CROWS - Is It Better?

 

1. Who are CROWS? 

CROWS are a post-punk band from North London, England. They have been making music since 2013. Their debut single Pray (2015) was a blistering belter; dark and menacing, faintly redolent of the Jesus and Mary Chain and The Stooges while exuding more violence than they ever possessed. It remains one of my favorite songs to this day.

CROWS have recorded two albums and Is It Better? (Sept, 2024) is the third single from their third album Reason Enough (Sept, 2024).

2. What kind of song is Is It Better? 

Is It Better? is a completely different beast to Pray. The sound is British indie pop/post-punk both the old (The Courteeners, Bloc Party, and Interpol - yes, I know) and the older (Suede, Pulp, and Blur). Is it Better? is a catchy song with a melancholic heart that sounds like middle England. It's nice. It throws a few feeble punches out of habit more than maliciousness and is the sound of a man getting older and less rough around the edges. The sound of a band evolving. The bass is catchy, bouncing along faster than an Eskimo's bum making love in the snow, while the guitar hints at internal anguish. Is It Better? isn't better than the ferocious bangers that CROWS have in their back catalogue but it isn't worse either.

3. Who do CROWS sound like? 

Interpol, Fontaines D.C., and The Horrors. 

4. Which bands have influenced CROWS?

Joy Division, Public Image Limited, and IDLES.  

5. What have the cut and paste bandits said about CROWS music?

"The most melodic, hook-filled and accessible sounding record of their career" - Louder Sound. 

"CROWS have always been a band who do things differently" - N.M.E. 

"Exemplary modern punk" - Far Out Magazine. 

"Well, I need a break from my overcrowded mind,

I've been leading myself down a dark and silent line,

Well there's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, 

Nowhere to turn, nothing to find, underneath these stars"

 

James - Better Than That

James are an iconic indie pop/rock band from Manchester, England. They have sold over 25 millions albums worldwide. James are most famous for the songs Laid (1993), Sit Down (1991) and Come Home (1989). James are similar to The Smiths and Travis. 

James' main influences are Joy Division and The Fall. Better Than That (April'18) is from the E.P. of the same name and can be found on their fifteenth album Living In Extraordinary Times (August'18). Better Than That is the sound of a band that, not content to rest on it's laurels, is constantly striving to evolve their sound to sound relevant and exciting.

3108 - The Shining

1.    Who are 3108? 

3108 are a lo-fi, garage pop band from London, England.  The Shining is from their second album BLU (Feb’17). 

2. What kind of song is The Shining? 

An eclectic, melodic, garage-pop tune with organ and a sense of humor. Great phrasing, a choppy, dancefloor-filling, rhythm, and God honest, hard cranking, garage guitar elevate The Shining into a sparkling pop gem. 

3. Who do 3108 sound like? 

BRONCHO, The Clean and Kissing Is A Crime.

4. What have the press said about 3108? 

“Thrilling homemade pop” – All Music.

     “The work of a lo-fi master” – All Music. 

      “Brilliant future pop” – All Music.

 5. Who are 3108's influences?

The main influences are Joy Division, The Velvet Underground, The Ramones, Pere Ubu and Monks. There's also love for The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, The Charlatans, James and The Wedding Present too.


6. Why should I give The Shining a listen? 

Because you appreciate under-appreciated indie pop rock gems. Because you need to feel the rush of discovering music with a genuine heart. Because of the spectacular sound of the relentless guitaring in the background.


7. What are 3108's best songs? 

One Of The Ceased is sweet garage pop with guitar cranking hard in the background. Ease Up does anything but; careening forward at breakneck pace, barely lasting two furious minutes. Neon Crush is bubbling synth and bouncy frenetic rhythms.


8. Any more words?  

Kyle Hill writes and records all the music on his albums.

 The Shining was featured on Jonathan Hunt and Cloudy Sc's Indie Rock Playlist (March'17). 

“Breaking plates, kicking through doors,

Effing, blinding, shaking the floor”

The Growlers are a surf-garage rock band from Dana Point, California. They have been playing since 2006 and have six long players. The Growlers sound like together PANGEA, The Night Beats and The Allah La's. They are influenced by The Beach Boys, Lee Scratch Perry and Johnny Cash. Humdrum Blues is a song from their E.P. Not. Psych! (2013). Humdrum Blues is an off-kilter sixties pop song with a genuine heart.

