Tag Archives: Garage Rock

STONY SUGARSKULL.

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Berlin is home to many brilliant bands. The ones I love have a raw and eerie feel to them. I really thought I had written about Stony Sugarskull before, but I checked thoroughly to see that I stupidly hadn’t. I used to make lists on my phone or bits of paper of bands I needed to write about, but as of late I’ve got sloppy with it. I’ll redeem myself now.

Stony Sugarskull make dreamy yet dark music. Music that makes you feel like you’re in a haunting place like The Cure’s Seventeen Seconds. If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written, you’ll know that I compare a lot of music to that record. If a band or record can make me feel how that record does, I’ll fall in love with it. I’ve already headed that way with Stony Sugarskull. They make me feel like I’m watching a Nordic tv thriller or something. They fill you will grey and black imagery. You don’t see bright colours, and I love that about them. I love how they create this almost smoky effect with their music. It’s as if everything is in a haze, and you’re slipping in and out of a dream.

Monika’s vocals are so ethereal and they evoke all sorts of images in your mind. Her voice is gentle in all the right places, but she can make it gnarly when she needs to. The only person I can liken her voice to is Sade from my beloved LA Witch. I love the calmness in Monika’s voice, and she’s such a great guitarist too. You can really tell that she has such a strong vision with Stony Sugarskull. I think this project has only been going a couple of years or so, but you can definitely hear someone who has studied and worked at they do. The sound is so strong and so unlike anything else. There are elements of 60s Rock ‘n’ Roll but there’s something else lurking within; I’m not entirely sure what it is, and because I’m questioning it, it makes me listen more than I already do. When you find something that gives you this constant wonder, I think that’s when you know you’ve found something you’re going to love for a hell of a long time.

For me, its songs like Party Girl and Skunk Ghosts that really standout. They’re the ones I keep  going back to, in like a ritualistic listen. When you can become obsessed like this with the music, that’s when you know you’ve found something you’ll treasure for a hell of a long time. I just adore the darkness and chilling feel in the music. I love how it can terrify you and can then soothe you in the same breath. This conflict is what keeps you with them. Butterflies has this haunting feel to it, but Monika’s voice is so calming you can’t get freaked out by it, it just heals the parts of you that other songs can’t quite get to. It’s got the vulnerable feel to it like Fade Into You by Mazzy Star (that song never fails to instantly make me sob.)

Stony Sugarskull make you feel like you’ve discovered My Bloody Valentine for the first time. Their sound is out there, completely and beautifully unusual- and just a sheer revelation. I can’t believe I hadn’t written about them before, but after years of listening, the love for them grew. Maybe that had to happen first. I love everything about this band. I love the trippy feel they have, I love how the drums and the guitar reverb come together to make this delicate but whole sound. I love how the vocals are intertwined with it all to create this perfect sound that makes you feel like that this is what’s been missing from you for years.

I honestly cannot express my love for this band any more than I have, or maybe I can. We’ll have to wait and see, but I’m sure I can. I’m super excited to hear more from them, and to be taken on a whole new trip with these beautiful sounds.

BAD HOO: What Is When.

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Aside from The Coathangers putting out an incredible record on Friday, Bad Hoo also put out something truly remarkable.

If you’re looking for a record to get drunk to, break stuff to, have a good time to or just do a whole load of nothing to- then you’re going to love What Is When. It’s a proper smack in the kisser kind of record. It’s just a brilliant noisy record, and it’s fuelling my obsession for them.

The lyrics and music on this record are hard-hitting. It’s a take on what’s going on, and what is messed up in the world. But you can’t help but be comforted by the music. You kind of feel at ease with all that’s fucked up in the world, and you just throw your cares away to the music. Bad Hoo are definitely a band that are here to be seen live, listening to this record you truly hear how brilliant they are and how their music is meant to be witnessed live. Shit kicking songs like Confuse Bouche and Rootbeer, NZ are the ones you know will set off any crowd. The songs on this record are beautifully wild, and these two are definitely a prime example of this. The songs are made for a good time, all the time. The record will get you to loosen up, and it’ll also charge your mind up when needed.

