It’s time for another round of sizzling new rock’n’roll delights, from both big fish and newer faces. Who’s song is the best? Only you can decide. But first let’s take a look at last week’s top-scorers, in reverse order:
3. Ghost – He Is
2. H.e.a.t – Redefined
1. SKAM – Between The Eyes
So who’s going to push your buttons, float your boats, gird your loins and generally win you over this week? Sit back, maybe have a cuppa/sandwich/hip-flask/sustenance-of-choice to hand, listen in, then vote for your favourite at the foot of this page. Use the force. BE the force. And have a lovely weekend.
Before all that, however, here’s last week’s first prize winners SKAM:
Airbourne – Money
We kick off our Friday fest of new ‘choons with this head-banging, beer-throwing shot of AC/DC homaging from Airbourne – a hitherto unreleased (though still endearingly familiar; it is Airbourne after all…) track from upcoming collectors box set Diamond Cuts. Yeahhh! ‘Showmethamoneh!!’
Mastodon – Toe To Toes
They’ve kept us heartily engaged with some first-class videos, and now Atlanta’s gravelliest come bearing a taste of new EP Cold Dark Place, which comes out in full on September 22. At once heavy and melancholically melodious, To To Toes is another class tune from a band at the height of the powers.
Death From Above – Holy Books
A stylish, muscular display of pulsating ‘punk disco’-via-QOTSA action, this cut from Outrage! Is Now moves commandingly between king-sized grooves, pensive keys and propulsive fuzzy blasts. Highly recommended.
Simo – Shine
Singer/guitarist J.D. Simo and friends acquire a slightly psychedelic, 60s-inspired twist in this latest cut from Rise & Shine. Just another bluesy Nashville group, they are not – there’s proper colour and soul in this new music of theirs.
Kadavar – Into The Wormhole
It’s all creepy skulls, brain-pounding drums and mightily woozy, fuzzy riffage in this latest cut from Kadavar’s quality upcoming LP Rough Times (out on September 29). And a burning crucifix, natch, because what self-respecting piece of doomy, trippy rock is complete without a burning crucifix?
Joan Osborne – Tangled Up In Blue
Beautiful, laid-back Dylan cover from countrified New York-based (Kentucky-born) songstress Joan Osborne – best known for 90s God-hassling hit One Of Us (remember? ‘what if God was one of uhhhssss’…), and now taking on a whole bunch of Dylan’s songs with covers album Songs Of Dylan.
Charly Bliss – DQ
Sweeter than a barrel of puppies covered in sugar, Charly Bliss make the kind of Weezer-meets-90s chick-flick noise that you’ll either adore or baulk at crying ‘WTF Classic Rock?!’. We’re erring on the former side, especially with the release of this, their latest hit of cute nostalgia. Ahhhh happy times…
Black Lips – Crystal Night
To finish we have something darkly dreamlike from pedigree punk provocateurs Black Lips. Crystal Night is at the softer end of their spectrum; frontman Cole Alexander has called it, and the video, the band “showing love will always trump hate”. Weird and lovely.
