New Choons: Savages - 'She Will'

As anybody who watches 'Later... With Jools Holland' (a UK live music performance TV show for the unknowing) knows, the show is known for giving certain lesser known bands their 'big break'. Yuck, Ellie Goulding, Villagers and UK indie champions Arctic Monkeys are all groups that owe the programme their first TV appearance. Sadly these days, the moments of mind expanding representation of understated artists seem few and far between as the show has taken more of a commercially pleasing line up of artists and the last series in particular had me slightly disenchanted. It was in October last year that I was enduring an especially mind numbing episode (featuring yawn-inducing scarecrows Mumford & Sons) in which Savages decided to slap the barnyard folk loving moms and blow Marcus Mumford's pathetic moustache off with their minacious and captivating first single "Husbands" featured on the double A side with the equally enthralling "Flying To Berlin".

Now we're in March and the female quartet from London have announced their forthcoming, May released album "Silence Yourself" and with it decided to stream a song taken from the much anticipated LP, "She Will". We're greeted with a reverberating and spacious guitar riff joined with disjointed drums and a gritty driven bassline that will get any Joy Division fans slobbering, a feat imitators like White Lies and Editors failed to achieve. "She will forget her name, she will come back again, get hooked on loving hard, forcing the slut out!" vocalist and all round badass, Jehnny Beth proclaims with intent. Whether its from personal experience or just casual observations that the frontwoman speaks it is delivered with such passion and intensity that really sells this band as a believable force rather than just an entertaining one (and believe me they entertain). Definitely more than the Siouxsie & The Banshees cover band they've been made out to be, "She Will" proves that Savages are a force to be reckoned with and an album less than two months away should be music to your ears. "She Will" will be available on the upcoming LP "Silence Yourself", available May 6th on Matador Records.

savagesband.com

New Choons: Loom - 'I Get A Taste'

Punk. Its almost a dirty word nowadays isn't it? With its constant rebrandings and sincerity often commercially raped, its difficult to truly call a band punk when to some people the word brings to mind Green Day, Blink 182 and Fall Out Boy (no disrespect to said bands) rather than Husker Du, Fugazi or even Sonic Youth. Loom however are a band that the word can unashamedly be plastered to without any uncertainty or disgrace. Bringing heaps of fuzz, energy and bombastic brutality that scream another word important to the genre (and all others theoretically), integrity.

"I Get A Taste", the bands most recent single, is a snarling beast of a track biting at the ankles of your inner Henry Rollins. It slips and slides managing the impressive feat of sounding edgy and smooth simultaneously with thundering drum rolls and scuzzy guitars galore. Singer Tarik Badwin (baby brother of The Horrors' Faris Badwin) is known for his onstage ferociousness and menacing death stare but is just as exciting a presence in audio alone. "When I see you around, when I see your face, I get a taste of what I'm missing" he growls threateningly in a manner akin to Mudhoney's Mark Arm. Its influences are obvious sure, take a pinch of The Jesus Lizard, and mix with a dash of Nirvana/Mudhoney and you're sitting at the band's dinner table. However, Loom are refreshing despite their bootlegging, bringing a unique modern twist to their music whilst sticking to their guns and staying integral and authentic by being the way they want to be. "I Get A Taste" is out March 25 (today!) on Hate Hate Hate Records with an EP expected to drop in Spring.

facebook.com/Loomband

Video: The Virgins - 'One Week Of Danger'

Ok, ok this is not a new video at all. I've just reviewed "Strike Gently" the new album from New York quartet The Virgins and it got me all nostalgic for this pre-loved dance punk track from the band's much different 2008 self-titled LP. I distinctly remember first acknowledging The Virgins in my living room on the once grand music channel MTV TWO (now the very lame MTV ROCKS) as "One Week Of Danger" caught my ear and eye. Being a moneyless 17 year old I'd most often go to youtube to hear the song. The video is a bit self indulgent with the band performing in the midst of full length mirrors. To be honest its all about the song for me, I just wanted an excuse to put it on the blog. The groovy garage rock track is one of those songs that brings back memories of drunken escapades with old friends basking in the much missed luxury of a life of no responsibility. If you haven't found yourself bopping around like a loser by the end of this song I'd check your pulse. Enjoy!

Review: The Virgins - 'Strike Gently'

As The Strokes gear to release their recently streamable fifth studio album "Comedown Machine" this coming monday (expect a review SOON), there's a lesser known group of snotty New York rich kids aching for your attention. The Virgins' self-titled debut, released in 2008, sprouted four sexily stomping singles including the band's 'hit' "Rich Girls", featured in Zac Efron's only good film "17 Again" (oh come on, its good! Shut up!), and my personal favourite, the funk fuckery of UK only release "One Week Of Danger". Despite these exemplary examples of disco garage/dance punk, the album fell a little short as a whole and the band received some unfair criticism relating to their privileged upbringing which in this writer's opinion should never get in the way of good music.

5 years on from "The Virgins" and the band have finally broken their silence. A departure from their major label Atlantic Records sees them signing to, the king of New York cool himself, Julian Casablancas' indie label Cult Records and the release of their long awaited second outing, "Strike Gently". A change in production is probably the immediately noticeable aspect of the record as the spick n span sound is replaced by an obvious lower fidelity recording. This however turns out to be a charm as the crackle and fizz works incredibly well to the band's favour. "Strike Gently" sounds like a dusty old LP from the record chest of your Dire Straits loving Dad. First track "Prima Materia" opens the door to a sound of yesteryear with delicate scuzzy guitar complementing wonderfully with singer Donald Cumming's (Yes, him with the antlers from that Fall Out Boy video) throatily delivered melodies. "Oh don't touch the radio, don't touch the radio, not while they're playing it" he howls within the reminiscing story of deep emotional attachment to an unnamed song. 

Cummings' seems to have matured both lyrically and musically on this record teaming some romantically poetic imagery to the versatile array of musicianship. Single "Flashbacks, Memories & Dreams" is a frenzy of funk rhythms whilst next track "Figure On The Ice" drifts softly along as sweetly as it's nostalgia ridden lyrics. Derision is perhaps slightly apparent on the record, as to be expected with a band with such deliberate aims to sound like they could have supported the likes of The Cars or Television. "Travel Express (From Me)", as well as following tracks "The Begger" and post punk ballad "Amelia", all have a bit of a Tom Petty vibe about them from groovy rock 'n' roll rhythms to the wondering guitar solos. Even Cumming's voice almost takes a sudden Southern tint. As well as this, the chorus of "Figure On The Ice" ends eerily similarly to that of Petty's wonder hit "American Girl", though they're not the first New York band to take influence from that song *cough* "Last Nite" *cough cough*.

Comparisons aside, "Strike Gently" hits the spot for those looking for a modern record that simultaneously feels like a blast from the past. Its familiarity is intentional and part of its charm. Had it been released within the time frame it replicates so accurately, theres nothing to say it couldn't have been a classic record of the post punk era. Fans of the band's first LP and its incredibly inviting disco punk may confuse the songwriting on this album for a more lackluster approach but don't be fooled. Once you look past the lower production and stop looking for pop hooks, the songs on here are just as vital and if anything, twice as inspired. If not, just give it to your folks. They'll really dig it.

"Strike Gently" is out NOW on Cult Records. Alternatively, you can listen to it here as it streams on soundcloud.

returnfromthevoid.com/_/The_Virgins

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Review: Peace - 'In Love'

Peace & love, rad.

The West Midlands is a funny place. Having lived in Wolverhampton all my life I can tell you excitement is few and far between. If a colour described it best it'd probably be grey. Not silver or chrome, grey. Recently however the grey skies have opened and a glorious rainbow has emerged in the shape of four fellas in leather jackets. Peace are a band bursting with colour, not just in their charity shop leopard print clothing but in their lusciously crafted baggy grunge pop songs and awesomely hectic live shows. The band herald from Digbeth in Birmingham and have been labelled as ringleaders of the recently hyped up scene (NME's new play thing) 'B-Town'.  They, along with groups like Swim Deep, JAWS, Troumaca and Wide Eyed (to name but a few), have managed to put the Birmingham and the surrounding areas back on the music map and have themselves become one of the UK's most promising indie stars. After last year's euphoric and widely adored EP "Delicious", the boys from Brum entered 2013 with single "Wraith" and a rerecording of the band's first single "Follow Baby", both tracks taken from their soon to be released debut album "In Love" that is now streaming via Peace adorers NME.

If "In Love" can be credited for one thing its most definitely catchy songs. The album in its entirety is an explosively melodic record that melts your heart like an ice cream on a summer day. Opening track "Higher Than The Sun" is as expansive as it is charming with youthful singer Harrison Koisser crooning "I'll take the jump, all I wanna know is how high?" as the band dives into a rhythmically spectacular collection of groovy drums, hypnotic bass and a particularly delicious riff from the band's long haired guitarist Doug Castle. This and follow-up "Follow Baby" start the album with an energetic and optimistic bang as Koisser furthers the band's brit-pop influenced hopefulness with the familiar phrase "we're gonna live forever (baby)".

Though excitingly refreshing, Peace have their brit-pop and grunge influences firmly planted on their sleeves it would seem. "Follow Baby" has hooks stolen straight from Nirvana's "Drain You" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" whilst "Sugarstone" sways along to an early Oasis feel and "Waste Of Paint" lends funky rhythms of The Stone Roses. Surprisingly however its not really an issue as it always feels like Peace, there are no carbon copies, only borrowed parts to make an all new model. The band's title comes into play as we are given detail of the mega highs and crushing lows of Koisser's experiences in love. These tones are reproduced efficiently and fittingly in the music with buzzing distortion and cutting major to minor chord changes conveying the cruel sting and bitter hurt in "Toxic" while the volatile chorus of "Wraith" matches the subject matter of hopeless longing. "Float Forever" and "California Daze" capture the band at their most gentle with soft melodies and carefully plucked arpeggios creating a heartbreaking atmosphere. 

For me the album's most deplorable trait is its somewhat underwhelming length. With only 10 tracks I find myself slightly unsatisfied as the final notes of closing track "California Daze" finish the album. The annoying thing is as well, this could be so easily solved. "Bloodshake" from the "Delicious" EP is a furiously stompy affair that could have added a further sparkle somewhere within the album. Or the superb "1998" could have been a more remarkable ending as it definitely was on the same EP clocking in at 10 minutes and 8 seconds on its own. Saying that, this album is far from disappointing. The songs are all incredibly well written and gorgeously intertwine with one another in a fashion that leaves you with an overall level of cheer. Perhaps the band were frightened to include too many already released songs on the album but I feel another could have pushed this album to a far more perfect experience. Regardless, I can honestly say the songs on this album and beyond leave me proud of Peace, a real honest hardworking band that make "B-Town" and the rest of the Midlands' music lovers forever grateful. Peace out... (CRINGE).

"In Love" is out on March 25th on Columbia Records. In the meantime, click here to stream it via NME.

www.peaceforeverever.co.uk

New Choons: Iggy & The Stooges - 'Burn'

Oh Iggy, just look at yourself. Apparently those cringeworthy car insurance commercials weren't a lasting cash-in as the 65 year old, in need of a t shirt, sagging 'original punk' returns. 6 years since 2007's painfully underwhelming reunion album "The Weirdness" for The Stooges, which featured original guitarist Ron Asheton who sadly passed away from a heart attack in 2009, Iggy Pop reappears to resurrect the Stooges under their second moniker Iggy & The Stooges, only before used on the bands 3rd and last original run album, 1973's "Raw Power". 

Raw or powerful however new single "Burn" is not. It's not even that its a bad song as such. The riff, written by returning guitarist James Williamson (last seen on the amazing Raw Power), is a monstrously catchy affair that drives the song to an almost enjoyable state. But then comes Iggy and for me, its dead. Gone are the once vigorous screams and yelps, replaced by a repetitive drone completely devoid of energy and most importantly melody. "The goddess of beauty is beckoning to me, I've got a lesson to learn" Pop strains. You do indeed Iggy, namely when to retire. The album "Ready To Die" will be out April 30th on Fat Possum Records.



www.iggyandthestoogesmusic.com

New Choons: Surfer Blood - 'Demon Dance'

"Oh is it gonna snow? Great!" said an idiot 3 months ago (moi). Yup, the skies opened again tonight, if only slightly. I am so ready for some sun and summer and when it comes Florida feel good beach punks Surfer Blood will no doubt soundtrack the sun soaked days with upcoming sophomore album, their first on a major label, "Pythons". Their 2010 debut "Astro Coast", with its tunes so beachy you could hear the waves (and probably smell some green stuff), was a fun fuzz pop record and if new single "Demon Dance" is anything to go by, we can expect more of the same.

With a Blue Album era Weezer vibe lingering, singer J P Pitts promises "I can suck the venom out of your bones" as the band riff their way through a edgily pleasant track that Rivers Cuomo himself would have been chuffed to pen. This and the former free single "Weird Shapes" would suggest that "Pythons" will be a slight departure from their lo-fi debut with some definite cleaner production and poppier fuzz but if these two tracks are anything to go by, it won't be an unwelcome change in direction. "Pythons" will be released on June 11th on Warner Bros Records.

www.surferblood.com