I love how they make this record a collection of songs that show us all that they are so sure of their sound. When you listen to this record, you feel at times you’ve stepped into a Spaghetti Western or into a dive bar. They give you these brilliant images and situations, and for a band to do this so early in their career is nothing short of genius. I’m in awe of them. I just love Bad Hoo a hell of a lot, and I love how they just have this unfiltered approach to their sound. Nothing is overproduced, no one outshines the other. It’s just a bunch of pals making music for us to believe in.

The best thing to do with this record is this: on your first listen, be alone. Do it through headphones. Second listen: play really loudly and do whatever the hell you want to do as you listen to it. Third listen onwards: play it so your neighbours hear, play loud and just go nuts to it. Oh, and make sure you really let go to Banana Splat- especially the instrumental break. It’s insane. It’s such a great moment on the record, and it’s definitely one of the liveliest songs on the record.

Whatever you’re into, you’ll get into this. It’s such a great record, and the more you listen to it the more you hear how great the band are. Songs like Blind Dolphin just leave me in awe every time. I just really love this band, and I cannot help but praise this record. Everything about this record is all I want from music. It’s rowdy, it’s loud and it’s unlike anything else I’ve heard before. What Is When is such an exciting record to listen to, over and over again. I’ve played it a lot the past few days, and I keep finding different parts to love. The record has this wonderful ability to make you see with every listen, just how brilliant they are as musicians. There is so much going on but by no means is it overbearing. It’s just an absolute pleasure to listen to. Most certainly one of the year’s finest records for sure!

Please go out and buy this record so they can afford to come do a UK tour.

BAD HOO.

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Tomorrow, Bad Hoo are putting out a new record. I can’t wait until then to write about them. I can write about the record separately anyway.

Bad Hoo are a completely off the wall, in your face band from Victoria. They deserve to be your favourite band. The kind of band you play to unwind to, except their songs are so hectic and loud it’d do the opposite. It’ll get you pumped, and ready to go to a show and have the best time. Bad Hoo have a brilliant sound that makes you feel carefree and oblivious to all that’s going on. Sometimes, we need that kind of escapism and they deliver it so well.

They’ve only been around a couple of years (I think) but ignore time on this one, they’re just a really great band. And you know, if I didn’t have a torn tendon in my shoulder I’d probably be throwing my limbs around to their music. I’ll just do it mentally for now. Something I really dig about them is that they sound like a band that you’ve just got to see live. (Hey, Bad Hoo- if you see this, can you come to the UK? Specifically Manchester, please?!) They have this really cool sound that makes you feel like you’re at their show, you don’t feel like you’re listening to a recorded version of them. They’ve got this effortlessly cool sound, and this is the kind of sound that just rules you. When you find bands that give you this feeling, it becomes something that you seek in everything else. I just love this raw and brutal sound they have – it’s a real rugged Punk sound. They are fearless with their music, and I have nothing but respect for that.

I’ve only listened to one or two songs from the new record, but I am super excited to hear it and write about it. The energy that Bad Hoo have is just ridiculous. They sound like a bunch of hyped up kids who have drank too many energy drinks and refuse to sleep. Their hyperactive sound is an absolute joy to listen to, and you can’t help but want to be part of it. I just adore this wild and weird sound- it’s great. I honestly cannot praise them enough, but obviously will try to!

There is something quite rebellious about their sound. I don’t really know much about music from Victoria, but let’s just call Bad Hoo as the best band from there. If everything sounds like this, then we need more and more bands to com forward and hit us with this rambunctious sound. I can’t get enough of it. Irrespective of if I play it sky high or through headphones, the same feelings are there. Bad Hoo are just a great band who make you forget about the world and all it’s shittyness.

Bad Hoo take elements of Surfer Rock, the eeriness of The Cramps and The Mummies and give you something that’s destined to blow your mind, melt your face and destroy your hearing in the most pleasurable way possible. I desperately hope they come to the UK because I reckon their shows will just be utterly wild. You can picture it now- drinks flying, sweat hitting everyone, the heat getting too much but none of it matters because the music is just every form of perfection.

