2021 has been rammed full of quality new music, so many new singles and ones to fit every musical taste. Here’s my latest round up of the ones that have caught my attention.
And a note to all festival organisers whose bills are crammed with ladrock, there are literally thousands of alternatives out there….
Brat Coven
Brat Coven are a three piece riot grrrl/punk band with attitude form Glasgow. Listen to the lead song on their latest three track single and be in absolutely no doubt that they will accept NO unwelcome advances from sleazy blokes with the uncompromising grunge punk of Not Ur Girl. While the message of 97 recalls the LOUD WOMEN, Reclaim These Streets single featured in a previous singles round up. Powerful stuff.
And as a parent of two teenage daughters I couldn’t agree more with the sentiments of these songs. It is NOT the responsibility of women to dress in a certain way, avoid walking at night, go around in pairs… it is the the responsibility of parents of young men to teach them respect and the responsibility of men not to act like savages.
Cud – Switched On
Seminal indie stalwarts, Cud, return with a new single, Switched On. The band, whose early single, I’ve Had it with Blondes, has one of my favourite lyrical opening couplets – “I was a teenage stamp collector, I’d lay on my back and you’d stamp on my face,” as well as one of may all time favourite “concept” albums in When In Rome, Kill Me, are on top form with this. Carl’s instantly recognisable warm honeyed baritone vocals, backed with the trademark laidback swagger of funky jangly guitars, this is Cud through and through.
You can pre-order the 7″ vinyl from the band now.
Self Esteem – How Can I Help You?/Prioritise Pleasure
Ex-Slow Club singer Rebecca Lucy Taylor has been releasing records under the nom de plume of Self Esteem for a few years now. Her latest album, Prioritise Pleasure is due out in October and like Brat Coven her messages are all about smashing the patriarchy and not settling for second best or accepting the status quo, being who you want to be and not making adjustments to suit a male orientated world.
Book Klub – Siren Song
Glasgow’s Book Klub follow up their previous single Life of Me with another gothically majestic darkwave single, not unlike Strangelove in their heyday, in Siren Song. In sombre mood, “fill your pockets with stones and dive in” invite the lyrics before the intensity builds and the song reaches a climax of frantic intensity.
Stina Marie Claire – Here’s Where the Story Ends
The second offering from the Honeyblood frontwoman’s solo project is a cover of The Sunday’s classic, Here’s Where the Story Ends. Rather than just produce a carbon copy of the original, Stina’s re-working is a sparse and affecting version, she has made it her own and I’m sure it will delight both Sunday’s and Honeyblood fans equally, as well as having a wider appeal.
Sarah May – It Fades Away
Sarah May’s debut vinyl single with Last Night From Glasgow is the hauntingly beautiful It Fades Away. The single is a split release with Jemima Thewes, whose song Moon will be released in October. The vinyl is avaiable to pre-order now via LNFG.
Jodie Rae – Temperamental
On the last singles round up, I shared Jodie Rae’s single, Glance on my last singles round up. Since then the independent Ayrshire based singer-songwriter has recently shared a heartfelt acoustic demo of another of her own songs, Temperamental, via her Soundcloud page. Give it a listen and a follow, Jodie has a bright future ahead of her.
Emperor of Ice Cream – Weather Vane
New music from Emperor of Ice Cream following the eventual release last year of the long awaited album, No Sound Ever Dies. The single Weather Vane is a sumptuous blend of jangly indie guitars, sonorous bass rhythms and sweet harmonies.
Spearmint – Bundunyabba Blue
Spearmint’s last album, Are You the Future was a revelation for me. An album packed with beautifully addictive pop melodies, mixed with some cutting barbed lyrics. By the sounds of Bundunyabba Blue, the new album Holland Park will be another cracking album. Vocally, the single drips with a glorious melancholy, backed by the suave and sophisticated string laden rhythms and melodies.
