Browsing Tag

Alternative Rock

Swim in the alt-rock riptide of Sharpened.Lives’ latest single, drifter

Groningen founded, Mainz based most cutting trio, Sharpened.Lives, continue to sell sanctuary to the disenchanted through their introspectively iron-wrought, expansively influenced alt-rock single, drifter.

The track resonates with the seductive depth of Deftones and carries the visceral punch of post-hardcore giants like Alexisonfire, all while infusing the intricate time signatures reminiscent of InME and the cutting-edge aesthetics of Highly Suspect.

The backbone of ‘drifter’ is its gnarled basslines that churn beneath chameleonic vocals, which oscillate between tender harmonies and guttural outpours. The guitar work is nothing short of incisive, crafting hooks that are as magnetic as they are sharp, ensuring that once you’re pulled in, there is no getting out unaffected.

Drifter presents a rare sonic experience that engulfs you by being far more than the sum of all its cultivated parts; it demands total surrender to its raw, emotional pull. The track’s glitchy, tumultuous breakdowns are potent enough to sideline even the most revered BMTH records, making a clear statement about the band’s intent to redefine the boundaries of heaviness and emotional depth in music.

For anyone who has felt adrift in the often chaotic current of reality, don’t hesitate to dig in. Their upcoming EP, ‘st//tches’, promises to be a continuation of this powerful dialogue with their listeners.

drifter was officially released on September 6th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NYC’s Lucid Lip synthed up their soul-rock signature in their achingly bitter-sweet release, No Ones’ Burden

Lucid Lip, a band which always knows which heartstrings to pull and notes to play, took their sound to more experimental synth rock territory while maintaining their evocatively impactful finesse with their latest single, No Ones’ Burden.

Staying with their signature sound of soulful alt-rock clearly doesn’t creatively hinder the powerhouse which has become integral to the NY live music scene after playing Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, Our Wicked Lady and countless other renowned venues in their 10-year reign as one of the most versatile acts in the NYC circuit.

After a Grandaddy-meets-Owl-City-esque synthy prelude, No Ones’ Burden kicks into a melodiously energised alt-rock-goes-pop groove as the smoky with soul vocal lines project aching melancholy into the tonally dynamic, harmonically-heightened release. Chris Cornell himself couldn’t have conveyed the emotion in the intimate lyricism better; the candour-fuelled confessionalism of the release is bound to resound with anyone who knows how bitter-sweet it feels to be beholden to no one and be perpetually resisting the temptation to live fast and loose.

No Ones’ Burden will be available to stream on all major platforms from March 1st.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rob Russell antagonised the airwaves by unleashing his alt-rock debut LP, What It All Meant

Rob Russell’s single ‘Carried‘, extracted from his debut LP ‘What It All Meant‘, is a striking genre synthesis that boldly defies the conventional boundaries of alternative rock. The track is an audacious blend, merging the defiant spirit of contemporary skate punk with the wistful echoes of 90s pop punk, all while embracing the gritty essence of grunge.

Russell’s approach to production is refreshingly unpolished, allowing the song’s inherent rawness to shine through. This choice pays off, as it accentuates the emotional gravity of the track, making ‘Carried’ a lesson in volition.

The single resonates with a sense of rugged honesty, a quality that is increasingly rare in today’s alt-rock landscape. Russell’s vocal delivery is both poignant and powerful, weaving through the dynamic soundscape with a balance of aggression and vulnerability. The instrumentation complements this perfectly, with guitar riffs that are both sharp and melodic, underpinned by a rhythm section that drives through the track with relentless energy.

‘Carried’ stands as a testament to Russell’s ability to channel the ethos of alt-rock’s past while forging his own path. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Check out Rob Russell’s LP, What It All Meant, on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Porter – Behind the Banlieu: A Disparaging Sign of Our Digital Disconnected Epoch

Germany’s most tuned-into-the-harrow-of-our-digitised-material-reality progressive alt-rock outfit, Porter, leaned into the disconnect and isolation our instant connectivity has brought us in their aptly dark single, Behind the Banlieu. While no one is living under the illusion that we’re living in the healthiest epoch, Porter’s single is efficacious in its attestation to the damage that is being inflicted on us with each passing day.

This track is a testament to Porter’s ability to fuse various musical influences, from the raw energy of metal and punk to the nuanced storytelling of indie and singer-songwriter styles. The result is a sound that’s uniquely theirs, mature yet vibrant, complex yet accessible.

Raimund, the band’s new frontman, brings an electrifying presence to the track. His vocals resonate, echoing the power of the pounding drums and the deep growls of the basslines. This combination creates a sound that’s as dark as it is energising, a perfect canvas for the song’s powerful message.

With raw rock riffs which tear through the alchemised atmosphere, there’s plenty of room for contemplation, when you’re not locked into the tumultuous volition of the single that carries all of the elements of an electrifying rock anthem. Consider the single as the first stone cast in a sonic revolution and a fierce declaration from a band that knows its power.

In a world where oppressive ideas are gaining ground, Porter uses their music as a tool for resistance and inspiration. The chorus is not just memorable; it’s a call to arms for those who crave a shift towards democracy and freedom.

Behind the Banlieu is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

djamesk13- She Rides in Secret: grungily Lynchian psychedelic Britpop

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

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

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

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

‘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’

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