Photo credit: Neelam Khan Vela.
The Orielles – ‘Let Your Dogtooth Grow’
Now signed to Heavenly and all set to release one of the albums of 2018, The Orielles’ ‘Let Your Dogtooth Grow’ is a song full of swaying guitars and gently melded vocals. We heard the melodic elements of C90 favourites like Teenage Fanclub mixed up with some of Wolf Alice’s quieter moments as the band sing ‘Wa-ho-ho, let your dogtooth grow’.
Ark – ‘Made for Us’
We’ve seen Ark play in local venues many times and she’s always been a special talent. ‘Made for Us’ is a piano-led, layered song in the vein of London Grammar that also has the visceral clarity of Tori Amos in its lyrics: ‘This whirlwind, it wasn’t made for us’; We’ve been swaying in the storm and I can’t hold you up’. She also talks about how someone was shining bright last year but now they sit in the embers.
Girl Ray – ‘(I Wish I Were Giving You a Gift) This Christmas’
It’s come to that time of year when Christmas songs are released and we’re delighted to have two in this week’s round-up. First up is this treat from Girl Ray. It has all the traditions you want in a festive song – sleigh bells, brass and even a choir singing how ‘I need a friend tonight’ Coming out on Moshi Moshi (who have released amazing Christmas compilations in the past) as a 7″, it has a comforting feel and could fit as the soundtrack to the next Snowman-like animation.
Pip Hall – ‘Ill at Ease’
Pip Hall is a huge talent. Signed to our friends over at My Little Empire Records, her new single opens with her repeating the words ‘come on, come on’ around some brooding Sharon Van Etten-style atmospherics. It’s a song all about feeling uncomfortable in your own skin when you’re a teenager and how much of a struggle it is to believe better things are on the way: ‘I wanted to believe it, I wanted everything’.
Phoebe Bridgers – ‘Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas’
Having released one of the albums of the year, Phoebe Bridgers now offers her take on this classic Christmas song. She’s slowed it down and uses her incredible vocals to give you goosebumps. Sublime guitar and a burst of brushed drums just add to the slightly ambient but no-less passionate feeling of the track.
Filed under: New music, Preview, Top 5s Tagged: (I Wish I Were Giving You a Gift) This Christmas, alternative indie, alternative music, alternative music review, alternative rock, Ark, Christmas, Christmas song, festive song, Girl Ray, Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas, Heavenly Records, Ill at Ease, Let Your Dogtooth Grow, Made for Us, My Little Empire, My Little Empire Records, new music, Phoebe Bridgers, Pip Hall, The Orielles