Steve Conte – Dog Days of Summer/Recovery Doll
With an illustrious career including time with Hanoi Rock’s Michael Monroe and New York Dolls behind him, Steve Conte will shortly be releasing his first solo album for five years in Bronx Cheer. The two singles preceding the release, Recovery Doll and Dog Days of Summer show the different sides of Conte, the full throttle old school attitude filled rock n roll of Recovery Doll, alongside the more languid and laidback countryfied rock of Dog Days…
Sami Yaffa – The Last Time
On the subject of Hanoi Rocks and New York Dolls, it was remiss of me to miss including this crunching rock anthem from an earlier singles round up. The single from the Hanoi Rocks bassist was a taster for his first album The Innermost Journey to Your Outermost Mind which gets its official release at the start of September, and by all accounts is a cracking listen. A bittersweet time for Yaffa just now with the release of the album coinciding with the death of one of his best friends Timo Kaltio.
Ferocious Dog – Broken Soldier
Very much as song of the moment, with the recent much publicised withdrawal of Western troops from Afghanistan. The folk punks song tells the story of the “broken” man in the title of the song adjusting to life and the fallout after the hellish experiences of war.
Brain Setzer – Rockabilly Banjo
This was the final single before the release of the new Stray Cats frontman’s latest solo album, Gotta Have the Rumble. The album is a fairly eclectic mix of sounds from the guitar virtuoso, with this single, as you may expect, being an addictive country hillbilly sounding affair.
Keeley – You Never Made it That Far
You could say I’m guilty of over-promoting the Keeley EP, but, who cares, I love everything about it. This is the video for the fourth track from the EP Brave Warrior, all four songs linked and telling the tragic story of Inga Maria Hauser, a tourist who was murdered during her trip to the UK and Ireland, never making at as far as what was going to be one of her trip highlights, Dublin. More songs are in the offing. EP reviewed on LTW.
Sunnyside Uppers – Mary
The Sunnyside Uppers appear to be a band whose one aim in life is to bring joy and optimism to others. The uplifting indie pop of Mary and the associated video do just that in a tale of heartache and perseverance and turning negatives to positives.
The Shadracks – PRAY
Billy Childish is an icon of the punk/alternative scene (just grab yourself a copy of Punk Rock Ist Nich Tot if you don’t believe me). Thankfully his legacy is in good hands as his son Huddie is one third of superb leftfield punks The Shadracks whose second album From Human Like Forms is one of 2021’s essential listens. Pray was the second single released preceding the album.
Collars – Over You
The latest sonic assault on the eardrums from duo Collars is the infectious rhythm of Over You, starting as a laidback groove the song builds and layers its vigour to a fiercly gratifying conclusion
Graver Ekow – Drama
“I roll with a bitch called drama” The first time I heard queer hip hop duo’s floor-filling track Drama it was like someone had grabbed me and slapped me across the face a couple of times. On each subsequent listen, the hard hitting potency of this absolute banger hasn’t lessened. Check them out now.
The Wildhearts – Sleepaway
The third single from their new album 21st Century Love Songs comes with an 18 certificate gore fest NSFW video, and continues to see the Geordie band mine the seam of gold standard punk metal that the classic line up produced with their last album Renaissance Men. Long live The Wildhearts.
Full Fat – Lipstick
A lot of the songs in this run down are a two finger salute to the rest of the world. Lipstick from Full Fat is no different, in the words of the band it is “the story of a Wee Boy who gets bullied for what he wears, but does it anyway.”, a wee bit like Shuggie Bain in music form. The lyrics are at the same time both heartbreaking and show a strength of character that many of us couldn’t manage.
She Drew the Gun – Behave Myself
The third single from her forthcoming album is the albums title track and sees Louisa Roach as an “unstoppable force” in typically defiant mode. Catch her on her Behave Myself tour in October.
The Muslims – Unity
Picking up the baton from their debut single Fuck Those Fuckin’ Fascists, Unity is another vibrant sub 2 minutes slice of in your face pop punk highlighting that empty gestures and sloganeering are not enough “we will never forget what you did to us”. Actions are stronger than words or empty gestures. Reparation. The album is an absolute head rush – available on streaming platforms in a few weeks time…
The Persian Leaps – When This Gets Out
Crunching guitars and vocal harmonies announce the arrival of the new single from indie guitar power pop duo The Persian Leaps. The single precedes the release of their new album Drone Etiquette in October.
