punk band from Copenhagen, Denmark. They have recorded three albums and sound similar to The Royal Concept, Young The Giant and Youngblood Hawke.  New Politics are influenced by 30 Seconds To Mars, Nirvana and Arctic Monkeys. Harlem was the lead single from their third album A Bad Girl In Harlem (2015). Sputnik Music called the tune “uproarious.”

“Hair metal on a Japanese boom box”

Dude York - Love Is

1.    Who are Dude York?

Dude York are a power pop/punk band from Seattle, Washington. Love Is (Feb’17) is the third single from their second album Sincerely (Feb’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Love Is? 

Love Is feels like a tight, broke, stripper's ass grinding on your hard-on while you sit on the couch. Both sweet joy and an itch you can't scratch until later. An addictive, muscular riff is front and center while Claire England's anguished vocals tell a familiar tale of falling for the wrong guy. A grungy anthem full of pathos. 

3. Who do Dude York sound like? 

Tacocat, Beverly and Hole. 

4. What have the press said about Love Is? 

“A blown-out anthem” – Stereogum. 

“A thunderstorm from start to finish” – The Grey Eye States. 

“Anthemic” – Brooklyn Vegan. 

5. Which bands influenced Dude York?

Some of their influences are Paramore, Elvis Costello, Weezer and The Misfits. 

6. Why should I give Love Is a fair crack of the whip? 

Because you love a fat riff. Because you like Riot Grrrl bands. 

7. What are Dude Love's best songs? 

Give Tonight a whirl. It's a cracker. Black Jack is a doozy too. 

8. Any more fluff? 

Sincerely was produced by John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Los Campesinos). 

“Some guy is holding my hand,

And he’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen”

The Hard Aches are a punk rock band from Adelaide, Australia. They have one album and two E.P.'s in the vault. The Hard Aches sound like The Dune Rats, Against Me! and The Smith Street Band. They are big fans of PUP. I Get Like This is the lead single from their debut album Pheromones (2015). I Get Like This is anthemic, heart-on-your-sleeve, farts in the bed honest, punk rock. And as catchy as chlamydia. 

“But I get like this,

When I get fucked up”

Low Cut Connie - Rock'n'Roll Revolution

1.    Who are Low Cut Connie? 

Low Cut Connie are an indie rock’n’roll band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They have been playing together since 2010 and are famous for their high energy live shows and general debauchery. Rock’N’Roll Revolution (Feb’17) is the lead single from their fourth album Dirty Pictures (Part 1) (May'17). 

2. What kind of song is Rock'n'Roll Revolution? 

Rock'n'roll Revolution is good times rock'n'roll, piano-led, with bluesy vocals and saturated in a miasma of sex, drugs, booze and rock'n'roll. Done and dusted in the magic three minutes this tune is concise, orgiastic, grand and vital. 

3. Who do Low Cut Connie sound like? 

Jerry Lee Lewis, J Roddy Ralston & The Business and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.

4. What have the press said about Rock'n'Roll Revolution? 

“Kicking up some dust right out of the gates” – Daily Play MPE.

“Blasts it’s way through singalong chorus’ and big riffs” – Back Seat Mafia. 

“Low Cut Connies rips shit up” – Daily Play MPE.

5. Which bands influenced Low Cut Connie? 

They like Little Richard, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen. 

6. Why should I give Rock'n'Roll Revolution?

Because you love 50's rock'n'roll. Because you are a hedonist. 

7. What are Low Cut Connie's best songs? 

Rock'n'roll Revolution takes the gold but Shake It Little Tina is more of the same good times and well good for the silver. 

8. Any more words? 

The band are named after a waitress the singer/piano player Adam Weiner often saw at a diner when he was young and his appreciation for her dresses. 

“Touch my body, touch my soul,

Revolution rock’n’roll”

Alex The Astronaut is Alex Lynn from Sydney, Australia, but fighting out of New York City. She is a folk-tronic musician and has only released a handful of singles since her debut in 2016. Alex is similar to The Waifs and Little Birdy. She is influenced by Paul Kelly, Lorde and Bob Dylan. Already Home (Dec'17) is an instantly lovable story-telling song in the indie folk/pop tradition but with gravitas from the swelling strings and stinging lyrics.

