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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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.

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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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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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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.

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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.

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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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20 Best Tracks Of The Month – SEPTEMBER 2024

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

Band: PRIMAL SCRREAM
Pop/rock legends fronted by Bobby Gillespie.
Track: READY TO GO HOME

From their 12th LP, titled Come Head,
out on November 8.

Sounds like Talking Heads backed by a gospel
choir. Sing hallelujah, brothers and sisters.

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Artist: GAVIN FRIDAY
Irish cult singer/songwriter best known as flamboyant
spearhead of former new-art-wave act Virgin Prunes (1977-1986).

Track: ECCE HOMO
The title track from his 5th solo LP,
that’ll land on October 25.

It’s a stunning, monumental piece of mythical Goth music that grabs
you by the throat when the riveting chorus kicks in. Instant classic.

Astonishing symphony.

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Artist: ELIAS B. RONNENFELT
Who: Frontman of Danish pop-punk
heroes Iceage.

Track: WORM GREW A SPINE
Cut from his upcoming solo
debut LP Like Lovers Do.

Zippy and disarming earworm.

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Band: XIU XIU
Who: Californian, now Berlin-based noise explorers,
who are experimenting around since 2002.

Track: MAESTRO ONE CHORD

Petrifying piece from their brand new, startling album
13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips.

Bone-chilling.

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Band: BABY SCHILLACI
Who: Welsh alt-act producing a raw, unfiltered sound. Rooted in post-punk
and noise, the band’s aggressive yet intricately layered compositions evoke
comparisons to seminal acts like Mclusky, At the Drive-In, and Fugazi.

Track: BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA
From their upcoming debut album
The Soundtrack’ out next week.

A barbed slice of mayhew. Think Sonic Youth going forth
and back, and finishing with a flabbergasting finale.


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Band: BLACK DOLDRUMS
Who: British synth-pop-Goth trio, with key
members Kevin Gibbard and Sophie Landers.

Track: SUMMER BREEZE
Song from their their second longplayer
In Limerence which lands on October 18.

No, this is not a New Order song but it could easily be one, actually a stellar one.
It’s a pure synth-pop pearl for all seasons. Uplifting, heart-warming, and gratifying.

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Artist: NOANNE
Who: Singer-songwriter from
Prague, Czech Republic

Track: EVERYTHING I HATE ABOUT YOU

The high-octane rock ‘n’ roll explosion tells the darkly humorous and gripping tale of a woman who has taken drastic measures against a deceitful lover. Noanne ventures into uncharted emotional territory, portraying a dramatic shift from dependence to outright animosity—and beyond.

Big tune. Titanic voice.
Brassy and sassy score.

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Band: THE VOIDZ
Who: Side-project of The Strokes
frontman Julian Casablancas.

Track: PROPHECY OF THE DRAGON
From their brand-new 3rd longplayer
Like All Before You.

Sounds like a full-of-pep corker Casablancas wrote for
The Strokes back in the early days. High-tension stuff.

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Act: LEG PUPPY 2.0
Who: Hardest working drop-out
band in EBM land based in London.

Track: DROP A DROP

Here comes the techno drop of
all techno drops. Droptastic.


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Photo credit: Alberto Santinon

Band: WAX HEAD
Who: Chaotic, drummer-fronted
post-punk quartet from Manchester.

Track: RUSTY CUTTER


Single artwork

Bad-ass havoc, garage punk madness and unbridled turmoil to test
your loudspeakers’ potency. Wax Head are a ballistic bunch of noizz
rioters.

Alert your neighbors
before you press play.


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Band: THANK
Who: 4 underground
noiseniks from Leeds, UK.

Track: DO IT BADLY
Piece from their upcoming album I Have A Physical
Body That Can Be Harmed
, out on November 8.


Artwork

Barbed wire guitars. Wham-bloody-bam percussion. Excorsistic
spit and sneering. Sounds gloriously vicious, right? You betcha.


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(Lille, France – February 2024 – Photo by Turn Up The Volume)

Band: LAMBRINI GIRLS
Who: Brighton‘s female
in your face warriors.

Track: COMPANY CULTURE

Another Formula 1 crasher.
Punkier than a shiny Ferrari.

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Band: THE BAD UPS
Who: 4 punk indies
from Philadelphia.

Track: BETTER THAN YOU
From their brand new blustery
longplayer Life Of Sin.

Think Green Day arm-wrestling with Blink-182.
Lots of panache, muscles and punk buzz.


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Band: SOME REMAIN
Who: Young punk gunslingers
from Ireland.

Track: DEATH DEFYING STUNTS
The first taken from an upcoming EP
slated for release early 2025.

Not only does it defy death, it pretty much defies description as it takes you on a glorious and wild ride through early UK punk (Read About Seymour – Swell Maps) and surf rock (Miserlou – Dick Dale) with some Dr Feelgood and The Cribs thrown in for good measure.

“A hectic party tune that leaves you feeling like you’ve
just landed a sick kickflip over a tank of sharks.”

Bloodcurdling racket.
Demonic hit-and-run.
Post-punk-tastic gusto.


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📸 @alexbladesphot

Band: COMMON CULTURE
Who: Rousing, fiddle driven alternative
folk band from Barnsley, England.

Track: WASH AWAY THE DAY

CC have that uplifting drive of the Levellers and the eurythmic catchinesss of
Mumford & Sons. Wash Away The Day is a brisk pop tune going forth and back, from
low-key to vivacious and back, while ardent harmonies and energetic violins complete
the swirling sonic picture.

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Band: SOFT SKIES INC
Who: Philadelphia-based identical-twin duo and longtime musical confidants
Ryan and Martin Rex, their shared sonic compass draws a straight line from the
classic alternative of their youth to the modern alternative and dream-pop of
today.

Track: SOONER OR LATER

A song of hope, riding those tender waves of nostalgia, understanding that a loss of innocence comes with age but that we emerge from the other side with newfound perspective and awareness.

Melodic guitar pop at its Sebadoh best. Uptempo shoe-slacker-gaze
spiced with scintalling synths and ethereal vocals. Start dreaming in
overdrive. Right here.


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Band: VERRA CRUZ
Who: British alt-rock trio, known
for their hard-hitting anthems.

Track: HANG ON TO THE SUN

“Hang on to the sun, hang on til the wind and waves subside,
hang on to the sun til you leave all your worries behind.”

Mighty power ballad bringing epic musing moments
of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden to mind. Top-shelf.

Instagram
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Artist: STEVIE NICKS
Former Fleetwood Mac heroine.
Track: THE LIGHTHOUSE

Nicks: I wrote this song a few months after Roe v Wade was overturned. It seemed like overnight, people were saying ‘what can we, as a collective force, do about this…’ For me,
it was to write a song. It took a while because I was on the road. Then early one morning I was watching the news on TV and a certain newscaster said something that felt like she was talking to me ~ explaining what the loss of Roe v Wade would come to mean. I wrote the song the next morning and recorded it that night.”

A vehement pro-reproductive rights anthem that
overwhelms on the chorus. Nicks‘s impressive voice
lights in the middle.

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Band: THE CURE
Track: ALONE

The first composition of the Goth icons’ upcoming 14th LP, their first
in 16 years, titled Songs Of A Lost World. It’ll drop on planet Earth on
November 1st.

Alone is an almost 7-minute funeral march, a slowly progressing lament, layered with mourning synths. Smith only starts singing halfway and augments the sombre atmosphere all the way through. After a couple of spins the songs keeps on coming back to haunt you. Sonic cure for restless minds.

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Band: JOHNNY MARR AND THE HEALERS
Who: Short-lived (2001-2004) Johnny Marr project
after he left The Smiths.

Track: THE WAY THAT IT WAS
Previoulsy unreleased song from the deluxe
reissue (released last week) of their one and
only album, named Boomslang.

A sweet 18-carat pop diamond with a melancholic resonance and impassioned
and affecting Marr vocals. No idea why this gripping reverie was hidden for so long,
but happy that my ears can enjoy it today. The Way That It Was wouldn’t have been
out of place on The Verve’s 1997 classic ‘Urban Hymns‘.

Instagram

20 Best Tracks Of The Month – AUGUST 2024

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

Artist: KIM DEAL
Who: Best known as the former Pixies bassist
and from her own band The Breeders, featuring
her twin sister Kelley.

Track: CRYSTAL BREATH

Brand-new cut from her upcoming solo debut
album ‘Nobody Loves You More‘ out November 22.

Crystal Breath is quite special and pretty different from anything
Deal has been done before. EBM bass dynamics, trip-hop quivering
and a spiky guitar riff.

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Artist: CAROLINE ROMANO
Who: 22-year old Nashville-based
alt-pop singer/songwriter.

Track: BODY BAG

“‘Body Bag’ is a peak behind the curtain at the reality of modern romance and feeling young and old at the same time. I think sonically the song has so many ups and downs, and that’s exactly how this stage of my life has felt. It’s running barefoot on the concrete, chasing something you can’t quite put your finger on, but running towards it nonetheless. That’s
how I would best describe ‘Body Bag.’”

TUTV: This is an astounding piece of multi-layered music. An effervescent mix of pop,
rock and EBM going everywhere fast and Romano‘s sensual voice adds an arousing dynamic. A stream of adrenalin rushes through your body, all the way.

Top-tier tune.
Hands down.

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Press photo by Nik Freitas

Band: BRIGHT EYES
Who: Nebraska‘s indie trio formed
by singer-songwriter Conor Oberst.

Track: RAINBOW OVERPASS
From their 11th LP, baptized ‘Five Dice, All Threes‘.
It comes our way on September 20th.


Album artwork

TUTV: Bright Eyes are on a revved roll here.
So will you too when this whirlwind blasts
out of your speakers.

No I’m not slowing down
Yea I’m not slowing down
I’m speeding up

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Band: THE RATS
Who: 5 ambitious rascals
from Ghent, Belgium.

Track: OLD FLAMES

It will be on their debut EP Disco To Disco, out on September 13.

The song is about rediscovering old lovers after a night out from disco(theque) to disco(theque), with references to The Pogues’ Shane MacGowan and his excessive drinking, and a legendary Belgian crooner. Bringing these two completely different iconic figures together makes you wonder if they don’t have more in common than you might think.

TUTV: Full steam ahead from the get-go. All engines on. Decibels up, amps up.
The breakneck speed and the relentless synth/percussion riff make your head
spin 360°. I dare you to catch up with this steamroller.

If you don’t know they’re from Belgium you would think they are one of those
post-Brexshit-punk misfits such as Deathletter, Ditz, shame, English Teacher, and
more of those exciting indie wolves. Cool, right? You betcha.


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Band: THE SMILE
Who: Star trio featuring radioheads Thom Yorke
and Jonny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner .

Track: ZERO SCUM

One of the two new shared pieces from their upcoming 3rd LP, named Catouts, out October 14. It’s a hypnotizing Krautrock-like jam rushing through your bloodstream.
Great saxophones too.

The Smile: Instagram
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Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz

Band: A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS
Who: The rapid-fire Brooklyn turbine,
led by Oliver Ackermann, pump up the
decibels since 2003.

