Month: October 2020

Categories
Creators Monthly

CREATORS MONTHLY (October)

Hello and welcome back to Totally Wired Magazine’s Creators Monthly! For such a young magazine, we receive an insane amount of music from all sorts of places across the globe and what a whopper of a month October has been!

Today we’re sharing some of our very favourites from this months pool of songs, so strap in, press play and discover some fantastic tunes.

The Lovepools

This awesome tune from US band The Lovepools is their most recent single ‘White Lies & Palm Trees,’ a song inspired by the false perception that cities like Los Angeles are where anyone with a dream can make it, but look closer and things in the big city aren’t as wonderful as they seem. This single is the band’s first venture into the unknown, away from their usual indie-rock territory and into the dreamy world of synth-pop. Despite still being a relatively new band on the scene, their tunes have certainly been noticed for their powerful and punchy qualities – one band to watch in the coming year that’s for sure.

Add to playlist (Spotify)

Jess Kemp

Jess Kemp is a singer/songwriter from Manchester taking over the airwaves of her home town with two brilliant new tunes and a superb voice. Despite being a difficult time for any young artist to be releasing music, her two latest singles ‘We Were Falling’ and ‘Matter Of Time’ have by no means gone unnoticed – having since been played on some of Manchester’s biggest radio stations. We love seeing even more talent pouring out of the north. Bright things ahead for Jess Kemp!

Add to playlist (Spotify)

The Optimists

The Optimists are a self-proclaimed ‘Brit-rock’ band from the Isle of Wight, who take a heavy influence from the Britpop era. With a vocal style resembling the likes of Blur and an attitude more akin to Oasis, this influence is certainly not lost on the group. Despite their obvious acclaim for some legendary bands, make no mistake, The Optimists are no tribute act and have begun to tread their own path. Their new single ‘Yesterday is Gone’ is out next month.

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Hot Plastic Poets

Hot Plastic Poets from North Carolina formed at the very beginning of the COVID outbreak with new-found time stuck indoors and a determination to put it to good use. Their goal is to have recorded two full albums before ever playing live – a truly unique origin story that meant I just had to take a listen. Standing by their promise, the band have just released their debut EP with their second one on the way. Since starting out, the band has amassed thousands of streams and blown their own expectations of what they could achieve out the water. I only hope this encourages them to consider an increase to their initial two-album goal. Their sound is funky, dynamic and a little bit bonkers (everything the world needs right now).

Add to playlist (Spotify)

Kicking

‘Kicking’ from Mississippi are certainly kicking off a riot with their brand new single ‘Surfdom’. Recorded during the band’s downtime in isolation, this group are again proving that rock never sleeps. This single is brimming with top guitar riffs and classic, unmissable punk attitude – a perfect new addition to the playlists of fans of The Von Bondies, Sonic Youth, Wolf Alice or Amyl and The Sniffers.

Add to playlist (Spotify)

The Down & Outs

The Down & Outs from NYC described their new single ‘LANDLORD’ as “Batman beyond playing jazz with The Stooges” – well that certainly caught our attention. Five seconds in and the song’s vigorous bass line had us. With so many submissions from great artists to get through, it’s rare that we have time to stick anything on twice, but this time we had to. Influenced by bands such as The Prodigy, I’d say The Down & Outs’ playing style is also almost Sonic Youth inspired. Any band to play around with and mash up the sound of their guitars mid-song is going straight on the playlist. Unmissable when it comes to grabbing your attention from the get-go, The Down & Outs have undoubtedly caught ours.

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CHARLES HS

CHARLES HS is a songwriter from Kent who since releasing his recent single ‘Fake Twisted Emotions,’ his low-fi synth-pop tunes have quickly gained much wider attention from the likes of BBC Introducing and has turned the heads of many of other publishers, ourselves included. While still early days for CHARLES HS, his new song promises much more in store from this UK talent and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

Add to playlist (Spotify)

Darity

Darity are a band from Ohio fronted by singer Linsley Hartenstein. Their brand new single ‘Silver Spoon’ is Linsley’s take on “The obscurity of seemingly failed relationships.” At first glance, a charming, dreamy pop song, soul-touching and heartfelt – it reminded me very much of a song by one of our favourite artists Lisa Mitchell (always a good sign). On closer inspection though, this song was SO much more than I expected. Before knowing it, I was hit by a choir of Linsley’s voice. At that moment I was totally knocked off my seat and the tune went straight on my playlist with no hesitation. If the past few days are anything to go by, I can safely say that if I owned a physical copy, I might very well wear it out by the end of this week.

Add to playlist (Spotify)

BULZARA

BULZARA are a band who produce hard-hitting synth-rock tunes which they say are inspired by “Gritty cop movies” – an incredibly accurate description listening to their new single ‘Dirty Cops’ – just don’t do it while you’re driving or you may find yourself in a cop movie yourself. This vibrant, psychedelic and punchy new single has been released in the run-up to their upcoming EP and has certainly got us hyped for the release next month.

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The Soods

The Soods are a band from The US who have just released their cracking second album ‘Ornaments of Affection’. Their sound is very much a blend of The Arctic Monkeys, a bit of Oasis and pinch of The Beatles – a mix that we seriously dig. A passion project of musician Jason Roy, The Soods’ music explores the inexplicable feelings that come with growing up and adult life – oh boy can we relate to that.

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Deborah Crooks

After teasing the idea of becoming a field biologist or embarking on a career as a journalist, Deborah Crooks from California decided that writing and playing music was where her heart truly lies. Her recent songs have been inspired heavily by her Californian roots she says. “I wanted to write a love letter to the places that have shaped me” a fantastic story fit for some fantastic work. Check out Deborah’s recent album ‘The Department of the West’ on Spotify now.

Add to playlist (Spotify)

You can listen to all of our Creators Monthly artists over on this month’s Spotify playlist – save our playlist now, go out and follow these bands and keep supporting music through these mad times!

Thanks to all the incredible bands that submitted their music this month – if we didn’t feature you this time feel free to resubmit via our website, we try to listen to as much as we possibly can.

Do you make music? We want to hear from you! Submit now for a chance to be part of next month’s Creators Monthly.

Can’t wait for more? Read last months issue here.

BIG LOVE to you all.

The Totally Wired Team x

Categories
New Wave Pop/Indie Pop Uncategorized

Hidden Gems: Stars – The Five Ghosts

Stars are a pop/rock band from Montreal most notable from their truly unique storytelling ability in their songs.

Masters of creating diverse and imaginative narratives through the use of their lyrics, each of their songs offers a door into a fairytale-like world, one full of wonder, heartbreak and other-worldly characters all soaked in deep-felt nostalgia.

