Power pop
ALBUM REVIEW: Pale Waves – Who Am I?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a band in possession of good reviews for their first album must find the second difficult. Debuts are, after all, borne out of years of hard graft and fine-tuning, whereas follow-ups are often written and recorded amongst a brand-new dizzying schedule of touring and promotion and under the …
See: Wicketkeeper release new video for single ‘The Side’
London/Margate Trio Wicketkeeper have released a new video for their single The Side, taken from their upcoming debut LP Shonk, out on October 16th via Meritorio Records. Of the track, the bands simon describes it as “Have you ever seen someone in a crowd and recognised them, but then realised it’s because they look like …
Track: Broadside – Heavenly
Pop Punkers Broadside have just released their 3rd single taken from forthcoming album Into the Raging Sea due 24th July. Heavenly is another slice of emotion filled “From the very beginning, my attitude was: I don’t have shit to look forward to and everything behind me is trash, soI’m going to make myself the hero …
EP: BARBE ROUSSE – FACTORY SETTINGS
DESCRIBING themselves as “psychedelic slop-pop”, Edinburgh’s Barbe Rousse (it’s French for ‘ginger beard’) are to these ears, conversely, a rather neat proposition. Their digitally released five-tracker, the Factory Settings EP, is the brainchild of Leith home recording magician Alasdair Kelly, and is a paisley treat. Following on from a full-length debut for Double A-Side Records …
Track: Herzog – Shadows
Herzog returns with the second month of their one song per month project, that will culminate in the release of the LP, Fiction Writer, next year via Exit Stencil Records. After releasing ‘I’m Being Replaced’ this month they share Shadows. About the song Nick commented, “Song two is entitled ‘Shadows’. This song is about the …
See: Lucy and the Rats release new video for September
Formed after former Spazzy member Lucy Ellis moved from Melbourne, Australia to London, Lucy and the Rats are a three piece who have been establishing themselves in heartfelt alt-(indie) rock. Several singles and a well regarded debut album later, the band are back with a new long player, Got Lucky, out on July 3rd via …
See: Extra Arms releases video for “Up From Here” featuring cameo from Eaglebones Falconhawk (Aquabats!)
Detroit power pop band Extra Arms released album ‘Up From Here’ on October 25, 2019 via Dadstache Records. With the “quarantine” video fast becoming a thing, Extra Arms have created a new video for the title track ‘Up From Here’. Shot and edited entirely by the band, and featuring a cameo from Eaglebones Falconhawk from the Aquabats! …
Interview: Jonah Falco (Jade Hairpins)
When I call Fucked Up drummer Jonah Falco to discuss his latest band Jade Hairpins, he is in a good mood. Having spent nearly half a decade in London as a transplant from his native Toronto, he has finally gotten a record player for the first time as a resident of the UK capital. He …
ALBUM REVIEW: ULTIMATE FAKEBOOK – THE PRESERVING MACHINE
I’ve discussed in the past the swathe of newer emo bands that have appropriated certain melancholia from bands of yesteryear – that bittersweet mixture of power-pop and “traditional” emo (not post-hardcore, not screamo) that seems to still be all the rage with the Slam Dunk crowd. For lack of a better all-encompassing term for fans …
Track: Jade Hairpins – J Terrapin
Jade Hairpins is the new power pop band from Fucked Up drummer Jonah Falco and lead guitarist Mike Haliechuk. Falco switches to rhythm guitar and lead vocals for the project and Haliechuk to bass, and they’ve enlisted Jack Goldstein and Tamsin M Leach, two London musicians, on lead guitar and drums respectively. They’ve just released …