Browsing Tag

Alt 90s

The future of alt-rock arrived with Zegovia’s grungy punk-pierced protest, (It’s All Just) Noise

Posted on 3 June 2024

Imagine an immensely volatile lovechild of Dinosaur Jr and Pavement with punk proclivities, and you’ll get an idea of what Zegovia birthed with their latest single, (It’s All Just) Noise.

After the warm overdriven guitar chords swathe the pulsative drum rhythms with discordance in the intro, the rancour strips back as angular notes deliver intricately off-kilter melodies, creating a raw edgy aesthetic that speaks to how sharp Zegovia cut their teeth before they delivered the hook-rife controlled chaos in (It’s All Just) Noise.

So much more than your assimilative bubble of alt-90s nostalgia, Houston’s most inventively authentic alt-rock outfit rose up from the sludgy ennui of grunge, driven by the punk rock ferocity that is clearly running in their veins.

After feeling the full force of the visceralism in their latest release, it is evident that the four-piece’s determination to keep the pulse of rock beating in their rhythm won’t be in vain. Sleeping on a bed of nails would be easier than sleeping on Zegovia.

(It’s All Just) Noise arrived on the airwaves on May 24; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Columbia’s Craig Lewis Opened a New Chapter with His Debut Single, Everything’s Changing’ in His Sonic Rebirth Solo Project

Posted on 3 May 2024
Those Heavy Souls

The disbanding of Columbia was a bitter pill to swallow in 2022, but if anything can sugar it, it is the debut single from frontman Craig Lewis, who has lost none of his strength as a one-man powerhouse in his new project, Those Heavy Souls.

“Everything’s Changing” is a far more lyrically intimate exhibition of Lewis’ artistic edge, whereas the alt-90s and 00s indie aesthetic, inspired by Kasabian, The Stone Roses, and Doves, remains just as infectiously robust. As you mourn the pace at which our society is disintegrating from recognition, you’re caught up in the kinetically tight, flawlessly produced mourning of what we’ve lost in recent years. Everything’s Change is the ultimate salve for the socialist soul looking for a semblance of sanity and sanctuary.

Lewis’ ability to take a deeply lamentable subject and augment it into a rhythmically compelling hit is a sure-fire testament to the fact that Columbia may have never reached the stadiums that they were well equipped for, but that hasn’t got in the way of Lewis delivering euphoric swagger infused with a quintessentially British sense of ennui.

We already can’t wait to hear what is lingering in the pipeline from the artist who knows exactly how to hark back to the nostalgia of the Britpop era without assimilating. He isn’t just merely exploring intersections; he’s pushing boundaries to the point of deconstructing the framework of nostalgia.

Everything’s Changing will be available to stream on all major platforms from May 3rd. Find your preferred way to listen via Those Heavy Souls’ official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Return to the alt-90s with Trailerfuss’ debut single O Rei da Solidão

Posted on 29 April 2024

Trailerfuss’ debut single, O Rei da Solidão, from their EP Roteiro Sem Final, revisits the 90s grunge era via a route never before taken.

By fusing the sludgy rhythmics of Dinosaur Jr and the fierce soul of Hole, Trailerfuss created a solid foundation to lay their innovative approach to evoking alt-90s nostalgia on. They didn’t stop at emanating two influential artists; you’ll hear everyone from Bob Dylan in the opening harmonica blows, Grandaddy in the lo-fi intimacy, the Beachboys in the surfy layered vocal harmonies, and nuances of Pavement and Pixies synthesised between.

The debut single is a visceral statement from the Rio de Janeiro-based band that is strong enough to carry their fans back to the rose-tinted sanctity of the alt-90s while also delivering potent punches of their own authenticity.

Stream O Rei da Solidão on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alley of the Dolls earned a place in the pantheon of post-grunge with ‘Broken Skies’

Posted on 12 April 2024

Alley of the Dolls, Yorkshire’s alt-rock revelation, delivered a thunderous wake-up call with their single ‘Broken Skies’. The standout from their EP ‘Urethane‘, is a movement scribed through Jacob Stephenson’s and Adam Pickering’s shared passion for the gritty, grungy, and raw energy of 90s rock.

