Category Archives: New Music 2018

ANNA CALVI: Hunter.

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Of all the records that have come out this year, and will come out this year, I am so sure that none are going to have such a hold on me as Hunter by Anna Calvi does. With one listen, I was hooked. It’s as cinematic masterpiece. Multiple listens, and my queer heart could burst with sheer joy at this beautiful masterpiece. Without sounding clichéd, this is Anna’s best record to date. Nothing can shadow this glorious piece of art. The songs are vulnerable and show sides to human nature that most would shy away from. The only way for me to get my thoughts down about this record is to just go in track by track. It’s going to be really long, but I’m not sorry for that at all. It deserves more than just words from a fan like me. It’s a perfect record that will just blow your mind in ways you didn’t think were possible.

If you’re going to stick with this, then get comfortable. Maybe play the record as you read this. Ready?

As A Man: The intro to this sets the mood of the whole record. The way it starts so intense and moody, then all of a sudden Anna’s voice comes in and possess you. She can do vocals that soothe you but she can also be utterly brutal with how bold she makes her voice. She reminds me of Shirley Manson. She isn’t afraid to show all emotions and voice them in a way that has a grip on you. The video to As A Man was released yesterday, and it is again, another work of art. I think this is such an important song, well the whole record is, because it touches on gender and sexuality, and society’s take on it all. I can truly connect with so much Anna says on this record, and this song truly shows the strength in her vocals and her lyrics. It’s so powerful and so important.

Hunter: This is the second song to be released off the record, and the video captures every emotion in this song possible. It fucks with gender, it fucks with society and it challenges you. That’s how it should be. Nothing is ever how it should be, and having these thoughts and feelings expressed in this way by Anna is beautiful. Her vocals on Hunter are so gentle. You almost feel like this is a lullaby for those who are free in who they are and those who are on the edge of doing so. It is such a gorgeous song that explores everything to do with love, lust, passion and all that it entails. You shut your eyes whilst listening to this and you can imagine someone, or yourself, freely exploring the world around them and who they are. Again, it is such an important song and the video does the song justice. The video really does expose the song to its very core and is so stripped back and open. Like I’ve mentioned already, it’s a work of art.

Don’t Beat The Girl Out Of My Boy: Sometimes when a band or singer have a lead single from their new record, it can get overlooked because it doesn’t seem new anymore. However, Anna has not fallen for this on the record. Hearing this song on the record with the previous and others following fits so well. I feel like this record is the journey of someone exploring freedom, feelings, sexuality and gender. This song is such an important part of the record, and it’s just an important song in general. Let people be fragile irrespective of their gender, it shouldn’t be that one gender can be tough but the others have to be weaker. It doesn’t work like that. I love the romanticism in this song, and it is something that has always been obvious in Anna’s music. She’s like Nick Cave in that she takes her views on love etc., and portrays them in a way that is unconventional to some but me personally, it is what I truly connect with. I still can’t get enough of this song.

Indies Or Paradise: Back to my Nick Cave reference quickly, this song has the same eeriness that Stagger Lee has. It’s got that raw darkness and massive sound to it. It’s one of my favourites, although I can’t possibly pick one for sure. I love how it’s such a dirty feeling song. It’s got this sweat-soaked smuttiness to it that I absolutely adore. It feels like stepping into something you normally wouldn’t and she exposes these strange feelings of lust and passion in such a grand way. Then she just annihilates the guitar after the two minute mark, then she almost whispers the words and you feel like she is behind you whispering in your ear. It’s insane- I love how this song has so much to offer the listener. There’s the heavy drums and the intense guitar, but all along it is Anna’s voice and lyrics that make it. It’s her words. Her words are like my favourite poets (think Rimbaud and Poe) and her voice is such a joy to listen to. Play this to your lover.

Swimming Pool: We’re now at the halfway mark of the record, and this is the song that could easily be performed without music, and delivered as a poem. The song makes you feel as if you are by the sea on a clear summer’s night. The sky is pitch black and the stars are the only source of light. Beside you is the one you love. The only one you’ll ever love, your backbone, your soulmate, your universe. It’s such a gentle and ethereal song. With this record, Anna really shows us how phenomenal she is as a guitarist. I mean, if you’re a fan you know this already but she’s gone next level on this. She’s always been on a different level to anything else I’ve ever heard before, and this song is such a beautiful and soothing song. It just oozes reassurance and unconditional admiration, and love. It is such a beautiful song that gently wraps itself around you, and cautiously tugs at your heartstrings. The lyrics are just beautiful, and Anna’s voice on this song is nothing short of magnificent.

