Smitty: “Many people in both the Detroit and Boston music community know of me, but they don’t really KNOW me,” Smitty says with a thunderous laugh. “I thought this would be a great way to get under the hood, and really show everyone what drives me. Both cities are part of my DNA. I decided a song referencing that fact was due. The guitar groove in the song is very reminiscent of an MC5 type of guitar line, by design.”
TUTV: Put this smoking cannonball on your hard rockin’, guitar freakin’ playlist along
big cannons Aerosmith and Guns N’ Roses. Never a dull moment with this flamboyant hit team. Put your leather jacket on, jump on your motorcycle, and pretend you’re Marlon Brando in the 1953 classic movie The Wild One.
Artist: KURTYS KIDD Who: Rocker/actor from
Kingston, ON.
Track: OUT ON THE SPIRAL
First single from his upcoming,
2nd full-length, This Dirty Machine.
KK:“’Out On The Spiral Arm’ is a song about isolating yourself because you’re hurt, but then finding out that wherever you go you can find love if you open yourself to it. Love is all around us in this universe – but you have to be open to it to receive it.”
TUTV: Be ready for a titanic riff-insane jackhammer, revved up with burly vocals that will roll all over your stereo and over Beethoven. Kidd produces enough red-hot hooks-and-licks to get your ears burned. Fervent fan of classic thunderous-heavy rock, annex flaming guitar solos? Here’s some fierce fuel to start you up.
Band: SUCCULENTS Who: Manchester’s girl-and-boy-next-door lo-fi indie duo
who blend upfront plugged-in guitar riffs, candy-floss-sweet harmonies and a sense of joyful togetherness intact.
“The song is about conflict resolution, but also about that strange apathy you can feel when you’re surrounded by constant arguments, whether that’s protests, politics or toxic online spats. The protagonist is almost taking the attitude of ‘I can’t be bothered with this’, while knowing that sometimes avoiding conflict doesn’t necessarily make it disappear. ‘Be careful what you wish for’ is probably the most important line in the song.”
TUTV: Full steam ahead from the kick-off. A flood of jangly guitars overwhelms your eardrums, while the stoked duo comes up with brisk vocals pushing the pace even further, with urgency and panache. For everybody who likes to twist and shout now and then, this is the melodic barnstormer to play when you lose your temper; for everybody else, this indie buzz is what you wish for. We’ll work it out together.
Band: GARBAGEBARBIE Who: 4-piece that has carved a space for themselves in Los Angeles’ DIY scene, gaining a reputation for hosting rowdy and oftentimes free, themed shows. Combining elements of Britpop, glam, punk, French disco, and garage rock, garbagebarbie’s confrontational racket refuses to be confined by genre.
Dan Karasev (drummer): “The song holds up a mirror to ourselves. It pokes fun at the LA bar scene which even though we can make fun of, it doesn’t change the fact that we are still in that scene. “
Single artwork
TUTV: Prepare your eardrums for a punked-up motherrocker, a savage haymaker,
a sped-up barnstormer. The unyielding harshness increases with every second and
every time the clamorous chorus kicks in, it’s all hands on deck.
Band: TRÄŠHBAG Who: Hefty Irish duo from Dublin (where everyone seems to in a band lately).
They spent time playing in numerous bands together or standing in for each
other in various bands. They produce a volatile blend of visceral punk rock
and post-punk.
TUTV: OMG! These two nice-looking guys aren’t that nice on record.
They smash, clash and trash with their white van. All hell breaks loose from the outset.
This noxious sledgehammer does your poor head in with non-stop industrial-punk slams.
Wham bloody wham bam! Throw some agitated vocals in the mix and
the volcanic eruption is complete. By far, best debut single of June.
Peter Zaremba (frontman): “It’s about ‘wet-blankets’ in situations
where people should be enjoying life. Basically a positive message
behind the snarky tone. Have some fun. And Goa was great.”
TUTV: Expect a sassy slice of heavy-duty knock-out rock ‘n’ garage roll.
These vivid vets still know all the revved-up tricks to set your speakers
on fire.
