The Clause - Weekend Millionaire

 

1. Who are The Clause?

The Clause are an indie pop rock band from Birmingham, England. They have been playing together for over five years and Weekend Millionaire (Sept, 2024) is the lead single from their third E.P of the same name Weekend Millionaire (Oct, 2024).

 

2. What kind of song is Weekend Millionaire? 

Weekend Millionaire is a instantly catchy, radio-friendly indie-pop song that steadily builds up to a ever so slightly rowdy crescendo. Weekend Millionaire also capture that wistful, maudlin, slice-of-life tone captured by indie rock bands like The Courteeners, James or even The Smiths that get juxtaposed with bright and bubbly choruses. I love it.

3. Who do The Clause sound like?

James, The Reytons, The Courteeners.  

4. Which bands have influenced The Clause?

The Clause's main influences are The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Kasabian, and ABBA. 

5. What have the press said about The Clause?

"Effortlessly combine huge hooks with gritty choruses" - Norwich Box Office.

"Limitless amounts of swagger and the seal of approval from Jane's Addiciton frontman Perry Ferrell" - Totalntertainment.

"Among the most exciting up-and-coming indie bands in the U.K." - Northern Exposure.

The Kooks - Pamela

1.    Who are they? 

The Kooks are one of England's most successful indie rock bands. They have been playing together since 2004 and rose to prominence with the hit single Naïve (2006) from their debut album Inside In/Inside Out .


2. What have they got?

Pamela (Nov'18) is the sixth single from their fifth album Let's Go Sunshine (Aug'18) and a favorite with the reviewers. 


3. Who do The Kooks sound like? 

The Kooks are similar to Kasabian, Kaiser Chiefs, and The Fratellis. 


4. What have the press said about Pamela?

“A classic, toothless, crowd pleaser” – Pop Matters. 

“Extremely fun to listen to” – Indie Is Not A Genre.

“Borderline pastiche punk sound” – Clash Music.

5. Which bands influenced The Kooks? 

Bob Dylan, The Everly Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Blur, and The Libertines. 

6. Why should I give Pamela a listen? 

Pamela is a high tempo throwaway piece of flimsy from a mature and popular rock'n'roll band that have rediscovered the popularity (and style) of their debut album.



7. What are The Kooks best songs?

Naïve, Be Who You Are, Down,  No Pressure, Forgive & Forget. 



8. Anything else? 

Zip.

Black Lips - Can't Hold On

1.    Who are the Black Lips?

Black Lips are a garage rock band, with a side of bluesy psychedelia, from Atlanta, Georgia. Can’t Hold On (April’17) is the lead single from their eighth album Satan’s Graffiti or Gods Art? (May’17). 

2. What kind of tune is Can't Hold On?

Can't Hold On is a foot to the floor retro-rock song without any frills.

3. Who do the Black Lips sound like? 

Night Beats, The Orwells, and King Tuff.

4. What have the cut and paste jackals said about Can't Hold On? 

“Snarling” – Paste Magazine. 

“As chaotically cathartic as ever” – Stereogum. 

“Shambolic take on garage rock” – Consequence Of Sound.

5. Which bands inspired the Black Lips?

The Black Lips main influences are 13^th Floor Elevators, Led Zeppelin, The Ramones, The Rolling Stones, and Bo Diddley. 


6. Why should I give Can't Hold On a spin? 

Because you like punky garage bands like The Orwells. Because you love retro-rock'n'roll like The Growlers.


7. What are the Black Lips best songs? 

Throw It Away, Take My Heart, and Can't Dance. 


8. Any more words you charlatan?

Satan’s Graffiti or Gods Art? is produced by Sean Lennon (Fat White Family). 

Freedom Fry are a light indie pop duo from Los Angeles, California. Playing together since 2011 they have released a string of E.P.'s and singles. Freedom Fry sound something like Katie Herzig, Blondfire, and STRFKR. Their main influences are Beach House, The Surfaris, and The Ventures. Wild Child (April'17) is a stand alone single and is commercial indie pop with a hint of desert Americana and nostalgic melancholy. Hard not to like though and that's the point.

“Woah, well bless my soul,

Living on love & rock’n’roll”

The Charlatans - Plastic Machinery

1. Who are The Charlatans? 

The Charlatans are an indie rock band from Northwich, England. They started in 1988 and were part of the Madchester scene of the late eighties and early nineties. Plastic Machinery is the first single from their thirteenth album Different Days (May'17). 