Track: YOU GOT ME
A foretaste of their upcoming LP,
titled ‘Synthesizer‘, out on October 4.

TUTV: Expect a spine-chilling guitar/bass riff rocket with Ackermann‘s
vocals echoing all over it. Another hellraiser for your graveyard parties.

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Band: THE VERAS
Who: 4 British mavericks inspired by glam rock,
punk, new wave, 90s indie, and Britpop.

Track: DAVEY WALKING ROUND WITH THE SOLE OFF HIS SHOE

“It’s a shout out to all the unusual characters that you may find in any High Street who, for whatever reason, are considered outsiders. They need championing as they are just like everyone else and want the best for themselves, but have been dealt a difficult hand.”

TUTV: The Veras storm out of the gates with tons of high-voltage force, powered by
an army of ablaze guitars and mighty drum/bass beats. The spanking chorus fueled by peppy vocals completes this rattling burst. Now go out in the streets and start a riot.


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Band: THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA
Who: London-based DIY duo – Daphne Ang (Singapore) and Andrea Papi (Italy)
that fills a gap in music by bringing literature, art, and history together into a
space where rock and metal meet electronica.

Track: BITE THE BULLET
From their 3rd album, named
Origins, out November 1st.

TUTV: This surprising, blistering collaboration sees TCOMAS exploring another
musical place where they’ve never been before. Teaming up with sharp-cutting
Italian rapper Mr Meuri and make it work, combined with their by-now trademark
metallic wall of sound and monstrous growls is flabbergasting.

TCOMAS: Instagram
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Band: LONELY LITTLE KITSCH
Who: Two-piece alt-rock band from Niagara, Canada featuring
vocalist Kristen Goetz and drummer Nolan Jodes. What started as
a way to pass the time during the pandemic, soon became a more
serious project as fully formed songs took shape.

Track: VICES

TUTV: A grungy headbanger propelled by hammering vigorousness, some
edged Grohl riffs and exploding when the crashing chorus crushes in. Right
in the middle of the song and the video, vocalist Kristen Goetz, draws your
attention with her Shirley Manson-like vocal tone and her subtle moves.

Get together now.

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Band: THE MERINGUES
Who: A Kingston, Ontario-based
post-punk powerhouse.

Track: ROYALTY
This track is a cut from their 2nd album, Pavlova’s Dog,
which will be available on September 16th.

It’s that feeling of having idealized someone, only to discover they didn’t deserve it.
Or when you thought you knew someone, but they revealed a different side. This song
explores the disorienting feeling of realizing you were wrong about someone or something.”

TUTV: This punk ‘n’ roar torpedo guarantees you a vitalizing kick. Royalty explodes
from the get-go. The smashing chorus, with its screamy duet vocals, causes ecstatic
elation.

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Band: RAZORLIGHT
Who: British power guitar-pop indies RAZORLIGHT (2002–2014, 2017–present),
led by guitarist/singer Johnny Borrell, who have their first LP in 16 years finished.

They baptized it Planet Nowhere.
It’ll land on October 24.

Track: SCARED OF NOTHING

It’s the first taster off of the forthcoming full-length. A simple, but oh so
effective tune. Jaunty and terrifically infectious. Welcome back to the party,
guys.

Instagram
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Band: STRAWBERRY SLEEPOVER
Who: A psych, garage rock act from Baltimore, MD which  makes waves in
the local music scene with their unique sound and captivating performance.

Track: FILTH
From their upcoming new
album, out September 6.

TUTV: If you’re depressed because summer is almost over, comfort yourself with this bonkers cowboy-punk jackhammer. Big, really big fun. ‘Filth‘ gets filthier and filthier along
its rowdy course. Think Dropkick Murphys riding wild horses while consuming a stream
of cold beers. Get the picture? As I said, big fun.


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Press photo by Dario Vazquez

Band: HINDS
Who: Spanish powerpop Amazons. Two members, bassist Ade
Martín
and drummer Amber Grimbergen left. Only 2 hinds now.

Track: THE BED, THE ROOM, THE RAIN AND YOU

TUTV: A moony daydream floating smoothly around and in your ears and
has an on-repeat effect. It’ll appear on their 4th LP, baptized ‘Viva Hinds
and lands on September 6.

Linktree
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Artist: LEAH MARTEL
Who: Singer-songwriter
from Ontario, Canada.

Track: NOT COOL
Only her 2nd single.

Martel: “After surviving elementary and high school, working in customer service and an office job, going to college and university I realized I still have not overcome social anxiety. I wrote this song about it so I could finally try to stop caring so much.”

TUTV: Martel strikes again with unbridled punch on this invigorating pop pearl juiced with jumpy bass lines, a vigorous drum beat, an edgy guitar solo and a chirpy chorus. Vocally Martel could be family of Alanis Morissette‘ voice. That same stirring timbre and expressive tone.

Instagram
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Band: THE WAEVE
Who: Blur‘s guitarist Graham Coxon
and songstress Rose Elinor Dougall.

Track: YOU SAW
Piece from their upcoming 2nd LP.

TUTV: City Lights is an ardent upper for the midnight hours when you hit town.
Coxon lets his greedy guitar and his sultry saxophone have some funky fun, the
relentless bass/drums tandem take care of the groove’s banging beat. Uplifting
duet vocals and a chipper chorus complete the sonic picture.

Instagram

Band: THE TRUSTED (Southend-on-Sea, UK)
Who: Formed in 2016, making music with strong
melodies and catchy hooks.

New single: MIRACLE FACE

“This is very different to anything we have released before it’s
very pop and a song of unrequited love and idolising others.”

TUTV: The Trusted deliver again. Miracle Face is a bittersweet power-pop symphony. Vehement orchestrations, layers of guitars, drum/bass puissance, and perfervid vocals combine for an affecting anthem. Think of New York City‘s heroes The Strokes’ mellower moments.

Instagram
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Press photo by Joe Magistro

Band: MERCURY REV
Who Day-and-night dreamers with key members Jonathan
Donahue
and Sean “Grasshopper” Mackowiak

Track: A BIRD OF NO ADDRESS
From their 10th LP, their first in 9 years, named
Born Horses, and out on September 6.

TUTV: A Bird Of No Address is a starry-eyed musing, a magnific symphony
with classical piano play, sensitive orchestrations and Donahue‘s romantic
vocals.

Bewitching, just bewitching.

Instagram – Tour
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Artist: BLACK VIIOLET
Who: The moniker of the new solo project of Nicole Laurenne, the
flamboyant daredevil/voice/face of American garage rockers The Darts.

Track: KILL ME NOW
The title song of Laurenne‘s debut EP. A totally different
affair from what she has done for a long time with The Darts.

TUTV: Music for jazzy, smoky nightclubs where crooners play love songs,
happy and sad ones on piano, backed by a smooth little orchestra.

Viiolet‘s sexy, near-whispering voice and her sensual
film noir appearance fit the mood just perfectly well.


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Linktree
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Artist: JAMIE SUTHERLAND
Who: Scottish singer-songwriter

Track: SOME THINGS HURT A LITTLE MORE
Piece from his upcoming 2nd solo album.


“I was playing around with this song and the chorus came to me almost immediately. It reminded me of something from Joni Mitchell’s Clouds album and the line “Some things hurt a little more, this one’s you” had such a resigned sentiment the rest of the song was easy to write. It’s a love song, but from an older point of view. Less drama and more realisation that another one had slipped away. The loneliness of an empty house and the need to escape the quiet.”

TUTV: Singer-songwriter splendour. A dynamic reverie, driven by titillating acoustic
six-strings, playful piano fragments, and a heartwarming voice. I’m pretty sure that
Jamie Sutherland is a fervent Nick Drake and Tim Buckley fan.

Instagram
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Artist: ADRIANNE LENKER
Who: Big Thief‘s frontwoman/songstress

Track: ONCE A BUNCH
A song that only appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese
CD edition of her new 5th solo LP Bright Future.

TUTV: It’s a sprightly cowboy song to sing along
to with your friends in your local pub/bar/café.

TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – JULY 2024

The best of the best of the past month

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

Band: HINDS
Who: Spanish garage pop
fury, now reduced to a duo.

Track: SUPERSTAR
Cut from their 4th longplayer, titled
Viva Hinds, will land on September 6.

It starts as a mellow pop tune but grows
slowly but surely into a euphoric firecracker.
Ecstasty in swirling motion.

Viva! Viva! Viva!

Instagram
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Band: iNNUENDO
Who: Irish indie act founded in 2022. Their goal is to create a captivating and dynamic atmosphere with melodically compelling and distinct original songs, all while honouring classic and modern influences.

Track: DON’T ASK AWAY
Piece from their debut EP, named
On Occasion, out in September.

It captures the frustration and anger of feeling unseen and used, offering
today’s youth a voice to scream out against those who value them only for
their image rather than their true selves.


Artwork by Keelin Sutcliffe

TUTV: Following rad single clear motion this new one is another sonic
and emotive triumph. These Irish indies are going places. Don’t miss them.

Striking stroke.

Instagram

Band: MAYFLOWER MADAME
Who: Norwegian outfit that specializes in a dark
and distinctive blend of post-punk, shoegaze and
psych-noir.

Track: PAINT IT ALL IN BLUE
The second taster from their
upcoming third album.

TUTV: What a riveting and rotating blue-wave gem, enforced by Krautrock dynamics, ongoing motorik beats, glowing guitar lines and echoing vocals. MM nail it once again
with this hypnotic and magnetic jam. Bring on the album.

Stellar stunner.

Instagram
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Album artwork

Artist: JAKE BUGG
Who: British-Nottingham-born, songsmith who
turned 30 last February, but still looks like he’s 20.

His 6th LP is baptized A Modern Day Distraction
and it will land on 20th September.

No, Bugg is not a full-time crooner. He can rock too
as he did before, now and then, and here again on
this firm corker.

Instagram
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Band: BODY COUNT,
Who: Los Angeles‘ metallic-crossover squad
fronted by rap-punk loudmouth Ice-T.

Track: FUCK WHAT YOU HEARD
Fierce hammer from their 8th longplayer,
named Merciless. Release date TBA.

It’s a roasting rant against
all American politicians and the
diving two-party system in the US.

Crushing sucker-punch.


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Instagram
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Promo pic

Band: FEVER 333
Who: Californian rage against
the machine gang.

Track: HIGHER POWER.

F333 about the new one: “There are no diamonds to be produced without pressure.
No lessons to learn without trials. ‘Higher Power’ revolves around these ideas and reveres
the beauty in the adversity induced magic performed by marginalized communities.”

Alert your ears and check your speakers
before playing this ballistic uppercut.

In your face.

Fever 333: Linktree
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Artist: GEMMA ROGERS
Who: Alt pop poetess from London who had her
top-drawer debut LP No Place Like Home out
in 2022.

New single: DEATH KNOCKED UP

Rogers: “I thought it was interesting to get under the skin of death as a being with
a conscience, but who had to get on with the job like so many of us. We wanted to explore the idea that people are more than their jobs and that we need to consider there’s more to people than meets the eye. We liked the idea of death giving birth as well, so Death became a woman and why not?”

TUTV: The song’s protagonist is named Death. She seems to be a female grim reaper, who’s pregnant, you and you need to escape from if you want this short life live the longest you can.

Death Knocked Up is a jagged word-waterfall jam rolling over a repetitive beat and trippy synth dynamics. Rogers advices us to choose future, to choose life. A spot-on proposal in these turbulent rat-race times on its crushing way to Death‘s big party if we do not make the right choices right now.

Choose life.
Choose Rogers.

Instagram
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Band: DAFFODILDOS
Who: Queer indies from Brighton who are here to shout
about challenging socio-political issues and have a lot of
fun while doing it.

Single: NO PRIDE

The song touches on the fact that people mostly use Pride
as an excuse to party when actually the rest of the year, the
LGBTQIA community suffers from dangerous stigma and
abuse.

TUTV: Here is an explicit middle-finger for all LGBTQIA-haters. To hell
with them. Queer-trans-punk trio Daffodildos just entered the indie
scene with sharp-cutting knifes between their teeth and are here to
stay.’No Pride‘ is a fast-forward projectile that rattles and battles for
251 barbed wire seconds.

“We’re here, we’re queer
We’re never gonna disappear.”


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Instagram
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Band: HUGE MOLASSES TANK EXPLODES
Who: Italian outfit that offer a kaleidoscopic experience,
ranging from rugged and evocative beats to dreamy
soundscapes, inspired by post-punk and psych-wave.

Track: INDETERMINATE
Piece of their 3rd album, named ‘III’,
out on September 6.

TUTV: Don’t miss the start of this supersonic Krautrock missile, or you won’t
be able to catch up. Indeterminate goes full steam ahead from the kick-off and
never looks back, never slows down. All cylinders, all burners on, and fast-forward.

Get on board.

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Instagram
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Band: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
Who: Incredibly productive Australian‘s psych-prog-rock squad.

Track: LE RISQUE
From their upcoming, 26th LP in 14 years (no this is
not a typo), called Flight b741. It’ll land on August 8.

TUTV: Frenzied bass-and-guitar-crazy projectile that rocks and
rolls straight on with racy panache. It has drummer Michael Cavanagh
on vocals for the first time.

Listen at your own risk.

Instagram
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Artists: RED PERIL
Who: The new endeavour of the London-based Italian-Mexican musician Stefania F. Cardenas, co-founder, singer and guitarist of the now defunct all-female indie act Madonnatron (I loved them, criminally underrated) and musical partner Dexter.

Track: SPACE DOGS
Only their 2nd one, following last year’s
sensuous debut Bollywood Gangsta.

RP: “Space Dogs is a song about trusting the wrong people. It’s a reflection on loneliness
and the extreme things people do when they are desperate for love and have nothing left to lose. Sometimes the only thing you can do is shoot for the stars. It might work out, or not.”

TUTV: Sultry, zippy and sprightly. Imagine your dog teaming up with Pet Shop Boys
for a Space Bowie Oddity trip. A titillating tune to move to in mysterious ways
surrounded by mysterious people in a mysterious universe. Pretending that you’re Laika in the sky with diamonds will help.

Linktree
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Band: OSCAR MIC
Who: A hip-rap-hop trio
from East London.

New single: SUN STAR

Seamus Hayes (vocalist): “The song starts with what seems like an apology. It’s been a crazy year of self-reflection and self-improvement and I owe most of it to my girlfriend. The verses are in some way directed to my girlfriend.”

TUTV: The first time I listen to this new Oscar Mic tune on Spotify it was automatically followed by a Sleaford Mods tune. Get the vibrating picture? I’ll add to this that Beastie
Boys
(Paul’s Boutique era) are fighting for their right to party in there too, and that Roots Manuva definitely would rap along if this punchy buzz hits his ears.

Press. Play. Plunge.


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Instagram
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Band: THE SAVAGE HEARTS
Who: Garage/Psych/Pub Rock band featuring
The Strypes‘ drummer Evan Walsh.

Track: SPEEDING BULLETS
Only their 2nd single.

TUTV: Expect a hit-and-run projectile, a
maddening blues-infused riot-gun explosion.
Wham bloody wham bam!


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Instagram

Artist: DARREN DOHERTY
Who: Irish singer-songwriter

Track: EXTRATERRESTRIALS
Piece from his brand new
4-track EP Darksides.

TUTV: I had no idea that extraterrestrials could be an inspiration for a straightforward rocker like this glorious one. It’s an adrenalized, speedy and sparkling guitar-spiced energizer with an infectious chorus. Those extraterrestrials should form a band and entertain planet Earth.

Far-out!

Instagram
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Band: DEREK SMITH & THE COSMIC VULTURES
Who: Captivating pop/rock outfit from Boston with
5 LPs under their belt. Check them out on Spotify
right here

Press info: “The notion of “Tomorrow Morning” can mean different things to different people, but for Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures, it represents the idea of a guiding
light. It’s also the title of their new electric single.

TUTV: Stirringly soulful. Sparklingly pop melodic. Americana-like emotive.
If you mix those three elements, and you add heart-whole vocals, you get
this titillating tune that’ll play around in your head all day long.


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Instagram
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Promo photo

Band: THE N.S.O.
Who: 4 indies from
Yorkshire, UK

New single: THICK AS YOU

“The meaning behind the song is best to be interpreted however you choose, if it makes you feel a certain way be that happy, sad or just forget about your own problems for a few minutes and try to put yourself in the shoes of the writer, that’s all we want and that’s why music to us is at times the only solution and the only thing that make sense because often life doesn’t and I suppose briefly to me this song is me trying to make peace with that.”

TUTV: These young gunslingers sound like a seasoned band, operating somewhere
in-between Welsh heroes Stereophonics and blue-chip Americana acts. Thick As You is a blues-infused, charged riff-ripper delivered with vital pizzazz and impassioned ebullience.


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Instagram
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Artist: POOR EFFORT
Who: Musical project the product of Manchester-based
hip-hop, post-punk poet Matty Dagger0.

Track: HMRC

“HMRC was written off the back of a few first hand experiences, including working under
a supervisor who was high on crack and getting a phone call on payday asking if I would be
OK with just half the wage until next month.”

TUTV: Imagine walking on the street, after you hit your greedy boss with
a left/right uppercut,  with hip-hop swagger, whistling to this sickly stick tune
playing on your earphones. Get the picture? In case you have a great boss you
can swagger around to this vibe too, of course.

Great effort.

Linktree

Artist: pMAD
Who: The moniker of Irish musician Paul Dillon who draws inspiration
from bands like The The, The Cure, Killing Joke, Echo and the Bunnymen,
Rammstein
, and Depeche Mode.

Track: ELECTRIC

“Electric” serves as a reminder to value ourselves and our
achievements more than the opinions of others.

TUTV: A meditative, yearning, mid-tempo reflection on trusting yourself and not swallow anything others feed you. Moody and moony. Another pMad score!

Linktree

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Artist: KIM DEAL is best Who: Best know as the former drop-dead gorgeous bassist of indie icons Pixies and from her own band The Breeders, featuring
her twin sister Kelley.

COAST is a sweet little tune with a breezy, smooth vibe.
It was recorded by the late Steve Albini who passed away
in May, only 61.

Kim wrote ‘Coast’ in 2020 after being at a friend’s wedding.

But the song’s roots date back to 2000, when she was staying
in Nantucket, even though she doesn’t like the sun, beach and
watersports.

She’s still the real deal.
Whistle/hum/sing along.

Instagram
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Artist: KIM DEAL is best
Who
: Best know as the former drop-dead gorgeous bassist of alt rock
icons Pixies and from her own band The Breeders, featuring
her twin sister Kelley.

COAST is a sweet little tune with a breezy, smooth vibe.
It was recorded by the late Steve Albini who passed away
in May, only 61.

Kim wrote ‘Coast’ in 2020 after being at a friend’s wedding.

But the song’s roots date back to 2000, when she was staying
in Nantucket, even though she doesn’t like the sun, beach and
watersports.

She’s still the real deal.
Whistle/hum/sing along.

Instagram
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Photo by Travis Shinn

Last month PIXIES dropped new track You’re So Impatient.
A familiar pixie rocker. It introduced new bassist (yep, another
one) Emma Richardson.


New album artwork

The almost 40-year old band now communicated details of a new LP.
It’s titled The Night The Zombies Came. It’ll land on planet Earth on
October 25.

Along with the news comes a 2nd new track.

CHICKEN is a rare slow one. Compelling,
captivating and compassionate.

TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – JUNE 2024

The best of the best of the past month

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

1. Hide & Seek by THE JESUS LIZARD (Austin / Chicago)


Press picture

The highly influential The Jesus Lizard (1987–1999, 2008–2010, 2017–present,
still with their classic line-up) have their first album, named Rack. in 26 years
out on September 13.

First single Hide & Seek is an explosive, nervous, race & rushing
missile and sounds like they recorded it 26 years ago.

Hells bells!

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2. ‘O%’ by HELLO MARY (Brooklyn, NY)

Hello Mary are a fierce Brooklyn post-punk trio.

0% is a vicious cryout with schizoid guitars producing a chainsaw cacophony,
bone-chilling howling and primal screams sending shivers down your spine, and
vehement drum/bass ebullition doing your head in. 100% helter-skelter turbulence.

Sonic Youth is dead! Long live Hello Mary!

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3. ‘Doug Yuletide’ by DALE CROVER (US)

Drummer Dale Crover of chaotic veteran rockers Melvins
comes out of the shadow of the band again, for his 3rd solo LP.
It’s titled Glossolalia and shows up on September 13.

The lead single is a killer track. It moves and grooves with power-driven
energy and voltaic dash. Crover says it’s “vampire-story ‘Venus In Furs.’”.
Come again.

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4. ‘Jacked’ by HEARTWORMS


Photo by Turn Up The Volume

Heartworms is the psych-pop band of fast up-and-coming British songstress Jojo Orme.
They drew a lot of aural attention with last year’s 4-track A Comforting Notion. And they confirm their upcoming indie star status with Jacked. A flabbergasting guitar-propelling jam rotating in your head before you are aware of it.

Top!

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5. ‘I Know The Future’ by THE LOOKOUT (Montreal, CA)

The Lookout are a melodic punk rock band from
Montreal, fronted by dynamite voice Martha Rockhard.

On I Know The Future all burners and all cylinders are ignited.
The band go fast-forward with unbridled panache and vivacious
vigor.

They fuzz and buzz with revved-up energy, fueled by what sounds like an army of hungry guitars, by a merciless and relentless bass/drum collaboration pushing this barnstormer’s bustling beat to a dizzying level, and avid Amazon Martha Rockhard augments the red-hot-blooded intensity with her commanding powerhouse vocals.


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6. ‘Backbone Slip’ by SEASICK STEVE (Oakland, California)

Late musical 73-year-old blues bloomer just launched his 14th longplayer,
titled A Trip A Stumble A Fall Down On Your Knees with Backbone Slip
as my ears’ favorite cut.


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7. ‘Moodswings’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)


Promo

This is their cover of Mood SWINGS, a cool hip-rap-hop hit
by British artist Little Simz from her new album Drop 7.