Band: TV PINS Who: Indie five-piece based across London and the West Midlands.
They blend prog-pop, new wave, and Americana influences with a
distinctly British alt-rock songwriting sensibility – pairing 70s-inspired
vocal harmonies with a sharp, 90s-influenced energy.
They released their debut album Aircutter in 2024.
Track: VERSION OF LOVE
Cut from their forthcoming
self-released EP.
Grace Hinks (LGBTQ+ vocalist): “To me, it’s about accepting and standing up to
those who don’t embrace all forms of love – romantic, aromantic, and especially
queer joy. It’s about celebrating that openly.”
TUTV: Version Of Love is a perky pop pearl that promptly activates your dance-hungry
body. A sparkling guitar riff, summery vibes, warm-hearted melodiousness, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed vocals, and an infectious tunefulness come together to soundtrack an
all-inclusive love gathering.
John Lennon was right all along ‘All You Need Is Love’.
This way for cloud-nine, people, next to that vibrant
rainbow.
Band: BRICKHOUSE Who: Fresh hit team from Manchester that evokes the uncompromising static
of The Jesus and Mary Chain and the measured rebellion of The Velvet Underground.
Sharp (vocalist/guitarist/songwriter): “Angel Eyes is, at its core, about being haunted.
Not in the supernatural sense, but rather the persistent melancholy. The lingering of
memories after losing a lover and being unsure as to how to help yourself let go and
be released from the curse of seeing someone in everybody else you meet.”
TUTV: Welcome to Brickhouse‘s remarkable debut belter. Angel Eyes is a psych-infused steamroller, going back-and-forth, motorized by alarming guitars, a pounding beat, jittery vocals, and a trenchant chorus that keeps coming back to haunt you with force – think The Velvet Underground ripper ‘Run Run Run‘, but slower.
“‘Go Out’ is essentially from the perspective of an anti-social individual in
a relationship with a social butterfly. Basically, the older we get the more we
enjoy staying home and we’re tired of apologizing for it.”
TUTV: Full of vim and vigour guitar pop at its riveting best. Big intro, big sound, big melody, very big chorus. Got up this morning with the wrong leg? Put this enlivening tune on your headphones (on repeat), go out and embrace the day.
Track: SEEING IN THE DARK
2nd single from their debut album, named Electric Pleasure, out October 30.
“Originally inspired by a dream melody that arrived complete with the phrase “We The Ugly People,” recalling the classic Leonard Cohen line, “we are ugly but we have the music” as well as Pulp’s “Common People,” the chorus lyric drew from this sly sense of solidarity.
Drawing influence from the spiritual yearning and melodic immediacy of classic mid-’70s power pop, particularly Dwight Twilley Band’s “Looking for the Magic,” “Seeing In The Dark” emerged as a celebration of collective connection and shared resilience.”
TUTV: From the kick-off, with its thudding drum/bass beat intro, your eager ears know that Seeing In The Dark is a vivacious and vigorous guitar pop feat. Brisk duet vocals intensify the kicky vibe. A sonic trill for common people like you and me.
TUTV: Full blast forward from square one. It Gets Worse fires on all riff-charging cylinders. Vivid vocals lead the compulsive troops who’re bucked up by about a hundred guitars and a choleric drummer.
Think Blink-182 fronted by supercool rock chick Avril Lavigne. And when the
terrifically catchy chorus comes on like a comet without brakes, it’s all getting
better.
TUTV: Courtney Love is back with her band Hole. Well, not really, but
there’s definitely a sonic and attitude connection with this roasting Irish
engine. Constance rocks you off your socks in just under 3 minutes.
They race with high-voltage speed from the blitz start on, gas-powered by furious
guitars, a raving mad drummer and Chelsea Andrews‘s spiteful vocals. WTF! Fasten
your seatbelts. Gush turns you upside down with this torrid turbocharger.
“Now is all we have. The present is slipping away, the
future isn’t guaranteed, so what are we waiting for?”