The band’s fifth studio album, released in 2010 and appropriately named ‘The Five Ghosts,’ is just one such example of this group’s powerful ability to conjure up melancholic and mysterious images in the mind.

The first track from the album ‘Dead Hearts’ is perhaps the reason I and many others first fell in love with Stars – a powerful story and a definite tear-jerker of a track. The lyrics in this song describe an abstract or even poetic yearning for things once lost or forgotten.

“They were kids that I once knew… Now they’re all dead hearts to you.”

Followed up immediately by the striking track ‘Wasted Daylight’ the album then twists and turns through emotions quite unlike any other LP. Through optimism, grief, longing and relief, each track pulls more heartstrings than the last.

Putting on this record often feels like running away – moving through life out of your comfort zone and off on some mystic adventure – who knows what characters inhabit this new place.

The thing you remember while listening to this album in full is that old things end and new things begin – It’s always been my go-to album for those difficult transitional periods of life. Nothing else quite like this set of songs describes exactly what those situations feel like – a feeling familiar to everyone but one that no manner of words could ever describe – a feeling of mourning for the past while striving for the future – an album I will keep in my heart forever, cropping up at the most difficult times.

Alongside the album’s release, Stars premiered a six-part documentary about the making of The Five Ghosts, in which we get a peek into the production of each track. The most curious thing for me was their unusual use of synths, a tricky instrument to utilize on anything but upbeat pop songs, but something which really makes this album.

As lifelong childhood friends, all members of the band grew up in Toronto. I think something must be said for how this sort of friendship has shaped so many bands. A bond formed over a lifetime, people who have laughed together, cried together and shared the same sense of belonging. It all sounds very poetic, but you can easily see that this connection often produces some of the greatest and most personal music – take Joy Division, The Smiths, Saint Etienne, you see my point.  Bands with shared experiences often write the music which speaks to us most.

Stars understand the brittleness of the human heart – I do believe their music would warm even the most unfeeling soul – but don’t just take my word for it, I encourage you to do something terrifying; lay back with their record on and simply allow yourself to feel. In this album, Stars have surely captured perhaps the most integral part of being human – that you are alive.

Categories
Punk/Rock Soul/R&B Uncategorized Why We Love

Why We Love: Warmduscher

Twisted, funky and humorous. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of Warmduscher…

Formed as an impromptu band for a New Year’s Eve house party back in 2014 the five-piece fuses the talents of pre-existing bands Fat White Family, Childhood and Paranoid London, consisting of members Clams Baker Jr, Lightnin’ Jack Everett, Quicksand, Mr. Salt Fingers Lovecraft and The Witherer aka Little Whiskers. 

Considering they sound like superhero rejects and were formed as a spur of the moment laugh they’ve now evolved into a fully solidified collective. In the 6 years since their formation they’ve worked with inspiration Iggy Pop, toured the UK and Europe and released three albums; with their latest release ‘Tainted Lunch’ being sandwiched between the two Fontaines D.C. albums on 4 x mercury prize nominated producer Dan Carey’s list of records.

There’s really not much that can be predicted from these guys with each track taking you to places you’ve definitely never visited before. However, they are kind enough to introduce you to their love of hellish humour and irony from the get-go as ‘Warmduscher’ is a German slang term for a ‘wimp’ but this insult far from applies to them, as their bold moves in producing dark and adventurous ‘fractured rock’ is quite the opposite of cowardly.

Now Like I mentioned, Warmduscher are hard to predict and for that very reason just as hard to define because they mash together so many different sounds; many of which no one would expect to hear together. One minute they’re dark disco funk on tracks like Disco Peanuts (I feel like you can begin to pick up on their erratic nature here without even needing a listen), then the next they’re storming macho rock on The Warm Smell of Florida and dark and grinding Midnight Dipper whilst also capable of bringing a surprisingly sweeter side in the melancholy boogie of Summertime Tears.

Despite being London based and clearly incorporating plenty of post-punk with their turbulent guitars and bouncing basslines, their frontman Clams Baker Jr was born and raised in Massachusetts and brings an American croon to the mix. When backed by their thick sound you feel like you’re trying to hitchhike in a heated desert which has resulted in comparison to bands such as the surprisingly English Alabama 3. Baker Jr sites the legendary James Brown as an influence, which really reveals itself in his narration-like vocals on the slow-burning intro of 1000 Whispers before reaching delightful screams that lead back into a smooth melody.

As well as capturing the soul of Brown in Clams’ singing there’s also that groove in the music on songs like Dream Lotion and the hip-hop infused Burner featuring Kool Keith- a song about getting your hands on some drugs (which I’m certain they must have done before writing this as well as many others). Standing On the Corner is one that instantly comes to mind as a trip fuelled track with psychedelic undertones lying beneath heavy riffs- accompanied by a mental music video to match.

Besides these varying sounds, there’s also the techno transportation of Uncle Sleepover that throws you right into a video game with its laser blasts and warping synths which is again quite a contrast to the likes of Tiny Letters; a song with a gentle melody at its core layered with those screams again, proving that whatever you listen to you’re taken to a new unknown destination.

The band have always embraced a real ‘go with the flow’ attitude as all members have other projects that mean they can’t solely dedicate their time to Warmduscher. They never had much time for rehearsals or multiple takes so recorded their albums by splitting them into halves and doing whole takes as they would with live performances- injecting real energy into their releases. Things are just as impulsive when it comes to actually being in front of crowds too; making lyrics up on the spot which explains such random lines as ‘I won’t pay for their discos, I’m not gonna buy their sandwiches’ and ‘trippin at the Weatherspoons’.

Recently, as they’ve developed further they have become a little more structured; reworking a few things where they can in order to get the best out of what they’ve got which has resulted in a beast of an album. They still continue to appear just as spontaneous to gig-goers in their manic stage presence though and I doubt they’ll be falling into too many generic conventions- still coming out with ideas ‘from the back rooms of your minds’.

It’s safe to say that Warmduscher really have their own way of doing things and thanks to this are one of the strangest things but also greatest things that I’ve listened to in quite some time. With their melting mixture of ideas, they’re bound to feature something that you love too, so take a listen to the madness yourself.


