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Indie Pop Rock

Music

The Ruby Tears launch their first ‘Satellite’ and are about to hit orbit

Posted on 29 November 2020
https://therubytears.bandcamp.com/track/satellite-2

Formed at the start of the first Covid 19 lockdown in March by Manchester musician and former frontman of John Peel punk-pop picks The Bloody Marys John Goodfellow and Jeff Skellon (former bassist with 80’s Liverpool favourites Lalabambam), ‘The Empty Heart EP’ – the third (yes count ‘em) release from The Ruby Tears – shows just what can be achieved by ‘remote working’, Goodfellow and Skellon not (yet) actually having met in the flesh.

Working instead from their respective home studios during the pandemic, with ‘Satellite’ the pair have crafted a piece of classic, seventies-styled-yet-updated New Wave pop-rock in the vein of The Attractions, The Stanglers, or Magazine.

There’s some stellar guitar work from Skellon, all percussive muted strumming and mellow, ‘woman-tone’ lead, Goodfellow’s vocal laid-back and gruff in the way that all good rock music should be, the ‘with the words you never said’ refrain sticking around long after the final notes of Skellon’s guitar have died away. ‘Classic’ is an overused word these days, but ‘Satellite’ is a slice of classic New Wave in the best possible way; climb on board with The Ruby Tears, because there’s every chance this is going to go stellar.

The ‘Empty Heart EP’ drops across streaming platforms on the 4th December. You can listen to ‘Satellite’ on Bandcamp, and follow The Ruby Tears on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Music

Wynona Bleach deliver distortedly euphoric feel-good Alt-Pop with ‘Glimmer’

Posted on 25 November 2020

Hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Wynona Bleach have, under a previous title (R51), already had the kind of impact alt-rock bands dream of, releasing two critically acclaimed EPs and playing the BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds, supporting Feeder and Alice In Chains, performing on the BBC’s Introducing anniversary show at Belfast’s Ulster Hall, and embarking on a 12-date headline Russian tour before adopting their new moniker and decamping to an abandoned warehouse in central Portugal to record their debut album under the production oversight of The Coral’s Bill Ryder-Jones.

Lead single ‘Glimmer’ is a gorgeous sliver of distorted feel-good alt-pop, all searing-yet-bouncy guitar and thumping bass ‘n’ drums stunningly capped by Melyssa Shannon’s killer vocal take. There’s a touch of the Hayley Williams there, for sure, along with some Smashing Pumpkins, a smattering of Wolf Alice or the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, and maybe even the poppy harmonies of Haim in places, with a definite blast of old school swirling, swooping indie like Garbage, Curve or Swervedriver added into the melting pot for an extra measure of cool.

Shannon’s delivery is delicious, alternately fragile and raucous, merging effortlessly with guitarist Jonny Woods’ backing vocals, poppy and dreamy on the verses before the belter of a stadium-anthem chorus kicks ass with its gang-vocal shoutiness, the twin-pronged guitar of Woods and Aaron Black delivering both a crunching, overdriven power-chord belter and an insanely catchy single-note melody over the crashing tightness of Carl Gilmore and Matty Killen’s rhythm section.

Wynona Bleach’s debut album ‘Moonsoake’ is released next month, and available to pre-order now; the self-filmed video for ‘Glimmer’ can be viewed from Wynona Bleach’s website, or via Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Music

Take a cruise with J. Moriarty’s reflectively smooth Indie single ‘Ride Side’

Posted on 16 November 2020

J. Morarty has, in recent years, lived in Morocco, the Maghrib, the West Bank, and Appalachia and now resides in Ohio. ‘Ride Side’ takes in this rootlessness and lack of stability, mixing it all up in a Covid Quarantine-induced haze into a transpositional, transportive piece which puts the listener into the time and place Moriarty occupied when composing.

Gently acoustic, beautiful strummed guitar chords pushing the melody along behind a vocal from Moriarty steeped in sixties or seventies Gram Parsons Americana mixed with Evan Dando’s ‘ All My Life’ or the quieter, chilled moments of the ‘It’s a Shame About Ray’ album – think ‘Hanna & Gabi’ or ‘My Drug Buddy’ and you’re pretty close – before the suddenly off-tempo slapped-percussive ‘ooh ooh ooh’ bridge catches you unaware, bringing in the full psychedelic Leslie-cabinet instrumentation and reminds you that this is a modern, thoroughly grown-up track that twists and turns stylistically through handclaps and bass-line led pop, but all held together masterfully by Moriarty’s soulful vocal delivery.

Hear ‘Ride Side’ on Spotify, and follow J. Moriarty on Instagram and Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Music

Tearsun proves that there is beauty in vulnerability with their Alt Pop Rock Earworm “Soul of Glass”

Posted on 31 October 2020

Vulnerability and beauty always seem to sit hand in hand. If you’re looking for proof, hit play on the latest single “Soul of Glass” from Alt Pop Rock artist Tearsun.