TUTV: Expect a brisklt paced and jangly earworm electrified by a flood of jangly riffs, with melancholic vocals floating all over it. Think The Drums and Tame Impala teaming up in the studio together. No brakes, no breaks. We all know we live in chaotic, bodeful times, so
I propose we play this bracing gem on repeat and extend the careless, summer feel.
Homme: “It’s kind of a funny song. It’s like hitting your funny bone, where it’s funny because
it hurts and it hurts because it’s funny. You’re serious, but it’s funny. We made it the way you’d make a demo. No click track, mistakes left in. It speeds up, it slows down, the claps aren’t great, but they’re not bad, and a bad clap adds this human thing you can’t fake.”
TUTV: Certainly another kind of feel-good summer hit than the one from 2000. No bragging about taking a ton of drugs here. No macho riffs. No astronomic power speed. Easy Street is an acoustic pop nugget. Infectiously melodic, spiced with duet vocals here and there. Let the freaks and the birds sing.
Band: ELEPHANT STONE Who: Acclaimed psych outfit fronted by Rishi Dhir, a songwriter and sitarist who
has spent twenty years blurring the lines between Western psych-pop and Indian
classical.
Track: I GOT A PILL
Single from the band’s new upcoming LP, baptized Asha.
It’ll come our way on August 26th.
Album cover
TUTV: Weird intro, weird end. But in between we get an organ-flavoured and lively guitar psych-pop gem. An energizing and hopped-up foot stomper. Elephant Stone know, for a long time, how to groove and move exhaustively, how to please your aural appetite for galvanizing gems. Take this pill three times per day and shake your booty.
“The song introduces us to a possibly unreliable narrator who is nearing the end of the road and is saying goodbye. The song was recorded live at Black Mountain Studios in Co. Louth and captures the energy of the band’s live performances.”
TUTV: Eels have a new album out soon. This is one of the instantly recognisable tracks. Well, it easily could be. Carry On Without Me‘s funky flow, lazy vocals, relaxing ambiance, breezy sparkling guitar glow and perky duet vocals on the contagious chorus lift this song
to E’s magnetic level.
Band: THE DURUTTI COLUMN Who: Post-punk project of Manchester-born, experimental singer-songwriter-guitarist Vincent Gerard “Vini” Reilly (now 72). The band’s name refers to the Durruti Column,
an anarchist military unit in the Spanish Civil War, named after Buenaventura Durruti.
Track: SCAMMER
New piece from their upcoming 28th full-length,
called Renascent, out on July 31st. Order infohere.
TUTV:Reilly‘s vulnerable voice carries this both melancholic and spellbinding musing designed with warm background synths and shiny guitar sparks. Just beautiful, really beautiful. Can’t wait to hear the comeback album.
Track: PARADISE
New single from his 3rd solo album,
named Thrasher, out on August 21st.
The LP is recorded in Nashville, the mecca of country music, with some renowned
country musicians. Rooted in his formative childhood years in the small town of Nephi, Utah, the timeless sonic approach proves to be the ideal home for Flowers’ most personal and vulnerable songwriting yet.
TUTV: Flowers loves country, sings country, plays country.
Band: DRY CLEANING Who: Much-lauded indie outfit from London, fronted by
spoken-word frontwoman Florence Shaw, who made their
breakthrough with their 2nd LP Stumpwork from 2022.
Track: I HAVE THE KEY
One of the 2 bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of their 3rd LP Secret Love that came out in January.
Artist: TOM MORELLO Who: Former RAGTM guitarist
and political activist.
Track: ADJOURN IT
It features his son Roman (on guitar, like his dad)
and System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian.
Morello: “At this historical juncture every act of art is an act of resistance and ‘Adjourn It’,
a collaboration with long time friend Serj Tankian and my 15-year-old guitar wiz son Roman,
is a clarion call for justice in unjust times.”
TUTV: What the fuck! What a cast-iron, anti-tyranny rant.
Get up, stand up, rage against the Trump machine, people.
Moffat: “I grew up in the ’80s, and sometimes I feel like I’m living my youth again: the same myths of a once glorious nation prevail, and the threat of global war seems constant; economic inequality and class divisions just seem to get worse and worse, and the same old bigotries are being encouraged in very dangerous ways.
