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”

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - 10 Of The Best (Part Two)

These songs didn’t make it onto the blog. They should have as these are some of the best indie songs of 2015 so prepare to have your socks knocked off in this New Year special!

1.   Itchy Poopkidz - Dancing In The Sun

Itchy Poopkidz are a punk rock band from Germany. Dancing In The Sun (Feb’15) wears it’s political message of environmental concern and equality on it’s sleeve and plays like The Red Hot Chili Peppers back when they were good, the Uplift Mofio Party Plan/Mother’s Milk/Blood Sugar Sex Magik days... but y’know... intelligent... from the bands sixth album Six (April'15).

 

 

 

2.   The Very Best – Makes A King

 

The Very Best are a duo from Sweden and Malawi who make African influenced indie pop. Makes A King (May'15) is the title track from their second album (April’15) and sounds like cultural blending at it’s magical best and without the cultural cringe or queasiness that usually occurs...

 



 

3.   Clean Cut Kid – Vitamin C

 

Bursting out of Liverpool with their debut single are indie pop band Clean Cut Kid. Vitamin C bubbles with bass and cuddly quirks and shot them straight to fame and fortune. Get yours...

 

 

 



4.   Greg Holden – Hold On Tight

 

Fighting out of New York City by way of Aberdeen, Scotland, Greg Holden is a popular folk/pop singer. Hold On Tight (Feb’15) is a rousey, foot stomping, folky piece of ‘be yourself’ and does the trick perfect.

 

 

 



5.   The Maccabees – Something Like Happiness

 

The Maccabees are an English indie pop/rock band that hail from London. Something Like Happiness (Jun’15) is their stroke of genius, the best thing they have done. A choral opening gives it a religious feel and that feeling ain’t going nowhere. Like hearing The Smiths when they meant something or The Courteeners at their best... occasionally music transcends this mortal coil...

 



 

 

6.   Best Coast – Feeling O.K.

Best Coast are indie rockers from Los Angeles and have an under-stated surf vibe. Feeling O.K (July’15) surges off their third album and combines fucking steaming walls of guitar with a soaring, dreamy female voice and variations thereof ...

 
    7. Jungle Giants – Every Kind Of Way

Coming from Brisbane, Australia, The Jungle Giants had a big 2015 releasing their second album Speakerzoid (Aug’15) to massive acclaim. Every Kind Of Way (April’15) was one of two killer singles that sashayed off it and has a funky, kooky, Beck, vibe to it.

8.   Kurt Vile – Pretty Pimpin

Kurt Vile is an indie rocker/folker  who rolls out of Philadelphia. From his sixth album B’lieve I’m Goin Down (Sept’15) was the lead single Pretty Pimpin (July’15). It is. A slow rolling, southern sounding, slip sliding wonder.

9.   El Vy – I’m The Man To Be

El Vy is a two man collaboration between the singer for popular indie rock band The National and a past member of indie rock band Monomena. I’m The Man To Be (Sept’15) struts off their debut album Return To The Moon (Oct’15) wearing fuck me boots and a salacious grin.  

 

10.   Wavves – Flamezez

Indie surf rock band Wavves come rampaging out of San Diego and on their fifth album V (Oct’15) they go park with this fucking screamer Flamezesz (July’15). A punk gem.

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - SWMRS

SWMRS are a surf punk band with strong pop punk roots that sally forth from Oakland, California. They are related to punk royalty in that Billie Joe Armstrong, front man of Green Day, is the drummer's father. SWMRS have just finished a west coast tour doing fluffer duties for Wavves and Twin Peaks. 

The band got attention for their tribute to punk rock queen Miley Cyrus, Miley (Sept'15). The first single release from the bands third album, albeit first after a name change, is Figuring It Out (Nov'15). 

Figuring It Out  is their best work, a massive crowd singing, indie rock banger. Noisey Vice called Figuring It Out a “poppy foot-tapper filled with skate-gang vocals,” and Little Indie Blogs praised it's “propulsive energy and vibrant riffs.”

SWMRS broad influences are The Ramones, The Clash and The Beach Boys. More diverse influences include Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Pavement, Weezer, and Nirvana.

Broadway World said SWMRS music in general “combines the caustic broadsides of The Clash, the amphetamine bubblegum of the Ramones, and the searing lyrics, propulsive energy, and raw honesty of Public Enemy.” 

Inner Speaker Magazine had some good words for the new album Drive North saying it is “energetic, angry yet light-hearted” and “emotional, rebellious, and at times reflective.” Of the tune Figuring It Out the blogger Drink Cold Soda hit the nail on the head with the simple yet accurate “anthemic.”  

Throwing out the haymaker early doors massive ‘whoahs’ form the chorus and introduce the track in a hair on the back of the neck build up to quiet verses with a Ramones-eque delivery and lyrics describing a universal need to find your place in the world. The song pulls it all together for a bouncing off the walls rock out at the end. Figuring It Out rocks harder than a prison rapist coming and is one of the best indie songs of 2015

“We like getting drunk now

 Jimmy flunked out pants undone”

Shit you need to know:

The band released two albums and a string of short players as Emily’s Army before changing their name in 2015 reflecting a change in the bands musical direction from punk to a beach pop style.

Punk icon Billie Joe Armstrong produced all the Emily's Army albums.

The band are childhood friends who started making music in 2004 after watching School Of Rock.

Figuring It Out is the first single from the bands fourth album Drive North (Feb’16).

The album Drive North was produced by Fidlar vocalist Zac Carper.

The singer Cole Becker said Drive North is thematically about “cultivating your own creativity within the world that you live in and basking in your individual identity.”

Broadway World said Drive North is “suffused with coming of age jams, subversive anthems to Miley Cyrus, and a sense of freedom forged out of modern-day confusion.”

The band self-release their music on the label Uncool Records.

SWMRS have been described as a beach-punk band, a punk-rock band, a surf-punk-pop band and surf rockers.

The bands original name Emily's Army was in honor of Max's and Cole's cousin Emily, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis.

SWMRS have toured the world on fluffer duties for bands like Rise Against, Soundgarden, Gerard's Way and Pennywise.

Other SWMRS songs to keep the party going strong are Ammonia and Bleach, Miley and Kids Just  Wanna Dance.

Sloppy seconds is courtesy of SWMRS tour mates Wavves. The San Diego indie rock band have a killer here with the second single from their fifth album V.  Don’t waste your time. Listen to Flamezesz (July’15).

“It’s suicidal hurt

The way you walk around”