20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – OCTOBER 2024

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

Band: STRAND
Who: Power pop quartet from Dublin, Ireland which
changed their group’s name from Soundstrand to just
Strand.

Track: PROGRESS
Their first single as Strand, part from their
upcoming 5-track EP that’ll land early next
year.

“Progress is a song about changing places, people and times.”

TUTV: Epic. Grandiose. Staggering. Amplified guitar-pop at its mind-blowing best.
Get the exciting picture? Progress has a promptly goosebumps impact. It’s one of
those not-everyday puissant standout tunes that overwhelms your emotions from
the first listen.


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Linktree
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Artist: FATHER JOHN MISTY
Who: Drummer for dream pop ensemble
Fleet Foxes from 2008 until 2012.

Now he’s almost ready to launch his new solo album
named Mahashmashana. It arrives on November 22.

Track: SHE CLEANS UP

A solid retro rocker. Something we’re not really
hear often from the well-known crooner.

Instagram
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Band: AVALANCHE PARTY
Who: Hefty bohos from Yorkshire, UK.

Track: JOHN COLTRANE’S MOSCOW SKYSCRAPER
Definitely one of this year’s weirdest song titles.

TUTV: I have no clue what this vociferous punk headbutt has to do with
the late legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, but this deafening
wall-of-hells-bells havoc we experience here isn’t exactly a bebop tune.

Imagine two trains coming from opposite directions at an insane
speed crashing into each other. That’s what happens here. Beware.


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Linktree
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Band: AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS
Who: The punk rock whirlwind from down
under fronted by the utterly cool Amyl Tylor.

Track: JERKIN’
One of the singles of their brand
new 3rd LP Cartoon Darkness.

Another punktastic Aussie outburst.

Instagram – Website
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Band: DITZ
Who: Post-punk dropouts
from Brighton, UK.

The turbulent bohemians have their sophomore LP, named
Never Exhale. It’ll show up on 25 January 2025. Pre-order
info here.

Track: SPACE/SMILE

TUTV
: Space/Smile is a slash/trash stormer, pushed by fulminating percussion,
schizo guitars and fronman Francis‘ spitting and sneering, fueled by his three
lungs, without breathing, for 108 seconds. DITZ is a mean raging machine.
They mess up your head, whether you like it or not.

Linktree – Bandcamp
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Band: THE SMILE
Who: 2 radioheads, Thom Yorke and Jonny
Greenwood
and drummer Tom Skinner.

Track: ZERO SUM

From Cutouts their new, 3rd LP
in just 2 years. Their best.

This is a far-out highlight. Motorik Kraut-rock dynamics
boggle your mind from start to finish. Masterstroke.


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Instagram – Spotify
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Artist: GAVIN FRIDAY
Who: The former flamboyant spearhead of Irish
new art wave act Virgin Prunes (1977-1986).

Track: THE CHURCH OF LOVE
Piece from his brand new album
Ecce Homo.

24-carat dancefloor stomper.
Trust me, you’ll want to join
Friday‘s church afterward.


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Instagram
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Band: HEARTWORMS
Who: Psych-pop act led by fast up-and-coming British songstress Jojo Orme.
They drew a lot of aural attention with last year’s EP A Comforting Notion.

The band have now announced details of their debut LP. It’s baptized
Glutton For Punishment and will land on 25th February 2025.

Track: WARPLANE

Warplane is a head-over-heels missile that speeds up sky-high from the get-go, propelled by a disco-vibe infused synth/guitar/bass collaboration and Orme‘s feverish vocals rollin’ all over it. Every time the choir-like chorus comes up your adrenalin’s production doubles . Supersonic stunner.

Linktree
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Press photo

Artist: LAUREN MAYBERRY
Who: Scottish frontwoman of
synth-pop act Chrvches.

Track: SOMETHING IN THE AIR
From her forthcoming solo debut,
out December 6.

Something In The Air is a gigantic tune, a bone-chilling piece of
elevating music with an ace chorus and Mayberry‘s crystal voice
going sky-high.

Instagram – Spotify
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Act: COLD CAVE
Who: Otherworldly LA synth-Goth-wave project.
The brainchild of Wesley Eisold.

Track: HOURGLASS
Single from their new,
3rd longplayer Passion Depression.

A New Order-esque synth-pop gem.
Glossy, trippy, and effervescent.

Linktree
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Artist: KAT KOAN
Who: Berlin-based singer-songwriter.

Track: LOOSE WOMAN

Press info: A light-hearted, humorous, autobiographical documentation of a semi-dramatic nervous breakdown that happend when “one morning all plans went pear-shaped and patience went down the drain”. No longer feeling the need to pretend that everything is shiny and running smoothly, Koan lets rip on this catchy tongue-in-cheek art-pop tune. Influenced by her favourite artist Baxter Dury (yes, the son of).

