Category: Singles Round Up

Singles Round Up 2026 – January – Part 4

January 29, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

The final part of this month’s singles round up runs to 21 songs, bringing the total to 57 brilliant new songs for the first month of the year, 23 of these from Scottish bands/artists, a cracking start to the year I’m sure you’ll agree. Part 4 of the singles for January includes new singles from 3 bands that feature on the forthcoming New Sound of Scotland CD namely Cowboy Hunters, Vanderlye and The Froobz, and with Oedipus and the Mama’s Boys being on Part 3 of the round up, it’s already stacking up to be a great year for new music from the bands on the CD, the next couple of months are shaping up well with singles on the way from pedalo, Martha May and the Mondays and Sister Madds to name but 3…

As soon as I get the CDs delivered, I’ll post details on how to get your hands on one… it’ll be a case of when they’re gone, they’re gone…

First up on this part it’s the somewhat eery and menacing Dr Love from Would Be Goods, be well warned by the spookily haunting melody and don’t let the name fool you, this Dr Love is not there to heal you or mend your broken heart, rather he will pull the rug from under you and rip your heart to shreds.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2026 – January – Part 3

January 28, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Another batch of January’s singles with a heavy leaning towards new music from young Scottish bands but with a smattering of the old guard too, starting off with this new classic in the making from The Bluebells…

A Monochrome Set is the follow up to The Bluebells commentary on the rise of the right No Pasaran and this time they are in reflective melancholic mood, with lyrics that match the mood of the elegantly laidback melody perfectly and instil a feeling that is like a yearning for simpler times gone by,

Siblings Natalie and Sean aka comfort are back and stronger than ever with new single Appear Offline which has them at their frenetic best with Sean’s potent staccato drumming matching the pacey bleeps and beats of the programming and Natalie’s intensely fervent vocal polishes things off

Sirens Call My Name is the latest single offering from the all female/non binary Hen Hoose Collective from their forthcoming album The Twelve, named to reflect the twelve musicians Susan Bear, MALKA, Inge Thomson, SHEARS, Carla J Easton, Frances McKee, AMUNDA, Djana Gabrielle, Emma Pollock, Jill Lorean, Cariss Crosbie and Ray Aggs involved in it’s creation.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2026 – January – Part 2

January 22, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Part two of an already strong month for new singles and another smorgasbord of songs from bands old and new from harmonious folky melodies from Amy Duncan and M. John Henry through to in your face punk from Dropkick Murphys and Gogol Bordello… Part three still to come with some more outstanding songs…

First up in this part is Ghost Reverb, the lead track from the Post Punk No Wave EP from Novelistme the alterego of multi-instrumentalist Andrew Price and in which he leaves behind standard verse chorus verse song structures to create a one take improvisational commentary on life, it’s often a bleak and uneasy listen.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – February – Part 5

April 24, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

If it was down to me, I’d listen to and write about music 24/7, but unfortunately, that doesn’t pay the bills, it only adds to them! So work has to take priority which doesn’t help when you have to burn the candle at both ends just to stand still…

Anyway if I don’t change the way I do these singles round ups it’ll be July before I’m done with February.

So here goes…

All the way from Brazil, Signo 13 served up another slice of moody gothic post punk with Onironautus while The Faint revival continued apace with an unreleased single, Brokers, Priests and Analysts, from their reissue of Blank-Wave Arcade.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – February – Part 1

March 27, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Dead Pioneers – Post American

Another incendiary single from the new album from Dead Pioneers, in the form of its title track. Post American is huge attitude fuelled attack on white nationalism and a swipe at “giant toddlers with demands” and the country “built on genocide” and “slave labour”, in a year which beggars belief where one of the first acts the orange one took was to take rights away from just about everyone who isn’t a white cis male. Powerful stuff.

Dead Pioneers

benefits- Divide

Closer to home benefits have plenty to say too, with another attack on nationalism and “patriots” and the divide that continues to grow within British society.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – January – Part 8

March 2, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

The bumper final part of the January singles round up… including a link to the playlist for all January’s singles.

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Stitches

As another taster for their forthcoming album Death Hilarious following up last years Detroit, the Black Sabbath-esque pulsating doom metal throb of Stitches is a tempting aural amuse-bouche, whetting the appetite for what auricular delights the album will serve up.

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs

Ian Donaldson – Just Another Rock n Roll Song

January’s offering from the ex H2O frontman comes from his latest album, Dreams From Tenement Land, Just Another Rock n Roll Song once again focuses on a subject familiar to his solo work, with Donaldson in reflective mood once more, this joyous celebration of life and music, looking back on his love for Glam Rock, glamming away his Saturday nights, the impact and influences on him in his youth forming the basis for his career in music.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – January – Part 7

February 22, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Vampire Slumber Party – Polka King Of the Midwest

Part seven begins with a joyous blast of full throttle pop punk in the form of this boisterous three minute anthem from London based Vampire Slumber Party, it’s like the early noughties all over again.

Vampire Slumber Party

Gypsy Pistoleros – Whatever Happened to the Old Town

Another earnest glam punk rocker from the greasepaint daubed Gypsy Pistoleros, the lyrics initially yearning for time gone by, before the mid song tempo rise tells a different story “I ran away from the old town” sings Gypsy Lee Postolero, before the song closes out in more meditative mood as he ruminates about “home”.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – January – Part 6

February 19, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Swervedriver – Volume Control

The last part of the round up finished with Miki Berenyi, one of the most recognisable vocalist/guitarists of the 1990s indie scene fronting Lush. The part starts with one of the prime movers in the shoegaze scene of the era, blasting into the scene with mighty juggernauts of sound like Son of Mustang Ford. The band now have 6 albums under their belts and in January released this track from a new EP coming in March.

Swervedriver

Ditz – Four

Four is one of the highlights of the bands new album, Never Exhale, the follow up to the potent debut, The Great Regression.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – January – Pt 4

February 3, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Skinner – Calling in Sick

The intro and underlying vibe to Calling in Sick has a distinct Young Fathers groove to it, add to that the frenetic discombobulating and nervous energy that Skinner brings to the track and you have a winning formula that creates an uneasy but highly engaging listen taking the subjects of work and mental health as its template.

Skinner

Shimmer ‘94 – I Heard You Say

A post-punk/indie anthem of epic proportions, an unassuming intro demanding to unveil a mellifluous cacophony of layered instruments with a vocal and refrain that takes me back to the days of the much missed Dead Hope.… Read the rest

The Best of ‘24

February 2, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

Life has kind of caught up on me this year and I’ve pretty much missed the boat for “Best of 2024” lists, so this is probably a much abridged version than published in previous years.

2024 was another phenomenal year for music with a myriad of new albums and EPs from bands old and new, a cornucopia of singles (725 in total across the years singles round up playlists (links below)) and a plethora of brilliant live experiences.

For anything not mentioned here, just take a trip through last year’s blogs and you’ll find many other joys to treat your eardrums and warm your souls.… Read the rest