Ollie Judge (vocalist and drummer): “It’s a punky tune that came together quite easily but we felt dissatisfied with that ease and decided to record it as a 15 minute jam, rip it apart and tape it back together. Lyrically, it was inspired by the dystopian worlds of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and Kay Dick’s They, worlds which everyday people succumb to mass censorship and propaganda with only a small amount of people willing to fight against it.”
Brighton‘s indie stars SQUID hit the bullseye immediately with their debut LP Bright Green Field that came out in 2021 and went Top-5 in the UK and with
their sophomore album O Monolith they doubled their fanbase.
And here’s longplayer number three, named COWARDS.
New album artwork – Design by Ben Sifel / Photography by Tonje Tielsen.
Press info: “Cowards is about evil. Nine stories whose protagonists reckon with cults, charisma and apathy. Real and imagined characters wading into the dark ocean between right and wrong. It’s Squid’s most courageous album: simultaneously growing in scope
and returning to basics.”
Stereogum says: “Cowards marks Squid’s third album in just under four years and,
ike many of their contemporaries awkwardly lumped together under the “post-punk
revival,” they continue to restlessly mutate far beyond the signifiers of their original breakthrough sound.
The songwriting and lyricism alike sharpen to get to the guts of things, capturing an illness at the heart of the world that only seems to have metastasized during the years the band has been chronicling it. On Cowards, the band’s world and sound alike open up. It feels as if their story is just getting started.”
TUTV: Squid resonate like a volcano in motion with boiling lava streaming
in every direction. Always pressure, tension and danger in the air, but no
explosions. Always eldritch, sinister and wicked, but never soul-destroying.
They easily could be family of The Murder Capital. In the end I’m left behind
with mixed emotions about Cowards.
Singles: Crispy Skin / Building 650 / Cro-Magnon Man
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 that matters.
For a couple of years now TUTV added 10 new tracks every 7 days.
This year we will put 5 new ones in the Jukebox twice a week.
ALL TOGETHER
.
The 5 fresh ones. TRACK BY TRACK
Band: LEATHERETTE Who: Buzzing indie
trio from Italy.
It’s a cathartic breakup song, blending the raw energy of post-punk with the angular charm of new wave. Written from the perspective of an inept and creepy protagonist, the track navigates the emotional chaos of a crumbling relationship, where frustration, anger, and reluctant self-realization collide.
Indie guitar pop/rock at its piercing best.
Both unbridled and melodic, soundtracking
barbed emotions. Bone-chilling whack.
Band: MOB WIFE Who: Irish noiseniks who entered the scene back in 2018 and who draw influences from the American underground by way of Metz, Fugazi, Protomartyr and of course, Kiss. They released their debut LP Eat With Your Ears in 2022.
Rollin’ bass, hyperkinetic guitar riffage,
agitated vocals, aggressive progression.
Grim post-punk turbulence that cuts right
through the flesh. Clobbering knockout.
Joe (singer): “When facing the massive and seemingly unchangeable task of trying to
change our failing political systems, people can understandably feel totally powerless in
their already struggling lives. An easier way is to shy away from it or, worse, resort to blaming migrants, trans people and climate policy for the issues that repeatedly arise in our society. This song is essentially about how people come to explain away the harm they see and do in their lives, be it economically, socially or both.”
Early The Fall turmoil echoes.
Razorblade tension in the air accentuated
by vitriolic guitars, flustered percussion and
upset vocals. To hell with hate preachers.
Cracking stuff.
Brighton‘s rackety indie stars SQUID hit the bullseye immediately with their debut LP Bright Green Field that came out in 2021 and went Top-5 in the UK and with their sophomore album O Monolith they tripled their fanbase.
New album artwork – Design by Ben Sifel / Photography by Tonje Tielsen.
They will even enlarge their huge following with album #3 baptized Cowards. It’ll come our way on 7 February 2025. More info here.
Following steamed-up first single Crispy Skin
they throw a second preview to our ears.
Ollie Judge (singer/drummer) about BUILDING 650 on the single.“It’s a song inspired
by our first ever trip to Japan. On the plane I read in the Miso Soup by Ryu Murikami and watched Lost in Translation out of excitement and later decided to write lyrics about being
an outsider visiting Japan, including a very particular type of loneliness one can feel visiting a country that is so different from their own. This loneliness feels exaggerated in Tokyo, on the surface it’s hectic and full of people but when you listen, it’s eerily quiet.”
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.
FULL JUKEBOX (so far)
.
The 10 new ones added this week
TRACK-BY-TRACK
Band: GETDOWN SERVICES Who: Two flamboyant
weirdos from Bristol, UK.
Dog Dribble operates somewhere between Yard Act and Sleaford Mods.
Its limbs-activating groove is simply irresistible. Get up, stand up, and fight
for your right to move in mysterious ways.
Band: PALES Who: Indie combo from Strasbourg, France.
Track: PIECE OF MEAT
Reminiscent of the best of the ’90s (Sonic Youth, The Breeders, Fugazi) while aligning with the new wave of post-punk and noise rock, Pales immerses us in a frenetic and visceral universe, sketching out the contours of their upcoming EP set for release in early 2025.
Following a long, sensuous spoken word foreplay, Piece Of Meat erupts brutally
midway and starts repeating this breathtaking process for a second time heading
to an abrupt finish. Hypnotic and bone-chilling. Awesome delivery.
First shared piece from upcoming album #3
baptized Cowards. It’ll come our way on
7 February 2025.
A bouncy and sprightly affair with its frisky piano touches, bass dynamics, but it’s the anxious vocals that set the tone. Drummer/vocalist Ollie Judge says the song is about cannibalism. Sure, why not? This is tasty stuff
Band: INFADER Who: 4-piece from Antwerp, Belgium. They skillfully combine influences from
the early 2000s with principles from classical music in a powerful, modern rock
sound. Think Muse, Dead Poet Society en Triggerfinger.
Track: HIGH & LOW
First cut from the upcoming new EP named
‘Desperately Average‘, out 21 February 2025.
High & Low is a robust slice of sharp-cutting guitar rock, embedded
in a both melodious and revved-up wall-of-sound. Splendid effort.
Play it loud. Turn it up.
Artist: BRANSON ANDERSON Who: Salt Lake City-based singer-songwriter whose music takes on major
influences from Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and the White Stripes to bring the
public something pleasantly unique.
Band: The Jesus Lizard
Who: Notorious noise rock
oldtimers from Austin, Texas.
Track: COST OF LIVING
An outtake of their recent
released comeback LP Rack.
Yow (songwriter/vocalist): “Simply because I wrote the words to ‘Cost Of Living’ doesn’t mean that I know exactly what it’s about. I think it has to do with the dread and self-loathing that addicts experience on a very regular basis. You can pick whichever type of addict you choose.”
Barded wire guitar hullabaloo.
Old skool racket, but efficient.
Following new incendiary album Darker White the trio fabricated this steaming shocker for an ‘adult animated steampunk action-adventure television series’ namedArcane: League of Legends.
Rabbit Hole is an invitation to explore life’s hidden corners, where desire and despair
often collide. The accompanying video clip immerses fans in distorted shadows and dramatic visuals, that perfectly mirrors the raw and introspective.
Expect a motorized riff-ripper
with a titanic fists in the air chorus.
Blazing blast.
Artist: SAM FENDER Who: British mega pop/rock star.
Track: PEOPLE WATCHING
It’s the first piece and title song of his upcoming,
3rd longplayer. It’ll land on 25 February 2025.
“A song about somebody that was like a surrogate mother to me and passed away last November. It’s kind of ironic because she was the one that gave me the confidence to go
on stage… now an entire song (and album) connects to her.”
The head-over-heels vocal vehemence at work here goes through the roof.
Band: NOVANOISE Who: Italy’s rising alternative
punk rock outfit.
Track: LEVELS
It’s a fresh blend of punchy punk rock riffs, bold synth lines, and the undeniable
energy of frontwoman Luna Esmeralda Rizzi. Known for their high-voltage performances and cyberpunk flair, Novanoise delivers a track that’s both defiant and uplifting.
A shout-out to staying connected in a chaotic world.
Levels is a high-voltage burst,
with biting vocals and a Herculean
powerhouse intensity.
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.
Check the 10 new rad tracks just
added to this rad 2023 playlist.