“And there’s billionaires for president,

And parking fines at hospitals”

Autonomics - Southern Funeral

1. Who are Autonomics? 

Autonomics are a garage/power pop band from Portland, Oregon. They have been making music since 2008. Southern Funeral (Feb'17) is the second single from their debut album Debt Sounds (March'17). 

2. What kind of tune is Southern Funeral? 

Southern Funeral rattles along in a hurry to the finish line, melding old school indie rock to a modern indie pop chorus. Short, snappy and with a little fire in it's belly. 

3. Who do Autonomics sound like? 

The Thermals, The Dandy Warhols and Wavves. 

4. What have the press said about Southern Funeral? 

“Fricken awesome” – Facebook Comments.

“Cool song” – You Tube Comments.

“I fucking like it” – You Tube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced Autonomics?

Their main influences are Wavves, The Strokes, The Killers and Japandroids. 

6. Why should I listen to Autonomics? 

Because you want to get on the ground floor of a great band on the rise; the best band out of Portland since The Dandy Warhols. 

7. What are Autonomics' best songs? 

The first single from the new album is their best by a country mile. Superfuzz is the song you need. A solid rocking party anthem that sounds like Weezer and The Dandys. Fucking quality. You Had Me At Surf Punk is sound as a pound too. 

8. Any more words? 

Pass.

“I’m no hero anymore”

WILD are a folk/indie pop band from Los Angeles, California. They have released an album and a string of singles. WILD sound like Of Monsters and Men, The Lumineers and The Strumbellas. They are influenced by St Lucia, Bryce Fox and Young The Giant. Hold Us Together (Feb'17) is chest-pounding, vacuous, top 40 shite. It's also as catchy as a frat boy's communal wank mitt. A guilty pleasure.

“Give me the song inside your soul”

Generationals - Keep It Low

1.    Who are Generationals? 

Generationals are an indie pop rock band from New Orleans, Louisiana. They started in 2008 and have recorded four albums. Generationals marry a fifties and sixties sound with 80's New Wave. Keep It Low (Feb'17) is a stand alone single. 

2. What kind of tune is Keep It Low?

Keep It Low is an atmospheric, mid-tempo, number. Sweet vocals and gruff strokes of guitar and synth in a low-key song that grows on you. 

3. Who do Generationals sound like? 

STRFKR, Ra Ra Riot and JR JR. 

4. What have the press said about Keep It Low? 

“Fuzzy, catchy” – Amawaster.

“Darker” – KCOU FM.

“Thick, fuzzy” – Spin.

5. Which bands influenced Generationals? 

Some of their main influences are The Kinks, Spoon, The Supremes, Phil Spector and Fleetwood Mac. 

6. Why should I listen to Keep It Low? 

Because it encapsulates melancholic and nostalgia with an ever so slight edge. 

7. What are Generationals best songs? 

I Never Know and Ten-Twenty-Ten are laid-back, quirky rock'n'roll songs. When They Fight They Fight is all early Motown. Fucking gems the lot of them. 

8. Any more words? 

Get on with ya. 

“I got tortured for what I done”

The Orwells are the greatest garage rock band to walk God's green earth. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, they have been kicking arse and taking no names since 2009. The Orwells sound like Twin Peaks and The Stooges and are influenced by The Pixies and The White Stripes. Their third album Terrible Human Beings (Feb'17) is a mature effort. The third single Black Francis (Jan'17) brings a slice of 60's garage to the table and then lets the punk rip. Slant Magazine said the album has “an unhinged sense of mayhem” and Line Of Best Fit described Black Francis as “incendiary.”

“And where they from,

It ain’t that rough”

The Magic Gang - How Can I Compete

1.    Who are The Magic Gang? 

The Magic Gang are an indie pop rock band from Brighton, England. They have been playing together since 2013 and have recorded two E.P's. How Can I Compete (Feb'17) is a stand alone single for now but a third E.P. is promised for April. 