Warmduscher on Spotify

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Pop/Indie Pop Punk/Rock Why We Love

Why We Love: Mattiel

I have to admit, it’s rare these days that a new band or artist thrusts their way into my consciousness so hard it knocks me off kilter. And believe me, it’s not for lack of searching! I invest a lot of time reading music blogs, listening to friend’s suggestions and throwing myself at the mercy of Spotify suggestions. Searching for that euphoric “fix” of new music that enriches the soul and helps pass the working week. And so it was that I came across the wonderful sound of Mattiel Brown. One mundane day last year was suddenly lit up by a gem in my release radar called  “Keep The Change”. The vibraphone-spattered opening bars pricked up my ears, followed by an urgent drum battery that wouldn’t sound out of place behind Levi Stubbs and the lads. Before the vocals even hit I was already signed up, but as soon as Mattiel launched into a saturation drenched “..And just-a-what did I get into here, walking on this floor?”, I knew I’d found something special.

The lo-fi (almost DIY) production and overtones of various classic genres at first tricked me into thinking I’d discovered some obscure classic from the distant past. After all, Mattiel wouldn’t sound out of place sandwiched between The Rezillos and Fabienne DelSol. But there’s something unique going on here too. And so the journey began.

After some Googling I found that Mattiel, or Mattiel Brown to give her full name, hails from Atlanta Georgia, USA and until very recently worked as a graphic designer for spam cannon MailChimp. This was before teaming up with guitarist and co-songwriters Jonah Swilley and  Randy Michael, and subsequently catching the ear and endorsement of Jack White. I was shocked and ashamed to discover that “Keep The Change” is actually from Mattiel’s second album “Satis Factory”, and that her eponymous debut some two years earlier had somehow passed me by. 

Both albums share Mattiel’s knack for storytelling. There’s an intoxicating blend of humour, irony and vitriol that draws you into Mattiel’s slightly irregular orbit. Check out the bouncy tale of “Baby Brother” or the decline of “Cass Tech” from the first album. And a real stand out track from the second album is Millionaire; “Ever since I got myself this easy chair, might as well be a millionaire” – wordcraft to rival Robert Smith, Mark E Smith or Morrissey in their pomp. But there’s no fat on either record; every song is vital and essential listening, and believe me I’ve listened repeatedly. “Populonia’’, “Blisters”, “Berlin Weekend”, “Long Division” – earworms, the lot of them. And all wrapped in a delicious cloud of Sam Phillips slap-back, Phil Spector spring-reverb and Joe Meek saturation.

Sure, you can hear the eclectic influences that haunt Mattiel’s music, but it would be impossible to pigeonhole her into a genre; and that’s a wonderful thing. All I can say is there’s something different about Mattiel; different in the way that PJ Harvey, Bowie, Nick Cave, Grace Jones and Polly Styrene are all different. She’s just not the same… and that’s why we love her.

Listen to Mattiel on Spotify now.

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Why We Love

Why We Love: Her’s

For a band consisting of only two people, Her’s certainly knew how to get things moving. Cascades of chorus, bass lines to move mountains and vocals to ground you back to earth and take you far into your dreams all the same, the talent here knew absolutely no bounds. Which is why it was heartbreakingly awful to hear that Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading along with their tour manager Trevor Engelbrektson were tragically killed in a traffic collision in America whilst travelling to one of their tour dates in March 2019. A band with so much potential and so much love, was taken far too soon, which is why I wish to pay tribute to Her’s and hopefully introduce you to a remarkably wonderful band who’s work deserves to be heard and remembered for years and years. 

Her’s formed in 2015 and a year later released ‘Dorothy’ and B-Side ‘What Once Was’,  which brilliantly showed off just what they could do. Psychedelic falsetto vocals juxtaposing the baritone range Fitzpatrick had, the jangly guitars taking you straight back to bands like The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees, along with the complimentary percussion loops of their drum machine, Dorothy showed not only the capability of Her’s, but also to aspiring young musicians that you don’t need some enormous 5 piece band to write and release your music, but that even limited you could record music AND perform it with only 2 people, which I’d argue has definitely influenced and helped the indie scene today. 

Later Her’s released more music that sat in the balance of absolute bombastic bangers and shy intimate whispers. Characterisation was a big part of their work, namely within the lyrics and vocals, almost melodramatic at times, each song and each line felt as if they had their own personified consciousness to guide, as well as writing songs in character allowing Stephen to write about such diverse topics that writing using personal inspiration secludes you from. Take the song ‘Speed Racer’ for example, which tells the story of someone who’s looking for lust in a one night stand, another corker that just makes you feel the need to get up and groove wherever you may be upon listening. 

Her’s continued to write and release music throughout the following year and thus released ‘Song’s of Her’s’, a compilation album of all the songs they had written thus far, along with a few new tracks to delight fans. Tracks such as ‘Cool with You’ conveyed lighter sounds, almost lo-fi giving off early Rex Orange County vibes, but all the while being something unique, like taking the surf rock genre and drugging it up on morphine, but also producing tracks such as the  before mentioned ‘Speed Racer’, the fast paced glossy rocker that completely blows your socks off. From then on Her’s began to play shows here, there and everywhere, all while working on their debut album, and it was at their live gigs where you really got to see the talent of simplicity and how much an effect they had to their audiences, but also, you got to see just how much fun they had performing, every song had substance, and to see the shared bliss between listener to performer was profound. 

In 2018 the dynamic duo geared up to release their debut album ‘Invitation to Her’s’, and once it dropped it was heavenly. Somewhere in the void between dream pop and indie rock, Her’s laid the foundations and left a significant mark on the music scene. Dropping the single ‘Harvey’ with a hilarious music video as if Scooby-Doo met Laurel and Hardy. Invitation to Her’s showed more of Her’s quirky appeal, quality music, good laughs and the theme of Her’s giving this almost episodic feel to their works. 

Later the duo released the single ‘Under Wraps’ which showed off a more sombre side to the sound of Her’s. Sonically it felt as if there was something a tad more toned down from the typical Her’s theme, with so much more musical depth in the mix, but all the same just really developing that oh so heavenly sound from their previous releases. It was like Her’s had released the perfect slow dance song for a wedding, however lyrically the song took a more emotional tone, meant to comfort your loved ones who go through changed in their life, Her’s saying it’s a song to offer “reassurance and support”. 

And with the actual release of ‘Invitation to Her’s’ we were able to quantify just how good the band of Her’s were, and consume the marvellous mania of their sound. The intense amounts of depth, layered instruments, drum machines blended with live drums, ambient synths and general improved production that gave off an even warmer sound to the band. Tracks like ‘Mannie’s Smile’, ‘Blue Lips’ and ‘If You Know What’s Right’ are just a few of the intense flavours Her’s had to offer this time round. It showed just how good they were at their craft and could bring a tear to your eye as the music transports you to your happy place. Her’s were packed with potential, and they were able to drop off such a phenomenal record that definitely leaves an unprecedented mark on the indie rock and bedroom pop scene. The talent between 2 guys making music and having fun is the pinnacle of modern indie music. Her’s managed to stand out in a crowd, revolutionise the scene in their own way and take things back to a more simpler approach amongst the ambush of 4 or 5 piece bands going far too in depth to try and accomplish the same sound. Her’s was a natural, passion fuelled project that just expressed its own ecstasy wherever they went, with anyone who listened to them. 