Alpha: There are two songs on this record that I am ridiculously excited to write about. Obviously I’m excited to write about the whole record, but two songs this morning in particular stuck with me when I heard them. I really really hope Alpha is released as a single because the video to this would be wild. It’d just be the wildest and insane video. The way Anna toys with gender on this song is wonderful. She questions so much on this song, and does it in a way that makes you do exactly the same. I love how powerful this song is, it’s easily one of the most powerful songs on the record, and you’d think it’d be the most vulnerable given the amount of questioning, but it’s definitely the toughest song on the wrong. I love how she basically roars out, “I divide and conquer” towards the end of the song, and just launches into such a powerful guitar break that is probably going to be amazing to see live.

Chain: This is another one I hope Anna releases as a single because the video would be so amazing. Chain massively toys with sexuality and gender, and I just love it. I love how obvious it is, but not in a clichéd way. I love how Anna sings: “I’ll be the boy you be the girl I’ll be the girl you be the boy I’ll be the girl.” So simplistic, but there’s something about it that just oozes the beauty in being free of labels. I adore how open the song is, and you can take it in whatever way you want. It’s definitely one of those songs that make you feel fearless and like you can take anything, and anyone one. There’s another line in the song that I love, “And in the golden light the sun began to set on her red lips and her words.” It is such a captivating line, and I think it might be my favourite lyric on Hunter. There’s so much in that line, and it’s sung so beautifully. The whole song is just out of this world. Anna’s voice is unlike anything else I’ve ever heard. Its part operatic, part punk and one of a kind.

Wish: Five minutes and sixteen seconds of euphoric joy. This is the other song I have been so excited to write about. I nearly got run over on the way home from work listening to this, its fine. I was totally engrossed in the song. I love how it has this dramatic build up, and the way Anna sings on this song is so intense. I love the line, “My mind is free…” There is something so magical about this line and the urgency in Anna’s voice throughout this song just leaves me in awe. It’s definitely a song that’ll make everyone go nuts when she plays it live. It’s got something about it that just screams urgency, need and the intense desire to be heard. I just love it so much, I don’t think my words can do this song justice. There are so many reasons as to why this is such a great song, but the main one is just how it goes off from the 3 and a half minute mark, then it calms down. It’s like a storm erupting and how it becomes tame towards the end is like the calmness after a thunderous downpour. It’s a song to play loud so your neighbours and beyond get into it. It’s a song I could happily talk someone’s ears off about. I’m obsessed with it.

Away: The more I read Anna’s lyrics, the more I am certain she is a poet. She’s not just a singer or musician. She’s a poet who gets to the very heart of you. She delves deep into the soul and is unafraid to expose human vulnerabilities. I have so much love and respect for her, and this record is just an exceptional piece of art. Away is a gentle song, and it is one of the quieter moments on the record. Imagine being in the studio as this was recorded. It’s the kind of song that would just reduce you to tears. If I saw her sing this live, I’d just cry. I’m not ashamed, I’d breakdown but it’d be a moment I was happy to be in. There is something really special about this song, and I hope it isn’t overlooked by anyone who listens to it, because these quiet moments show just how strong Anna’s voice is and how she can make herself sound fragile even when her voice is the most powerful thing you’ll hear.

Eden: I don’t want this record to end, but Eden is a gorgeous song to end on. There is so much innocence in this song, and it really comes to life in this line: “On your bed so small, with your heroes on the wall. In the fading light.” I love how this makes you think of the innocence of a pure and unfiltered love you have for your person. I love how it has this beautiful wonder about it, and how having such intimate moments like this cause you to pick up on details such as photos of people you admire are on the wall, and your love stares upon them as you are lying close together in this small space. It is just so beautiful. So beautiful. Like I said, I don’t want this record to end but this song is the perfect ending to such a magnetising record. For me, this song expresses the journey of falling in love and always being in love with that one person. It’s such a personal, intimate song that really hits you in the gut. I hope she’s super proud of this song because she captures something so pure here.

I’ve been a fan of Anna since I first heard her cover of Jezebel, I think. I was hooked and I knew I had found a singer I could connect with. I knew I had found someone who I would always connect with and couldn’t wait to hear more of. I’ve used Anna’s music as a crutch and an escape route many times, but Hunter doesn’t feel like an escape route. It feels like a form of security and place of acceptance, and I hope it gets to those who need it. I hope it gets to those who are questioning themselves, and they find their way in this record and become fearless hunters. I know she’ll never see this but, Anna- this is the best record I’ve heard in a long time, and I have so much love for this record and I cannot thank you enough for creating something I can identify with that I’ve not really felt before. Grazie x

LOS SCALLYWAGGS.

