Never say never, but I’m pretty sure this will be the last singles round up of 2021. Some fantastic songs have surfaced this year. And there are probably even more that have passed me by. Here’s a selection of some of the one’s that have hit my inbox recenty and caught my ear…
Billy Sinclair – The One For You
Billy Sinclair’s latest single is stonking romp of a tune, if there was such a genre as glam country then this would be it. Soulful backing vocals complement the riffing with a catchy singalong chorus which lays out the protagonists case to get the girl…
Stream on Spotify now
Dreamkids – Metamorphosis A/A
Dreamkids follow up the video for the powerfully affecting It Must Be Nice and its focus on mental health with the double A side of their single Metamorphosis We Are Young a compelling grunge tinged emo rock song with a hint of Dolores O’Riordan in the vocals. This will be their last release for some time as they are expecting their own ‘dreamkid” imminently. A massive tune to leave us with for the time being. All the best to Dawn and Murray as they approach parenthood…
Liv Dawn – Welcome Home
Liv recently released this emotionally touching ballad, a song which took her to the finals ofBBC Radio Scotland’s Singer Songwriter award. She plays her first headline gig at Glasgow’s Hug and Pint this Wednesday (8th December) so if you’re around, head along and show your support.
The Great Leslie – Anna
Anna is the latest epically soaring rock song from London’s The Great Leslie another step on the road to success for the stirring band.
The Scaramanga Six – Big Ideas
Big Ideas was the last single to be released from the band’s latest album, the immense Worthless Music and the video premiered on the Ginger Quiff last week. Such a good song I’ve included it in the latest round up too…
Jackal Trades – Hate My Notifications
Another video for a song from Jackal Trades cracking At This Point album, their song about a hatred of social media and how it takes over and controls your life…maybe I should take note
Klubber Lang – This Place
Another throbbing beast of a song from the perfectly named Klubber Lang as it fairly hits you squarely in the solar plexus and leaves you breathless with its low growling bass and punchy vocal.
Telefis – Falun Gong Dancer
Falun Gong Dancer is the latest single from two Irish music legends, former Fatima Mansions/Microdisney frontman, the extraordinary Cathal Coughlan and ex Compulsion guitarist Garret Lee, probably more famous for his production as Jacknife Lee. The single precedes their album due for release early 2022 and is incredibly effective in its sparse production highlighting Coughlan’s warm and engaging vocal to full effect. After the superb Song of Co-Aklan album from Cathal Coughlan’s this year, I very much look forward to the Telefis album.
Ferocious Dog (ft Hazel O’Connor) – Will You
Ferocious Dog team up with Hazel O’Connor for this cover of her classic single from Breaking Glass, Will You? The song is given a completely new feel with the famous sax parts being replaced by the fiddle. Dramatic and absorbing.
Bdrmm vs Working Men’s Club – Port (remix)
Talking of re-workings Working Men’s Club have taken on brdrmm’s Port and created an electro heavy dramatic remix. Ride are playing n anniversary tour for their Nowhere album next year with bdrmm announced as support, it promises to be an excellent night.
Adventures in Noise – Tappin’
Upbeat electronic dance beats soundtrack musings about mental health treatment and pretty heavy personal revelations… just listen… “EMDR mate – try it mate – just keep tappin’”
Tom McGuire and the Brasssholes – Better (Live)
Unfortunately I never made it to any of their gigs this year, but this video is just a reminder of how good they are live and to whet your appetites for any gigs they schedule for 2022…
The Grogans – Just a Kid
Antipodean garage rockers The Grogans provide a slice of upbeat riffing and driving rhythms, with a raucous road trip video to match the vibe of the song.
Ava Vox – Crash
Taking me back to my youth, Crash has a real 1980ss gothic vibe to it, an epic chorus and a powerful vocal make this a compelling listen.