So I implore you to take a deep breath, set sail on the journey that is your invitation to Her’s, and experience the bliss that is Her’s, and the mark they left on this world that spins ever more so lonely with their passing, but stronger after their influence. And to Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading, thank you for the music, and for everything. 

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Pop/Indie Pop Reviews

Review: Gorillaz – Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez

If there was ever a perfect time for a virtual band to drop an album, of course it’d be in 2020. Thankfully despite the hard times thousands of musicians have had to face this year, we’ve had plenty of new music to consume and I’m sure we’ll have much more to come thanks to the isolation and ‘free’ time this year has given us. 

I’ve always been a passive fan of Gorillaz, and a deep admirer of Damon Albarn. I grew up in a very Oasis household with much of Blur’s deeper cuts never getting a mention in my childhood apart from the main big singles. But when my brother got a copy of Demon Days on his portable CD player back in 2006, hearing Feel Good Inc. for the first time, I was enchanted by the talent Albarn had, making me seek out in my late teens so much more of his work. Gorillaz last 2 albums Humanz and The Now Now, I really admired the work that had gone into them, and really dug a good few tracks from both, but I didn’t catch myself sinking into the sofa the way I did with Demon Days almost 15 years ago, which is a shame but perhaps I just wasn’t mentally mature enough to appreciate it properly. But with all this in mind, not even really paying much attention to the buildup to the release of this new record from Gorillaz, the drop of it made me really take a moment to genuinely take in all of what Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett had to offer this time round. 

Gorillaz this time around have set out to change the meaning of the classic album. All throughout the promotion for this LP has been the labelling of each track being an “Episode”, and the album being called “Season One”. People consume music differently now to 2010, or even 1990. Genres and styles being more like parks you can stroll into whenever you please as opposed to strict labelled and rulebooked formats, and Song Machine: Strange Timez pushes that idea forward more than ever before. The last effort from Gorillaz strayed further away from artist features, whereas Strange Timez is a collaborative powerhouse. Damon really solidified himself as a producer similar to the work of Calvin Harris, Mark Ronson or Josh Homme’s Desert Sessions. Not that there was ever any doubt of Albarn’s producing work, but this record really puts that motion forward in a more prevalent way due to the nature of the featured artists throughout the album. Speaking of featured artists, Damon really pulled out all the stops for this, with features from Robert Smith, Elton John, Skepta, Tony Allen, Slowthai, Slaves, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Georgia, Peter Hook, Beck and St Vincent – and that’s not even everyone! So the talent flowing through Song Machine’s veins is completely clear. 

What brilliantly works is the soundscape of the entire project. When incorporating so many different artists it can often come together quite patchy as different artists have different inspiration, but here Damon works with his fellow contemporaries to ensure each one isn’t out of their comfort zones performing in a way that isn’t natural to them, but all the same wrapping each track in the smooth chilled out production that makes this album so Gorillaz. It all blends together in such a brilliant way, nothing and nobody is shoehorned in, every line and feature has a reason to be there and it makes out for such a cool listening experience, with Damon’s voice as the final ribbon tying each track together splendidly. 

Title track Strange Timez featuring Robert Smith is a fantastic start, firstly it’s Robert Smith, hearing his voice on anything new these days is already a recipe for success, but the vocal wails and almost demonic sounding harmonies combined with the plonky piano keys and thin synth bass create this heightened feeling of uncertainty to match the idea of stranger times. The chorus on this also is just brilliant to dance to, and with Damon Albarn’s classic megaphone/radio filtered vocals just completely smashing it. The Valley Of The Pagans featuring Beck is a shiny modern disco bonanza. With Yamaha synths that sound as if they come straight out of a Sega Mega Drive game, collided with Beck’s vocals that sound almost like his earlier work from the 90s but definitely moulded to a more modern made performance. The Lost Chord with guest artist Leee John is a nice less hectic more tranquil track that makes you want to go for a drive at 2am on the empty motorways, absolute bliss and Leee John’s vocals are just luscious to listen to.

Pac-Man featuring ScHoolboy Q kicks off with a Bruce almighty sounding “alrighty” as the funky fat synth line lifts this track into an alternate reality Snoop Dogg instrumental, with ScHoolboy’s verse flowing so well with the lucid production that this whole album is jam-packed with. Chalk Tablet Towers with St. Vincent shows off some nice modern pop techniques, the synth and vocal effects emote a Drake style performance which works quite nicely. St. Vincent’s vocals backing up Damon’s mix delightfully well giving this larger choir effect even though it’s just the two of them singing together. The Pink Phantom is an interesting track, guest starring Elton John and 6LACK, the chill hop production matches the expected style of Damon and 6LACK’s verses, but when Elton John starts singing, it takes you back for a moment, something so odd that goes against expectations, yet sounding quite smooth regardless, as if Elton’s singing from an empty kitchen, which again adds to the laid back production of the album.

Aries featuring BRIT School alumni Georgia and Peter Hook from Joy Division and New Order, is a really nice slightly out of place slice of cake in the hipster coffee shop that is Song Machine. Sounding essentially like what a modern New Order song should sound like, the iconic high up the neck chorus infected bass performance from Hooky is delicious, evoking such nostalgia for New Order’s Power, Corruptions and Lies, and Georgia’s drumming motifs compliment Hook’s bass performance almost annoyingly well, it’s a power duo that makes you think, why haven’t we done that before? But it all gets interwoven within the consciousness of Song Machine so well, it’s a sound that fits the album really well, but being such a specific sound it demands to be noticed, and really for damn good reason.  Friday 13th with French-British rapper Octavian is a song that takes you to cloud 9, with ska-ish guitar and reggae trumpets that really add a flair of summery vibes, and also bringing some more Peter Hook influenced bass playing in the background of the mix that helps ground this album to connection and a consistent progression of sound that as someone who’s ecstatic when an album feels like an album where things were planned and imagined in mind in context with the tracks it shares a small universe with, really released the serotonin in my head when listening to the album for the first time. 

