SWMRS - Berekely's On Fire

1.    Who are they? 

SWMRS are a pop punk band from Oakland, California. 


2. What have they got?

Berkeley’s On Fire (Aug’18) is a standalone single at the moment. SWMRS are three albums deep. 


3. Who are SWMRS similar to? 

The Frights, FIDLAR, and WAAVES. 


4. What have the press said? 

“Social commentary wrapped in churning guitars” – Paste Magazine. 

“Vibrant song” – Alt Press. 

“Thundering drums and wailing guitars” – We Are The Guard. 

5. Which bands influenced SWMRS?

Some of SWMRS main influences are The Ramones, The Beach Boys, The Clash, Public Enemy, and Weezer. 

6. Why should I give Berkeley's On Fire a listen?

The song has a word to say about far-right politics, the propaganda machine and outrage culture. They aren’t in favor of any of them! And vitriol is the best sauce for cooking pop punk songs in. Berkeley's On Fire is angry and catchy (in a Beastie Boys Fight For Your Right To Party kind of way) in equal measure. 

7. What are SWMRS best songs? 

Figuring It Out and Miley are the best SWMRS bangers. 

8. Any more words? 

The drummer is Billie Joe Armstrong's (Green Day) son.

Hockey Dad - I Wanna Be Everybody

1.    Who? 

Hockey Dad are a surf rock band from Australia. At times they have a punk edge. Hockey Dad have been picking up popularity in Oz at a steady rate of knots and I Wanna Be Everybody (Jan’18) is the lead single from their second missive Blend Inn (Feb’18).

2. What?

I Wanna Be Everybody has a great grunge riff (and drumming) a la Nirvana and a chorus with the ability to worm it's way into your consciousness when the tune is part of your playlist. Not the whole enchilada perhaps, but definitely the meat and cheese.

3. Who do Hockey Dad sound like?

WAVVES, SKEGSS, and DMA'S. 


4. What is the word from the magazines? 

“Filled with fun riffs and awesome melodies” – Grated Melon.

“Scuzzy Australian surf-pop” – Gigslutz.

“Relatable lyrics and sun kissed riffs” – Love Music Love Life.

5. Which bands influenced Hockey Dad?

Bass Drum of Death, Sparkadia, Band of Horses, punk and 60's garage.

6. Why should I give the tune a spin?

The last three Hockey Dad singles have earned most plays the week of their release on Triple J. This is what is popular in Australia. Worth a look maybe. Oh and the Nirvana rip off is good.

7. Do they have any more good 'uns?

I Need A Woman isn't too shabby.

8. More words? 

Nah.

Animal House are a garage rock band from Brisbane, Australia. They play out of Brighton, U.K. at the minute. Animal House have a sixties garage rock sound but claim influences like The Strokes, Kings of Leon, and Arctic Monkeys. The band have been around for three years and so far have dropped a number of bangers like Domino, English Girls and Figure It Out. No long player as yet. Continuing in the line of fun garage rock is No Mama (May'18).

Autonomics - Southern Funeral

1. Who are Autonomics? 

Autonomics are a garage/power pop band from Portland, Oregon. They have been making music since 2008. Southern Funeral (Feb'17) is the second single from their debut album Debt Sounds (March'17). 

2. What kind of tune is Southern Funeral? 

Southern Funeral rattles along in a hurry to the finish line, melding old school indie rock to a modern indie pop chorus. Short, snappy and with a little fire in it's belly. 

3. Who do Autonomics sound like? 

The Thermals, The Dandy Warhols and Wavves. 

4. What have the press said about Southern Funeral? 

“Fricken awesome” – Facebook Comments.

“Cool song” – You Tube Comments.

“I fucking like it” – You Tube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced Autonomics?

Their main influences are Wavves, The Strokes, The Killers and Japandroids. 

6. Why should I listen to Autonomics? 

Because you want to get on the ground floor of a great band on the rise; the best band out of Portland since The Dandy Warhols. 

7. What are Autonomics' best songs? 

The first single from the new album is their best by a country mile. Superfuzz is the song you need. A solid rocking party anthem that sounds like Weezer and The Dandys. Fucking quality. You Had Me At Surf Punk is sound as a pound too. 

8. Any more words? 

Pass.

“I’m no hero anymore”

WILD are a folk/indie pop band from Los Angeles, California. They have released an album and a string of singles. WILD sound like Of Monsters and Men, The Lumineers and The Strumbellas. They are influenced by St Lucia, Bryce Fox and Young The Giant. Hold Us Together (Feb'17) is chest-pounding, vacuous, top 40 shite. It's also as catchy as a frat boy's communal wank mitt. A guilty pleasure.

“Give me the song inside your soul”

Cloud Nothings - Modern Act

1.    Who are they? 

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. 

3. Who do Cloud Nothings sound like? 

Japandroids, Wavves and Cymbals Eat Guitars.

4. What have the press said about Modern Act?

“Fierce and melodic” – Rolling Stone.

“A soaring, unifying cut” – DIY.

“Punk rock tradition” – CPR. 

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.

“I’m gonna make you mine”

SWMRS- Hannah

1.    Who are the lads?

SWMRS are are a surf/pop/punk band from Oakland, California. Drive North (Feb'16) is their third album, albeit the first two came under the name Emily's Army. Hannah (Feb'16) is an album track that got a video in October.

2. What's this Hannah like then?

Like an indulgent Ramones song on Valium, banged out on a lazy Sunday with Pro Tools. Sleepy but catchy. The lyrics hit the spot. About indulgence. 

