Post long weekend Tracks of the Week, so slightly less than normal, but what it lacks in volume it makes up for in face melting-ness. Get on it!
Divorce – Pretty
Why we love it: Nottingham indie newcomers Divorce have released their second single ‘Pretty’ via London label Hand In Hive (TV Priest, Wyldest, Blackaby). It follows debut single ‘Services’ and I was immediately intrigued by the bands’ description as ‘alt-country and grunge fuelled’. Very pleased I had a listen.
‘Pretty’ begins with deep breaths and then launches in at pace with a scratchy reverbing guitar and a deep dark vocal. This moves into the striking vocal combination of Tiger Cohen-Towell (Vocals, Bass) and Felix Mackenzie-Barrow (Vocals, Electric Guitar). ‘Pretty’ is an unpolished, slightly chaotic and frankly pretty awesome track with his shifting pace and energetic chorus which earworms into your head.
Vocalist and guitarist Felix Mackenzie-Barrow expands on the single:
“The two characters in this song are holding onto each other despite scrutiny and humiliation. It’s a portrait of two tortured people set inside a makeshift ballad about preserving one pure thing in an insane world. This is the biggest love story since ‘Bee Movie’ (2007, Dreamworks).”
Their first show was supporting label mates TV Priest, and Divorce have already been on the road with their own debut UK tour. The 4-piece are making a name for themselves as a live force to be reckoned with and head out on tour again in the autumn. I’ll see you down the front. (Julia Mason)
Beabadoobee – Lovesong
Why we love it: because we love it when an act breaks away from their normal sound, and Beabadoobee has smashed this sweet, melancholy acoustic number out of the park. More known for the grunge-pop she specialises in, this does have the feel of something from Phoebe Bridgers last LP, yanking on those heartstrings with a chord change that hits you in the gut and suddenly your throat tightens and you can’t talk.
She says that it’s a “song that I had bits written for since my second ever EP. The chorus was actually already written since ‘Loveworm’, I just didn’t have any chords to sing it with. It’s actually written in a really strange tuning that I forget. And yeah, it’s just another love song, another sweet love song. It was one of the last songs I recorded for Beatopia.”
This is the third track to come from her second LP Beatopia that is due out 15 July on Dirty Hit. (Jim Auton)
False Heads – Mime the End
Why we love it: Alternative grunge trio False Heads have unveiled their new single ‘Mime the End’. It follows the release of previous single ‘Day Glow’ and together these tracks give the first taste of False Heads’ forthcoming album Sick Moon which is set for release on 30 September 2022 via Scruff of the Neck Records. The album was produced by Frank Turner at his home studio.
‘Mime the End’ is packed with gritty garage-punk riffs and snarling vocals. The track is a furious rebellion against the toughest of times that life can throw at us all. It’s a battle-cry, a call to arms to face these struggles, take strength, build resilience and live. Far from preaching, ‘Mime the End’ is empowering.
Frontman Luke Griffiths says of the new track: “’Mime The End’ is about embracing the bleakest moments in your life and trying to turn them into positives. Accepting the worst and fighting for the best, accepting death and doing something with your blank canvas before the bell tolls.”
False Heads are Luke Griffiths (guitar/vocals), Jake Elliot (bass) and Barney Nash (drums) and unsurprisingly the Essex outfit are developing an incendiary live reputation. They have played with the likes of The Libertines, Josh Homme and Band of Skulls, and the Iggy Pop has described the band as “young, talented and going places.”
Japanese Jesus – Bus Weirdo
Why we love it: Japanese Jesus have released their new single ‘Bus Weirdo’. It’s the 4th single by the Irish duo and it’s a glorious racket. In fact I can’t understand how this noise is produced by just two! As the title suggests the song is about encounters with slightly unhinged people on public transport. And if you have never had such an encounter, then have you considered perhaps you are the bus weirdo? This is punk rock. Simple. Fast and furious and raucous and thunderous and reverb-fuelled. You really need to get this in your ears.
Listening to this track and how tight it is, it comes as no surprise to learn that the duo of Bertie Kelly (Vocals, Guitars, Bass) and Denny Dunworth (Drums) have played in a previous band. They were Supermodel Twins in the 90s and recorded their debut album with Noel Hogan of The Cranberries on production duties. Now as Japanese Jesus their sound is more noise-punk. Impressively Japanese Jesus’ debut single ‘Facilities’ was recorded by Mike Gavin (Windings, The Cranberries) and mastered by Richard Dowling (Foo Fighters, David Bowie, Brian Eno). They have released two further singles to date ‘Progress’ and ‘Liver’. Let’s hope there’s an album on the way. (Julia Mason)
Joyeria – Wild Joy
Why we love it: Joyeria is an international man of mystery. A recent Speedy Wunderground signing who arrived in London by way of Canada, this much we do know. Previously a member of the highly-revered indie label’s esteemed 7″ singles club with the long-since sold-out “Here Comes Trouble“, we are now introduced to his latest single, ‘Wild Joy’. But if we are looking to the surreal video that accompanies the new song for any further clues – beyond his possibly bearing more than a passing resemblance to a certain cigarette-smoking fish, a sort of trout mask Rothmans, if you will – then we are going to be bang out of luck.
Fortunately, though, ‘Wild Joy’ speaks for itself. It is a slightly oddball yet highly contagious slice of delightful slacker pop, big on melody and blessed with an unmistakable innate charm. By way of a wider explanation for the new single Joyeria says “If Wild Joy is not an ode to the world’s greatest dad or the working stiff — it’s the song of a man who has remembered what to do with memories and what can be recaptured and re-enacted, perpetually in music.” And who on earth would we be to disagree with that. (Simon Godley)
Emily Magpie – Reforward
Why we love it: Bristol-based electronic artist Emily Magpie returns with ReForward, her most expansive and adventurous release yet. A retooling of her sound this instrumental, layers rising samples with trinkets of keyboards and clambering beats and punctuates them with distorted guitars and joyous fragments of melody into a shot of experimental euphoria comparable to the likes of Burial or Caribou. Tantalising.(Bill Cummings)
Bug Teeth – Ice-9
Why we love it: ‘Ice-9‘ is the new self-released track by Bug Teeth. A swirling cloud of dreamy and synth kissed ambient textures underpinned by skittery drums, that cocoons singer PJ’s half-spoken/half-sung delivery. Poetic and exploring, the sound of someone waking up blearily eyed searching for hope in the dark of the early morning sunrise. There’s something infinitely intriguing and mysterious about this release, wonderfully beguiling and brightly promising.
Following on from support slots for The Orielles, Flamingods and deathcrash, as well as plays by BBC 6Music and BBC Introducing, ‘Ice-9’ was recorded in a basement in Leeds, before being mastered by Simon Scott from Slowdive. (Bill Cummings)
