Tokyo Police Club - DLTFWYH

1. Who are they? 

Tokyo Police Club are a popular indie rock band from New Market, Ontario, Canada. They started playing together in 2005. 


2. What?

DLTFWYH (Don’t Let Them Fuck With Your Heart) (July’18) is a single from their fourth album TPC (Oct’18). 


3. Who are Tokyo Police Club similar to? 

Arkells, Ra Ra Riot, and Said The Whale. 


4. What have the press said about DLTFWYH?

“Anticipatory verses and a crashing chorus” – Paste. 

“Essentially one long buildup to a boisterous explosion of guitars” – Consequence Of Sound. 

“A bit of alternative twang” – All Things Go Music. 

5. Which bands are Tokyo Police Club's influences? 

The Strokes, Weezer, Plastic Ono Band, Led Zeppelin, and Royal Headache. 

6. Why should I give DLTFWYH a listen? 

DLTFWYH has a structure that builds tension and releases it better than expensive Thai pussy. The influence of Led Zeppelin is evident in the song structure and the tune eschews the lighter pop of some of their previous efforts. DLTFWYH sounds like Tokyo Police Club got a new lease of life. It sounds electric. It sounds vital.

7. What are Tokyo Police Club's best songs? 

The House, Hot Tonight, and Toy Guns.

8. Anything else? 

TPC was produced by Rob Schnapf (The Vines, FIDLAR, Saves The Day).

Nothing But Thieves - Amsterdam

1.    Who are Nothing But Thieves?

Nothing But Thieves are a popular alternative rock band from Southend-on-Sea, England. Their debut album Nothing But Thieves (2015) was top ten in England and sold over 250,000 copies. Amsterdam (May’17) is the lead single from Nothing But Thieves' second album Broken Machine (Sept’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Amsterdam?

Amsterdam is a radio-friendly, modern, alternative rock song that puts steel-capped boots on and goes full tit in the chorus (and wrings-dry the drama from the rest). Amsterdam is the best thing Nothing But Thieves have done to date.

3. Who do Nothing But Thieves sound like?

Foals, Civil Twilight, and Muse.

4. What have the mongrels in the press said about Amsterdam? 

“Catchy as all hell” – Rock Documented.

“A step up in the already stellar quality of Nothing But Thieves music” – Wavebyte.

“Combines their softer sound with an aggressive upbeat chorus” – Beyond The StageMagazine. 

5. Which bands influenced Nothing But Thieves?

Some of their influences are Led Zeppelin, Jeff Buckley, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, and Kings of Leon. 

6. Why should I give Amsterdam a shufty?

Because Nothing But Thieves are one of England's best rock bands at the minute.

7. What are Nothing But Thieves best songs? 

Excuse Me is killer. Wake Up Call and If I Get High strengthen the bands credentials.

8. Any more words? 

Broken Machine is produced by Tim Crossey (Twenty One Pilots, Foals, Arctic Monkeys). 

“So I hit my head against the wall,

Over and over and over and over and over again, and again, and again,

Cause I don’t wanna be like them”

Brick + Mortar are an electronic/indie rock band from Toms River, New Jersey. One Little Pill (April'17) is a single from the E.P. Dropped Again (May'17). Brick + Mortar are similar to River City Extension and Walk The Moon. Some of Brick + Mortar's influences are Animal Collective, The Doors, and Pink Floyd. One Little Pill is a sweet electronic rock song with a big guitar and all-in chorus; and finds the band in stellar form.

“One Little Pill,

To take me straight from sad to happy”

grandson - Best Friends

1.    Who is grandson?

grandson is Jordan Benjamin an indie rock musician from Toronto, Canada, but fighting out of Los Angeles, California. He makes music that blends a punk edge, grunge power and hip hop delivery. With less than a handful of songs to his name, Best Friends (April’17) is a standalone single. 

2. Has he got the goods? 

Best Friends is firing on all cylinders, slamming lyrics down like a gunfighter chambering rounds during a firefight. Full of piss and vinegar, burning along on smokey riffs, done and dusted in the magic three minutes, and with a pointed word about apathy;  Best Friends is a succinct banger.