Alright, that’s enough for now. Their new record, What Is When is out tomorrow. I’ll save some more words of praise for that!

HOORSEES.

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One band I have written about tons of times is Dr Chan. I love their flawless Garage Rock sound. I love how they just make brilliant songs that never get old. Every listen is like listening to them for the first time. A huge part of my love for Dr Chan, and now Hoorsees is due to my love for Alexin’s voice. He has such a distinctive voice, and is of course, a brilliant musician. Dr Chan and Hoorsees are made up of excellent musicians, and its fairly obvious that France is consistent in giving us some amazing music.

Hoorsees have been around for a few years, and their songs are just an absolute joy to listen to. The music takes you off into this Shoegazey kind of dreamland. It’s just wonderful to listen to. Especially on songs like Bad Words. Then you have Pitfall which again sounds like My Bloody Valentine but with less reverb. Hoorsees have such a strong sound, and it’s a sound that you cannot get enough of. They send you off into a whirl with their gorgeous sound. You don’t want to come down from this at all.

Their debut record is due out this year sometime, and going by what they’ve released so far- I’m pretty sure we are in for a treat. Hoorsees are a band that once you listen to, you just fall instantly in love with them. Bands like this are rare, but are a real pleasure to find. By no means am I making any comparisons between Alexin’s two bands, but one thing they sure have in common is that they make music that just makes you feel good. When you hear something that just grips you, and you cannot find the words to fully explain it- I think that is when you know you’ve found something you’re going to love for years and years to come. Whilst we are in an age where everything seems so throwaway, it’s bloody good to have bands like Hoorsees who give you something to hold on to.

I love listening to a band, finding out where they are from and feeling like I am in their city or wherever taking everything in. Hoorsees make you feel like you are wandering around the city with a load of nothing to do, just killing time. They have a relaxed sound, but also one that is very defined. I’m going to go back to their song Pitfall quickly. I really love this song, and how there’s this pleading, almost romantic desperation in the vocals. Call it passion, call it art. Call it what you want, but it’s so great to hear. I love the strength in the vocals and the way they are married up with this 90s reverb sound.

Hoorsees also give you that notion of clinging onto your youth/childhood. Given that the world is probably going to shit, this is something we are probably doing more than ever. The closer on their Youth EP, Wasted Youth, definitely gives you this feeling. It is also something that is quite apparent on their new single, Boyhood.

Boyhood is the perfect song to eases you into their debut record. It shows a lot of growth from their Youth EP which came out nearly two years ago. Hoorsees are made up of brilliant musicians who really hit you in the gut with their music. They’re a really great band to listen to through headphones, and just zone out from everything to. The create this escapism in their music that is just so good, and so beautiful.

Play ’em loud in your ear. Wander round your city, and just give yourself some time- and self-care.

 

LAS SELVAS.

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If you’re already looking for a band that’ll beautifully captivate your summer and rule every bone in your body, then look no further than Spain’s finest, Las Selvas.

They only have two songs up on their bandcamp page, but these 7 minutes worth of songs are enough to get you hooked and turned onto this magnificent sound. I know nothing about them, but I do know that they are exceptional musicians who just make you want to get lost in what you’re hearing in.

Under Buzz is 5 and a half minutes of euphoric gorgeousness. It has heavy parts, it has gentle moments. It’s a mind-fuck and it is so beautiful. I’ve listened to it so many times on my lunch break already. I just keep going back to it. I love the collision of soft and gentle. I love how this song just takes you off some place magical, truly magical. This song really makes you pay attention to Las Selvas, and immediately has you hooked. Part of you just wants to join the band- especially when the song kicks in. When it REALLY kicks in, you can’t help but think “my god this is what I’ve been looking for!” It’s such a powerful song, and for a band to have this so early on is truly remarkable. This is what we need, this is the band we’ve been looking for!