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For the past three or four years, Australian Garage/Punk kings Los Scallywaggs have been treating us with their insanely great music. They truly bring a sense of anarchy and Garage Rock delight to us all. They’re the kind of band that makes you want to drink beer before 12pm and waste your day napping and eating pizza. Sounds pretty ideal, right? Their sound is everything you’d want from a Garage/Punk band, and the way they totally control the listener with this brutal sounds is something to be in awe of.
With any great band like this, being able to make the listener feel as if they are at one of their live shows covered in god knows what is something you look for. You want to be able to feel like you’re in a stupidly cramped space that has no air-con, and smells like warm beer and decade’s old sweat. The sheer rawness of Los Scallywaggs makes you automatically feel like you’ve been transported to the best show of your life. If you caught them on their EU/UK tour this month, then you’re pretty damn lucky. Sadly, there wasn’t a Manchester date but hey, next time right? They played the Shacklewell Arms in London which is the kind of venue that is made for a band like Los Scallywaggs.


With a name like Los Scallywaggs you’d probably think that these cherubs have songs that are for ruffians and the like. They probably are, and that’s a pretty cool thing. They have this raw feel to their music which makes you feel as if you’re there whilst they are practising, and I think them having this sort of vulnerable (I don’t mean in an emotional way with this) style makes them easy to love. The songs are so bare and raw, and hearing them in this way is so good. There is nothing about them that is over-produced or bland or repetitive. They’re effortlessly cool. You know when you hear a band and you just think, “How have I gone this long without listening to you?” well, that’s what you get with these guys. They make you feel like this is the band you’ve been waiting for. There are a number of places that are giving us some amazing Garage/Punk bands right now, and Australia is definitely up there.
I have about 20 minutes left of my dinner break at work, and I made sure I had enough time to write about my love for this band. I love how noisy they are. I love this fuzzy almost Shoegaze-y like sound they have- their sound however, does go beyond what you expect from a typical Garage/Punk band. There’s this awesome hyperactivity in the song R.I.P which is up there as being one of my favourites. They sure know how to make really dominant songs that take you totally over. You can waste your days doing a whole load of nothing whilst listening to them, and it would feel like the best day ever. There is something really joyful about them and that’s part of my love for Garage Rock bands- there’s this unconventional joy in the music that just makes you forget anything bad has ever happened to you, and the world.
These three cherubs are such a joy to listen to, and the way they can create such a wonderful noise is pretty damn cool. I love how the song, Day That I’m Dead reminds me a little of What’s Your Problem by The Gruesomes. The Gruesomes are of course, one of my favourite bands EVER, and to hear a band have that thing about them that got me hooked onto The Gruesomes is an absolute pleasure to hear. I have no idea if The Gruesomes have been influential to Los Scallywaggs but regardless, they’re brilliant and do at times, make you feel like you’re not in 2018 which isn’t always a bad thing.
Los Scallywaggs are the band to really stick with if you want to hang on to that summer mood a little while longer. They’ll always make you feel like you’re at a skate park or at the beach on a summers day watching the world go by. I feel like the song American Dreams is the best song to do all this, and more to. I love how rowdy it is.


I seriously cannot get enough of this mind-blowing band. They have everything and more that I look for in bands, and they really hit you hard with their astounding talent. The songs are massively catchy, the vocals are on point and the music will make you want to totally act out- so do it!
If they come to a city near you, make sure you go see them. Stand by the speaker and let yourself go a bit deaf from their filthy Garage/Punk sound that you’ll never be able to get enough of. They’ll just make you keep on craving more and more. That’s when you know you’ve found a really iconic band.

VIVA LOS SCALLYWAGGS!

LOS CRVELES.

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What do you know about the Costa Rica Punk scene? Is it the same as me? My knowledge is piss poor, but I’ve just found an amazing band from San Jose and I’ve just got to write about how brilliant they are. They don’t sing in English, but who cares! Some of the best songs in the world are in a different language.

Los Crveles are a noisy band who can make you shit your pants with their exceptionally loud and earth shattering songs. They are out for your soul and whatever else you’ve got going spare. They have this wild ability to just mess with your brain, and I can’t get enough of it. I can’t compare them to anyone, and I wouldn’t if I could. However, if like me you’re a huge fan of The Mummies, then you’re sure as hell going to love Los Crveles. I love them, and I’m pretty sure it is going to turn into an obsession. I wish I was a millionaire so I could afford to fly all the bands I love over to the UK and get them some shows. For now, the records will have to do.