I try to keep positive by telling myself I’ve seen this kind of thing before
and it will pass. And, of course, venting my frustrations in a big, noisy
banger.”
TUTV: Guess what, the Scots rock out as never before. Holy cow!
TUTV: A stunning stonker from their lost 1998 album, named After The Austronaut.
At the time, their then record label refused to release it, not commercial enough. The
band blew new life into it, out now. It’s a splendid achievement. Stream it here.
Band: PUSSY RIOT Who: The notorious Russian punk feminists and political activists, led by mastermind and driving force since day one Nadya Tolonkonnik who spent two years, along with 2 fellow pussy riotiours in a Russian jail for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred after her protest performance in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour church in 2012.
Track: FACELESS PIGS
Heated highlight from their brand new debut
album CYKA, titled Russian word for bitch.
TUTV: Don’t mess with angry bitch Nadya no more Russia. Fuck Putin!
Band: WEEZER Who: The indestructible nerd
rockers from Los Angeles.
New track: WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS
The lead single from their new, forthcoming 20th full-length,
another self-titled one (their 4th actually), decorated with
symbols, think Led Zeppelin‘s 4th LP.
The song features indie team on co-vocals.
TUTV: Hurray! Weezer drops, finally, another
titanic tune, as they used to deliver so many
times before.
Band: WHOLES Who:Belgian raucous noise outfit led by musical chameleon.
Last year they released their heart-wrenching debut album A Mass In The Water.
Track: EAZY FOR YOU
A song about frustration
and liberation.
TUTV: Wholes still operate in a dark place where their demons feel at home.
Main man Wolf Vanwymeersch still wallows in self-torchering nightmares.
At times it feels as if somebody tries to rip his heart out with chainsaw riffs.
Quite scary. A gruesome dilemma of staying in the darkness or fighting its
way to the light at the end of the tunnel.
Band: THE FALL Who: You know, the late, legendary Manchester
post-punk collective, fronted by genial putbill Mark E. Smith (1957-2018).
Track: 30 DEGREES
Taster from a new, posthumous album, named Post Script. It was
recorded not long before Smith‘s death. Tracklist/pre-order info here.
TUTV: It’s vintage The Fall. A droning post-rock jam,
with Smith at his agitated and sneering best.
TUTV: Chord by chord Silhouette grows into a titanic, psychedelic wall of blistering
guitars. Mind-bending, entrancing, and hypnotic. The non-stop jamming tension of The Brian Jonestown Massacre comes to mind.
Artists: PALINDRONES Who: An emotionally immersive, captivating, dark electronic duo from South London.
They take listeners on a shimmering and cathartic sonic journey with dreamy Industrial Synthpop, infused with pounding rhythms, haunting, evocative vocals and esoteric ambiance.
“Like the celestial body that gives the song its name, The Blood Moon pulls listeners into
a world where scars become constellations, rivers run red, and every ending delivers the
seed of creation. Immerse yourself in the bloody sea.”
TUTV: The Blood Moon is a dark-EBM-wave whirlwind that creeps under your skin,
into your veins, after a forbidding intro. It’s a sickly sticking tune that spirals and adrenalizes with pithy pzazz.
Macabre alternating/duet vocals emphasize the ill-boding pressure and awaken
bats all around. Palindrones draw you into their sinister and hypnotizing world,
but they leave the door ajar for a possible rebirth.
Track: A HARD LESSON
Newest piece from his 11th LP o\i.
Release date TBA.
Gabriel: “This is the oldest track of the project. It probably started in the late 80s
or early 90s when I was in Senegal. I was falling in love with the music I heard there.
I loved the tension created by the use of polyrhythms, particularly the threes and
fours, so that was the start of this song”.
TUTV: Gabriel sticks to trippy beats
and trancy vibrations. And it works
damn well.
TUTV: Vampire Queen is a double-edged crackerjack. Partly a glam-rock stomper,
partly a high-octane missile. The two parts assembled combine for a super-duper rollercoaster that goes back and forth.
