It's Monday, which can only mean one thing: our Tracks of the Week are ready to batter down your front door, storm into the living room, take up residence on the sofa, and force you to listen to them until next week's selection does the same.
We hope you enjoy them – there's a handy form at the foot of the page that enables you pick your favourite – but first, congratulations to Newcastle Upon Tyne's very own Edenthorn, who slayed all opposition in taking last week's honours. The Kris Barras Band and Levara weren't too far behind – so congratulations to them too – and here's your chance to hear A Matter Of Opinion again.
Love Gang - Dead Man’s Game
With their fast n’ furious brew of filthy blues, psychedelic touches and a singer who could have been Lemmy’s illegitimate son, this four-piece from Denver, Colorado are pretty much exactly what we all need right now. On their gloriously rough-arsed new single, it’s as if the raucous spirits of Motorhead, Jethro Tull and Deep Purple had got together for a big old knees-up. Play it loud. Shake your head like Animal from Sesame Street. Feel glad.
Band updates, music and merch.
Black Stone Cherry - In Love With The Pain
On their latest single, Kentucky’s foremost 21st century rock exports find a sweet spot between their major label days and more recent rootsy sounds. Heartfelt and singalong-ready, with summer festival vibes galore and just the right amount of sweetness, it was originally destined to be pitched to other artists. “However, it kept making its way back into our minds while listening to old demos,” the band explain. “So we decided to give it a chance and re-worked it to put our BSC stamp on it, and we are so happy we did!"
Buy the new album, The Human Condition, and check out band updates.
The OBGMs - All My Friends
Brilliantly fiery punk with a melodic, hooky heart, All My Friends sounds like Nirvana and early Foo Fighters locked up somewhere dark and menacing. “I wanted to make a short movie that explored who we see when we look in the mirror,” singer/guitarist Densil McFarlane says of the song’s deliciously creepy video. “Are they leading us in the right direction?" Are they? Listen, watch and decide.
Buy or stream the new album, The Ends.
Little Triggers - Feed Me
Liverpool duo Little Triggers mix flavours of The Who with '00s garage sensibilities on this urgent burst of catchiness and outrage. "I wrote the song after watching TV and social media explode with anger and fear over the summer,” singer/guitarist Tom Hamilton says. “The main image I had was of the planet being eaten up by greed.” All proceeds are being donated to food bank charities. Find out more at their website below.
Band updates, music and merch.
DeWolff - Yes You Do
The young Dutch trio are joined by ex-Wolfmother man Ian Peres on bass, on this warm, groovy dose of nostalgia. Their previous record, Tascam Tapes (made on the road “for less than 50 euros, but sounding like a million bucks!”) was a fun minimalist experiment, but it’s great to hear them rocking out again in full technicolour – Hammond organ, big drums and ballsy, swaggering guitars included. Do you want it? Yes, yes you do.
Band updates, music and merch.
The Middlenight Men - Heroine Heights
We could all use a hero right now. Happily, Nick Hughes and friends have several of them (Supergirl, Batman, Spiderman...seriously, take your pick) in this joyous blast of comic book capers and power-pop pizzazz, introduced by Satchel from Steel Panther and written about “how guys still have so much to learn in terms of being decent to womankind". “You don't have to wear a cape to make the girls swoon,” TMM say, “just be thoroughly decent.” Amen to that.
Stone Horses - Cheat Lie Steal
Collectively drawing from a solid who's who of bluesy classic rock (Zeppelin, Sabbath, MC5, Hendrix) and more recent times (Black Keys, White Stripes, Chris Cornell etcetera), Washington DC's Stone Horses sound safe enough on paper. Let loose on record, however – as shown on the frenetic, full-pelt boogie of Cheat Lie Steal – they feel like a band teetering rather breathlessly on the edge. Rock'n'roll for high-speed chases downtown, not stately cruises up the coast.
Band updates, music and merch.
Cats In Space - I Fell Out Of Love With Rock ‘N’ Roll
A song so grandiose it sounds like Jim Steinman channeling Queen's A Night At The Opera, I Fell Out Of Love With Rock ‘N’ Roll is ludicrous in all the best ways. It kicks off with a piano motif that could have come from Lionel Richie's Three Times A Lady, name-checks T. Rex and Chuck Berry, bemoans the rise of grunge, and climaxes with the line, "no one's taking heroin or throwing TVs down the hall, that's why I fell out of love with rock'n'roll." It might be a bit close to musical theatre for some, but it's a stunningly well-crafted, opulent piece of bombast.