If I’ve researched carefully enough, then I think there are three of them in the band. They released Veneno Tropical in July this year and have two more releases prior. Their sound is incredibly addictive. I just want to listen to the screams and the excessively loud music on a loop. The way they make you feel like you’re in an old spaghetti western film, about to launch into a fight that began from a filthy look in a saloon bar is fucking insane. They’ve got this timeless sound. I don’t know what year I’m in when I listen to them, and I adore that about them.

Quema La California is one of their instrumental songs and if any song can capture a saloon bar brawl, it’s this one. It’s like the dramatic build up, and once it kicks in, you’ll have dust in your eye and gun smoke filling the air. It’s such a brilliant song. Sure it gives off some violent vibes, but there’s no maliciousness here. It’s just drunken cowboys having a good ol’ time.

Ritmo Infernal came out two years ago, and if you listen to that and put on Veneno Tropical straight after then you’ll totally see how this band have evolved their sound, and how they are undoubtedly one of the most exciting bands you’ll ever hear. Ritmo Infernal is only made up of five songs, but those five songs are just masterpieces. Again, it feels like you’re in a film. I don’t mean it in an atmospheric way- I mean it as if you’re in the film. You’re the villain perhaps, because being the hero doesn’t make it as interesting. Actually, be the underdog. Los Crveles are an absolute pleasure to listen to and to just have blasting loudly in my ear. Their songs are everything you’d want from a band that go against what is expected from a typical Punk band or whatever. They’re loud. Really loud but there’s more to them than that.

If you’re looking for a band that’ll make you think something has crept right into your soul and possibly possessed you, then Los Crveles are for you. They have so much power in their music, and it just deserves to be heard by as many people possible. I love how utterly fearless they are with their music and how they aren’t afraid to totally mess with the mind of anyone who listens to them. They’re loud, brutal and pleasantly demonic- it’s beyond Punk. It’s beyond any form of music genre. All I know is that I love them. A lot. I cannot wait to hear more from them, and I hope they just keep getting louder and louder.

LAME: Alone And Alright.

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Back in 2015 I wrote about a band from Torino. I obviously praised them a ridiculous amount, and now I get to do it all over again by writing about their most recent release. It came out in March, so I’m a few months late on this.

LAME are just an exceptional band, and they really show this on Alone And Alright. A pretty cool name for a record, right? It’s a great record to listen to on your own without letting anything interrupt you. This is a real loud record that has everything you’d want from your favourite band. It’s made up of songs that’ll make you want to break stuff, you’ll want to throw your body around and in no time, you’ll be singing the words as if your life depends on it.

The record starts with the brilliant Evelyn. The song has tones of 60s girl groups in the harmonies but it’s got this wild guitar that just kicks off and doesn’t stop until you get to the end of the 10 track record. From listening to the record a couple of times, it’s pretty safe to say that this is the best way to start the record. Every single song is fantastic, but this is the one that really sets the mood of the record. We are then blasted right into Deep In The Barn, which just makes you stop what you’re doing. It’ll stop you because it is such a great song. I love this record, every damn song is out of this world.

What I am obsessed with about this record is that it just makes you want to ditch your responsibilities, and move to Italy. As an Italian (a bit more than half Italian so I can say this) I want to do this anyway. There are so many amazing bands in Italy right now, and LAME are most certainly up there with the greats. Italians sure know how to do Garage Rock and take it to where it should be. Alone And Alright is a record that you can easily become obsessed with. The way it just takes you on this exceptional trip into what you thought you were going to get from this record to what you actually get from this record, well, it just blows my mind. I’ve heard a lot of phenomenal records this year, but this one is probably my favourite in terms of how the songs really take you over and the way it has all come together, you know?