“If you didn’t pay attention to the lyrics, you’d hear an upbeat song.
Underneath, a narrator trying to talk themselves into believing they’re
still in control while underneath, they’re sinking.”
TUTV: Expect darkwavish Cure-esque guitar/pop spiritedness with
a brisk tempo, anthemic impetus and vocal gusto. Shiny score!
Band: HMS MORRIS Who: A bilingual outfit from Wales. They thrive at the crossroads of art-pop,
theatricality, and fearless exploration. So far, they have released 3 albums.
You can stream them on Spotify.
“The rapid leap forward in artificial intelligence technology over the last few years brings
an element of urgency to the questions raised. Would we be better off if human’s weren’t in charge? Should we be happy to hand over control of Earth to a species/entity that prioritizes ecological harmony over cheap smartphones and beef?”
TUTV: Combative guitars, a Krautrock-like drum/bass cadence, and bubbly vocals
cause an unwavering, spine-tingling and hallucinatory jam. Be ready for a hell of
an other-worldly trip.
Band: DELFOI ROAD Who: A Finnish alternative rock act, formed at the turn of the millennium.
The four-piece blends artistic sensitivity, strong melodic songwriting, and
atmospheric depth with an energetic and dynamic edge.
Track: SUNLIGHT
Newest single from their
debut LP, out in the fall.
TUTV: Again these Finns perform with an electrically-charged delirium-like
zing that captures your aural attention all the way, musically and vocally.
Stirring guitar-empowering pop avidity with a heartening radiance.
Artist: AMY BELL Who: English songstress who started writing at 14 and playing live at 17,
is inspired by big names such as Billy Bragg, John Cooper Clark, Badly Drawn
Boy, PJ Harvey and Nirvana.
Track: MILLHOUSE.
A song that touches on themes many people her age struggle with.
Highlight from her brand new, 2nd EP, called Want Me.
TUTV: With the first seconds kicking in, I thought a country song was about to evolve.
A solid cool one that is. From there on Millhouse progresses in a lazy Courtney Barnett groove modus, evoking swaying body moves while Amy Bell‘s laid-back slacker vocals
glide over it. It’s a funky tune that sticks promptly in your head.
Artists:DEAD ANYWAY Who: British duo setting the dark lyricism of Kate Arnold against the music
and soundscapes of Marc Symonds. They offer a mix of poetry, electronica
and guitars. A heady brew of dark, glitchy head-messing wonder.
Artist:CARLY SIMON Who: American singer-songwriter shero (82 now) who became worldwide
known for her hit single You’re So Vain (more than 700 million streams on Spotify) in 1972.
Track: HOWL
First single from her new 24th LP, first in 17 years,
called Comes In Waves. Out on August 14th.
Simon: “‘Howl’ lives in that space between betrayal and forgiveness, where anger has
to be voiced before it can be released. It’s about letting the frustration out so it doesn’t
sit and simmer. The song begins in anger, but it moves toward forgiveness, and speaks
to any situation where trust has been broken.”
TUTV: Howl shows that Simon‘s voice has aged admirably. Impressively strong
and riveting. The song itself is a tremendously arousing gem. Exquisite performance.
Artist: JOHNNY MARR Who: The former The Smiths‘ guitar hero, who played afterward
several years with Modest Mouse, also with The Pretenders, Brian
Ferry and many more.
Track: SPIN
First single from his forthcoming album, his 5th solo
full-length, baptized The Age Of Everything. Out October 2.
TUTV: Marr never copied TheSmiths‘ work.
With Spin he delivers a cathcy pick-me-up.
Moffat: “I grew up in the ’80s, and sometimes I feel like I’m living my youth again: the same myths of a once glorious nation prevail, and the threat of global war seems constant; economic inequality and class divisions just seem to get worse and worse, and the same old bigotries are being encouraged in very dangerous ways.
I try to keep positive by telling myself I’ve seen this kind of thing before
and it will pass. And, of course, venting my frustrations in a big, noisy
banger.”
TUTV: Guess what, the Scots rock out as never before. Yeah!
Band: EELS
Who: Singer-songwriter Mark Oliver Everett‘s combo.
Track: CAP IN HAND
Lead single from new album, their 16th, named Cookie Happened. It’ll land on October 16th.
Everett: “I wanted to sound kind of worn out for this one too, like someone
who’s messed up their life but now sees the error of their ways and is trying
to make amends with their tail between their legs.”
TUTV: The new Eels one is both
a darkly reflective and funky cut.
“It’s a song about impossible tasks. It’s about trying to do everything you have been told to do in life, and never achieving what was promised. The goalposts have shifted, no, that isn’t how you do it.”
TUTV: Really Good Time are manic motherrockers, racing and rushing with puissance and roasting power. They develop a kind of Gilla Band disturbance, but less chaotic, way more movin’ and groovin’. Whether you want it or not, your head goes 360. Blimey.
Band: FARVEBLIND Who: Electro dance-pop-rock trio from Copenhagen, Denmark that fabricates
sonic touchstones ranging from Battles and The Chemical Brothers to Underworld
and Viagra Boys.
TUTV: A cocksure, motorik-feverish dancefloor filler for sweaty nightclubs. A tsunami of synth extravaganza hits you straight in the face, while rollicking vocals add a jaunty feel.
Artists: ARAB STRAP Who: Trippy Scottish electro-pop vets, Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton (1995–2006, 2011, 2016–present).
Track: YOU YOU YOU
First single from their new full-length Half-Told Tales,
their 9th, out on September 4th. Tracklist here.
AS: “A disco-metal sound and lyrics that explore
overcoming troubles and tumultuous times”.
TUTV: Trip Trip Trip! Hip Hip Hip! We We We!
“I’ve got a portly paunch I just can’t shift/I feel undesired, dismissed, adrift/
My get-up-and-go is long gone/ and the days keep dragging on/ But I’ve got
you, you, you”
Okereke wrote the record in the wake of a more than decade-long relationship.
“Every lyric you’re hearing on this record was something that actually happened to me.
I had to tell the story, from start to finish.”
TUTV: Damn. Time flies with supersonic speed. BC are entertaining our eager eardrums since 1999. Well Okereke took time, now and then, for solo work, but it’s always a sonic pleasure to hear them coming up, again and again with firm, dance-spiked singles.
TUTV: Soft Cell on adrenaline. Erasure on amphetamine. Enriching electro pop nirvana
at its most beautiful. Ignore the outside bedlam for about 6 minutes on repeat. The beat goes on and on and on. Twirl yourself dizzy.
Track: WHAT FUTURE
The title song of his new album.
Carr: “I’ve been putting together these sounds for many years but this
is the first time where I thought ‘this doesn’t really sound like anything else
and decided to put it out.”
TUTV: Techno daft-punk on the run. Electro rock shock. Winding mix of paranoic synths, bass booms, and some helium-infused Carr interventions. Good grief. What a brainfucker.
TUTV: This is a sassy, kind of fuck you stunner, that speeds all over your
trembling stereo with Rønnenfelt throwing sneers around. Vicious sucker
punch all the way.
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: GIROTONDO
Single from their forthcoming 4th album, named Misantropi.
Out June 22nd. Tracklist and pre-order info here.
TUTV: This Metallica-echoing shocker thunders unstoppably and peaks every time its fistpumping chorus kicks in. TCOMAS rock here as never before. They kick ass with this striking uppercut.
Band:SOCIAL DISTORTION Who: The robust, generational Californian rockers fronted by the only
original member, voice/guitarist/songwriter Mike Ness, who beat tonsil
cancer a few years ago, are one of the most notorious and celebrated
American punk bands ever.
Band: CASSIUS WOLF & DAS ABS Who: The musical project of Cassius Wolf and Don Watson. Formed in Liverpool during the original wave of post-punk and new wave. Now, decades later, that same spirit is driving the band’s long-awaited return.
Track: LOSING SLEEP
Single from their brand new full-length, An Afternoon in Bedlam. Stream here.
