Indie/Indie Rock - Totally Wired Magazine

Why We Love: The Cleaners from Venus (aka Martin Newell)

In 1980, Newell formed The Cleaners from Venus with Lawrence “Lol” Elliot, though since then, he has remained the only consistent member. Under this moniker, Newell has released a multitude of albums, and this isn’t even taking into consideration his wealth of material under his own name. Starting with Blow Away Your Troubles, Newell showed the world what to expect from The Cleaners from Venus: wonderful, jangly music that was staunchly lo-fi.

Catching Up with PREGOBLIN

I can’t quite recall how or when I first heard PREGOBLIN’s 2019 single “Combustion,” but I do remember that within twenty-four hours, I’d listened to it about thirty times. The two minutes and 43 seconds of infectiously danceable beats and clever, darkly humorous lyrics (“Spontaneous combustion is the way I wanna go“) had me hooked; I was, and remain, an instant fan. PREGOBLIN was initially composed of sad music/crance sensation Jessica Winter and Alex Sebley. The duo wrote a string of excellent singles (including “Combustion,” which has racked up a million-plus streams on Spotify) accompanied by camp, highly imaginative, low-budget

Adwaith – Bato Mato: The Welsh Trio to Rule The World

The genre-defying Welsh language trio Adwaith hit their home music scene hard in 2015 and have since brought their spellbinding sound and punching attitude to stages at Glastonbury, Green Man and many others across the UK. The larger British music scene has quickly embraced the band’s extraordinary energy and our prayers have just been answered with Adwaiths new album Bato Mato. Fresh back from their weekend at Glasto, we spoke to Gwen, Hollie and Heledd about the album’s reinvigorated sound and their hopes for carrying Welsh language music to a mass of new listeners from across the world.

Fucking Hallelujah: Children of the Pope

The Children of the Pope—judging from the band’s name alone, you know you’re in for something good. Signed by Isolar Records in early 2022, the band’s rise since their formation in 2018 (in the “grimiest parts of South London,”) has been meticulously documented by Lou Smith, and they’ve shared stages alongside the likes of Insecure Men, Brian Destiny, and Honkies.

Why We Love: Pons

I’ll start off this article with two words: two drummers. I’ll add another two for good measure: no bassist. That’s right, Pons is a three-piece band featuring a guitar, vocals, drums, and more drums. They’re truly a sight and sound to behold.

Why We Love: Glasvegas

I’ll never forget when I began listening to Scottish band Glasvegas. In seventh grade, I started branching out from the music I heard in the car or on the radio and almost accidentally started listening to them. My dad had received their 2008 self-titled debut album from my uncle, and because of that I began listening to it. I immediately fell in love with the atmospheric, dense sonic world that Glasvegas created on the album. Songs such as “Geraldine,” “Go Square Go,” “Daddy’s Gone,” and “It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry” tackled emotional themes while enveloping the listener in swirling guitars, rumbling bass, and simplistic yet effective drums. Although singer James Allen’s vocals were obscured by such a thick Scottish accent that I often had to look up the lyrics to understand what was being said, I still adored the album and still do to this day.

Bishopskin: I Was Born on an Island

“No one can be free who has thousand ancestors.” I’m paraphrasing L.M. Montgomery, but it’s dead true. We’re shackled to the past because it’s what has melded the present. We’re chained to its rhythms. However many centuries away we are from the nomadic tribes we are descended from, the same drum beats, the same voices, get us going. Bishopskin riff off of that immutable bond, creating music that contains both the glassy slickness of modernity and the essential, humming, throb of music at the beginning of language. Music for music own’s sake: music, as Iggy Pop has said, for “the sheer

Why We Love: Young Guv

The chorus of the song, which was called “Only Wanna See U Tonight,” floated into my ears. The song had the trappings of late 70’s power pop mixed with the sheen of mid-90’s alt rock. Shining guitars popped out over crisp drums, melodic bass, peppy tambourine, and the almost saccharine vocals of the project’s mastermind, Ben Cook.