There’s no bravado, just bravery in the unfiltered nature of the expression. You’ll feel your soul swell with each and every momentous groove in Soul of Glass. Any fans of Bryan Adams will definitely be able to appreciate the soundscape which has been influenced by the likes of Matchbox 20, Rob Thomas and Vertical Horizon.

But there’s no disputing that Tearsun brings plenty of distinction to the airwaves, you’ll find it in the inventive reverb-laden distortions of the guitar tones which allow Tearsun to contort mellifluously striking melodies which sit in perfect synergy with his constantly evolving vocals. From crooning to viscerally ardent wails, you’ll find all that and more in Soul of Glass.

You can check out Tearsun’s single for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

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

Posted on 26 October 2020

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

Music

Two of Us have dropped their Melodic Indie Pop earworm “Always Attracted to the Wrong Kind of Girls”

Posted on 13 October 2020

Finnish Pop Rock trailblazers Two of Us blessed the airwaves with their energetically melodic Indie Rock hit “Always Attracted to the Wrong Kind of Girls”. We can’t help but be endeared by the stadium-filling sound and the playful charisma offered in this deeply relatable track. It’s got earworm written all over it.

You can hear the fourpiece’s hunger in each component in the track. The viscerally electrifying vocals, the way the growls of the bass lock into the rhythmically galvanizing drum beats, and of course, the soaring solos which bring a dizzying amount of depth to this high-octane hit. It’s enough to make you feel 16 again. Unless, of course, you’re already 16. Then you should probably heed the warning that you’ll probably have a fair few disastrous relationships ahead of you.

You can check out Always Attracted to the Wrong Kind of Girls for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

Alt Pop took a supersonic shift into the future with the release of Luan Seguim’s single “Terminator”

Posted on 25 September 2020

Chicago-based Alt Indie Pop artist Luan Seguim has crashed onto the airwaves with their unapologetically authentic track “Terminator” which still fizzes with commercial potential in spite of the arrestingly visceral distinction.

Remember when Imagine Dragons dropped Radioactive in 2012? Yeah, it’s as stylistic and fresh as that. With an eclectic array of influences behind their futuristically grooving sound, Luan Seguim was able to serve up a genre-defying hit which Indie, Rock, Dark Pop and Electronic Pop fans will all undoubtedly approve of.

You can check out Luan Seguim’s track Terminator by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

Paul Moleta – HEY YOUNG SOUL: A High-Vibe Infusion of Soul, Indie, Pop and Rock

Posted on 1 September 2020

Australian-born, Irish-based singer-songwriter Paul Moleta has cooked up yet another high-vibe infusion of Soul, Indie, Pop and Rock with their latest single “HEY YOUNG SOUL”. If you need a little aural pick me up, hit play and prepare to ascend with this organically exuberant radio-ready hit.

I struggle to express the extent of gratitude I hold towards artists in recent times pushing back their own negativity to create feel-good hits. HEY YOUNG SOUL serves the powerful reminder that if happiness isn’t in front of you, that doesn’t mean it will always be out of your reach. Go outside and get it.

Given that we’ve all been spending far too much time enclosed in 4 walls with our thoughts, lyrics such as “sun won’t shine inside this room” are priceless.

You can check out Paul Moleta’s single HEY YOUNG SOUL for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

KOMIE are set to release their altruistically imploring charity single “10,000 Angels”

Posted on 20 August 2020

Presently, it feels like it would take the descent of celestial creatures to lead us to salvation. Just in case they don’t show up, Pop artist KOMIE has released their arcanely powerful charity single 10,000 Angels.

10,000 Angels was orchestrated with a funky Indie Pop vibe and resoundingly imploring Pop vocals which won’t fail to instil you with optimism. The captivating soundscape validates the negative emotions which can manifest during trying times. It is also a powerful reminder that you don’t need the powers of divine intervention to positively change someone’s life and save the day.

As part of their mission to spread a little love and the message of altruism, the profits from 10,000 Angels will be donated to charity.

You’ll have to wait a little longer until you can check out 10,000 Angels for yourselves, in the meantime, head over to SoundCloud and check out their former releases.

Follow KOMIE via Facebook to stay up to date with the release.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Music

Danger of Drowning – Heart to Break: An Infectiously Amorous Convergence of Indie Pop Rock and RnB

Posted on 14 July 2020

Indie Pop Rock and smooth RnB infectiously converge in Danger of Drowning’s latest single Heart to Break which dropped on April 30th.

As soon as you hit play, it hits you that Danger of Drowning has reached a new frontier with their intriguingly distinctive yet immediately resolving sound. Whichever music genre you usually find yourself delving into to enjoy sticky sweet sentimental love songs, Heart to Break is sure to hit the amorous aural spot.

By fusing the piercing emotion of Pop Punk combined with the arrestive melodic hooks and grooves of contemporary RnB, Danger of Drowning ensured that Heart to Break will stick to your synapses like superglue. Especially if you spent a fair amount of your youth listening to Panic! at the Disco.

You can check out Danger of Drowning’s Indie earworm for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast