Mark Harris (lead vocals): “A song about uncertainty, confusion an ddepression for the masses,’Glass Figures’ ponders whether we’re happy with our directions in life, or if we’re all doomed. Thesong took shape from the opening lines,”Monday may see murder, I see it on the trains/ Dreams of conscious strangers, begging for their beds”,setting the tone perfectly
and flourishing into what you hear today.”
TUTV: Glass Figures grows slowly but surely to epic proportions along its
swelling course. Sparkling guitars and feverish vocals for starters, accompanied
around the 2-minute mark by big pounding drums and then breaking into an
extended full orchestra climax. Breathtaking. Arousing. Intense.
In order to not miss a beat Turn Up The Volume scans the musical
horizon daily (doing it for years now, actually) to stay in touch with
all new things sonically great and shares the results on a weekly
basis.
Band: ZEBEDEE
Who: International neo-psych and desert rock-inspired outfit
creating something of their own, with a plethora of ruckus Sabbath
riffs on the fingertips and psycho billy licks on the lips.
Single: FAST EDEE
It sees the band expand their sonic universe with booming
drums, smooth guitar riffs and honest, contemplative lyricism.
TUTV: Dazzling intensity and fiery vocals grab you by the throat from the get-go.
This astonishingly groovy ride gets under your skin without asking. Sassy swagger.
Striking stroke.
TUTV: This could easily be a piece from Canadian post-hardcore loudmouths Fucked Up‘s newest album. No rest for the wicked. According to my ears, The Battery Farm operate in
a 2024 wasteland where surreality becomes reality. OM-G, this is a formidable jam.
Mark Harris (frontman): “Written from the perspective of someone longing for another
and the cruelty of this person not letting go, ‘The TV’s Snowing’ emulates how this person lives helplessly in limbo, with nights stretched further and afar. Our love of Bon Iver really influenced the atmosphere of the production, and it’s one of our proudest creations.”
TUTV: A perturbed reflection with Harris‘ anxious vocals lifting this impassioned
tragedy to a bone-chilling level. It’s a feverish tour de force that keeps on reverberating after its volcanic finale. Splendid.
Artist: KAKTUS EINARSSON Who: Singer-songwriter from Reykjavík (Finland) who opened up
with his band Fufanu, opened hometown shows for Radiohead and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Also supported Blur in Hyde Park, and playing
at big festivals.
His debut solo album ‘Kick The Ladder’ was released in 2021.
His second one ‘Lobster Coda’ will be launched on October 25th.
TUTV: White Burn starts as a mellow candlelight meditation, dreamy and starry-eyed,
and evolves around the 2-minute mark into a soulful and touchy-feely pop symphony. Beautifully orchestrated and arranged with crystalline vocals on top of it.
A new piece from their first album in 9 years. Born Horses comes out on September 6th.
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.
TUTV: Expect a multi-layered soundscape with a bewitching resonance,
going on and on, creating a trance-like magnetism you can’t and don’t want
to escape from. Pretty special. Don’t miss Upupayāma‘s fantasy in motion.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Eminem canned his 10th LP and named itThe 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 hitAbracadabra.
Now you see him, now you don’t.
Now you hear him, now you don’t.
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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
The first of a trio of songs will be unveiled throughout the year.
Mark Harris (singer): “This is a song about spending the day with a friend in the midst of struggling with identity and poor mental health. The mind can be rather impulsive and scary… You either go to Islington… or die. We knew we were onto something special from the start with this song. With The Ox’s (drummer Joe Oxtoby) delicious opening drums, the song feels like an ode to The Strokes or Fontaines DC, and with all the components falling into place, we love the pace and aggression.”
TUTV: This track is for those drawn to the deep end. 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. Its invigorating drive, voltaic feverishness, propelling drumming, and resolute vocals are infectiously stimulating.
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.