‘Broken Skies’ lyrically tackles a subject as delicate as it is devastating – the rising phenomenon of school shootings. Few artists have dared to go beyond lyrically mourning the tragedy, but Alley of the Dolls does so with a boldness that is both haunting and necessary. Their words don’t just skim the surface; they eviscerate the protagonists of these tragedies, demanding accountability for the senseless destruction born from unprocessed emotions.

The duo’s fearless approach to songwriting is matched by the sonic ingenuity within the bruising riffs and intense instrumental thematic textures in ‘Broken Skies’. Their determination to become architects of a new sound influenced by iconic Seattle post-grunge bands and legends like Guns ‘N’ Roses and the Foo Fighters is palpable in every viscerally affecting note of ‘Broken Skies’.

By using their music to punch upward against tyranny and stand for those struggling to survive and thrive, Alley of the Dolls’ discography is as essential as it is vindicating.

Broken Skies will drop on April 12th; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Indie sleaze voraciously came back around with Sweet Houdini’s antagonised earworm, Metaphorical Red

Posted on 6 April 2024
Sweet Houdini

Essex’s Sweet Houdini’s latest single, ‘Metaphorical Red‘, opens a temporal gateway back to the anthemics of 90s alt-rock with the swagger and grit that infectiously shakes, rattles, and rolls with a palpable sense of antagonism and volition.

The supersonic and vortexical electronic cuts weave seamlessly around thunderous drums and effect-laden guitars, reminiscent of the Black Keys’ bluesy grooves; this sonic backdrop sets the stage for a snarling confrontation that captivates from the first verse, making ‘Metaphorical Red’ a sludgy earworm that rivals the likes of Mansun.

Sweet Houdini doesn’t just pay homage to the alt-rock era; they reinvent it. Their sound crosses the Atlantic, delivering harsher sonic palettes reminiscent of US Alt Indie. The track is a testament to the band’s ability to channel the spirit of 90s icons like Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins, while injecting their unique personality and magnetism.

With ‘Metaphorical Red’, Sweet Houdini has done more than kick up a storm; they’ve choked the atmosphere with a resurgence of indie sleaze. Their energetic live performances, known for authenticity and genuine crowd interaction, mirror the raw emotion and energy of this track. It’s a bold statement in the alt-rock scene, proving that Sweet Houdini is not just a band to watch, but a force to be reckoned with.

Check out Metaphorical Red when it drops on April 5th on Sweet Houdini’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Unbranded penned a riotous alt-90s love letter with ‘Novacaine’

Posted on 4 April 2024

If you’ve ever wondered what Dinosaur Jr would sound like with a bigger and louder sonic stature, find the answer in the high-octane riotous love letter to the alt-90s, penned through The Unbranded’s hit single Novacaine.

Once you let the impaled-with pop-punk-hooks earworm in, don’t expect it to depart any time soon. As the kinetically infectious chord progressions subjugate your rhythmic pulses into submission, the augmented-with-charisma vocal lines draw you further into the centre of the frenetic epitome of rebellion which spits in the face of anyone who wants to shunt people who don’t fit the mould of banality to the sidelines.

The track is a clarion call to all the outliers looking for permission to transform their idiosyncrasies into fuel for their empowered fire. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Social Distortion, The Unbranded and their motivation to inject spiritual awakenings into their music are an essential listen; just one hit, and you’ll want to join them at the vanguard as they smash down toxic social constructions.

Novacaine was officially released on March 15; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Seattle Sound Came Back Around in The Grunge Father’s Acoustic Single, Introvert

Posted on 2 April 2024

The Grunge Father embodied the aura of the 90s Seattle sound in his debut LP, Demons (Unplugged). The standout single, Introvert, is diaphanous in one breath, cacophonously ensnaring in the next to echo the raw, unadorned spirit of the genre.

Fans of Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged in New York session will find a familiar refuge in Introvert, where the Grunge Father channels the same rugged, scorned magnetism that defined a generation.

