The Amazons - Nightdriving

1   1.    Who are the saviours of rock’n’roll? 

     The Amazons. Indie rock band from Reading, England. Putting the world to rights in a couple of minutes since 2015 and a short player and a clutch of singles to the good. Nightdriving (June'16) is a stand alone single at the minute and a taster of their debut album due soon.

     2. What's Nightdriving like?  

     Nightdriving hurtles along like a runaway van; traditional English indie guitar noise capturing ephemeral excitement. The vibe is vital, the vocals impassioned and Nightdriving exudes the best of English rock sensibilities.

     3. Who are The Amazons similar to?

     Oasis, Sundara Karma and Catfish and The Bottlemen. 

     4. What have the venerable citizens of the fourth estate said about Nightdriving?

“A super catchy single with a feel good, upbeat tempo” – Redbrick.

“Driven guitars and a chorus made for bouncing to” – Music Scramble.

“Fucking big tune. Every chance this’ll be one of the songs of summer and The Amazons one of the breakthrough bands of the year” – Gigslutz.

5. Which bands have influenced The Amazons? 

The Vaccines, The Arctic Monkeys, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Killers and Arcade Fire are just some of the bands that rock their boat. 

6. Why should I give Nightdriving a crack of the lash? 

The Amazons are a band on the make and this is one of the brightest gems in their indie rock crown. The tunes cracks along with barely a pause to take breath. Champion.

7. What are The Amazons' other barn burners? 

Stay With Me is the myth-maker, dragon-slayer and stuff of legend. Ultraviolet is bloody good too.

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8. Any more words muppet?

     Nightdriving was produced by Catherine Marks who has done the same for Wolf Alice, Foals and Sunset Sons.

“Diving in a pool of silhouettes I’ve seen”

     

     

     The Griswolds are a bubbly synth-pop band from Sydney, Australia. Slapping together happy-go-lucky tunes together since 2012 they have manufactured one solid long player Be Impressive (2014). Mississippi (2013) was the band's first big hit, making it to the top ten of U.S. college radio, and has choral vocals and a surprisingly deep soulful bent. Give it a crack.

     

“Here we go,

Walking down the Mississippi on our own”

The Stone Roses - All For One

1.    Who are these legends? 

The Stone Roses are an indie psych rock band from Manchester, England. Started in 1983 and still going strong they have two long players on their immortal roll of honor. All For One (May'16) is the lead single from The Stone Rose's third album, Third Eye, due for release this year. All For One is the first new music from The Stone Roses in 21 years.

2. What have The Stone Roses got in the tank?

All For One comes on with a swinging riff and sounding more direct, like Oasis, and with the same anthemic sing-along pay off. All For One is an upbeat, snappy tune with Ian Brown's detached trademark vocals providing the trippy vibe of yore. A stellar comeback.

3. Who do The Stone Roses sound like? 

The Telegraph compared aspects of All For One to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry and The White Stripes. The Stone Roses have generally been compared to Oasis, The Happy Mondays, The Charlatans, Primal Scream and The Smiths. 

4. What have the press said about All For One? 

"Has undoubtedly got anthem potential" - Manchester Evening News.

"Stone Roses circa the 90's, but with a revitalised spirit" - Consequence Of Sound.

"A starry-eyed psycedelic jangle with some old school blues-rock swagger to it" - Stereogum.

5. Which bands had a hand in The Stone Rose's magic sound? 

Some of the key Stone Rose's influences are The Smiths, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, T. Rex and The Clash.

6. Why should I give All For One a blast? 

All For One is a belter that brings something fresh and something nostalgic together for the old fans while introducing new fans to a pivotal band of the nineties without alienating their modern sensibilities. A classy balancing act has been achieved with All For One and it's 'we are all in this together' message continues in the fine Northern traditions of solidarity and is ripe for all ears.



7. What are The Stone Rose's classics? 

Fool's Gold is the band's most successful song, a modest top ten or twenty hit around the world, a tight dance masterpiece led my a drum masterclass and the only ten minute song worth listening to. She Bangs The Drums is an intense, euphoric banger with the best bass intro to an indie rock song ever. Made Of Stone is a melancholic sing-along that still charges at windmills, has a fiery John Squire lead break, and is the best song The Stone Roses ever made.

8. Any more words? 

All For One was produced by Paul Epworth who has worked for Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Primal Scream, Adele and U2 to name a few. 

In 2004 one hundred musicians and critics voted The Stone Rose's debut album The Stone Roses (1989) the best British album of all time in The Observer, ahead of The Beatle's Revolver, The Clash's London Calling and Van Morrison's Astral Weeks.

