If you'd like evidence of rock's global reach, it's right here in this week's Tracks Of The Week roundup: A Hungarian based in Los Angeles, some Finnish proggers, and four Australian brothers whose lockdown began in Albania.
Meanwhile, last week's competition was won by German legends Scorpions. Coming in behind them were Welsh rockers Wille & The Bandits and Leicester's very own Jack J Hutchinson, proving that anything Hanover can do, the East Midlands can do nearly as well.
You can vote for this week's choice at the foot of the page.
Dorothy - Rest In Peace
Hungarian-born, Los Angeles-residing powerhouse Dorothy first came to our attention a few years back (mag readers might remember her from our High Hopes piece in 2019), having already worked with Dolly Parton among others. Now she returns with an impassioned, bombastic suckerpunch of heavy, hooky rock’n’roll - laced with darkness and, ultimately, triumph. “RIP is about breaking free from oppression, burying demons,” she says, “and reclaiming sovereignty and power.” Keep an eye out for her new record, Holy Ghost, this spring.
Von Hertzen Brothers - All Of A Sudden You’re Gone
Finland’s foremost sibling trio are back with the first taste of their new album Red Alert In The Blue Forest (the followup to 2017’s War Is Over) – and it’s a stunner. A lush, seven-minute journey through ethereal harmonies, delicate acoustic guitar, mournful folk violins, brass swells and a bewitching melody. If the Lord Of The Rings were shot under the Northern Lights instead of in New Zealand, this would have been the soundtrack. Gorgeous. The full album is out March 18.
Skunk Anansie - Piggy
If you like Skunk Anansie at their ragiest, you’ve come at a good time. Piggy is a ferocious, abrasive eruption of social disenchantment wrapped in heavy punk rock. The very best kind of eardrum assault. “If there’s one thing we’ve all learned over the past couple of years is that we cannot depend upon our governments to look after us,” vocalist Skin says “This song was written in a moment of rage combined with bitter disillusionment. Brexit then a complete mis-handling of Covid, how the hell did we get to this?”
Franz Ferdinand - Curious
Franz Ferdinand have drifted on and off our radar since their self-titled debut album (and breakout single/indie rock banger Take Me Out) came out in 2004. Now, they’ve shimmied back onto it with this ultra-groovy, slinky dancefloor filler. Imagine Gang Of Four doing shots with Royal Republic at a party, and classic 70s disco on the decks, and you’re on the right track. A new recording that’ll be released as part of a greatest hits compilation, Hits To The Head, in March.
Plush - Better Off Alone
Plush vocalist/guitarist Moriah Formica initially turned heads on the American edition of The Voice aged 16. She was all about the rock then, and that hasn’t changed with this moody, driving new single. In the US they’ve been picking up fans on tour with Halestorm, Mammoth WVH and Evanescence (all pairings that, from listening to this single, make a lot of sense) among others. Next, they hit the road with Slash. Ones to watch out for.
South Of Eden - Drop Dead Legs
Ohio’s South Of Eden make a classy, swaggering fist of Van Halen’s much loved groovefest Drop Dead Legs. We seldom need an excuse to stick on a bit of VH, but cover versions? It takes a lot to do justice to the originals, and then bring your own personality to the table. Both of which SOE manage. “Although we have played Unchained, Running With the Devil, Beautiful Girls and more of their other tunes live,” says frontman Ehab Omran, “Drop Dead Legs felt like the best choice to encapsulate everything we love about Van Halen!”
Mixed Up Everything - In Bloom
Another cover. Aussie brothers Mixed Up Everything made a name for themselves as buskers before releasing two original albums, and they've racked up more than 85 million views on YouTube in the process. Their latest release is a spot-on cover of Nirvana's In Bloom, and while singer Todd Dhima doesn't quite match Kurt Cobain in the woe-is-me department, the other Dhimas (Blake, Koby and Kevin) more than make up the difference. Nailed it.
All Them Witches - Blacksnake Blues
And another cover. Nashville rockers All Them Witches have unveiled a new project, one in which they'll release a "Baker’s Dozen" of tracks: one for each month of 2022, plus one more just because they can. First up is the 11-minute Blacksnake Blues, a reverb-soaked, epic take on John Lee Hooker's Black Snake that slithers and slips along in grand old style. It isn't quite as lascivious as Hooker's version, but the extra length (ho ho) gives the band plenty of room to weave an atmosphere that's thick with tension and release.