I, Doris – Its The End of the World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine)
I, Doris describe themselves as a “kitchenpop/mummycore” band from London. This is their cover of REM’s classic updated to reflect (in their words) “the highs and lows of the dystopian shit show we’ve survived lately”. It is a cracking version and available as part of a fundraising album on REM covers for Help Musicians UK arranged God is in the TV.
Bandcamp link for Charity album
The Bloody Nerve – Roads
Another rock duo in the shape of Nashville based The Bloody Nerve, Roads reveals a powerful gutsy bluesy vocal performance from Stacey Blood on this self released single which concludes Act 1 of their concept album “All Blood, No Treasure” which they are releasing in four Acts. Looking forward to Act 2…
Carol Hodge – So Much for Summertime
Ahead of the release of her new album, The Crippling Space Between, my namesake has revealed the video for the second single released from the album, the melancholic So Much for Summertime, lamenting a “lost” year for many in 2020. As usual Carol has the ability to hit you where it hurts in terms of your emotions, and believe me, there is more to come on this wonderful album. Catch my recent interview with Carol (and album review) here
Bob Vylan – Pretty Songs
With a phenomenal single (and debut album) in We Live Here under their belt, and a recent series of incendiary live performances in the last month or two, Bob Vylan is the band that EVERYONE is talking about. Their new song shows that they are not a flash in the pan as they continues their quest for world domination with another hard hitting slice of punk rock, maintaining a focus on Black Lives Matter ensuring we don’t forget that racism is a problem and always has been. And it needs faced head on. I’d rather fight. Its OK to punch a nazi…
Samantha Fish – Better Be Lonely
Better Be Lonely is a cracking bluesy rock number from her upcoming album Faster, with a live video that shows just what you can expect from the Samantha Fish live experience.
Liines – Keep on Going
Riffing along at pace, the new single from Liines maintains their high standards of producing top of the range post punk tunes packed of fervently delivered vocals and angular guitars. Perfectly perceptive punchy post punk precision
The Kecks – Tonight Might Be Different
Tonight Might Be Different is a hypnotic garage rock anthem from Germany’s The Kecks. The accompanying video splices together old B-movie clips with some psychedelic effects matching the mesmerising effect of the excellent single.
Karma Surround – Just for Today
Karma Surround continue to add to their collection of songs on Soundcloud as they pull together tracks for their debut album. Just for Today is a beautifully sentimental melancholic acoustic song that showcases Darren’s vocals splendidly.
Adventures of Salvador – Skin and Bones
Adventures of Salvador first came to my attention with their album Welcome to Our Village, packed with twisted tales and punk filled attitude, and a certain Mark E Smith influence. Their new single, Skin and Bones squeals into life and offers more sinister twists and turns musically and lyrically. “I’m turning to skin and bones…… its all because of you and what you’ve driven me to”. I like it…
Blow Monkeys – Journey to You
One of the 1980s smoothest men with a voice like sweet honey Dr Robert returns with his Blow Monkeys ahead of an autumn tour. Journey to You has a slightly Spanish/spaghetti western/mariachi feel to it. Roberts vocal has lost none of its suave grandeur over the years, a welcome soothing sound as ever.
Pizza Crunch – Fried Intellectuals
A favourite of the current leftfield Glasgow indie rockers at the moment, Pizza Crunch continue to impress with their latest slice of post punk influenced jagged guitar led offering.
Silverbacks – Wear My Medals
With an excellent debut album behind then in Fad, Dublin’s Silverbacks present an impressive new art rock single, with bassist Emma taking the lead vocals and drums taking front and centre for large parts of the song. Wear your medals with pride.
Poster Paints – Never Saw it Coming
Frightened Rabbit’s Simon Liddell and Teen Canteen’s Carla J Easton return with their second single Never Saw it Coming. With dreamy instrumentation reminiscent of Cocteau Twins meets the Cure, the song is a wonderful combination of grandiose soaring melodies and Carla’s heart melting vocal. More please…
Where available, all songs have been added to The Ginger Quiff playlist for 2021
Next round up to feature (among others) Run Into the Night, Astroturf Inspector, Baabes and Katherine Aly