TUTV: Koan‘s most explicit, unbridled and personal reflection/introspection
so far, bundled in a sensual bass-juiced melody with a nightclub vibe. Explicit?
Well, life itself is explicit, right? Let us dump our shit, ignore what people think,
and feel loose.


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Linktree
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Press photo by LaMendola

Band: GIRL TONES
Who: High-energy rock duo brought to life by two sisters, Kenzie and Laila. Both classically trained musicians, Kenzie transitioned from cello to guitar and Laila from piano to drums in an effort to electrify sentient beings from this galaxy to the next.

Track: FADE AWAY

TUTV: Who needs a Hole reunion if we have these two rock chicks who challenge your
stereo’s potency with inflammable swagger and ablaze gusto. Aggressive guitars, battering
drums, fiery vocals, and a hell-bloody-helly-yeah chorus.

Instagram – Website
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Single artwork

Band: DUMB POSH HIPPIES (hilarious name!)
Who: Psych-influenced, three-piece punk band from
Dublin/Derry with a love for big riffs and pace.

Track: SCRUNCHED UP FIST

Ciarán Fitz (vocalist/guitarist): “This is definitely one of the most outright punkers we have, probably. ‘Scrunched Up Fist’ was literally written in the jam room in 10 minutes. Matthew and James were just playing this thing as I was coming back from a smoke, and I knew I had lyrics
in my phone that would work with it. Added some guitar but not much, and it was donezo”

TUTV: Wham bloody wham bam. Expect a sharp-splitting punk rock juggernaut. Amps up and full steam ahead. No rest for the wicked with this razor-blade cutting, head over heels bombshell spiced with sneering vocals. Wham bloody wah-wah guitars bam. Scrunched Up Fist hits your face really hard. Hurry-scurry stroke.


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Instagram
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Band: DHARMA GUNS
Who: 4 indie rockers
from Helsinki, Finland.

Track: M.I.D.L.I.F.E. CRISIS
Third shared cut from their upcoming debut LP
Ex-Generation Superstars, out November 1st.

Pete (singer): “Some guys buy fast cars and fell for younger women; others purchase expensive guitars and hang them on the wall. And some of us wish to leave a mark in history and/or do the right thing. The verse riff is a bit ‘stonesian’ whereas the chorus of the song is a classical punk rock sing-a-long.”.

TUTV: Yes! Yes! Do you need a badass booster today to get you through the outside
rat race? Here it comes. Dharma Guns offer you a noisy piece of rock’n boogie ‘roll to test your stereo’s resilience with. Think The Black Crowes with a 70s Britpunk attitude. Get the picture? You’ll never get a midlife crisis with these Finnish wackadoos. Yes! Yes!

Instagram – Spotify
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Band: THE WOOD
Who: Indie duo from
the UK.

Track: LET IT LOOSE
Cut from their debut LP Days,
out on November 20.

TUTV: This guitar/drum beat-driven groove melt Southern rock and Motown soul, with its glowing horns and backing gospel vocals. Well, that’s what my ears tell me. Anyway, this catching cracker will active several of your limbs.

Linktree
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Artist: JAMES BAY

Track: GO ON
From the English award-winning songsmith’s his
new, 4th longplayer Changes All The Time.

Tune. Tune. Tune.
Voice. Voice. Voice.

Instagram – Spotify
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Photo by Emily Joy Ashman

Band: THE BROTHER STEREO
Who: Alt-rockers from Massachusetts led by songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist Michael Robert Kelly.

Track: The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)

Kelly: “It’s about being at the top of your game and being a human under a lot of pressure. It’s about the superficiality of the people you meet, keeping up the facade of fame in the eyes of the world and trying to relate to others… I just had Hollywood in mind for some reason and what it must be like for people who are so famous and desirable they can’t walk down the street. Then what it’s like to be the person who used to be that famous and the shit you get for not being as ‘perfect’ or ‘beautiful’ as you used to be. Washed up, if you will.”

Infectious, mixed emotions piece
that moves and grooves with a
doom and gloom sonority.


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Linktree
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Photo credit: Alex Lake

Band: MANIC STREET PREACHERS
Who: Welsh veteran heroes.

Track: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
Singe from their upcoming 15th LP. It’s baptized
Critical Thinking and will be rolled out on
31st January 2025.

As on their last 2 albums the Manics, sonically, go poppy and
mainstream again (and they’re good at it). The days of barbwire
rock are long gone.

It’s the first single with bassist
and lyricist Nicky Wire on vocals.

Instagram – Website
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Credit Kelly Davidson

Band: GIRL WITH A HAWK
Who: The musical moniker of songstress Linda Viens
and some of Boston‘s rock legends working together.

Track: #VOTE (Rock The Boat)

Viens: “Most of us do not want to live in a world where LGBTQ+ people are not safe;
where people of color are not safe, or have the same opportunities as whites; where children are being gunned down daily; where books and education are devalued; and where women don’t have control over their own bodies. No candidate is perfect. We must vote while we still can, especially in this election, to ensure that future generations continue to have the sacred power of their freedom, their choices, and their voices.

