Jude and Tiggerligger have been so blown apart by the generous words of encouragement and support for their new joint venture offering montly tips on new music, that we are back to do it all again for the month of October. Well OK in truth, it is more that no one has yet told us to stop.
Tiggerligger’s choices this month generally have a harder more urgent tone to them, befitting for a month where we should be storing up nuts for winter (lads take care; he might be taking this nut harvesting thing too seriously, he is wandering the streets with a pair of pliers and a manic look in his eyes) while Jude is just focusing on the immediate new releases.
in earnest: in earnest EP (Tiggerligger)
Another new band whose music I’ve been enjoying getting to know over the past couple of months is from the sad folk indie sound of in earnest from Southend On Sea. Although this band regularly upsets my writing conventions by laughing in the face of a capital letter, that word earnest sums them up completely.
The threesome Tom Eatherton, Sarah Holburn and Toby Shaer are motivated to produce music which is honest, truthful and meaningful. The first two tracks have been inspired by Sarah’s long term anxiety and depression and Tom’s experiences as her long term partner. It can feel raw and intense but in earnest help share understanding and a path through these travails by sharing these experiences.
Currently pre-released from their forthcoming (now released, but forthcoming at the time of writing) 6 track EP due in October (also called in earnest) is come upstairs which documents Tom’s experiences in providing support when Sarah is struggling, and in being solid and positive for them both. Tom has the lyrics and vocals for this track, and they are equally hesitant but determined to do right. There’s a tidy bit of soothing delicate music on this track.
The lyric “I’m ill prepared and stone cold scared, same as you” cuts to the quick. Having mined a few of my own emotions and mental health scars for a book I’ve been writing, it takes a huge amount of effort to relive these feelings and to put it onto paper, although there is also some satisfaction in making some sense and order of it. in earnest are brave and honest in their approach.
put me under is sung by Sarah and gives her perspective of the twists and turns of her emotions and depression. As she says, she will never be lonley with her dog beside. Again this is a haunting and dare I say it, beautiful, description of mental health. Here Sarah has some control over those feelings, and the strength comes through.
The band have been described as sad indie and yes, they are kings and queens of the genre.
The latest released track is 29, a birthday which usually provokes some reflection on where you have been and where you are going. There is always a danger that we restrict ourselves because of what we think we should be doing at “our age” but it doesn’t stop us thinking about it. The song is a personal memo to Tom and it offers an interesting narrative. I almost get a Cat Stevens vibe to this tune. I’ll be looking out for the EP soon (released 7th October).
The Cry – New single releases (Jude)
Short lived 80s jangle pop group The Cry developed a cult status as a band through songs from their only album ‘Beautiful Reasons’ being used as the soundtrack for 1990 skateboard video ‘Hokus Pokus’ from H-Street Skateboards. Hokus Pokus is now considered one of the most iconic skateboard videos ever made, with the soundtrack consistently praised. An entire generation of skateboarders fell in love with the heartfelt vocals and jangly guitar sounds in the early 90s and now after over 30 years since their breakup, The Cry seem to have reformed. The Cry have been consistently dropping a few quality singles a year since 2018, the newest being ‘Everything and Nothing’ released on the 15th September. Since their reformation, The Cry have returned to form with their newest releases, retaining the wholesome jangle pop sound they gained popularity from initially, but now with an element of aged melancholic wisdom.
The 8 songs they have released since 2018, (4 songs they released last year in 2019, and the newest single being the third release of 2020) boast a strong return to form for The Cry, with quality pop rock song writing and strong performances in the vein of The Smiths and REM. These releases stand out to me as some of the best jangle pop I’ve heard this decade, and although this is not a huge statement considering this style hasn’t been very popular since the 80s, it is really great to see veterans of the genre come back after so long and still be able to kill it with some really beautiful music. I find it intriguing that they have chosen fit to just be releasing a few tracks a year over the span of a few years rather than releasing an album, but in a way it adds to the whole intriguing nature of this band, and it is definitely worth it considering each new track is so good.
The newest song Everything and Nothing, is a riffy jangle pop tune, with the trademark deep melancholic male vocals that they do so well. The previous release, ‘This Hazy Morning’ released earlier this year in March has got to be one of my favourite songs of the year, with the same bittersweet and heartfelt jangly sound. This October I’d encourage any fans of The Smiths, The The, The Field Mice, Teenage Fanclub, REM or the Go Betweens to check out all the songs from the last couple of years for a hit of quality jangly nostalgia.
Favourite songs: This Hazy Morning, It Is as It Seems, Why, The Other Day, Starting Again
The Radio Dept. – New Single Reviews (Jude)
Swedish dream pop duo The Radio Dept. have also been putting out some new material these past few months, another band who see fit to release random yearly singles without any intention of an album release; their last LP being 2016’s ‘Running Out of Love’, and a handful of non-album singles since 2018. There has been no official announcement for a new album from The Radio Dept. for 2020 either, however they have dropped 4 quality singles this year, the most recent being ‘You’re Lookin’ at My Guy’ released in July.
This song ‘You’re Lookin’ at My Guy’ is a beautifully dreamy but also noisy cut from them, with the distorted and shoegazy guitar tones really strongly complimented by the hazy warm vocals of Johan Duncansson. The song has an uplifting almost twee quality to it with a good energy, mixing a dreamy vibe with the dense intrumentals shows that the Radio Dept. are still at the top of their game releasing some of their best material to date after 25 years of being a band. The B side to this track ‘Could You be the One’ is another quality tune, a lot more mellow and relaxed than its predecessor stripping back the layer of noise which allows the calming instrumental work to shine through.
‘You Fear the Wrong Thing Baby’, the previous release to these songs back in March, is equally as lush as the others, if not more. It is more of a restrained dream pop ballad which also boasts beautiful atmospheric guitar work and a bittersweet melody. The song has a melancholic but reassuring romantic vibe that you’d want to hear while held by your girlfriend as the suns setting as you’re laying in a field. Definitely one to look out for if you’re into your dream pop and shoegaze in the vein of Slowdive and Alvvays.
Single Review – Stone – Stay Silent (Tiggerligger)
There are times where you just know a band is going to be huge. The music is massive, packed full of emotion, and the band can totally connect. I’m not the first to say it, but on the third single Stay Silent I’m as convinced about Stone as I ever have been about anyone.
I’m a total sucker for noisy, raucous shouty boys and girls (having been a shouty boy myself in my time) so Liverpool based Stone fully hit the buttons. In Stay Silent there’s a brooding intensity and while the music and vocal delivery is angry, there’s a rare sense of control too.
I would have Shame’s Charlie Steen’s babies were it physically possible (and of course the poor lad would have to be agreeable to the unlikely prospect), and fans of Shame, Idles and similar will feel very comfortable in Stone’s company. There’s a real sense that this band Stone have a very real view of the world, with their stories about insecurities, the crap of the everyday and their interactions with people. With three singles they are Stone and they will yet become as dependable as a rock.
The musical power of Elliot Gill (lead guitar), Sarah Surrage (bass) and Alex Smith (drums) behind Power makes me wonder why they don’t have the same surname too. There’s a real sense of the dramatic in the music and they have to be one of my early back in the world, must see live bands.
Looking at the band’s social media, it is not only the lyrics and punchy music which scores. They completely connect with their audience with lead singer Finlay Power recently dropping off local merch orders on his bike like an overgrown county lines seller. I would have asked Power for my own “fix” of Stone merch, but I didn’t want to be responsible for the charismatic frontman being totalled on the M62 by a juggernaut.
Likewise pre-covid, the band have conducted underground gigs for the folks who know, and currently have a mass WhatsApp group to keep everyone connected. For a band that released their blistering first single Leave It Out as recently as February, that’s some going.
The Elephant Trees – What Did You Do (single) – Tiggerligger
Following the Elephant Trees over a period of a few years is indeed a journey of exploration. I’ve tracked the ever expanding trails of Martha, Sam and Tom since their full on “Monster” days in Leeds and their subsequent more recent times as a refined (haha, slightly) Manchester based band.
In the Elephant Trees catalogue there’s been angry punkish moments, quiet reflective moments, and sweeping electronic majesty, all over a couple of years, and all of it top point. The journey led to the peak of electronic artistry The Monochopsis EP which was one of my favourite recordings from last year. Although some tracks from the EP are now sadly withdrawn from Spotify, the splendor of this EP can still be nabbed on CD from the band’s merch.
What I adore about The Elephant Trees is the sheer scope and quality of their ambition. As soon as one peak is conquered, they are off for the next adventure. Earlier on in lockdown, I won a competition, which was for the Elephant Trees to cover a song of my choosing. For personal reasons related to my mum’s long ongoing mental health travails, I chose Melanie Safka’s Brand New Key (more famously covered by the Wurzals about a Combine Harvester), and the Elephant Trees just smashed it, bringing it into their own style and arrangement. Professional to a tee.
This time the Elephant Trees present What Did You Do, a rather reflective swirling tune, with even a slightly gospel choral feel. Ever the egoist, I like to think my Melanie Safka choice was an influence in this more reflective style. What the Elephant Trees were always reflective about is their interest in current affairs and world issues, be that woman’s rights, mental health or equality, and here What Did You challenges the listener to reflect upon their contribution towards the environmental emergency, and a warning of the upheaval to come as resources collapse.
Martha Phillips‘ vocals on this track are as strong and soaring as always, while there is a nicely strong swirling back beat provided by Sam Hugh Jones and Tom Palmer.
Viagra Boys – Ain’t Nice Review (Jude)
Swedish gonzo post-punk rockers Viagra Boys are have released their latest single Ain’t Nice on Wednesday, with a new album – ‘Welfare Jazz’ set to release in January. Viagra Boys have wasted no time releasing music, coming hot on the heels of their ‘Common Sense’ EP released earlier this year.
Viagra Boys are back doing the sound that they do best, with a mucky bass driven riff and Sebastian Murphy ranting on, assumingly to a girl to whom wants a relationship with him, in a random way about the contentious ways he behaves in a relationship, with lyrics such as:
“Well, trust me honey, you don’t want me
I’ll start screamin’ if you look at me funny I’ll borrow your stuff and never put it back
I’m kinda hungry, can you get me a snack?”
The song is mixed amazingly, which is perfect for a bass driven post punk sound, and also includes your standard dose of electronics and saxophone solos to accompany the rest of the dirty cocophany that you’d expect from a Viagra Boys song. I’ll be looking forward to the album in January, in the meantime you can watch the music video for ‘Ain’t Nice’ below which captures the songs mood perfectly by aptly showing the gross way Sebastian is trying to represent himself in this song.
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