3. Who do SWMRS sound like? 

FIDLAR, The Ramones, Wavves, The Frights and Twin Peaks. 

4. What have the press said about Hannah? 

“A slow, dreamy song” – Cryptic Rock.

“A very odd song” – Rattle Mag.

“More mellow” – Michigan Daily.

5. Which bands have influenced SWMRS?

The Ramones, The Clash, The Beach Boys, Public Enemy and Weezer are a few of their influences.


6. Why should I give Hannah a lash? 

Because the lyrics are vaguely amusing and the tune doesn't suck balls.


7. Do SWMRS have any other notable efforts?

Sure they do! Figuring It Out is top of the pops, rocks as hard as a prison rapist's hard-on and has gang vocals. Miley is punk rock done proper. Proper, proper.


8. Any more words Bozo?

Drive North was produced by FIDLAR singer Zac Carper. 

“My eyes look like diamonds, the boys all be trying,

But those boys don’t understand me”

Havana 3 am were a British/American rockabilly band with a heavy Latino influence formed by The Clash bass player Paul Simonon. They recorded two long players from 1986 - 1996. Havana 3am's first self-titled album Havana 3am (1991) was the essential album that All Music said, "has a tense pumping energy.” Reach The Rock was a minor radio hit and the best tune on the album. The initial spaghetti-Western sound settles into a lovely ska bounce before cracking into a straight rock song. It's worthy.

“One bad move leads to another”

FIDLAR - Why Generation

1.   Who are these piss holes giving the finger?

FIDLAR are a ‘wanks on planks’ garage punk band from Los Angeles, USA. The lads have been stirring shit, and been on it, since 2009. Why Generation (Feb’16) is the fifth single released from their second long player Too (Sept'15).

2.   So what kind of tune do we have here?

After showing signs of great promise, finally, a pearler.  A mellow garage punk groover with a noisy chorus and a god honest, albeit brief, lead guitar break followed by some surfy lines in the coda.

3. Who do FIDLAR sound like?

Twin Peaks, SWMRS, GHOSTS, The Orwells and Public Access TV spring to mind.

Some say Wavves are the go to band. Thanks Pitchfork, I was asleep at the wheel. On that topic, FIDLAR were asked if they thought they are similar to The Orwells. The answer was “fuck no.” But the good oil is King Tuff and Bass Drum Of Death.

4. What is the good word from the press?

About the single Why Generation, Consequnce Of Sound drew a big, big, big bow, calling it “a smartly layered commentary for a song about millennial struggles and failures.” Someone get me a hankie for my eyes, I laughed so hard I cried. Spin Magazine weren't over enthused “a weird little detour into the British Invasion,” they sniffed.

About the album Too, some semblance of sanity returned over at COS as they commented on the “tight riffs and jangly power pop melodies,” before losing the plot again sure the album is,“as trashy and as thrasy as they come.” Oh shit, I didn't piss myself this time but I did dribble a bit. Muppets. Clash Music came to the rescue lauding “a fantastic second effort” and the “catchy riffs and partying.” Spin were feeling the “throaty barks and feedback-shot riffs,” while Pitchfork hit the nail on the head “a crisper, almost radio-friendly effort.”

5. Who are FIDLAR’s influences?

FIDLAR's influences are Black Flag, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Wu-Tang Clan, The Beastie Boys, Elton John, The Band, Thee Oh Sees, The Black Lips, Jay Reatard, The Pixies, The Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke and Toto. Toto? A recent Spotify list from the band is smoking. Standouts include Sublime, Suicidal Tendencies, Warren Zevon, Black Sabbath and Creedance Clearwater Revival.


 6. Why should I give Why Generation a go?

Having a pop at phone obsession and singing about contemporary anxieties is to be celebrated and FIDLAR are exploring worthy themes. No one expects them to do it articulately. They are a punk band and funny ass motherfuckers with some style. Why Generation represents a band moving forward lyrically and musically without neglecting the punch of their earlier material. While the term earworm is vile, it is appropriate.

7. Do FIDLAR have any other good tunes?

Sure. 40 oz. On Repeat is the lead single from the second album and it nails it. Massive sound. Of course West Coast doesn't miss with it's swing either. I Just Wanna Die is an acoustic number without being lame. Unlikely but true.

8. Are there any other pertinent facts to share with your observant audience? 

Why yes indeed, my fine fellow. The new album Too was produced by Jay Joyce who put the shine on albums by bands like Sleeper Agent, COIN, Coheed and Cambria and Halestorm.

The casual observer will note much is made of front man Zac Carper’s past drug use in the press. Worth note are some of the sour notes in the otherwise privileged life Zac has had. He said,“I stopped doing heroin, I stopped doing meth, I stopped smoking crack,” while crediting in part Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong. As you do.

“How to live in the twenty-first century, 

When every move you make, everyone can see?”

Pudding today is from one of New Zealand’s finest, a national treasure and heroes of the nation, the alternative rock band Shihad. The band have been supplying the smash hits to Kiwis since 1988 and racked up five consecutive NZ number one albums in the process. The finest and most celebrated of which is The General Electric (1999) an album produced by Garth Richarson who did the same for Rise Against, Biffy Clyro, You Me At Six, Chevelle and the best albums from Rage Against The Machine and Red Hot Chili Peppers.  

My Mind’s Sedate was one of a triumvirate of big swinging singles from the album and found them straying slightly into punk territory. 

“Extract the venom spit it over your shoulder”