Cassels – ‘The Weight‘
Fast becoming one of our favorite bands, Cassels have previewed a new song ahead of the release of ‘Foreword’ – a compendium of all their releases so far coming out on BSM. It showcases why the duo are such an incredible prospect as through a cascade of riffs and clattering drums they make observations on the modern way of communication, going to the gym and social anxiety: ‘I’m hoping cynicism can pass as lyricism’; ‘Why am I so petrified of looking you in the eye. Over time I think I’ve learned to hide how much I struggle with the mundane, how much I struggle with the day to day. I hope this resonates with you in some way’.
Husky Loops – ‘Tempo‘
London-via-Italy trio are the first of two bands in this week’s round-up signed to the ever-brilliant Alcopop! Records. Released ahead of a tour with The Kills, ‘Tempo’ may last under three minutes but it’s full of beats a that reminded us a little of when Primal Scream plug in the synths. It’s energetic, refreshing and eminently dark and cool – perfect for their upcoming shows.
Jamie Lenman – ‘Mississippi‘
Starting with an ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ quote, Jamie Lenman’s new song is quite different to anything he’s released before… that’s quite an achievement considering he’s covered every genre from banjo-led sea shanties to thrash metal in his solo career. With a very industrial feel, ‘Mississippi’ has unsettling backing chants of ‘I can’t let go’ being repeated while the huge guitars come out sounding like a barmy but brilliant combination of Future of the Left and Depeche Mode – but with an extra dose of healthy screaming.
Shrinking Minds – ‘Something Better‘
With Ash, Mansun and Idlewild all referenced in the press release, we simply had to include Shrinking Minds in this post and ‘Something Better’ is a zesty blast of Britpop-infused joy that also captures the spirit of more contemporary acts like Beach Slang. With passionate vocals and big hooks, the band contrast the bombast with the slightly more sombre lyrics: ‘If it breaks I’m falling, nobody will ever hear me calling’.
Peaness -‘Seafoam Islands‘
Another Alcopop! band, Peaness’ ‘Seafoam Islands’ is a certified pop banger. Anthemic from the very first note, it mixes the relentless musical positivity of early Franz Ferdinand with the more wistful songwriting present on Charlotte Hatherley’s solo albums. The band sing ‘Wander through the water, wonder where to stop’ before then finishing with the defining mantra of ‘I want to get lost with you’ – which seems all set to be coming to a field near you this summer.
Filed under: New music, Preview, Top 5s Tagged: Alcopop, Alcopop Records, alternative music, big scary monsters, BSM, Cassels, Husky Loops, indie music, Jamie Lenman, new music, Peaness, Reuben, rock music, Shrinking Minds
