The Manic Boys And Girls Club

TURN UP THE VOLUME’s 25 Best Tracks Of 2023… So Far

Posted on by JL

Time flies. We already have six months of 2023 behind us.

Six months of listening every day to music, bad/good, very good and 24 Carat Gold.
It was hard to make a selection of the 25 most impressive pieces. But we did it.

Turn Up The Volume’s 25 Best Tracks Of 2023… So Far
Right here, right now.

ALL TOGETHER


.
TRACK BY TRACK

1. ‘Lads Lads Lads’ by LAMBRINI GIRLS (UK)

These Brighton punk feminists are MENTAL and AWESOME.

They released Turn Up The Volume‘s best EP of 2023 (so far), named You’re Welcome
a couple of weeks ago. And one of the 6 Molotov cocktails on it is this in your-macho-face sucker-punch. The Lambrini girls race faster than a Ferrari bolide. Best band in the world!

Halle-fucking-lujah

________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ‘This Just Ain’t My Year’ by 32 TENS

A vigorous young trio from the UK. On this turbulent ripsnorter, it’s full tilt ahead
from the get-go. No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes. A whirlwind of scorching guitars,
pounding drumming, a revolving bass line somewhere in the middle, go-getting vocals
and a dynamite refrain. This is gonna be the year for 32 TENS.

Here’s why.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ‘Gorilla Guerilla’ by MANTRA OF THE COSMOS (UK)

This brand-new supergroup features Shaun Ryder & 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 and who actually came up with this project’s idea and describes it as “a fantastic psychedelic groove from a band of misfits, outsiders and innovators.”

Whatever, this first single is a Booming Blast!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ‘Right Wing Beast’ by SLEAFORD MODS (UK)

Hip-shaking-hop highlight from the waterfall-punk-rap duo’s 12th LP UK GRIM.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ‘Freedom’ by CHIC CHOC (NYC)

It’s an incredible shame that women still have to fight for so many fundamental rights.
It’s bloody 2023 and so much female injustice is still a reality. So, it’s great that female artists get up, stand up and fight for their right to tackle this human disease.

Chic Choc do it right away on their fantastic debut single. An electronic-booming EBM knockout to fill dance floors with. Boosting beats, catching chorus, sensuous vocals and
a protesting choir, lead to a sassy stunner. Bang-on. Le freak, c’est chic choc.

Freedom for every woman on the planet. NOW!


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

6.’Beefcake Doctrine’ by CHUM (London, UK)

This 4-piece post-punk from London launched their
kick-ass debut LP Metaphysical earlier this year.

Beefcake Doctrine is driven by repetitive Krautrock dynamics.
Its trance-inducing beats create a hypnotic and puzzling razzmatazz
you can’t and you won’t escape from.

Touchdown!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. ‘Riverstone’ by DITZ (Brighton, UK)

After scoring the best debut LP – to TUTV’s ears – of 2023
The Great Regression, followed by a live album, they just
dropped this brain-frying hammer blow.

An electric chair experience.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. ‘Lose My Mind’ by THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB (Canada)

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 ‘Lose Your Mind‘ is the matching master blaster to double your adrenalin production.

Sheer euphoria.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. ‘Bullet Man’ by PARIS TEXAS (Los Angeles)

On this slam hip-hop dunk the duo condemn the US’s mass shootings of late in a cynical loud-and-clear way The rip-roaring rappers pretend to be murderous shooters firing at everyone and everything. Bulletman is a devastating drill, a boiling burst that cuts like a first-class Swiss knife.

Shoot.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. ‘Set Yourself On Fire’ by ULTRA SUNN (Brussels, Belgium)

Once again this cold/darkwave duo – Sam Huge and Gaelle Souflet – shine in the darkness. The rapturous chorus hits you from the first spin. Resounding beats, entranced synths, and echoing vocals combine for another triumph.

Shake your booty.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. ‘Your Death Is My Glory’ by CAMLANN (Indonesia)

A human-caring dark-disco duo Ony Godfrey and Fauzan Pratama from Indonesia.

