Idiosyncratic mix of punk-rock theatrics and breezy power-pop which I portend has a greater than ninety-five-percent chance of instigating repeat listening. As a stand-alone track, So Wrong ups that chance to nigh on a-hundred-percent.
Bandcamp / FacebookJust as adept at writing slow, hopeful musings as they are a good melody, dual-fronted Melbourne quartet Kissing Booth have put together a masterfully restrained record that perfectly utilises the talents of both vocalists.
Bandcamp / FacebookAn oddly kindred spirit of an album, the introverted and understated Sentimental Health is bright, cheerfully naive and of an endearing, affable disposition. More bands like this please.
Bandcamp / FacebookVelveteen Dream strikes me as a record on the verge of being acceptable to play in a diner. I mean, it’d probably piss off the majority of the clientèle, but there’s a fun, carefree attitude to its speedy, surf-enthused garage-rock that seems fitting of a place where the staff should be serving on roller-skates. Huge potential.
Bandcamp / FacebookThe super catchy debut from Michigan quartet Hung Up legitimately ticks all the necessary pop-punk boxes while adding some sparing but well-timed shouts and a believable, not unwelcome touch of vocal and lyrical spite.
Bandcamp / FacebookCombining the melodic nous of Tonight Alive, the slightly heavier intentions of To Paint The Sky and some well integrated electro elements, The Coast, The Sea provides a clear demonstration of Evacuate The Fallen’s crossover potential.
Bandcamp / FacebookRocking some expertly cool and accessible mathy melodies, the debut EP from Cincinnati trio Growing Up A Ghost dazzles with modesty; a musically tight and impressively assured accompaniment for a sunny day.
Bandcamp / FacebookDebut record from Italian post-hardcore quintet combines a super distinctive tone to the clean vocals, a clear commitment to the shouty parts and an ear for a melody. It’d likely be considered lazy of me to say that it’s a must for fans of Alexisonfire and From Autum To Ashes, but…
Bandcamp / FacebookMainly sung in Spanish and thus serving as hugely compelling proof of the power of superior melodies, the fast-paced sophomore effort from Madrid punk-rockers Accidente is liable to have you singing along, even if, like myself, you are an ignorant Englishman with no notable foreign language skills. Really high quality stuff.
Bandcamp / FacebookAttitude-laden, terrifically melodic and high-tempo first recordings from Cincinnati’s Boys, which, accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders and a middle-finger salute, provide the perfect response to life's annoyances.
Bandcamp / FacebookThe latest from Denver natives American Haiku is the kind of record many of us probably wish we could pull off; an uninhibited expression of emotion that can gently capture the intimacy of a moment before letting loose on an obstinate train of thought without so much as a hint of whiny self-importance.
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