#default blues

A selection of things I'm enjoying at the moment, new and old.

Fresh - Summer Camp; more slick pop from a band that roll out well crafted indie hit after hit without any difficulty. It's got the hint of 80s and a strong hook that marks their sound; "do you remember the first time?" Sankey asks sweetly over a beat made for bopping about to in front of your laptop. It comes with a band made lyric video too.

Default Blues - Frightened Rabbit; this one builds a bit more slowly than what you might be used to with FR but once it hits the euphoric chorus it's clear this is another gem from an astoundingly consistent band.

Aside - The Weakerthans; Not a new track by any means, but one of those painfully good angst-fests that sometimes gets forgotten about, but sounds better with every listen.

ONSIND - Sweet and Tender Julian; one of my favourite bands; a Durham based acoustic group with heavy punk influences but a very strong talent for hooks that you won't even realise exist until a few days later when you're singing. Lyrically they like to make a point and the single from their latest album 'Anaesthesiology' includes the fantastic chorus " “never trust a tory, they’ll betray you when it matters / They will scramble to the top and then they’ll kick away the ladder", as well as numerous references within the album to current events (but never in a way that feels jarring, it fits perfectly).

The Pastels - Secret Music; perfectly executed dreamy, woozy summer pop

Runaround Kids - A Way That Works; another favourite band at LBW; joyfully noisy and achingly melodic in turn, a lovely track from a very good band.

The Front Bottoms - Peach; it is funny at first, but The FBs are a really really badly named band, they get away with it though. Their second album 'Talon of the Hawk' is as enjoyable as their first, if not more so. It's aggressively affectionate and addictively emotional, every line feels like it needs to be shouted very loudly in a sweaty room of teenagers or scrawled in a diary. Peach is a sweet but somehow heartbreaking love song, every line that speak of happiness or love is followed by a painful truth.Only the FBs could craft with this level of mastery such a bitter-sweet song in the name of love.

Jean Ralphio's Sister - These Hips(ters) Don't Lie; in contrast to the previous track, a very good name for a band. If you like ONSIND then you'll like this. Clever lyrics, a strong melody and excellent Shakira referencing.