Their newest single is a catchy-as-hell injection that accelerates your bloodstream.
An irresistible stomper to jump up and down like crazy while giving the middle
finger to all power-greedy politicians.

Score!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. ‘Lipstick’ by GHOST FETISH (Seattle)

What a way to debut! Expect a glorious nightclub gem with a synth-tantalizing vibe reminiscent of the starry-eyed sparks of British electro-pop heroes New Order. Lipstick
is both a sensuous and affectional tune with gripping vocals up front and melancholic
ones in the back.

Top!


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. ‘Prophecy Of The Dragon’ by THE VOIDZ (NYC)

Julian Casablancas, the voice/face of The Strokes returns with his hobby band.

Their new single is a flabbergasting metallic corker. 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 track.

Blimey.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

14. ‘What If?’ by QUIZ SHOW (Montclair, NJ)

This noizzzz jackhammer from their self-titled debut LP rocks and rolls with panache. Expect ablaze guitars buzzing in a slow/fast mode and turning up the volume, especially
on the yell-along refrain. Legends Hüsker Dü come to mind. Say no more.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

15. ‘Heart On‘ by 2LIBRAS (Seattle)

It’s the second single off of the upcoming debut album World’s End of this cyber-synth duo.

Heart On is an arousing mid-tempo groover. Both spicy and funky, shadowy and seductive, lustful and provocative with hypnotizing vocals. Its slow-mo synth-bass beat crawls under your skin from the kick-off and progresses steadily towards your restlessly pounding heart.

Groovy.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

16. ‘Night Time’ by BROKEN RECORDS (Scotland)

The first single from their new, 5th full-length,
named The Dreamless Sleep Of The 1990s.

Night Time is an ecstatic, awe-inspiring, and anthemic thrill. It has that engrossing and
afire rock swagger of Bruce Springsteen‘s melancholic Americana exploits, it’s infused with
The Edge-like guitar sparks and frontman Sutherland‘s ardent signing is a perfect match for this soul-stirring pearl.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

17. ‘Spellbinding’ by THE SMASHING PUMPKINS (US)

Billy Corgan and his combo released a rock
opera opus titled Atum: In Three Acts.

A total of 33 tracks which I reduced to a great 12-song album.

One of those 12 cuts is this flaming synth-induced haymaker.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

18. ‘Cars’ by Artists: LUNAR TWIN (Hawai/Salt Lake City)

This electro-pop duo scored an excellent album with Aurora last April.
A 30-minute sonic trip, an ambient fantasy with trancy vibrations, ataractic
effects, and near-whispering vocals.

Cars is my favorite piece. Electrifying dream pop
at its mesmerizing best with sparkling guitar play.

Home run.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

19. HRT by Band: I, DORIS (London)

This colorful collective criticize the disastrous state of health care, with the government ignoring the life-risking problems, in England with a sickly sticky riot grrrl pop tune that activates your limbs instantly.

Think Debbie Harry and Blondie playing around on their debut LP. Vibey and briskly. Frolicsome 60s organ touches, lively guitars here and there, and avid vocals.

Applause.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

20. ‘From The Start’ by LOST IN JAPAN (Canada)

The band’s new punchy stroke jumps up and down in your head and elevates your mood from the start. It’s a contagious foot-stamper with a poppy chorus vibe inviting you to play air guitar and sing along with all the force your lungs can come up with.

Wowzers!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

21. ‘Los Angeles: City Of Death’ by SWANS (NYC)

Capricious mastermind Michael Gira and his combo around for
a long time now, actually since 1982. But they still deliver impressive
goods.

New LP The Beggar is a mind-fucking feat.

And this grand jam is an ongoing, repetitive psych drone, with
saw-edged guitars Gira‘s poignant vocals adding a creepy
touch.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

22. ‘Sinatra Drive Breakdown’ by YO LA TENGO (Hoboken, NJ)

A notable psychedelic trip by the lauded indie veterans who released
one of their best longplayers (17 in total) with This Stupid World.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

23. ‘Dead And Over’ by DOWN THE LEES (Canada)

The first new music in three years from the post-punk-rock project of singer-songwriter-guitarist Laura Lee Schultz. The composition captures the raw emotions of sadness, frustration, and anxiety that permeated throughout the years since the pandemic began.