2. What kind of song is How Can I Compete? 

How Can I Compete is bouncy, bubbly and juvenile pop rock. Sticky as a plumbers crack in summer though. Breezy, feel good, nonsense. 

3. Who do The Magic Gang sound like? 

Weezer-lite, Wolf Alice and The Big Moon. 

4. What have the puppets in the press said about How Can I Compete?

“A big ol’ arms-round-yer-mate moment” – DIY.

“Bouncy, infectious” – The Edge. 

“Jagged college-rock guitars and pounding drums” – Redbrick. 

5. Which bands put the bang in The Magic Gang? 

Some of their main influences are The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Oasis, Queen and Joy Division. 

6. Why should I listen to How Can I Compete? 

Because you like old time rock'n'roll. 


7. What are the best The Magic Gang songs?

All This Way is sweet whimsy with a killer chorus. Jasmine is all shuffling melody and handclaps. Check out the singalong of the chorus in the breakdown. No Fun is a grungy rocker. Pixies meets Weezer by way of Nirvana. 

8. Any more words muppet?

Hugo White of The Maccabees produced How Can I Compete. 

“Exit out the same way you came”

The Smith Street Band are an iconic punk band from Melbourne, Australia. They have been playing together since 2010 and have recorded four albums. They sound similar to PUP, The Drones, Against Me! and The Hard Aches. The Smith Street Band are influenced by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Kelly and Billy Bragg. They recorded a song in 2015 called Wipe That Shit-Eating Grin Off Your Punchable Face protesting the Australian Prime Minister and his policies to asylum seekers. Proceeds went to asylum seekers. The Smith Street Band's fourth album More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me (April'17) has spawned two great singles already, Death To The Lads (Nov'16) and Birthdays (Feb'17). Both songs feature the exceptionally honest story-telling qualities of the songwriting, and attention to detail, that set The Smith Street Band's music apart from the others. 2017 will bring better songs than Birthdays but none that are better written, that's for fucking sure.

“Spent the morning cleaning my room”

Wintersleep - Spirit

1. Who are Wintersleep? 

Wintersleep are an indie rock band from Halifax, Canada. The band started in 2001 and Spirit (July'16) is the second single from their sixth album The Great Detachment (March'16). 

2. What kind of song is Spirit? 

Spirit is instantly contagious, radio friendly, mainstream indie rock with a big, ebullient, all in chorus and a touch of indie folk/rock crossover to the tune. A lovely little bass hook bubbles underneath this chest-pounding crowd pleaser. 

3. Who do Wintersleep sound like? 

Arkells, Frightened Rabbit and The Strumbellas. 

4. What have the press said about Spirit? 

“Raw energy and intensity” – Dusty Organ. 

“Americana rock” – Hear And Now Media.

“A liberating feel-good anthem” – Montreal Rocks.

5. Which bands have influenced Wintersleep?

Their main influences are Neil Young, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr, Radiohead and Black Mountain. 


6. Why should I give Spirit a listen? 

Because you love chest-thumping mainstream indie with an all-together chorus. 


7. What are Wintersleep's best songs? 

Amerika is head and shoulders above the rest and once Orca warms up it rocks harder than a jail house rapist's erection. 


8. Any more blather?

The Great Detachment is produced by Tony Doogan (Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai and Super Furry Animals).

“Caught in the spirit of our time”

The Super Furry Animals are a psychedelic Britpop band from Cardiff, Wales. They started making music in 1993 and are still going strong. They were contempories of bands like Stereophonics, Catatonia, Primal Scream and Teenage Fanclub. (Drawing) Rings Around The World was the title track from Super Furry Animals' fifth album Rings Around The World (2001). Rings Around The World was the bands most successful album, critically and commercially, and made it to number 3 on the U.K. album charts. Drowned In Sound called it, “Dreamy. Experimental. Schizophrenic. Bizarre.”

“You expose the film in me”