OK Go - Interesting Drug

1. Who are OK Go? 

OK Go are an indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Playing together since 1998 they have recorded four albums. Interesting Drug (Jan'17) is a stand alone single. 


2. What kind of tune is it? 

Interesting Drug is a Morrissey cover that's been funked up with OK Go's 80's pop vibe and a lilting ska-esque undertone. A laid back, gently bouncy, tune to accompany a stinging rebuke. 


3. Who do OK Go sound like?

The Smiths, Two Door Cinema and Modest Mouse.


4. What have the press said about Interesting Drug? 

“Eerily fitting to the current political climate” – Under The Radar.

“OK Go blast Trump” – Vanyaland. 

“A steady rocking anti-Trump anthem” – Rolling Stone.

5. Which bands influenced OK Go? 

Some of their biggest influences are Michael Jackson, Prince, Talking Heads, New Order and David Bowie. 


6. Why should I listen to Interesting Drug?

Because one of the greatest musician's to ever walk God's green earth wrote the song and this great band made it better. 


7. What are OK Go's best songs? 

There is a wealth to choose from. The synthy white boy funk of I Won't Let You Down is king. What an ass shaker. This Too Shall Pass is melancholic happiness. Get Over It rocks. 


8. Any more words? 

OK Go's singer Damian Kulash said, “No matter how anxious or angry you are, try to turn your passion into something good for the world. We’re in this together.”

“There are some bad people on the rise”

Young Romance are an indie pop rock band from London, England. They are a duo and started playing together in 2012. Young Romance sound like The Primitives, Best Coast or Bleached. Pale (2014) is from their debut album Another's Blood (2016). Pale is two minutes of achingly beautiful vocals laid over some gritty fucking guitar and crashing drums. It'll get you by the short and curlies.

“Oh there was a night, long ago,

When I fell from grace”

Two Door Cinema Club - Bad Decisions

1.    Who are they? 

Two Door Cinema Club are an indie pop/funk band from Bangor, Northern Ireland. Bad Decisions (July’16) is the second single from their third album Gameshow (Oct’16). 

2. What have they served up? 

Bad Decisions is fat, funky, indie-pop dancefloor filler. Very 80's pop.

3. Who do Two Door Cinema sound like?

Prince, Scissor Sisters and The 1975. 

4. What have the muppets in the press said about Bad Decisions?

“80’s nostalgia fueled sound” – Your EDM. 

“Feel-good disco-tipped dancefloor peak” – Mix Mag.

“A groovy, disco track with a pulsating bass line” – Babble Music. 

 

5. Which bands have influenced Two Door Cinema Club? 

Some of the band's main influences are Prince, David Bowie, Daft Punk, Stevie Wonder and Death Cab For Cutie. 

6. Why should I give Bad Decisions a spin? 

It'll get you shaking your ass. 

7. What are the best Two Door Cinema songs? 

Beacon is the best. Something Good Can Work is chippy indie pop and nice. Sun has a killer chorus and a little assist from the horns and I Can Talk isn't too shabby. 

8. Any more words pal? 

The album Gameshow was produced by Jacknife Lee who has worked with Twin Atlantic, U2, Silversun Pickups, Bloc Party and Weezer.

“I’ve been drinking wine,

And I just made a big mistake”

Walking On Cars are an alternative rock band from Dingle, Ireland. Walking On Cars are similar to The Script, Kodaline, The Coronas and Bastille. They are influenced by The Lumineers, Ben Howard and Coldplay. Walking On Cars debut album Everything This Way (Jan'16) went to number one in Ireland and Speeding Cars (Oct'15) was an international hit single.  Fortitude Magazine described Speeding Cars as “a gorgeous track with stunningly deep lyrics backed by haunting piano work and perfected with a ridiculously catchy chorus.”

“So if I stand in front of a speeding car,

Would you tell me who  you are, what you like”

The Anchoress - Popular

1.    Who is this lass?

The Anchoress is Catherine Anne Davies an indie pop singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who fights out of Buckinghamshire, England, by way of Glynneath, Wales. Popular (Oct’15) bounces off The Anchoress's debut album Confessions Of A Romance Novelist (Jan’16).


2. What’s spinning?

Popular is bouncy, piano assisted, pure pop. Both languid and spritely and with a smidgeon of lyrical depth.


