Canadian rockers, Dearly Beloved, are back after a two year interval since ‘Hawk Vs. Pigeon’; now, with a matured, heavier sound, their fourth album – ‘Enduro’- is set to blast your eardrums in all the right ways. After two years of extreme touring, playing every show offered to them, the hard work has now clearly paid off for Dearly Beloved: they’ve returned a better band than they’ve ever been.
Recorded at the infamous Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree, Enduro is a blast of punk-metal riffs with shades of old school rock ‘n’ roll that showcases just how far the band have come. Featuring input from Eagles Of Death Metal’s Dave Catching and Chris Goss of recent Sound City Players acclaim, Dearly Beloved’s latest creations certainly have that distinct ‘desert rock’ vibe.
Lead track, ‘Olympics Of No Regard’, is a relentless rock anthem filled with furious riffs, climatic beats and lashings of frenzied bass lines, reminiscent of all your favourite masters of the desert, but with a refreshingly new, tambourine-shaking energy. The perfect amalgamation of classic rock with a chaotic, punk-infused vigour; a song that will leave your head banging and fists clenched, ready to pack a punch or two!
‘Enduro’ is out on 9th June, via Aporia Records.
Formed in Cincinnati in 2001, Wussy combine classic alt-country sounds with ‘90s rock melodies, along with their own unique spin that make it impossible to pigeonhole them into one specific genre. New album, ‘Attica!’, offers an eclectic array of tracks, filled with nostalgic reflections about everything from fractured relationships to memories of their homeland.
Current single, ‘Teenage Wasteland’, whilst reminiscent of the likes of Sonic Youth, is a unique creation in its own right. Lead by Lisa Walker’s soulful Southern twang along with the resounding reverb of lap slide drones, it’s a beautifully reflective track filled with the heavenly harmonies of Walker and Chuck Cleaver and wonderfully nostalgic lyrics about the joy of discovering your favourite band – “Do you remember the moment you finally did something about it? When the kick of the drum lined up with the beat of your heart?” – , a sentiment I’m sure we can all relate to. And it is this sentiment, this relatable quality and truly heartfelt meanderings, that makes ‘Teenage Wasteland’ just so darn lovable.
Almost Springsteen-esque in its leanings towards Americana, ‘Teenage Wasteland’ is a twinkly, addictively pretty track that will have you hankering for the days when emotions were new and discoveries were plentiful. A truly lovely slice of what we can expect from the new album that is sure to inspire you to listen to the whole thing over and over.
If you’re into your electro-pop and are after the perfect accompaniment to this welcome heatwave, then look no further: Inky Jack offer soulful electronica capable of sweeping you off your feet to a sunny, intoxicating world of experimental beats and blurred genres.
New single, ‘Freedom’, is a unique offering, effectively fusing together elements of house beats and electronic melodies, as well as rock and punk, thus creating an authentic and trippy soundscape. An ethereal and chillingly ambient track that will sit perfectly alongside this sunshine.
Inky Jack’s forthcoming EP, ‘Infrared’, is due for release in the second week of June.
*Warning – this track contains excessive swearing and plenty of explicit content* And how refreshing that is to hear.
Nottingham duo, Sleaford Mods, are refreshing in every way. Standing out from the crowd with their “electronic munt minimalist punk-hop rants for the working class and under”, Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn have finally begun to make waves (six years after their formation) with their ability to deliver crude, succinct poetry that would appear to comment on the disillusioned state of, well, everything really…
The lead track from new album ‘Divide And Exit’, the aptly entitled ‘Tied Up In Nottz’ (“with a Z, cunt”), is a typically sardonic offering filled with witty cynicisms, ironic criticisms and bold statements set to a coarse, bass-heavy, electro backing track. Seemingly completely uninhibited and admirably brash, Williamson ‘rants’ about subjects ranging from ‘St George’s flag twats’ to dirty toilets, depicting the bleak state of things with more than a hint of tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, but mostly just genuine, exasperated, cathartic rage.
Whilst neither musically rich or technically advanced, the lyrically astute (Williamson has been likened to John Cooper Clarke more than once) and relentlessly real nature of ‘Tied Up In Nottz’ is overwhelmingly refreshing; a welcome outburst of rage that most are too cowardly to express, at a time when we need it the most. Neither from Sleaford nor fitting into the ‘Mod’ category, and probably hating every word of this pithy praise, Sleaford Mods are just what the doctor ordered.
‘Divide And Exit’ is out now via Harbinger Sound.
Mari Lane
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