Tag Archives: Music

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.

OS KRAKENS.

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As someone who can admit that they know nothing about Brazilian Punk, I can safely say however, that I’ve found an excellent Brazilian Punk band. Os Krakens are based in Rio De Janeiro, and if the Punk scene is as strong as they sound then I suggest we all pack up and move there!

Their songs last seconds. I think only a couple may hit over the one minute mark, but hey, don’t compare them to the Ramones based on this. For me, they’ve got the same rage that’s found in one of the most underrated bands of all time-Kraut. Os Krakens embody everything I love about Punk, and how I want it to sound. The songs are fast and delivered with such urgency, it could possibly cause you to panic, and keep on hitting repeat. There is nothing calming about this band. As someone who suffers badly with anxiety attacks (like real ones, not “I’ve taken a quiz online so I am” kind of thing) Os Krakens give you this nervousness that keeps you on edge. You think something wild and out of control is about to happen, and that’s what keeps you listening to them. It’s totally the way they perform these songs that make you feel you’ve surrounded yourself with things that are sort of off kilter. Best way to be really.

They put out an EP in January, and the more recent one came out last month. I’d advise that you play them in order and of course, loud. If you can understand the lyrics, that’s a bonus for you. I can’t but it doesn’t bother me. I just love how they sound and how off the wall they are. I reckon their live shows are just as insane as they sound on record. There’s probably drinks and other bodily fluids flying around as the crowd go apeshit to the songs. Limbs are flailing, no one is watching the show through someone else’s mobile phone, and the crowd are yelling the words back- utter bliss. You’ll probably leave the show with a couple of bruises, and maybe someone else’s shoe. They most certainly have an addictive sound that I cannot get enough of. To some having songs this short may be annoying but personally, if the songs are this great- who cares how long they last! To release two EPs within a short amount of time gives me a lot of hope for this band, and a mountain of respect too.

I love how they have this “fuck it, let’s just do whatever” feel to their sound. It’s like they don’t put too much thought into what happens, they just let it happen and that’s something I really love and admire about Os Krakens. They aren’t doing this to please anyone, and that for me is again, another reason to love them. There’s only three of them in the band, but they make enough noise to sound like there’s a huge gang of them. I like to think that if I was in a band, this is probably the sound I’d go for. Os Krakens are wonderfully chaotic and this chaos is something that I really love. I love that it sounds all over the place but you can totally hear how brilliant they are as musicians.

Os Krakens have that thing about them that The Cramps had- they’re not afraid to test the listener, they’re not afraid to mess with your head and they sure as hell aren’t afraid to push their sound as far as they can in order to create this infectiously chaotic sound that I really cannot get enough of.

They’ve got this dangerous and out of line sound that goes beyond anything else I’ve heard in a long time. They’ve got the right attitude and the powerful songs to be one of the best Punk bands of our time.

SEXTILE.

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I thought I had written about Sextile but I clearly hadn’t. I’ve been a fan of them for a couple of years now, so better late than never to write about them. They are touring the UK in September along with a new EP coming out, but I’m just going to focus on their music to date and try put across my love for them in a somewhat coherent manner.

They’ve had a few line-up changes, but now it’s just Brady and Melissa. I’m always in awe of duos because I feel they work a bit harder than most, and when they make this much noise- I can’t help but be impressed. There’s a real rugged industrial feel to their music, and if you’re a fan of my biggest loves, Cold Cave, then you’ll adore Sextile. Or you’re probably smart and love them already.

What I love about Sextile is that they make me feel like I am listening to Seventeen Seconds by The Cure all over again. If you’ve read anything I’ve written before, you probably know that I’m always looking for music that makes me feel like I’m listening to Seventeen Seconds all over again. Sextile do it in such an incredibly eerie way. They’ll freak you out with their wonderful synth based sounds. This is the kind of music you’d find in some real dark and twisted thriller. You know, when someone really creepy is chasing someone through a forest or down a desolate street. It’ll give you the chills, and you won’t be able to stop listening.

