Mirroring last weekend, I’ve spent all the time my body can manage doing manual labour in the garden, so I’m back to trying to empty my inbox of the influx of e-mails that show no sign of abating.
As before, not reviews as such, more just a round up of singles, tracks or demos that have stuck their heads above the parapet and caught my attention. Where available, I’ve added them to The Ginger Quiff 2021 playlist on Spotify featuring all the bands/albums that have appeared on the blog (or in reviews I’ve done for Louder Than War) this year.
In no particular order…
Post Coal Prom Queen
The band formerly known as L-Space released a new 4 track EP at the end of April, cunningly titled the PCPQ EP. The video below for Salt was the lead single from the EP, the rest of which follows a similar vein. Hypnotic and sparse electro-pop with trippy melodies and angelic whispered vocals.
Website – Facebook
Rilke
Rilke follow up their Whisper single with new song Pressure. Kicking off with a squall of angular frenzied dissonant guitar noise the song goes on to jump between this unsettling cacophonous melee and the reassurance of the measured and calming vocals. That is three cracking songs in a row from this band. I look forward to more…
Piroshka
Miki Beryeni’s “other” band are Scratching at the Lid ahead of their upcoming album Love Drips and Gathers. An uncertain organ wavers ahead of the introduction of an insistent melody over which Miki’s familiar soothingly restorative voice mesmerises as the unrelenting hooks grab you and drag you in. The upbeat rhythms hiding deeper messages from a “terrible year” as she asks the rhetorical question “what will they say when they put you in the ground, scratching at the lid as the box goes down.” Utterly entrancing.
Cathal Coughlan
You can’t keep a good man down as the acid tongued crooner releases the 4th track from his Song of Co-Aklan masterpiece. Falling Out North Street is an achingly beautiful slightly downbeat ballad demonstrating the more reflective side of Cathal Coughlan, with a suitably sombre arty video.
Billy Sinclair
Silver Queen is the new single from Billy Sinclair, more Silver Machine than Silver Lady this latest track is signposted by strident powerhouse guitars, a thumping potent beat and brawny rock vocal.
Lou Barlow
With an excellent new Dinosaur Jr album Sweep it Into Space already out there, Lou Barlow vies for an individual piece of the action with the second single from his upcoming solo album Reason to Live. The follow up to Over You is Love Intervene, first released in 2018, this version is an effervescent folky acoustic anthem to love, the song full of hope as it bounces along in its sprightly feelgood manner.
SEIL LIEN
With her album release shows one of the early gig cancellations resulting from the COVID pandemic, Marie Claire keeps the guiding light on by releasing a remix of Chase the Devil from her excellent debut record. This Engine 7 remix lifts the pace slightly from the original haunting of version on the song from the album, retaining the affecting falsetto of Marie Claire’s instantly recognisable voice but making the track more of a chimes and bells laden instrumental.
Dutch Wine
Dutch Wine are asking you to change your beverage of choice to Whisky with their new offering. While lyrically and vocally a tad melancholic and nostalgic, the layered melody is compulsive with a certain imbued urgency to it. Drink it in…
The Shan
X-Flies (what are they now?) is the new three track EP from The Shan. Unlike the East coast meaning of the slang term their name reflects, it is rather good. Grave Love especially is an ominously intense hardcore fracas packed full of threat and menace with a suitably macabre video to go alongside…
Leisure Sport
Zero Sum is the second song released in 2021 from Leisure Sport and their upcoming EP Title Card, and it is an elegant slice of complex rhythms and melodies that build to luxuriant peaks and fall again blending beautiful harmonies from vocalists Dana & Kyle.
Hangnails
The Lucky Few is the choice cut from the new EP from Hangnails, The Middle Distance. Don’t just sit waiting for “life to happen” like the protagonist in the lyrics of this upbeat indie guitar anthem go out and make it happen! The hooks and riffs here are more than enough to get you moving, the theme of the song about life and opportunities wasted completely juxtapositioned by the energy and vim of the playing.