Idles threw some samples of Peaches and Chemical Brothers in
their hepped-up version and come up with a dance booster.

Boom Boom Boom.


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8. ‘Houdini’ by EMINEM (US)

Eminem canned his 10th LP and named it The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce). Release date TBA. I really feel for Shady, how many times has that poor guy died?

Lead single Houdini echoes his 2002 cracker Without Me and thrives on a
sample of the utterly catchy chorus of Steve Miller‘s 1982 hit Abracadabra.

Now you see him, now you don’t.
Now you hear him, now you don’t.

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9. ‘Feed The Beast’ by THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA (London-based)

London-based poetallica duo of Daphne Ang (Singapore) and Andrea Papi (Italy) return,
after 2 notable albums with this new head-twister. A piece about addiction and recovery.

Feed The Beast dives into the tumultuous inner journey of learning how to live all over again. The emotional and barbed quest starts cinematically with Ang‘s near-whispering voice echoing intriguingly, at the 1-minute mark Papi joins in vocally and metallically causing mental turmoil.

From there on, the mercurial and emotional trip gets fragmented, swinging forth
and back, and drawing all of your auditory attention until the volcanic finale hits
you in the face.

Epic odysssey.


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10. ‘Waiting’ by VERRA CRUZ (UK)

This British trio infuse their guitar-driven sound with emotion, bravado and purely
authentic melancholy. as they prove here, again, with striking stroke Waiting.

With Waiting they hit bullseye with invigorating dash, resonating
somehow like Dinosaur Jr and/or The Lemonheads on a roasting roll .


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11. ‘Worthless’ by GUSH (Belfast, Ireland)

These fresh Belfast grunge rockers just launched
their new 5-track boiling EP Exposure Therapy

My greedy ears picked Worthless for this monthly list.
It’s a guitar-maddening shocker cutting like a brand-new
razorblade.

No, it’s not Courtney Love on vocals but the furious spit and sneer outpouring
at work here makes you think of Hole‘s former punked-up celebrity skin.

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12. ‘Lovely Day To Die’ by FRENCH MOTHERS (UK)

Band: FRENCH MOTHERS
Who: 4 indie rockers out
of Leighton Buzzard, UK

This caring quartet gives depression the middle finger with this urgent riff-ripper
that has a jangly Strokes-esque flow and rattles in your head without asking
from the first spin on.

This is a lovely day to be alive with French Mothers.
There’s always a ‘you only live once’ light at the end
of the tunnel.

“Pleased to meet you, I’ve been lonely too”


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Instagram
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13. ‘Boom!’ by KAT KOAN (Germany)

KK: “This is essentially a happy breakup song. It’s about that moment when you realize
you can actually get up and stand tall, after the tough period of stumbling through the pain that breaking up from a person you care about brings with it – regardless of whether that is a romantic partner, a friend or a project collaborator. Once you come out of it at the other end of the tunnel you know that the transformative process was a character building experience, and that most things happen for a reason.”

Well, why not have a happy break-up song for a change. And Boom! is more than just a happy tune. It’s Koan‘s most inventive piece (so far). A brassy mid-tempo uplifter inviting you to do some of your best dance moves. I hear sultry horns, Eastern and samba vibes, ska trumpets, and lots of fun on this fiesta-like chant.

Bingo!


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14. ‘Starburster’ by FONTAINES D.C. (Dublin, Ireland)

Irish indie stars FONTAINES D.C. already have 3 top-drawer albums
on their résumé. And #4 is bagged now. They named it Romance
and will share it with the world on August 23rd.

On Starburster frontman Grian Chatten
goes on a parlando roll again.

Magnetizing and hypnotizing.

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15. ‘Hero In The Season Of The Gun’ by LIFE COACH (Glasgow, Scotland)

Hero In The Season Of The Gun is an aflame synth-layered flare-up that triggers jump-from- left-to-right moves on the spot. It’s a hopped-up and vivified disco-punk knockout.

Life Coach balances here between the perky moments of fellow countrymen Arab Strap and The Streets with Mike Skinner charged by Duracell batteries. And his rapid-fire verbal ranting adds some more oil to the sonic British Army fire.

Party, party, party.


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16. ‘Death Is Cheap’ by GREAT HARE (Sweden)

The Swedish do what they do best, once again.
Making your day with an instantly sticking guitar/synth
tune that has a both relaxing and brisk impact on your
ears at the same time.

Great harmonies, great pop gem, great hare.

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17. ‘The Right Stuff’ by THE TRAMPOLINE DELAY (Milton, Ontario, CA)

At its core, the song delves into the aftermath of a regrettable decision and the need
for redemption. However, beyond the surface, it’s an introspective exploration of life’s pressures, the weight of regret, and the awakening to what truly matters. It captures the essence of emotional turmoil and the consequences of acting on fleeting impulses,
ultimately leaving scars on all involved.”

You can whistle along, hum along, and sing along to this chirpy and feel-good
earworm, reminding me of harmonious Scottish nightingales Teenage Fanclub.

Splendid.


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18. ‘They’ by ADIOS MF (Northern England)

Adios MF is a musical project spearheaded by Nathan Keeble carving
fresh dark waves and electronica sounds from the underground of
Sheffield, UK.

AMF about the new track: “They” is a Kitsch by product of existence amid the constant
churn of urban development and the persistent buzz of drilling. It was written as a tonic
to the realisation that resistance is futile; you must simply acquiesce to the world of
urbanism and let it carry you along on its unpredictable journey, set to a naughty
80s beat.”

Expect a swirling, darkwavish electro reviver that bounces somewhere between
the dark side of Depeche Mode and Cold Cave‘s addictive sonority. Infectious beats
and shadow-dancing rhythms.


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19. ‘Coolcats’ by GREEN CROW COLLECTIVE (Belgium)

Green Crow Collective is a new unit from Belgium led
by seasoned singer-songwriter Roeland Vandemoortele.

Coolcats is one piece from their fresh double A-side debut single that
will show up on their debut album Hard Drive Error later in the year.

No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes. Always full steam ahead driven by schizo guitars, steadfast drumming, and cool rock cats meowing all together. A mean machine debut.


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Facebook
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20. ‘Frogs’ by NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS


Promo press

Star crooner Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds launch
their 18th full-length, called Wild God on August 30.

Frogs is a vintage Cave ballad.
Orchestral, lyrical, nightmarish
and goosebumps-gripping.

Cave: “The sheer exuberance of a song like ‘Frogs’,
it just puts a big fucking smile on my face.”

Take that gun out of your hand, Nick.


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TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

All photos are promo/press ones

20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – MAY 2024

The best of the best of the past month

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK-BY-TRACK

1. ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ by AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS (Australia)


Press photo by Zac Bayly

This Australian rawk ‘n’ roll tornado released their second LP ‘Comfort To Me
already 3 years ago and they’re still touring it. It calls popularity and success.

But they found some time recently to record this belter. U Should Not Be Doing
That
bounces forth and back, and funks and punks with big beats, schreeching
guitars, a sexy sax and Amyl ‘s sneering vocality.

Amyl rules.

Instagram
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2. ‘Help Me, I’m Spiralling’ by SPRINTS (Ireland)


Press promo

2024 is supersonic Irish post-punk turbine Sprints‘s breakthrough year.
Their rad riff ‘n’ roar debut LP Letter To Self, caused/causes exciting waves
among critics and old/new fans.

To keep the momentum going they dropped this new whirlwind stroke.

Instagram
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3. ‘Psychopath’ by BODY COUNT (NYC)

Ice-T and his earsplitting gang are back.
They bagged their 8th LP, and titled it
Merciless
. Release date TBA.

For the first slam dunk, they get help from growling loudmouth
Joe Badolato from deathcore band Fit For An Autopsy.

They’re all psychopaths if you ask me.

Instagram
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4. ‘Repeat After Me’ by RAPTUROUS (Kent, UK)

Rapturous is an English Hip-Rock-Hop squad that erupt here like
if Cypress Hill is fronted by Zack de la Rocha, rattling like a rapid-fire
riot-gun.

If you’re looking for an avid anthem that celebrates freedom,
then this is the very loud and very clear one you can go berserk
to in the streets.

Repeat after them.

Linktree
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5. ‘Crumbs, Chaos And Lies’ by PIG (UK)

Industrial Goth-rock crusader Raymond Watts
has his new cast iron LP, baptized Red Room
out.

It features this flabbegasting sledgehammer
you can pulverize concrete with.


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Instagram
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6. ‘A Foretold Ecstasy’ by MADAME MAYFLOWER (Oslo, Norway)

Truly hypnotizing from start to finish with velvety vocals and darkwavish synths
in the back adding a twilight tone. Top-tier tune. The on-repeat button was invented
for this kind of arousing thrills. Don’t miss this ecstatic MM jam.

“In and out
Inside again
I’m passing out
To ease the strain”

Instagram
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7. ‘Don’t Go Making Plans’ by HARD-FI (UK)


Press pic

The British pop/rock team that scored three successful albums between 2003 and 2014 returned in 2022 for some live action. They all got in the mood again and wrote/recorded thsi brand new song Don’t Go Making Plans.

It’s an infectious, brassy tune that swings around with a dance-inviting oomph.

“Where’s everybody? Where’s everyone? / I’m coming out tonight, I wanna have some fun /
But these empty streets and shut-up bars/ Too broke to eat, to nowhere to dance.

Instagram
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8. ‘A Good Man Died’ by CUT THE KIDS IN HALF (New Jersey)


Photo credit: Francine Silver

This rotating riff-ripper is just irresistible. It’s a head-spinning stomper that gets under
your skin from the get-go. A fervid upper with a jump-up-and-down with your fists in the air chorus that doubles your adrenalin production for 4 and a half banging minutes.

Think of the early zealous gusto and the buzzing drive of NYC’s celebs The Strokes.
In a normal world, this revved-up stunner of a tune should top all indie charts
all over the globe.

Cut it here!

Linktree
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9. ‘Cover It Up’ by TYPHOID ROSIE (Brooklyn, NY)


Photo: Janier De Jesus, via Typhoid Rosie

Rosie Rebel and her robust retro rock combo do it again. This one is for their beloved dog of six years and tour companion, Canaan, who now rocks his tail off, up there in the sky.

As we experienced before Typhoid Rosie always storm full steam ahead from start
to finish. This punked-up, harmonious chant with its sickly sticky chorus triggers your
best zigzagging moves. It’ll feature on their 5th album, called Last Words, which lands
on June 21.

“We’re not gonna leave you in this shithole town!
Get in the car, let’s go!”


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Instagram
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10. ‘Nothing To Report’ by FOLD PAPER (Winnipeg, US)

This far-out trio is masterminded by the Nigerian-born, Michigan-raised and
Winnipeg-based Chell Osuntade, who delivers almost-spoken-word lyrics searing
with intent. They produce a raw, jittery and energetic brand of post-punk.

Nothing To Report is a glorious cacophonous jackhammer going everywhere fast.
It rattles and rambles, motorized by schizophrenic guitars, a mean bass/drum
tandem and Chell Osuntade‘s sloganesque chant. Almost 5 minutes of razzle-dazzle turmoil, revved-up dynamics and jazzed-up rhythms. Think British mavericks black midi.