"Inside of me, for all to see

In harmony, all one family"

The La's are an indie jangle pop band from Liverpool, England. Formed in 1983 they periodically reform but have only one piece of gold in the vault, the debut self-titled album The La's (1990).  There She Goes (1990) was one of four singles from the album but is far and away The La's most popular song and a minor chart hit in the US and a top ten hit in the UK. Consequence Of Sound said There She Goes has "one of the most memorable opening riffs in pop rock" and is "one of rock's most memorable and poignant love songs." While The La's largely eluded the adulation heaped on their peers, nonetheless, There She Goes is emblematic of the revolutionary, effervescent, milieu that British indie music enjoyed in the early nineties. 

"And I just can't contain

This feelin' that remains"

SPOOKYLAND - Big Head

 

 

 

1. Who are these legends in their lunchtime?

SPOOKYLAND are an indie rock band from Sydney, Australia. Playing together for over five years Big Head (March'16) ripples off their debut album Beauty Already Beautiful (May’16).

2. What's on the turntable?

Big Head is a laid back, booming rocker packed to the gills with rampant, sexy, riffery. The vocals are rather unique; falling somewhere between whiny and pissy.


3. Who do SPOOKYLAND sound similar to?

Big Head is similar to Oasis.


4. What is the good word from the fourth estate?

“It’s a killer track” – Consequence Of Sound.

“Stadium sized rock’n’roll” – Rolling Stone Australia.

“Big riffs and bigger, ballsier vocals” – Backseat Mafia.

5. Which bands bring the pain to SPOOKYLAND’s music?

The main influences are Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Kurt Vile and The Church.

6. Why should I give Big Head a crack?
 
Big Head is having a serve at the double standards that people have judging womens' behavior. While that in itself is admirable the hard rocking band make it bloody loveable.


7. Do SPOOKYLAND have any more bangers?

God's Eyes is good.
 

8. Any more words?

SPOOKYLAND’s singer, guitarist, songwriter, Marcus Gordon, took inspiration from the music, biography and poetry of Patti Smith and the songwriting of Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen.

SPOOKYLAND have played shows supporting Cold War Kids, Gary Clarke Jr and Band Of Skulls.

 

“I love the idiot she made of me”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oasis crawled out of Manchester in 1991 and lasted until 2009 by some miracle and racked up seven big players on their roll of immortal rock'n'roll honor. Cigarettes & Alcohol bled off their debut album Definitely Maybe (1994, the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK and voted by NME readers in 2006 the greatest album of all time). Cigarettes & Alcohol is an anthem. Pitchfork called, “cocky, muscular, and uptempo.”

“Is it worth the aggravation,

To find yourself a job when there’s nothing worth working for?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frances Wave - Black Star

1.    Who are these men of music?

Frances Wave are an indie rock band from Trondheim, Norway. Black Star (Oct'15) is a stand alone single and the band's debut assault on stardom.


2. What kind of cracker is Black Star?

Black Star isn't necessarily love at first sight but the stonking riffs hook you in up front and then the sweet melodies start to percolate. The chorus weaves it's subtle magic and then love sets sail. Black Star gives it all up and is cracking, top class rock by any measure.


3. Who do Frances Wave sound similar to?

NME thought Frances Wave’s sound falls somewhere between Queens Of The Stone Age, Oasis and Royal Blood.

4. What have the cut and paste bandits said about Black Star?

“Breathtaking desert rock with airy riffs” – Trondheim Calling.

“Heaps of crunching guitars, melting together to provide a cracker” – NME.

“Catchy pop rock floating over a thick blanket of desert rock” - TRD Events.

5. Which bands have put the crunch in Frances Wave’s rock?

The main influences of Frances Wave are The Black Keys, Queens Of The Stone Age and Jack White.

6. Why should I give Black Star a whip past the ear holes?

Give Black Star a plethora of listenings. It's the gift that keeps giving. Kicking down the doors it struts into the room with swagger, bouncing with joy but sits down to engage in a deep and meaningful rock'n'roll conversation. Black Star is brilliant.

7. Do Frances Wave have any more belters?

Only time will tell.

 8. Any more words?

Frances Wave are recording their debut album with Per Borten from Spidergawd.

“Rock beats scissors”

The double dip is from Flat Swamp a rock band from Boston, Massachusetts by way of Newtown, Connecticut. They call their music power-pop and Weezer rock. Flat Swamp have three short players on their roll of honor and Over and Again bounces off their first EP Nicholas Cage Match (2012) and is a bloody gem. Their song has been taken down. This is all I can find now.

“And now I’ve blown it all and I can’t take it back”

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”