Last week’s winners were the excellent Anathema, followed by Body Count in second place and Black Stone Cherry in third. This week we have another tantalising spread of rock treats from across the spectrum. You want new music? We’ll give you new music, and then invite you to vote for your favourite (using our handy poll at the foot of this page).
Have splendid weekends y’all. Rock on…
Black Star Riders – Dancing With The Wrong Girl
Flanked in this video by a lot of neon, Black Star Riders pay merry homage to their past life as Thin Lizzy, whilst quietly (but firmly) moving forward. Yes the chord progression here has more than a whiff of The Boys Are Back In Town et al about it, but Dancing With The Wrong Girl still has a beguiling charm of its own.
Glam Skanks - Bad Bitch
Neither the band name nor the title seemed totally promising, but Bad Bitch is actually rather ace. Built on classic, sleazy riffage (part glam, part no-nonsense hard rock’n’roll) it’s a buzzy slab of good-time oomph; music with which to drink ALL the whisky and dance until you fall over.
Volbeat – Black Rose (feat Danko Jones)
Volbeat have successfully merged rockabilly crooning with Metallica-esque chops over several albums and many, many gigs full of rapturous punters. Now, they’re joined by Canadian powerhouse Danko Jones for another merry dose of ‘Elvis metal’. Happy times.
Dan Patlansky – Sonnova Faith
Super cool, swaggering single from South African gunslinger Dan Patlansky. Over his last couple of albums Dan has grown from Stevie Ray Vaughan-obsessed noodler to classy blues rock songwriter (who still does a mean bit of eye-popping fretwork), and this is an appetising, politically-charged taste.
Koyo – Tetrachromat, Pts 1 & 2
Classic Rock writer Mark Blake described this lot as “the possible missing link between 70s-era Pink Floyd and My Bloody Valentine.” Based on this atmospheric, intriguing piece of progressive rock, we’d say he has a point. Tetrachromat, Pts 1 & 2 is long and indicative of a varied musical palate (Radiohead, Floyd, jazzier influences…) but still comes together in melodious, enticing fashion.
Sheepy – Home
So cute and compact you could fit it in your pocket, Home is another catchy shot of punk-edged pop rock from this Liverpudlian group – who sound rather like the geeky, jangly offspring of Weezer and Eureka Machines. Loveably lo-fi but packed with energy.
Heavy Suns – Hide
Some heavy, head-swirling psych rock now from darkest Barnsley. Hide offers a majestic, interesting take on psychedelia, which makes us think of the spacier end of Britpop – whilst echoing the brooding tones of Led Zeppelin that have clearly influenced these guys. Plug in, close your eyes and tune right out…
The Night Flight Orchestra – Midnight Flyer
Oooh go on then, let’s have some galloping 80s nostalgia to finish off – pumped with man-sized riffs and enough synths to make Keith Emerson blush (rest in peace). The Night Flight Orchestra (aka the classic rock lovechild of Soilwork and Arch Enemy members) are clearly having a lovely time on Midnight Flyer, which makes it all the more endearing.
