This week our three guest reviewers take on another five new tracks and give them a spin through the headphones before they then air their opinion on each.
This week's panel: Little Indie contributor Jane Davies; MD of leading UK club night promoters This Feeling, Mike Jonns; Leila O'Sullivan, drummer with Manchester band LIINES.
THE KARMA REPAIR KIT - BITE
Drawing influence from grunge, post-punk and noise, Bristol four-piece channel Metz, Sonic Youth and Savages on blistering new track, produced by Jim Barr (Portishead), released February 17.
Jane Davies: Well, this certainly does grab you and bite! I liked the bass when it kicked in. Heard a whiff of Nirvana about it. Great grunge track if that’s your thing. 3.5/5
Mike Jonns: Love this. They sound like a Creation Records band, proper Mary Chain/Ride type sound. Needless to say I love it - and emailed straight away to book 'em! 3.5/5
Leila O'Sullivan: Love the energy. This track from the off has a great grunge sounding chorus. It packs a lot in for only 3:12 too. 4/5
Total score: 11/15
VEYU - WHERE HAS THE FIRE IN YOU GONE?.
The Liverpudlian five-piece we first heard back in 2014 with debut 'Running' are back on fine form with this new single released February 10 and taken from upcoming EP 'Underbelly', showcasing the stirring soundscapes and vocal harmonies they are known for, punctuated by rhythmic bass and charging drums.
JD: A sublime pick; melodic, atmospheric. Had already heard this and liked. 5/5
MJ: Sublime vocal harmonies, uplifting melodic guitars, crushing bass lines, New Order-esque in style and sound. Another band I'll be emailing! 3.5/5
LOS: This song has a great pace with atmospheric vocals swooping over the top. You can hear a lot of influences from the likes of Editors to early U2 - I bet this would sound huge live. 3/5
Total score: 11.5/15
SURGE - SHAME
Infectious, garage-rock mix of tongue-in-cheek lyricism, angular riffs and catchy melodies on fourth single from the Clacton band - that's been likened to early Blur - on this new single, released on March 5.
JD: Really liked this bouncing track: happy, upbeat with good hooks. Definitely a nod to early Blur. 4.5/5
MJ: Catchy and full of of 90s Britpop swagger. Love it. No email required for this lot, long booked to play March 11 (with John Hassall's April Rainers + False Heads). 3.5/5
LOS: Plenty of hooks and nice harmonies in what is a pretty relentless track! Cool idea for a video too. Catchy. 3/5
Total score: 11/15
INN-SPIRE - GOING NOWHERE
Lead track - all 89 seconds of it - from the debut EP 'Want It Now' EP by another Bristol-based outfit, this time songwriting duo, Andy Carter and Matt S, which was released in January on Glasstone Records.
JD: This little clip was simply not long enough! Loved it, maybe because it reminded me of the Stone Roses and got a real 'I Am The Resurrection' vibe off it. 4/5
MJ: Proper New Order vibe going on. Off the back of this song, I listened to their back catalogue. Seriously good. 3.5/5
LOS: A nice shoegaze feel to this with Bernard Sumner-esque vocals. It starts and ends a bit too suddenly but an interesting intro to them nonetheless. 3/5
Total score: 10.5/15
LA BÊTE BLOOMS - LOW HUMMER
Hull post-punks' new single, released February 3. A lo-fi track of catchy guitar riffs and fuzz pedals. Lyrically, lead singer Daniel Nader's brutally honest subject matter depicts crippling anxiety and loneliness.
JD: Too deep and dark for me, but can see that it would have huge appeal. The lyrics are just a bit too heavy for my taste. 2.5/5
MJ: Lauren Laverne recently said on 6 Music, “think Slowdive meeting Pixies, thrown in with a bit of Kurt Cobain’s 'Incesticide' guitar and you pretty much have it.” She's pretty much nailed it. Fucking brilliant. 4/5
LOS: Love the guitar sound that kicks in from the start. This ticked a lot of boxes for me growing up loving all things Britpop. Really like this track and will look forward to hearing more when we play together in Manchester (at Dive NQ) on March 9! 4/5
Total score: 10.5/15
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