The final three tracks on the standard edition (yes there is an extended deluxe edition just in case the 11 tracks don’t fill your cup) of this album or season as Gorillaz are branding Song Machine: Strange Timez, nicely tie everything together. Dead Butterflies has a wonderful piano sound, hearing Damon say in the studio at the start “can we just loop that last piano part, little bit”. Featuring vocals from Roxani Arias and Kano, encapsulating this trio of perspectives from different backgrounds and cultures that clash and combine like a dance between man and fire, a trait that’s to be said for all 3 of these last tracks. Désolé is a wonderfully evocative track with some of my favourite production and songwriting on the entire project, the bass groove, soft funkish guitar, the silky jazz inspired piano that carries throughout the song, the breakdown that brings strings into the mix flipping the genre’s embedded within the song already on its head, all combined with the beautiful African percussion instrumentation, all set in place for the astonishing vocal performance from Fatoumata Diawara. Désolé is one of those rare pieces of art that makes you put everything aside to just take in just what it has to offer. 

The closing track was the first single we were treated to at the start of this year, Momentary Bliss with Slaves and slowthai. Ending the album on a high with a bang. The slap of punk, punk-rap and the Song Machine sound continue to be a thrash of sounds that all come together in a harmonious way, evoking classic Gorillaz vibes, tarnished by the modern sound of Song Machine in such a beefy and delightful way. 

There’s definitely a sonic contradiction all throughout this album. Firstly with the original intention of it not being an album, just a bunch of released songs, which swifty changed over time, the fact that songs later in production had to be recorded with social distancing and other covid precautions, to the fact that this album has quite a heavy emphasis on the chill lo-fi sound design whilst also having giant household names feature all over the album, and having so many different levels of inspiration and genre, it gives it this strange contained perception, it definitely feels like a lockdown album and definitely benefits from that. Song Machine: Season One, Strange Timez is the perfect analogy of what a modern record should be, and it wasn’t even trying to be that in the slightest. It demonstrates the focused ability and talent of Damon Albarn and company, and shows just what people can do during periods of quarantine, uncertainty and the lack of constant information and inspiration. It shows the power of what happens when people work together and manages to convey an escape from the strange times we’re all going through right now. 

Listen to Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez on Spotify now. 

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Reviews

Review: Nothing But Thieves – Moral Panic

If there were ever such a thing as a mic drop in the form of a musical expression, Nothing But Thieves’ third studio album Moral Panic would be it. Completely outdoing themselves, the band’s modern social commentary manages to absolutely blow your socks off, make you question the morality and purpose of the socks you had, and think about how to go about choosing socks for the future. Confused? You should be, this album has so much going on so bare with me whilst I attempt to process and take in all it has to offer because man does this record go *clap* off *clap*. 

The production is immaculate, somehow fusing rock, house and disco music together in a way where each element feels like it’s in a constant battle with each other, yet manages to work coherently in a whirlpool of exposure. Now Nothing But Thieves have never been a band to shy away from electronic and RnB influences within their music, ever since their debut we heard thumpers like Hostage or the title track from the band’s sophomore LP Broken Machine, which definitely have energetic electronic inspiration, but Moral Panic takes it to another level. Imagine the amount of Chemical X put into the creation of the Powerpuff Girls but on steroids, that’s this album’s DNA. 

Kicking off the album we have Unperson which is a beast of a banger, the clash of robotic monotone vocals thrashed against the screams of anguish all from Conor Mason, giving this dystopian feel of dread that fits in with the world we live in or at least the very direction we’re heading in the current climate. As I said in the review for this track back in September, it wouldn’t feel out of place in a Hacienda type venue and the more you listen the more it begs to be played in a club like venue through massive speakers to absolutely destroy you. This whole album is the perfect soundtrack to the end of the world. Swiftly keeping up the pace the album spits Is Everybody Going Crazy? At you, a corker we’ve had the pleasure of hearing since March that resonated with us all then, and absolutely still does now. From the menacing riffs and guitar work that cuts straight into your soul, to the melodic and rhythmic vocals that get stuck in your head, this track just heavily demands you to pay attention, gripping you closer to the edge of your seat before the chorus takes it four to the floor and gets you up to dance as the world starts to fall apart around you.

The title track Moral Panic starts off with a sudden change of tone, making you listen to this new perspective, much more a’la Graveyard Whistling, but after the first chorus when the bass kicks in, and drums pick up the tempo, UK garage-like piano lifts the song into a new ballpark that grooves with you with the haunting lines of “This is the last day of my life, yours too / Haven’t you ever seen the ocean look so blue? And if we’re running out of time, she said all of the children are so anxious they’re on edge / Yeah, it’s tense, so tense” with the choruses “Moral panic is setting in / Terror fever, it’s too late to begin”. The song almost feels as if it’s going through an identity crisis, but through that it matches the tone of the track and makes it all the more manic and exciting to hear. Real Love Song follows it and continues this changed tone but sticks with it’s set dynamic. A blissful ballad with some killer riffs that melt you down, it’s that defining song that all the indie kids will cover all year round but to it’s credit, it’s brilliantly deserved. 

Next up Phobia takes control and immediately at the start gives off a Billie Eilish vibe, from the 808ish kick drum loop to the quiet whispery vocals, there’s most definitely some inspiration from the gen Z giant, but 1 minute 40 seconds in the song gives us this meaty guitar part that begins to transform the song from Eilish enlightener to regal rocking anthem, which changes tempo later on transforming the vibe of the song almost conveying the feelings of mass panic so job well done lads. This Feels Like the End takes the uptempo afterburn and sticks it on a treadmill. The electronic drums are a great addition to the tonality of this track, and make the chorus pop out so perfectly, the 00s pop-rock guitar chords and acoustic drum kit leading the way for this almost nostalgic sound to match the idea of your life flashing before your eyes before your final moments. Whether intentional or not, the sound design for this album is ridiculous and contains so much reference and meaning you can’t help but listen in awe of the work gone into making it. 

We then get to experience a trio of tracks back to back with a much more calmer atmosphere. Free If We Want It is a much more chilled out dynamic, but yet again still showing some influence from the music of the 00s, perhaps subtle Kings Of Leon/Kaiser Chiefs inspiration with the chorus guitar hooks, but unmistakably Nothing But Thieves all the same. Impossible is the flipside to the coin that is Real Love Song, perhaps rivalling it’s online viral cover potential. Impossible is a sweet love song albeit with some twisted lyrics sure, but it conveys the message of how love is this heavy stigma of perfection that doesn’t seem real at first, with the quintessential emotions being flooded by lust “I could drown myself in someone like you / I could dive so deep I never come out /I thought it was impossible, but you make it possible”

There Was Sun continues the vibe but expands it, there’s more volume here, there’s more grit and it helps to convey this beautiful song. Funky melodies sung along to phased glittery guitar which almost signals the synesthesia of sunbeams into your head. This track delves into the realm of psychedelics, the ambience really forcing the space age noise out, and it’s a sound that Nothing But Thieves pulls off really well. The outro also smoothly transitions into the next track which dials the guitars up again ready for a Nothing But Thieves anthem. 