TUTV: When I say that this avid anthem has an epic Echo & Bunnymen sonority,
you should pay attention instantly. The flamboyant flair, the whirling drive, the
euphoric vocals. I see Ian McCulloch standing around the corner, with a big smile
on his face.
Band: DELFOI ROAD Who: A Finnish alternative rock act, formed at the turn of the millennium.
The four-piece blends artistic sensitivity, strong melodic songwriting, and
atmospheric depth with an energetic and dynamic edge.
Track: TAKE ME AWAY
New piece from their upcoming debut full-length, planned to come out in the fall. “It’s one of the catchiest and most radio-friendly tracks on the album.”
Artwork single
TUTV: Think Mumford and Sons‘ arousing passion and vocal eagerness. Take Me Away draws you into its stirring spirits, its intensifying orchestration,
and its exhilarating euphoniousness. Towering tour de force.
BZ: “I’ve spent a long time thinking about where to take my musical journey next & Real Problems, ironically, has become an unexpected solution. I wrote this track off the cuff a while back, as an outlet for feeling disconnected from the so called “real world”. For my entire life I’ve been told “that’s just how the world is” but all I’ve learnt in my 23 years alive is that it seems the world was never meant to be like this.
Humans have this disturbing desire to disconnect themselves from the natural world & forget that we’re in fact all a part of it. Real Problems is my attempt to reconnect to that part of myself that I feel has been hidden away due to societal noise. I’ve never met ‘these people’ & they’ve never met me, so why am I expected to uphold their ideas of who I was meant to be!”
TUTV: Industrial slam-bang EBM for all dance-addicted misfits out there.
You need to be in top shape to catch up with Bizarre Fae. She zooms with
steamy swiftness throughout this boomtastic missile. Face your problems
and sway them into oblivion. Trust me, it’s unquestionably worth a try.
Artist: KAT FIVE Who: EBM songstress from London. She fuses together a raw
punk energy with a dark pop magic, she consistently creates
indefinable, politically-engaged glitched-up anthems.
FIVE: “This is a call out to all kinds of creators, and also a shout out
for some simple moves you can make against techno-feudalism.”
TUTV: Kat Five offers a both luring and foreboding-sounding EBM tune for
shadow-dancing fans. Despite the hazardous times worldwide, she suggests,
rightly so, that togetherness is the only way to get out of the intolerant chaos
we have to go through right now.
Artist: SOUTHPAW GRAMMAR Who: British garage musician and producer. He has toured extensively with some
of the biggest names in popular music. His music speaks directly to the realities of working-class life while delivering dancefloor-ready grooves.
“It captures the evolution of a generation raised on late nights and pirate radio, now navigating mortgages, energy bills, and nursery pickups. With his signature dry wit and unmistakably British storytelling, Southpaw Grammar delivers a relatable anthem for anyone who’s swapped the rave for responsibility but still hears the bassline in everyday life.”
TUTV: This is cheer fun. Its ska-esque beat and jumpy flow kick-start hectic body movements. Bouncy piano touches and frolicsome rappin’ piggyback the feel-good tone. Ideal to play when workin’ out, although I fear that many of us (certainly me) will fall over our feet when trying to follow the pace. Fervid ambiance.
LV: “At least four or five of the songs on the record speak to a life lived being in bands, the bonds forged, and the life of a musician and performer, with themes of loss, addiction, death and redemption woven through. All the cliches about spending your time in bars, being on the road, being ‘out’ and not at home, are real.”
TUTV: Overall, this is a warm, hearty, and nostalgic energizer, spiced with classic textbook riffs and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed vocals. A stimulating upper for moody moments. It’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but we’ll never stop liking it.
Another batch of 5 new, stellar tracks have
been added to Turn Up The Volume’s Jukebox.
Turn it up.
ALL TOGETHER
. TRACK BY TRACK
Photo by Luke Bovill
Artists: ARAB STRAP Who: Trippy Scottish electro-pop vets, Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton (1995–2006, 2011, 2016–present).