This is only their second record but my god it sounds like a band who are well into their career, and this could easily be record number 5 or 6. It’s got something about it that’ll keep you going back to it. Disappear is at the moment, my favourite. I love how haunting it is and how powerful the vocals are. This is the one I’d play louder than the others- it’s got something about it that just makes you want to keep playing it obnoxiously loud. I’m listening to it pretty loud right now with headphones because my housemate’s dog is snoring. Loudly. He looks super peaceful and cute, so I don’t mind. Memories is another strong song on the record, and I just love how it is a continuous flow of brilliant songs. There are truly no fillers on this record, it’s made up of 10 songs that you won’t be able to get enough of. You’ll want more and more, but all you can do is hit repeat. I love how heavy the songs are and even when it is slightly tame, there is still this mind-blowing heaviness to the song. You’ll pick up on this on the song, When You’ll Be Mine. This is a close favourite. Oh fuck it. I’ve changed my mind. This one is now my favourite. It’s a heavy song with this gigantic guitar and bass that echoes over the drums. The way it is done just makes me want to only listen to this song for the rest of time. It is seriously, seriously a bloody great song. I could probably write an essay on why this is one of the greatest songs I’ve ever heard. Maria’s vocals on this are insane. I wish I could sing like her.

Stefano and Maria’s vocals together are just perfect, it’s meant to be. The way they fit is just honestly, perfect. Then you’ve got the wonderful Massimo constantly giving off this blistering guitar sound that just stops you in your tracks. How the hell can someone play like this?! All three of them are just exceptional at what they do, and really it is a crime that they are not selling out arenas or having an international holiday named after them- something that big. They deserve it. I just absolutely love them, and this record is a real beauty.

I’ve gone on a bit, I know but this is a truly phenomenal record that has no dull moments and you’ll be longing for more. Even in your sleep you’ll be dreaming about this record. I know I will.

DOPE SWEATER.

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Have you ever wondered who the greatest band from Indiana are? Have you ever sought out a band that are a cult? Course you have.

Dope Sweater are a cult don’t you know, and they are also the greatest band from Indiana. So for all you lover of The Cramps, Night Shades and those in between- Dope Sweater are for you. They’ll give you the creeps and they’ll also give you some amazing music that’ll send chills down your spine. Ready? Alright.

Dope Sweater have been going for a few years now, and they’re one of those bands that once you listen to- oh there’s no going back at all. Maybe they’ll give you the heebie-jeebies, but it’s worth it. Their sounds have a part Psychobilly, part Garage Rock sound. I just love them. They are entirely chaotic and off the wall. I love how manic their songs are and how they give the impression that their live shows are just as ridiculous. I bet they’re a band that cause crowds to leave the venue covered in all sort of fluids and broken bones, and heavily bruised. The way their sound is out of control is something to really love and enjoy. You can’t help but be happy when you listen to them, they’ve got this real infectious loud sound that makes you feel like you cannot get enough of it. You simply can’t get enough of their sound, and that’s where the cult part kicks in.

Dope Sweater are wild. There is nothing about them that makes you want to calm down and take a nap, or whatever.  Their boisterous sound is incredible, and I love that they keep you guessing on where they are from and when they started. They have this mystery about them that reminds of The Mummies. We all know that The Mummies and The Cramps are two of the greatest bands of all time, and the cool thing is that Dope Sweater remind me of both. Their totally wild and unconventional sound is an absolute joy to listen to. Once you listen to them, that’s it. Nothing will be the same. I Get High is probably the song that’ll have a hold on you. It’s one of my favourites, and I hope you love it too. It’s got a partial surfer rock feel to it but at the same time you feel Poison Ivy has come along with her guitar to cast a spell on you. I love how they can take the same eeriness that’s in The Cramps but make something completely different. There’s a lot to love about Dope Sweater, and it’s something I can’t get enough of for sure.

Their earlier songs are full of insane screams and drums to totally rip your eardrums apart. They have kept that same loudness in their earlier songs and evolved it into something else, but you just know it’s them. They’ve got a real raw and distinctive sound that of course, you’ve just got to play loud.  There’s a bunch of really cool demos on their bandcamp page, and if you’re new to Dope Sweater- I’d start with them. After you’ve gone through them, it’s up to you how you want it to go. You can either go back and listen, or start with their latest record which is called, Must Be Destroyed.

Basically, what I’m trying to get at is Dope Sweater are not just the best band from Indiana but the world. I hold them that highly. If anyone wants to send them over here for a UK tour, I’d appreciate that. I’m sure they would too.

BRAVE YOUNG YEARS.

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From Munich, I give you one of Germany’s most exciting bands- Brave Young Years. With the weather finally going to back to normal, Brave Young Years make the kind of music that fits the mood of the days getting darker quicker and the sky becoming more and greyer. They have this mood within their sound that is something you, after just one listen, realise it’s something you’ve needed for a while.