Can You Afford To Be An Individual? Happens to be my absolute highlight of this album, from the dirty riff to the perfectly timed melodies, emoting more like rap verses at times, to the actual content of the lyrics being sung. And my god the absolute anger and passion Conor has when he sings is just breathtaking. The pre-chorus breakdown with vocal chopping/sampling, ambient noises and euphoric build up just really nails that Moral Panic idea through sounds before climaxing to a dirty and beefy guitar riff that sends shivers to your bones. Talking of the lyrics, in an interview the band discussed and said “It’s completely pessimistic and lunatic, the lyrics are fantastic and Joe absolutely smashed it. It’s not even saying, ‘here are the answers’, it’s just holding up a mirror like, ‘this is you. Deal with it’. It’s disgusting and ugly”. I can’t really do it justice but I mean just listen to the song and hear for yourself. “So, how’s it bеing a prisoner of your own illusion? Upon a pedestal, revelling in your own confusion / I see you hide behind your altar or your constitution, but you can’t live forever in your own echo chamber” This song isn’t about subtlety, being so politically charged specifically at the state of America currently, but because of that it doesn’t need to be. The point is subtle political songs about what’s wrong with the world and its inhabitants have been done, and not enough has changed, we need more We Didn’t Start The Fire’s and Love It If We Made It’s because the message isn’t clear and it’s not sinking in. 

Before We Drift Away closes the album and starts off with definitive Radiohead vibes that is a complete breakaway from the chaos that just ensued with Can You Afford To Be An Individual, like the comedown from a high. The twinkly guitars juxtaposing the staccato violins almost exist as an example on how two completely different and intense emotions and attitudes are pinned against each other all throughout Moral Panic, finally come together in a opposing ended dance, tied together by the final choruses of overdriven electric guitar, dropped off ambiguously to the jangly guitars from the beginning and Conor’s vocals singing “I don’t wanna grow old” ending the album on a note for retrospective.

I think in years to come people will look back on this album in two ways. One being its very of its time, the systematic themes it discusses and the messages it gets into your head, but also see it as an album ahead of its time. I guess it’s up to us as a species what we do from now for the future, whether it’s the division between classes, climate change or a global pandemic. To go forward with hope and ambition for a better tomorrow, in amongst the Moral Panic we are living in now, there will always be hope for those who seek it. But to finish off I mean what more can I say? Nothing But Thieves have made a fantastic album here, from the new sounds delved into, the smooth as hell production, the stench of the present day topics it digs into to just the absolute quality of songwriting that Conor Mason, Joe Langridge-Brown, Dominic Craik, Philip Blake and James Price have completely nailed down to a ‘T’. Only time will tell, but I think this may already be one of the greatest albums this decade has to offer. It’s young, prevalent, dirty, ambitious rock that’s sure to brighten up your day, no matter how dark times may be.

Listen to Moral Panic on Spotify now.

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Reviews

Review: Beabadoobee – Fake It Flowers

Fake It Flowers the debut album by the ever so popular Gen Z icon Beabadoobee has finally dropped and it’s everything we could have wanted and then some. Bea’s transformation from indie bedroom pop artist to full on emotional grunge rocker is complete, if you’ve been watching Bea for a while now it’ll feel as if she’s finally turned super saiyan, I mean she has the blonde hair now so maybe. But I’m getting ahead of myself, this isn’t someone who’s changed randomly, the natural progression of Beabadoobee’s musical career is just her finding her true self sonically, she’s perfected her craft and the album is one hell of a bang to showcase that. 

Fake It Flowers is a river of 90s grunge majesty, but with slick modern production. I hear the term ‘bubblegrunge’ when referring to Beabadoobee’s material and it’s a pretty solid umbrella term I think we can all get down with, but 20 year old rock star goes down a treat just the same. Bea manages to gather an audience of listeners from so many different genres, from kids who adore the bedroom pop-rock sound to adults who can’t get enough of the modern grunge sound people haven’t really heard much of really since the 90s ended, but her fans come together and bathe in the tranquility of the tracks pinned down by Bea and her band. 

The album kicks off with lead single Care, a classically cutesy Beabadoobee verse that then quickly builds up to a monster of a chorus that begs you to head bang and dance around your room. A perfect opener that shows off the sombre guitars and beautiful melodies we’ve known to love, and then to turn that idea on it’s head and shove the heavier guitars and make the rocker chick really resonate with you, especially with the lyrical complexities of the track, and over the whole album. Care takes us straight into the absolute anthem that is Worth It that just makes you crave to be in a mosh pit again belting out to the bonafide deal of a Beabadoobee show. 

Dye It Red is another stomper to make you punch the air, where the sound of the album really makes itself present, the drums that bang around your brain complimenting the guitars so well, but interwoven with the glorious bass that together ground you whilst the shoegaze-like guitars wisp you away. The production is consistent and absolutely mental, the way tracks such as Worth It, Dye It Red and Together just pop out, it’s almost as if you can feel each instrument around you. Dye It Red (like most Beabadoobee songs) lyrically is on another level, magnificent melodies disguise the deeper lyrics upon first listens, and on a further inspection you hear fragments of Bea’s life. “Fuck me when I’m keen, not according to your beer”, a glimpse into the everyday objectifying of women, especially when it comes men under the influence of alcohol. “Let me cut my hair and dye it red if I want to, I haven’t felt myself so comfortable, I’m not stopping now” A poetically personal but genuine message that people, especially young girls should do what they want, for themselves that makes them feel comfortable. 

Charlie Brown confronts past struggles with self harm, the line “throw it away” in the chorus repeated is a real heart wrencher that hits in so many ways, be it referring to the struggles we deal with, or the literal tools we have to our hand. Bea stated in an interview that Charlie Brown was her first window into understanding mental health, so naturally it’s a bound link for her. Mental health in young people today has never been more crucial and if you are struggling, never be ashamed to reach out for help. No day, person or life is perfect and the sooner we as a society openly accept that, the sooner the stigma of talking about mental struggles can become normalised and more people can get the help they need. 

Emo Song talks about the effects that manipulative past relationships can have and hold onto you even far after those relationships have ended. With ambient sounds kicking off this track, with quieter dynamics compared to previous tracks on the album, it really helps hone in the vulnerability and sensitive state you can be left in after an experience like that, matched with the lyrics “I lost myself in cosmic dust”, “You’re coming back again/I don’t want you back again” and “Just the thought of you doesn’t stop, you’re not a person or a thing, just the thought of you on my limbs, it’s all your fault/It’s all your fault” really shatter your nerves in a way that can only be applauded to Beabadoobee but maybe a hug to her and whoever can relate. Sorry follows up the quieter dynamics from Emo Song but pushes it with strings that just blend every part of this track together. 