3. Who does The Anchoress sound like?

MisterWives and Gwen Stefani. The Guardian compared Popular to Marina and The Diamonds.


4. What have the press said about Popular?

“It’s unconventional” – The Line Of Best Fit.

“Pleasant pop” – The Guardian.

“Cerebral” – Clash Music.

 

5. Which bands have put the pop in The Anchoress’s music?

Catherine Anne Davies major influences are PJ Harvey, David Bowie, Prince, Kate Bush and The Carpenters.

 
6. Why should I give Popular a play?

Popular is pop done well and evokes playground politics.


7. Does The Anchoress have any more bubbly ones?

Popular finds her at the peak of her powers.


8. More words?

Confessions Of A Romance Novelist was recorded with Paul Draper from Mansun.

In 2015 Catherine Anne Davies played in the Simple Minds live band.

 

 

“And I like to read about the girls that lost their heads and their minds”

 

 

It would be rude to go past Simple Minds for dessert. Simple Minds are a post-punk band from Glascow, Scotland. Formed in 1977 they have over eighteen albums and are still going strong. Alive and Kicking was a US number one and came from the band's most successful album Once Upon A Time (1985) and was called by Spin, “an ornate epic.”

 

“What you gonna do when things go wrong?”

 

 

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - AWOLNATION

Aaron Bruno sounds like someone pissed in his cornflakes in the verses of AWOLNATION’s Hollowmoon (Bad Wolf) (Jan’14). He’s positively rabid, slamming down lyrics like “Motherfucker I’ll be back from the dead soon” and sounding just short of being eviscerated when screaming “They will never find me here” in the breakdown.

 

But that’s all in stark contrast to a pretty sweet, melodic, bouncy chorus, with just a slice of kookiness. An addictive pop chorus to get your arse shaking and keep you coming back for seconds. AWOLNATION have produced a noisy, intense, electric rock number that both rocks out hard and it jives. A single just as strong as anything off their debut Megalithic Symphony (2011) and dead set to become a fan favourite and garner more.

 

 

 

AWOLNATION’s home base is Los Angeles. They have been creating the greatest electric rock the world has ever seen since 2009. Hollowmoon (Bad Wolf) comes screaming off their second long player Run (March’15).

Shit you need to know:

The band are named after the singers high school nickname ‘Awol’. Aaron Bruno had a penchant for leaving without saying goodbye.

Aaron Bruno recorded two albums prior to AWOLNATION, one as Home Town Hero (self-titled, 2002) and one as Under The Influence Of Giants(self-titled, 2006).

Aaron Bruno formed both bands with AWOLNATION’s current guitarist Drew Stewart.

Aaron Bruno has confessed to mad love for The Beatles, Prince, Michael Jackson and Nirvana. He was also into hard-core punk as a youngster.

The stellar AWOLNATION tracks without which life would be meaningless are Guilty Filthy Soul, Jump On My Shoulders, THISKIDSNOTALRIGHT and Not Your Fault to name but a few.

 

 
In 2011 AWOLNATION found stardom with Sail and this Kentucky alternative rock band Sleeper Agent brought out this gem Get It Daddy off their take no prisoners debut album Celabrasion (2011). Good vintage.

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Best Indie Songs of 2014 - La Roux

 

 

 

 

La Roux’s Kiss And Not Tell (Sept’14) reminds me of the unbidden huge, happy vibes you get listening to Katrina and the Waves’ Walking On Sunshine. Kiss And Not Tell is all 80's synths, bubble, joy and with more hooks than a Phillipine trawler. A guilty pleasure like eating candy floss and with about as much nutritional value.

 

 

 
La Roux are English, from the London, and have been popping and bopping since 2006. They were a duo but are now singer Elly Jackson’s solo project. In fact she played, wrote, sang and produced on everythign on the second album Trouble In Paradise (July'14).

Elly cites Madonna, David Bowie and Prince as giving her the urge to make sweet, sweet music.

Craving more? Try La Roux's best, Bulletproof, or Tigerlily.

 

 

 

 

Bulletproof and Broken Leg by Bluejuice were both released about a month apart in 2009.

Broken Leg is mad Aussie funk rock. Heart pounding and urgent and cunt poundingly fucking awesome!