Circa Waves are an indie pop rock band from Liverpool, England. They have been making music since 2013 and We Made It (October, 2024) is the lead single from their third album Death & Love Pt.1 (January, 2024).
2. What kind of song is We Made It?
We Made It is a perfectly serviceable radio friendly pop song that will make a welcome addition to anyone's playlist. It will never be anyone's favorite song but it did remind me of why Circa Waves were an exciting young band ten years ago although the excitement has faded like a street walkers smile.
3. Which band do Circa Waves sound like?
Circa Waves are similar to Amazons, Sundara Karma, The Courteeners, and The Cribs.
4. Which bands influenced Circa Waves music?
Some of Circa Waves' influences include David Bowie, The Strokes, The Vaccines, and The Libertines.
5. What have the cut and paste bandits said about We Made It?
1.Who is Ed The Dog? Ed The Dog are an indie pop/rock band from High Wycombe,
England. They are fronted by Ed Wetenhall and have been at it since 2018. Yes Men (May’18) is the second single from their debut album Shame (July’18). 2. What kind of tune is Yes Men? Yes Men is catchy indie pop with a quintessentially English bent. Bass heavy, self-deprecating and quirky fun. Reminiscent of Blur's better moments and Rat Boy's more recent ones while bursting from the packet with freshness. 3. Who do Ed The Dog sound like? Blur, Marsicans, and Team Picture.
Grasscourt are an
indie-pop duo from Stroud, England. Come Alive (June'18) is their second release from the double A-side Come Alive/Stones Upon My Chest (June'18).
2. What kind of tune is it?
Come Alive lays down a cute, whimsical, acoustic melody reminiscent of the Violent Femmes straight out of the gate. And that's your whack. It's enough to go on with.
The Spitfires are a socially conscious indie rock band with an old school English punk side to them. They are from Watford, England, and New Age (June'18) is a single from their third album Year Zero (July'18).
2. What kind of tune is it?
New Age is next generation English guitar rock. Born of bands like The Clash, The Jam, The Specials, and singing about what's important to them now. Which in this case is crusty cunts who refuse to change. But as always the music comes first. Melodic,but with a sense of urgency and anger. A song that, for all it's obvious influences, feels immediate and relevant.
The Spitfires have supported both The Specials and Paul Weller (The Jam).
Buster Shuffle are a ska rock'n'roll band from London. They started together in 2007 and have four albums in the vault. Buster Shuffle are similar to Madness and Heavyball. They are influenced by The Clash, Madness and Ian Dury. You're Alright is a track from their debut album Our Night Out (2010).
Goodnight Lenin are an indie rock band from Birmingham,
England. They have been together since 2011 and have one album in the bag. Portrait Of Youth (March’17) is a
standalone single.
2. Is Portrait Of Youth any good?
Yeah. A slow, ponderous piano intro sets an epic tone to a melancholic build up to a furious strum out. It's a special kind of guitar driven indie heaven but if it's you, it's you. Try out Portrait Youth.
3. Who do Goodnight Lenin sound like?
The War On Drugs, The Airborne Toxic Event, and (an Irish) Bruce Springsteen.
4. What is the word from the press about Portrait Of Youth?
“Splicing alt-country
DNA with an almost punk spirit” – The Hearing Aid.
5. Which bands inspired Goodnight Lenin? Some of their main influences are Neil Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bob Dylan, Father John Misty, and Fleet Foxes. 6. Why should I give Portrait Of Youth a spin? Because you like a bit of Irish. Because you like an epic. Because you won't hear this on the radio. 7. What are Goodnight Lenin's best songs? Desire is good. 8. Any more words? Legs.
“The
greatest weight is a heavy mind”
Bonaparte is the Swiss indie rock/electronic musician Tobias Jundt who lives in Berlin, Germany. He is similar to Frizka Viljor and I Heart Sharks. Fuck Your Accent (April'17) is a single from his fifth album The Return Of Stravinsky Wellington (June'17). Bonaparte is an eccentric musical genius who produces quirky pop gems and if you don't like the instant, but disposable, charm of FYA try the maudlin slow burn of Melody X.
RAT BOY are a popular indie rock/alternative hip hop band fronted
by Jordan Cardy. He is from Chelmsford, England and started making noise in
2014. He has made three E.P’s and Revolution (April’17)is a two track E.P.
2. What have RAT BOY served up?
Revolution is snarky rap verses spit out like broken teeth in a bare knuckle fist fight and a massive chorus underpinned by moshpit filling guitar riffs. A belter that is more contagious than a Thai hooker's axe wound.
Revolution was recorded at the Beastie Boys’ studio
Oscilloscope in New York.
“I
was alright until they took me off my medication”
28 Days are a punk rock/rap band from Melbourne, Australia. They started up in 1997 and are still going strong. They have four albums on their roll of honor. 28 Days sound like Beastie Boys, Butterfingers and Grinspoon. They areinfluenced by NOFX, Bad Religion and Blink-182. Rip It Up is the band's highest charting song and came from their number one album Upstyledown (2000). The AU Review said Upstyledown, “cemented 28 Days in the Australian music culture as the voice of an Australian generation.”
SuperGlu are an indie rock band with punk/pop/grunge influences. Hailing from Manningtree, England, they have been playing together since 2014. SuperGlu have one E.P. in the vault and Dreams (Nov'16) is a standalone single.
2. Do they have the goods?
And then some. This is the Real McCoy. Dreams is classic pop punk musically but it's a song with integrity at it's heart. Monster riffs, joyous vocals, and more bounce than a kangaroo on meth. Dreams is so instantly infectious it needs to come with a WHO warning.
5. Which bands influenced SuperGlu? They aren't saying. 6. Why should I give Dreams a whirl? Because you like the sound of 90's pop punk. Because SuperGlu do it better. 7. What are SuperGlu's best songs? Dreams is a bulls-eye, no doubt, but it's also a gateway to Simmer Down. That song is some next level shit. Simmer Down is all about a slow, orgiastic build; luxuriating in the lyrics and entrancing rhythms before it goes balls to the wall in the blowout. Championship-winning indie rock. Rounder is a more garage-pop tune and it's fucking outstanding too. 8. Any more words? Dreams has had over 100,000 Spotify plays which is worth about $500. The record company would rather sell a C.D.
“If
wake up screaming in the morning,
Baby
hold me close”
Friska Viljor are an indie pop duo from Stockholm, Sweden. They started making music in 2005 and have recorded six albums. Friska Viljor are generally similar to Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, and Of Monsters and Men. They are influenced by beer. My Boys is a single from their sixth album My Name Is Friska Viljor (2015). My Boys is a poppy piece of malarky but the chorus with violin is a lovely little charger. The song has been described as, “like
a hurricane whipping a legion of musical elements and nostalgic moments up into
the eye of its melodic storm.”
The Kooks are a commercially successful indie pop rock band from Brighton, England. They started in 2004 and put down four long players. Be Who You Are (March'17) is a new single cut from their greatest hits album Best Of... So Far (May'17).
2. Does Be Who You Are cut the mustard?
Be Who You Are is a nostalgic reminder of what The Kooks used to do well; mawkish romance juxtaposed by a frisky, laddish, singalong. Nevermind that Be Who You Are has as much substance as cotton candy. With lyrics like,“Be who you are, baby you’re a star,” it's corny and it's supposed to be.
3. Who do The Kooks sound like?
The Fratellis, Kasabian and Kaiser Chiefs.
4. What have the rags said about Be Who You Are?
“A fun, bright cut
that is a pleasant blast from the past” – Baeble.
“As loveable as ever;
all chanting chorus and feverish hook” – TMRW.
Some of theirinfluencesare The Police, The Rolling Stones, Blur, The Strokes and The Libertines.
6. Why should I listen to Be Who You Are?
Because you like rollicking indie pop numbers with a little maudlin on the side. Because we all need a little frivolity.
7. What are The Kooks best songs?
Naiveobviously. It was the bands fourth single from their debut album and is The Kooks best selling single to date. Bad Habit from their last album, Listen (2014), is a good 'un and London Town is sound as a pound.
8. Any more words?
Legs.
“Never be a slave to
your own name”
The Kaiser Chiefs are a successful indie rock band from Leeds, England. They have six albums on their roll of honor. Kaiser Chiefs are similar to Kasabian, The Kooks and Franz Ferdinand. They are influenced by The Clash, Blur and The Kinks. I Predict A Riot (2004) was the second single from Kaiser Chiefs' debut album Employment (2005). The poor bastards peaked early because it remains their best, and most well known, song. Drowned In Sound said this indie rock anthem has “a force not unlike a
Boeing 747” that “makes you want to bounce up
and down like a nutter.” I Predict A Riot is the musical essence of a horrible fucking menace.