Track: YOU YOU YOU
First single from their new full-length Half-Told Tales,
their 9th, out on September 4th. Tracklist here.
AS: “A disco-metal sound and lyrics that explore
overcoming troubles and tumultuous times”.
TUTV: Trip Trip Trip! Hip Hip Hip!
“I’ve got a portly paunch I just can’t shift/I feel undesired, dismissed, adrift/
My get-up-and-go is long gone/ and the days keep dragging on/ But I’ve got
you, you, you,.”
Band: GETDOWN SERVICES Who: Wacky and ironic disco-rap-punk duo from Bristol, UK
who made an instant impression in their home country with
their festive 2023 debut LP Crisps, followed by a couple of EPs.
“This song is really about friendship and betrayal, getting stuck in a dynamic and letting things fester. It’s about pain and confusion — no one trains you for the ups and downs of a friendship between two women — but it’s also about a love so enduring that you find compassion no matter what.”
“It’s a song that feels hopeless on its first listen, but if you look at it more deeply it’s a call to action, no one is going to rise up if everyone expects someone else to do it. We all have to do our part in creating the change.”
TUTV: Bedazzling post-punk corker. Infectiously nerve-racking.
These Irishmen continue their indie-supertop quest. You bet.
Yep, the thumb-up emojis are part of ARAB STRAP‘s new 2024 album title. I wonder who comes up with this and when and why? Anyway, I love the “we don’t care whether you like it or not, we do” idea of it. I’m totally fine with it, and it shows that hilarious stuff like this is possible when you don’t give a fuck anymore.
Congrats
Wait, the most important thing here is that the Scottish mavericks still give a big fuck
about their music and prove it once again with this crackerjack longplayer, their 8th.
Yep, the thumb-up emojis are part of the new ARAB STRAP‘s album title.
Already a contender for weirdest title of the year. The LP follows their
tremendous one As Days Get Darkerthat came out in 2021.
Press info: Almost 28 years after their debut, Arab Strap have never sounded more essential, and this new record is a fierce testament to their laser focus on wider horizons. Written and performed exclusively by Malcolm Middleton & Aidan Moffat, and finessed with longtime collaborator Paul Savage, the album furthers the band’s transformation from swooning, slow-core romantics to raging, alt-pop chroniclers.
Singles/clips: Bliss / Allatonceness / Strawberry Moon / You’re Not Here
A few weeks ago the seasoned Scottish indie duo (1995–2006, 2011, 2016–present)
revealed details of the birth of their 8th longplayer. It’s titled I’M TOTALLY FINE WITH
IT 👍 DON’T GIVE A FUCK ANYMORE 👍. I immediately wrote it down in my notebook
as a big contender for the weirdest album title of 2024. It’ll land on May 10.
Following glorious lead single Bliss, the second new piece, titled ALLATONCENESS will make your hair stand up in the back of your
neck.
Moffat: “Lyrically it’s about being addicted to the endless stream of online lunacy and
bullshit – constant bad news, disinformation and conspiracy theories, abuse and threats
etc. – when I know I should be out engaging with the world in a more physical, meaningful
way. But I can’t stop scrolling, because I’ve been conditioned to constantly seek and consume information, which perpetuates the tide of misery and makes me part of the problem.
The title came from Marshall McLuhan ’s terrifyingly relevant 1967 bookThe Medium
Is The Message, he also coined the phrase ‘global village,’ and that’s where the ‘village
hall’s on fire all day’ line comes from. Long story short: I need to get out more.”
TUTV: You don’t hear Arab Strap rock out every day. Allatonceness starts with trashy
drumming and a mean bass riff, the backbone of this striking stunner, reminiscent
of Hooky‘s explosive style in his Joy Division days.
It’s time then for Adian Moffat‘s frustrated ranting about the addictive power of
the mind-controlling (social) media, as we know it and experience it. Moffat wants
to turn his back on all the daily sensational vomit. He’s not totally fine with it and
a psychotic guitar attack sequence seems to accentuate
that crushing realisation before heading to the finale. 👍 Top 👍.