I love how they make their drums sound like Bobby Gillespie when he was in The Jesus And Mary Chain- simple but genius. They’re an effortlessly brilliant band that have something about them that just makes you want to cast daily responsibilities aside and follow them on tour. Sure the set may be the same, but imagine having that constant feeling of seeing a band you love every single night on stage. There’s no better feeling, if you’re a music obsessive like me. One Of These which is taken from 2017’s release, Albeit Living is one of the best openers I’ve heard for a record in a long time. It’s a probably smack in the belly, and like I mentioned- the drums on it is just like The Jesus And Mary Chain’s Psychocandy era. As well as Seventeen Seconds, Psychocandy is another record I use as reference for how a new band I’m listening to make me feel. If they have that urgency and eeriness to their sound like those two, I’ll probably love them.

I’m currently playing them loud enough to drown out the car alarm that keeps going off across the road, and it’s a pretty solid distraction. Maybe my neighbours would get into Sextile too, but its 10:30pm and I’m not that much of an asshole to cause a disturbance. But the person with the car alarm, that’s a different story. It’s been going on since 3 this morning. Anyway, enough of that.

I’m pretty sure they’ll get the Cold Cave, Nine Inch Nails and Drab Majesty comparisons lobbed at them. They’d be in good company (I’m being biased but still) but Sextile have something about them that gives them a brilliant distinctive sound. Part of you feels like you’ve gone way back in time, and another part of you feels like you’ve headed deep into the future because this is totally unlike anything else you’ve heard before. I love how Sextile can create such a dark and creepy atmosphere with their music. It feels so natural, and it is something to absolutely treasure.

For me, I’d say the best time to listen to Sextile when it’s dark out. Allow yourself to feel a little on edge and unsure, then go full pelt into the music. Don’t hold nothing back. Sextile will take you on this journey into what you didn’t think you were ready for, but you totally needed. I love the sordid and animalistic sound they have, and I’m pretty sure in a live setting it’ll just be out of this world.

Sextile do have a new EP coming out in September, and I think it is the first where it is just Melissa and Brady. It was recorded in their home- imagine being their neighbour! That’d be ridiculously cool. They used a LinnDrum on this record, and it sounds so, so good.

You can pre-order it here: https://sextile.bandcamp.com/album/3 and it will be released via Felte Records. Buy the EP and come see them on tour!

THEE UNSOUND.

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I’m all for listening to music that makes you feel as if you’re being smacked in the face, and as my housemates aren’t home- I’m playing my music as loud as I can. This evening I have found an incredible band from Washington called Thee Unsound. There’s three of them and they make some insane noise.

There’s this amazing reverb sound filtering through, and at times the vocals are distorted- but that’s what I’m into. The songs are fast and full of tension, aggression and passion. They all share vocal duties, and each members of the band are excellent musicians. They have this way of really making you feel as if you’re having your face melted by their music, and it’s such a pleasant feeling to experience. I love how unapologetically loud they are. If you’ve heard of Birmingham’s finest, Table Scraps then you’ll definitely love Thee Unsound. Imagine if they toured together! You’d probably be deaf for a while. Sometimes you have to make a sacrifice for the ultimate pleasure.

Thee Unsound started out around a year and a half ago. Their first release came out in August 2017. The artwork has this hypnotic psychedelic feel to it, and it sort of sets the tone for the direction of the record. It’ll make you feel light headed and a bit delicate the morning after, but because you won’t remember a thing- you’ll keep on going back to the record. Just to experience that high all over again. If you find a record that can give you this feeling, I can only assume that you rightfully treasure it with all you have. As far as debut records go, this one is phenomenal.

Everything about this record is so well put together- the way the drums clash with the guitar reverb, and how the bass and vocals go together like Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is just out of this world. I know a lot of bands I write about probably only appeal to a handful of people out there, but man…. Thee Unsound are for everyone and if one person who reads this is turned onto them, and becomes a fan- then I’m happy with that. They’re most certainly a band you need to play loud, and often. Go Slow is one of the standout songs for me, but everything I’ve heard so far is just beautiful. Go Slow reminds me of The Kills circa Blood Pressures era. It’s got a real heavy sound with vocals that’ll make you turn to jelly and have you forgetting your name. It’s a proper seductive jam that’ll just drive you wild.

