The Unsleeping - Wonderland

1.    Who?

The Unsleeping are an indie rock band from Kiev, Ukraine. They have been playing together since and have a bunch of singles and a mini album, Somnia (2016) to their name. Wonderland (April’18) is a standalone single.


2. What?

Wonderland is slow throbbing, somnolent, verses that march towards a mesmerizing little chorus. But it's the pre-chorus rock out at the two minute mark that makes the song special. A head banging moment to shatter the dreamy mood before calm is once again restored. 


3. Who do The Unsleeping sound like?

The Cranberries, Coldplay and Dashboard Confessional.


4. What has been said about Wonderland?

“This tune is fucking genius” – YouTube Comments.

“Swear by God I will listen to this band until death” – YouTube Comments.

“A sea of emotions” – YouTube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced The Unsleeping?

Tyler The Creator, The Deftones, Coldplay, Three Days Grace, and We Butter Our Bread With Butter.

6. Why should I listen to Wonderland? 

How often do you listen to Ukrainian bands? The Unsleeping are something different.

7. Do The Unsleeping have any more bangers?

You Drive My Four Wheel Coffin is a perfect marriage of hip hop vocal delivery and powerful guitar.

8. Anything else?

The Unsleeping made a cover of The Neighbourhood's Sweater Weather.

Dead Favours are an alternative rock band from New Zealand. They started in 2016 and Better The Weather (March'18) is their third single. Their singer Jared Wrenall used to drum for Steriogram and the rest of the band have been around the blocks. Dead Favours recently opened for Royal Blood's two nights in N.Z. and they fucking smashed it. There's a bit of Queens Of The Stone Age meets Shihad about the band. Have a listen.

Novah - Revolution

1.   Who are these young lads?

Novah are an atmospheric indie rock band from Stockholm, Sweden. Novah took flight in 2013 and their debut single Robot (Aug'15) had big play. Revolution comes crusading off their debut E.P. Alaska (2016).

 2.   What kind of tune are Novah pushing?

Revolution is aiming for epic and emotive. Bottom of the heart, gut-wrenched, vocals accompanied with acoustic guitar that kicks in to electric guitar to take flight in the chorus. Revolution is stadium filling, arms in the air, soft rock for the masses.

3. Who do Novah sound like?

Coldplay. The Planet Of Sound say Novah sound like Local Natives, The Verve and M83.

4. What do the Lords and Ladies of the press have to say about Revolution?

“A slowly driven indie track that explodes into an epic open arms experience with its soft vocals.” – Alternative Tracks.

“Sonically stunning and particularly crafted new single.” –The Four Oh Five.

“Blew me away with one listen.” – The Daily Listening.

5. Which bands have inspired these wunderkinds?

Coldplay maybe.

6. Why should I give Revolution a listen?

Because being a hater is wrong and deep down in your heart you remember a time of euphoric happiness when listening to a Coldplay song. 

7. Do Novah have any more good songs?

Revolution is far and away the band's best.

8. Are there any more interesting facts to share about Novah?

Novah went to an isolated Swedish island to record their E.P. instead of using an established studio in Copenhagen.

The Magic Numbers are an indie folk pop band who hail from Ealing, England. They have been making music together since 2002 and have four grand albums on display. Mornings Eleven (2005) was the first single off their self-titled album and one of the best tunes The Magic Numbers have ever made. Their concerts have been called “a quasi-religious affair” and “a fully fledged cult affair” by The Independent and Pitchfork calls Mornings Eleven a “banjo-like guitar romp.”  Here’s the real deal. The Magic Numbers.

“Baby if you telephone,

Maybe I can meet you in the morning,

Come on your own”

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - Kodaline

Kodaline have drawn comparisons with U2 and Coldplay but this song, Ready, is more Kings of Leon, Mona or Smoke and Jackal.
 

 

 

Ready(Jan'15) is an earnest, emotive indie rock song. All the edges are smooth, the production swell and indicative of a band ready for the big show. An uplifting ‘carpe diem’ song with just a hint of Irish and more than a dash of in the house of the Lord.

“Cause yeah, I’m sure your parents probably said it to you,

Follow what you love and you will love what you do”

 

 

Kodaline are a band from Dublin, Ireland making sweet alternative rock music since 2005. Ready is off their second revelation Coming Up For Air (Feb'15).

Shit you need to know:

Divine inspiration comes from Talking Heads, LCD Soundsystem, The Strokes, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen and others.

Harry Styles of One Direction wrote the Kodaline song Make It Feel Right(2015).

The producer of Coming Up For Air also did graft for U2, One Direction, Weezer and Taylor Swift.

Want some more hymns? Preaching to the choir? Try All I Want or Brand New Day. Both are pearlers.

Slippery seconds goes to American/English alternative rock band Pure Love. Bury My Bones (2012) is Pure Love's debut single and their best. The band have one long player, Anthems (2013) and a short player to their credit.