Some sensible old sage once said ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ Said sage clearly hadn’t encountered these cuts of fresh rock meat, whose beauty is clear in the eyes of ALL beholders. Possibly. We like ‘em anyway. Dive in and see what tickles your fancy…
Biters – Low Lives In Hi Definition
We’re very much enjoying these upstarts from Atlanta, Georgia at CR towers. They look like The Ramones but sound a little like Thin Lizzy – only younger, and fresher in their power pop-charged tones. Main man Tuk has already been in two bands which both collapsed in maelstroms of rock’n’roll excess. He’s determined for Biters to not meet the same fate. Based on tracks like this he has ample reason to feel confident.
Volbeat – The Hangman’s Body Count, Live From Knotfest, Oct 2014
If Carlsberg did rock bands, there’s a good chance they’d look and taste like Volbeat (if you ate them, that is, which we wouldn’t advocate). The all-conquering dons (and, indeed, Danes) of ‘Elvis metal’ knocked the Knotfest crowd off their feet, building on their irrepressible reputation as arse-kicking live monsters. Now, we can enjoy the action caught on camera. Sit back, grab a beer, it’s going to be biiiiig.
Dommengang – Her Blues
Ahhh that’s what you want on a Friday, lovely evergreen forests, snowy mountain tops, blue skies by day and fires at night – soundtracked by the bluesy psych-rock of this Brooklyn bunch. Tis’ woozy yet filled with gently trippy, tasty colour. Mmmm woozy…
Sonny Jim – I Want A Tattoo
They come from Wales and don’t have the most ‘rawk’ of band names. But since we were handed their debut LP Soul King Fire this week (by a friend of theirs, also Welsh), Sonny Jim have become something of an earworm here. Elements of Foo Fighters and upbeat Feeder weave into this heavy yet adorable tune. Go on, give it a spin, then get a tattoo. Of Sonny Jim. ON YOUR FACE. Or not… But definitely check them out.
Storms – Girl
A sweetly more-ish blend of gauzy pop and 90s grunginess – blonde girl and anxious bespectacled bloke included. Girls…ahh girls, they’ll drive you wild, especially if they’re hot DJs like the ladyperson (actual DJ and model Laura Jean Marsh) starring in this video. Nevertheless, Storms’ dulcet ear turns a tale of obsession (and stalking) into something warm n’ pretty.
Aces ‘N’ Eights – The Evil Dead Glaswegian bairns Aces ‘N’ Eights prove the spirit of the NWOBHM is very much alive and well with this dirty dollop of old-school metal. (Although in these Nicola Sturgeon-dominated days, perhaps they would prefer to be dubbed ‘NWOSHM’?) The video sees the band playing (and trashing) miniature instruments, cavorting around a kids’ playground and generally displaying impeccable comic timing. Coming up trumps all round.
Freedom Hawk – Radar
Now for a heavy, head-spinning blend of 60s acid and fuzzily bluesy guitar. With generous helpings of melodic rock and lashings of early Black Sabbath, this group from Virginia Beach describe themselves as ‘rock’n’fuck’n’roll’. Better not fuck with them, then…
Vennart – Infatuate
So we all miss Oceansize, yes? Well fret not cos honey-throated frontman/guitarist Mike Vennart has finally returned with new, crowdfunded solo record The Demon Joke, out this week. Taut ‘n’ crunchy with a dash of Joy Division, this is is our fave cut, featuring old Oceansize pals Steve Durose (now of Amplifier), Gambler and Ginger Wildheart’s awesome tub-thumper Denzel.