Brave Young Years have been going for a few years now, but they have only just released their debut record. As far as debut records go, this one is one to remember for years to come. The mood is bleak, tense and poetic. It’s a pleasure to listen to. It reminds me of very early Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, and perhaps remnants of Rowland S. Howard’s Pop Crimes. It’s a haunting record and the darkness that flows throughout this record is something I can’t get enough of. I love the despair that comes through and seeps deep right into your soul. Bands like this don’t come around often but once you find them, you really cannot live without them.

Through is a song that has some really intense lyrics, and the sheer emotion that comes out in the vocals is something that keeps you on edge. You tense up and you feel every single word. You get that a lot on this record, but this song in particular really pushes it.  The way that the line, “I pushed you away in a slightly pathetic way, and spared us a bit of time” is sung really gets you right in the gut. The whole record is made up of songs that one could take as being painful, but at the same time you feel totally comforted by the words and how they just get you. By no means is this for everyone, but those who “get” it will never let this band and these songs go. With just one record they have created something so powerful and so moving. I can’t get enough of this record, and I think it’s something I’ve definitely been needing to hear, sound wise, for a long time. I love the atmosphere they have created on this record. It feels like it is a soundtrack to an eerie film that does not have a happy ending. It’s a truly powerful record, and it’s not for the faint-hearted at all.

Without getting repetitive and overbearing about it, I really love their music so much. It is the other side of what I love for music and what I look for in music. I absolutely adore bands like Brave Young Years because they are unafraid to show this side and to express this beautiful darkness in their sound. Some may regard it as morbid, but it’s not like that at all. Their lyrics are brutally honest and beautifully vulnerable. This fearlessness to be this open is something I really respect and love, and the way the music and lyrics go together is just stunning. Everything is so vital but nothing is overlooked. Nothing is more dominant than the other- every element of their songs is intense and created in a way that keeps you hooked.

Brave Young Years are an exceptionally passionate band who take you on this chilling journey. If they can be fearless, then so can you. I’m just in awe of how dark the lyrics can get and how even though a lot are rigged with pain, there is so much beauty in these songs. A beauty that will always keep you listening to them. I just love them, and the way they create this tension in their music is something I can’t get enough of.

BLEACH BODY.

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Manchester. Home of many amazing things, places and people. The amount of exceptional bands that have come from this beautiful city is something to be hugely proud of, and adding to this grand list is Bleach Body. Three musicians who make delightful noise.

For those wanting something a bit obscure and something incredibly loud, I give you Bleach Body.  This Manchester based band make the kind of music that’ll make you feel as if your bones are shattering and your mind is being blown. They’ll posses you with their sound and cause an earthquake (of sorts) inside of you.

They’ve been going for over a year now, and they released a couple of new recordings about a week ago. It’s just two songs, but those two songs are enough to make you see just how great they are. I love the sheer urgency in the song Guts. I love how it is delivered with such rage and like I just mentioned, urgency. There is something about this song that just oozes the need to be heard. It’s not even three minutes long but in a short amount of time, you really get what Bleach Body are about on this song. The insane instrumental for the last 50 seconds of the song is out of this world. It’s so ferocious and something to keep going back, and just keep on hitting repeat- or to just cut to that moment because it’s so good!

They are unapologetically loud and a delight to listen to. They’re in the same league as a band I will constantly champion- Table Scraps. They’ve got something about them that just makes you stop what you’re doing. Nothing else can take your attention away from them, there’s something in the music that just revives you and makes you aware that you’ve really never heard anything like this before. This is with just one song. Can they do it with another? Come on now, you know they bloody well can.

Happy Is The New Healthy is just as loud and just as brutal. The slight distortion in the vocals mixed with the shit-kicking drums is something I really love about them. I love when a band obviously pushes themselves with their music and how they always have this admirable raw sound in the music. I have huge love for Bleach Body because they are able to just put everything I love about music in their sound, and have created something that towers over most. Happy Is The New Healthy is most certainly a song that feels like you’ve been beaten black and blue by the end of it, and I’m pretty sure that their live shows will have you feeling exactly the same.

I’ve found a number of new (to me) bands to love this year. Bands that have definitely justified my love of music and my love of writing about bands I absolutely adore. I can easily but Bleach Body up there. They are one of the most remarkable bands I’ve heard this year, and I’m so excited to hear more from them. In just two songs that have created something truly spectacular and something to definitely pay close attention to. For a band to leave such an impression in just two songs is really worth investing in. I love how loud they are, I love how utterly fearless their sound it and I love that they sound unlike anything/anyone else. I really cannot wait to hear more from them.

