When Massive Wagons released their latest single Everywhere We Go, they said, "We wanted it to sound huge wherever it’s played... radio, kitchen, or concert hall." Well, it appears they've successfully achieved that objective, as its apparent hugeness has delivered a triumph in our latest Tracks Of The Week fandangle. So congratulations to them.
Plaudits also go to Jay Buchanan and Tyler Bryant, who respectively finished second and third in the poll. And if you continue to read this page, you'll discover another eight candidates. Literally hooray!
Bad Nerves - Loner
The expression ‘one hot minute’ could have well been coined for Bad Nerves’ new single. Audibly buzzing on the back of one hell of a 2025 (opening for The Hives, Green Day in stadiums across South America, their own biggest UK headline shows, Japan coming up next…), they make each second of Loner count, resulting in one of the most packed, satisfying minutes of megawatt rock’n’roll we’ve heard all year. Also the video is kinda brilliant; the band sitting nonchalantly to play, while fireball drummer Sam Thompson wrecks tight yet tearaway havoc behind them.
Des Rocs - The Juice
If Mötley Crüe’s Kickstart My Heart were revisited by Queen – and dressed up in swish biker leathers, finished off with a slight rockabilly quiff – it might have sounded like Des Rocs’ new track. He claims it’s probably the most fun he’s ever had making a song, and you can feel that in the considerable va-va-voom at work from start to finish. It bodes extremely well for his next album, on its way in 2026.
Stephen Wilson Jr - Gary
Mostly it’s introspective, elegantly lo-fi Americana storytelling, but then the final minute explodes into a cacophony of big, driving heartland guitars, before dropping back down again. A richly detailed slice of smalltown America in five minutes – and an ode to what Stephen depicts as a dying breed. “Where I come from, the Garys get it done,” he says. “And when your septic tank blows, I do not believe AI will show, but I believe a guy will. And there's a good chance his name's gonna be Gary.
Shinedown - Searchlight
Softening their muscular, all-American anthemic tendencies with some thoughtful rootsy twists – courtesy of bassist Eric Bass’s banjo stylings and some prettily mournful lap-steel – Shinedown embrace their acoustic-based side on this sincere, big-hearted ballad. Little surprise, perhaps, that they premiered this song during their first appearance at Nashville country institution The Grand Ole Opry. An interesting hint at what’s to come.
A Thousand Horses - Part Of My Story
“This song takes you through the stress I went through in the aftermath of my divorce,” bassist Graham DeLoach says, of the Nashvillians’ stirring, bittersweet ode to love that didn't last, but still mattered. “But it also shows that it’s not ALL negative at the end of the day. She will always be a part of my story, and I hope that one day there will be some light in that.” More where that came from on their anticipated comeback album White Flag Down – promised to b their heaviest, rockiest yet – which comes out in February.
Koyo Bloom - Distance
Back with a new name and a refreshed sound, the British alt rockers formerly known as Koyo swim in dreamy, shoegazey waters on Distance, spiked with the sort of angles and edges that permeated their previous work. It’s gentler and less proggy than their last release (2024’s Onism), but quietly enveloping with an atmospheric sheen that brought light into our rainy weekend. Plus the final section sees them jamming out in a hazy, interesting way that made us think of the High Llamas with a Nick Drake twist
Earth Tongue - Dungeon Vision
Berlin-based New Zealanders Earth Tongue keep getting better, and fuzzed-up new single Dungeon Vision is another triumph. It sounds like the result of an unholy four-way tryst between Castle Rat, Black Moth, Church Of The Cosmic Skull and Green Lung, with a devilishly doomy riff and the kind of ominous vocals that tend to soundtrack pagan sacrifice. It's the title track of the duo's Ty Segall-produced third album, which will be available from better record stores in February.
Kezia Gill - If Heaven Was A Honky Tonk
British Stetson advocate Kezia Gill strikes a fun, sassy note on this boot-scootin’ love letter to some of rock’n’roll’s greatest (Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Elvis etc etc). Bright and shiny in a very 90s country sort of way, without feeling excessively slick, If Heaven Was A Honky Tonk sits just on the right side of cheesy – you can practically see it winking jauntily as it paints a picture of heaven as a Nashville boozer full of country stars. You’d gladly sink a few Bud Lites and have a boogie with this as your soundtrack.
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