PARTYBABY - New Years 2014 On A Beach (Felicity)

1.    Who are these heroes?

PARTYBABY have landed. These ubermensch are an indie rock band with sides of punk, glam and garage. PARTYBABY fly out of Los Angeles, California. The men have one mini-album to their names, The Golden Age Of Bullshit (Sept' 16). New Years 2014 On A Beach (Felicity) is an album track.

2.    What’s this New Years 2014 On A Beach (Felicity) like then? 

A passionate song of love lost that alternates between police-siren urgency and a big fat wallow in heart-break. All accompanied by the usual tsunami of guitar PARTYBABY are famous for. A brief old school drum and chorus breakdown too. A fucking classy effort.

3. Who do PARTYBABY sound like? 

At the minute FIDLAR, VANT or even SWMRS. It must be the All Caps. Back in the day Green Day, Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins. It must be the ability to whinge when you've got it good.

4. What have the press said about PARTYBABY? 

“Flag-bearers for a whole generation” – DIY.

“Raw and authentic” – Ones To Watch.

“Undoubtedly and unabashedly, the real deal” – Paste Magazine.

5. Which bands are the air beneath PARTYBABY's wings?

Some of the band's PARTYBABY like are Everclear, Primal Scream, Sparklehorse, Fat Boy Slim and SWMRS. 

6. Why should I give this fresh new shit a whip past the ears? 

For the tsunami of guitar PARTYBABY produce after the slow buildup. A fresh mix of old ideas with hot production. These are the heirs to the throne of alternative American rock'n'roll; I shit you not.

7. Do PARTYBABY have any more bangers? 

Fuck yes. Your Old Man is a fresh, savage, garage/glam rock attack on the senses that packs more wallop than a steel-capped boot to the taint. Overload is the album reprise, two minutes of a drunk man croaking along, playing his acoustic at 5 a.m. that explodes into a raging torrent of theatrical glam rock. 

8. Any more words numpty?

Noah Gersh was a guitarist with Portugal. The Man and Jamie Shefman is a producer and engineer, most notably on the last two 30 Seconds To Mars albums. 

“I see you, sweet Felicity,

The way you move is killing me” 

Ex Cops are an indie pop band from Brooklyn, New York. They have recorded two albums. Ex Cops sound a lot like classic English indie bands like James, Travis or Teenage Fanclub. They are influenced by Kiwi indie too so there is a bit of The Chills there too. Ex Cops debut album True Hallucinations (2013) contained the gem James. Not to be confused with the band James that it sounds a lot like. Pitchfork called James, “an exercise in indie-pop classicism” and it is James that is the quintessence of English indie.

“Thinking about what it all has to do”

Friendship Park - Mushy Mushy, Nice Nice

1.    Who are these chaps?

Friendship Park are Joshua Jouppi and Justin Lawes. They are a math folk-pop duo from Detroit and Brooklyn. They've banged out a handful of singles since 2014. Mushy Mushy, Nice Nice (Sept'16) is a stand-alone single.

2. What have they got to say for themselves?

Mushy Mushy, Nice Nice is indie music's raison d'etre. A wealth of brilliant, left-field, musical ideas all placed together into a wonderful melange. The kooky math-pop opening moves into indie pop-rock with some drum kicking in and a gang vocal chorus. A chorus so addictive people should be selling it in small bags on street corners. 

3. Who do Friendship Park sound like?

Josh thinks their sound falls in between Javelin and Maps and Atlases while also mentioning Jr. Jr. (formerly Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.) as a big influence.

4. What have the press said about Mushy Mushy, Nice Nice? 

“A song to slap a smile on your face and make your ass shake. Top class” – YouTube Comments.

“An intricately constructed indie pop tour de force. Sing along stuff” - The Best Indie Songs. 

5. Which bands have provided the inspiration for Friendship Park? 

Some of their main influences include Jr. Jr. , Future Islands, Javelin, Maps and Atlases and STRFKR.


6. Why should I give Mushy Mushy, Nice Nice a whip past the ears?

Mushy Mushy, Nice Nice is an intricately constructed indie pop tour de force. Sing along stuff. Infectious.


7. Do Friendship Park have any more of these solid gold masterpieces?

Don't know. 


8. Any more words?

Not a sausage. 

Monster Truck are a hard blues rock band from Hamilton, Canada. Rocking harder than Dwayne Johnson's erection since 2009 they have two albums on their battle honors. Monster Truck sound like Wolfmother grew a pair or an intense version of The Sheepdogs. Monster Truck are influenced by bands like Lynard Skynard, Grand Funk Railroad and Jimi Hendrix as well as Nirvana and Rage Against The Machine. From Monster Truck's second E.P. The Brown E.P. (2012) came their break through hit Righteous Smoke, a bombastic, riff-heavy, band chant-along, stomper of a track that re-invents the classic rock wheel.

“I was born in the fields,

The dirt my only home”

The Crispies - Noose'N'Go

1.    Who are these try hards?

These ne'er-do-wells are The Crispies, a garage punk-pop band from Austria, Vienna. The Crispies have been whinging about how good they've got it since 2014 and have one album to their name. Noose'N'Go (Oct'16) is the second single off their debut album Death Row Kids (Oct'16).

2. Has the tune got the goods?

Oh fuck yeah. Noose'N'Go rolls along at a lackadaisical speed but the drums thump at heartbeat pace, a rusty riff rides point and the vocals wail along. A slow-burner but a primal, garagey, masterpiece emerges covered in welts and stinking of piss and blood.

3. Who do these rock lords sound like?

The Jesus and Mary Chain, Cloud Nothings and The Arctic Monkeys (if they had sand). 

4. What's the good word from the press? 

“Unrelenting” – The Gap. 

“Piercing vocals embody emotional desperation” – Music Export. 

“Another belting track from one of the greatest new bands in rock’n’roll” – YouTube Comments. 

5. Which bands have put the squeeze on The Crispies?

Two of the bands to inspire The Crispies are Bass Drum Of Death and Ezra Furman.

6. Why should I give Noose'N'Go a lash? 

The tune is primal. Nasty. Dark. 

7. Do these lads have any more bangers?

Bad Blood is the band's best. A skeezy, stripped down punk track that sashays through the door of the club with swagger and then proceeds to propel the heaving mass of humanity, one and all, to Valhalla.

8. Any more words chubby whacker?

This band of brothers all graduated from the same music school together and are all left-handed.

“She don’t know, where to go”

44^th Sunset are an indie pop band from Perth, Australia. They have recorded a few E.P.'s and sound a bit like New Politics, Youngblood Hawke or Young The Giant. 44th Sunset are influenced by Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park and Jay Z. In 2014 they had their debut single Caesar (2012) when they were 17 years old.  Caesar is a mainstream indie pop-rock cracker and a song ABC described as “super catchy indie pop.”

 

“Offer your body and soul,

I’m sure he’ll try it”

Ladybug and The Wolf - Have A Bite On Me

1.    Who are these mutts?

Ladybug and The Wolf are a deep folk rock band from Saint Etienne, France. They started playing together in 2013. Have A Bite On Me (Oct’16) is the second single from their debut album Mammatus (Oct’16).

2. What's Have A Bite On Me about then? 

Have A Bite On Me is a languid folk-pop song with sweet harmonies and a choral chorus.


3. Who do Ladybug and The Wolf sound like?

Great Lake Swimmers, The Avett Brothers and The Strumbellas.


4. What's the good word from the press? 

“A refreshing voice and sound” – YouTube Comments. 

“Awesome I just love it!” – YouTube Comments.

“A new work of art” – YouTube Comments.

5. Who put the sincere in Ladybug and The Wolf's music?

Ladybug and The Wolf were influenced by The Do and The Lumineers. 


6. Why should I give Have A Bite On Me a listen?

Have A Bite On Me is like missing a love from afar. Sweet sorrow. Earthy folk-pop without the cheesy insincerity that comes with the likes of The Strumbella's and the Avett Brothers. 


7. Do Ladybug and The Wolf have any more good songs?

Don't Pretend has a snappy shuffle. A good 'un.


8. Any more words mon amie?

Diddly squat. 

“Well I fell from my tree”

Christine and The Queens is Heloise Letissier from Nantes, France. She has been making electronic pop music since 2008 and has recorded one album and a string of E.P.’s. Her album Christine and The Queens (2014) was a top ten album around the world, reached number 2 on the U.K album charts, and was equally loved by critics rating a 85% on Metacritic. Spin Magazine described the album as, “brilliant in it’s quiet confidence, it’s willingness to intrigue rather than stun.” The most popular English single from the album wasTilted (2015) a sparse synth-pop tune with an emotive centre and a word to say about sexual identity. 

“I’m actually good,

Can’t help it if we’re tilted”

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”

Pop Cult - Sunday Mourning

1.    Who are these rock heroes? 

Behold the majesty of Pop Cult an indie rock-revivalist band from the Sunshine Coast, Australia. The champs have had their shoulder to the musical wheel since 2015 and Sunday Mourning (Sept'16) is their third nugget of gold. Sunday Mourning is the lead single from Pop Cult's debut E.P. Cult Classics (Nov’16). 

2. What kind of magic are they weaving this time around?

Sunday Mourning is gentle pop-rock comedown music that slides quietly along infecting your soul. Harks back to English indie of the 90's and grunge in equal measure.

3. Who do Pop Cult sound like? 

The Smashing Pumpkins, The Las, Primal Scream, Oasis, The Who and The Rolling Stones.

4. What have the freedom fighters in the press said about Sunday Mourning?

“Pretty and melodic on the surface but dealing with darker themes underneath” – The Music.

“Quirky indie music that gets stuck in your head” – UK Mix Forums.

“A great pop song with the catchiest of hooks” – Third Outing.

5. Which bands are Pop Cult followers of?

Some of the main Pop Cult influences are E.L.O. , T. Rex, The Velvet Underground, Big Star and Teenage Fanclub.  


6. Why should I give Sunday Mourning a whirl?

Because you love 90's indie and grunge and need a comedown melody.


7. Do Pop Cult have any other good tunes?

Fuck yes. Feels Right is a Primal Scream-esque, gospel tinged, retro-classic. Gotta Keep Lovin' is a cruisy indie rocker with a healthy lash of Madchester. 

8. Any more words chief?

Not a dilly.

“It’s Sunday morning and I feel so low” 

The Picturebooks are a German garage blues-rock duo. Playing together since 2005 they have five long players on the books. The Picturebooks mind of The Kills, The Black Keys or The White Stripes; but with grit. Your Kisses Burn Like Fire is the lead single from the album Imaginary Horse. Punk News called the album “vicious, modern rock and roll” and New Noise Magazine said the song, “oozes sensuality, starting slow and smooth before rising into a roaring climax, that levels off again into a wave of dirty blues rock.”

“Drunk and sunken pride”