Salad Boys are an indie rock band from Christchurch, New
Zealand. Psych Slasher (Nov’17) is from
their second album This Is Glue (Jan’18). They sound like R.E.M, The Bats or The Clean. Some of their influences include Blink-182 and Yo La Tengo. Psych Slasher is reminiscent of the lo-fi alternative pop of early Flying Nun; but with punk urgency and more sophistication. It might not be love at first sight but this song is worthy of a meaningful relationship.
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.
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 Ceasedis sweet garage pop with guitar cranking hard in the background. Ease Updoes 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 Hillwrites 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”
Cloud Nothings are a lo-fi indie rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. They have been making music since 2009. Modern Act (Oct'16) is the lead single from their fifth album Life Without Sound (Jan'16).
2. What kind of tune is Modern Act?
Modern Act is a nondescript, lo-fi, basement, indie rock song. Good playlist filler that grows on you if you ignore it.
5. Which bands have influenced Cloud Nothings? Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, The Wipers and Nina Hagen. 6. Why should I listen to Cloud Nothings? Because you like low-key, noisy, lo-fi songs. 7. What are Cloud Nothings best songs? I'm Not Part Of Me is a grimey little punk anthem that found popular success. A nut cracker. 8. Any more words? Life
Without Sound is produced by John Goodmanson
(Los Campesinos, Sleater-Kinney, Death Cab For Cutie).
“Whose
war is this?
Who’s
god is that?”
Daniel Elsworth and The Great Lakes are an indie rock band from Nasheville, Tennessee. They started playing in 2010 and have recorded three albums. Daniel Elsworth and The Great Lakes main influences are Paul Simon, Wilco and Tom Petty. They sound like J Roddy Walston & The Business, The Black Keys and You Won't. Always/Never (Nov'15) was the lead single for their third album Bemidji (2016). Always/Never throbs with pent up energy and is a good times, piano-led, slice of quirky Americana.
Cloud Nothings I’m Not Part Of Me(April’14) is a nut cracking punk tune. A bit like the Orwells or The Strokes. Fuck those silver spooned punters have a lot to answer for. Or choose your old timey punk band it will do. Just nut punchingly honest punk rock. Back to the roots stuff. None of your sickly sweet pop punk here, this is drunk with your mates in a dank basement rehearsal space, drinking beer and doing whizz and you’ve run out of smokes and the corner shop is at least two kilometres away and it’s snowing outside.
About the
song? Not the point chappy. It motors along. Farts in the bed honest lyrics, a
snappy delivery, packed full of awesome. End of story.
“I’m
learning how to be here and nowhere else”
Cloud
Nothings have been hard moshing since 2009 and pogo out of Cleveland, Ohio. I’m Not Part Of Me is the
first gob smacker off their fourth mouthful Here
And Nowhere Else (April’14). Cloud
Nothings have expressed an affinity for Black Sabbath, Nina Hagen, Thin Lizzy
and lots of other obscure shit too.
Lacing up
your boots? Then unleash the force with Didn’t
You, Fall In
and Now Hear In.
The lo-fi approach reminded me of an old hometown
favourite The Clean from Dunedin, New Zealand. The most influential Flying Nun
band and foundation of The Dunedin Sound, they started playing together in 1978
and are still at it today. This fucking rare ska rock gem is Thumbs Off (1981), track
two off Boodle Boodle Boodle and it still
sounds as fresh as a daisy. Legends and national treasures. Nice blokes too.
“She said son you’ll have to go, you know it’s just too much to keep ya
The day was wet as he walked down the road,
You know his head was full of sorrow,
Little did he know that he’d never see his own home again"