TUTV: This song was written about 20 years ago by a Boston musician when George W. Bush was running for re-election against Massachusetts’ own John Kerry and it’s highly relevant again.

GWAH, rockers at heart, turned the encouraging tune, into a jaunty country folk pop
gem you can hum, sing and whistle along all day long. Here in Europe, we are also waiting with anticipation for the election results. Whoever wins the White House, it’ll have an impact on the rest of the world. Here in Europe want democracy to prevail, it takes care of humanity in all aspects. While waiting for November 5 , let’s rock the boat, and vote for GWAH today.


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Linktree
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Band: THE CURE

Track: A FRAGILE THING
Gloomy piece from their 14th album, their first in 16 years, titled
Songs Of A Lost World, and lands on planet Earth tomorrow, Nov 1.

“This song is a fragile thing
This song is my everything
Nothing you can do to change the end
There’s nothing you can do to change the end”

TURN UP THE VOLUME
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BILLIE EILISH – Tour 2025

Astronomic superstar BILLIE EILISH released her 3rd album
Hit Me Hard And Soft. Another one that sold and still sells like
daily bread.

New record. New tour.

Hats off for what she accomplished so far, making
countless fans around the world happy.

I’m not an Eilish follower
but this was/is a great song
and a fantastic live moment.

KING GIZZARD AND THE WIZARD LIZARD – From Jazzy Vibes To Prog Rock Firework On New Single ‘PHANTOM ISLAND’

Daily electricity to load your batteries

30 October 2024


Press photo

Last August psych-prog-rock Aussies KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
unleashed their 26th album (wowzers!) in 14 years, baptized FLIGHT b741.
One of their best to my ears. More catchy tunes, less endless guitar riffage.

Guess what? They just teased a new one on their socials.
And also announced American tour dates for next year.

Read here.

And immediately, the Aussies roll out the first single PHANTOM ISLAND.
On the first half they serve us poppy, and jazzy vibrations produced by a
full orchestra. Midway they catapult us fast-forward in full prog-rock modus.
Two songs for the price of one. Nice.

Instagram – Spotify

DEBUT SINGLE OF THE MONTH – OCTOBER 2024

30 October 2024

Band: WENCH!
Who: Fresh indie trio from Hull (UK) who fuse Riot Grrrl punk with
alternative rock & pop. This all-female, all-queer outfit are actively
speaking out about misogyny and mistreatment of women, ensuring
their gigs are a safe space.

FFO: Lambrini Girls, Dream Wife, Amyl And The Sniffers

Debut single: SHREDS

“Shreds is a song for anyone who feel intimidated by social situations to an extent they don’t say what they mean. We believe in expressing ourselves in a raw & unfiltered way which can sometimes backfire but enables us to speak from the heart. As a band, although we feel our songs can have a deeper meaning, we like to describe said songs in just a few words, being direct while refusing to be polite & quiet about the issues we face”.

TUTV: What a towering debut. Fervid emotions flame up all the way through this exuberant cryout. At its core it’s a powerhouse pop song hijacked by fierce guitars and relentless drum/bass explosiveness. On the overwhelming chorus, the singer scrapes the sky with hearty vocals and the intense climax tears your overheated stereo to shreds. Wowzers! Punktastic! Come back soon!

SHREDS


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Instagram – Facebook

Only One PETER PERRETT Shines On His New Hearfelt Musing ‘FOUNTAIN OF YOU’

Daily electricity to load your batteries

29 October 2024

No retirement time yet for 72-year-old PETER PERRETT, former frontman
of legendary British new wavers The Only Ones (1976–1982, 2007–2017)
releases his 3rd solo album, named The Cleansing this Friday November 1st.

It features contributions from Johnny Marr, primal screamer Bobby Gillespie,
Fontaines D.C. guitarist Carlos O’Connell, and Dream Wife guitarist Alice Go.

Perrett: “Something inside me would like to make my best-ever album.
Seeing Johnny Cash doing his best work right at the end makes me feel
like just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’m useless.”

The third and final album taster FOUNTAIN OF YOU is a heartfelt musing.
Sparkling guitar lines and Perrett‘s unique voice come together to shine.

All 3 singles


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Never heard of The Only Ones?

PP: Instagram

Album Tracks That Should Have Been Singles – ‘THAT’S WHERE YOU’RE WRONG’ By ARCTIC MONKEYS (2011)

29 October 2024

Band: ARCTIC MONKEYS
One of the greatest British bands ever. They
went from unknown indies to superstars.

Album: SUCK IT AND SEE
Their 4th LP, released in 2011.

Track: THAT’S WHERE YOU’RE WRONG.
The album’s closer.

A solid gold guitar-pop pearl.

ALBUM VERSION


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