“She wants something tangible, like a ring on her hand”

The Belligerents - Before, I Am



1.    Who are these happy heroes?

The Belligerents are a psych rock band from Brisbane, Australia. The band kicked off in 2010 and have three short players to their name. Before, I Am (March’16) is the lead single from their as yet unnamed debut long player.


2. What kind of tune are they rocking?

Ethereal vocals, minding of Manchester magic, float above nippy guitar jangle. Repeat listenings of Before, I Am are in order to get the best out of this one.


3. Who do The Belligerents sound like?

I Oh You compared Before, I Am to early Battles music.


4. Whats the word from the wannabes?

“Who-like vocal voyages and a swirl of riff roaring guitars” – Rolling Stone Australia.

“Unique experiemental psych-rock” – H H H Happy.

“A blistering rocker that is also dreamy and breathtaking” – The Revue.

5.  Which bands are the sunshine of The Belligerent’s life?

The Belligerents main influences are Talking Heads, Joy Division, Foals, Franz Ferdinand and Metronomy.

6. Why should I give Before, I Am a whip past the brain holes?

Before, I Am has hints of melancholy that grow on you.

7. Do The Belligerent’s have any more bolters?

Check out their cover of Fatboy Slim's Praise You for shits and giggles. It's money.

8. Any more words peasant?

Before, I Am was featured in Jonathan Hunt's Indie Rock Playlist (March'16).

The men have good taste in footwear.

“Before I am a man, I am a ghost”

Wild Child are an indie pop band from Austin, Texas. Whipping the crowd into a frenzy since 2010 they have three long players in the bank. Crazy Bird bubbles off Wild Child's second album The Runaround (2013) and has horns, banjo, whistles and 'heys'. Crazy Bird is upbeat fun.

“Whisper the things we’d scream”

Silversun Pickups - Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)

 

 

 

 

 

1.    Who are these charmers?

Silversun Pickups are an indie rock band from Los Angeles, California. Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance) (Sept’15) is the second single to bubble off their fourth album Better Nature (2015). Playing since 2002 the band have four long players on their roll of honor.


2. What kind of tune are Silversun Pickups peddling?

Circadian Rhythm(Last Dance) is a radio friendly, moody, pop rocker. A quiet, atomospheric and contagious tune that grows on you slowly. Very slowly.


3. Who do Silversun Pickups sound like?

Metric. The Silversun Pickups have been compared to Autolux, My Bloody Valentine and The Smashing Pumpkins.


4. What have the goon squad got to say about Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)?

“A warm, enveloping rocker” – Stereogum.

“Ethereal rock” – The Daily Beast.

“A modern pop gem” – Consequnece Of Sound.

5. Who put the rock in the Silversun Pickups roll?

Joy Division are a big influence and the band have big love for Radiohead.


6. Why should I give Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance) a whip past the ears?

Circadian Rhythms (Last Dance) sinks it's hooks in slowly but deep. Circadian Rhythms (Last Dance) is the best track off the new album from an iconic indie rock band.

 
7. Do Silversun Pickups have any more monsters?

Affirmative. Cannibal is a monster but Panic Switch is King Kong.


8. Any more words?

Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance) was written by bass player Nikki Monniger in homage to a lost friend.

Better Nature was produced by Jacknife Lee who has put the shine on long players by U2 , R.E.M., Two Door Cinema, Bloc Party and Weezer just to name a few.

Silversun Pickups have opened for The Foo Fighters, Kaiser Chiefs and toured with Against Me! and Wolfmother.

“There’s no where left to go, so stay with me”

Dessert is served by punk legends Against Me! who came firing into life in 1997 from Gainesville, Florida. The band have six long players in the vault and are still going strong. The punk anthem Sink, Florida, Sink (2006) was the second single from the second album Against Me! As The Eternal Cowboy (2003) and the definitive version is this one from Against Me!’s first live album Americans Abroad!!!Against Me!!! Live In London!!! (2006). Pure fucking genius.

“They make all the right reasons to fuck it up,

You’re gonna fuck it up!”