3. Who does grandson sound like?

They are playing in the same sandpit as The Crispies, DZ Deathrays and Zion I.

4. What's the word on Best Friends? 

“This is unique” – YouTube Comments.

“Fucking awesome song” – YouTube Comments.

“I was waiting for the trap part to come in and when it does, it’s over” – YouTubeComments.

5. Which bands inspired grandson?

The main influences are Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Twenty One Pilots and Hiatus Kaiyote. 


6. Why should I listen to Best Friends? 

Because it is a marriage of genres. Because you like garage rock. Because it has a word to say about how people do today.


7. What are grandson's best songs? 

Best Friends is top of the pile but Bills is very similar and Kiss Bang does (bang). 


8. Any more words?

Jordan Benjamin wants his music to make people angry and rage at social injustice, apathy and disenfranchisement.

“All of my best friends,

Like to go and get fucked up”

Sleeper Agent were an indie rock band from Bowling Green, Kentucky. They played from 2009 - 2015 and recorded two albums. Sleeper Agent are similar to The Von Bondies and Grouplove. They were influenced by The Black Lips and Foxy Shazam. Get It Daddy was the lead single from Sleeper Agent's debut album Celebrasion (2011) and the best song they ever made. Premier Guitar called it “a fist-bumping anthem” and “ferocious.” Get It Daddy is a punk song from a band yet to make concessions. 

“And I’m downright denim clad”

Beware Of Darkness - Dope

1.    Who are the lads?

Beware Of Darkness are an alternative rock band from Santa Barbara, California. Rocking hard since 2010 they have one great album in the bag. Dope (July'16) is the lead single from their second long player Are You Real? (Sept'16). 

2. What's the tune like?

Dope is classic rock. The bluesy riffs are solid as a gold brick, licks embellish the verses with aplomb and the rhythm prances along. 

3. Who are Beware Of Darkness akin too? 

The Family Rain. Pop Matters were feeling The Arctic Monkeys.

4. What have the goon squad said about Dope? 

"All spunk and quick-licking riffs" - Pop Matters. 

"Chugs along on pure testosterone" - Buzzbands L.A. 

"The edgy track builds on dirty riffs" - Free Bike Valet.  

5. Which bands put the stomp into Beware Of Darkness' romp? 

Their main influences are Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, The White Stripes, Wolfmother and Jeff Buckley. 

6. Why should I give Dope a dabble? 

Dope has riffs and licks as sticky as two hobos making love in a puddle of piss. 

7. Do Beware Of Darkness have any more cracking good songs? 

Abso-bloody-lutely. Howl is a steaming, hard rocking tune. My Planet Is Dead tells it how it is over a storming bluesy groove. Get your snout in the trough. 

8. Any more words fella? 

Are You Real? is produced by Catherine Marks who has done the same deed for Foals, The Amazons and Sunset Sons. 

"You got me with my hands up singing"

The Smashing Pumpkins are an alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Making sweet sounds since 1988 they are still going strong. Butterfly With Wings was the lead single from their third album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) an album that debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. Butterfly With Wings is The Smashing Pumpkins most famous song and was described by Rolling Stone as "grim verses leading to a ridiculously bombastic chorus." 

"Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage"

The Amazons - Stay With Me

1.    Who are these fine gentlemen of rock’n’roll?

The Amazons are an indie rock band from Reading, England. These hard chargers are one short player and a single or two to the good. Stay With Me (March’16) is a stand alone single.

2. What gifts do The Amazon’s come bearing?

Stay With Me is proto-typical English guitar indie rock. It fits in a space inbetween Oasis and Royal Blood. Stay With Me rocks hard but is not hard rock. Concise, full throttle, melodic rock'n'roll that flows like a street riot being chased by the police and it is just as pumped full of adrenaline and unforgettable.


3. Who do The Amazon’s sound like?

NME were feeling Oasis and The Indie Rock Broadcast were put in mind of Sundara Karma and Catfish and The Bottlemen.


4. What have the plastic punchers said about Stay With Me?

“A gutsy guitar rock lament to young love” – NME

“A raucous and propulsive new track” – Shoot Match Day.

“A fantastically addictive guitar breakdown” – The Student Advertiser.

5. Which bands have put the fire in The Amazon’s belly?

The bands who impress The Amazons are Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, The Vaccines, The Arctic Monkeys, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Killers, Bruce Springsteen, Arcade Fire, Tame Impala and Ponds.


6. Why should I give Stay With Me a blast?

Stay With Me is another essential track in the recent English rock'n'roll renaissance and the sound of one of England's most exciting bands, top of the crop, hitting their straps. Hitting them hard. Stay With Me will be The Amazon's breakthrough hit if there is any justice in this world.

7. Have The Amazon’s graced us with any more of these belters?

Ultraviolet doesn't bang as hard but it is bloody fantastic. No fucking about.


8. Anything else to add?

Stay With Me is produced by Tom Dalgety who has sprinkled the gold dust on tunes for Royal Blood, Broken Hands and The Maccabees.

The Amazons are hitting the road and supporting The Strypes on a UK tour in March and fluffed for The Kooks last year.

“But being alone is being without you,

So stay with me”

The one two punch is delivered, hard, by Crows an alternative rock band from London with a single from their new short player Unwelcome Light (March'16). Pray (2015) is packed brim to the warehouse rafters with grainy garage riffs and a snarling vocal and is love at first lashing. BraceYourself called Pray “bloodthirsty and blunt like a fist wrapped in barbed wire.”

“His bloodshot eyes, his jagged teeth”

Johnny Lloyd - Hello Death

1.    Who is this rocker?

Johnny Lloyd is an indie rocker from South London. He used to front for the successful London indie rock band Tribes (2010-13). Hello Death (Feb’16) charges off his solo E.P. Dreamland (May’16). Mr Lloyd has already contributed a short player Pilgrims (2014) to muscial posterity.

 

2.    What flavor of brilliance is Hello Death?

A haunting indie rocker on the acoustic that rocks out at the end. Hello Death rewards a few repeat listens. Not instantly catchy, a slowburner and the sexy part of the song is right at the end. It takes a few listens to fully appreciate the magic, enjoying the verses with the knowledge that even better is to follow. The dividends are there for the patient.


3.    Who does Johnny Lloyd sound like?

Johnny Lloyd has been compared to Bruce Springsteen.

Hello Death recalls the indie rock anthem by Live Lightning Crashes.


4. What have the cut and paste bandits got to say about Hello Death?


“An introspective offering that features Lloyd’s signature hush, melancholic sound” – Pigeons and Planes.

“Raw new solo track” – Focus Wales.

“Introspective, honest and personal” – CDNX.

5. Which bands is Johnny Lloyd influenced by?

The bands that put the lustere in Johnny’s leather jacket are Led Zeppelin, Motown, The Velvet Underground, The Horrors and The Vaccines.


6. Why should I give Hello Death a listen?

Hello Death is a prime example of indie rock dealing with the topic of death with aplomb and the rock out at the end raises the hair on the back of your neck.


7. Does Johnny Lloyd have any more bangers?

Happy Humans (2014) is excellent.


8. Any more words about Johnny Lloyd dear scribe?


Jamie T and Hugo White of The Maccabees produced the new E.P. Dreamland.

Johnny Lloyd has been on fluffer duties for The Mystery Jets, Jamie T and The Maccabees.

“I'm taking back the old me,
Pulling him out of the dark”

Slippery seconds is from Lime Cordiale an indie pop rock band from Sydney, Australia that started in 2009. Lime Cordiale have been called a “roots infused electronic pop band” and Not That Easy (Oct’15) described as “a perfect summer jam” and “refined strong and deliberate.” Not That Easy is a stand alone single and great indie rock.

“I'm taking back the old me,
Pulling him out of the dark”