Why We Love: Buerak

Buerak is a Russian post punk band that deserves far more attention than they get

Why We Love: The Umbrellas

I am an absolute sucker for Sarah Records bands. I first came across the label after seeing a picture of The Field Mice on Instagram. Thinking that they looked cool, and knowing that the band Seapony had covered one of their songs, I gave them a listen and was blown away. The jangly guitars, the punchy drum machines, the melodic bass, and the poetic lyrics quickly endeared me to the late 80’s-early 90’s indie band. Once I had dug through their catalogue, I began checking out the rest of Sarah Records’ roster, finding such amazing bands as Another Sunny Day,

Indie Idols: Trevor Sensor

An artist often compared to the likes of Bob Dylan thanks to his use of philosophical and anecdotal lyrics, it is difficult to not be transported into the world of Trevor Sensor through his debut album – Andy Warhol’s Dream. Released in 2017, the album contains some musical masterpieces and created quite the splash among fans of label Jagjaguwar, being described as “one of the most refreshing albums I have heard in years.” Having been born and raised in the desert of midwestern America – Sterling, Illinois – surrounded by prairies, where the hardware store is the town’s greatest attraction,

Ten Years On: The Drums’ Prodigal Son, Portamento

Saying that something is life changing is dramatic. However, in the case of indie-rock band The Drums, I can make this statement with absolute certainty. They shaped my music taste, influenced my songwriting, and provided the soundtrack to some of my best memories. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2010, is one of the best albums of that decade, in my humble opinion. The production, the songwriting, and all the subtle flourishes and embellishments present within those twelve songs is unbelievable, especially for a debut album. There are few other releases like it. In 2011, the band released their second

Indie Idols: Will and the People

Have you ever attended a concert and decided to skip the support acts? After all, they’re not who you’re there to see and one more drink in the bar is so tempting! If you have, I must say I think you missed out on some possibly brilliant music. I used to think that the support acts were just an unnecessary warm up to the main event, however, I have come to realize the error of my ways, and have since discovered some impeccable artists supporting others. This month’s Indie Idol is evidence of that. In 2019, I attended a Barns

Why We Love: Kitner

The local music scene is an ever changing landscape no matter where you come from. When I started making music with my band Friday Life back in 2017, there were around five bands that comprised the music scene, maybe a few more. However, four years on, Friday Life is the only band left standing, and that’s remarkable even to me. Local bands breaking up happens for a multitude of reasons: people begin going to college, members move out of state, scandals radically shift the prospects bands once had, the list goes on. It is as common as it is unfortunate.

notes from the trenches

2021 is the 10th anniversary of Trashmouth Records, and as Charlie Steen of Shame says: “Trashmouth fear no fever, no nausea or fatigue, no symptom can scare them; they are the antidote.” In light of that statement, I think we should place all our trust and possibly also all of our money into Trashmouth, as an antidote is exactly what we need right now, in so many ways.

Indie Idols: Crywank

The 1980s were a wild time, to say the least. Teenagers were rebelling – as per usual – and creating their own kind of lifestyle, diverting the general expectations of growing up and maturing that had dominated previous decades. Fashion was outrageous, attitudes were eccentric and controversial, and all of this was reflected in the music. Punk emerged from the underground and, in a symbiotic relationship with the youth, the face of music was forever scarred for the better. Bands like Sex Pistols and the Ramones exploded onto the scene expressing anarchy and distrust in the establishment, loudly displaying their

notes from the trenches

Instead of having a quiet cry whilst reading ‘Glastonbury According to AA Gill,’ we can experience festivals in person again—at least to a certain extent.

Why We Love: Cabin Boy

I remember my friend John “Guppy” Guptill first mentioning the idea of Cabin Boy to me last July. What immediately stood out to me about the band was that each member was from a different area of the world. He then played me a demo they were working on, and I was even more intrigued. In recent years, I personally feel that the emo/math rock genre has become somewhat tired. While there are many bands who pull off the style well, there are several more that don’t do anything new with the sound, leading to some aspects of the genre

Trashmouth Records Remix Release: Meatraffle’s ‘The Horseshoe’

“Trashmouth Records – 10 Years Still Not Dead” marks the 10th Anniversary of the inception of the Trashmouth Experiment and features remixes of some of the label’s favourite tracks and artists…”

Creators Monthly: June

As the world starts to feel a bit more normal again, we’re slowly but surely getting a peek at some of the fantastic music that’s been written over the past year. With an influx of new artists, debut records and video premiers, it’s got us excited for all the fabulous live music to come. It’s been another phenomenal month yet again for music submitted to us by our readers, so hit that play button and discover some of the most sensational tunes we’ve found. Witch Fever As a new era of superlative British punk-rock beckons, with the arrival of bands

Why We Love: Press Club

Spotify’s Discover Weekly is a wonderfully exciting place where you can unearth artists specifically tailored to your tastes and it is what led me to a band that has been described as “one of the most exciting young prospects in rock music.” Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Press Club’s gritty garage-punk sound first blessed the ears of Bandcamp listeners in 2017 with the release of their single Headwreck, a hazy two and half minute anthem clearly expressing the band’s true unadulterated passion and determination that has continued to shine throughout their two subsequent albums, Late Teens and Wasted Energy. Influenced by