The track’s ominous mid-tempo progression and swelling structure advancing over
an ongoing hypnotic guitar riff send shivers down your spine. Second by second, like
a nervously ticking clock, the sonic poignancy and heartfelt fervidness grow with exuberance and magnitude until Schutlz’s monumental vocals go through the roof.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

24. ‘Why Did You Go?’ by CHVRLI BLVCK (London)

This is an emotive post-break-up pearl. Heartfelt reflections embedded in
a goosebump musing that resonates like a bittersweet symphony. This British
singer-songwriter’s highly passionate vox reminds me of Antony Hegarty‘s sensitive ardency. The whole-souled tristesse and mixed emotions at play here make you
silent.

Tune in.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

25. ‘A Little Bit’ by MILES FROM NOWHERE (Hamilton, Ontario)

This is the artistic moniker of Canadian songsmith Miles Evans-Branagh. He signed for
one of this year’s best albums, so far, with Slow Down. Eight musings. Eight engrossing compositions with one and the same message: get high on life with love. Craftily written, subtly arranged, and graciously orchestrated with intimate, soulful charm and stylish elegance that moves and touches.

Opener A Little Bit is one of those 8 affecting reveries.


.

TURN UP THE VOLUME’s 20 BEST TRACKS – MAY 2023

Posted on by JL

The best of the best of the month

ALL TOGETHER
on Spotify.


.
TRACK BY TRACK

1. ‘Boys In The Band’ by LAMBRINI GIRLS (Brighton, UK)

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.

Holy Lambrini smoke.

BEST BAND IN THE WORLD!


.
________________________________________________________________

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.

YES!


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ‘Lose My Mind’ by THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB (Canada)


Photo credit: Iman Qasemi

“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.

Hit the night.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ‘Prophecy Of The Dragon’ by THE VOIDZ (US)


(Press image)

The Strokes‘ frontman Julian Casablancas and 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.

Blimey.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ‘Divide’ by DRELLA (Bradford, UK)


Beware, they only look nice

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.

This is Drella‘s generation.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. ‘Bogus Operandi’ by THE HIVES (Sweden)

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.

Wham bam.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. ‘Chastity’ by PUSSY RIOT feat. Boys Noize and Alice Glass

Expect a techno speedball with the
ferocious force of a drilling hammer.

Press play.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. ‘Emotion Sickness’ by QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE (Los Angeles)

The Queens, orchestrated by by mastermind Josh Homme have canned
their 8th LP. It’s titled In Times New Roman… They’ll launch it on June 16.

First single Emotion Sickness is a hammering and riff-rolling corker.
QUOTSA by numbers, but I like their numbers.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. ‘In Lieu Of Failure’ by THE SMASHING PUMKINGS (Chicago, US)

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 is one of the 12 gems.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. ‘Monster’ by LONELY LITTLE KITSH (Canada)

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 Amazons L7 on speed.

Fasten your seatbelt.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. ‘Three Hours’ by JOHN PARISH & ALDOUS HARDING (UK/New Zealand)


(Photo by Michelle Henning)

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

Top!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. ‘Depression Breakfast’ by JAPANESE JESUS (Ireland)

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.

“Depression breakfast
Cry in your cereal”


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. ‘Spinning Plates’ by CHARLOTTE CARPENTER (UK)


(Photo by Fraser West )

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.

Watch.
Listen.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

14. ‘Stand For Something’ by INFINITE SONIC (Columbia)

“Born in Bogotá. Built to be Global.”

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.

You too.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

15. ‘Won’t Let You’ by LOST IN JAPAN (Canada)

“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.

Today London, tomorrow the whole of Canada.


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

16. ‘Bricks’ by BY FAR (Belgium)

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.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

17. ‘Rango’ by SCARS FOR DAVID (Belgium)


(Promo pic)

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.

Tune in.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

18. ‘The Lender’ by TRISTAN ARMSTRONG (Toronto, CA)

“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.

Press play.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Check in.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

20. ‘I Thought I Understood’ by THE UNDERGROUND YOUTH (UK)

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.