Jody & The Jerms
Freshly released is the new four track EP from Jody and the Jerms, Sensation. The title track bursts into life with urgent pounding drums and the energy never lets up for one second as this infectiously compelling ray of sunshine infiltrates your subconscious, getting under your skin and ensuring your foot taps along to its incessant sparkling indie pop melody
Earl of Hell
Shades of classic horror novel/movie Carrie in the name of this one, Blood Disco from Edinburgh’s very own Earl of Hell. Deep down and dirty grungy rock ‘n’ roll ensues with fuzzy rifftastic guitars and a rebel yell of an infectious chorus. More please….
The DeRellas
In their own words, this new video for their previous single High Rise Superstar is “Rebooted, Remixed, Re-energised…This is The DeRellas, full throttle, in ya face rock & roll”. You can’t argue with that or deny the description. Let there be RAWK. A new album is on the way soon in the shape of Something’s Got To Give.
UV-TV
Back to Where? Nowhere of course, or should that be back to the alternative sounds of the 80’s… The intro to this song is reminiscent of Echo & the Bunnymen, then later in the song we have riffing that reveals shades of The Wedding Present, while the vocals transport me back to bands like The Flatmates and The Shop Assistants. This song brought a huge smile to my face on first listen. What’s not to like?
The Pelicans
Derek McCutcheon (Rebellious Jukebox – CamGlen Radio) has previously recommended The Kidney Flowers and Natalie Pryce to me, so when he pointed The Pelicans in my direction I was obviously going to sit up and listen. This young three piece have a new epic single out now in the form of epic 7 minute plus Anything for an Easy Life, its hard to pin down the sound – this song has a hazy psychedelic 1960’s vibe as the guitar breaks meander and soar, then listening back to some of their older songs maybe its a Hendrix/The Fall hybrid pf psychedelic rock meets punk. Anyway – check them, out for yourself – they have a plethora of great songs and albums over on their bandcamp page for you to enjoy.
Dreamkids
Kilmarnock based duo Dreamkids have a new 5 track EP (and remix EP) available now. Lead song Only God Knows If My God is Real is a stirring impassioned rollicking rollercoaster of a tune. With driving hook-laden guitars and an infectious sing-a-long chorus, the song will be swirling around your head all day. Check out the video and head over to bandcamp to pick up a copy of the EP.
The Amber List
Chiming guitars call out on the new single from The Amber List. New Day Calling is heavy on melody and harmonies, not unlike the folky rock peddled by Pele/Ian Prowse. Urgent acoustic guitars back up the driving melody to create something quite refreshing and beautiful.
Emperor of Ice Cream
The new (old) single form Ireland’s Emperor of Ice Cream is Overflow. The single follows up their previous 2021 release Puerile and continues, or should I see precedes, the exhilarating melody laden addictive pop thrills on their album No Sound Ever Dies as this is one of their singles from 93/94 era available from their bandcamp page.
The Middlenight Men
If you still haven’t entered the world of The Middlenight Men, here’s their latest video to try to tempt you into that world. Earlier single Rat Star given the full live orchestral treatment. Stunning. There is still time to join the Rat race….
Sister John
Ahead of the release of their latest album, I Am By Day, Sister John have released another teaser. This time in the form of single In My Place… If you’re as excited as me about the new album from this sublimely talented band, this new single will just heighten those levels of excitement and raise expectations even more. They set the bar high with How Can I Keep it Alive, In My Place just notches things up a level, glorious . Expect the album to be riding high in the end of year album plaudits.
Last Night From Glasgow – Facebook
wojtek the bear
Their video for this song just premiered on Louder Than War, and is available for download from the 14th of May. The single precedes forthcoming album, heaven by the back door.
From my post in Louder Than War – “The song may have a contemplative, pensive nature to the lyrics as described by the band, however, there is something joyous and uplifting both in the sweeping strings and glorious singing guitar parts. And with the sun breaking through the clouds in the video, there is almost a sense of relief and a feeling that things will turn out fine if we can just take a break from the pressures of life. I almost want to lie down in the street and watch the world go by.”
Last Night From Glasgow – Facebook
Where possible, I’ve added these songs to The Ginger Quiff 2021 Spotify playlist of all the bands who have featured on the blog this year so far…
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