Les Diggers - Terre à la Lune

 

1. Who are Les Diggers? 

Les Diggers are a French surf/punk rock band from Hossegor, France, formed in 2019.  Terre à la Lune rolls off their second album Atmosphérique (March, 2024). 

2. What kind of song is Terre à la Lune? 

Terre à la Lune is the kind of playful, simple yet catchy punk that bands like The Ramones or FIDLAR set the bar for. Four to the floor, no surprises all smiles, sweet pop punk.

3. Who do Les Diggers sound like? 

Teen Mortgage, Bad Nerves, and The Ramones. 

4. Which bands have influenced Les Diggers? 

I don't know but they are chesting Nirvana and Stupeflip while sounding like The Ramones so that's a start. 

5. What have people said about Terre à la Lune?

"It's a fucking banger" - YouTube Comments.

"We want more guys" - YouTube Comments.

"Go, go, go" - YouTube Comments.

FIDLAR - Down N Out

 

1. Who are FIDLAR?

FIDLAR are an influential garage/punk/surf rock band from Los Angeles, California. They have played together since 2009 and have never managed to better their high-tide mark of the lead single from their second album 40 Oz On Repeat (2015). Down N Out (July, 2024) is one of a few singles from their fifth album Surviving The Dream (Sept, 2024). 

2. What has Down N Out got going for it? 

Down N Out is a little bit of a return to form, a sweet surf-pop Beach Boys-style tune done by a garage band that have lost relevance and the sun is setting down on their backs. The spoken-word breakdown is putrid and indicative of a band stripped clean of ideas.  The lyrics are fucking whiny too. But all told Down N Out isn't completely vile; it remains passable for the intro that has a spectral sense of urgency, it's playful bouncy pop tone, and for the ghostly echoes of the excitement this band once conjured. 

3. Which bands do FIDLAR sound like? 

SWMRS, WAVVES, Bass Drum of Death, and The Frights. 

4. Which bands influenced FIDLAR? 

The Black Lips, Beastie Boys, Weezer, and The Hives. 

5. What is the word on the street about Down N Out?

"A sunburnt surf punk track with propulsive guitars and tongue-in-cheek spoken-word banter" - Prelude Press. 

"Sounds like classic FIDLAR" - Punk News. 

"An excellent single" - Kerrang! 

"Nodding out in a car,

Cause I don't give a fuck"

The Frights - Crutch

1. Who?

The Frights are a garage band from San Diego, California. Crutch (May'18) is the first single from their third album.

2. What?

Standard issue surf punk noise. Mixes melodic, suspenseful, verses with full-tit, rock out choruses; with a modicum of expertise.

3. Who do The Frights sound like?

SWMRS, WAVVES, and FIDLAR.

4. What have the rags said about Crutch? 

“A pummeling, high energy track” – DIY. 

“Chugging guitars come head to head with cymbal smashing percussion” – The Line Of Best Fit. 

“Incendiary first excerpt” – Son Of Marketing. 

5. Which bands influenced The Frights?

The Frights were influenced by bands like Rancid, The Offspring, Black Flag, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Social Distortion.


6. Why should I listen to The Frights?

Because you don't have enough surf punk in your life. Because you like your punk hey diddle, diddle, straight down the middle.


7. Do The Frights have any other good tunes?

Hell yeah. Kids is basement punk with a rockabilly side done right.


8. Anything else?

Nah.

For better or worse State Champs are a popular version of American pop-punk. They are from Albany, New York, and have been playing together since 2010. Bands typically associated with State Champs are All Time Low, 5 Seconds of Summer, and The Wonder Years. Their influences are Jimmy Eat World and Fall Out Boy. Dead and Gone (April'18) is the lead single from the State Champs' third album Living Proof (June'18). Dead and Gone is the type of cotton candy State Champs have teased in the past but, now they have gone all-in. It's bombastic, meaningless, vacuous, trite, shite. As contagious as a hobos foreskin in summer though. A guilty pleasure (the song not hobos foreskins Charlie Chaplin).

WAVVES - You're Welcome

1. Who are WAVVES? 

WAVVES are a surf-punk band from San Diego, California. Making noise since 2008 they have six albums in the vault. You’re Welcome (March’17) is one of two lead singles from their sixth album You’re Welcome (May’17). 

2. What's the skinny on You're Welcome? 

You're Welcome is slacker punk with Beck-esque verses that suck you in but ultimately have fuck all to say. Theirs a Pro Tools simplicity to it, a lovely, grimey, under-stated riff and a catchy Peter Pan chorus. It'll do.

3. Which bands do WAVVES sound like? 

SWMRS, FIDLAR and Best Coast. 

4. What have the press said about You're Welcome? 

“Ebullient slices of basement punk” – Noisey Vice.

“Decidedly more psychedelic and offbeat” – Clrvynt

“A heavier, brooding track until the chorus comes around” – The Line Of Best Fit. 

5. Which bands inspired WAVVES?

Some of their main influences are Nirvana, The Ramones, The Beach Boys, Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer. 

6. Why should I listen to You're Welcome? 

Because you like indulgent West Coast punk rock. 

7. What are WAVVES best songs? 

Demon To Lean On, Flamezesz and Way Too Much are the ones you want.

8. Any more words? 

WAVVES  and Cloud Nothings put out a collaborative album in 2016 (No Life For Me).

WAAVES and Weezer put out a split 7" Fake Smiles and Nervous Laughter (2016) with a WAVVES cover of You Gave Your Love To Me Softly. 

“Low life, your life”

Radkey are a garage punk band from St. Joseph, Missouri. They are three brothers.Radkey sound similar to The Bots, Drenge and Bass Drum Of Death. They are influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Misfits and Wolfmother.  Dark Black Makeup is off their debut album Dark Black Makeup (2015) (re-released in 2016 as Delicious Rock Noise). NME thought the album was “one of the strongest punk debuts of 2015.” Dark Black Makeup features nun cunt tight playing under an exquisite glam vocal. 

“Kids these days, they want it all,

They just trip, trip and fall”