Watch/listen.

THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB Pump Up The Jam With Their New Ecstatic Single ‘LOSE MY MIND’

Posted on by JL

Daily electrcicity to load your batteries

18 May 2023


Photo credit: Iman Qasemi

Band: THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
Who: The musical project of Canadian siblings Bela and Fernando Ferreira, born out of a desire to escape from the mundane, and instead, form a refuge for misfits. After being raised strict Catholics and shipped off to Portugal to live with their grandmother–a former nun–the siblings decided to run the other way, and refuse to become submissive and apathetic, like a modern-day Bonnie & Clyde.

New single: LOSE MY MIND

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. Ferreira used the first guitar his parents ever bought him on this track.

Ferreira (vocals/guitar): “The track is inspired by the nights we just wanna tune the world out. The times we need to escape reality. Not try to find yourself, not figure life out, not think about tomorrow. It’s about walking into the moments that turn into the nights we never forget.” Plus, as a touching callback to his youth, Ferreira used the first guitar his parents ever bought him on this track.”

The accompanying video, directed by Ernie Vasquez and produced by
Gustavo Lopez, follows the duo on a crazy, vibrant night out in Las Vegas.

TUTV: 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 ‘Lose Your Mind‘ is the
matching master blaster to double your adrenalin production an make you feel
flying eight miles high while you jump from bar to bar, from club to club.

It’s sheer sonic euphoria.

The siblings’ vivid duet vocals inject this flamboyant power-pop corker with rapturous
juice all the way through and blow you away when their elated voices reach for the sky when the ablaze chorus comes on. Wow! Double Wow!

Pump up the jam to the max, open your windows and doors and
get together in the streets to party like it’s 1999 all over again.

Right here.
Right now.

Facebook – Instagram

.

THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB Send Shivers Down Your Spine With Tense Discharge ‘WE’LL BE FINE’

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

29 March 2023


Photo credit: Mark Maryanovich

Band: THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
Who: The musical project of Canadian siblings Bela and Fernando Ferreira, born out of a desire to escape from the mundane, and instead, form a refuge for misfits. After being raised strict Catholics and shipped off to Portugal to live with their grandmother–a former nun–the siblings decided to run the other way, and refuse to become submissive and apathetic, like a modern-day Bonnie & Clyde.

New single: WE’LL BE FINE

The first shared piece of the duo’s upcoming,
self-titled 5-track debut EP, out on 13 July.

Fernando about the song: “We all live with the mistakes we’ve made. Maybe the tattoo you regret, the relationship you should have never been in, the words you should have said, what you should have not said, or maybe the time we’ve wasted. He continues,”‘We’ll Be Fine’ is about letting go of all of those things. I really believe that even when nothing around us makes sense, and as much of a mess as life may seem at times, for whatever reason, we are exactly where we are meant to be. There is a plan for us all.”


Beware, Bonnie & Clyde are coming your way (Photo credit: Mark Maryanovich)

TUTV: We’ll Be Fine is an arresting and bloodcurdling discharge that focuses on the aftermath of a painful relation-breakup. Slowly but surely the sensitive forcefulness and the tense emotions at play drag you into this absorbing, mid-tempo cry-out with Bela Ferreira‘s sky-scraping vocals sending shivers down your spine when the heart-and-soul stirring chorus comes up. The orchestrated musical progression emphasizes the melodrama of this sterling composition just perfectly. A prime score!

The eye-catching, accompanying video clip, directed by Ernie Vasquez, follows a man who decides to walk away from his mundane life in search of something greater. Unbound to
a nine-to-five job, he attempts to truly discover freedom and independence.

Watch/listen.

Als streaming on Spotify.

.
Facebook – Instagram

Turn Up The Volume’s 20 KNOCKOUT TRACKS Of The Month – OCTOBER 2021

Posted on by JL

Turn Up The Volume‘s 20 Knockout Tracks for October 2021!
A stream of rattling rippers, jagged jams and romantic reveries.

All together on Spotify…

.
All knockouts, one by one…

‘Magic Medicine’ by DEAP VALLY (California)

After 10 years the sisters in arms want to inject their bond with new musical challenges
to keep their marriage alive and kicking (they’ll be always alive and kicking anyway).

