It may be nearly March and all, but shit happens, so here it is better late than never….Another bumper singles round up for February with plenty of top quality tuneage to suit every taste…I’ve used my words sparingly, I’m so far behind and have still to start thinking about the March roundup. Just give them all a listen…they’re all deserving of your ears…
If they’re on Spotify, I’ve added a handy playlist so you can try before you buy via the band links…
Millie Manders and the Shut Up – Rebound
One of the best live acts around celebrated Valentine’s month with this boundlessly energetic anthem to relationship’s destined to fail.
Millie Manders and the Shut Up
pMad – Down
pMad continue to impress with Down following on from their exquisite Who Why Where What Album from last year with another huge tune, a thunderously resolute anthem about facing up to adversity, packed with crunching guitars and backed with a pounding rhythm section.
Doss – The Mullets Are Moving In
Top quality tongue in cheek bitingly acerbic commentary on the gentrification of the dear green place, if Sleaford Mods had come from Glasgow…
Rowsie – Willingness
Latest single from London’s Rowsie, Willingness is a foot to floor rabble rousing slice of Americana tinged alt rock a tune awash with plenty of solid riffing and distortion and heartfelt vocals.
The Hip Priests – Chasing Death
Talking of foot to the floor and rabble rousing, watch out it’s The Hip Priests, Chasing Death lights the blue touch paper and shoots from the starting line like a rocket fuelled hot rod, leaving flaming scorch marks in its wake.
Kohla – Sweetest Love
Kohla brings the pace right down with the delicately fragile beauty of Sweetest Love, soft piano and harp backing an affecting near whispered vocal. Utterly magical.
Ingrid and the Ministers – Broken Leaves
A magnificent slice of attitude fuelled bluesy rock n roll all the way from Nee Zealand, impeccably fierce riffing and slide guitar.
A Cloud of Ravens – Requiem for the Sun
Goth’s not dead. It’s alive and… well, undead. Revel in the glory of the darkness within as A Cloud of Ravens mourn the death of the sun.
Langkamer – Sing at Dawn
After the darkness, comes dawn. Langkamer provide respite from the darkness with their laid back sunshine laden groove.
Chalk – Static
Kicking of all mean and moody this slow burner from Belfast post-punks Chalk, soon bursts into a furious ball of frantic energy.
Dream Wife – Hot (Don’t Date a Musician)
Dream Wife continue on their road to world domination with another ferocious in your face public service announcement, a warning about dating musicians. This song see’s the band continue in the vein of recent releases in the form a huge musical fuck you. New album Social Lubrication should be an absolute belter.
Marianne Dissard – Happy Birthday
Another remarkable cover from the enigmatic Marianne Dissard, making Carly Simon’s Happy Birthday her own. Beautiful in its elegant fragility.
Post Coal Prom Queen – Wheeling Through the Void
Ethereal operatic trancey pop, with a cinematic feel. Hypnotic.
Arctic Lights – Holy Joe
Whispered vocals, mixed with industrial strength riffing and thunderous beats mix to great effect in this pounding foot stomper.
Day Sleeper – Low Joy
Leo Bargery of Mt Doubt and his new project Day Sleeper with their debut release Low Joy. A slow burner starting with a low distorted thrum and building to an epic crescendo. If you liked Mt doubt, you’ll love this.
Furrowed Brow – Jill
Jill is the latest gloriously leftfield single from DIY punks Furrowed Brow that sits somewhere in a Venn diagram between TV Personalities, The Fall and Chumbawamba, the synth led song inspired by Philip Larkin’s novel of the same name is jam-packed with boundless energy and a pathos laden dark humour in the lyrical delivery.
Dyan Valdes – I Remember What You Sad
I Remember What You Said is a jaunty and uplifting single with a minimalistic pop melody backing up a lyric with a powerfully positive message speaking out against manipulating relationships and toxic masculinity.
Big Girls Blouse – I’m Scared of Men
Big Girls Blouse is living up to expectations of one of the best new bands to come from Glasgow in recent years, I’m Scared of Men (from their Man Up EP) cements that expectation. Stereo on 22nd April is set to be one of the gigs that in future people will be saying “I was there”.