Manchester. Home of many incredible things, places, people and bands. Bleach Body are in that list of incredible bands from this wonderful city that I am so proud to call home.

DUMB PUNTS: The Big One.

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On the other side of the world resides a record label that is home to one of the most exciting Punk bands around. This band, yesterday, finally released their debut record and it is such a solid debut record, and I can’t get enough of it.

Melbourne is home to a band called Dumb Punts, and the label they are on is brilliantly called Pissfart Records. Alright so some may turn their nose up at the name and label it immature. If you know anyone who does that, ignore them. They’re probably a right fun sponge. You don’t need that. Pissfart Records have some really great bands on their label, and I’ll end up writing about most of them soon enough. But for now- Dumb Punts.

With a name like Dumb Punts you probably think they’re a super snotty and obnoxious band. You might think they’ll sound like Dead Boys or Sex Pistols. Push that right out your mind- they sound nothing like them. Dumb Punts are a great Punk band, but they’ve got something about them that goes beyond what is expected from a Punk band- especially Punk in 2018.

The record opens with No Use which is like a massive wake up call to the system when it kicks in. The vocals are real snarly on this. It’s definitely got the echoes of New York in 1977, but there’s something else going on and you can’t help but wonder- is this how Punk is in Melbourne? If it is, then we have ignored it for far too long. There’s nothing relaxing about this record, it’s a proper kick in the face kind of record- but not like what you’d expect. There are moments on the record where the vocals change up and become a little tamer, but for the most part this could be the blueprint of how Punk should be from now on.

What I am crazy about on this record is how the vocals can really make the record. The snarly and shouty vocals are what moves you the most- but that does not mean that everything else is overshadowed. The vocals is what lures you in, then the rest just puts you in a chokehold and you cannot help but go along with it. The songs are full of this energy that you wish you could put into your daily life, but it can only kick in when you play this record. Loud. So loud.

Headfuck is a minute and a half of sheer ferociousness in your ear, this is then evened out when Heating Up starts. The record is full of equal balances of loud and tame. The Big One is the name of the record, and it’s a bold name for a debut record. Truth be told, it’s worthy of that and more. It is a phenomenal record, and since it came out yesterday it has been all I have been listening to. I love how you don’t know if you’re going to get a real rowdy song or a more lo-fi feel. It keeps you on edge, and it adds so much excitement to such an incredible record.

Listening to this record, it is hard to believe that this is Dumb Punts debut record. They have a sound that makes you feel like you have been listening to them for years, decades even. You just know that this band are nothing short of amazing in a live setting. On record they just have this insane ability to mess with your head, but I reckon live they’ll take over your body also. Going absolutely wild and throwing your limbs and drinks about. I really can’t get enough of this record, and I am so happy with how great the record has turned out. I’ve listened to Dumb Punts for a bit now, and to finally hear this debut record is so great. I honestly couldn’t be prouder of this band, and I cannot wait to hear more from them.

What you take from this record is that Dumb Punts are a band that’ll test themselves, and also the listener with how far they will go with their sound. If a band isn’t going to push themselves, what’s the point? And if a band aren’t going to leave you in awe with their debut record, then again, what’s the point? The Big One is, like I said, a brilliant debut record. Get yourself a copy and play the damn thing as loud as you physically can.

SURF CASSETTE.

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Gone are the days where the best band to come from Italy were Litfiba. Gone are the days where you wrongfully assumed all Italy could produce musically, was awful pop music (Eiffel 65…I rest my case.) Italy is home to many great Garage Rock bands. Most have gone unnoticed but there are some such as Freez and Beat Degeneration that are giving us some amazing music. Another band to add to the list are Surf Cassette, a trio from Milan.

Surf Cassette make the sort of music you’d play whilst on a day out at the beach. They don’t make you feel as if you’re listening to a band from Milan. You get a real surfer/lo-fi feel from their music, and makes you think of bands from California that you love and cherish. If you love the likes of Wavves, then you’ll easily love Surf Cassette. Their songs feel like a comforting dream that you aren’t ready to wake up from just yet. Their songs are gentle in all the right places, and have glorious ethereal moments that make you just hit repeat constantly.  Wonder Woman is the song for me that gives off this real dreamy feel, and it’s a song that you can just get completely lost in.

Something I really love about Surf Cassette is their ability to really leave you in awe. The songs are beautiful, the lyrics are beautiful and the vocals are so gentle, and an absolute joy to listen to. You cannot help but feel completely relaxed and fall into a daze as you listen to them. With the rain falling hard in Manchester this evening, Surf Cassette make it still feel like summer with their blissed out style that makes you want to constantly be on holiday.

I love that they do not have a typical Garage Rock sound. They make you feel and think differently compared to others that make this kind of music. Surf Cassette are like that loyal friend who will wander around town with you, talking about nothing in particular, kicking empty cans on the pavement to unleash the boredom and people watching to kill time. They just have this really relaxed feel to their music, and the song Wasted in particular evokes all of this. It’s such a great song to just do a whole load of nothing to.  Lust For Life truly feels like a proper summer song as does Mess In My Head. If you’re lucky enough to live close to a beach, listen to these songs as you wander up and down, soaking up the sun.

There are some beautiful moments on the songs- especially vocally and if you can listen to these songs through headphones, then please do it. The vocals on Rebel are just perfect, and the sheer softness in the vocals and harmonies is just stunning. It really hits you when you listen through headphones, but don’t play it too loud. Just let the song take you over, and soak it all up.

As much as I love music that I can play as loud as I possibly can/can stand, Surf Cassette strip that away. They’re a band that are easy on the soul, they are good for the soul. You don’t need to play them ridiculously loud in order to appreciate how beautiful their music is, but you know- feel free to do so. They make music to waste days to- either on your own or in the company of someone that you cannot get enough of.

They put out a new song, Like A Drug back in June and it’s one of the best songs you’ll hear this year. It’s everything you want from a summer anthem, and you’ll want to keep listening to it- even when the summer fades away and it starts getting dark at 4pm. I can’t get enough of it. I just adore everything about this song, and the band. Like A Drug is easily up there as one of my favourite songs of the year.

I don’t care if it makes me biased, Italy has some amazing bands out right now. For me, the holy trinity is Freez, Beat Degeneration and Surf Cassette. Oh, and I’ll through Sonic Jesus in their too.

Milan may be known for its part in fashion, but Surf Cassette are better than any fashion trend. Listen to the music, and let yourself get completely immersed in it all.

THE RAPTORS.

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A few years ago I started writing about a brilliant band from Glasgow called The Creeping Ivies. They were like The Cramps meets a Vincent Price film- effortlessly cool and eerie. I’m now super excited to write about Becca’s new band, The Raptors.

The Raptors have a really wild sound. There’s still a hint of The Cramps but there’s a real Rock’n’Roll sound that is found in my absolute idol, Johnny Thunders. There are only two songs (so far) but in those two songs, you can truly hear what a brilliant band The Raptors are.

The first song, Death Becomes Her definitely sounds like it was made for playing whilst wandering through a graveyard with a cloak of mist descending upon you. There is something really spooky about this song, and the band. The way they use this spookiness in their music is just so good. They keep you wanting more and more, but for now we just have to settle for these two songs. Death Becomes Her has this exceptional chant-like chorus that has you shouting the words back at them. Don’t worry if your neighbours tell you to be quiet, they’ll be doing the same in no time too. I love how great they all sound together.

Teen Witch sounds like it could have easily been on American Horror Story: Coven. It’s such a brilliant song, and I think for now I’ll call it as my favourite. Again it has a chant-like chorus. The Raptors have a sound that feels like a cult. They lure you in to what you do not know but are massively curious about. They take you some place where no one else has, and you daren’t go with anyone but The Raptors. They have this amazing way of luring you in and out of this creepy atmosphere. Where their song, Death Becomes Her makes you feel like you’re in a desolate graveyard- Teen Witch makes you feel like you are being hunted in a mist filled forest. Every single time you think you are close to escaping, one of them appears to cause you to lose sense of where you are. Before you know it, they’ve captured you. When you realise what has happened, you probably won’t mind and will wonder why you kept on running.

I am really excited to hear what else The Raptors have been working on. For now they are playing a few shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh, so if you’re lucky enough to live close by, then definitely go see them. I’m pretty sure their live shows will be wild.

There is something really special about The Raptors, and I think for me it is down to them having a Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers kind of sound. The sound they had was like a gang- them against everyone else. I get this from The Raptors, and I love that they in only two songs, have already given that impression. They most certainly have a united sound and each member of the band totally shines on Death Becomes Here and Teen Witch. Becca has such a distinctive voice, and I honestly cannot think of anyone else that sounds like her. She’s got such a strong voice, and it definitely needs to be played loud so you can pick up on how strong it is.

When Halloween comes around, play The Raptors super loud at your parties and ignore anyone knocking at your door. The Raptors are coming for you, so you might as well give in.