As we all head off into hard lockdown(s) or resign ourselves to its eventually, soothe your furrowed worry lines we this bunch of great acts, who keep on keeping on, irrespective of the hanky-faced nonsense in this world.

If 2020 showed us anything, it is that the music business is resilient and new music will still reach our ears. Lets try and reward their endeavours with as much social media / fiscal purchases as possible.

Keep you and yours safe…

The Umbrella Puzzles

Track: Slip Through The Cracks (single mix) From: Slip Through The Cracks (single) Label: Boring Spaghetti Records Out:  Now

A glorious ‘dry twang’ taster of all that will be brilliant about February’s 2021’s, A Slowly Dawning Realization, album. Inimitable Ryan Marquez in full pomp !!!

Bubblewands

Track: Go Back From: Footage (EP) Label: Self released Out:  Now

Project of San Francisco’s Brian Lonsdorf who takes a similar twanged riffs stance as The Umbrella Puzzles, beforecourses it through dulcet Silver Jews emotionality.

The Third Cut

Track: Bad Idea From: Bad Idea (single) Label: FYSM Recordings Out:  Now

Imagine The Television Personalities finding their inner Elliott Smith, emotional lo-fi button, and you have stumbled accross the slightly left field, but beguiling sound of The Third Cut !!!

Billy Conquer

Track: Underwear From: Garage Hits (EP) Label: Self released Out:  Now

After what seems like absolutely years of the current The Strokes revival, we suddenly find ourselves with a garage rock band prepared to dive headlong into something more leftfield, jangly and brilliant than the usual fodder.

If the musical world still has any semblance of credibility this Texan act should be the next big thing among the micro-bloggers that count !

Koalra

Track: Water’s Push From: Water’s Push (single) Label: Gigantic Noise Records Out:  Now

Taking the theatricality of the ‘Bunnymen’ essence and juxtapositing with chiming Post-punk and intense Sonic Youth style fuzz, Koalra‘s is a sound that always compels.

The Pierce Kingans

Track: Clean Pace From:  Nobel Pierce Prize (EP) Label: Boat Dreams From The Hill Out:  EP out 20.01.21

This Vancouver based lo-fi act have the ability to twist glorious pop melodies out of the most left field of contributory components. Like a manic The Monkees, thankfully this, the first single of their forthcoming EP, is no exception.

Shared Image

Track: Clean Pace From:  Who Decides Who Does What (Album) Label: Self released Out:  Now

Slacker pop track that twists, jangles and chimes through all manner of sun dappled laziness. Although something of an outlier to the generally more muscular sound of the entire album, this track is a wonderful addition to any ‘summers afternoon beer playlist’.

Brother Sports

Track: Dry Eyes From: iii EP (EP) Label: Self released Out:  Now

Austin (Tx) based five-piece who have defiantly claimed the hitherto untouched middle ground between Cathedral Bells electro jangle and Still Woozy-isms, as their very own!

Sredni Vashtar

Track: Ten From: Ten (single) Label: Self released Out:  Now

With the distant, isolated vocal style and subtle fuzz of the Cowboy Dinosaur sound, juxtaposed with a need to thread definitive melodies through the layers of guitars, this London based threesome present the best of the modern ‘almost-gaze’ sound.

Morning Eagle

Track: Swell Check From: Slide (EP) Label: Self released Out:  Now

Going everywhere ipossible between psyche rock / alt rock / jangle-fuzz, this Nick May solo project juxtaposes the three disparate musical nuances with seamless dynamism.

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Angie Hosh

Track: Sunbathing In December  From: Sunbathing in December (single) Label: Catholic Regret Out:  Now

A glorious and less than subtle departure from their usual more intense rock leanings, Angie Hosh show the ability to offer beauth out of melancholy fluttering jangle. An amazing debut release for the Catholic Regret label as well! 

Cai 

Track: Blaidd (Nol a Nol) From: Colli Meddwl (single) Label: Haia Out:  Now

The first welsh language act / track we have ever featured, Cai takes a Baxter Dury foundation and adds a Hefner level of jangly indie-pop proceedings. No idea what he is saying…but this is so good it matters not !

Men Behind The Sun

Track: Wolfman From: Wolfman (single) Label: Self released Out:  Now

Little bit of psyche, little bit of The Strokes bombastand a huge touch of blues rock. It’s an amalgamation of guitar muscles and totally enthralling from start to finish.