Their new LP called, yes, Marriage and lands on 12 November.

The first taster is a slo-mo synth-vaccinated groove with Lindsey Troy‘s fully charged
guitars all over it and Julie Edwards, as usual taking care of the solid backbone drum
beat. Troy‘s vocals and Edwards echoing voice in the back give the song an extra thrill.

Takeyour medicine here…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Black Widow Spider’ by PARQUET COURTS (Texas / New York)

Last week the wayward Parquet Courts unleashed their 7th album, titled
Sympathy For Life. One of the many highlights is Black Widow Spider.

A sticky head-spinning rocker.

Turn it up, folks…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Faze Out’ by JAMES DOMESTIC (UK)

Expect a slash and trash jackhammer, an angry
spit and sneer storm, a Sturm und Drang uppercut.

143 seconds of furious frustration is what you get. Retro organs
clatter like if a nightmare is just around the corner, but Domestic
thunders like he’s a determined survivor who will not go down
just like that.

Join the wild ride…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Better Than Life’ by GLASS SANDS (London, UK)

I listened to the title track of this London-based singer/songwriter’s new album
about 50 times, so far. It’s a guitar-driven riff-hook-and-lick standout that cuts like
a new Swiss knife with feverish and heartfelt vocals amplifying the dumbfounded
chorus. Holy smoke.

Press play, it’s better than life…


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Pennsylvania by JESSE STONE (Montreal, CA)

The rock ‘n roll swagger of Eddie Cochran, the surf guitar electricity
of Link Wray, and the fervent fire of Bo Diddley. Get the punchy
picture? This rollin’ razzle-dazzle riffage will boost your mood.

Get up and twirl yourself dizzy

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Staying Here’ by ACTING STRANGE (Scotland)

Stadium rockers The Killers will nod their heads in praise
when they hear this Scottish duo new excellent album
Staying Here.

The title track is a sassy stonker, a glam-synth-bam
banger with a relentless beat and vivacious vocals.
Top cut!

Feel the vibe…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Wild Flowers’ by WARMDUSCHER (London, UK)

London’s funk-punk gang is gearing up
for their big breakthrough album.

This first taster is a trippy bass-driven disco groove you can sway
your hips to in the morning while waking up, in the evening while
getting drunk, and during the day when you’re getting bored.

Fucktastic…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Dad Vibes’ by LIMP BIZKIT (Florida)

I never really liked Limp Bizkit. They wanted
to be the white Rage Against The Machine
and jumped on every crossover bandwagon.

But hey, this new single made my ears flap like crazy.
After all these years I clap for Fred Durst & co.

Rap it up, Fred…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Butterfly Room’ by SHATTERCONES (London)

This fulminating sucker-punch tackles the Brexit Apocalypse with
a raging force and poignant frustration. Watch your back, Bojo!

It comes from their staggering 4-track EP This Septic Isle.

Release the bats…


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Blacked Out‘ by THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB (Toronto, CA)

When surreality becomes reality cry outs like these pop up to translate
alienated feelings that dominate your daily life. This club of two decided
to embed their frustration into a swirling dance stunner for our doomed
generation.

Pithy, peppery, and a blacked-out chorus that sticks as primo glue.
Add glamorous vocals and a glittering full-on wall-of-sound and the
final result is a supersonic stunner.

Here’s why…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘It’s Critical’ by SAVING JACKIE (San Antonio, Texas)

The heated rap-rock gang from San Antonio launched
a video for the title track of their debut album.

The clip is a clear-cut message regarding life-threatening diseases.
Flamboyant frontwoman Jenny 4C Ramirez emphasizes the fight
for your life bravery while making your blood stream faster through
your veins.

Bang your head here…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Chaos Space Marine’ by BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD (London)

These young gunslingers rushed to indie stardom with their ace
jazz and prog-rock influenced debut LP For The First Time.

Isaac Wood (frontman) about this brand new song: “it’s the best song we’ve ever
written. We threw in every idea anyone had with that song. So the making of it was
a really fast, whimsical approach – like throwing all the shit at the wall and just
letting everything stick.”

I smell great shit…


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Medicine’ by SLEEPSHAKE (Canada)

A blazing rock slam about the desperate need for stable emotional stimulation.
Blustering guitars, flurried synths, hot-blooded vocals, a discharging chorus, and somewhere in the middle a thunder and lighting guitar solo to electrocute all your
mind-destroying demons. Every time you take this medicine, you’ll get a kick out of it.

If you like British turbo Royal Blood
you’ll go berserk to this cracker too.

Yeahhhhh…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘The Met’ by COLATURA (Brooklyn, NY)

Instantly effective pop tunes like these make me smile
from left to right and back. Shiny guitars with shoegazy
sparks, a dizzy-making rhythm, happy-go-lucky sentiments,
and seducing vocals. A song that would turn Taylor Swift
into an indie star.

Check it out…


.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Count The Death’ by THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA: (London)

A crystal-clear structured protest against greedy political sharks and
megalomaniac charlatans oppressing people for their own devastating
agendas. Again Manimal and Samara show how to fuse poignant poetry
and versatile metal genres.

Manimal and Samara are sonic architects.

Follow their path here…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Blood Moon’ by CONVERGE and CHELSEA WOLFE (USA)

The fab goth-metal gang made an album with goth heroine Chelsea Wolfe
and Cave In‘s Stephen Brodsky. The LP, titled Bloodmoon: I will soundtrack
our nightmares from November 19 on.

Here comes the first piece Blood Moon. A classic mix of deafening bombast,
theatrical doom and gloom, barking voices (except for Chelsea of course), and
hardcore torment. A perfect Halloween monster.

Your Halloween starts here…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Wanna See’ by HANNYA WHITE (London, UK)

White continues her sound-exploring search. Here she fuses
symphonic instrumentation with deep-bass-resonating synth
turbulence. Trippy, dissonant, and even claustrophobic when
short fragments of White‘s restless breathing emerge somewhere
in there.

The ongoing pizzicato violin play adds both an airy and eerie timbre.
I have no idea what the totally silent outro with some echoes of (what
seems to be) firecrackers in the very end, is about. What I do know is
that the first thought that crossed my mind when hearing this, was:
Aphex Twin is back, in disguise.

Stream/buy ‘Wanna See’ here…


.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Nightmare Pills’ by EX-HYENA

Pretty quick into the song the early days of electronic
British legends Human League and Baxter Dury‘s synth
pop sensuality (especially the female voices) popped up
on my stereo in my head.

It sounds as if this Boston tandem warns us of Big Brother’s ambition to brainwash humankind with mind-altering chemicals with this darksome, yet instantly striking
electro jam. Haunting, feverish, and gloomy are the keywords here. Best played at
night while being dazed and confused by the surreal times we experience the past
18 months.

.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘The Beachland Ballroom’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)

A new album is canned and sees
the day of light on 12 November.

The lead single is “an honest-to-goodness
soul song named after the iconic Ohio venue.”

Expect the slower side of Idles with hefty eruptions now
and then and frontman Joe Talbot‘s blood cooking.

Feel the heat…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Slow Down’ by MOONWOOD (Sydney)

It’s been a while since I heard an epic belter that evokes
an image on the screen in my head of a massive stadium
filled with a sea of people holding their phones up with
shining lights and scream at the top of their lungs.

This powerful love ballad will
trigger your romantic side…

.
See/hear you next month, music junkies…

Anthem For Our Doomed Generation – THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB Unleashed Knockout… ‘BLACKED OUT’

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

19 October 2021

Band: THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
Who: Indie siblings, Bela and Fernando Ferrieira,
from Toronto, Canada

“Raised strict Catholics, children of immigrant parents, and sent away
to live in rural Portugal with their grandmother — who had previously
been a nun — The Manic Boys and Girls Club is more than a band. It
is an escape from the submissive existence that was reality, an escape
from the disposable music packaged for the masses, and an escape
for any misfit looking to join the club.”

New single: BLACKED OUT

“A cry for help disguised as an upbeat dance floor banger. We’re lost,
overmedicated, depressed, and hiding behind bathroom selfies, late
nights, and lip gloss.”