Drug Couple – Our December
From goth to grungey slacker rock with Our December from Drug Couple. Full on fuzzy guitars and a lo-fi sound recall the likes of
Dinosaur Jr. This is the Christmas single for those who hate Christmas singles…
The Sleights – It’s Not That Easy
More full on crashing guitars from The Sleights but no lo-if vibe here, this is a high octane thrashing assault on the senses, a Soil -like punk rock n roll 100 mile an hour foot to the floor anthem.
Dyan Valdes – Be My Revolution
Dyan from the Blood Arm has an album coming out in February, Stand, which was written after being attacked by a man in the streets of Berlin during lockdown in broad daylight. Be My Revolution is a electro punk anthem advocating the positives of meeting someone who changes your world view, comparing it to social revolution.
The Barbiturates – False Idols/You Can’t See Me
Cracking single releases from early in the Autumn from their EP “Super Callous Facist Racist Tories Are Atrocious” the self styled “guerrilla D.I.Y / D.I.T musicians” in released single You Can’t See Me (and b-side Contort) in September and followed it up with False Idols/Jesus and the Slave Chain in October. You Can’t See Me is laidback with a vocal not unlike Babybird, while False Idols takes on more of a Wall of Voodoo vibe.
The Third Cut – All I Want
By the time I’m writing this, The Third Cut already have another song out in the shape of The Dark Times. But lets stick with All I Want for the moment, as it kind of is all I want. Janglepop genius with added sax which builds and rises to a perfectly poptastic crescendo. And by the way, The Dark Times os pretty damned perfect too. Don’t take my word for it, click on the Bandcamp link and hear for yourself.
We Three Kings -Running Out (Give it Up)
Appropriately named band for the time of year, but that’s where the comparisons end. There are a few high energy rockers in the round up this month. This one is another to add to that list. Bluesy riffing and plenty of punch the air “woah oh oh oh oh’s”.
The Apparents – Another Song For Christmas
The Apparents are releasing their first ever Christmas single, Another Song for Christmas.
It might be “oh no, another Christmas song” to some, but in my book you can never have too many Christmas songs
Joe Strummer once said “punk rock means exemplary manners to your fellow human beings”, so in true punk manner The Apparents are donated all proceeds to Kidney Kids Scotland.
Hence why you’re not getting a preview or free listen. Whether you like or loathe Christmas head over to The Apparents Bandcamp site and buy your copy now…Crashing guitars play jingle bells, before they peal like bells and introduce a tongue in cheek lyric to this high octane Christmas romp. As the lyric says “you’ll end up singing along to another manufactured single for Christmas”
The Red Eyes – When the Last Note Died
The first release since the impressive Man and Boy album, and what a return, orchestral and cinematic in its dramatic opening, Alan’s familiar vocal crashes in on this energetic punk rock romp with an earnest theme and empathetic lyrics.
Super Whip – Sex, Drugs and Cheryl Cole
Since Rats From a Sinking Ship split up, things have been quiet on the Alex Lusty front. Until now. In collaboration with Boz Boorer, Lusty has recorded and released an unrequited love song to a certain Northern lass under the guise of Super Whip, while he works on other projects on the background.
Karma Surround – Shining Beat
With every self recorded, produced and released song Karma Surround add to their Bandcamp page, I continue to be drawn in and impressed. The latest song, Shining Beat needs to thing more than Darren’s vocal, an acoustic guitar and harmonica to move on this Dylanesque number.
Gefahrgeist (ft. Conscious Route)
Orbit is the latest release from atmospheric electronic duo Fiona Liddell and Niall Rae. Orbit has a sparse classical orchestral arrangement that shows off Fiona’s entrancing vocal perfectly before Conscious Route’s earnest rap adds further drama to the proceedings. Utterly enthralling and beautiful.
Katherine Aly – Rules
The follow up to the powerful single and video, Pariah, sees Katherine Aly reflecting on feeling hopeless and out of control but realising and accepting you don’t always need to be in control. A beautiful ballad. I recently saw Katherine perform the song with a full band in the Hug and Pint, and she kindly spent some time answering some questions for me. Read the full interview here
As usual, where the songs are available on Spotify, I’ve added the to a playlist. Try…then buy!