There’s four of them I think in the band, but they make it sound like there’s about ten of them. I don’t know how they do it, but they make you fall in love with them immediately. There’s really no denying how talented they are, and how deserving they are of every ounce of success that needs to go their way. Going by what I’ve heard so far, I’m pretty sure that their live shows are wild. I love how carried away they get, and although they are just two demos- these two demos are just perfect. They don’t sound rough or anything like that, they sound like songs from a band that are very sure of how they want to sound, and they also sound like they’ve been doing this for decades.

Blue Life is a song that makes you want to just head to the beach and watch life go by. It’s a peaceful song that just takes you again, to some magical place. Somewhere sacred and safe. They’re a band that evidently have it in them to keep giving us masterpieces after masterpieces. This is with just two songs; it’s nothing short of incredible. I’m pretty sure I’ve just found the best new band of 2019, easily.

I love how Las Selvas give you a pure sun-kissed feel in their music, and just make you feel so at ease. They are really such a joy to listen to, and I really cannot wait to hear more from them. I want more songs like Under Buzz that sound like Warpaint with a hint of 90s Grunge to it. I love this sound so much. I love the gentle moments in their music, and I love the heaviness that compliments it all so beautifully.

I know next to nothing about Las Selvas, but I do know that they are one of the most exciting bands around and hopefully, 2019 belongs to them. I hope they play some shows in the UK and just take over the world. I love them. I just absolutely love them, and I’ve decided right now that I am declaring myself as being their biggest fan.

Las Selvas, how I love you so!

CROCODILES: Love Is Here.

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One thing I really enjoy is writing about my buddies, Crocodiles. With every record they just reinforce my love for them, and their ability to constantly evolve their sound and always take themselves out a safe zone when making music. I think April this year sees the 10 year anniversary of their debut record, and the 7 records they have put out in a decade have all been masterpieces in their own way. Now it is the turn of Love Is Here to be adored in all its glory.

I don’t want to write this in order of the songs, because I’ve a lot to say about one songs in particular- My Far Out Friend. On every record by Crocodiles, they always have this one song that hits you right in the gut and takes you away from where you are. They always have this one song that sends you off into a euphoric bliss that nothing else can touch. My Far Out Friend is easily now in my top 5 songs by them (it’s always changing, of course but this one is something else.) I absolutely adore Brandon’s vocals on this song. I love how his vocals on this are as dreamy as the music. It has this gorgeous psychedelic feel, and there are two moments in the song where there’s this little drum roll that goes into a beautiful instrumental. It makes you feel like you are floating, and Brandon’s vocals come back in like they are guiding you through the clouds. This is truly one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard, and it’s one I keep going back to. It’s such a gorgeous and ethereal piece of music. The second instrumental part is slightly heavier, and wraps up this work of art so beautifully. My Far Out Friend is THAT song that you close your eyes to, and just zone out.

Last year, I was sent a copy of the record and it just blew me away. Aside from My Far Out Friend, the other song that blew my mind was I Was A Fly. It reminded me of something The Cramps would do. I love the weirdness in the song and there are bits of the music that remind me of something else, and it’s driving me mad that I cannot remember it. It’ll come to me, probably in my sleep. Typical. It’s a real gritty song that you can imagine hearing in dimly lit basement bars.

The record opens with the face-smacking Nuclear Love, and goes right into the wonderfully decadent Exit My Head. Both of these songs are reasons as to why Crocodiles are clearly just the best, and sure I may be biased but that’s what 10 years of being a fan does. I love hearing how they have pushed themselves with each record, and these two songs definitely show this. The songs are heavier on this record compared to Dreamless- but there’s really no point in ever comparing any of their records to each other to be honest. Crocodiles are a band that make you excited about music, and always leave you wondering what they are going to do next. I hope they release Exit My Head as a single because there is something about this song that oozes smut and beauty. I adore this song a hell of lot. The lyrics are brilliant, and I think it’s one everyone can relate to or has related to at some point, In some ways, it reminds me of Henry Miller meets Lou Reed then goes for a drink with Hubert Selby, Jr. It’s just a great song!

