In order to not miss a beat TURN UP THE VOLUME scans the musical
horizon daily, for 10 years now, to pick ace tracks and add 5 new ones
twice per week, to the one and only JUKEBOX playlist that matters.
ALL TOGETHER
TRACK BY TRACK
Band: ALPINE SKIES Who: Irish guitar-synth-pop duo who got together in
2019 with a shared love of 80s synth-driven post-punk.
“Even though clarity and purpose provide an enlightenment in life, societal structures that govern will always serve to hinder from complete utopia; ‘and you’ll be denied’. The song’s
main theme centres on that feeling of being at odds with the modern world, while seeking
to find justice, clarity and purpose. Abandoning any hyper-consumerism nature of the world,
for a more valuable people and relationships focused happiness”.
TUTV: Blockks grows and grows in enlivening intensity along its frisky course. Think U2’s rhapsodic eagerness. And is that The Edge on guitar? This is pure pop delight. The repeat button was invented for vivifying tunes like this. Magnifico. Unlike Bono you may find what you are looking for.
Band: LONELY LITTLE KITSCH Who: Two-piece alt-rock band from Niagara, Canada featuring vocalist Kristen Goetz
and guitarist Nolan Jodes. They create their own brand of alternative music that wasn’t defined by current trends or labels. The result is 100% unabashed, authentic LLK,
no trying to fit into a specific genre or sound.
Goetz: “It’s a song about dissociating, and wanting to feel numb. When something
is too painful or your emotions are overwhelming, you’d rather just shut down and
feel nothing at all.”
TUTV: No time to relax here. Glowing shoegazy guitar waves hit your stereo from
the kick-off and never lose their galvanic grip on your aural attention. At the core
of this sonic whirlwind, there’s a poppy melody finding its own way, with the help
of Goetz‘s psyched vocals, in the sky-reaching wall of sound. Buzzing crackerjack.
Band: MUCKSAVAGE Who: A manic, melancholy collective from Belfast, Northern Ireland,
spewing out bedroom-bop rock anthems that make you want to
dance and cry since 2022.
James Foy (frontman): “It’s about Regret of past actions, past relationships,
your past-self and the time you’ve lost, and also regret for a future you could
have had.”
TUTV: Ecstatic guitars dominate this rollicking-riff rollercoaster from start to
finish. Echoes of adrenaline rockers such as Sum 41 and Good Charlotte jump
to mind. Letdown doesn’t let you down whatsoever. Its afire dynamism will
boost your day. Jeepers.
Band: REDUCTION IN FORCE Who: The musical project of San Diego based singer-songwriter Mike Mills.
Rooted in the groundbreaking post-punk and New Wave movements of the
early ’80s, RiF blends anthemic alt-rock with synth-driven urgency and a
post-punk guitar edge.
Mills: “Humans must be at the center of artistic expression or there is no art. Full stop.
This IS the crux of art. The belief that there is a demand for fictitious replacements to expound upon the human condition is consistent with ‘optimization above all’ thinking. It’s more than misguided, it fails to understand that human emotion is the product.”
TUTV: The bombastic Gothwavish power of Bauhaus icon Peter Murphy‘s solo work instantly comes to mind. Its similar blood-and-thunder explosiveness and resistless
pizzazz at work here will dumbfound you.
It’s a raw and ironic outburst
against conformity and social
façades.
TUTV: If you want to catch up with this head-twisting barnstormer, you’ll need
a pair of rollerskates. This mind-crushing sucker-punch shows no mercy. Think Blink-182 and Offspring jumping at each other’s throats with all the fast and
furious forcefulness they’re famous for. Hallelujah!
Band: LONELY LITTLE KITSCH Who: Two-piece alt-rock band from Niagara, Canada featuring
vocalist Kristen Goetz and guitarist 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.
Goetz: “This song is a particularly personal one for me. As someone who has severe
anxiety and constant panic attacks, it’s always interesting to speak to anyone who has
never experienced either one. So “ill at ease” is sort of an answer to the question, “what
does a panic attack feel like for you?”
Jodes:“I think the music was built around that opening riff…I had been stuck in a loop with no clear transition to the chorus or bridge so there was natural suspense and uneasiness building in my mind, and I almost scrapped the whole song when Kris came in with this really great melody and honest lyrics showing her vulnerability- it clicked!
TUTV: I know (I struggled for several years with bipolar issues) that it’s damn hard to
open up about mental health. Kudos to vocalist Kristen Goetz and husband Nolan for doing it with this liberating and rigid rocker that cruises from left to right and back, pushed by an unyielding bass/drum collaboration, psyched up guitars, poigant singing and a bonkers chorus. Again, music show its healing strength.
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.
Goetz: “I had been playing around on a keyboard and came up with something
that felt catchy. Nolan immediately created a killer guitar riff based on that, I sang
a melody with it, and that was that! The bones and structure of the song came
together extremely quickly.
The song is about bad habits, and how we all have them. Some can be serious,
and some are innocent and fairly innocuous – and, in some cases, our vices are
other people. But no one is vice-less. “Vices” is about recognizing that, and coming
together and being open about it. Perfection is a farce. Let your freak flag fly!”
Jodes: “We’ve described it as Veruca Salt meets Jack White, with a little (a lot) of
Cobain in the bridge. But somehow it comes out sounding very LLK. It’s 3 minutes
of rock… hopefully that’s your Vice.”
TUTV: I’m sure perfect people don’t like rock ‘n’ roll and they are definitely
boring (in my experience that is). Two things you can’t say about LLK. They
know how to raise the sonic temperature, they know how to create a buzzing
fuzz and be totally cool at it at the same time.
Enter Vices, 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.
Band: LONELY LITTLE KITSH Who: Canadian indie duo – Kristen Goetz and Nolan Jodes who took their name
from “…just another future song, lonely little kitsch” from the late genial Bowie‘s song Diamond Dogs, the title track of his 1974 LP that turns 50 next month.
Kristen: “On the surface, “Stuck In Place” seems like a song about hating your hometown.
But it’s actually about waking up one day and realizing that everyone else has moved on without you. They left to pursue their dreams and passions, while you don’t seem to have
any. You’re stuck where you’ve always been, feeling left behind without a purpose or drive.
Musically, I wanted my vocals to have lots of layers and harmonies to fit with Nolan’s guitar riffs. It’s one of our mellower songs, and we aimed for a sort of ethereal, fuzzy feel to it. We started with a 90s-style wall of sound, and Ryan (McDonald) did a wonderful job editing it down to let the song shine through.”
Nolan: ““Stuck In Place” is a tune that underwent many transformations – it started
as a moody, dark kind of distortion-soaked Jar of Flies – Alice in Chains-era kind of jam…
and over time in the studio we changed the key, the tempo, and length to find a sound
we felt was authentic Lonely Little Kitsch.
Ryan McDonald (The Honest Heart Collective) really helped clean up the song with an incredible mix. When we heard the first playback we knew we were onto something we wanted to share with people – it’s a song that fits somewhere between 90s grunge and 70s Fleetwood Mac… I call it Fleetwood Grunge”
TUTV: 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.
Let’s start spreading rumours about this enthralling duo and their new notable score.
These feminist girls in a band unleashed their A.W.E.S.O.M.E
6-track EP last week. Buy/stream here.
And opener Boys In A Band is a motherrockin’ standout. A ferocious punk sucker-punch
to crush male machos with. Vocalist/songwriter Phoebe Lunny has 4 lungs and uses them mercilessly and bassist Lilly Macieira-Boşgelmez plays her 4-string louder than war.
2. ‘This Just Ain’t My Year‘ by 32 TENS (Warrington, England)
This vigorous trio of young gunslingers speed full tilt ahead from the get-go.
No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes and creeping under your skin faster than you
can say ripsnorter. A whirlwind of scorching guitars, pounding drumming, a revolving
bass line somewhere in the middle, go-getting vocals, and a dynamite chorus. This is gonna be the year for 32 TENS.
“It’s a liberating, drum-backed anthem that allows the band to
break free from any stress or obligations in pursuit of a good night.”
