We had a difficult but very enjoyable time picking out this week’s TOTW candidates – lots of good new rock coming out, from old and new faces – but we think you’ll enjoy the selection below. It’s quality stuff. First, however, let’s look at last week’s winners in reverse order:
3. Aviator Shades – Freedom Lies Bleeding
2. The Picturebooks – Zero Fucks Given
1. Europe – Walk The Earth
But who do you rate the highest this week? Which offering from our rock’n’roll range (and it is a pretty generous range this week, featuring blues, Southern rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock…ALL the rock) makes you happiest? Give this lot a spin, then get your voting hats on and…well, vote. For your favourite. Once you’ve had yourself a little taste of last week’s winners, Sweden’s very own Europe:
Me And That Man – Nightride
The excellent new band from Behemoth man Nergal just keeps on giving. The cinematically presented Nightride is another delicious, steely dose of black-as-night bluesiness, like the darkest, tastiest Western soundtrack Tarantino never had. Mmmm…
Anathema – Can’t Let Go
Fresh from their Best Album accolade at the recent Prog Awards (for this year’s sublimely brooding The Optimist; if you haven’t already checked it out you really should), Anathema have released a new video for this luscious slice of progressive, electronics-infused atmosphere. We like a lot.
The Cadillac Three – Dang If We Didn’t
The Cadillac Three (from Nashville Tennessee, y’see) like to party and sing songs about it afterwards. Many years and whiskey-fuelled anthems into their career, it’s fair to say they’ve got this down to a fine art, as displayed in this country-fried, gently swaggering morning-after soundtrack. The perfect hangover cure, in musical form. Just add bacon, aspirin and a coffee the size of your head. Or ice cream, which works for our Online Editor here…
Steven Wilson – Nowhere Now
One of our favourite tracks from Wilson’s album To The Bone gets whisked off to the Chilean desert for this brand new video – complete with giant, slightly surreal radio telescope range and plenty of nice moody gazes and raised hands from Wilson. His ascent to progressive rocker-meets-modernist popstar status continues. Huzzah!
The Dust Coda – Save Me
We’re really enjoying the self-titled debut from these British rockers, from which this highlight is taken. Proper heavy rock’n’roll with a soulful voice in singer/guitarist John Drake, Save Me captures tropes of other present day soul n’ beef success stories (hello Rival Sons, Black Stone Cherry, Alter Bridge…) while carving an identity of their own. Ones to watch out for.
Jaimi Faulkner – All My Hope Is Gone
There’s a definite whiff of Joe Bonamassa (at his moodiest and coolest) about this Aussie-born, Europe based singer/guitarist. With All My Hope Is Gone, however, there’s a also a strong sense of early blues and folk, with guitar slides swirled in to primal yet quietly stylish effect. Nice.
Pete International Airport – Flowers Of Evil
Daft band name, really good track – combining the talents of Dandy Warhols guitarist Peter Holmström (Pete International Airport is basically him) and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club singer Robert Levon Been. The result is a dreamlike, headphone-filling haze of psychedelia that we could happily listen to for hours.
Pugwash – The Perfect Summer
Deny the onset of winter with this gorgeous pocket of bittersweet sunshine. Remember 90s avant-pop types The High Llamas? Imagine what they’d sound like mixed with the Beach Boys and ELO, plus a splash of The Divine Comedy, and you’ll be in the right ballpark. The brainchild of Thomas Walsh – teamed here with ex-Jellyfish man Jason Falkner – Pugwash make the kind of beautiful, proper tunes that more people should hear.
