I Feel Fine – ‘Everyday Safari’
New Failure by Design signings I Feel Fine hail from Brighton and ‘Everyday Safari’ has a sound that reminded us of early Into It. Over It. ‘Everyday Safari’ mixes chanted group vocals and stop-start guitars with the refreshing vigour of Cloud Nothings.
Frankie Cosmos – ‘Being Alive’
Greta Kline opens ‘Being Alive’ by stating her vocabulary is limited (we all know this isn’t the case) before the band delivers a burst of delightfully lo-fi rock and roll. There’s a tenderness as the song almost breaks down and lets Greta sing its defining message: ‘Being alive matters quite a bit, even when you feel like shit’. It ends with a hypnotic and eerie atmosphere that captures the feeling of isolation.
The Magic Gang – ‘Getting Along’
Ahead of their self-titled (and long-awaited) debut album, The Magic Gang have unveiled ‘Getting Along’. It’s a 2-and-a-half-minute pop song with echoes of both The Beach Boys and Ben Kweller – and an addictive chorus you’ll be singing on its second entry. It has a timeless charm you’d be foolish to ignore.
Fontaines DC – ‘Chequeless Reckless’
Fontaines DC have already won plaudits all over the world for their heady mix of Idles-esque wit and The Fall-style guitars and they’re set to support Franz Ferdinand on tour very soon. ‘Chequeless Reckless’ is a rant about ‘the suits’ running away and wondering what’s really going on – all delivered with a distinctive Irish snarl.
Ash – ‘Buzzkill’
Ash are back on Infectious Music and are all set to make a triumphant homecoming appearance in Belfast at the BBC’s The Biggest Weekend in Belfast. ‘Buzzkill’ is full of the delicious punk hooks, driving bass lines and towering drums we’ve come to expect from one of the finest singles bands of the past two decades. Tim Wheeler sings, with tongue slightly in cheek: ‘Summer is here, then summer is gone. Buzzkill. Kill my fucking buzz’ and you can’t fail to agree with his views, especially when a couple of members of The Undertones, to whom this song pays a considerable debt, join in on backing vocals. It ends with a rant against jealousy. Tim describes it as ‘fun, dumb and full of unnecessary swearing’ – and we’re all for every one of those things.