YNES then. Late last year when the Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the government told musicians and other art performers to get a proper job, many people were rightfully insulted and enraged. ‘Better Job’ is the sarcastic and riot fuelled response from YNES, the English-Canadian DIY artist who impressed with her debut EP ‘Sit Down, Grow Up.’ ‘Better Job’ is punk. It’s pop. Witty and vibrant, it captures the time we are living in to perfection. There is little doubt that YNES is going to blow up this year. Catch her while you can and there is no better place to begin than the video to ‘Better Job’.
YNES takes our Single Of The Week with perhaps our favourite release of 2021 so far.
Welcome to this week’s take on the latest releases and we kick things off with West Lothian band Dictator, who have released ‘Moonlight’. It is a confident and atmospheric tune that is easy going and no doubt will be a poignant part of the band's live set. ‘Moonlight’ wouldn't be out of place on a Coldplay record which is either a compliment or an insult depending on your view. Have a listen and decide for yourself…We reviewed ’Cuttin Thru’ Red Tape’ by Narcissus feat. Becki Fishwick earlier in the week and despite the song having a decent groove, the band have put out much better material in the past...Weekend Debt hit the ground running with the immediate sounding ‘Why Don’t You Realise?’, which sounds exactly like indie rock should. The endearing accent in the vocal adds to the overall appeal here, with the whole package being one of the week’s strongest releases…’Let Loose’ by Taxi With Strangers starts teasingly with a strummed guitar before coming alive to great effect. The song is about the post Covid moment we can get together and party again and I know we will be playing this tune when that time arrives. The chorus is a bit hectic but besides that, Taxi With Strangers are a band that show promise...Eighty Ninety are a duo made up of brothers Abner and Harper, whose new release ‘Forever’ is taken from their upcoming EP. This is pure ambient pop with emotional depth...Dundee band Midnight Alleys have produced a decent psychedelic rock sound on ‘Broken Ties & Stolen Lines’, a song that perhaps would have made some waves in a different era. Still, this one is definitely worth a listen..Tropical Boyfriend Catalogue were one of the most prolific bands in 2020 with what seemed like a new release every month, which were all welcomed. The band tend to veer between indie pop and a more personal, acoustic style as heard here on new single ‘Web’. Intense and emotional, ‘Web’ is an impressive release that concludes the band’s ‘Something I can Feel Alive In’ anthology…’Lizard’ from Drool, mixed by Tom Dalgety (The Pixies, Royal Blood), has taken us by surprise. This is quite frankly a startling song that is difficult to pigeon hole. A large, heavy sound with a melodic vocal, ‘Lizard’ is a must listen...Wolverhampton lads Watermark make their debut with ‘The Morning After’, a song that has an amazing guitar riff. This is proper rock n roll. This is a demo of the song and you can tell; the production isn’t quite there but a tune certainly is. The rawness adds an energy and authenticity that is rarely heard. Watermark are definitely a band worth taking notice of at this early stage of their career...The self reflective ‘Nothing’s The Same’ is brought to us by Olive Louise, an American classically trained pianist. This is emotive pop, with rich, full piano chords and a chorus as good as you’ll hear anywhere...Our Sound Music favorites BAXTR deliver indie pop perfection with their third single ‘Grace On Fire’. The all female trio channel the 1980’s and their inner Stevie Nicks - the songwriting here is that good - on a release that is sure to become the band’s most popular to date...Future Radio released their debut album ‘Freedom’ late last year and ‘Closed Doors’ is the latest single to be lifted from the LP. Featuring a pretty great guitar solo, the song is a traditional rock n roll stomper…’MTV’ by The Thieves was released late last year proving it is never too late to discover a great tune. This one swirls like a tornado with a killer guitar sound and a driving rhythm. ‘MTV’ is melodic indie rock that is worth more than a few spins...Architects are possibly the most popular band you’ve not heard of yet, amassing nearly two million monthly Spotify listens alone. Their new single ‘Meteor’ has received play from Radio 1 and features on the band’s upcoming new album ‘For Those That Wish To Exist’. ‘Meteor’ is a hard rock anthem that after a hard hitting intro, progresses to a melodic verse that serves to tee up more hard rock goodness. If heavy rock is your thing you won't go far wrong with this one...We have listened to ‘Lights Go Down’, the latest release from Sages Of the Subway, a few times this week and the song seems to get better on each listen. A laid back, indie rock song that will rarely be topped...Empire, a young band from Leeds, could probably do with some production guidance but the key elements are all here - they can write a decent song and have a lead singer who can carry a tune...Hollie Shearer sings about heartache on her new single ‘Unlucky In Love’. We will have a feature article on Hollie in the next couple of days looking more closely at the song but for now let us tell you that it is pop perfection - elements of Motown and a 50’s vibe underpinned by a contemporary pop vocal. Not many acts make music like this anymore so thank God Hollie does and does it so well... and finally we have one of our favourite band’s KOMBAT and their punchy new one ‘Headspin’. Coming in at just over ninety seconds, this is a full pelt assault on our ears. The signature Kombat sound is intact and the passion in the vocal is there to hear too. A welcome addition to the Kombat single release library.
All of the above releases can be listened to on our Spotify Playlist here.
Please help support Our Sound Music and some emerging talents by taking a look at the links below:
The new indie pop release from HOLLIE SHEARER is called 'Unlucky In Love' - click here to listen.
WES KING releases the wonderous 'LIVING STRANGE' on the 26th. CLICK TO PRE-SAVE.
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