Browsing Tag

Alternative Rock

djamesk13- She Rides in Secret: grungily Lynchian psychedelic Britpop

Posted on 27 July 2023

For his latest single, She Rides in Secret, the alt-rock artist, djamesk13, orchestrated a scintillating installation of grungily Lynchian psychedelic Britpop.

Finding the middle ground between Pixies, Stone Roses, the Psychedelic Furs, and the pioneers of darkly dissonant post-punk, She Rides in Secret is a hypnotic aural effigy to authenticity, inexplicably carved by one of the boldest experimentalists that we have had the pleasure of putting on our radars in recent years.

The moodily sludgy lo-fi propensities of She Rides in Secret may not be anyone’s cup of tea, but if you’d prefer to lose yourself in a sonic storm in a teacup, delve right into the seductive soundscape that will caress you with its succinct melodies and wistful romanticism.

She Rides in Secret was officially released on July 17th; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dan Zalles laments the monotony of modernity in his 80s-Esque alt-rock single, Email Hell

Posted on 8 September 2022

As digital domains dominate our existence, tracks such as Dan Zalles’ 80s rock-inspired single, Email Hell, feel almost inevitable. Between the atmospheric sonic nostalgia of the soaring guitar lines fed through effects that you’d expect to find on Will Sergeant’s (Echo and the Bunny Men) pedal board and the mundanity of modernity in lyrics, Email Hell is a feat of multi-era convergence that provides ample solace for anyone that doesn’t appreciate the technological advances which left human evolution in the dust.

Email Hell is is just one of the immersively sonorous singles found on the San Francisco Bay Area singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and film composer’s album, Emotionally. We highly recommend experiencing it in its entirety.

Email Hell is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ruby Sue told her coming of age story in her bitter-sweet triumph of a debut LP, the Need

Posted on 9 August 2022

With the sweetness of Taylor Swift, the soul of Brandi Carlile, and the bite of Courtney Love, the 19-year-old Minneapolis singer-songwriter Ruby Sue released her coming-of-age debut album, The Need.

Although pitch-perfection and instrumental distinction are a constant through the 12 singles, special attention should be paid to I Remember September, which mellifluously exhibits just how fleeting youth is, and how inclined we are to cling to it through fear of the future. I can only imagine how terrifying the transition into adulthood is in this era, but everyone going through it now has a confidant in this soul-stirring debut LP.

With lyrics such as, “who will I be when I’m not young and free?” Ruby Sue proves that despite her age, she’s got more self-awareness than most lyricists. Get her on your radar.

I Remember September is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ryan Hamilton leaves us Free Fallin’ in his Tom Petty cover

Posted on 12 March 2022

Covering iconic singles that have followed us through the eras and become part of the soundtracks to our lives is always a risky move but The Fort Worth, Texas singer-songwriter, Ryan Hamilton’s boldness paid off when he breathed new life into the already upliftingly breezy single, Free Fallin’.

Tom Petty’s original was largely faultless. Yet, as Hamilton has already been branded as the Tom Petty of this generation, hitting play quickly allows interest to evolve into indulging a revitalised classic, which was recorded during a recent trip to London at Abbey Road Studios.

Before establishing himself as a Grammy-worthy singer-songwriter with his original material Hamilton toured across North America and Canada with his former bands, received international airplay and impressed Classic Rock and Kerrang. And perhaps most impressively, he’s written and recorded with the legendary Ginger Wildheart.

We have no doubt the future of his career will be just as luminary. Watch this space.

Check out Ryan Hamilton’s cover of Free Fallin’ via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gunpoint Alibi deliver the evolution that alt-rock fans have been waiting for with their latest single, Bury Me

Posted on 23 January 2022

‘Bury Me’ is the latest fierce slice of alt-rock from the Denver, Colorado-based powerhouse Gunpoint Alibi. What started as a garage-punk cover band in 2019 evolved into a gnarly post-hardcore outfit complete with ensnaring high-octane instrumental hooks and harsh pop-punk vocals that fall away from the Hayley Williams mould (thank God!) into raucous new territory.

Morgan Elizabeth’s vocal confidence runs in parallel to the levels of conviction and dynamism; she could smash through a screamo track just as well as a Taylor Swift hit. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the infectious sense of playfulness she uses as she attacks the lyrics with her versatile vocal timbre. We can’t wait to hear how they follow on from this monster of an alt-rock evolution.

Bury Me is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Your Lies: Dundee alt-rock artist Frances Gein knows that someday she will be fine on break-up track ‘Mud’

Posted on 18 September 2021

As she bravely crawls away from the past relationship that ended so traumatically, Frances Gein wades through the darkness to find her light again on the terrific new single ‘Mud‘.

Frances Gein is an inspiring LGBTQ+ alternative rock/pop artist from Dundee, Scotland. She blends topics about mental health, loneliness, and existential dread into her music creations, as she aims to mix grunge and beauty together.