Why We Love: Will Orchard

Will Orchard is one of the most astonishing musicians of recent years. Originally hailing from the state of Rhode Island, he began making music in 2014 under the strange and immediately eye catching moniker “LittleBoyBigHeadOnBike.” Armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar, he released his self-titled EP on December 30th, 2014. However, he did not even come close to slowing down there, proceeding to release an EP every week from December 30th, 2014 up until 2016. To date, he has amassed over 100 releases under his belt. Most of these EPs contain sparse, plaintive songs featuring Will and his acoustic

notes from the trenches: a sonic experiment

Rock n’ roll is alive and well—but contrary to popular belief, it’s not inhabiting the form of Maneskin. It’s in the form of Mdou Moctar.

Review: Billie Marten – Flora Fauna

Billie Marten has returned with her third album, Flora Fauna. Back in January when its release date was announced, I immediately called dibs on writing about this record. After stumbling upon Billie’s music through the wonders of Spotify around this time last year, I have been fully captivated by her ever since. A sound so euphoric and otherworldly, her music is the embodiment of stepping into a stray patch of light where the sun managed to peek through. With a two-year gap between Flora Fauna and its predecessor, Feeding Seahorses by Hand, I fully believe that it was well worth

Looking Back: This Modern Glitch

God, I can’t believe I’m writing this but, a whole ass DECADE has passed to the day since Matthew Murphy (Love Fame Tragedy), Dan Haggis (Dan The Man), and Tord Øverland Knudsen, better known together as the iconic indie band The Wombats released their second full-length LP; This Modern Glitch. To this day one of the most interesting drops of an indie band who rose to fame in the late 00’s because of the left turn it took. Now I’m not saying it’s as sharp a turn as something like Radiohead’s Kid A was to OK Computer, but This Modern

Review: Chase Cohl – Dear Dear: Volume I

As the sun leans in closer for a warm embrace and Mother Earth takes her first steps towards revitalization, the time has come to celebrate spring’s long-awaited arrival. So, what better way to welcome it than with a brand new release that is so beautiful, it’d make even the most gifted of songbirds envious? Chase Cohl’s EP Dear Dear: Volume I is absolute euphoria. Consisting of four tracks, it embodies a similar feeling to surrendering your skin to the divinity of sunshine; it is nothing short of pure comfort and invigoration. This is my first proper introduction to the enormously

Review: Hayley Williams – FLOWERS for VASES / descansos

Hayley Williams has delivered us her lockdown baby FLOWERS for VASES / descansos only 9 months after Petals For Armor. Having had her tours cancelled, it was a relief for fans to hear there was a new album coming out instead. Like a lot of artists, Hayley Williams has taken advantage of the time off touring to be able to sit down and write music. She sees her second album as a prequel to her first, a more simplistic laidback affair. Having come out more than a month ago now, it has taken me a while to get into. Unlike

Why We Love: Hello Yello

Very recently I was shown a live video session of Hello Yello and immediately I was hooked. If you ask me what music I’ve been addicted to this month it’s just been Hello Yello. Well, them and Harry Styles’ solo albums but that’s a story for another time. Now I’ll be honest right off the bat, I barely know anything about this band, and I’ve been looking online to find out more about them but as of right now I’m at a loss, so I’m going to let the music speak for itself here, and start you off with the

Looking Back: Submarine EP

10 years ago, Alex Turner’s ‘Submarine’ EP released, featuring songs written for the film of the same name. If you’ve seen Richard Ayoade’s Submarine, then you’ll know how perfect a match Turner’s songwriting was for that film, the jaded atmosphere of Oliver Tate’s empty and almost stunted world, as he goes through the struggles of his parents dwindling marriage and his own love spell with a girl at school. The matched reverb riddled and stripped-back approach to Turner’s songwriting makes for such an interesting experience with the context of the Arctic Monkeys’ albums that sandwich the EP. Relinquished from the

Why We Love: Orla Gartland

Irish singer-songwriter Orla Gartland gained traction through her YouTube channel and supporting Dodie on tour. Alongside relatable lyrical content, her songs emphasise her passion for music production and perfecting her style. Orla Gartland’s YouTube channel has content dating back to 8 years ago although she has been active since 2007. Starting out with covers, she has worked her way up to original content. Although her folk roots have been her primary influence, we have seen a shift towards indie-pop. There has been a transition from more acoustically based songs to synthesised instrumentation. Songs like ‘Why Am I Like This?’ and

The Vaccines cover Queens of the Stone Age, Buffalo Springfield and more…

Long-awaited has new music by The Vaccines been since their latest album Combat Sports was released back in 2018, but you may soon be in luck… If you didn’t think this year could get any better after the announcement of the new Wolf Alice album, The Vaccines have gone even further with the promise of a new album and a brand-spanking-new EP to listen to while you wait. Frontman Justin Hayward-Young announced in December that the band’s official fifth album was complete and would follow up the new EP ‘Cosy Karaoke’, a compilation of six brilliant covers. Today we were

Looking Back: I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it

Five years ago The 1975 dropped their monumental album I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it, or as I’ll be referring to it (because effort gah) as ILIWYS. If you thought the 80s vibes couldn’t be topped after their self-titled debut, “aha, you are dead wrong”. The 1975 are a band with so much more to offer than your typical indie-pop band, delivering an entire era defined by it’s words and art, to the point of their live shows encapsulating the entirety of their songs personalities, The 1975 are a statement

Wolf Alice are BACK and are here to save 2021

Wolf Alice return with their highly anticipated single ‘The Last Man on Earth’ The tune sets the pace for what seems to be a turn towards the band’s roots, with the recent single giving off a similar vibe to some of their earlier songs Silk and Blush. Although die-hard fans of the band will know a Wolf Alice album can go from breaking your heart to pure punk rock. One thing’s for sure, Wolf Alice have done it again and never cease to amaze. They really are one of those bands who just can’t write a bad song if they

Outer Stella Overdrive – Stare At The Screen (Live)

“TURN IT OFF”Taken From their first-ever live session Outer Stella Overdrive Preform ‘ Stare At The Screen’ from new album, Clout & Self Doubt From ‘In The Middle Of The City’ – Watch Our Outer Stella Overdrive Playlist Here: https://bit.ly/3s1870M Watch More Of Our Live Sessions Here: https://bit.ly/2M29vAY Subscribe:https://bit.ly/2M29vAY Instagram:https://bit.ly/3dj31IV Facebook: https://bit.ly/3rRApL4 Twitter: https://bit.ly/3s36ui Discover new music at totallywiredmag.com: https://bit.ly/3dixFSX On Vocals: Raff Law, Bass: Kelvin Bueno, Drums: Rudy Albarn, Keyboard: Amin El Makkawi Director: Eric Anderson, Sound: Graham Potter, Camera Operators: Aimee Clarke, Jamie Pitt, James George Potter, Producers: Eric Anderson, James George Potter

Outer Stella Overdrive – State Your Name (Live)

Taken From their first-ever live session Outer Stella Overdrive Preform their hit ‘ State Your Name’ From ‘In The Middle Of The City’: Watch Our Outer Stella Overdrive playlist here Watch More Of Our Live Sessions and Subscribe here

Lucia and the Best Boys: Poised for World Domination

Lucia Fairfull, the frontwoman of Glaswegian indie pop sensations Lucia and the Best Boys, is an ‘80s haute couture fever dream. Her constantly evolving sartorial presence keeps the group’s image in a state of constant flux, refreshing and revitalizing, but it’s her voice that’s the real star. I’ve never met anyone who’s found it directly comparable to another artist’s; it’s uniquely moving, sometimes vigorous, bright and soothing, sometimes edged with the purring rasp of a femme fatale in a noir film. The band’s recent EP The State of Things (released in 2020), features four tracks, Perfectly Untrue, Somewhere in Heaven, Forever Forget, and Let Go. Perfectly Untrue is

Totally Wired Sessions: OuterStella Overdrive Teaser

We’re Counting Down The Days Until OuterStella Overdrive Premiere Their First Ever Live Session On Totally Wired ‘ In The Middle Of The City’

Why We Love: King Hannah

If you’re looking for a cinematic journey to detach yourself from the current mundane routine of the world’s lockdown (who isn’t?!), look no further than the smooth, moody, unfiltered odyssey of King Hannah. The Liverpool based duo have had an anything but conventional start to their musical journey together. Developing from Craig’s admiration of Hannah’s solo performances, to working as colleagues in a bar, to finally writing together to produce a sound rich in realism and tailored back production. Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle released their first single ‘Crème Brûlée’ back in September 2020 and since then released their first

Review: Pale Waves – Who Am I?