Love Is Here (The End Is Near) is a real Punk sounding song. It’s got that pogo feel to it, and I really hope that when they play this life that the crowd go apeshit. They’ve got many songs that make their fans go batshit when they play them (for me, it’s always Refuse Angels) and Love Is Here has got to be one of them that just spur the crowd on to just go insane to this song.

Rats d’Amour and Voyeur Under Glass make you feel like you are roaming a city like Paris late at night with a feeling to cause some trouble (nothing sinister obviously) or just watch the world go by. Voyeur Under Glass has a slight Reggae feel to the guitar which I love so much, and I love the bass so much on this one. Something you really notice on this record is just how ahead Brandon and Charlie are with their sound. I’ve noticed it on their other records, but there is something about Love Is Here that, although you know it is them- there is something about this record that is ahead of its time. The production and the whole sound on this record is nothing short of perfect. You can truly hear the dedication and passion in this record, and it is honestly a flawless piece of art.

Basically, this is just a declaration of love not a review. I can’t write reviews anyway. In short, Love Is Here is the record we absolutely need. It’s most certainly the record I need. And yes, it is my record of the year- I think that’s pretty obvious.

Get yourself a copy from their bandcamp page, and play it loud!

VIVA CROCODILES!

DEAD BUTTONS.

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Sometimes when you know virtually nothing about a band, it makes it easier to write about them. That’s what it’s like with Seoul’s finest. Dead Buttons. All I know about them is this- they are insanely brilliant, and they’re beautifully weird.

If you’re looking for something that will make you think you’ve got a riot kicking and screaming in your head, then you’ll love this band. They’re unlike anything else you’ve ever heard. I honestly have no idea what sounds like them, who are their influences etc. But to be honest, that shit doesn’t even matter. They’re a bunch of musical maestros who truly know how to rip you apart in the most pleasant way possible.

Their songs are these huge masterpieces that make you just sit in awe as you listen to them, they are truly something else. They really will blow your mind. The guitar is off the wall, and the drums keep up effortlessly- it truly does just make you feel like you are unable to move or jolt slightly, because what you’re hearing just throws you off. If you’ve think you’ve heard it all before, then think again! Dead Buttons are probably one of the most exciting bands around, and going by what I’ve heard so far- I’m pretty sure the music scene in Seoul is something we most certainly need to pay a lot more attention to.

Dead Buttons are a band that have probably been sent here to corrupt our minds, and get us all to just zone out as we listen to them. The music is nothing short of perfection. They have this Psychedelic feel but at the same time, the vocals are Punk-ish/ have a Garage Rock feel to them. Everything I love about music is in this band. I really cannot get enough of their sound. Take the song, Foggy Night. It’s just under 7 minutes long (they do songs that last over 5 minutes which is part of my huge love for them)  and it’s a song that has all these twisted and gorgeous layers to it. It’s gentle, but at the same time has a slight sinister tint to it. This song would be perfect in an 80s horror film where you can see all the set props move and the blood is clearly ketchup. It’s such a brilliant song, and it just gets you right in the gut. It’s one of the best instrumentals I’ve ever heard. They make music that is so beautiful, and I love that their recordings up on bandcamp are live ones. It makes you feel like you are at one of their shows, truly. I love how they convey the atmosphere over these recordings, and how you feel it’s just you and them.

There’s a lot of mystery and eeriness in their sound, which I love of course. I love how different they sound and how they are clearly unafraid to mess with the listener’s head. I love music that does this, and I love bands that are utterly fearless with what they do. It makes you believe in them more. I hope we get more music from them, because they are a band that need to be heard. Loudly.

You know when you hear something, and you just know it’s going to stick with you for a long time? That you know that nothing else is going to come from that euphoric feeling you get when you listen to them? Dead Buttons give you that, and so much more.

They’re just a phenomenal collective of musicians who are absolutely unafraid to push the listener, and have this wonderful passion within their music that just makes you be in complete and utter awe of them.

I need to hear more from them. We all do.

Play loud.

BLOND BLOOD: I’ve Never Surfed.