Touchdown.

Instagram
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11. ‘So Desperate’ by SALEM WOLVES (Providence, Rhode Island)


Photo Credit: Black Cherry Creative

With this new piece, Salem Wolves taps into the human
psyche and a lost wrestler’s supernatural ambition.

Gray Bouchard (songwriter): “‘So Desperate’ is about recontextualizing what should be a moment of triumph as something grimy. If you’re ambitious or a dreamer, it’s easy to just focus on the goal, the stage, that moment in the spotlight when all eyes are on you. You tune out the noise, ignore your screaming muscles and tired bones, and march toward victory.”

Expect a riveting mid-tempo flare-up pushed by an agonizing vocalist,
an ironclad rhythm section, and mental guitars. Vehement emotionality.

Linktree
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12. ‘Cold’ by CRENSHAW PENTECOSTAL (North Carolina, US)

This North Carolina outfit formed, fuelled by late-night jam sessions, where the only
rule was to keep the spirit of Tom Petty alive, with members who found themselves
veering away from their roles as backing musicians for solo artists.

With Cold they hit bullseye. It’s a bittersweet epic Americana
symphony that touches heart and soul. Splendid score!

Linktree

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13. ‘Shark-Shark’ by JOHN CALE (Wales)


Press photo

The 82-year-old VU legend JOHN CALE is one of those artists who’ll never stop
making music until his final breath. Back in January 2023 he released one of the
finest records of that year with Mercy.

And he has already another one to offer.

It’s called POPtical Illusion and he will share it with the world
on June 14. The songs were written around the time he worked
on Mercy.

While you wait for the LP find
out how old(er) dogs still rock.

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14. ‘Cyanide Soul’ by ALAN VEGA (US)

Tomorrow, 31 May, another previously unreleased
Alan Vega (1938-2016) album, titled Insurrection will
hit our ears.

This otherwordly and enigmatic synth-psych groove will be on it.

Spooky stuff.

Linktree
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15. ‘Taking Hold’ by COMMON CULTURE (England)

Common CultureCommon Culture is a rousing, fiddle-driven alternative folk band from Barnsley, England who fuse traditional and contemporary elements into an upbeat and energetic sound.

From the very start their new pîece Taking Hold explodes like a firecracker. Peppy, bustling
and stimulating. It’s a highly encouraging mind-and-body booster incited by a dizzying pace, flaming violin play, electrical rapture, pepped-up vocals, and a delirious chorus.

There’s always a common culture light at the end of the tunnel.
Folk rock veterans Levellers should take them on tour.

Here’s why.

Linktree
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16. ‘All That School For Nothing’ by JOHN GRANT (Michigan, US)


Press

The boy from Michigan has bagged his 7th album, baptized it
The Art Of The Lie, and he will share it with the world on June 14.

Ahead of it, we can funk ourselves dizzy to this peppy dance floor knockout.

Instagram
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17. ‘Need’ by THE GREETING (Ireland)

This act is a collaboration of Irish bands Big Generator and pMad

War, Hate, Distrust, Propaganda, Bullying and all the horrible attributes of life,
we don’t need it!! We have seen it all and it does not make us happy, let us break
the cycle and stop the unhappiness!!

Wow! What a powerhouse debut smack this is. Terrifically vigorous
and puissant, with a titanic guitar-blazing and drum-hammering chorus.

Play it!

Facebook
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18. ‘Bye Bye Sunday Afternoon’ by SMITT E. SMITTY & THE FEZZTONES (Boston, US)

This Boston collective knows how to shake their booty. They did it before and
they do it again with this instantly working booster and exultant chant.

A rotating bass riff dictates the jumping-for-joy pace, alternating female/male vocals add some more jubilation and on the chorus, we all can go nuts. And let’s not forget that brisk violin with a jocund vibe.

Party time!

Instagram
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19. ‘Lunch’ by BILLIE EILISH (USA)


Press photo

Mega superstar (I bet she has fans on the Moon) Billie Eilish
has her new, 3rd album Hite Me Hard And Soft out.

And she eat girls for lunch on it.

Yummy!

Instagram
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20. ‘Garawek Khaos’ by CEMENTO ATLANTICO (Italy)

Cemento Atlantico is the electronic project of Italian
producer and DJ Alessandro “ToffoloMuzik” Zoffoli.

His new single is a mid-tempo techno boomer that spellbinds from start to finish.
Magnetic vibrations interwoven with hip-swaying synth eurhythmics and echoing
vocals.

Dance here.

Linktree
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20 BEST TRACKS OF THE MONTH – APRIL 2024

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK BY TRACK

1. ‘Light In A Quiet Room’ by RIDE (UK)

Superb track from Ride‘s new superb album Interplay

It starts with Mark Gardner‘s starry-eyed vocals glistering over a poppy mid-tempo soundscape. At the 3-minute mark, the song fades out with subtle piano touches but restarts for a psychedelic, multi-layered wall-of-orgastic sound finale.

Wowzers.


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2. ‘Big Time Nothing’ by ST. VINCENT (New York)

Absolute top-tier track from her new LP All Born Screaming.
It’s an irristible 24 Carat old skool disco stomper to fill dance
floors with.

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3. ‘Sink Ya Teeth’ by THE MYSTERINES (UK)

New high-powered rockin’ banger from the British post-punks’
second LP, titled Afraid Of Tomorrows, that’ll see the day of light
on June 7.

Cool as fuck!

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4. ‘Enrage Engage’ by SELF HELP (UK)

These British indie upstarts take you on a bouncy ride with
this jagged juggernaut from their upcoming debut LP.

Enrage Engage is a roaring roller coaster ride, going forth and back, left and right,
circling around a pulsating Yard Act like groove that gets under your skin without
asking, while the song derails in different surprising, up and down directions, now
and then.

Don’t miss these young bloodthirsty dogs, they’re going places.

Buy


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5. ’99’ by METZ (Canada)

Cooking highlight from the Canadian noizz trio’s
new mind-blowing longplayer ‘Up On Gravity Hill’.

99,99 score.


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6. ‘Body Of Mine’ by LAMBRINI GIRLS (Brighton, UK)


Lille, France 2024 – Photo by Turn Up The Volume

Another supersonic gender sucker-punch from Brighton‘s riotous feminist punk duo fury.
They slash, trash, and smash with unbridled vigour and biting zing. Not your typical girls.

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7. ‘Something To Fight For’ by TYPHOID ROSIE (Brooklyn, NY)


Photo: Janier De Jesus, via Typhoid Rosie

It’s the first single off their, forthcoming 5th LP, called
Last Words. It lands on June 21. More info here.

As we experienced before Typhoid Rosie always storm full steam ahead from
the kick-off until the very last rollicking riff. This punked-up, harmonious chant
with its sickly sticky refrain triggers your best zigzagging moves.

Expect 122 seconds of afire party fuel peppered with Rosie Rebel‘s
combative rawk’ n roll vocality and vociferous pizzaz.

Fight here.


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8. ‘Reckless Heart‘ by ARROWS OF ATHENA (Boston, MA)

Single from the duo’s swirling debut LP The Ghost Archives
.

I’m quite sure that AOA are huge fans of former Swedish glam and glitter pop duo Roxette. The bliss and blitz at play on Reckless Heart is sonically similar. Sizzling guitars, battering drums/bass grooves, sensuous vocals and a peppy chorus combine here for a power pop pearl that flames lustrously. Orchestral melodiousness, fiery 90s spirit, and musical.

An invigorating joyride.

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9. ‘Life’s A Fucking Miracle’ by JAMES (Manchester, UK)

Standout, life-celebrating, pop bliss from Manchester‘s
imperishable, power pop veterans’ brand new LP Yummy.

Ecstatic.


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10. ‘Just Like Everybody Else’ by SPIELMANN (Leeds, UK)


Photo credit: Thandiwe Zivengwa

This song will feature on his debut EP, titled
‘Fifteen Minutes With Spielmann’, and landing
on 31 May.

This is glorious, full-orchestrated pop, that transfers you in an eye/ear blink to a sonic dreamland with its affecting melodiousness, riveting chorus and warm-hearted vocals. Three minutes and twenty seconds with Spielmann sounding not like everybody else.

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11. ‘Body Bags’ by OWLS (Ireland)

“The song and video have been largely informed by the unfolding events in Gaza. Body Bags looks at humanity turning in on itself. For all the beauty & harmony in the world, we are chaotic by nature – violent and cruel to our own. It explores the human condition and our ability to inflict pain and suffering upon the most vulnerable.”

Producer Owls shares his thoughts about the dramatic Gaza fiasco with
a disturbing techno twister that sounds like an ultimate alarm alert.

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12. ‘Going Out’ by JENNIFER TEFFT AND THE STRANGE (Boston, US)

Get up, stand up, and fight for your right to go out, and do it with
these Boston beatniks. They make your pelvis shake and swing with
some riff-infused rock ‘n’ roll while Avril Lavigne‘s chick alter ego,
named Jennifer Tefft, as your vocal guide.

Badass stroke.


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13. ‘Mercy’ by ALAN VEGA (US)

A previously unreleased album, named Insurrection by the late
Brooklyn born master of minimalism ALAN VEGA (1938-2016), half
of proto-punk duo Suicide, comes out on May 31st.

Ahead of the release comes this taster, called Mercy.
Uncanny percussion, ghostly vocals, and other-worldly
vibes.


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14. ‘Stuck In Place’ by LONELY LITTLE KITSH (Canada)

Expect a captivating bluesy and moony slice of music that grows slowly but
surely in ardency and fervency along its Springsteen-esque strumming way. Wistful
and impassioned alternating/duet vocals flow upfront and lead us, beat by beat,
into a glowing and electrical finale.

Lonely Little Kitsch do it their own Fleetwood grunge way.
Start spreading rumours about this enthralling duo and
this new notable score.

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15. ‘Burning In Our Name’ by MAX BLANSJAAR

Following last month’s frolicsome song Anna Madonna,
Blansjaar entertains our ears again with this topnotch tune.
It’s a folky, sickly sticking, jangly earworm with Blansjaar
laid-back vocals rollin’ all over it.


“My face looks like I spent the night with Freddie Krueger”
.


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16. ‘Missing’ by pMAD (Galway, Ireland)

Standout bass riff-driven, frenzied guitar-fueled, drum-beating,
darkwavish, melodic piece from pMad‘s new full-length I In Power.

‘Missing’ is about not valuing people enough when they
are with us and only realising the loss to us when they
are gone.

Don’t miss this.

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17. ‘Unlucky Love’ by JENNY DON’T AND THE SPURS (Portland, Oregon)

From the band’s new forthcoming longplayer, titled
Broken Hearted Blue, out on June 14. Pre-order info here.

Country Americana at its romantic and heavy-hearted best. Heart-and-soul vocals and easy-going, lovey-dovey vibes for the midnight hours. Wurlitzer jukeboxes were invited
to play this kind of lullaby in bars where the lonely gather for some companion.

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18. ‘Close Enough’ by STRESS DOLLS (Buffalo, NY)


📸 Peter Heuer Photography

The moniker of songstress Chelsea O’Donnell.