Good times or bad times, it’s always (in)sane to lose your marbles while diving
into a hot let’s have a ball night, now and then, and go berserk. This manic master
blaster doubles your adrenalin production an make you feel flying eight
miles high while you jump from bar to bar, from club to club.
The Strokes‘ frontman Julian Casablancasand his hobby band are back with this flabbergasting metallic stunner. It goes forth and back, left and right, slow and fast as if Casablancas and his misfits put several snippets of several songs together and puzzled them into one stupendous stroke of a belter.
The UK wasn’t so divided as it is now following Brex-shit, charlatan Boris Johnson
and the ongoing suffocating acts of the Tories. Like so many (young) Brits Drella
hate what they have to endure every single day. And they let it hear loud and clear
on this new stiff-necked wallop.
The Swedish punk clowns are finally back with new stuff.
Their new LP The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons, their first
in 11 years, lands on 11 August.
The first single Bogus Operandi starts slowly with some drum hits and some distorted guitars. But after 45 seconds the wait is over. From there on it’s full steam ahead with frontman Pele howling as we know for a long time now.
The pumpkins released their three-part rock opera Atum in Three Acts
a couple of weeks ago. A total of 36 songs. I picked the 12 best, deleted
the rest, and guess what? I have a splendid new SM album.
This two-piece alt-rock act – Kristen Goetz (vocals) and Nolan Jodes (guitar/bass/vocals)
took their name from David Bowie‘s 1974 track Diamond Dogs: “…just another future
song, lonely little kitsch.”
Monster is the duo’s 2nd single. A monstrous cannonball going everywhere fast.
A post-punk eruption that resonates like L.A.’s celebrated AmazonsL7 on speed.
A Nick Drake tribute album is coming up. Parish and Harding are part of it.
The duo picked Drake’s 1969 composition THREE HOURS from his Five Leaves
Left LP.
Their take is a Krautrock-like-spinning masterstroke. It moves and grooves along
a hypnotic bass riff and a steady drum beat with doomy synths working their way to
the front. Mesmerizing and intoxicating while duet vocals float all over it, alluring and affecting. Special, really special
Depression Breakfast follows the first cranked-up single Tension and is the title
track from their upcoming 5-track EP which will see a digital and 12″ vinyl release
next June.
The tone is poignant and disturbing in an intriguing way. As we know, artists can do great things in case of a distressed state of mind. Despite the dark lyrical context Depression Breakfast‘s guitars cut like a Swiss knife just as troubled soul Lou Barlow (Sebadoh/Dinosaur Jr.) does with flaming force when he rocks out to expel his demons. Japanese Jesus can work cathartically too for all of us who haven’t a pink view on reality these days. As we know too, sad music can work deliberating.
Spinning Plates is a piece from this British songstress’ upcoming debut album.
Carpenter:“There’s a lot to unpack in this song. From societal pressures on the roles you are meant to fulfill as a woman, alongside the struggle of keeping up a relentless positivity to being a musician – and how impossible it is to ever get the balance between the two. Our anger is justified and our stories worth sharing. ”
It’s 2023 and still a lot of male machos and sexist pigs operate in the music
industry, and not only there. Horrible. Carpenter seems to try and fight these
awful demons with this emotive power-pop stroke gem. Spinning Plates is an
infectious guitar/drum-energized stomper with her room-filling voice standing
out upfront. At one point she slows down, only to restart the magnetic groove.
When I heard this earworm for the first time, I could swear that this pop pearl
is a previously unreleased track from U2’s recording sessions for their 1987 masterpiece LP The Joshua Tree. Stand For Something has that majestic grandeur of the Irish heroes’ idiosyncratic sound with The Edge‘s magical guitar play lifting their hits to epic heights.
No, I’m not kidding. What Infinite Sonic does here is what rhapsodic pop is about. I just looked outside, it’s a beautiful day, and if you still haven’t found the tune you’re looking
for this might be the One.
“A song about not accepting the harsh truths we all need to face sometimes.
Getting lost in some other distraction to ignore the hard task of acceptance.”
Following previous punchy single From The Start these Canadian Londoners nail it again with this new avid crackerjack that turns up the ardency every time when the catching chorus crashes in after the tension is built up in the verses. Firm guitars, a fired-up rhythm section, and fiery vocals. All ingredients you need to make your ears happy.
This Belgian unit was founded in 2017 by singer-songwriter Jacob Vermeire
who needed a way to express his feelings and found it in his music.
Bricks is their debut single.
It’s an emotive introspection wrapped in a glorious melody that strikes your ears
from the kick-off. An arousing gem that resonates like a vibrant Americana song of
veteran songsmith John Mellencamp and the poppy moments of Violent Femmes. Strumming guitars, infectious flow, impassioned vocals and an uplifting chorus.
A top-notch pop thrill that elevates restless minds, by far.
Rango is the band’s debut single. A dashing slice of music. It combines a toe-tapping reggae groove with a bluesy chorus and somewhere along the way, an Eric Clapton-like guitar solo cranking up the vibe. Cool, right? Unquestionable. This is the kind of full of pep tunes that get you through the day while shaking your hips. The singer sings at one point “There’s No Space For Happines“. Don’t worry be happy, you scored a notable debut.
“The Lender‘ is a song about surviving in the city. And these days, as any urban
dweller will attest, there’s much to overcome. Armstrong‘s new song is a deceptively
joyful reflection on the struggles of living in a concrete jungle. Evocative of Springsteen’s chronicling of life on the fringes of society, “The Lender” is a track hiding hope in desperation.”
This is captivating Americana the Canadian way. Great voice, great melody, great musicality, and the vocal resonance and swagger of the late great Tom Petty. Amstrong strums his acoustic guitar the way the Eagles did it endlessly and The Lender‘s bluesy-country feel has both a melancholic and yearning sensitivity. These are tunes that stick instantly, the ones you play for a while.
19. ‘You Don’t Have A Choice’ by EASTER ISLAND (Athens, GA)
“You Don’t Have a Choice’ is an indie rock song that evokes an ethereal and moody atmosphere through its intricate instrumentation and emotive vocals. The introspective nature of the lyrics is matched perfectly with the melancholic and contemplative instrumentation, resulting in a dreamy and haunting soundscape that encapsulates the overall mood of the song.”
This a moony and radiant beauty, an amplified musing with crystal guitar sparks
reminding me of NYC darlings Interpol‘s 6-string galvanism. A gripping heart-and-soul touching reflection with mesmeric vocals for tranquilizing moments. Magic.
On 18th August these cult post-punks, led by Craig Dyer
launch release their new full length, called Nostalgia Class.
This is the first single. Pure UY. A moony meditation embedded in a gripping,
melancholic melody that rings in your yearning ears from the first spin. There’s
a sparkling rotating riff that invades your head and stays there. Magical melancholia
with, of course, frontman Dyer‘s shadowy vocals completing the darksome sonic
picture as we know it.
Artists: LONELY LITTLE KITSH Who: A two-piece alt-rock band – Kristen Goetz (vocals) Nolan Jodes (guitar/bass/vocals) – from Niagara, Canada
who took their name from David Bowie‘s 1974 track Diamond Dogs: “…just another future song, lonely little kitsch.”
“When I first started writing the lyrics for “Monster”, it was mostly about how I can get easily frustrated and overwhelmed, and turn into something ugly. I’m not proud of it, but it’s accurate. But the more the song took shape, it became about how divided the world is right now, and how easily people turn on others. Just look at the comments section of any article or social media post, and you’ll see exactly what I mean. It’s a divisive time, and we’re seeing the worst in people. Even ourselves.
TUTV: Fasten your seatbelt for this monstrous missile going everywhere fast.
A post-punk belter that resonates like L.A.’s celebrated AmazonsL7 on speed.
No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes. Like a high-speed train that can derail anytime. Lonely Little Kitsch steamroll, backed by multi-layered guitar-charged forcefulness, a ruthless rhythm section and Kristen Goetz‘s tempting vocals. Don’t run away for this maddening monster, it’ll make your ears go bonkers.