His vocal performance and instrumental work are a study in contrast as they find a rare equilibrium between melodic harmony and a deliberate, volition-fuelled discord as the lyrics reflect the weariness of introversion in an extrovert’s world. Despite being an introvert by his own admission, The Grunge Father emerges larger than life in this track, his voice a slice of vindication for those who find strength in introspection.

It’s safe to say that The Grunge Father cemented his place in the grunge pantheon with his debut LP. While other artists are busy leading the post-grunge revolution, this superlatively talented one-man powerhouse is proving that there is so much potential left to discover in the roots of the genre.

Stream The Grunge Father’s LP Demons (Unplugged) on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Serenity Club liberated from indignation in this alt-rock release, Heaven is a World Without You

Posted on 22 March 2024
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With lyrics you instantly lock into and hooks you can’t unimpale yourself from, The Serenity Club hit an alt-rock homerun with their latest single, Heaven is a World Without You. The single warps sonic timelines, pulls the 90s Seattle sound into modernity and has all the makings of an alt-rock earworm that The Serenity Club deserve to go down in history for.

Knowing that we all have antagonists in our lives that ‘trap us in cages of resentment’, the band gave the key to freedom from indignation to everyone who tunes into the hit which synthesises grunge with the infectious appeal of bands in the same vein as Rise Against. If the single is this affecting while it is blasting through your speakers, the effect of the live performance would be cathartically unholy.

Every instrumental in the hit works to perpetuate the rapture of the release and assert The Serenity Club as one of the tightest alt-rock outfits in London’s underground alt-rock scene – it is only a matter of time before they make their ascent and stand at the vanguard of the post-grunge movement. Tune into the breakdowns so you don’t have to have one yourself.

Heaven is a World Without You will hit all major streaming platforms on March 22; hear it on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rookie – Resolve: A Volition-Charged Resurgence of Emo-Tinged Post-Grunge

Posted on 5 March 2024

Familiar enough to give you a sonic slice of déjà vu, fresh enough to leave you exhilarated by the trailblazingly emo-tinged post-grunge revival, the latest alt-90s single from the Italian renegades of scuzz, Rookie, is an anthem for the ennui-inclined that will leave you inclined to push your speakers to their limits.

Everything about the augmentation of hook-laden lament compels you to feel the full visceral force of the deliciously distorted earworm, which doesn’t just burrow down into your psyche; it bares its teeth and refuses to let go.

Fans of Jawbreaker, The Smashing Pumpkins and Dinosaur Jr won’t want to miss out on Resolve, which was released after a lengthy hiatus Rookie used to hone the volition in their sound. Now that the power trio is back in the studio recording their new EP, SHELTER, with Matteo Tabacco, they’re more than worth a spot on your radar.

Add Resolve to your Spotify playlists.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NEET and Tidy wrapped their grungy pop-punk hooks around the afflictions of modernity in their LP, Is This Progress?

Posted on 23 February 2024

If any band can advocate for the LP format in an era when our attention spans are shorter than a boardwalk, it is NEET and Tidy with their aural corridor back to the alt-90s.

The sophomore album, Is This Progress? is an unflinchingly reflective exposition of the afflictions of modernity. The sludged-up hooks in Pillow Talk, which captures the bitter taste of a love turned sour, carry all the infectious rancour of Jawbreaker and NOFX, before Play Me launches a straight-up attack on how far the industry has fallen since the golden era of indie and alt-rock. Lyrics in the vein of, “your favourite pop star is the latest infection”, and “another NFT, another stupid dance”, paint a damning portrait of how twisted the industry has come through the contortions of capitalism and narcissism-driven content.

Another standout release within the LP is the evocative evolution of pop-punk into the chorally reverb-swathed remit of shoegaze. Snow (Okay) is a harbingering lament on how the music industry revolves around ableism when it isn’t bleeding vulnerable people dry. From start to finish, the sophomore release from NEET and Tidy asserts the Nashville-residing outfit as one of the most relatable and essential bands in 2024. If you’re always looking for artists with the ability to cut through the static of your ennui, you will find one when you delve into this seminal release.

Is This Progress will reach the airwaves on February 23rd; stream the LP on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast