Another Tracks Of The Week contest has come and gone, leaving in its wake the usual mix of dashed hopes, shattered dreams and unforgettable, against-all-odds victories. Case in point: Our latest triumphant champions, Crossbone Skully, whose fancy new single We're L.O.S.T. scored 36% of the available votes, thus relegating Des Rocs and The Cold Stares to the minor medal positions. So congratulations to them.
This week's contest is about to begin. In fact, it already has. Please vote for your favourite at the foot of the page.
Skindred - Can I Get A
A compelling story set to an infectious beat – hot off Skindred’s ninth album, You Got This – Can I Get A finds Benji Webbe recalling his eventful childhood in Newport, South Wales, raised (mostly) without parents, getting into different shades of trouble and ultimately travelling far beyond the circle he grew up in. All of which comes together in punchy yet sweet, sunkissed style in the combined care of Benji, guitarist Mikey Demus and drummer Arya Goggin. One of those rare bands still getting better after twenty-plus years.
The Scratch - Gladrags
You might not know The Scratch yet, but you’ll want to once you hear this big and clever killer of a track. The Irish foursome pack a colossal, menacing punch with an off-kilter edge on Gladrags – like Metallica if they grew up in Dublin and traded some ideas with Mike Patton. “It’s about how being inattentive can land me in hot water,” lead singer Lango explains, “which ironically makes me wander further into my thoughts, resulting in this perpetual cycle of inattentiveness. But also seeing it in others and observing how they try to cover it up/deal with it’.”
The Warning - Kerosene
The Mexican sister power-trio are having a bit of a ‘moment’ right now, and with driving, muscular bangers like Kerosene in their arsenal, they feel totally ready for more of those big stages they’ve been hitting. This one’s particularly strong on the chorus front – soaring like Evanescence with a synth-lined Muse-y spin. Expect hard rock party vibes, huge rumbling basslines and flamethrowers.
Low Cut Connie - Little Freakers
Adam Weiner’s love letter to the new generation of mavericks, artists and activists is a toe-tapping delight – hooky, honkytonk-infused rock’n’roll that’s kept us merrily hitting replay and feeling a little better about life. Not to mention a refreshingly optimistic spin on such an oft-maligned demographic. "There is so much to be depressed about in America 2026,” Adam says, “but one of the things that gives me hope is seeing young Gen Z'ers expressing their diversity and protesting fascism using art… I call them the Little Freakers. They are our best hope for a future America that is open and not boring – a society that is vibrant, diverse and free.”
Rebel’s Opera - Love Like A Live Wire
Nashville rock’n’rollers Rebel’s Opera mix the gnarly 70s flavours of Cinderella and Bon-era AC/DC with a healthy shot of 80s leather on Love Like A Live Wire. Satisfyingly loose, nasty but thoughtfully executed old-school tuneage, and with Biters frontman-turned-solo artiste Tuk Smith in the producer’s chair (and also co-writing) you can expect a certain level of attention to songcraft and overall quality – which you absolutely get here.
Bywater Call - How Long
Singer Meghan Parnell has to be one of our favourite new voices (like Canada’s answer to Susan Tedeschi), and she’s on sublime form on this smooth, slow-burning mix of RN’B, modern soul and emotional nuance. Beautiful guitar solo, too. “How Long is a raw and introspective song that wrestles with guilt, fragility, and the fear of becoming the very thing you never wanted to be,” says Parnell. “Lyrically and melodically, we tried to convey the vulnerability and self-reflection of someone living in the fragile space between remorse and repetition.”
Cheap Trick - The Best Thing
Plucked from last year's All Washed Up album, Cheap Trick's The Best Thing is a lovely thing indeed, from the typically Beatle-ish melody to Robin Zander's delightfully undiminished voice. Beyond the music, the video is really quite beautiful, celebrating the Tricksters' relationship with the fans in Japan who put them on the map with At Budokan nearly 50 years ago. The footage was shot when the band returned to Tokyo last year for one final show, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Probably.
Suzi Quatro - Little Miss Lovely
Suzi Q's voice might not be quite what it once was, but the sass and the spikiness is still all there on Little Miss Lovely, a tune driven by a thumping riff and a lyric ("Break your balls, no messing round / Beat you till you’re underground") that may be the feistiest rhyme ever sung by a woman in her (whisper it) mid-seventies. New album Freedom is out later this month, but an official merch drop for that Little Miss Lovely doll would be almost as good.
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