Another captivating guitar-pop song from Chelsea O’Donnell aka Stress Dolls.
Tantalizing tunefulness, glistening guitar sparks, and gratifying vocals.


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19. ‘Forget’ by MOONPOOLS (Switzerland)


Photo credit: Mischa Nüesc

The opening piece from this Swiss poppy shoegazers
brand new 5-track EP, titled Hide And Seek.

Crystalline vocals, soothing resonance with warm synths and glimmering guitar play.
A sWeet little, soft-hearted ballad. Think The Sundays fronted by the wonderful Harriet Wheeler


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20. ‘Tied To A Mast’ by SEADOG (Brigton, UK)


📷 Tom Chadd

Shoegazy dream pop musing from Seadog‘s upcoming LP Internal Noise, out 15 May.
Harmonious vocals, fanciful sonority, bedazzling guitar solo, and a head-in-the-clouds chorus combine for a top effort.

20 BEST TRACKS Of The Month – MARCH 2024

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK-BY-TRACK

1. ‘Mustang’ by KINGS OF LEON (Nashville, US)

The Nashville family band return to the scene with their 9th LP.
It’s named CAN WE PLEASE HAVE FUN and will see the day
of light on May 10.

Lead-single Mustang is a roasting steamroller
that turns up the fervent fever when the cooking
chorus kicks in.

Holy smoke

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2. ‘Oh Shit’ by THE LIBERTINES (UK)


Promo pic

British infamous mavericks come up with their 4th full-length,
called All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade, on April 5.

One of the singles called Oh Shit is an inflamed crackerjack sung by
Carl Barât and joined on the chirpy chorus by his buddy Doherty.

Great shit

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3. ‘Wave Out Sunkiss’ by CANYONS AND LOCUSTS (Boston, US)

Boston‘s hefty garage blues-rock act released their new EP The Red Angel.
Six barbed wire bursts is what you get. To give you a loud and clear idea
here’s the closing crusher Wave Out Sunkiss.

Filthy stuff


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4. ‘S o f t e r’ by VIRGINS (Belfast, Ireland)


📸 @ebony_alexander_media

S o f t e r is a psychedelic shoegaze stunner, a multi-layered symphony propelled
by about a thousand guitars, a mind-boggling bass riff, and combative drums, while Rebecca Dow‘s ghostly vocals scrape the sky. What a titanic thrill.

Top

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5. ‘High Value Male’ by PAPA JUPE’S T.C. (Cardiff, Wales)

This disco-punk sucker-punch is just perfect to start and end all (il)legal
club nights with. High Value Man is a jiving bass-insane jackhammer that
doubles your adrenaline production on the spot and triggers your hottest
body contortions.

The orgastic ‘dance with me’ chorus revs up the sultry temperature and invites you to go mental, like a kangaroo on E. London‘s boiling dancefloor wackadoos Warmduscher should take these Welshmen/woman on the road with them. Frisky fun guaranteed. Machos not allowed.

Go nuts


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6. ‘Running’ by PEARL JAM (Seattle, US)


Press photo

Seattle‘s rock giants led by towering voice Eddie Vedder are back in business.
They canned their 12th longplayer, called it Dark Matter and they will share
it with the world on April 19.

Single Running sounds like if Vedder & Co
found their young razor-blade rock legs again.

Alive again

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7. ‘Lights Down Low’ by DIE SEXUAL (Los Angeles)

This dazzling electronic duo conjure their influences of EBM, techno and electropop,
their sound is an intoxicating mix of analog synthetics and seductive vocals, touching
on themes of desire and despair, domination and submission.

They have a new 3-track, titled Inservio out, with opener Lights Down Low
as my favorite. An electro booster with a tantalizing techno beat à la The Prodigy
that rotates irresistibly, non-stop.

Bang-on


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8. ‘Broken Man’ by ST. VINCENT (NYC)


Album artwork

The entrancing Oklahoma songstress (real name: Anne Erin Clark) launches
her 7th album, titled All Born Screaming, with the world on April 26.

Lead single Broken Man is a superb Prince-like stomper.

Sexy, sassy and badass.

Score

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9. ‘Stage Fright’ by ROYAL CASTLES (Ontario, CA)

Spring is in the air, titillating tunes are in the air, like this frisky one
that circles around a disco beat in overdrive, and has an instantaneous,
activating impact on your eager limbs.

Lively vocals and a jumpy synth chorus augment the briskness at play here.
Get up, stand up, take your blue suede shoes out of the closet and show us
your best hip moves. Shake your dancefloor fright off with this rad
head-over-heels twister.

Press play

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10. ‘The Book’ by NIXER (Dublin/London)

The Book is a pithy piece from their upcoming EP, called
‘I Hit The Town And The Town Hit Me Back’ out on May 17.

The song’s theme was inspired by 1999 fictional love novel
Sputnik Sweatheart by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami.

Expect a synth-adrenalizing thrill, a head-spinning belter,
infused with whirlwind vocals and UK garage dynamics. Imagine
The Streets on acid or Yard Act pressing the accelerator.

Listen up


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11. ‘Diana’ by AUTOGRAMM (Seattle/Chicago/Vancouver)


Photo by Dave Paterson

Diana comes out of the gates like a speed train and never looks back.
Dynamizing synths start the rapid trip, the powerhouse drum/bass
engine pushes the rotating rhythm with vivid vigour, and zippy vocals
complete the accelerating sonic picture.

Touchdown


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12. ‘Oceanos Sangrientos’ by EL KINTANO Y LA VENEREA (Spain)

Great rock music has no boundaries.

No, I don’t speak/understand Spanish, but hey, there are a lot of English/American hardcore/punk bands that scream and shout in such a cacophonous way, that I have no clue whatsoever what they’re on about. Who of you understand, except the people from Iceland, what world-famous orchestral pop outfit Sigur Rós, are singing about? It’s always about the music first.

Oceans Sangrientos is a titanic psychedelic blast. Be ready for a wall-of-fuzzing-and-buzzing guitar attack. Think The Brian Jonestown Massacre turning up their amps to the max and coming up with layers of mind-blowing electricity. Blimey.

Sube el volumen


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13. ‘Op-Operator’ by THE SHANG HI-LOS (Boston, US)


Photo Credit: Joan Hathaway

These Boston rockers let the good times roll. Op-Operator is a dynamite
power pop tune that gets you out of your bed, after a night on the town
and triggers your limbs to start partying all over again.

Op-op-op-op-op-operator


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14. ‘Trying’ by YOKOPHONO (Finland)


Promo picture by Jan Trygg

This is how British blues rock titans Royal Blood would sound if their producer
is a fanatic post-punk fan. Trying is a riff-rough roller coaster going forth and back.

The crude combination of hammering drums, stoner rock electricity, and yearning vocals create a shocking effect that bangs on and on. Yokophono not only try, they succeed with bold brio.

Check-in


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15. ‘Ist Ist’ by EINSTÜRZNEDE NEUBATEN (Germany)

The German capricious bohemians, fronted by bad seed Blixa Bargeld unleash their album number 13, a double one, baptized Rampen ( Amp: Alien Pop Music) on April 5.

First single Ist Ist is a jittery piece of intoxicating
music, motorized by a Sturm und Drang bass riff.

Faszinierend.

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16. ‘Wild God’ by NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (Australia)


Press photo

Nick Cave and his iconic bad seeds band have bagged album #18.
It’s called Wild God and will hit the streets on August 30.

The title track is a sublime composition. The first part is crooner Cave as we know
him, but quickly the vocal passion and goosebumps intensity goes up and from halfway on, the song turns into an orchestral masterpiece, with a zealous hallelujah choir and an opera-like majesty. Best piece they wrote in years.

Breathtaking

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17. ‘Anna Madonna’ by MAX BLANSJAAR

Blansjaar is an up-and-coming 21-year-old singer-songwriter
born in Amsterdam, raised in Oxford, now based in Brooklyn.

Anna Madonna echoes Ezra Koenig and Vampire Weekend. It’s a frolicsome tune that flutterers around in your head like a happy-go-lucky butterfly. A sweet little pop gem.

Play


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18. ‘Back To The Beginning’ by WORLDCLUB (Wales)

Worldcub are a group from North Wales piloted by brothers Cynyr (guitar & vocals) and Dion Hamer (drums & vocals). They produce material from their home studio on the hills of Eryri, splicing together elements of surf guitar music, kraut-rock grooves and hypnotic psych tinged Cymru vocal harmonies.

They have their new album ‘Back to the Beginning’ out 17th of May.

The title track gets under your skin from the kick-off with its
bass-pulsating groove, its breezy guitar sparks, and its layered,
affecting harmonies.

Bingo


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19. ‘This Is Nowhere’ by THE BLACK KEYS

The blues-rock tandem have their 12th LP,
titled Ohio Players ready for release on April 5th.

Single This Is Nowhere is a surprising, mid-tempo, power
pop ballad, far away from their rough trademark sound.

Catchy
Captivating

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20. ‘Waiting Forn You’ by T BONE BURNETT (US)

The 76-year-old singer-songwriter/producer has recorded his 15th solo
full-length, his first in 18 (!) years. The Other Side comes out on April 19.

First single ‘Waiting For You’ is a vintage romantic, longing, bittersweet, sentimental and good old ballad. I’m a sucker for lullabies like this (certainly after a day with lots of noisy music) that calm me down and touch my heart and soul. Burnett‘s warm voice and crystal guitar play turn this song into a wonderful, timeless, and charming musing. A universal love song.

Wonderful

20 BEST TRACKS Of The Month – FEBRUARY 2024

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK-BY-TRACK

1. ‘Call’ by KASABIAN (UK)

Kasabian‘s general Serge Pizzorno is a master in writing sing/scream-along stadium/festival belters. And the lead single of new, upcoming longplayer
Happiness Bastards, is another ecstatic call to arms.

Fly along.

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2. ‘Welcome To Your New Future’ by LEG PUPPY 2.0 (UK)

If you’re a party animal and you don’t know the self-proclaimed best Techno/EBM act in
the world LEG PUPPY, it’s about time you will because a new LP is coming up, baptized ‘Humanity 2.0’, and will signify a totally new beginning for you and them.

Welcome to your new future, all you survivors out there.

Instagram
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3. ‘R&B’ by ENGLISH TEACHER (UK)

These fast up-and-coming indies from Leeds (UK) fronted by wonderful
voice Lily Fontaine prove their huge talent once more with this new pearl.

R&B is another wayward slice of ET pop intensity. It starts a bit like a Dry Cleaning
song with a rigid bass riff and Fontaine‘s spoken word vocals, but turns quickly into
a strenuous stunner fueled by schizo guitar frenzy and jittery percussion.


Lily Fontaine, Brugge, Belgium, 13 February – photo by TUTV)

Watch/listen.

Instagram
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4. ‘I Don’t Understand What Any Of You Are Doing’ by DEAD ANYWAY (UK)

This British duo combine the dark lyricism of vocalist Kate Arnold
with music and soundscapes of Marc Symonds.

Their new album, Partially Eaten By Animals is the best indie one of the month
in TUTV’s book, with trip-hop thrills all the way. Think Massive Attack, Arab Strap
and Portishead. I know big names, but my trained ears told me what they heard.