2. What kind of tune is Plastic Machinery? 

The guitar riffs keep Plastic Machinery grounded as the vocals float in the ether. A perfect throw back to a distant era. 

3. Who do The Charlatan's sound like? 

The Charlatans sound like The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, and The Courteeners. 

4. What have the press said about Plastic Machinery? 

“Crunching, soulful” – Clash. 

“The much loved outfit continue in their rich vein of form” – Tenement TV.

“Sounding as fresh as day one” – YouTube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced The Charlatans? 

The Charlatans main influences are Bob Dylan, The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, The Rolling Stones, and Joy Division. 

6. Why should I listen to Plastic Machinery? 

Because you like to pay your respects to English rock'n'roll royalty. Because the lads sound fresh as a daisy. 

7. What are the best Charlatan's songs? 

The Only One I Know is the classic, Stones Rosey, tune from their debut album. Come Home Baby has a joyous singalong chorus and is the stand out track from their last album. One To Another is a Happy Mondays-esque tune from the 1997 album Tellin' Stories. 

8. Any more words?

Johnny Marr (The Smiths, The The, The Cribs) and  Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre) played guitar on Plastic Machinery. Pete Salisbury (The Verve) is on drums. 

Different Days is co-produced by Jim Spencer (Oasis, The Cribs, The Vaccines). 

Davey Dynamite is a punk/folk musician from Chicago, Illinois, playing since 2010. Old school punks love his latest album Holy Shit (2016). Davey Dynamite is similar to Against Me! and Frank Turner. He is influenced by Neil Young, Frank Turner and The Clash. Friends Not Fans (2012) is a heartfelt tribute to the punk scene and a stinging rebuke to bands who treat fans as consumers (and a catchy-as-chlamydia punk tune).

“Let’s make one thing fucking clear,

I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t here”

Cold War Kids - Love Is Mystical

1.    What’s up? 

Cold War Kids are a popular indie rock band from Long Beach, California. Their last single First (2015) was number one the American Alternative Charts. Love Mystical (Feb’17) is the lead single from Cold Wars Kids' sixth album L.A. Divine (April’17). 

2. What have they got? 

Love Is Mystical is fire and brimstone singing and jaunty keys. A soulful, funky, indie rock foot-tapper that, while catchy, in the end is mostly dreamy and ephemeral. 

3. Who do Cold War Kids sound like?

The Killers, Cage The Elephant and Modest Mouse.

4. What have the gutter trash said about Love Mystical?

“An upbeat lead single punctuated by stomping piano” – Consequence Of Sound.

“Rousing and soulful anthemics” – NME. 

“Stomping single” – Exclaim!

5. Which bands influenced Cold War Kids? 

Some of their main influences are The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, U2, Jeff Buckley and The Smiths. 

6. Why should I give Love Is Mystical a listen? 

Because you love a song exhorting the gods for redemption on earth. 


7. What are Cold War Kids' best songs? 

First is their best, and the best song of 2015. No fucking doubt. All This Could Be Yours and Miracle Mile are top-class bangers. 


8. Any more words? 

Not today.

“Give you the power to believe again”

Coyote (formerly XING) are an indie folk duo from London and Los Angeles. Jack Moore is one half (son of Gary Moore of Thin Lizzy) and Andrew Smith is the other. Apparently George Harrison’s son (Dhani) did back-up vocals on this tune too. The duo are big fans of MGMT and sound a bit like The Avett Brothers meets The Traveling Wilburys. Fate (2014) was the lead single from the E.P of the same name. Fate is an insanely catchy campfire singalong song with a fat touch of Tom Petty.

“Take my body, take my soul”

The Best Indie Songs of 2014 - J Roddy Walston & The Business

 

 

 
J Roddy & The Business are shit your pants good southern rock. One of the ‘rare as rocking horse shit’ times a piano is actually the life and soul of a good rock'n'roll band.

Same Days (2013) just choogles along like bud, beer and the boys on a summer afternoon.


 

J Roddy & The Business are from Tennessee and have been banging lids since 2002. Same Days comes from J Roddy’s sixth 2013 album Essential Tremors which includes the solid gold goodies Hard Times and Take It As It Comes.

 J Roddy big ups Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones as influences.

 

There is no finer southern rock than Creedence Clearwater Revival said Jesus (1.1 Book of Rock Gospels). So with no further ado here is the The  Foo Fighters and John Fogerty doing Fortunate Son off the five out of five-star rated John Fogerty album Wrote A Song For Everyone (2013).