lovelytheband - These Are My Friends

1. Who? 

lovelytheband are an indie pop band from Los Angeles; because of course they are, just look at the name of the band. They have been playing together for two years. Their first single Broken (2017) went to number one in the Billboard alternative charts; because of course it did, just look at these punters. These Are My Friends (May'18) is their follow up and a standalone single at the minute.

2. What kind of song is These Are My Friends? 

These Are My Friends is a languid campfire singalong pop gem with feel good lyrics about acceptance. The tune is voice driven with assistance from acoustic guitar and bombastic drums. A generic, radio-friendly, chest-thumper made for glass-half-full days. 

3. Who do lovelytheband sound like? 

Coast Modern, Dr Dog, and Grouplove. 


4. What is the word about These Are My Friends?

“Summer getaway song” – Verge Campus. 

“Lyrics as honest as they are genuine” – The Feature Story. 

“Catchy, albeit vapid” – YouTube Comments. 

5. Which bands influenced lovelytheband?

Their main influences are Dashboard Confessional, Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Brian Adams, and Bruce Springsteen.


6. Why should I listen to These Are My Friends? 

Because you're looking for mindless playlist filler. Because sometimes style trumps substance. 


7. What other good songs do lovelytheband have? 

Broken doesn't suck donkey dick. 


8. Any more words? 

lovelytheband are out on tour performing fluffer duties for AWOLNATION on their Out Come The Runts tour. 

Dr Dog are an indie rock band from Philladelphia. They have been together since 1999 dabbling in lo-fi, Americana, folk, and psych-rock. Dr Dog are most famous for the Blur-esque song Lonesome. They are similar to Eels, My Morning Jacket and Delta Spirit. Dr Dog's main influences are Neil Young, The Zombies and The Beach Boys. Under The Wheels is an album track from their tenth album Critical Equation (April'18). Under The Wheels is the highlight of the album, a 60's/70's influenced pop-rocker in the mold of Steve Miller.

Mammoth Indigo - Flowers In The Basement

1.    Who?

Mammoth Indigo are an indie rock band from Los Angeles, California, by way of Richmond, Virginia. They started in 2013 and Flowers In The Basement (Jan’18) is the lead single from their second album Wilt (April’18). 


2. What?

An eclectic mélange of influences coalesce in Flowers In The Basement to make a song that makes a slow build until flaring into life with a full-on indie rock out. No big hooks or infectious melodies. File under,“indie as fuck.” This won't be challenging Ed Sheeran for top of the charts. Flowers In The Basement aches with pathos though, and is redolent of a magnificent phoenix's rise.


3. Who do Mammoth Indigo sound like? 

Band of Horses, Cold War Kids, and Grizzly Bear are some comparisons others have made.


4. What have the press said about Flowers In The Basement?

“A busy, yet balanced cut” – Xune Mag. 

 “Quite the rollercoaster” – MP3 Hugger.

 “Poignant and stylistically varied indie rock” – Substream.

5. Which bands have influenced Mammoth Indigo? 

Colour Revolt, emo, post rock, Americana, and alternative are their influences.


6. Why should I give Flowers In The Basement a spin? 

Because there is nothing derivative about it. 


7. Do Mammoth Indigo have any other bangers? 

Check out Whiskey King.


8. Any more info? 

Flowers In The Basement was the top song from the Indie Rock Playlist for March.

Manchester Orchestra are an indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They formed in 2004 and are similar to Brand New, Radical Face or even Frightened Rabbit. Manchester Orchestra are influenced by music from Neutral Milk Hotel and Nirvana. Gold (June'17) is the lead single from their fifth album A Black Mile To The Surface (July'17). Gold is a popular American indie rock song from a popular indie rock band.

AWOLNATION - Cannonball

1.    Who? 

AWOLNATION are an alternative electronic rock band from Los Angeles, California. They are the vehicle for Aaron Bruno's musical ambitions. Don't be dismissive just because of the electronic tag; Bruno grew up in L.A's hardcore punk scene. Cannonball is a track from their third album Here Come The Runts (Feb'18). 


2. What? 

Cannonball is an upbeat, radio friendly, rock song with bite.

3. Who do AWOLNATION sound like? 

Kasabian, Grouplove, and OK Go. 


4. What have the press said about the album Here Come The Runts?

“Immediately infectious rock songs” – The Young Folks.

“Bruno loads every song with everything he can muster” – Louder Sound.

“Wonderfully chaotic assortment of ideas and textures” – Alt Wire.

5. Which bands have influenced AWOLNATION? 

Aaron Bruno says he loves music of every genre. Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Beastie Boys, Tom Petty, and Michael Jackson are a few of his more middle-of-the road influences. 

6. Why should I listen to Here Comes The Runts? 

AWOLNATION's genre hopping within songs and subversion of traditional song structure make them unique listening and very difficult to compare to. 

7. What other bangers do AWOLNATION have? 

Guilty Filthy Soul, Run, and Miracle Man.

8. Any more words? 

Aaron Bruno has been in the bands Insurgence, Home Town Hero and Under The Influence of Giants. The band name come from Aaron Bruno's high school nickname Awol. He used to leave without saying goodbye a lot.

