Johnny Kills – ‘End Game’

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Brighton/London-based garage-surf trio Johnny Kills have been delighting our ears with a series of infectious and scuzzed-up singles; ‘Let’s Talk About Me’ & ‘My Shirt Guy Is High’.

The trio have returned with a scintillating, razor-sharp single ‘End Game’. A fizzy sub-three-minute blast of fuzzed-up and scuzzy alchemy. Vocals flicker in and out between meaty bass, crunchy riffs and searing percussion, all the while maintaining a sweetly melodic core. Clocking in at just under three minutes, it does not mess about and it will certainly brighten your day.

Everything from Johnny Kills thus far has been sensational, here’s to that trend continuing into the future.

For now though, you can take a listen to the superb ‘End Game’ below.

Sophisticated Dingo – ‘Head Talk’

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Sophisticated Dingo – easily one of the most memorable names you’re likely to hear – are a pair of garage-rock lovers from Melbourne.

The duo of drummer James ‘Jimmy’ Medley and singer-guitarist Lewis ‘Lew’ Matte, have released a brand new video for latest and fiercely infectious single ‘Head Talk’. This four-minute blast of anthemic grunge-tinged garage-rock is propelled forward by the one-two punch of energetic overdriven guitar chords, crunchy riffs and pounding drums. The song’s verses are filled with charming backing vocals which explodes into thumping and catchy sing-a-long choruses, before ‘Head Talk’s’ anthemic breakdown leads into an epic, noisy and exhilarating finale. Great name, great band & great single!

Check out ‘Head Talk’ and previous single, ‘Witch Love’ below. They are both ace!

Introducing: The Psychic Alliance

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The Psychic Alliance are a Canadian band, based out of Vancouver, who excite and enthral with their fuzzy west coast psych.

The Vancouver outfit recently released their third LP, Evil Against Evil – blending psych with stomping sixties garage, b-movie horror tones and touches of The Stooges, MC5, Black Sabbath, Ray Davies & Bowie. Offering a favour of their heady brew is ‘No Fixed Address’; a blistering ’60s garage stormer filled with swinging guitars, scintillating riffs, frenetic organ and percussion; and all delivered with a ‘we-mean-business’ attitude. ‘Yesteryear’ is also full of psychedelic endeavour but offers a more melodic take on their West Coast psych. The organ work is still the driving force, and joined by jazzy drums, spooky feedback and guitar licks a plenty. ‘Yesteryear’ like ‘No Fixed Address’ – something of a feature on their new LP – is prone to full-on psych freak-out at any moment, with a healthy dose of the macabre but with an underlying playfulness or wry humour.

To get a flavour of what The Psychic Alliance are all about, you can listen to ‘Yesteryear’ & ‘No Fixed Address’ below.

Their new record Evil Against Evil is available here.

Johnny Kills – ‘My Shirt Guy Is High’

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Johnny Kills set out their stall with infectious scuzz-fest debut single, ‘Let’s Talk About Me’, and the Brighton/London-based garage-surf trio have returned with a new fuzzed-up delight called ‘My Shirt Guy Is High’.

A three-minute adventure of fuzzy and fun-filled blast of scuzzy, sweetly melodic garagey, noise-pop. The mildly distorted vocals and cooing harmonies go hand-in-hand with the crunchy guitar riffs and rhythmic drumming – and the addition of the organ (and the organ work) is a revelation! There is an irresistible alchemy at work here. What makes Johhny Kills ear-pleasing racket is they eek out a sweet spot between scuzz and pop; as fine an execution as your likely to ever hear to be fair. The next tune from these guys cannot come quick enough – thus far they have proven themselves to be quite the treasure.

For now though, get yourself acquainted with ‘My Shirt Guy Is High’ below.

Introducing: Strange Cages

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Strange Cages are a Brighton trio who don’t mess about; their sinister, sleazy psych-rock sound is compelling, intense and hypnotic.

Taking parts post-punk, surf rock, garage, krautrock and psychedelia Strange Cages stitch it all together to form a dangerous sounding gritty psych-punk. The Brighton trio are gearing up to release new EP The Cracks, out on June 16, ahead of which come title track and ‘Leader Of A Cult’ to whet the appetite. The latter fully realises their dark sinister tenancies with spine chilling effect. Punchy drums and jangley, off-kilter riffs are smothered with an eerie sense of dark perilous menace, with foreboding vocals adding to the sense of a paranoid nightmare. ‘The Cracks’, still somewhat wonky and weird, pushes infectious guitar riffs, driving drum beats and anthemic roars through a sea of distortion and psychedelic imagination. Two phenomenal tracks, on the back of which, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for the forthcoming EP.

The Cracks EP is out June 16. Listen to ‘The Cracks’ & ‘Leader Of A Cult’ below now.

Mountain Bike – ‘This Lonely Place’

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More closely associated with electronica, Belgium has produced more than its fair share of tidy bands too, and joining that list is garage outfit, Mountain Bike.

The four-piece, hailing from Brussels, have just released new single ‘This Lonely Place’. Taken from their forthcoming album About Too Sorry For Any Sorrow – due out on the 3rd of March – ‘This Lonely Place’ is a fuzzy, jangling four minutes of laid-back, hook-drenched, melodic-vibes. From a melancholic opening, it nonchalantly skips along head-nodding bundle of joy. Comparisons to the likes of Ty Segall, Mac DeMarco, Car Seat Headrest & King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizard have been made, and while they are all valid, there is a certain late ’90s Blur and early noughties Graham Coxon (solo work) vibe too. Regardless, this is super catchy, infectious and addicting, Mountain Bike have found that sweet spot between pop and indie.

Listen to ‘This Lonely Place’ below, and keep an eye out for this four-piece in 2017.

Billy Changer – ‘Barbarella’

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Billy Changer is an L.A. based artist, producer, radio DJ and member of L.A. based band, Corners.

Changer’s solo work – and self-titled 2014 debut released via Lolipop Records / Burger Records – is marked by a fondness for a lovingly rough around the edges hybrid of ’60s garage and psych-pop. Taken from the aforementioned debut and exuding all those aesthetic qualities is single, ‘Barbarella’, for which he has just released a new video for – and it is a dynamite intro to the world of Billy Changer. Driven by a propulsive, whirring bass-line which cuts through the hazy jangle which at times, everything is coated in a light coat of fuzz and distortion. A deliciously ramshackle, lo-fi sound, ‘Barbella’ is an insidiously catchy, plucky and utterly irresistible slice of garage and psych-pop indebted indie.

You can check out ‘Barbella’ below. If that is to you liking (of which I’m sure it will) you can listen to Billy Charger’s self-titled debut here. You shall not regret it.

Introducing: Them Jones

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Them Jones are a Philadelphia five-piece with a flair for mesmerising, retro sounding, psych-tinged garage rock.

Them Jones’ most recent album, A Mountain of Nonsense was released last year and is a rough-around-the-edges and unpolished aural adventure, swathed in ’60s sounds and inspirations. Whether it is the likes of ‘Outburst’, which sees them tumble into a frenetic two-minute burst of punchy guitar driven garage-rock or ‘Honeytrap’, embracing the softer subtleties of the genre, giving a smoother, more soulful flavour – we find a band at the peak of their prowess. The same can be said for slowly waltzing and hushed poetic delights of ‘The Shrinking Violet’s Light’, and the record in general. At varying times, Them Jones bring to mind The Doors, The White Stripes, The Animals and any more of a similar ilk, yet they manage to maintain ownership of their musical vision and sound. This is their interpretation of a genre and era they know and love. They are masters of their craft and it executed with perfection, and sometimes you know, that is quite enough.

You can listen to some choice cuts from Them Jones’ latest album A Mountain of Nonsense. If those are to your liking, well, you can stream the LP here. Enjoy!

Incoming: A Quick Chat With Count Vaseline | Plays Broken Home This Saturday

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Count Vaseline is the new project from Stefan Murphy, formerly of Dublin rock ‘n roll miscreants The Mighty Stef, and The Count is bringing genre-warped garage sounds to Newbridge, for an intimate and special Broken Home show.

It was a dark day for Irish music back in May, when time was called on The Might Stef. Always a prolific tunesmith, it wasn’t long before Murphy introduced his new guise Count Vaseline. Falling somewhere between raw garage rock and crooning fuzz-pop – sonically a different being – the new project remains draped in his unique and intuitive storytelling ability. There’s already a debut LP, Yo No Soy Marinero – a genre-warped record that fizzes with energy, invention and brimming with weird and wondrous ideas, and full of heart – with album number two, Cascade to follow in December.

In support of his new endeavour, Count Vaseline has been playing shows across the US and Ireland, and this Saturday, December 3, he rolls into Newbridge town, for an intimate and special Broken Home show, with support from the Tallaght folk machine We Went Down.

Ahead of the weekend’s show I caught up with Count Vaseline, to chat about the new project, touring and all things music. Check the album below too!

You can find further details on The Broken Home Series here, more info on the show here and you can purchase your ticket from Eventbright.

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The Courtneys Announce new album, ‘The Courtneys II’; Share ‘Silver Velvet’

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Vancouver indie trio The Courtneys have announced details for the follow up to their marvellous self-titled debut. Simply titled The Courtneys II, it is set to arrive on February 17 through Flying Nun.

With their 2013 debut, The Courtneys peddled a lo-fi fuzzy slacker garage-pop that drifting back toward the ’90s and first taster from the new record, ‘Silver Velvet’ leads a very similar charge. Endearingly ramshackle, it is pumped with fuzzed-up distorted guitars, sweet licks and heavy, driving bass lines. Done and dusted in exactly three minutes, it is topped off with some intricate drums and dreamy vocals, rarely has ramshackle indie been so appealing and so pretty damn irresistible. A pure noise pop gem.

The Courtneys’ new album, The Courtneys II, is out on February 17, 2017. For now, enjoy the irresistible earworm that is ‘Silver Velvet’. Also, if you haven’t done so already, check out their snappy 2013 debut LP here. Well worth your attention.