1. ‘Gorilla Guerilla’ by MANTRA OF THE COSMOS (UK)
The smoking punk-disco debut by new supergroup with Shaun Ryder
and Bez (Happy Mondays/Black Grape), Andy Bell (Ride/Oasis) and drummer Zak Starkey, yes Ringo‘s son, who played with Oasis and The Who among others.
Party time!
2. ‘Road To Joy’ by PETER GABRIEL (UK) Gabriel keeps on dropping singles from his upcoming i/o
(release date still unknown). This one is a funktatsic upper.
3. ‘Gilla Monster’ by KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD (Australia)
Dragonic slam dunk from the Aussies 24th LP in 13 years (!) out next Friday.
4. ‘Undergrowth’ by SQUID (Brighton, UK)
Top piece from the British post-punks’ second,
highly lauded, LP O Monolith.
5. ‘This Town’ by VALA (Manchester, UK) British gunslingers who infuse pop melodies and lyrics with indie riffs
and a nu-wave feel. On This Town – a bang-on cut from their debut EP I Love The Sound – the swagger of NYC’s darlings The Strokes‘ comes
to mind.
6. ‘They Live In My Head’ by BUSH TETRAS (NY)
Tense and feverish serpent of a track, going forth and back, from NYC’s
indie heroes BUSH TETRAS (1979–1983, 1995–1998, 2005–present). It’ll
feature on their new longplayer out, named Things I Put Together, landing on 23 July.
8. ‘Mine’ by CLAUDIA CAPPELLETTI
With this captivating vocal pearl, Italy-born songstress Cappelletti wants to inspire and unite all the people around the world to fight for the rights for women to live free from violence and discrimination, to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical.
9.‘I Inside The Old I Dying’ by PJ HARVEY (UK)
The title track – a mesmeric reverie – from PJ’s 10th LP,
coming up on 7 July.
10. ‘Otherworld’ by CELESTIAL NORTH (Scotland)
The life affirming and glorious dreamscape title track from this
compelling artist’s debut album Otherworld, out on the 7th of July.
Hit squad SQUIDfrom Brighton (sometimes I wonder if there are any people
in this seaside town who are NOT in a band) shared their 2nd full-length, named O MONOLITH with the world. It follows their brutal 2021 debut Bright Green Field.
Press info: “Teeming with melodic epiphanies and layered sounds, Squid’s second album O Monolith is a musical evocation of environment, domesticity and self-made folklore. Like its predecessor, 2021’s critically acclaimed, UK number 4 album Bright Green Field, it is dense and tricksy – but also more warm and characterful, with a meandering, questioning nature.
Expansive, evocative and hugely varied, O Monolith retains Squid’s restless, enigmatic
spirit, but it still holds surprises for those familiar with Bright Green Field. It’s a reflection of the outsized progression of a band always looking to the future. Like its namesake, O Monolith is vast and strange; alive with endless possible interpretations of its inner mysteries.”
NME says: “A monument to daring artistic growth… Their hungry curiosity, combined
with a desire to push their own boundaries, comes to fruition on ‘O Monolith’ to create
an album that is ripe for discovery across multiple listens.” Full review here. Score: 4/5.
TUTV: One thing is clear. Despite the overall critical praise and commercial success
of their debut Bright Green Field album, Squid didn’t want to play safe and copy/paste it. Mind you, the tense dynamics, sinewy gusto and emotional turmoil are still present, but
they explored other sound textures with a different musical mindset.
Final result: a more balanced record, a more euphonious approach without losing their
natural soul-and-spirit authenticity. As they say “It was a little bit in the direction of less
drone, more melody.” A bold, artistic triumph.
Singles/clips:The Blades / Bright Green Field / Swing (In A Dream)
Ollie Judge (drummer/vocalist): ‘Undergrowth’ was written from the perspective of
me being reincarnated as a bedside table in the afterlife, and how the thought of being reincarnated as an inanimate object would be dreadful. ‘This isn’t what I wanted/ So many options to be disappointed.’ Even though I’m in no way religious I don’t think anyone who
isn’t religious is confident enough to not have had the fleeting thought of ‘Fuck, what if
there is it an afterlife? What if I’m going to Hell?’”
Undergrowth moves like a snake in slow motion, anytime ready to attack.
Goosebumps tension all the way with Judge’s menacing vocals, flipped-out
guitars, and synths sounding like horns and vice versa, keeping you at the
front of your seat for 6.35 minutes.