‘I Don’t Understand What Any Of You Are Doing’ will draw your aural attention on the spot.


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Instagram
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5. ‘Red’ by YOKOPHONO (Finland)


Picture by Jan Trygg

Yokophono is a Finnish duo that hit the scene in 2020. Their music consists of energetic
dance-punk/indie rock songs. Their sound has been compared to the likes of Royal Blood, Arctic Monkeys and even Queens Of The Stone Age. Consisting of just drums and guitar they also rely on their catchy melodies.

Their new single Red a is wham bloody wham bam disco-punk juggernaut.

This Finnish tandem make you jump around like a kangaroo on acid. Distorted guitars
and banging percussion work close together to create a filthy disco-punk juggernaut.

Red triggers your limbs’ actions from the kick-off until the final beat. Inbetween you
can go berserk every single time the clamorous chorus hits your greedy speakers.

Bing-ono!

Instagram
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6. ‘Douse’ by DOWN THE LEES (Canada)

After 3 albums the Canadian post-rock-noise project of seasoned Canadian singer-songwritter-guitarist Laura Lee Schultz, backed by a tremendous bass/drum tandem return with this scorching Herculean shocker from their new, upcoming EP, titled Dirt,
out on May 3.

The heaviest parts of this quiet/Loud/quiet/Loud uppercut resonate like if British blues rock turbo Royal Blood having a fierce sonic fight with post-industrial-punk legends Killing Joke.

Awesome.

Instagram
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7. ‘Dead Sound’ by SOME REMAIN (Ireland)

These 4 young Irish bullpits take you on a tempestuous ride with this new blazing blast.

Just like their countrymen Gilla Band, they look like 4 regular guys from around the block. But when they open the gates for Dead Sound they become 4 not-regular guys storming fast forward. A bumpy bass riff takes the haymaker on its back throughout the full course of its speedy rush.

The vocalist spits and sneers like Mark E Smith did his whole jarring career. The clamourus chorus is one that’ll start mospiths and when a psychotic guitar works its way to the front we get pandemonium. It’s also a loud and clear harbinger of an out-of-your-fucking head finale. Bingo master’s breakout.

Alive sound.


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8. ‘Mustang’ by KINGS OF LEON (Nashville)

The Nashville family is ready to hit again. Their 9th full-length,
titled Can We Please Have Fun comes alive on May 10.

Lead single Mustang is a roasting rocker that turns up the fever
when the hefty chorus shows up. KOL still have entertainment
on fire to offer.

Feel the heat.

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9. ‘King Dundalk’ by MOLLY HORSES (Los Angeles)


Photo by Malcolm Watts

Molly Horses left their basements only a year ago.
They produce elements of post-punk, krautrock, and
Albini-esque noise rock.

With King Dundalk they take you on a dazzling rollercoaster.
All burners, all cylinders on. No rest for the bad man. Hefty.
You really need to check out these maddening motherrockers.

Holy smoke.


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10. ‘Mourning Sickness’ by SISTER ENVY (Wales)

This fresh 4-piece outfit from the North Wales nail
it right away with their first cut Mourning Sickness.

What a superb debut. It’s a slow-progressing psych guitar jam rotating around an intoxicating riff that creeps under your skin without asking. Think of early Radiohead
days. Engrossing and riveting.

There’s an eerie vocal and electrifying tension in the air that makes you wonder when
the song’s intensity will explode. But it moves on like a serpent on a mission until the last second.

Press play.


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11. ‘Jeans’ by AGENDER (Los Angeles)


Photo credit: Chris Mastro

The reincarnated Ramones are back among us as 4 Ramonas fronted led by Australian songwriter (now living in Los Angeles) and musician Romy Hoffman. They make schizo, synthy, paranoid, post-punk with a dash of dysmorphic desire.

They already have released 2 albums,
Fixations (2014) and No Nostalgia (2022).

They have a new rad sizzler out now.

Expect unbridled punky/poppy electricity delivered with genuine gusto and spontaneous bravado. Catchy as hell, inflamed with rough guitar riffs, bang-on drumming, Hoffmann‘s deadpan vocals and zippy harmonies. Spicy and saucy stuff.

Agender blitzkrieg bop.

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12. ‘Dancing In Babylon’ by MGMT feat. Christine and the Queens (US/France)

An absolute standout piece from the L.A.’s psych-pop gem from their brand new
full-length Loss Of Live. It features Christine and the Queens and turns out to be
a match in heaven.

Enjoy.

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13. ‘Impetus’ by CEREMONY SHADOWS (Portland, US)

Portland‘s dark-dance-wave trio say about their new single Impetus: “While creating this track, we all pushed our creative boundaries to write a song that reflects our desire to grow
as artists and people. This song encourages the listener to reflect inward. We hope to inspire ourselves and others to stop hiding. Stop waiting. Take one small step toward your goals, then another, and another. The time is NOW. Stop hiding your gifts. The world needs your passion.”

Impetus is a sensual mid-tempo electro-pop tease. Seductive,
flirtatious and tempting. Dim the light and move in mysterious
ways.

Right here.


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14. ‘Into The Light’ by SUKIE SMITH (London)


Photo credit: James Alexander

Sukie Smith is a songstress from London who has collaborated widely with artists, musicians and writers creating cross-disciplinary sonic work, exhibiting and performing internationally. She has released three critically acclaimed albums with her band
Madam and toured throughout the UK and Europe.

Into The Light is a new compostion from her upcoming 4th album, named ‘The Glass Dress
and a Ringing Bell’
and will land on 8 March via Smith’s own label Shillingboy Records.

A song about leaving a turbulent relationship Smith found herself trapped in during lockdown, as Smith succinctly says, “I wrote this, then escaped,” with its focus a celebration of the jubilation felt in newfound freedom and the liberation found in the enlightening processes of recovery.

Into The Light grooves and moves pushed by dynamic eurythmics from the get-go, and keeps on cruising throughout its ablaze 3.07-minute duration. Glowing jingle-jangle guitar play, rock-solid drumming and Smith‘s impassioned vocals combine for a striking stroke.

Top score.

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15. ‘Green Banana’ by LEE SCRATCH PERRY feat. Shaun Ryder (Jam/Uk)

The iconic Jamaican pioneer of dub reggae passed away in 2021, aged 85.

His final album, titled King Perry is now posthumously released. It features
vocal guest performances from Greentea Peng, Shaun Ryder, Tricky, Marta, Rose Waite
and Fifi Rong.

On Banana happy monday Shaun Ryder is singing.

Hip-shaking.


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16. ‘Spiral Down’ by EX-HYENA (Boston, MA)

The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak, have since their project’s inception in 2020, surfacing through the haze of a global pandemic and illuminated by the city’s darkest corners, produced steady and prolific beats across underground dance floors.

Their 3rd album, called A Kiss of the Mind,
is waiting in the pipeline for its imminent release.

First new shared piece Spiral Down is vintage synth-pop pulsation. Utterly infectious. There’s a shadowy side to it, but its bootylicious vibes, its subtle guitar riff, its shiny electronic waves and moony vocals combine for a spot-on EBM thrill.


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17. ‘What The World Could Be’ by COMMON CULTURE (UK)

Common Culture is a rousing, fiddle-driven alternative folk band from Barnsley, England.

They fuse traditional and contemporary elements into an upbeat and energetic
sound, their songs are full of catchy hooks, infectious rhythms and a party spirit.

What The World Could Be is one of the two singles they launched this month.

The song serves as a poignant lament for the Earth’s dwindling natural beauty and a stirring call to action in the face of greed and injustice destroying the planet. It’s five to twelve, indeed. The majority of political leaders look the other way when these world-crushing issues come up. Some even don’t believe that our climate is changing drastically. More red-alert songs like this one are always welcome.

Enchanting.

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18. ‘On The Road’ by BAD RITUAL (Poland)

Bad Ritual is a Polish trio formed at the beginning of 2020 by three architects.
They play songs immersed in a dark and unsettling atmosphere. Their music is
a blend of indie-folk, swampy blues, and rock ‘n’ roll. It often evokes associations
with David Lynch‘s films, spaghetti westerns, and film noir.

They have their arresting self-titled debut album out now. Stream it here.

Standout track On The Road gets you in Bad Ritual‘s sonic/cinematic world. Its melancholic timbre and shiny guitar sparks, make me think of romantic glam legend Chris Isaak. Bad Ritual‘s idol David Lynch directed Isaak‘s Wicked Game video that featured flashes from
his 1990 Wild At Heart movie).

Get puzzled.


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19.’Nicholas Palace’ by IMUSTBE LEONARDO (Italy)

The Berlin-based, Italian singer-songwriter has, so far, 2 albums and 2 EPs on his résumé.

New single Nicholas Palace will be part of his 3rd album,
named not to be scared of the weekend.

Leonardo: “I wrote this song after reading Nick Cave‘s reply (note: read below) to some of
his fans, who had asked him why he was about to attend the coronation of the UK’s king as
part of the Australian delegation. I love most of Nick Cave’s records and I consider him one
of the greatest songwriters ever.

I’m also a long-time Nick Cave fan. A truly remarkable artist. But attending King Charles‘ coronation? Disgusting. That guy nor his late mother never ever had something done to earn their status, they were born that way, they didn’t pay taxes for many years etc… It’s just as disgusting as Johnny ‘Rotten’ Lydon (the Sex Pistols‘ album the best punk one ever, in my book) voting for natural-born charlatan Trump. What is wrong with those millionaire artists?

That said Nicholas Palace is an infectious groove, a jagged jam, driven by an addictive riff with Leonardo‘s augmenting the funeral vibe of the song, think The Velvet Underground on a rainy day. Around the 1.30 min mark aggressive guitar play accentuates the ultimate end of Cave‘s birthday party.


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20. ‘I’m A Man’ by KIM GORDON (US)


Press photo by Danielle Neu

As announced a couple of weeks ago Gordon has bagged her 2nd solo LP.
It’s titled The Collective and it’ll land on March 8. Pre-order info here.

Following distorted noise and wacky lyrics lead
single Bye Bye she shared a second piece.

I’M A MAN is an equally slo-mo industrial shocker with Gordon‘s
spoken-word vocality adding a cold-blooded perturbation.

In the video, Gordon is accompanied by her daughter Coco Gordon Moore,
who also appeared the ‘Bye Bye’ video, and male model Conor Fay.

Masculinity vs Feminity.

TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

20 BEST TRACKS Of The Month – JANUARY 2024

ALL TOGETHER


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TRACK-BY-TRACK

1. ‘Starting And Sharing’ by GUSTAF (NYC)

The swirling 5-piece from Brooklyn led by charismatic frontwoman Lydia
Gammil
released their top-tier album Audio Drag For Ego Slobs in 2021.

They canned the follow-up, more details to follow.
But first the lead single Starting And Staring.

Funkier than the B-52’s in their heyday, and they spin around with more
dash and class than Bodega and Parquet Courts.

Knockout.

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2. ‘Aeroplane’ by THE LIVING PINS (Austin, Texas)

These rockin’ amazons – Carrie Clark and Pam Peltz – have known each other since
the mid-90s, they played in different bands together and decided to give it a go again with some friends.