”She began learning guitar at the start of the lockdown in 2020 to deal with personal trauma but fell in love with the art of song writing.” ~ Frances Gein

With a gritty and honest flow streaming genuinely withing her veins, she leads us into this heartbreaking story of being with someone who selfishly just wanted to take away your energy all for themselves. Without truly caring for you – they showed you their true intentions eventually – that let you away from that toxic web of doom, so you could heal up to love properly like you truly deserve and smell that romantic perfume.

”Inspired by the poetry of William Wordsworth, ‘Mud’ looks back at abusive relationship with a sarcastic tone.” ~ Frances Gein

‘Mud‘ from the talented Scottish alt-rock/pop solo artist Frances Gein, is the story of knowing that sometime in the future you will be okay. Right now however, you are still steaming with the vivid memory of not being loved properly by a former lover who let you down badly. She sings with a real maturity and takes us on a movie-like journey through the mess that you didn’t want to endure, but certainly learnt from.

Sometimes you have to be at your absolute lowest, to reach the exciting highs that will complete your hungry soul.

Hear this new single via the Spotify music channel and see more on her IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

UK alt-rock outfit THE BIGGER PICTURE is set to make a sonic debut with ‘Sparkle’.

Posted on 8 April 2021
THE BIGGER PICTURE

London-based alt-rock newcomers THE BIGGER PICTURE is set to make a sonic debut with, ‘Sparkle’; a single that parallels the anthemic energy in tracks by Muse, Arcade Fire, Editors and Biffy Clyro and sets the bar high for the debut EP.

The full-bodied release will take you back to the days when rock artists would master theatrical aural experiences, designed to completely blow your mind when the crescendos and guitar solos come around. It is hardly a stretch to say that, given the chance, THE BIGGER PICTURE could offer the same command of a festival crowd as Queen did in the 80s.

The dual vocals practically make Sparkle effervescent with collaborative chemistry, and the guitar work is enough to give James Dean Bradfield a complex.

You can check out THE BIGGER PICTURE via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Matt Moody is set to release their rhythmically slick Grunge Indie Pop earworm “Watchu Want”

Posted on 26 October 2020
https://soundcloud.com/mattismoody/whatchu-want-1/s-2MjRP3MG0oP

With their latest single “Watchu Want”, trailblazing Alt-Rock artist Matt Moody added Grunge to their classic anthemic Rock signature sound. Bringing it right back to the Alt 90s style while giving fans of contemporary Rock something fresh to sink their teeth into.

With Indie Pop elements also weaved into the mix, Watchu Want is a rhythmically slick earworm which we can’t help getting excited about.

Matt Moody may just be the only artist capable of uniting fans of Aerosmith and fans of Dinosaur Jr with one release. You get the sexy swaggering vocal dynamics alongside the experimentally mind-melting tones found in Grunge and Dream Pop, what more could you possibly ask for?

You can check out Watchu Want from the date of release on October 30th by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cultural Vultures offer Alt Rock fans smooth bluesy redemption with a view of their ingenuity in action

Posted on 29 August 2020

Any true audiophile of the Alternative inclination will be as enraptured as we were by the invitation to watch Cultural Vultures live in the studio.

The voyeuristic view into their ingenuity starts with striking classical strings before the smooth bluesy, funk-deep Louisiana swamp sound takes hold of the seriously nuanced soundscape in the first track. If you thought Jim Jones was charismatic, just wait until you get to hear the redemption which the ‘live from the studio’ video has to offer.

Offering discernible talent is one thing, but Cultural Vultures offer so much more than a showcase of talent. Their magnetically captivating sound is an absolute pleasure to get lost in. I think I nearly forgot the real world existed.

You can watch the aural alchemy being weaved for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK Alt Rock Trailblazers Settlem3nt are Set to Unleash Their Colossal New Hit “CHAMPAGNE”

Posted on 5 August 2020
Settlem3nt

Anyone with a penchant for scuzzy biting Alt-Rock won’t want to hang around on jumping on the latest release “CHAMPAGNE” from UK powerhouse Settlem3nt.

After a promising debut, the band had plenty of hype to live up to with CHAMPAGNE. They definitely succeeded with their viscerally charged infusion of Punk, Post-Rock and Metal. With the colossal sound, alchemic riffs and transfixing instrumental breakdowns, Settlem3nt easily set themselves apart from any other emerging artist.

Their high-octane sound would have reminiscences to Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes if Frank Carter went heavier with their sound, and dare I say threw in the same level of ingenuity?

You can check out Settlem3nt’s single CHAMPAGNE for yourselves from August 31st by heading over to Spotify. In the meantime, you can check out their equally as masterfully volatile debut single Visions.

Review by Amelia Vandergast