Spiny Norman – Miles Apart
Dutch art pop/ garage rock outfit Spiny Norman is breaking through the barriers and won’t let themselves be tied down to one sound. Their new single ‘Miles Apart’ is a miraculous track with outstanding vocals that are hard to forget once you’ve heard them! ‘Miles Apart’ reflects on turbulent times, a story told by ranting vocals and with a bucket full of energy, the name Spiny Norman might sound like the skinny nerd from high school that believed he was on a mission from God, but their music tells you otherwise, for fans of a light-version of Queens of the Stone Age.
Marquis Drive – Truth Don’t Shock
What I expected to be a heavy rock band turned out to be a mellow indie pop band, with resemblance to early Oasis, something I’ll always be able to enjoy. Their soothing new track ‘Truth Don’t Shock’ is a steady paced yet grand slice of Brit pop with vocals that made me wonder who I was listening to, Noel Gallagher or Marquis Drive… ‘Truth Don’t Shock’ is an anthem for our times, cinematic and with a medium chorus, a bit more energy and some hooks would have done the trick for this band not to sound like an Oasis-tribute, but it works for me!
Uncle Buzzard – Little Fish
Stockton/ Leeds-based psych pop outfit Uncle Buzzard recently released their new single ‘Little Fish’, a combination of a unique and mellow sound, slightly off killer and complex pop. The band have found their way and won’t be turning around anytime soon. It’s their quirky way of sharing their music and the laid back yet very well thought through way they create their singles that brought them to my attention. ‘Little Fish’ is the worthy follow up of ‘Big Cat’ which was recently released as a double A-side 7″ on Come Play With Me Records.!
TOLEDO – FOMO
Soothing, laid back yet energetic and passionate surf rock with eccentric vocals and harmonies that sound as if sung through a megaphone, it’s TOLEDO‘s new single ‘FOMO’! It’s the first song the band wrote and recorded while in quarantine together, “Every morning started the same: a very brief meditation and a short session of yoga with Adriene. The resulting mindfulness was usually short-lived and followed by late nights of drinking and Buffy reruns. ‘FOMO’ pokes fun at this quarantine lifestyle, but at the end of the day gives voice to a genuine desire to be more present.”
Jacques Labouchere – Like California
A mix of folk and blues, a single that sounds like a roadtrip, it’s Jacques Labouchere‘s new single ‘Like California’! It’s the third single of his fourth upcoming album ‘Connecting Flights’ and a breeze of fresh air. I can feel my hair dance in the wind while driving through the countryside, along to Jacques’ laid back folk pop sound and raspy voice. “‘Like California’ is an over-easy take on a bittersweet time sarcastically sun kissed with love on arrival from a first time experience of Los Angeles from the dusty hills and canyons to Santa Monica sunsets.”
Martha Hill – Grilled Cheese
Since Martha Hill‘s debut EP I’ve been hooked on her raspy vocals, quirky sound and eccentric lyricism. Martha Hill is Martha Hill and no one else. She is back with her latest single ‘Grilled Cheese’, so without even listening I was already a fan… And hungry. It is the first track of her upcoming EP ‘Summer Up North’ and is about a dissection of a relationship. “Daft arguments about about food prep, bouncing off each other negatively, jealousy, but in the end still believing things are going to get better.” The build up of the story runs parallel to the build up of Martha’s musical compositions which made me get sucked into ‘Grilled Cheese’ completely and so much it made me feel a bit stunned when the song ended…
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