Dante - Sermons

1. Who?

Dante are a Scottish indie folk rock band. Sermons (April’18) is a single from their second album I Wear Your Weight With Mine (March’18).

2. What?

Earnest and emotive jangly guitar rock. A Celtic tinge, a snappy riff in a lovely wee chorus, and concise. No fat on the bone here.

3. Who do Dante sound like?

The National, Gang of Youths, and Frightened Rabbit.

4. What have the press said about Sermons?

“Soaring strings and an engaging lyrical storytelling” – Fortitude.

“A philosophical lyric with yet another irresistible chorus” – Soundlab.

“Memorable hooks and big, big chorus” – Fame.

5. Which bands have influenced Dante?

They have mentioned some love for Frightened Rabbit offshoot Owl John.


6. Why should I listen?

Because you like emotive jangle indie rock with flecks of Celtic folk.


7. Do Dante have any other good songs?

Rose. 

8. And?  

I Wear Your Weight With Mine was produced and mixed by Frightened Rabbit’s guitarist Andy Monaghan.

‘So am I bringing you down?

With all my pissing around,

Treating songs like they were sermons on the mound”

Members from Frightened Rabbit, The Editors, and Minor Victories banded together to make the side project Mastersystem. The Enlightenment is the second single from their debut album Dance Music (April'18). The Enlightenment fuses Scott Hutchison's Americana/ folk influences (Wilco, Belle & Sebastian, Ryan Adams) with a gritty sound fthat comes from his love for bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.

“And I know you, you made a difference”

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Holy Mountain

1.    Who are they?

Noel Gallagher was the guitar player in Oasis. Between 1991 and 2009 Oasis had eight number one singles and eight number one albums in the U.K. They sold over 70 million albums and created the most iconic song of the generation, Wonderwall. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds include three former members of Oasis. Holy Mountain (Oct'17) is the lead single from their third album Who Built The Moon (Nov'17). The album debuted at number one in the U.K.

2. What kind of song?

Holy Mountain is a retro- pop rocker that bubbles along with horns and a driving drum beat. Infectious, disposable, nonsense. Barn dance music.

3. Who do they sound like?

Stereophonics' (C'est la Vie) , and Slade.

4. What have the press said? 

“No track by Noel has ever been so catchy” – Music and Other Thingz.

“Irresistible” – Paste.

“Glam-slammed rumble” – Pitchfork.

5. Who are Noel's influences?

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Sex Pistols, and The Kinks.

6. Why should I give the tune a spin?

The critics consensus is this album is the best work Noel has done post-Oasis. Because you like 1950's rock'n'roll.

7. Do they have any other bangers?

In The Heat Of The Moment.

8. Any more words?

David Holmes produced Who Built The Moon? He has re-mixed songs by Primal Scream, U2, and Manic Street Preachers.

“Come get to know me like the back of your hand”

Liam Gallagher was the singer in Oasis. He has made three albums since, two with Beady Eye and one on his own. Liam's third album As You Were (Oct'17) entered the U.K charts at number one. You Better Run is an album stand out. It has a stomping beat, some aggression and harks back to T.Rex and Oasis.

“Well I’m gonna steal your thunder,

You better run, you better hide”

Goodbye Blue Monday - Take Your Pills

1. Who are they?

A Scottish punk rock band. Pop punk if you must. From Glasgow and playing together since 2013. Take Your Pills (Jan'18) is from their E.P. The Sickness, The Shame (Feb'18).


2. What kind of tasty treat?

Angry punk with a shout along chorus, meaty riffs, a breakdown and all the frills. No lacking of twists and turns. Intelligent rock.


3. Who do Goodbye Blue Monday sound like?

The Menzingers, The Flatliners, and Red Radio City.


4. What is the word from the press?

“The worst I can say is I wish there was more” – Dying Scene.

“It’s got everything I want in punk rock” – Colin’s Punk Rock World.

“Barnstormer of a chorus laid over some intricate verses” – Punk Online.

5. Which bands do they like?

They are influenced by Dillinger Four, The Menzingers, Against Me!, The Flatliners, and Alkaline Trio.


6. Why should I listen?

Because you love your punk with something interesting to say and a clever way of saying it. Because you pogo in basements. Because you create the bandwagon.


7. Have they got any more bangers?

Title track The Sickness, The Shame.

8. Any last words?

Get in on this band early doors.

The Woahnows are an indie punk (noisy pop) band from Plymouth, England. They have been playing together since 2012. They have been compared to Husker Du, and The X-Certs, but I'm feeling more Australian punk like Royal Headache. Life In Reverse is from their debut album Understanding and Everything Else (2015). Wait for it because it starts out grungy and works up to shout-along.

DZ Deathrays - Shred For Summer

1. Who?

DZ Deathrays are punk band from Brisbane, Australia. Shred For The Summer (Aug'17) is the lead single from their third album Bloody Lovely (Feb'18).

2. What?

A retro-grunge banger in the style of Jane's Addiction.

3. Who do they sound like?

Jane's Addiction, Death From Above 1979, and Led Zeppelin. 

4. What have the plastic punchers said?

“Like a supersonic fighter jet made of buzzsaws” – Wall Of Sound.

“Fist-pumping crowd-pleaser” – The Music. 

"Fast becoming a cult classic in the bar” – Belushis. 

5. Who do DZ Deathrays dig?

Motley Crue, Megadeath, The Bronx, Arctic Monkeys, and The Offspring.


6. Why should I give Shred For Summer a crack?

Because you like Jane's Addiction.


7. Do they have any other bangers?

Total Meltdown is from the same album and Gina Works At Hearts is the oldie but a goodie. Blood On My Leather is a nice take on the Beastie Boys.


8. Any more words? 

DZ Deathrays were thrown off the stage at the 2012 SXSW for playing too loudly.

“Listen to metal,

You let your hair,

Whip round in circles”

Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day has put together a side project called The Longshot. It's nothing to get excited about - a looser, poppier, more juvenile Green Day. Fun. Their debut album is Love Is For Losers (April'18) and this is the least embarrassing of the lot. The lead work is nice. Man the dude is evergreen. 

“Piss stains and cigarettes,
this party is getting dull”

Ezra Furman - Love You So Bad

1.    Who’s the dude?

Ezra Furman is an indie rock musician from Chicago, Illinois. He has been making music since 2006. Love You So Bad (Nov'17) is the lead single from his seventh album Transangelic Exodus (Feb'18).

2. What's the tune about?

Love You So Bad is alternative Americana. Slightly quirky, orchestral, homeland rock.

3. Who does he sound like?

Lou Reed/Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, and John 'Cougar' Mellencamp.

4. What have the sycophants in the press said?

“Just a good song” – Spin.

“Retro” – AV Club.

“An upbeat song of unrequited love” – Homework Horse.

5. Which bands float Ezra's boat?

The big influences are Green Day, The Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, and The Strokes.

6. Why should I give Love You So Bad a listen?

Ezra Furman's star is in the ascendency and this song is part of the reason why.

7. Does he have any more bangers?

Suck The Blood From My Wound is another great one from the latest album.

8. Any more words?

No.

“Sneaking cigarettes under the football bleachers baby, so bad”

Andrew W.K. is famous for (quietly intelligent) hard rocking party music. He is a classically trained musician and has worked as a motivational speaker and as an advice columnist. I Don't Know Anything (March'18) is from his fifth studio album and Punk News thought it sounded like Europe's Final Countdown meets Bruce Springsteen.

“I don’t know the truth, I don’t know the way”