Savage Cut – They Didnae Tell Me That (with Jim Drummond)
I’m not going to do Savage Cut justice in just a few words here. They and Drunk Gods have loads of new tunes forthcoming, expect me to spout some more about both in the next wee while….
cruush – Stick in the Mud
More shoegazey indie rock goodness from cruush, channelling the ethereal vibes from the likes of Slowdive.
Tape Runs Out – Paperback
After only discovering the music of this band earlier this year, this is the second of their songs I’m featuring in a singles-round up such is the hypnotic draw of their music. The them of this song is very relatable, “self doubt and intrusive thoughts”. This song bodes well for album Floodhead due at the end of March.
Daddy Long Legs – Silver Satin
Having played from what all accounts was an astonishingly good set in Glasgow last year, I can’t miss their return in May this year. The unflappable laidback garage rock of Silver Satin comes from their remarkable Street Sermons album, which, if I can ever get around to it, should receive a glowing review on these pages.
Quiz Show – Sound of Kissing
A collaboration between Chris Matthews of Shudder to Think (the purveyors of the spine tingling So into You), Kevin March (Guided by Voices) and Jesse Krakow, this is one of the songs from their album that was released on St Patricks Day. Gloriously shambolic post punk/alt rock goodness.
Jody and the Jerms – Started Something
Another addictive slice of melodic jangly guitared indie-pop from Jody & the Jerms, ahead of their album Wonder due to drop in April.
Minerva Wakes – Come On
I can’t tell you how good it is to have Jo D’Arc back, and getting into the swing again of music and playing live. Jo has put her hands to video editing recently creating this masterpiece to go with the psychedelic glitch rock of Come On from the Minerva Wakes album Mirrored Moon. She’s back with the Twistettes in Room 2 at the end of April (28th) too playing with Doghouse, Doss and another still to be revealed act.
Bin Juice – Cookie Coma
When I was searching for Bin Juice online the first result was “the nasty liquid at the bottom of a bin that smells like curdled milk and faeces”. In reality the music of Bin Juice couldn’t be further away from that. Cookie Coma is a song of three parts which channels the spirit of Lungleg, The Slits and the B52’s Planet Claire all at once…. extraordinary stuff.
Brenda – Cease and Desist
One of the bands of the year for me, the one and only jet-setting Brenda lead their 2023 aural assault with the inestimable Cease and Desist, the first of two singles ahead of their debut album coming out on Last Night From Glasgow later this year. Pre-order now to avoid disappointment. And read an interview with the band here. From Whitelees windfarm to LA in a flash… Get along to their album launch show in The Glad Cafe, or be a dick and don’t… its up to you
Los Bitchos – Tequila
Tequila has been a talking point recently having met someone whose drink of choice is tequila and cranberry juice, a combination I’d never come across before. Anyway, your favourite cumbia band are back with a new EP Pah! and their exquisite take on the classic Tequila. Make mine a double…
The The – $1 One Vote
What’s not to love about Matt Johnson and The The? The band who brought me what is possibly my favourite song of all time, This is the Day. Age doesn’t stop Matt from being opinionated and having something to say, eloquently and with an earworm of a melody. Time to take back what we own…
The Kaplans – Earth Lenz
A different sound for The Kaplans on this one, the bass heavy Killing Joke-esque sound taking a back seat in favour of acoustic guitar and banjo. The distinctive vocal gives away the fact that it still has The Kaplans written all over it. Top quality as I’ve come to expect from the band, with a very pleasant laid back feel while maintaining an element of the intensity that is the signature of the band.
Spyres – Sleep Forever
Spyres are on a steep ascendency, playing a sold out headline gig in St Lukes (another one I had a ticket for but missed because of work), add to that this epic soaraway single Sleep Forever, the trajectory into the clouds and the ether beyond is written into their destiny.
Visceral Noise Department – Wasted
Wasted is a joyride from start to finish. With a lyric I’m sure many can relate to, and a video that brings a smile to the face, everything about this song spells fun with a capital F.
bis – Shopping for Tattoos
bis played an astonishing hometown show in the Rum Shack in February, at this early stage in the year already putting its claim in for gig of the year. Shopping for Tattoos is one of the belting new tracks from their latest long player, Systems Music for Home Defence. Buy it, then get along to Slime City’s album launch for a special night with bis in support…