Time is becoming increasingly precious and difficult to obtain these days but I still have a grá on me for blogging.
So, this is an attempt cover more of what I am listening to on a regular basis, with a relatively quick roundup of what has been on rotation over the past week or two.
The aim is to keep them coming on a weekly / biweekly basis or failing that, I may as well pack this malarkey in altogether.
Stephen Durkan – ‘Prayer’
Glaswegian artist Stephen Durkan released his debut EP The Stories We Tell Ourselves About Ourselves last week and ‘Prayer’ is the latest single lifted from it. Less energised and meaty than previous single ‘The Acid Commune’, we find Durkan poetically reflecting on a lack of divine belief as hard-edged, introspective words play out amid muted swathes of downbeat electronica. Like the rest of the EP, ‘Prayer’ will captivate and will have you hooked from the get go. Durkan is a voice worth listening to.
Langkamer – ‘Teeth’
From Bristol in the UK, Langkamer are commonly described as country rockers (the best yet is Avon Americana, serious thumbs up) but they land somewhere between Pavement, Creedence, Wilco and Hooton Tennis Club. Their latest single ‘Teeth’ is undoubtedly a perfect blend of these components, crafting a supremely addictive, smart and contagious sound that is simultaneously familiar and excitingly fresh. There’s a lo-fi aesthetic to the drums and vocals, lending a garage band vibe as a slide guitar bathes ‘Teeth’ with an alt country shade. It is bright, catchy and playful, finding a sweet spot between off-kilter and hooky, it is a vivid and irresistible tune.
Captain Rico and The Ghost Band – ‘Dracula On A Skateboard’
French surf-rock aficionados Captain Rico and the Ghost Band will release their second album Fréquences d’outre-tombe (Rhythms from beyond the grave) on March 4, 2022, which promises 1’1 new instrumental tracks featuring a kaleidoscope of guitar riffs, from powerful to simply off the wall’. Ahead of the new album, Captain Rico and The Ghost Band has shared lead single ‘Dracula On A Skateboard’. A free flowing and energetic ramble, it has a vintage yet timeless air to it, with serious echoes of 60’s surf sound of The Shadows and Dick Dale as bright, energetic surf guitars and glistening riff thrive over frantic rhythmic groove that hares off at a furious pace from the off. Wonderful.
Maida Rose – ‘Fallen’
Maida Rose is dream-pop pairing of Roos Meijer and Javièr den Leeuw from Dutch seaside city the Hague, and will release their debut LP Tales Of Adolescence on March 25. Ahead of the album, the pair share new single ‘Fallen’ which perfectly captures their prowess for rich and wistful dream-pop. It oozes with nostalgia and a pang of melancholy, as soft vocals purr with feeling and heartstrung melodies hover above a languid meandering groove and soft shimmering guitar. ‘Fallen’ is yet another beautiful and moving single from Maida Rose; the album promises a lot.
RIFLE – ‘Flag’
RIFLE are a North London punk outfit who’s debut EP, Holloway Demos was recorded live and in one take at Storm on Holloway Road, and all for the price of a tube fair. Fronted by blistering single ‘Flag’ – it, like the EP – is a short, sharp shock to the system, the proverbial kick in the bollocks if you like, filled with scintillating guitars played at breakneck speed, over a furious beat, while raspy vocals fight to be heard amid the barrage of noise. A bolt of biting raw punk energy; an absolute tour-de-force.