They say that a weekly shot of quality new music is good for the soul. Well, we say it is anyway, so it must be true. Tonnes of you voted in last week's poll, and below are the three bands that came out on top (in reverse order):
3. Icarus Dive – Hydra
2. The Magpie Salute – For The Wind
1. Massive Wagons – Under No Illusion
Congratulations all round! Now, get ready to fill your heads with all kinds of new noises, then vote for your favourite at the foot of this page. Right after you've listened to last week's first prize winners Massive Wagons. Bon appetit...
The Amorettes – Whatever Gets You Through The Night
Scotland’s millennial spirit hybrid of Motorhead, Girlschool and AC/DC kick things off this week with a no-bullshit burst of crunchy riffs, sing-along choruses and black leather – plus some particularly effective lead guitar work from Gill Montgomery. Taken from latest album Born To Break, on sale now.
Hunter & The Bear – Electric
We liked this lot last time around – with their blend of contemporary pop hooks and heartland rock sensibilities – so were delighted to discover that this new single of theirs is rather good. To a point it’s more of what they’ve done before, but this time propelled by some extra gnarly energy and weight.
The Babe Rainbow - Eureka/Alan Chadwick’s Garden
Byron Bay’s psychedelic band of super-freaks have a new album, Double Rainbow, out today – from which this groovy, bouncy swirl of hippie vibes and more-ish pop/alt rock (two songs, one video) is taken. Hard to say whether they’re operating on some cosmic higher plane of consciousness, or just tripping balls, but we like the sounds they make.
Lucero – Cover Me
Now for something darker, but no less atmospheric, courtesy of Memphis’s punk-infused dark country-meets-blues-meets-Southern soul gents Lucero (yes that’s a lot of elements in one band, but listen to them and you’ll see what we mean). One of the catchiest moments from new album, Among The Ghosts, it mixes pounding keys, Southern gothic storytelling vibes and driving rock guitars.
Starcrawler – Chicken Woman
“So, imagine The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but with chickens…”
Well, chicken feathers rather than actual chickens, we hasten to add. Still, that’s how we imagine the conversation went between the LA kids and the brains behind their cinematic new video – which is just as full of blood, gory theatrics and fuzzy garage punk’n’roll as we’d hope from them.
Brother O Brother – Monster Truck
Nope, not the band Monster Truck but two dudes from Indianapolis playing a dirty, bluesy garage rock stomper called Monster Truck – while being pursued by a monster truck. Sweat, soul and an enormous rampaging vehicle, what’s not to love? Check out more on their EP of the same name, which comes out in August.
Jacob Cade - Icky Nikki
Jacob Cade keeps some good classic rock company for someone yet to hit his twenties. Earlier this year he released a song co-written with Skid Row’s Rachel Bolan. Before then he’d opened for the likes of Steel Panther and Dokken. Now, the 18-year-old has teamed up with Halestorm's Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger for this straight-up shot of hooky modern hard rock – bursting with energy and evidence of his co-writers’ own heavy but sharp chops.
Greystone Canyon – In These Shores
We're finishing today with some chunky, protein-packed hard rock from Australia. Brooding and earnest without being too 'worthy', In These Shores keeps things engaging with tasty top-of-the-neck lead guitar twiddles, tempo shifts and the kind of riffage that gleefully nods to 70s/80s classic rock and metal, without mindlessly ripping it off.