Turn Up The Volume: When surreality becomes reality cry outs like these
pop up to translate alienated feelings that dominate your daily life. This club
of two decided to embed their frustration into a swirling dance stunner for our
doomed generation. Pithy, punchy, and a catching chorus that sticks as primo
glue. Add glamorous vocals and a glittering, full-on wall-of-sound and the final
result is an instant knockout stroke.

Last night I blacked out
It’s all I can do to forget about
Back home, back then
And all the things that I haven’t found
I miss the place where I grew up
I miss the ones that I love
Last night I blacked out
It happens more than I talk about it

THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB: Facebok

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN – 7 New Firecrackers Week 39

Posted on by JL

Every week Turn Up The Volume picks 7 new
firecrackers that burned his ears the past 7 days

‘Truck Songs’ by ANGEL DU$T (Baltimore)

Hardcore noiseniks Angel Du$t mellowed their sound a bit lately,
but still kick-ass, like here with the title track of upcoming album
A Collection Of Truck Songs, out 29th October.

Tripp(songwriter): “This is one of my favorite recordings of a song that
I’ve written. Plus, all my best homies got all up in this track’s ass and sent
it home. Was listening to Tom Petty a grip. If you don’t know who that is
check him out, I guess.”

Start the fire…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Blood Moon’ by CONVERGE and CHELSEA WOLFE (USA)

The hardcore legends announced a new LP
featuring Goth heroine Chelsea Wolfe.

Lead-single Blood Moon sounds like an astonishing harbinger for
what is to come. It’s a disturbing, confusing, and flabbergasting
slam dunk.

Turn it up here…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘The Beachland Ballroom’ by IDLES (Bristol, UK)

New album Crawler, out 12th November.

Expect the slower side of Idles with hefty eruptions now
and then and frontman Joe Talbot‘s blood cooking…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘7000 HOURS’ by THE CHELSEA CURVE (Boston)

With the snarl of the punk scene and the swagger of the mods,
The Chelsea Curve often earn comparisons to The Pretenders and
Husker Du (personal favorites of the trio). On their new single, the
band shows a deeper emotional side, setting a lovely mood of
autumnal longing.

Expect a twinkling tune that gets under your skin without asking.
Repeat buttons were invented for catchy corkers like these.

Start feeling good here…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Text The Dead’ by ACTIVITY

The New York-based rockers’ new single is about broken-heartedness,
mournfulness and sadness following the passing of one of the most
beloved and closest person we all have, our mother.

Travis Johnson (the band’s songwriter) about the song: “My mom passed
away in February. I still can’t process it honestly… I was going through old stuff
and found it and started singing the verse melody. Then we all added our parts
and subtracted others, etc. It’s not a very ‘live’ song but we all came together
on it still.”

Text The Dead is a disturbing, confusing, strangely
infectious, and fascinating grief processing song…

Listen/watch here…

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Write A List of Things To Look Forward To’ by COURTNEY BARNETT

The wonderful singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett from down under,
unleashes her new longplayer Things Take Time, Take Time

Barnett: “It’s a song about darkness but also about friendship. I found
a deeper communication with people in my life — deeper conversations.
And a new level of gratitude for friendships that had been there for so
long that I had maybe taken for granted.”

Listen up…

COURTNEY BARNET: Facebook

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Blackouted’ by THE MANIC BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

Besides having a great band name these siblings from Toronto score big time with their new steaming single. A song “about what hides behind the smiles for social media. It can be described as a cry for help, disguised as an upbeat dance floor banger.”

Pithy, swirling, and as sticky as first-class glue. Add glamorous vocals and a glittering, full-on wall-of-electrical sound and the final result is an instant hit.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘Troubles A’ Comin’ by THE ROLLING STONES

The imperishable Stones have shared a previously unreleased cover of ‘Troubles A’ Comin’, a golden oldie hit of American soul legends The Chi-Lites. The song will feature on the upcoming 40th-anniversary reissue of their Tattoo You LP.

Here we go…

See/hear you next week, music junkies…