Further Away blissfully takes the quieter sounds of the previous two tracks but manages to become a sort of lullaby but again the actual nature of the song completely contradicts the sleepy sounds and melody that gently puts it’s arm over your shoulder as a masquerade for the twists of the lyrics of the song. Horen Sarrison takes what you’ve just heard but being a love song about Bea’s boyfriend and longtime creative collaborator Soren Harrison, really is the arm on your shoulder you almost need after the real rollercoaster that has been the emotional tones of Fake It Flowers, but all the same showing that vulnerable side to Bea. “Eyes so green, I don’t know what that means, but you make me feel like all this is real/But I don’t want you to feel comfortable, and I want you to know that I’m in love” patched with “You are the song that I need for my mental state, you are the bus that stayed when I thought I was late, so I’m convinced you’re from outer space”. All in all you really get a sense of the wanderlust and emotion between the potent pairing which is really quite beautiful to gauge an understanding of.

Together takes us back to the energy from the start of the album, with pretty intense Smashing Pumpkins and Pavement vibes that really come together (no pun intended) under the influence of Bea’s voice, melodies that enter the third dimension during the chorus that makes your chest tighten up and mouth grin with glee. 

The album closes with Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene, a song that manages to combine the dreamy soundscapes from the likes of Sorry and Further Away, with the noise and exclamations of Together and Worth It, all whilst starting with Bea saying the vocals sound like a fart? Absolute insanity, and the even more crazy part? It kinda works and just adds to the tonality of the entire song, and after the adventure that is the experience of Fake It Flowers, the playful intro is quite a satisfying start to the song and end of the album. Lyrically Bea talks about the love of her life and how she knows what her kids names are going to be, being Yoshimi, Forest and Magdalene. Which if you didn’t quite catch there, you’ll be pleased to know there’s quite a few reminders of that throughout the song. It’s a fun more uplifting song that still captures the softer side of Bea in the verses but manages to stay fun in the typical Beabadoobee manner. 

The level of music within this album completely outshines previous work, the production by Joseph Rodgers who’s work has been on Beabadoobee’s prior work as well as with The Kooks, Graham Coxon and Liam Gallagher. As well as Pete Robertson producer and former drummer of the incredible band The Vaccines. Together they’ve managed to help mould Bea’s sound and create something breathtaking that just makes you wanna sit back and admire in awe before the beat of the songs convince you to get up and dance. Bea’s band are also phenomenal on the album, nothing feels like filler, every instrument has a reason for being there and playing what they play. Drummer Louis Semlekan-Faith really get to flaunt his talent throughout the album, especially on tracks such as Worth It and Sorry. Lead guitarist Jacob Bugden adds some firey licks all over the record, the riffs in Care and Dye It Red, as well as playing almost countermelodies to Bea’s vocals and bringing out another dimension to the world that is Fake It Flowers. And wrapping it all together is the chick who plays Bass, Eliana Sewell. Who’s playing just completely sticks out and almost becomes a part of the percussion at times, intricate Bass lines that just go straight to your head and carry the song like the foundations of a building. And all of this is snuggly embedded within the mind of Beatrice Laus to create a wonderful band experience and listening escapade. This was an album where a lot of love and care was put into it, a lot of raw emotion and quite obviously, a lot of fun making too. 

Fake It Flowers is an LP for the young adults of today (especially young women), the intimate and internal struggles we go through, soundtracked to your favourite 90s films. It’s a record that is just so brilliantly constructed from start to finish, that explores such heavy topics, all whilst staying such a wonderfully quirky collection of songs. A stoner rock lullaby, that keeps you slow dancing till the early hours of the morning, but on loud will definitely keep up your parents and neighbours, and give you the adrenaline rush needed to boost your mentality to get you through whatever else this year has to throw at us. 

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock New Wave Why We Love

Why We Love: Working Men’s Club

If you’re currently missing proper, atmosphere-filled nights out (and let’s be honest, who isn’t given the current state of the world?) then fear not as I’ve found the perfect antidote and their name is Working Men’s Club.

I recently read The Hacienda: How Not to Run a Club by Peter Hook and thanks to the part-owner/bassists amusing accounts and vivid imagery, craved nothing more than to experience the iconic venue back in the day. However, I reluctantly came to terms with the fact that that was never going to happen and so decided to seek out the next best thing- some top acid tunes. 

I listened to everything that I could find from the time but having grown up in the home of the club it was all quite familiar so didn’t fully satisfy this newfound buzz; I needed something fresh and exciting that still contained the original heart. This was harder to come across than I’d first anticipated but finally had a Hallelujah moment at the beginning of this month when Working Men’s Club released their self-titled debut album and answered all of my prayers.

I was hooked (pardon the pun) from the second that opening track Valley’s first kicked off but at the 1.50 mark (0.30 in the video should check out below) something really special happened when the pounding bass cuts for a synth riff just before the lyrics kick in. In that moment I felt the closest that I believe I ever will to first experiencing the height of the movement back in the 90s and from then on I was in a trance for the rest of the record; treated to further squelching acid infusions as well as many more musical delights…

Falling Somewhere between the two bands that helped to fund the legendary ‘Hac’, Working Men’s Club clearly have a post-punk edge (just give Cook a Coffee a listen) but despite having a natural ability for creating this sound they didn’t play it easy and simply follow the classic Joy Division route; instead incorporating synth and electro to give things a New Order-esque spin. 

It would be a crime to only liken these guys to other bands though (no matter how great) as they seem to be exploring everything on the spectrum in between and actually credit the Detroit house scene as major influences. The result is their own new sound that can leave you charged and ready to dance one minute then lost and daydreaming the next.

Encapsulating the sounds that I grew up with but bringing something from my generation into the mix, I felt a kindred spirit in the band. There was something in the name and listening to their first few tracks that gave me the feeling that they were fellow Northerners (and once I saw that their third was titled John Cooper Clarke I had absolutely no doubt about it). I figured that this might have also contributed to that close connection because despite being from Yorkshire rather the home of the punk-poet and FAC51, things growing up in Todmorden feel just as small and grey (but equally hopeful). 

Like all great bands from the North, you can really hear this in their sound; the bleakness and claustrophobia in lead singer Sydney Minsky-Sargeant’s lyrics; being ‘trapped inside a town’ ‘running out of time’ but also the sense of working pride and excitement that there’s something beyond, in the sounds that they’re backed by. 