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We all know that Manchester is home to some of the greatest bands of all time, and to celebrate my 10 month anniversary of me finally leaving London and moving the best city in the world (Manchester!), I might as well write about one of the city’s most exciting bands.

When you think of Surf Rock bands, you think of bands that are constantly by the ocean and have never seen a rain cloud. Blond Blood are the opposite. This exceptional Manchester band are exposed to an unhealthy amount of grey skies and rain- but that doesn’t fill them with doom and gloom. If anything, it makes them bring this delightful joy. A summertime mood even when it is stupidly freezing outside and it’s dark before 5pm. Their music is brilliant, and last summer they released the utterly divine I’ve Never Surfed.

The songs on this record just make you want to waste your days away doing a whole load of nothing; either by yourself or with a group of friends who feel the same. Their song, No Fun has this beautiful Mancunian charm to it. It is brilliantly self-deprecating and to be honest, I can identify a lot with the lyrics on this one. I love how they can create this songs with partially sad lyrics, but they even it out with this beautiful and cheery sound. They are definitely a band that have to be seen live, there’s no doubt about that. I love how they have this L.A Surf/Garage Rock sound going on, but it still sounds like something you’ve never heard before. I think they are easily one of the most exciting bands around.

I’ve Never Surfed is such a feel good record, and it just makes you want to go on holiday for a long time. It’s the perfect record to do nothing to. Play it loud, lie on your bed and let your mind go somewhere peaceful. End Of The World is one of my favourite songs on the record, I just love the music to it. James Travolta is another exceptional song on the record. Basically, it’s made up of 12 fantastic songs that you just need to fall in love with.

Blond Blood just take you somewhere truly beautiful and magical with their music, and they have something about them that makes you feel like you are anywhere but where you are. They just make you feel like you’re on holiday, and I’m happy with that. They’re a band that definitely need to be played loud. I imagine that their live shows are nothing short of an incredible sweaty affair.

There are soft moments on the record, the song Don’t Kill Me is such a gorgeous song. I absolutely adore it. Then it kicks in, it really really kicks in. The heaviness to it reminds me of Silverchair mixed with Wavves. For me, that’s a dream combination. Have I said what my favourite song is yet? Well, it’s now this one. I love how it starts gentle, then it just slams into this heavy sound that erupts into something that just makes it standout out.

The record ends on the title track, which is 6 minutes of sheer joy and has this Western film feel to it. This song could easily be used as a soundtrack for a film- for either a brutal chase or fight scene. It just shows how brilliant they are as musicians. An effortlessly cool way to close the record.

I’ve Never Surfed is an incredible record, and Blond Blood are obviously one of the most exciting bands around. I really cannot wait to hear more from them.

FLAT WORMS.

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I’ve said it countless times; I just love music that freaks me out a bit and sounds like something from a nightmare. For me, bands like Pop.1280 are a prime example of this and to be able to find bands that carry the same heaviness and obscure sound is something I’m always looking for. Flat Worms are a band I can happily place next to Pop.1280 for so many reasons. However, this piece isn’t based on comparisons- it’s just sheer admiration.

Flat Worms are loud, insane and are quite frankly, one of the best bands to have come out in a hell of a long time. Sure they have a Garage Rock sound, but there is something else there. Something quite industrial like. The music sounds like a madman going on a rampage, and I love that. I love how unsettling their sound is, and how it makes you feel like you’ve heard something you possibly shouldn’t have. I love the mystery surrounding them. When bands have virtually no online presence, I respect that a hell of a lot. You have to work at finding music to truly move you, and Flat Worms really make you work for it.

 

I’m not really sure how long they’ve been making music for, but last year they released their debut record which is evidently just the outline of how brilliant they are. They make you want to trash stuff and if you’re feeling festive about being chaotic- tear down some Christmas trees and bin off tradition. Flat Worms have this magnetic rowdy sound that brings out a side of you that other bands can’t get to. They make you want to make your own noise, or just play their sounds ridiculously loud. That’s the only way to listen to a band like this- as loud as possible.