Gurr are a garage/punk/pop duo from Berlin, Germany. They have compared their sound to The Breeders, Nirvana, and The Velvet Underground. Some of their key influences are Black Lips and Black Rebel Motorcyle Club. Gurr have one album out (In My Head, 2016) and Hot Summer (May'18) is a stand alone single at the moment. Hot Summer is catchy, scuzzy indie pop.

The Jacks - Wings

1.    Who?

The Jacks are a rock'n'roll band from Los Angeles, California. They have been together since 2016 and have a handful of songs out there. Wings (Jan'18) is a stand alone single.


2. What?

Wings is a rock'n'roll song in the British tradition. It opens with a fat bass solo before turning all smoke, whiskey, dangerous women and lovelorn wisdom floating over an undercurrent of rhythm and blues.


3. Who do The Jacks sound like?

Early Rolling Stones, The Record Company , and The Temperance Movement.


4. What have the press said about Wings? 

“Bouyant bass sound” – Dash N Verve.

“Bringing back the British invasion of the 60’s and 70’s” – Aupium. 

“Unruly, bold and hard to be ignored” – Chant Farrar.

5. Which bands influenced The Jacks?

Cage The Elephant, The Strokes, Oasis, The Black Keys, and The Rolling Stones.

6. Why should I give Wings a spin?

Because of the fat bass. Because you like roots rock'n'roll.

7. Do The Jacks have any more belters?

Just A Little Bit.

8. Anything else?

Nah.

The Record Company are a blues rock band from Los Angeles. They sound like The Blues Brothers and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. The Record Company are influenced by The Rolling Stones and John Lee Hooker. I'm Getting Better (and I'm Feeling It Right Now) (May'18) is the second single from their second album Life To Fix (June'18). The song is a bluesy, harmonica driven, singalong.

State Line Syndicate - Bones

1.    Who?

State Line Syndicate are a retro pop-punk group with a righteous edge and an honest core. They fight out of L.A. and are one album to the good. Bones (Jan'18)  is a stand alone single.


2. What?

A snappy pop-punk tune that oozes honesty wrapped in a pop-punk wrapper. You get whats on the label.



3. Who do State Line Syndicate sound like?

The Offspring, Alkaline Trio, and The Ataris.

4. What have the press said? 

“Loaded with punk rock bravado” – New Noise Magazine.

“Honors the past but looks to the future” – Distrolution.

“Fucking intense!” – YouTube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced State Line Syndicate?

Green Day, Weezer, Blink-182, and MxPx.


6. Why should I listen to Bones?

Because although some 'pop-punk' seems like an affront to humanity, these guys do it with a healthy dose of vitality, honesty, and maturity. 


7. Do they have any other bangers?

This Bleeding Heart and Borrowed Time.


8. Any more words?

They covered Responsibility by MxPx.

Spanish Love Songs are an indie rock/punk band from Los Angeles. They have been playing together since 2014. Spanish Love Songs have been compared to The Menzingers and Red Radio City. They are influenced by Hot Water Music and Jawbreaker. Spanish Love Songs have recorded two albums and Joana, In Five Acts (Jan'18) is the lead single from their second album Schmaltz (March'18). It is a deeply personal song of loss and despair and Dying Scene gave the album a five star rating noting "these sad sack anthems" might just be "2018's first great album".

“So, why’d you have to leave without me?”

FIDLAR - Alcohol

1.    Who are FIDLAR?

FIDLAR are a punk band from Los Angeles who have recorded two albums. Alcohol (April'18) is a stand alone single.

2. What kind of track is Alcohol?

Alcohol is a hard rocking number as subtle as a cunt punt. Pissed Jeans' The Bar Is Low meets Beastie Boy's No Sleep Till Brooklyn. A throbbing chorus full of cock rock aggression that builds to a yell-along gang chorus. Primitive.

3. Who do FIDLAR sound like?

SWMRS, The Orwells, and WAVVES.

4. What is the good word from the press?

“Raw and unconfined and goofily fun” – Stereogum.

“You can’t be more direct than this punk fierce anthem” – Rock NYC.

“A gut-puncher” – Far Out.

5. Which bands lit their fire?

Beastie Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Black Flag, The Black Lips, and Jay Reatard.

6. Why should I listen to Alcohol?

You are a FIDLAR fan. You like a song that can't count past it's fingers and toes.

7. What other bangers do these lads have?

Why Generation and 40 oz On Repeat.

8. Any more words?

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong is credited by FIDLAR singer Zac Carper with helping him quit heroin. Voice of experience I suppose. Talking about junkies FIDLAR did a killer cover of Nirvana's Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle. 

“I love waking up in some randoms home,

And I’ll pack a cone and hit it to the dome”

VANT are a political punk band from London, England. Talk Like Thunder is the title track from their mini-album Talk Like Thunder (October'17). VANT sound like Spring King and FIDLAR although Talk Like Thunder has a more mainstream Britpop sound not completely unlike Blur or Oasis and is more delicately constructed than the bangers from their debut album. 

“Tell me the meaning of life,
Is it in the water-flow, the baby-grow, or mortgaged home,
Or in the smile of your debt ridden wife?”