Minsky-Sergeant is now the only original band member left standing but at the fresh age of just 19, commanding you to watch him in his SOCIALISM print t-shirt he’s definitely not backing down any time soon. Originally joined by guitarist Giulia Bonometti and drummer Jake Bogacki the first line-up released debut single Bad Blood in 2019 which gained comparisons to the Totally Wired band The Fall and flows into B-Side Suburban Heights, a song filled with a jangly Smith’s-like sound. The tracks were greeted with great acclaim but success didn’t mean that Syd was ready to settle and he eagerly continued to explore and develop.

The fired-up front-man gravitated towards a new electronic noise however, this wasn’t for everyone and led to the departure of Bogacki, whilst Bonometti also moved on to focus on a solo career rather than the evolution of WMC. This, in turn, forced him to change things up even more than anticipated; sequentially swapping out the drum kit for a machine and expanding the club’s membership to three new musicians in the form of bassist Liam Ogburn, Mairead O’Connor on keys, guitar and vocals and Rob Graham joining Syd on guitar and synth.

Together they took on this new angle drawing them in; each member boldly bringing their own flourish and when combined with production from Ross Orton- the same Yorkshireman behind tracks from the Arctic Monkeys (and rather ironically The Fall), bedroom-recorded demos were transformed into a well-polished LP.

Wise beyond their years, you can already hear that the band know what music they want to make and have a great skill for executing it. The tracks on their album come together to create a cohesive experience but each is individually fresh with a mix of elements.

There’s the Stand out Acid House infusion on the likes of Tomorrow and plenty of upbeat rhythm in White Rooms and People. In addition to this optimistic sound, you’ll also find balance in a darker side; where they channel the grit that’s sung about on Teeth in its grunge guitar and evoke doom in the striking beats of Be My Guest. 

Also incorporated is a touch of afrobeat, funk and even indie on Outside where they sing about reminiscing in the sunshine, delivering lyrics about a ‘technicolour daydream’ whilst hardly needing any words at all on the pulsating A.A.A.A…That isn’t all either, as just when you think they’ve proven their capability they top things off with Angel, a 12-minute journey filled with swooping psychedelic sounds that creates a deservingly epic finale.

Speaking the honest truth and producing music that’s simultaneously nostalgic and now, they’re only one album in and hard not to love. Although they might have captured the sound of the North and named themselves after the places they originally strived to play in, Working Men’s Club look well and truly set to take on the wider world.

Check out Working Men’s Club on Spotify

Categories
Punk/Rock Why We Love

Why We Love: Dream Wife

A truly badass punk rock band by any definition – these three girls are set to take on the screwed up modern world and kick it where it hurts, bitches to the front please for Dream Wife. 

Using their lyrics to quite literally give the finger to stereotype gender roles, sexism and objectification they’re here to save the world with a voice louder and a message more pervasive than the misogynistic old gits who run it.

The group, fronted by Islandic talent Rakel Mjöll and accompanied by effortlessly cool instrumentalists Alice Go on guitar and bassist Bella Podpadec have become known for a popular “bitches-to-the-front” code at their killer shows, where female gig-goers can mosh together without fear of wandering hands or other unwelcome attention.

Defiant words, rocking music and advocates for equality, Dream Wife are the group that we’ve been longing for and they couldn’t have come at a more needed time. About to set off on their 2021 Europe wide tour, they’re taking their message with them and yelling F.U to old ways.

Given that their origins were as a ‘fake girl band’ for a concept art piece, they’ve come a long way- now having evolved into a fully-fledged powerhouse of a group.

Yes, you did read that right, Dream Wife simply started out as a performance project after Podpadec and Go, who had already met during a Battle of the Bands (they just keep getting cooler don’t they?), joined forces with Mjöll at Brighton University and released their inner Spinal Tap- playing characters in a music mockumentary. 

However, it evidently surfaced that these weren’t just personas they were channelling but actually, their true rock star identities rising and ever since the band have been putting out amazing tracks that you’ll definitely be wanting to turn your volume up to 11 for.

The girls bring a clean-cut edge to punk. Storming guitars, strutting basslines and strong elocution in Mjöll’s gritty vocals have a well-polished finish- resulting in an all-round refinement that sets them aside from many bands that are currently opting for grungier post-punk mumbles. Stand out tracks that encapsulate their trade-mark sound include the adrenaline-inducing Sports!, Hey Heartbreaker and Taste; featuring the line ‘I’ve got movement in my blood and it’s pumping up’ which is definitely how you feel whilst listening.

They’re no one-trick pony solely dependent on volume and aggression either, with Mjöll having originally trained in jazz and opera she’s also more than capable of displaying a more melodic side on songs like emotional sophomore album closer After the Rain tackling the tough but equally important issue of abortion or Temporary where accompanied by softer riffs and a dreamy aura they show that they’re capable of just about anything.

Not only do the trio have the coolest collection of names between them but also the coolest attitude to back their pure punk sound. I defy any female to feel anything other than empowered whilst listening to them, with lyrics like ‘serve it, smash it, win it, own it’ delivered with a punch, you’re left feeling riled up in the best possible way; energised and ready revolt. 

Citing the likes of Debbie Harry and Madonna as inspirations you can hear that they were raised on an array of iconic female stars and this combined with their reminders that they’re more than just an object and saying ‘hasta la vista’ to anyone that doesn’t agree means they look set to take on their idols roles; inspiring a new generation of girls both musically and in life.

It’s not just women in awe of Dream Wife though; evident by the fact my fellow writer James was planning an article on the group at the same time as myself. He graciously embraced the ‘bitches-to-the front’ ethos and let me have it but I still wanted to include his take as a male fan.

“Sometimes it’s only when a band like Dream Wife comes around do we realise how much we needed them. This group and others like them such as Pussy Riot and Nasty Cherry are grabbing us by the collar and showing they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Just as we’ve seen throughout history, it’s this unmissable attitude gets sh*t done and I respect anyone talking sense with a voice louder than the Donald Trumps of the world.

These girls have proven time and time again that anything we can do, they can do better. Guitarist Alice Go may even be one of the most talented guitarists of her generation. Notice how I didn’t say most talented female guitarists? It’s time we stopped putting women in a separate category. While that may work for sport, music is about intelligence and these girls have sure shown us that.

What I really hope to see is that Dream Wife inspires a resurgence of all-female punk bands, because without them, the world would be a very bleak place indeed.“

I have every faith that this invigorating band has it in them to do just that and keep the world rocking. It’s time to prepare yourself for the force of Dream Wife and the riot that will inevitably follow.

Get rocking to Dream Wife on Spotify now