Although I likened them to Pop.1280 earlier, they really do not sound like anything else I’ve ever heard before. I love the rage and passion in the songs. I love how the songs sound like a brawl in a bar, and how they have this unapologetically ferocious sound. It’s like a feral animal roaming free at night, fucking anyone up who gets in its way.

I’m curious about their live shows. Anyone who has seen Flat Worms live is bloody lucky. Imagine being that close to something so off the wall and brilliant. You’d probably leave feeling a bit deaf, but also smug in knowing that you’ve witnessed a bloody phenomenal band. There’s just three (I think) of them, but they make enough noise to make you feel like you’re listening to an orchestra of noise. They have this brilliant and effortlessly cool sound, and the darkness that flows in and out of the songs is remarkable. The lyrics are clever, and take you aback in some instances (Followers is a strong example of this.) Their music is made to be played loud, and for you to just lose yourself in. Flat Worms are easily one of the most exciting bands around, and with just one record out they have made something worth paying close attention to, and of course becoming healthily obsessed with.

If you’re looking for a band to blow your mind, and to make you feel like you’ve been let in on the world’s biggest secret- Flat Worms are for you. Play them loud; it’s the only way. I hope Red Hot Sand becomes your obsession like it has become mine. It’s over 5 minutes of brutal noise that just sets them apart from anything else you’ve heard in a long time.

Los Angeles is home to some amazing bands that I have fallen in love with over the years, and I can quite happily add Flat Worms to my list. I love the sheer rawness they have, and how they just don’t fit into any genre of music at all. They stand out and above, and I really love and admire that about them.

I hope they become louder and louder, because they are band that we are all in need of.

AVE NEGRA.

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Bands that you know zilch about are always fun to write about; you have no opinion formed, and the music is almost heightened because of this.

Ave Negra are another effortlessly brilliant band from Costa Rica, and the way they sound just has this almost enviable cool feel to it. Costa Rica has some amazing bands, that we know. Ave Negra are a band that you’d want to join and go on tour with, and trash hotel rooms with. The way they sound on record makes you believe that their shows are probably on the wild side. I think they’re in the middle of recording songs for a new record that could be out next year- so you can have that as one of your reasons as to why 2019 won’t suck that much.

The band have this Garage Rock sound that makes you want to pick up an instrument, make it your weapon of choice and just cause a wealth of chaos with the sounds. There is something truly special about the music that comes from Costa Rica, and Ave Negra are definitely up there as being one of the most exciting bands around. The only way to listen to them, is to do it loudly. And often, of course. They are songs that (even if you don’t know what’s being said, like me) you can just really enjoy. The music is nothing short of slick, the vocals are gnarly and powerful. They are just an absolute pleasure to listen to. I love how you can pick up a wealth of emotions in the songs, and the band have this admirable way of making you feel like you’re either at the front of the stage during their show. Or that you’re in the throes of them creating these songs- you’re like their guinea pig or some weird shit. I don’t know.

In all honesty, there’s no one I can compare them to. There’s no other band like this, and I don’t think that there has ever been a band quite like them. Their songs feel like a brawl that has spilled out into the street and gotten way out of hand. They’re a rowdy bunch, and that’s just part of the reason as to why I love them. Ave Negra are a band that I’d love to see play live. You can imagine the crowd going nuts to songs like Indio Comido (easily one of my favourites) and Vivo Por Mi. If you’re looking for a band to become obsessed with, and to get pangs for- Ave Negra are for you. You’ll listen to them, and you’ll be left wanting 2019 to hit us with some new music. After listening to the bulk of their songs, I can safely say that Ave Negra are a band that definitely need your attention. Sack off that awful task of buying Christmas presents, and just stay indoors and listen to Ave Negra. That’s all you can do, and that’s all you should do.

For me, I think Costa Rica is massively overlooked for the music they give us. They truly nail that Garage Rock sound, but they have this way of adding something to it that isn’t seen or felt anywhere else. Maybe it’s the drive, maybe it’s the passion- I don’t know. But I do know that some of the best bands around are from there. Maybe it’s time we moved our focus there, because they are evidently doing something right. Hell, it isn’t just right- it’s perfect.