The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - The Strypes

The Strypes are some Irish lads with a rhythm and blues background who blew up fast. Their first short player was self-funded and promoted while they were still in high school. There first album was number 2 on the charts in Ireland and there second Little Victories (Aug’15) topped the charts. There singer is still 17. They count Dave Grohl and Noel Gallaher as big fans and are represented by Elton John’s management company who said,"They have a knowledge of R&B and blues at 16 years of age that I have only amassed in my 65 years. They're just like a breath of fresh air." They are influenced by Lead Belly, Muddy Waters, The Who and The Rolling Stones but there third single What A Shame was influenced by the Arctic Monkeys.

Perhaps it’s no surprise then that Get Into It (Jun'15) the first single off their second album, sounds pure English indie with a side of rhythm and blues and minded more than one reviewer of an Arctic Monkeys tune. I was minded more of a more contemporary vibe, say The Academic, KONGOS or even Peace. This reviewer says the song is "...dripping with swagger". A song about the joys and travails of online dating it has a gritty big groove and a joyous seize the day chorus. Fucking get amongst it because The Strypes have turned in a tune here as tight as a nuns cunt and easily one of the best indie tunes of 2015.

"Love’s easy on the wrist"

 

 

Shit you need to know:

Not everyone likes the change of style with the Guardian reviewer critical of the albums lack of contemporary relevance, fucking knob jockey, and making comparisons to vintage Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys while noting the album was “all singalong ladrock choruses.”

NME were similarly nonplussed saying The Strypes "attack album two with abandon, largely at the expense of quality".

The Strypes have been compared in the past to Dr. Feelgood but the new album more to Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood, The Fratellis and Oasis.

The band crack wood to The Foo Fighters and grew up smashing out Kaiser Chief’s I Predict A Riot.

Julien Temple who is most famous for his docs of the Sex Pistols and The Clash is doing the same for The Strypes.

The guitarist isn’t into posers, “I was in Shoreditch the other night and it was all about beards and hipsters and I thought, ‘That shite doesn't do anything for me’.”

Other Strypes songs to rip a hole in your shit box are What A Shame, Blue Collar Jane and Hometown Girls.

 

Slippery seconds is a change of pace. Minneapolis indie rockers Step Rockets and their biggest hit, the dance rock tune Kisser (2013).

“Leave a light, leave a little loving light”