A lot has happened in the time since Pale Waves released their first album. Despite the various trials and tribulations, one of which including a tour bus crash, the Manchester indie-rockers have proven that nothing can get in the way of creating absolute magic. Consisting of 11 tracks, Who Am I? taps into the beloved, nostalgic sounds of the 2000s, and going through each song helped me feel more like the ideal, cool-older-sister trope commonly found in movies of that era (Kat Stratford, anybody?). In comparison to 2018’s My Mind Makes Noises, their sophomore album presents a newfound edge that

Why We Love: Dan Haggis

Yeah okay, I did plan on just doing a review of Haggis’ latest solo album Brightly Coloured Creatures but truth is, I couldn’t with a healthy conscience ignore the other work that he’s strived to make. Now I’ve written a review of his solo album Circadian Circus which if you missed you should definitely check that out, but I think (especially right now) with the state of the world and how disproportionately it’s affected the livelihoods of musicians, I think it’s only right to share with you even more of Haggis’ work, give him the rightly deserved streams he deserves.

Why We Love: Teleman

Teleman is one of the coolest bands I’ve discovered in a very long time, there’s something just so intrinsically interesting about them. Formed back in 2011 after the disbanding of the band Pete and the Pirates, where bandmates Thomas and Johnny Sanders, Peter Cattermoul and new drummer Hiro Amamiya combined forces to become one of the most innovative artists of our time. There’s a quality to Teleman that’s so ’70s and so modern at the same time that’s just irresistible, that being said if you’re a fan of bands such as Arcade Fire, Metronomy and New Order then Teleman should

Review: Weezer – OK Human

OK Human, the brand new album by LA rockers Weezer, has shaken up everything the band has put out in the last half-decade alone. Jumping ship from genre to genre, Weezer are no strangers to releasing heaps of fresh music year after year, perhaps the sad reality of how hard it is to make a living being a musician, or perhaps because they’re just that inspired, which after being a band for almost 3 decades now (God really? Time flies huh) is pretty impressive, like all the material they’ve put out or not, it can’t be easy, but that being

Review: Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams

The long-awaited debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams by the indie icon Arlo Parks has finally arrived! And it’s definitely a contender for album of the year already. As a black bisexual woman in an already oversaturated music industry, it is so refreshing and rewarding to see the success that Arlo Parks has gained since her music debut in 2018, becoming a contemporary to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo, but a superstar in her own right. The album kicks off with an arpeggiated acoustic guitar and lofi ambient sounds underneath a poem by Parks, setting up the journey that

Why We Love: Eaves Wilder

In just 6 months, Eavie (better known as) Eaves Wilder has managed to produce frantic fairytale sounds to fill your very best indie playlists. Being a Gen Z artist, the way our generation has grown up with music is so chaotically different from the likes of our inspiration. We genre mix and we dabble between artists and sounds which makes for such a clash of sounds that’s really paving the way for the next wave of music, and Wilder is absolutely no exception. So how would I describe her music? Imagine putting the DNA of George Harrison, Kate Bush, Beabadoobee

Why We Love: The Garden

Hearing The Garden’s music for the first time was like unlocking a door that draws you into an entirely different universe. Their sound, as well as their aesthetics, are both completely and distinctively their own. They’ve got a special kind of magic that has presented itself through genre-bending, undeniable originality, and a full creative exploration that’s led them towards developing some of the most unique music of our time. “California Here We Go” was my introduction to twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears, and I found myself completely enamored. The sultry bassline, the addictive chorus, and their love for jester-styled

Why We Love: Itsamemyleo

Myles Wheeler (better known as Itsameyleo on the internet) is one of the most fascinating, talented and creative individuals of our generation. TWM is all about music foremost, but Myles here is better known as a major YouTuber or vlogger or whatever floats your boat. But not only is Myles completely my favourite YouTube content creator, but he is also one fabulous musician. You see, Myles has a wondrous talent for storytelling, take a look at any of his videos, the passion that goes into making each one, the emotional depth and the fantastic comedy that just nails the punchline

Why We Love: Failure

Failure is a band I first encountered many years ago now, over a decade at this point. And there is just something fantastic about them, from the way they’ve created space sounds, segues and more, the fact they’re not as big as household names from the 90s is still hard to process even now. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t left an impact on the music scene. There’s a saying I’ve seen go around a lot about Failure which is that they’re your “favourite bands, favourite band” which I think is a great way to put it, if not a

Why We Love: Delorentos

It’s safe to say that Dublin has become the capital of new and exciting European bands pushing the boundaries and breaking norms in the past ten years. Delorentos are one such band who experienced a whirlwind of success with their single S.E.C.R.E.T, which launched these college students from Ireland into the spotlight across the world and spawned a plethora of great albums. The band takes inspiration from the legends Arcade Fire and Pixies; the resulting sound is equally phenomenal. The music video to S.E.C.R.E.T was filmed at a house party and gained public attention for being the first Irish music

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