I love Casey’s voice so much. The way she can make it sound fuzzy but not over the top is something a lot can learn from (but not bands I love because they too have mastered the art of it!) She’s got this real ferocious feel to her voice, and it just makes you want to learn the words and scream a long with her. They’re a raw Garage Rock band who make you feel as if it is just you and them. Imagine being in a cramped room with them and they’re just playing the shit out of these songs with such urgency. It just makes you want to sack of daily life, and follow bands around that you love just so you can experience this feeling every single night. Maybe I need to stop thinking of bands so highly but fuck that. Thee Unsound are the best new band I’ve found this year. Easily. There is something about them that I cannot get enough of. I love the loudness and the intimate feel to their songs. I’ve not heard this in a long time, not like this.

Hate Your Way is another close favourite, but I might as well just say I love every single song. It’s impossible to settle on just one. I have no reason to settle for one favourite song, especially when they sound this brilliant. I’m just in awe of them. I’m in awe of how effortlessly brilliant they sound, how they work together and how amazing the songs are. I just absolutely adore this band, and I’ve decided that I’m now their biggest fan. Can someone please bring them to the UK? Thanks.

I think they might be releasing the new single called Naturally, within the next month or so on vinyl. There’s also a cover of I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) by The Electric Prunes. Pretty excited to hear their version of that.

Alright, so listen to Thee Unsound and listen loud!

J’AI PEUR DES CRABES.

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Recently I’ve found it pretty difficult to sit down and write something about music I’ve been listening to. I’ve either convinced myself the words I write are pointless, or I just do something else instead. There’s probably a bunch of reasons why I’ve been doing this, and probably a main one is me after years of putting it off, finally committing to watching American Horror Story. This is what having too much spare time has done, and I’m fine with it. But anyway, more importantly I’ve accidentally found a band that I am sure to become obsessed with, and that band is J’ai Peur Des Crabes (I think it translates as ‘I am scared of crabs’ which is a fully justifiable fear.)

Hailing from Montreal, well…that’s all I can tell you. There’s virtually nothing about them online aside from their Bandcamp and Facebook page. There’s not much for me to go on, but that’s alright. I’ll make it work. The music speaks for itself anyway. I have no idea if it is one person or a bunch of musicians, but what I do know is that this is some of the finest Garage Rock I’ve heard of late. There is something really exceptional about them, and with two records into their career-it pretty safe to say that they are the best band you’ve not really heard of. In an ideal world, they’d be huge and everyone would know them. That’s not the case right now, but there’s time.

J’ai Peur Des Crabes are like The Doors running head first into Jack White’s guitar with The Pretty Things and The Vagrants waiting for them with open arms. But there’s more to it, there’s a lot more bite to their sound. They are unapologetically loud and they fully show this on the song Pierre-François which isn’t even 2 minutes long. There’s this brilliant kick to it, and so far I’m calling it as my favourite song by them. I just want to listen to it on repeat for hours. It’s the last song on their first release, MAAAAD which came out in November last year.

Last week, they released Cocobongo which consists of five songs that step away from MAAAAD. There’s a wilder sound to this record. It’s like The Cramps and The Mummies got together and created this beautiful monster. If you’ve heard of London based Night Shades then you’ll love J’ai Peur De Crabes. There’s this excellent Psychobilly sound that has a strong Garage Rock backbone, and it’s addictive. They’re the kind of band I could happily play over and over, and not get bored. City Walls is a song that reminds me slightly of Dream Baby Dream by one of my all time favourites, Suicide. There’s something haunting but beautiful about the song. I think it’s the intro and the way the song is sung more than anything. It’s a beautiful song, and it is most definitely one of the highlights of the record, especially when the guitar kicks in during the last minute and this wealth of urgency and fury takes the band over, especially the vocals. For me, it’s probably my favourite on this record but of course with more listens I’ll change my mind.

Writing about a band I know nothing about is sometimes tough, but in this instance it didn’t feel so bad. The fact that there’s virtually nothing about them on the internet adds to the mystery. I don’t know if it’s because they are still pretty new or they just don’t need to be everywhere in order to be heard. Well, whatever their reasons are is none of my business anyway. I love the music, and I can’t wait to hopefully hear more from them.

There’s something really interesting about their sound, and they just make you feel as if you’ve been listening to them for years and years. Partially familiar but also a world away from what you know. If a band can make you feel like that so early on, then you’ve found one of the great ones.