Enter Aeroplane, a piece from their rawk-ing EP Let It Be So.

Imagine 60s British glam rock legends T. REX and American sassy duo Royal Trux
jamming together. Aeroplane grooves and moves with pithy panache and steaming swagger. Add the saucy and sensual duet vocals, and we have ourselves a winner.

Let’s roll.

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3. ‘Mild Misogynist’ by THE BABY SEALS (UK)

The Baby Seals are three DIY indie grrrls from Cambridgeshire (UK)
who released their debut EP back in 2017.

Mild Misogynist is a ripper from their upcoming debut album Chaos.

The trio have that roaring rawness, unbridled roughness, genuine gusto and spontaneous bravado, Sleater-Kinney had back in the 90s. These three punk Amazons resonate more like Courtney Love when she went mental with Hole ages ago. Garage frenzy rock at its sharp-teethed indie best.

The accompanying self-made video is sheer fun.

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4. ‘Danzing With Myself’ by THE DANDY WARHOLS (Portland, Oregon)


(Photo by TUTV)

On March 15 the Dandys launch their 12th longplayer, named Rockmaker. Last summer the Dandys dropped stand-alone single The Summer Of Hate. An infectious steamroller that will be on the album.

But the first official single is Danzing With Myself.

Courtney Taylor-Taylor (frontman): “It started with a riff that either sounded like
Misfits or Danzig and then got slowed down. Overall, Rockmaker is the manifestation
of our desire to hear a record of heavy raw punk and metal guitar riffs, but it has its
own alley.”

It features Pixies‘ general Frank Black and is a rather gloomy and doomy (yes, Danzig-like) sounding stomper, but vintage Warhols. Its poignant pace creeps faster under your skin than you can say ‘fuck Trump’.

Danze.


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5. ‘To Be Enjoyed’ by Band: PURRS (France)

Purrs are 4 French gunslingers who bring together a singular artistic emergency drawn from Great Britain in the 80s and the current observation of a dark future, and orchestrate a bitter present but which does not refuse hope.

‘To Be Enjoyed’ explores the delicate theme of mental health, highlighting the simple desire to feel better and make progress with one’s condition. Through this composition, we aim to convey the idea that there are different ways of taking care of one’s mental health, and that it’s crucial to find the solution that’s right for everyone. Having all lived experiences more or less close to depression, this song is our way of communicating not only with those facing this illness, but also with their loved ones who accompany them on the road to recovery.

Energetic punk ebullience à la British mavericks Idles. Aggressive, furious and from a
fast beating heart. Trust me, Purrs are going places. 2024 will be their breakthrough year.

Ace.

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6. ‘Gift Horse’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)

Bristol punks IDLES became a top act after 4 splendid albums since 2018. And they’re
not done yet. Longplayer #5 Tangk is waiting in the pipeline for release on 16 February.

Ahead of it, you can go apeshit to new, third single and fierce haymaker Gift Horse.

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7. ‘Soo All The Way’ by CANYONS AND LOCUSTS (Boston, MA)

Who? Two-piece act, Justin Keane (vocals, guitar) and Amy Young (drums, backing vocals), from Boston, MA. Fueled by the current chaos of the world and an urgent need to be part of the conversation, the two took the indie rock foundation they built in previous bands and upped the ante by adding new levels of noise via pervasive, edgy guitar sounds, low and thundery drumbeats, and emotional vocals.

Soo All The Way is a mean motherrocker that easily could have been on an early Sonic Youth or Dinosaur Jr album. Distorted guitars, raw and rough. Sturdy drum hits. Expressive and punchy vocals. DIY rock ‘n’ roll at its razor blade sharpest.

Hells bells.

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8. ‘Don’t Judge Me Judy’ by FLESH TETRIS (London, UK)

The song is an ode to TV personality Judge Judy

This eccentric ensemble is more eccentric than American eccentric legends Sparks and British eccentrics Sigue Sigue Sputnik were in their early eccentric days. Wacky voices, goofy harmonies, and a ridiculously infectious chorus all work together to cause big fun entertainment.

Get up, stand up, and fight
for your right to go bananas.

Right here, right now.

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9. ‘Bliss’ by ARAB STRAP (Scotland)

The Scots’ new album title I’m Totally Fine With It 👍 Don’t Give A Fuck Anymore 👍
is unquestionably a bona fide contender for weirdest title of the year. Yep, the thumb-up emojis are part of it.

The LP lands on April 1 and follows their tremendous 2021 one As Days Get Darker.

Aidan Moffat (vocalist) about lead single ‘Bliss’: “It’s about women being terrorized online;
it’s about cowardice and bigotry. It’s about how we expose ourselves on social platforms while hiding alone at home. But you can dance to it too!”

Moffat sings/tells his troll story over a trippy dance beat.

Sickly sticky.


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10. ‘Dream Girl’ by KAT KOAN (Germany)

Berlin-based artist KAT KOAN shines again. After releasing her magnific
debut album Lustprinzip in 2022 and three ear-catching singles last year
she has a new track out, titled Dreamirl.

Kat Koan always knows how to entrance the listener with stylishly, graciously
and also sensually designed music that stirs heart and soul. The sentiments
expressed here may be familiar to many of us and can be a comforting companion
on your headphones with the lights dimmed, while relaxing on your couch, dreaming
of your own dream-self.

Endearing.


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11. ‘Peace Sign’ by RIDE (UK)

Last September, British shoegaze heroes Slowdive returned to the scene with praised LP Everything Is Alive, their first full length in five years. Their Boston peers Drop Nineteens followed two months later with Hard Light, their first album LP in thirty years.

And now the equally veteran shoegazers Ride join the revival.

Their 7th LP, named Interplay, their first since
2019, is planned to be released on March 29.

First single Peace Sign is an ecstatic tune.

Potent drums/bass determine the upbeat pace and whirling vibe of the track all the way. Peace Sign is a pure pop earworm with an orgasmic chorus. Picobello. Welcome back.

Enjoy.

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12. ‘Entwined’ by PRETTY AVERAGE (Germany)

Who? Musical act born from the lifelong musical collaboration of Candy Bassas (vocals and guitar) and Sergi Cabanes (lead guitar). After relocating to Berlin from Barcelona, the duo formed a four-piece band in late 2021, which takes inspiration for its noisy-yet-ethereal sound from artists such as Galaxie 500, Spiritualized, New Order, the Cure, and Lou Reed.

New single Entwined is a cut from their upcoming
debut EP, titled All I Wanted, out on 2 February.

A tenacious tandem of bass and drum take care of this striking song’s backbone beat
all the way through. From the kick-off, Entwined has the impact of a sonic magnet.

Its ongoing flow creeps under your skin without asking. Scorching, shoegazy guitars
add some more electricity and quirky vocals (made me immediately think of the singer
of former Irish indie band JJ72) create a spooky atmosphere. Give it a couple of spins
and you’re hooked.

Press play.

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13. ‘Blush’ by VAZUM (Detroit, Michigan)

Who? Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm. Their musical project started in 2017.
They describe their sound as deathgaze, combining the raw energy of
deathrock with the depth of shoegaze. So far the duo released five
albums and a handful of singles and EPs.

New single/clip: BLUSH

Think Siouxsie and the Banshees going fast-forward. Glistening guitar electricity and a pumping bass dictate the ongoing revolving rhythm, while Sturm‘s ghostly vocals roll all over it. No brakes, no breaks. Probably the most upbeat tune Vazum has ever delivered. Blush is a sonic whirlwind, a flamboyant flurry, a turbulent twister.

Watch/listen.

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14. ‘Nowhere To Run’ by ATOMIC (Germany)

Who? German pop-rock team So far they have
3 albums on their résumé and #4 is canned.

Nowhere To Run is the 4th shared piece from their upcoming
4th album, named ‘If This Wall Could Sing’, out on 1st March.

Expect an irresistible drive. Fast-forward. Heartening vocals. Atomic is an unadulterated pop gem. A sprightly summer song for freezing winters like this. It could have easily been
a bonus track on Miles Kane‘s newest, perky album One Man Band.

Atomic has an atomic single out with a sky-high starry-eyed bliss.

Run to them.

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15. ‘Hey Atlas’ by MONOSCOPES (Italy)

Who? Italian act started by Paolo Mioni, former member of Jennifer Gentle,
spearhead of the Italian psych scene. They released their debut album
Painkillers And Wine last year.

With new single Hey Atlas Monoscopes draw you into their psychedelic world where surrender and hope are the only options to handle life. Hey Atlas sends shivers down your spine. It’s both a melancholic and harrowing jam bringing the mellow moments of Interpol to mind. It touches and moves heart and soul. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. That comforting given should inspire all of us who are confused and fidgety these days.

Mesmerizing.

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16. ‘Bye Bye’ by KIM GORDON (US)

Today, Gordon announced the upcoming birth of her
2nd solo LP. It’s titled The Collective and it’ll land on
March 8.

First shared track Bye Bye, is a dazzling piece of music. Its hypnotic trap beat sonority and fuzzy chainsaw rotating synths are the motor of this dazzling jam. It creeps forward like an industrial rock serpent in slow motion. All over it come Gordon‘s chilling spoken-word vocals citing a series of consumer products. Eerie and enigmatic.

The accompanying video features her daughter Coco Gordon Moore and is directed by photographer Clara Balzary, who is the daughter of Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.

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17. ‘Empty’ by NERVES (Ireland)

These Irish punk hound dogs release their new EP Glorach on March 15.

First shared track Empty is a brutalist slab of heavily effected droning guitar and bass, corrosive blasts of feedback and gut-wrenching vocals centered around the persistence
of grief over time.

Deafening sledgehammer.
Screamo disorder.
NIN on acid.

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18. ‘Opinion’ by pMAD

Who? The moniker of Irish musician Paul Dillon who draws inspiration
from bands like The The, The Cure, Killing Joke, Echo and the Bunnymen,
Rammstein
, and Depeche Mode, and developed a unique sound that
traverses genres from Darkwave Post-Punk to Trash Metal Indie Rock.

With Opinion he delivers a Curesque meditation. Pulsating bass, darkwavish melodiousness and wondering vocals and enquiring thoughts. No matter
what you think, say it, sing it, express it, write it down.

Stream/buy.


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19. ‘Same Old You’ by THE GLASS HOURS (US)

Who? American songwriters Brad Armstrong and Megan Barbera.
Their music blurs between Sunday afternoon country-folk and
the golden age of the 1970s.

Same Old You is a crystalline lullaby with a melancholic country aroma. Tender,
moony, and enticing. The endearing duet vocals and melancholic guitar sparks
augment the soul-stirring effect of this bittersweet humdinger.

It’s a candlelight pearl, a heart-warming companion on these freezing winter nights. Romanticism in motion. Think of the quietest moments of Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten and Willie Nelson.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

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20. ‘Shiver’ by THE LIBERTINES (UK)

London‘s beloved bohemians have their 4th LP, called All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanada out on 8 March 2024.

It’s a pronto ear-catching pop tune with a melancholic feel and emotionally
moving and melodramatic vocals by Doherty. The Libs shine again.


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