Listening Post – December 2023

Words: Andy Hughes (Photo Credit: Louis Canadas)

As snow settles throughout the land and the Christmas deccies go up in every other house on the street, we eschew the festivities of the month and crack on with our regular monthly playlist! For those not in the know – every month we focus on twenty tunes as part of our ‘Listening Post‘, compiling a list of the very tracks that have had us all shook up of late.

This month: Returns and new music aplenty from noise-rockers, post-punkers, Parisian pop-peddlers and jazz saxophonists. There’s debuts too from New Yorkers, Aussies, Londoners and even a 70s cut from a Welsh icon. Tuck in, get stuck in!

War Violet – Different Formations

Written during a bout of insomnia for vocalist and songwriter Olajumoke Aremu, ‘Different Formations‘ is her label debut for Bella Union (released via Kill Rock Stars in the states). Taken from a forthcoming debut album yet to be announced, it’s the first release in five years from the New York-based artist, a magical moment and a bright sign of things to come.

USA Nails – Feel Worse
(Feel Worse)

It is forever a treat to hear from Londoners USA Nails when they’ve got a mega exciting announcement to share. In our year of the lord 2023, their most recent reveal for forthcoming new album ‘Feel Worse‘ is that it’s coming out via One Little Independent Records (home of Bjork!) The never-miss foursome make their OLI debut in blistering fashion, title track ‘Feel Worse‘ being a mammoth head-wrecker and yet another notch on their we-are-the-best belt.

Ausmuteants – I Hate You
(Band of the Future)

Squint your ears a wee bit (possible) and this frantic cut from Aussie lot Ausmuteants sounds like Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys fronting a synth-punk band, ran through a snotty Geelong filter. Up for it, to be fair…

Cobra Man – Bad Feeling
(Toxic Planet)

As heard on the soundtrack to the brilliant ‘The Worst Person in the World‘, Cobra Man bring Turbowolf x MGMT realness on the righteous ‘Bad Feeling‘ – a nostalgic sounding romp that sounds like it would’ve slotted right into a cutscene from an early ‘Grand Theft Auto’ game. Full throttle, the band say it best – “Power Disco didn’t exist before COBRA MAN got together“.

Chassol – Wersailles (Planeur)
(Ultrascores)

What were you up to when you were four? Parisian pianist and composer Christophe Chassol was enrolled in the Institut National de Musique, a conservatoire in Paris, to study piano, whilst most other infants were getting stuck into a box of Lego. The Parisian parenting clearly paid off! ‘Wersailles‘, from 2013 release ‘Ultrascores‘ is completely spellbinding.

Omni – Exacto
(Souvenir)

Praise be – a new record on the way from the wunderbar Omni! Their second for Sub Pop (and fourth overall), we’ve been patiently waiting these past four years off the back of ‘Networker‘ in 2019. ‘Exacto‘ is just a treat from the off, combining the delectable vocal delivery of bassist Philip Frobos with Frankie Broyles nails guitar work. Welcome back, fellas.

Hotline TNT – BMX
(Cartwheel)

Full disclosure, with the amount of live shows we go to, there are occasions where we’re more interested in how we’re getting home than what’s taking place on stage. Last month however we were blown away by New York shoegaze heads Hotline TNT, not wanting their set to end! Their new album ‘Cartwheel‘ has pricked up the ears of many and we can see why, ‘BMX‘ a wall of heart-pumping noise.

Painted Fruit – Clientele
(II)

Last month saw the release of a new record from Canadian foursome Mock Media, featuring players from Crack Cloud, Pottery, N0V3L and Painted Fruit. Whilst we were more than familiar with 3/4 of the line-up, Painted Fruit were a new one for us, but – as expected – we can dig what they’re laying down. From their second (and final) album, ‘Clientele‘ is N0V3L meets early Preoccupations and we’re all for it!

Death Valley Girls – Islands in the Sky
(Islands in the Sky)

The title track from the latest Death Valley Girls record sounds huge! Glittering like a disco-ball, ‘Islands in the Sky‘ makes it seem like a no brainer that this quartet are from sunnier climes, the Californian lot mesmerising with their triple vocal ode to believing in yourself and living your own life. Whack it on again!

Home Counties – Bethnal Green
(Exactly as it Seems)

It’s been a minute since we last wrote about the terrific Home Counties and it seems much has changed. For starters, they’ve collectively moved to that London to make a go of it! What hasn’t changed though is their knack for writing a catchy big-hit single and recent release ‘Bethnal Green‘ is a high-energy, wonky dance-a-thon that will get fully stuck in your nut after just one verse. Invigorating!

Halo Maud – Terres Infinies
(Celebrate)

A joyous big pop bop here from French artist Halo Maud, ‘Terres Infinies‘ bursts into life and calls to mind hazy summer days. Taken from her forthcoming second album ‘Celebrate‘ (featuring a number of tracks co-produced by Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier), it’s a triumphant return. C’est super!

John Cale – You Know More Than I Know
(Fear)

One of those numbers that stops you in your tracks, hearing this on the wireless mid-month glued me to the spot for its duration, completely taken in by the lovely instrumentation and slightly haunted delivery of Cale. From the Welsh lads fourth solo studio album, ‘Fear‘, released fifty years ago as of next October.

Miles Spilsbury – Tungsten
(Light Manoeuvres)

Once a regular sharing stages with the likes of The Physics House Band and Cattle, Miles Spilsbury slipped out of our view for a minute there, the jazz saxophonist and composer re-appearing into focus for us last month with the release of his debut album, ‘Light Manoeuvres‘, his first full-length album as bandleader. ‘Tungsten‘ is a real swish jazz odyssey from the Brighton based player and his cohorts, individual chops definitely on display.

Grave Goods – Source
(Tuesday. Nothing Exists.)

Back in September, we finally got the chance to see Manchester’s Grave Goods at the inner-city Manchester Psych Fest, the trio worth the wait off the back of their hotly tipped debut album ‘Tuesday. Nothing Exists.‘ From the record, ‘Source‘ is a thumping post-punk attack of sharp guitar, clattering drums, rib-rattling bass and forceful, pin-you-up-against-the-wall vocals. Well worth a re-visit.

Split System – Alone Again
(Vol​.​2)

Ripper territory this! ‘Alone Again‘ is proper anthemic, a raging punk-y number, shooting for the stars with its fist-pumping chorus and mega guitar parts, absolutely hooking you in from the get go with that killer riff. With their initial jams together curtailed by lockdowns back home in Melbourne during the pandemic, the second album from Aussie lot Split System is a go – out next February via Legless (AU), Goner (US) and Drunken Sailor (UK & EU).

(Photo Credit: Ian Laidlaw)

ENOLA – Looking Back
(All Is Forgiven)

Real catchy, moody stomper here from ENOLA – ‘Looking Back‘ sounding like an 80s deep-cut, whilst also not too dissimilar to heavy hitters like Fontaines D.C., the listener hanging off every word of the soaring vocal. The solo project of non-binary artist Ruby Marshall, initial listens detected a touch of Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever in the shimmering guitar sound, which would make sense with ENOLA being an Aussie!

Fake Turins – Beatnik
(Inheritance)

Forget quartets, sextets and the like – the real heads know the sweet spot comes with 11 members. No pissing about, ‘Beatnik‘ from southern lot Fake Turins is energising like LCD Soundsystem at their catchiest. A crisp, funk-fest with a captivating vocal that sounds like Ought’s Tim Darcy. We’ve caught onto them just at the right time too – they split up this summer. Bugger.

Daudi Matsiko – Fool Me As Many Times As You Like
(The King Of Misery)

Discovered via the wonders of the Adam Buxton podcast, Ugandan-British folk artist Daudi Matsiko not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk too, playing a number of hypnotising numbers on the pod. From a forthcoming debut album that touches on real life personal struggles with depression, bipolar affective disorder and racial trauma, ‘Fool Me As Many Times As You Like‘ is a hushed, gentle affair with beautiful playing from Matsiko and saxophonist Pete Beardsworth that captivates from note one.

Laura Misch – Hide to Seek
(Sample The Sky)

On her debut album ‘Sample The Sky‘, released back in October, Londoner Laura Misch is said to have opened up every aspect of the process to her South London creative community – from musicians and field recordists to painters and florists – which sounds almost as delightful as the music she crafts. ‘Hide to Seek‘ is a scintillating modern jazz cut, featuring Everything Everything type electronics and some lovely saxophone flourishes.

Alice Phoebe Lou – Open My Door
(Shelter)

From the streets of Berlin where her music career started as a busker, it’s fair to say South African musician Alice Phoebe Lou has made some leap – she plays Manchester’s grand New Century Hall this month! From her new album ‘Shelter‘, released this summer, ‘Open My Door‘ is a sun-soaked slice of heaven, her vocals floating across a lush instrumental.

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Live Review: Mock Media at SOUP in Manchester 10 November 2023

Words: Andy Hughes

It can make you sound like a bit of a crank, but there’s a certain type of pride to be found in discovering a band early doors, before fame, fortune and/or acclaim follows (though rarely the three these days, let’s face it). It’s a real trip seeing a band go on to bigger and better things after you’ve initially caught them in their infancy, playing some basement venue to a few in the know punters (or in the case of our first time seeing CRACK CLOUD, the equivalent of a shack on the side of a busy road in Leeds behind a petrol station).

Last week saw the Manchester debut of Mock Media, a Canadian supergroup of sorts, originally formed out of a small farming town in British Columbia, surrounded by the wonders of the earth – beautiful big lakes, tall trees and magical mountain ranges. Its four members have gained notoriety elsewhere, playing in the likes of N0V3L, CRACK CLOUD, Pottery and Painted Fruits, and we’d like to think we’ve caught at least three of these outfits during some of their early UK shows, in various sweatboxes throughout the North.

At SOUP (formerly Soup Kitchen) on Friday night, the room might not have been full, but history hints that the crowds will follow, after a wee bit of graft and discovery. We’d like to think that it’s inevitable people will soon start to take notice with these names involved. Bringing together some of our favourite players from each individual outfit, we didn’t want to miss the chance to get a glimpse of muscley CRACK CLOUD guitarist Garnet Aronyk Muhammad, nails N0V3L drummer Bennett Smith and wild-eyed Pottery vocalist Austin Boylan. It made sense that local promoters Grey Lantern were involved, forever with their fingers on the pulse.

On arrival, vocalist Boylan implored the crowd to come nearer to the stage. “Come, come, come come my lady“. Bursting into life on energising post-punk opener ‘Father Of That Crime‘, it was hard to take your eyes off drummer Smith, not least because he was the sharpest looking cat in the room in his shirt, tie and shades, giving it jazz drummer realness – like a groovy Agent Smith. A belter of a player, he remained stone-faced whilst his arms did the talking, whacking away but in complete control, without much of a shift in expression.

Having spun their quite brilliant new record ‘Mock Media II‘ a time or two prior to catching them in the flesh, I’d assumed it was the vocal chops of Boylan throughout, but was pleasantly surprised to hear everyone but Smith take it in turns up front (when they weren’t all stood tall, chanting in unison in a military fashion). On The Clash style ‘Louis Won’t Break‘, Muhammad took the Strummer-esque lead, joined by the others on backing, whilst on a funky wee number, Boylan dropped the guitar to bounce about on the spot, animated one minute, then arms held behind his back as he shouted into the microphone. The three guitarists would take up bass duties at the drop of a hat, each bringing an individual style to the role (Evan Aasen‘s playing a particular highlight, as he frantically jammed his neck, lost in the groove).

“We came from Canada two days ago.” Announced Aasen, Boylan quick as a flash adding. “Never going back…” Unexpectedly, non-musical highlights throughout the night came via the interjections of the drummer’s Dad down the front. “Vernon rocks!” He shouted out early on – testing the waters of crowd interaction, later asking for “more water bottle crunching” in jest at Boylan, which was received well on and off stage. The band informed us that Glasgow was a lot more jumping the night before, Smith’s dad loudly announcing “Fuck the Scottish” in response to much laughter.

Off the back of the Glasgow comment, the crowd warmed right up and there was quite a bit of dancing down the front, the build up of enthusiasm throughout the evening matching that of the band (though I get the impression they’d give it the same amount of welly with just the drummer’s Dad in the crowd, the quartet letting it all hang out on the night). Having been convinced to stay on stage past the final song, they announced they were trying out a new one, ripping into an unexpected, ‘Louie Louie‘ style rendition of ‘Super Freak‘, putting an energising full stop on the evening.

“Liverpool cancelled – fuck Liverpool.” Announced Aasen as they finally made their way off stage – or at least attempted to, as papa Smith climbed up to be with the band immediately after the final note, taking a photo with the lads. With a big Canadian smile on his face, he shouted into the lens “…Smells like sweat up here.“

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Do Not Miss – November 2023

Words: Andy Hughes

If you’re a sad act, chances are your November activities are centered around fireworks (fireworks are for shithouses). But you’re not a sad act. You’re really cool (you are after all on Birthday Cake For Breakfast), which means you’ve likely got a calendar filled with tip-top fun-times throughout the month. With so much going on though, it’s hard to whittle it down sometimes, right?

Don’t fret – we’ve got you covered at Birthday Cake For Breakfast – here’s our wee list of unmissable shows in Greater Manchester this month (most of which are occurring in the same bloody week!)

Snõõper – YES, Manchester – 07/11/23

Tickets

At Birthday Cake For Breakfast, we love a new discovery. Nashville outfit Snõõper came to us during the lockdown and we were absolutely hooked on the rapid rumbler that was ‘Running‘ from their 2020 EP ‘Music For Spies‘. Turns out we weren’t the only ones listening in, with famous faces like Henry Rollins and Jack White outing themselves as celebrated keenos too, the latter signing them to his label Third Man Records for the release of their debut album. 

Story goes that their live show is a riot – the YES basement will surely be the perfect spot for their high-octane, sugar-high, speed-punk.

Deeper – YES, Manchester – 09/11/23

Tickets

Another lockdown discovery for us, Chicago outfit Deeper soundtracked many a time-allocated Covid-19 walk up and down the River Mersey – ‘This Heat‘ being a particular choice single that contributed to keeping us sane. This year saw the release of their latest album ‘Careful!‘ (their first for Sub Pop), a continuation of the earworm heavy, hooky post-punk gems they bash out with gusto. 

Mock Media – SOUP, Manchester – 10/11/23

Tickets

Featuring members past and present from Crack Cloud, N0V3L, Pottery and Painted Fruits, Mock Media have been billed as a Canadian supergroup of sorts and, given we have at one time or another been obsessed with three of those bands, we’d likely have to agree. Ahead of releasing their newest album ‘Mock Media II‘ (via the ever dependable Meat Machine), a swift run of UK dates is on the cards this month and we’d suggest theirs is likely an unmissable live show. 

BAS JAN – SOUP, Manchester – 11/11/23

Tickets

We first discovered BAS JAN when they supported Cate Le Bon’s side project DRINKS (featuring Tim Presley) in Leeds – a night of quirky, experimental wonky pop that still makes for a fond memory. Five years on and they’re heading towards the release of their third full length, ‘Back to the Swamp‘ (via Fire Records), with a Saturday evening Manchester jaunt pencilled in for mid-November. The eagle-eyed might spy vocalist Serafina Steer from her work with Jarvis Cocker in his live setup JARV IS…! 

Peter Brewis – The Castle Hotel, Manchester – 22/11/23

Tickets

The Brewis brothers at The Castle Hotel?! If you’re a Field Music fan, it’s surely the only ticket in town. If you’re a fan of synth-heavy, Yellow Magic Orchestra style electronics, it’s equally the only ticket in town. Lucky then that Peter Brewis has just released an album of solo instrumental works inspired by YMO amongst others. As is so often the case with Field Music side projects, brother David will of course be appearing in the live band. You’d be daft to miss it.

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Listening Post – October 2023

Words: Andy Hughes

Here we are then. It’s October already and spooky season is upon us. But for us, it’s another month, which means another Birthday Cake For Breakfast playlist is ready to go. 20 tunes, old and new, featuring only the choicest cuts – some of the stuff we’ve been loving of late.

Dutch post-punk, New York jazz, African psych, 70s Italian cinema scores… it’s all here for your delectation. If you like what you hear, tell your pals. Even if you don’t like what you hear, shout it from the rooftops!

Lei Hope – A Sad Song

Originally from Leeds, local Manc artist Lei Hope follows up his debut EP ‘Autonomous Affection‘ with the 2022 single ‘A Sad Song‘. Right enough, this is bloody sad… But beautifully so, the instrumentation offering an almost hopeful backing to the bleak lyrics, combined with the breathy vocal from Hope to fully take hold during its 3+ minutes.

Cautious Clay – Yesterday’s Price
(KARPEH)

Yes, it’s happened – BBC Radio 3 has become a regular listening habit in our gaff, particularly the brilliant ‘J to Z‘ of a weekend. ‘Yesterday’s Price‘ was a recent jazzy treat we discovered, the work of singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Cautious Clay. Drafting in trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, this is a frantic, toe-tapping delight.

Anna Erhard – 170

Talk about earworms, the latest single from Berlin-based singer/songwriter Anna Erhard has been in my nut nonstop since its arrival in August. Wonky pop of the Beck variety, it tells the tale of one friend being taller than the other, with it causing a bit of a stir between them. More goodness from Erhard, following the release of ‘Campsite‘ last year. Last month we had the pleasure of catching Erhard IRL – Highlights here!

Sweeping Promises – Ideal No
(Good Living Is Coming For You)

Three years on from the release of their storming debut full length ‘Hunger for a Way Out‘, dynamic duo Sweeping Promises this year released its ripper follow up, ‘Good Living Is Coming For You‘. ‘Ideal No‘ captures their retro catchiness in a nutshell, spearheaded by the infectious vocal of Lira Mondal.

MICH – Burning Arms

Self-described as ‘A lovely band to shrug your shoulders over‘, Dutch quintet MICH make dynamite moody post-punk, latest single ‘Burning Arms‘ sounding like a slightly less revved up Powerplant with its nostalgic synth sounds.

Home Is Where – Skin Meadow
(The Whaler)

Raging math-y emo here from Floridian quartet Home Is Where – the heart-swelling ‘Skin Meadow‘ deep in lump in the throat territory across its five minutes. An insane opener, it’s taken from their second full length album, released this summer. Is that a singing saw we hear?

Lost Girls – With The Other Hand
(Selvutsletter)

Every new release from Lost Girls – the Norwegian pairing of artist and writer Jenny Hval and multi-instrumentalist Håvard Volden – fills us with excitement, particularly after the engrossing, 12 minute odyssey that was the ‘Menneskekollektivet‘ single from their album of the same name. Inspired by Leonard Cohen, on ‘With the Other Hand‘, Hval has you gripped with her enticing vocal throughout the opening minute, before she and Volden both open it up into a proper pop bop.

Stelvio Cipriani – The Great Alligator Theme
(The Great Alligator – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

I think you know where you stand with a song called ‘The Great Alligator Theme‘. The title theme to a late 70s Italian adventure flick and can’t you just tell? Most certainly one from the Alex Turner playbook.

(Photo Credit: Bridie Cummings)

Congratulations – Easter Island Head
(Woo Hoo)

We’ve become a bit infatuated with Brighton lot Congratulations this summer, having caught them live twice in the space of a few months. From their debut EP ‘Woo Hoo‘ (out via Bella Union no less), ‘Easter Island Head‘ bursts into life with machine gun drums and the rest of the quartet follow suit in frantic fashion.

Nite Bjuti – Mood (Liberation Walk)
(Nite Bjuti)

This Brooklyn-based, woman-led Afro-Caribbean trio have got some real credentials between them, not least a Grammy-nominated sound chemist! With a penchant for improvisation and experimentation, ‘Mood (Liberation Walk)‘ is a mesmerizing jazz workout, featuring some mad instrumentation and engaging vocals.

Tinariwen – Kek Alghalm
(Amatssou)

Not quite the typical blurb we’re used to, Tinariwen was founded by Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, who at the age of four witnessed the execution of his father, a Tuareg rebel, at the hands of the government during the 1963 uprising in Mali. Over a number of decades, the band are said to have emerged from their base in the African desert to tour the globe to much acclaim. ‘Kek Alghalm‘, opener from their new album ‘Amatssou‘, is a totally hypnotic, almost psychedelic affair to get lost in.

The Homesick – Trois
(The Homesick)

A record that almost flew under the radar for us (possibly due to not having the Sub Pop backing behind it this time around), Dutch trio The Homesick returned last month with a new self-titled album, the follow up to their incredible second album ‘The Big Exercise‘, released in 2020. ‘Trois‘ is invigorating, seeing the band take their post-punk leanings into dub territory.

American Cream Band – Taste What We Taste
(Presents)

Tuck right into this! ‘Taste What We Taste‘ is a nod to the likes of Delta 5, ESG and The B-52’s, a totally head-spinning groove-fest from the brilliantly named American Cream Band. This is music for the sweaty, dimly-lit basements. Come to Manchester soon, yeah?

Bas Jan – No More Swamp
(Back To The Swamp)

With a blurb namechecking ‘Witches, Tarot readings, road signs, Salt-N-Pepa‘, Londoners Bas Jan sure know how to create interest in an album – good job then, with new LP ‘Back To The Swamp‘ on the way this November. ‘No More Swamp‘ has got that Kate Bush brand of pop wonkiness to it that we love so dearly, lead vocalist Serafina Steer forever captivating us with her dedication to the wonky.

Get Wrong – It’s So Easy
(Get Wrong)

‘Kin ‘ell, peep the names on this – produced, recorded and mixed by Peter Brewis, with mastering done by David Brewis (both of Field Music), Get Wrong is the new project of Naomi Griffin (Martha) and Adam Todd (The Spook School). A bit of a long-distance collaboration between Durham and Glasgow, Get Wrong get it right (!) on debut single ‘It’s So Easy‘, the synth-pop loveliness calling to mind New Order when they’re at their poppiest.

Pedro Ricardo – Entre o Vale e o Eco
(Soprem Bons Ventos)

Love this enchanting instrumental piece from Portuguese artist Pedro Ricardo. From debut album ‘Soprem Bons Ventos‘ released earlier this year, there’s a touch of the Giorgio Moroder to ‘Entre o Vale e o Eco‘, bookended by tranquil, soothing keys.

Mock Media – Modern Visions
(Mock Media II)

Every day I hope for a new record from N0V3L or Pottery. Still no sighting. There is however exciting news from both camps, Bennett Smith and Austin Boylan from both bands joining up with fellow Canadians Garnet Aronyk (Crack Cloud) and Evan Aesen (Painted Fruits) for a DIY supergroup of sorts. From the newly announced, appropriately titled ‘Mock Media II‘, ‘Modern Visions‘ has got that Pottery / N0V3L / Crack Cloud stink all over it and boy are we taking a big whiff – love this!

PACKS – Honey
(Melt The Honey)

More woozy yet breezy slacker style garage rock here from Canadian artist Madeline Link a.k.a. PACKS. Following swiftly on from ‘Crispy Crunchy Nothing‘ out earlier this year, lead single ‘Honey’ – from her forthcoming album ‘Melt The Honey‘ – captured our attention yet again because of her charming, almost-not-arsed vibe and delivery. Great retro organ flourishes at its end!

Royel Otis – Going Kokomo
(Sofa Kings)

From their ‘Sofa Kings‘ EP out earlier this year, Aussie duo Royel Otis shoot for anthemic on the nostalgic sounding, sun-soaked ‘Going Kokomo‘. The story goes that the pair have recently hooked up with both Speedy Wunderground’s Dan Carey and big boy producer James Ford whilst in the UK, so chances are you’ll be hearing a lot more of Royel Otis in due course.

Ulrika Spacek – The Tier Drop

Following on from the release of the wonderful ‘Compact Trauma‘ earlier this year, Londoners Ulrika Spacek recently added a bit extra to the package, releasing two new tracks from sessions for the new record. Taken from a bonus 7” that accompanied the deluxe version of the album, ‘The Tier Drop‘ is a reworked instrumental of opening track ‘The Sheer Drop‘, removing the vocals entirely and instead mixing things up to make for a jazzy, more cinematic affair.

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Listening Post – May 2023

Words: Andy Hughes

This time last month we were yucking it up about April Fools’ Day, but the real joke here is that April’s already bloody over and we’re diving headfirst into May!

As ever though, don’t fret – the monthly Birthday Cake For Breakfast playlist returns and for all you Art Garfunkel fans, we have you covered! There’s heaps of good stuff in the mix too, so get yourself stuck in and give it a like and follow or print it out and stick it on your wall. Go nuts!

Mallrat – To You
(Butterfly Blue)

Heart-swelling ethereal pop here from Aussie artist Grace Shaw, a.k.a. Mallrat. From debut album ‘Butterfly Blue‘ released last year, ‘To You‘ is perfect for the weather we’ll hopefully be having as we move into spring (any day now…)

Cloud Control – Gold Canary
(Bliss Release)

Very much what we at Birthday Cake For Breakfast HQ would call ‘a vibe‘, there’s real hypnotic loveliness on offer from Cloud Control’s ‘Gold Canary‘. Hailing from the picturesque sounding Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney, Australia, the trio really let loose here, with a proper thump underpinning some real blissful wonkiness.

Pardoner – Are You Free Tonight?
(Peace Loving People)

Featuring the best halftime switch-up this side of Parquet Courts ‘Almost Had to Start a Fight / In and Out of Patience‘, the new single from San Francisco outfit Pardoner is certainly a game of two halves (jumpers for goalposts etc). It’s rage central when it makes the shift to breakneck punk and reader, we are here for it.

Minor Conflict – Living Statue
(Bright Lights, Dead City)

Love this from Bristolian trio Minor Conflict, their name giving off the vibe of an 80s hardcore band rather than what they’ve actually got in their locker. Calling to mind the like of Pozi and Squid with the captivating ‘Living Statue‘ (from their forthcoming debut EP, out in June on PRAH Recordings), majestic harp runs alongside a belting rhythm section for a single that really keeps you on your toes.

Pissed Jeans – No Convenient Apocalypse

There was me thinking we weren’t going to hear from Pissed Jeans again! Six years on from the release of last album ‘Why Love Now‘, the Pennsylvania formed foursome return with a standalone single, the crushingly heavy ‘No Convenient Apocalypse‘. Vocalist Matt Korvette sounds even more unhinged all these years on, growling and roaring through a heavy dose of bad news. I said UGHH!

Terry – Golden Head
(Call Me Terry)

Melbourne quartet Terry know just how to tick all the right boxes for us. Whilst elsewhere on their records they might push the playfulness or rage ahead in synth-punk fashion, they can really pen a number that hits you in the feels too. The strings and heavenly vocals on ‘Golden Head‘ compliment their wonk-pop stylings – truly a golden moment on their latest album.

Half of the band (Al Montfort and Zephyr Pavey) recently answered a series of unrelated questions for us – read that here!

Stuck – The Punisher
(Freak Frequency)

Off the back of debut LP ‘Change Is Bad‘ and the follow up ‘Content That Makes You Feel Good‘ EP released in 2021, Chicago lot Stuck let the good times roll with the release of their forthcoming new album ‘Freak Frequency‘. ‘The Punisher‘ is a razor sharp post-punk nugget from a quartet that never miss.

Cassels – About Not Writing

From a split single out now with Beige Palace (out via tastemakers Human Worth and God Unknown Records), Chipping Norton formed sibling duo Cassels crack on with the rawness last heard on 2022 album ‘A Gut Feeling‘, adding a dramatic flair to the huge sounding ‘About Not Writing‘. A proper invigorating racket when the brothers push the tempo right up.

Adi Oasis – FourSixty
(Lotus Glow)

Sun-soaked summer vibes aplenty on the super soulful ‘FourSixty‘ from French-Caribbean singer and bassist (and smooth operator) Adi Oasis, offering some momentary brightness as I write this from rainy Manchester… This is proper silky stuff, the funkiness complimented by the guest vocals of London-based singer and producer Aaron Taylor.

This Is The Kit – Inside Outside
(Careful Of Your Keepers)

Having spent the first few months of the year locked onto the new album from Rozi Plain, we’re ready to transition into spring and the work of her mate Kate Stables, a.k.a. This Is The Kit. Produced by Gruff Rhys, new album ‘Careful Of Your Keepers‘ is on the way this June. From it, Stables’ vocals really shine on lead single ‘Inside Outside‘, a cucumber cool number that chucks in a Simpsons reference for good measure.

Art Garfunkel – Waters Of March
(Breakaway)

Mildly obsessed with this following a viewing of the terrific ‘The Worst Person In The World‘. Originally composed by Brazilian artist Antônio Carlos Jobim in the 70s, it’s the Garfunkel version that’s had us spellbound, one you can file in the same category as the likes of Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)‘ in terms of stopping you in your tracks.

Aldous Harding – Lawn
(Warm Chris)

Last month, we had the absolute pleasure of being in the same room as the incredible Aldous Harding, the New Zealander performing at the Albert Hall, one of the finest live music venues in Manchester. A performance that’s stuck with us since, it’s led to many a repeated listen of her latest album ‘Warm Chris‘ and we can’t get enough of the super swell ‘Lawn‘, a track that’s got some real pep to it, as Aldous sings in such a light, hypnotic fashion.

Sn​õ​õ​per – Pod
(Super Sn​õ​õ​per)

Ever since discovering the energising, post-punk delights of ‘Running‘ in 2020, we’ve been keeping a close eye on Tennessee punks Snõ​õ​per. The latest news is that they’re freshly signed to Third Man Records (who’ve recently snapped up Island Of Love too) and have a debut album on the way, with lead single ‘Pod‘ absolutely revving our engines – frantic bubblegum punk that gets right under your skin.

Benefits – Warhorse
(Nails)

Pricking up the ears of many with the release of their debut album ‘Nails‘ (including named mega-fan Pete Doherty), Teesside outfit Benefits set out their stall back in February with the release of lead single ‘Warhorse‘. Like a more aggy Sleaford Mods, the beats and spat out vocal attack are just as infectious here. Judging by the busy rooms up and down the country, we’d imagine you’ll be seeing a lot more of Benefits.

You can read our review of ‘Nails‘ here!

(Photo Credit: Jackie Lee Young)

Los Bitchos – Tequila
(Pah!)

Fun-loving foursome Los Bitchos are renowned for their love of a party and for the release of their new EP ‘Pah!‘ (great title), they’ve had a crack at one of the biggest party tunes going – ‘Tequila‘! Keeping the Pee-Wee Herman spirit alive, the usually instrumental outfit blast through a revved up version of the classic, bringing their own garage-rock stylings into the mix for quite the musical cocktail.

Crack Cloud – Graph of Desire
(Crack Cloud)

Packing so much into a rapid 90 seconds, ‘Graph of Desire‘ has everything that got us first hooked on Canadian collective Crack Cloud – oddball vocals mingling with invigorating drums and a scrappy instrumental. Whilst I loved ‘PAIN OLYMPICS‘ and thought the last record had some choice moments, that first EP compilation is front to back all killer, no filler.

Joshua Idehen – Best Kind of Lost

British-born Nigerian artist Joshua Idehen goes full on sweetie-pie mode on ‘Best Kind of Lost‘, describing a perfect day in the company of his partner. Poetic loveliness on the minutiae of relationships over the top of a real bop of a beat, it deals in cigarettes and coffee stops to arguments and being off one’s tits.

Delivery – Poor-to-Middling Moneymaking
(Forever Giving Handshakes)

Ahead of a run of UK shows this month, Aussie lot Delivery release another new single from their forthcoming debut full length ‘Forever Giving Handshakes’. ‘Poor-to-Middling Moneymaking‘ is a garage-rock stomper that’s not too dissimilar to fellow countrymen Vintage Crop in its down the barrel punk attack.

KL​Ä​MP – Hate You
(Hate You)

Doom-scrolling through Instagram (I know), I recently stumbled upon a photo of an outfit called KL​Ä​MP, featuring heavy hitters past and present from IDLES, Pulled Apart By Horses, Tall Ships and Sex Swing. An impressive line-up to kick the arse of 2023, I’m sure you’ll agree. Delving into their back catalogue, I was knocked silly with the opener from their 2020 released EP ‘Hate You‘ – a real noisy rager with head-banging in mind. Recorded with Wayne Adams at Bear Bites Horse (naturally), by all accounts they’ve been back in the studio with him. Watch this space!

Shangri-lass – Father’s Daughter
(Over & Over)

With synth moodiness that calls to mind The Moonlandingz and an almost Debbie Harry-like vocal, the brilliantly named Shangri-lass really hits the ground running with this from her debut EP. The solo project of Sister Wives bassist Rose Love (again, another brilliant name), the Sheffield-based artist suggests the track “is a mess of ideas“, ranging from religious brainwashing to depression (both of which go hand in hand I’d imagine…)

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Listening Post – June 2022

Words: Andy Hughes (Photo Credit: Logan Feser)

Hello to you, dear music enthusiast – Can you Adam-and-believe we’re almost at half time on 2022. It’s enough to make you want to cry into your pillow. Don’t fret, mind – we’ve got a soundtrack for your sobbing, some sounds for your sorrow in the form of our regular monthly playlist!

20 tunes, old and new, all right here – from snotty Aussie punk to hypnotic art-pop, sprightly indie to sun-soaked hip-hop and more.

Tell your friends. Tell your co-workers. Give it a like, give it a share and most importantly, give it a listen!

LUMP – We Cannot Resist
(Animal)

“Kids on the run“! Driving through the idyllic Welsh countryside at the start of last month, the latest collaborative efforts of Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay (Tunng), collectively known as LUMP, provided the perfect soundtrack. The galloping ‘We Cannot Resist‘ seemed to propel the car on a cloud, such is the vibe to this swell bit of art-pop.

Metronomy – You Could Easily Have Me
(Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe))

I was a bit of a late starter when it came to Metronomy, playing catch up not long after the release of their opus, ‘Metronomy Forever‘. Whilst I’m a keeno and a quick learner, watching them live the other month, I was mesmerised by this gnarly cut from their debut, ‘Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe)‘. Amped up in a live setting to sound 10x more invigorating, it sounded like a completely different band. Opener from their debut album. Of course it was.

The Chats – 6L GTR
(GET FUCKED)

Snotty punks The Chats know how to nail the theme of a song. Breakout single ‘SMOKO‘ was a blunt piece on being left alone on your ciggy break. ‘Pub Feed‘ meanwhile was an eloquent little toe-tapper about scranning at the local watering hole. Taken from their forthcoming new album (already the winner of the best album title of the year), their latest, ‘6L GTR’ is – you guessed it – a revved up rager about driving about in the motor. Catchy as fuck.

Rubber Oh – Nothing
(Strange Craft)

Taking a wee break from producing whatever it is Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs are up to at the minute, guitarist and producer Sam Grant has shifted gears from crushing heaviness to tripped out, space themed mind-expansion for his solo outfit Rubber Oh, with recent single ‘Nothing’ adding a bit of a glam rock stomp into the mix.

Lead man Grant recently talked us through the keeping-it-in-the-family keyboard solo for ‘Hyperdrive Fantasy‘, which you can read about here.

(Photo credit: Fahim Kassam)

Crack Cloud – Please Yourself
(Tough Baby)

Fair play – it feels like a very Crack Cloud thing to do to name their album ‘Tough Baby‘… Mid-May saw the shape-shifting Canadian collective announce the hotly tipped follow up to their incredible debut album proper, ‘PAIN OLYMPICS‘. Following on the anthemic vibe of ‘THE NEXT FIX‘, latest single ‘Please Yourself‘ is pure hypnosis, building to such transcendent highs. And then that choice guitar solo takes off.

Black Midi – Welcome To Hell
(Hellfire)

What is it about second albums? The tired trope of the difficult second album seems to have shifted somewhat and in recent years I’ve found myself gravitating to artists whose first records I couldn’t get on with, subsequently falling head over heels for the follow up (Amyl and The Sniffers and Shame being notable examples).

Having been mildly obsessed with Black Midi’s ‘Cavalcade’ since its release this time last year, the recently released ‘Welcome To Hell‘ has had us grinning from ear to ear with its Primus meets Cardiacs madness. With a press release that highlights Homer’s visit to Hell in The Simpsons and robot Hell in Futurama as reference points, we’re totally on board.

OSEES – Funeral Solution
(A Foul Form)

A mere 24 hours after having our socks rocked off by them at Manchester’s Albert Hall, OSEES announced the release of forthcoming new album ‘A Foul Form‘ (out August on Castle Face Records) via their head-splitting new single, ‘Funeral Solution‘. A 10 song album nod of the head to the punk outfits they grew up on, the lead single sets out their stall in frantic, crushing fashion.

Ovlov – Strokes
(Buds)

Shades of Dinosaur Jr. on this solid bit of kit from Connecticut’s Ovlov, capturing that jangle guitar sound and hair-standing-on-the-back-of-the-neck energy to make ‘Strokes‘ sound like an instance classic. Adding in a Mascis trademark style ripper of a guitar solo for good measure, at just over 2 minutes it’s made for playing again and again.

Spread Joy – Repetition
(II)

Writing about Spread Joy last year, we suggested “most of the best songs are in and out within 60 seconds. 120 seconds at a push…” Since then, a second album has followed, with the energetic ‘Repetition‘ skirting in just below the 2 minute mark (phew!) Catchier than an outfielder at a baseball game, the Chicago quartet know how to pack so much glee into such a swift package.

Everything Everything – Pizza Boy
(Raw Data Feel)

Who would’ve thought that reeling off the names of two soft drink giants would lead to one of Everything Everything‘s most memorable songs in recent years. As addictive as the sugary black liquid they sing of in the chorus, the double-clap happy ‘Pizza Boy’ is a total dancefloor joy and an instant favourite from their latest album, ‘Raw Data Feel‘.

‘Raw Data Feel‘ – reviewed here!

Young Fathers – GET UP
(DEAD)

HUGE one from Scottish lot Young Fathers, taken from their critically acclaimed, Mercury Prize winning debut album ‘DEAD’. Captivating in the extreme, that beat and chorus are so engaging and instant, with each verse from the trio stopping you in your tracks.

Django Django – Default
(Django Django)

Many blessings for a ten year anniversary or I might’ve missed this. Having never dipped a toe into the Django Django pool, I was very recently completely transfixed by the wonderful ‘Default‘ from their debut, self-titled album. Calling to mind the kind of wonky pop we’ve come to love from Dutch Uncles and Everything Everything, maybe 10 years isn’t too late to play catch up?

Weird Nightmare – Nibs
(Weird Nightmare)

METZ vocalist Alex Edkins goes it alone on his solo debut, adding anthemic to his repertoire, whilst still holding onto that fuzzy gnarliness from his day job fronting the Canadian trio. ‘Nibs‘ is a total joy, Edkins really getting under your skin in a snappy two and a bit minutes.

Edkins recently gave us the lowdown on the single ‘Lusitania‘, which you can read about here!

Dinosaur Pile-Up – Draw A Line
(Nature Nurture)

Around the time of re-discovering this poster from a festival way back when, I decided to grab ‘Nature Nurture‘ from the swelling record collection in our living room, which was effectively like hopping into a time machine. This from Dinosaur Pile-Up provides so many memories from way back when, the rapid ‘Draw A Line‘ capturing Bigland and co at their most memorable.

Dana Gavanski – Indigo Highway
(When It Comes)

Like the soundtrack to a dream, Canadian-Serbian artist Dana Gavanski evokes the work of Cate Le Bon and Kate NV on the delightful ‘Indigo Highway‘. Mildly oddball, from her latest album ‘When It Comes‘, the single is too pleasant not to love!

(Photo Credit: John Spyrou)

WOOZE – Bittersweet Timpani

Leaning even heavier into the Sparks turned up to 11 sound, our favourite Londoners WOOZE once again knock it out of the park with their latest single, ‘Bittersweet Timpani‘. Guitar Hero chops, heavenly vocals and a bouncy-bouncy glam vibe have us once more shouting from the rooftops for Jamie She and Theo Spark.

Barney Artist & Mr Jukes – 93

Having released their terrific debut album ‘The Locket‘ during lockdown (an album we suggested is “the sound of two extremely talented songwriters coming together“), the dynamite collaboration between Mr Jukes (him out of Bombay Bicycle Club) and Barney Artist return with ‘93‘, a nod of the head to chilled hip hop of old. Name checking the likes of Phife Dawg, ‘93‘ is such a swell, summer-y delight from our favourite pairing.

Julia Jacklin – Lydia Wears A Cross
(PRE PLEASURE)

Having been bowled over by ‘Crushing‘ in 2019, what a treat it is to have Aussie Julia Jacklin back with a new album on the way this year. Lead single ‘Lydia Wears A Cross‘ is a nostalgic look back at Jacklin’s Catholic upbringing, captured beautifully with that passionate yet delicate vocal delivery we’ve come to love.

N0V3L – UNTOUCHABLE
(NON​-​FICTION)

Almost a year to the day since its release, showers and grey skies last month had one in a reflective mood, looking back to a low key favourite release that may have slipped under the radar for some. ‘UNTOUCHABLE‘, the opener from N0V3L’s second LP ‘NON​-​FICTION‘, is a snapshot of the Crack Cloud offshoot, the pained vocal of vocalist Jon Varley keeping pace with the non-stop post-punk instrumental.

‘NON​-​FICTION‘ – reviewed here!

Hierophants – Shoemaker Levy 9
(Spitting Out Moonlight)

Geelong – of course! Following in the footsteps of our favourites GONZO and Vintage Crop, Aussie lot Hierophants have crafted a synth-heavy, wonky as hell ripper which has arse-shaker written all over it. Hella catchy, that drumbeat has one walking up and down the hallway like Vince McMahon, all flailing limbs and cocky swagger.

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Live Review: OSEES at The Albert Hall in Manchester 15 May 2022

Words: Andy Hughes

Fans of genre-shifting Californian outfit OSEES (formerly known as Thee Oh Sees) will be aware that its founding member and primary songwriter, John Dwyer, rarely sits still. As previously touched on by a very humorous article from The Hard Times, Dwyer is regularly spinning plates, with a new record normally just around the corner (funnily enough, at the time of writing, they’ve just announced yet another album, due for release this August on the band’s own Castle Face Records label).

Not to be outdone by the pandemic, Dwyer has seemingly carried on as normal this past few years, putting out a number of new releases, including Record Store Day exclusives, a number of live sessions, collaborative projects with other artists and even a few beer collaborations (one of which we were lucky enough to sample when we caught them at The Invisible Wind Factory late last year!) Live shows however, with real people in real life, were notably missing. Given how important they are to the make-up of OSEES, it was no shock this weekend just gone to find their Manchester date at The Albert Hall buzzing with punters eager to get stuck in.

Support for the night, Canadian outfit Crack Cloud, share a similarity to the headliners in terms of lineup changes, featuring a rolling cast of characters that appear live and in artwork, music videos and promotional material (a personal favourite being their new guitarist, seemingly moonlighting from the set of ‘Euphoria‘ – especially when he whips his top off to reveal quite the bod!) A lot of the time, the collective – including offshoot N0V3L – are seen to be wearing their own merch, whether it’s in their brain scrambling videos or in a live capacity, items which are seemingly never actually available to bloody buy! The keys player tonight is sporting a gnarly looking black and red shirt that will no doubt never be on sale…

We were actually supposed to catch the very same lineup in Berlin during the first lockdown, so it’s a treat to have it take place just up the road – especially given we’ve followed the support from tiny rooms and DIY spaces to the mammoth Albert Hall in just a few years. Their energetic live show is particularly captivating, drummer/vocalist Zach Choy stationed in the middle, directing traffic around him, everyone locking together in hypnotic fashion.

A guttural “UHH” from Choy kicks everyone off and on the opener and throughout, there’s lots of chanting in unison and military drums. On ‘Post Truth‘, the vocals from the rest of the band come across more cultish than angelic and euphoric like on record, more on brand for their aesthetic. The stage lights flash red but the band are beautifully lit via the daylight pouring in through the stained glass windows.

Crack Cloud have just announced new album ‘Tough Baby‘, the follow up to their engaging debut album ‘PAIN OLYMPICS‘. Similar to their debut full length, the new album comes with the note that it’s “Based on True Shit“, its anthemic lead single ‘Please Yourself‘ leaning more towards the weird, art-pop of ‘The Next Fix‘. Yet another poppy, anthemic number gets an outing in Manchester, a likely hint of what’s to come from their forthcoming second album (and what a hint!) The keys player shouts alone for the crowd to put their hands up, dusting it with a “motherfucker” for good measure.

“Dig in, behave.” Calls out vocalist and guitarist Dwyer when the time is right, OSEES soon exploding into life on opener ‘I Come From The Mountain‘. A pint pot flies majestically through the air as the band go off like a rocket. “Thank you Manchest-AH!” Becomes the phrase of the evening, Dwyer concluding most songs with a tip of the hat to the locals with an attempt at a Northern accent.

With his fringe covering most of his face, Dwyer announces “an old one“, or as it turns out, a new one – ‘Funeral Solution‘, from the forthcoming new album ‘A Foul Form‘. Flying out at 100mph, everyone on stage goes nuts early doors and the lead single from their punk and hardcore inspired LP sounds insane in the process.

Fast and noisy is, in brief, the theme of the evening. On ‘The Dream‘, the double drumming sounds like the police kicking in the door during the early hours. ‘Scramble Suit II‘ – opener from their 2020 full length ‘Protean Threat‘ – sounds like music from another planet, an insane barrage of noise. ‘Terminal Jape‘ too is explosive as hell. The intro of ‘Withered Hand‘ provides big chills as a sweaty bod to my left announces to his mates “best one“, before disappearing into the pit. Similarly, a body barges past as ‘Animated Violence‘ roars into life, the track so frantic and engrossing it feels like a gig in itself.

‘Sticky Hulks‘ brings the tone down considerably, offering the gasping crowd a wee breather, it soon becoming a sea of swaying shoulders as Dwyer sticks out a thirsty tongue. A crowd surfer goes Jesus on the cross style at a snails pace as the guitarist rests his head on the guitar like a pillow, ready to drift off. At the end he sticks said guitar in (but luckily, not through) one of drummer Paul Quattrone‘s drums, as one half of the drumming team goes full on for its conclusion.

Quattrone has got a great look about him, like an 80s wrestler with his tank top, tash and mid-length curly hair. Whilst both he and fellow drummer Dan Rincon are heavy hitters, Quattrone seems to really wallop the kit. It’s great watching the individual styles of both and it’s a trip to get hypnotised just watching the two of them go at it.

A body goes up above the crowd and surfs towards the front during ‘Jettisoned‘ as the rhythm section become one, soon opening the floodgates for grinning revellers to fly over the barrier towards the security with much gusto. A big frog jump from Dwyer signals the rest of the crowd to do the same on big hitter ‘Toe Cutter – Thumb Buster‘. Some old fella slaps his forehead and screams in ecstasy. I actually wish I’d caught sight of him earlier, as the Mark E. Smith looking patron remains a highlight whenever I catch a glimpse, often stretching out his arms in blissful joy.

“You’re a good looking crowd.” Suggests Dwyer after towelling off (oh John…), letting us know they’re off after the next one (just after I’d bought a pint, bloody hell, John…). Luckily, ‘C‘ – from 2018 full length ‘Smote Reverser‘ – is stretched out to make the most of their swan song. People boogie in the upstairs seating as a crowd surfer below points for the crowd carrying him to push him away from the security. Dwyer squeaks his guitar cord input off Paul’s cymbal (and his own thumb) before disappearing from view, soon reappearing swigging from a beer.

Both a marathon and a sprint, OSEES remain the hottest ticket in town and what a wonderful setting to capture it in. Chuck Crack Cloud into the mix and you’ve got yourself a perfect evening.

(Photo Credit: Logan Feser)

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Live Review: Manchester Psych Fest 04 September 2021

Words: Andy Hughes

Of all the things we’ve missed about live music over the past 12+ months, an inner-city all-dayer is certainly up there. Nipping from venue to venue, catching bands of all sizes playing to rooms and people they might not usually encounter, drinking from the early afternoon into the wee hours. It’s one of the many benefits of living in Manchester as we’ve never been short of quality festivals in our fair city, particularly the formative and much missed Carefully Planned.

Because of the pandemic, it feels like donkeys since we’ve managed one and as such, we were possibly a little bit rusty on the planning, not heeding the promoters warning the morning of Manchester Psych Fest that ticket collection might be a tad busy. A street beer soothed things somewhat as we found ourselves joining the gigantic queue behind everyone else who’d not thought ahead. Luckily for us, we were stuck behind a trio having a riveting ten+ minute conversation about Greggs vegan sausage rolls… A good start.

Whilst we were a bit gutted to miss The Goa Express (what would turn out to be their first of three sets) – and just as gutted to miss Kokoroko, who they’d replaced – our first highlight came via hotly tipped Hebden Bridge quartet The Lounge Society (who just so happened to have supported The Cribs the night before!)

Our first time in Gorilla since doors re-opened unfortunately started on a sour note as a grotty bastard announced to the rest of the toilet that he couldn’t be arsed to wash his hands. At 4pm. During a pandemic. Cheers dickhead.

The Lounge Society started off like a rocket first song in and it sounded great, though we felt ancient seeing how young they all were… A proper psych type outing on the one song guided us into the festival of psych and everything they subsequently offered up from on stage sounded solid. The quartet let rip throughout their allotted time and built tremendously on the promising run of singles we’ve heard thus far. ‘Television‘ ends up being a revved up delight and one has to admit that this group of lids appear to be the real deal.

An incredibly hot room yet the band didn’t let up, making it difficult to imagine how the drummer (who’s particularly great) was coping. Funnily enough, on the way out, under the bridge outside the venue, the drummer was found red faced but in a leather jacket (!), smoking a well deserved tab.

Down in the basement at The Ritz – which one did not know existed until this very festival – we couldn’t even see Folly Group when we manage to squeeze into the room, but sure enough you could hear them loud and clear, with the busy room a good indicator that we’d made the right choice. Everything sounded better than what we’ve heard on record, which is equally a good sign.

Pillars block any/all vision, but we could just about catch a glimpse of shadow from the kit against the wall – eventually a cymbal came into view and a bass guitar could be seen if one squinted. The new stuff they announce sounds cool as anything but really, the stuff we know from their debut release ‘Awake and Hungry‘ is reasonably new to us anyhoo. Either way, the bodies were moving about throughout the room for the band no one could see. The playing is rapid as fuck towards the end of their set and of the heads I could see up front, everyone was into it.

Not long after this, I realised the clash finder printed off before the festival was lost somewhere in Manchester (possibly as a result of the delicious Margaritas we’d been drinking over the road…), but we couldn’t forget Irish lot Girl Band and soon found ourselves upstairs in the main room at The Ritz. Inside the venue it was like walking on the sun. The heat hit you immediately and Girl Band were already fully stuck in, no doubt contributing to the heat with their deafening and intoxicating noise.

It was good being back at The Ritz and it’s a feeling we won’t likely take for granted any time soon. It’s also good to find there was a little bloke stood near the front eating biscuits watching the bands! The graphic behind the stage highlighting ‘THIS IS NOT PSYCH‘ was a nice touch.

The first crowd surf we’d seen all day occurred a few songs in and fuck me if it wasn’t a bleach blonde Neo from The Matrix as the pit got particularly tasty underneath them. Rather fittingly, the in-between tuning up from the band sounded like heavy machinery – gurgles and whizzes and crunches.

Pint glasses were chucked sky high for ‘Going Norway‘ which seemed at odds with Girl Band, but yes – dickheads have returned to live audiences. Also making a return (a welcome one) was vocalist Dara Kiely giving his absolute all to a Manchester crowd, clutching the microphone cable close to his chest as it all came out. The hurtling assault of ‘Amygdala‘ is always a treat (if you can call it that) and certainly a highlight – both here and on their latest record ‘The Talkies‘.

A frantic, seemingly 10 second number had the front middle going mad and this bled expertly into the much slower build of ‘Shoulderblades‘, the rumble pulsating up ones legs over its 6+ minutes.

The closer is hypnotising and chaotic in equal measure – a brutally lengthy dance-a-thon. A few rows from us a lad looked utterly fucked, so I can’t imagine what was happening in his head whilst this assault took place. Mission accomplished no doubt. Before knocking it on the head, Kiely tucked a newly grabbed Heineken from the crate on stage into his shabby jacket pocket. Save that for later.

A mammoth queue stretching up the street for Yard Act was concerning for anyone worried about seeing anything at YES… ‘Dark Days‘ sounded great, albeit from the stairs leading up to the Pink Room outside. When we finally made it in, the room seemed ridiculously overcrowded. Looking on the bright side of it however, it’s great seeing the band do so well, and we’ve had a soft spot for vocalist James and guitarist Ryan off the back of their previous outfits Menace Beach and Post War Glamour Girls.

The crowd – as potentially oversold as it was – were into absolutely everything and it was a joy to hear them singing back and yucking it up for all the humour being dished out from vocalist James. He’s a great front man and hopefully we’ll be able to catch them when it’s a bit more low key (which might be difficult given they’re being so well received wherever they go!)

Back up the road for Stereolab at The Ritz and a giant, room shaking cheer greeted them when the lights faded. Everything’s effortless and perfectly done – all sounding great. Main highlights came from the guitarist looking a tad like Scottish comic Limmy and Lætitia Sadier letting rip when she picked up the guitar herself. I can’t stop telling people she’s playing Levenshulme in a few weeks… Understandably everyone ate it up, though there’s clearly much to talk about over dinner as it was chat central in the room.

The YES queuing debacle struck again for Crack Cloud and rather humorously, Stereolab turned up at the front door and even they struggled to get in! With Crack Cloud being our number one band to see, it was rather disheartening to be stood on the stairs waiting to get into the Pink Room as time ticked on, having already spent 40 minutes stuck in the snaking queue outside. Talk amongst those queuing suggested the festival was above capacity and I felt sorry for the security staff, seemingly unsure of what to do, with some punters looking to go up to just the roof terrace being told to stay downstairs. Advice provided at the start of the day was to manage expectations, but bloody hell…

Thankfully, the Canadian collective were late to start things off, so there was enough time to make friends by squeezing through the wall of people to get a good view. ‘Crackin Up‘ opened it up and all negative thoughts soon dissappeared. What a band.

There’s a number of new members in the band it seems and the regulars themselves looked different too. This is one of the many things I like about Crack Cloud – they switch it up on the regular and are definitely always interesting to watch. It’s a topless affair from 90% of them and one of the new lads looks like he’d asked the hairdresser for a teen heartthrob cut from the 90s. Very swish. Whoever is on keys is equally great, but he’s more about getting right into it – when he’s not playing, he’s vibe central, dancing away in his little spot or shouting his head off.

The crowd went nuts for just about anything/everything and watching them absolutely smash it to such an appreciative and large audience was like watching your kids grow up. Gatekeeping is a load of crap, but we’ve not stopped going on about them since we were at some of their earliest – if not first – UK shows in tiny rooms up North.

‘Post Truth‘ sounded hard as fuck and was swiftly followed up by ‘Bastard Basket‘, one of many from their latest, the riveting ‘PAIN OLYMPICS‘. The crew played something that sounded like INXS and fair play – it was catchy as hell. The last time they were knocking out pop smashers like that, it eventually became ‘Ouster Stew‘, so fingers crossed for what’s to come.

We were treated to a lengthy and captivating ‘Empty Cell‘, highlighted by Bryce Cloghesy (aka Military Genius) wailing away on the sax. ‘Philosopher’s Calling‘ saw bodies flying everywhere and people continued to become unhinged as crowd surfing kicked up a notch. Noted pop smasher ‘Ouster Stew‘ made an appearance and was perfect, whilst lights were down for ‘Swish Swash‘. Building and building, their last of the evening was both incredible and disgusting. A swift exit followed and we were off to Archies for something equally incredible and disgusting. Good night.

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Listening Post – June 2021

Words: Andy Hughes

Sorry, where did the last 5 months go? As we steamroll through the year at breakneck speed, your ever faithful friends at Birthday Cake For Breakfast are here to bang on about music – some new, some old – all worth your attention. Giddy up!

The B-52’s – Private Idaho
(Wild Planet)

A brief two minute clip on Twitter of The B-52’s playing ‘Private Idaho‘ live made way for a month of once a day listening to their debut album and its follow up. Such a quirky jam that’s filled a B-52’s shaped hole in my heart.

FACS – General Public
(Present Tense)

Proper engaging stuff from Chicago outfit FACS, from their latest record ‘Present Tense‘ (which you can own on mouth-watering ‘cheeto smoke‘ vinyl) – vocalist Brian Case keeping you hanging on his every word throughout the rumble and shimmering four minutes. Case recently answered a host of inane questions for us, featuring a particularly good story about Jarvis Cocker.

Crack Cloud – Somethings Gotta Give
(Pain Olympics)

Having lived within a Crack Cloud bubble leading up to and following the release of their debut album, it was refreshing to return to the record nearly a year on and still hear the rising tension of ‘Somethings Gotta Give‘ again as if it were fresh. Subdued for the most part, it really does amp up the anxiety as the track builds and builds.

Field Music – Do Me A Favour
(Flat White Moon)

Swit swoo, the harmonies on this are a delight from the brothers Brewis. From their latest album, the brilliant ‘Flat White Moon‘, ‘Do Me A Favour‘ has a bit of a Tom Petty vibe which we’re all about, with the second offering from the record being possibly the best across its twelve tracks.

We spoke with Peter Brewis not once but twice in the run up to the album, which you should definitely read.

Paul Jacobs – Dancing with the Devil
(Pink Dogs on the Green Grass)

The song Viagra Boys wish they’d written for their recent second album, Pottery drummer Paul Jacobs lets his freak flag fly on this quirky cut from his latest record. A stream of consciousness type vocal guides you through this cool little number.

Squid – Peel St.
(Bright Green Field)

From their highly anticipated debut album, the Squid boys have come up with the goods and ‘Peel St.’ is a proper frantic head-wobbler of delightful proportions. First run through on this I was walking in the pissing rain and it seemed to suit the atmosphere of the record perfectly. Another time I was spinning the record in the living room and heard “What’s this horrible music?” asked from the other room…

Hiatus Kaiyote – Get Sun (feat. Arthur Verocai)
(Mood Valiant)

Well isn’t this just a whopper of a sun-soaked delight (clues in the title, lad)! Aussie lot Hiatus Kaiyote are box fresh to me, but have been knocking about for a while and have been nominated for TWO Grammy’s, so they’ve clearly got the goods. ‘Get Sun‘ is a proper vibe and one we’ve been relishing in.

Sparks – Amateur Hour
(Kimono My House)

A trailer for the new Sparks documentary kick-started repeated listens to this record and its follow up ‘Propaganda‘, and what a joy it’s been. Love the glam stomp and insatiable chorus of ‘Amateur Hour‘. Proper big one.

Fugazi – Smallpox Champion
(In On the Kill Taker)

As nice as i’m sure it is to be a Fugazi die-hard, it’s even sweeter to have an entire catalogue of undiscovered music lying in ones wake. ‘Smallpox Champion‘ came on randomly the other evening and gripped me from the go. Proper noisy head bopper. It also made me realise how many bands I like that sound exactly like this… Makes you think!

Max Bloom – Pedestrian
(Pedestrian)

Title track from the forthcoming Max Bloom record here, the follow up to last year’s rather lovely ‘Perfume‘. ‘Pedestrian‘ starts off wonderfully with just piano and guitar, soon elevated to heart-swelling highs when the drums and brass come in. Top stuff as ever from the former Yuck frontman.

Max recently talked us through second single ‘Palindromes‘, which you can read about here.

Teenage Fanclub – Home
(Endless Arcade)

Tell you what I love about the opener from the new Teenage Fanclub record – it’s unexpectedly long and gets better the longer it lasts. We’re used to really long songs, like (remember that 16 minute Hey Colossus number?) – but on ‘Home‘, after it’s been a delightful breeze for the first few minutes, the guitars cut in and just let rip throughout the next 5 minutes as it drifts in and out of Steely Dan territory. Proper.

Boomgates – Laymen‘s Terms
(Double Natural)

Similar to last month’s Listening Post, I keep finding myself falling into Aussie music binges. Another delight from a recent trip comes from this absolute scorcher from the debut Boomgates LP, which perfectly creates butterflies in the old stomach. ‘Oooooooh give it to me‘ Fucking come on! Mastered by Mikey Young, obviously.

(Photo Credit: Adam Lempel)

Gustaf – Mine

Watching telly the other day and couldn’t quite place the raging tune playing over the top of a scene. Turns out it was our old friends Gustaf, discovered at the start of the year – but that seems like a year ago, mates. Cucumber cool NYC lot doing the sort of dance-y post-punk that we buzz off.

Meat Wave – Tugboat
(Volcano Park)

The Chicago lads are back and what a joy it is to have a new EP on the horizon. Second single ‘Tugboat‘ brings all the raging, thumping glory of previous album ‘The Incessant‘, flying along at speed and making one think we’re not too far away from chucking ourselves around a sweaty basement show.

N0V3L – Falling in Line
(NON-FICTION)

Captivating new single from Canadian collective N0V3L, taken from their recently released debut album ‘NON-FICTION‘. A proper personal cut, when we first heard this get a live outing, it was too much for vocalist Jon Varley who had to restart it after a moment getting himself together. Heavy stuff.

God Damn – Yout
(Raw Coward)

Off the back of releasing a new album last year (one which we suggested is an “ear splitting onslaught“), God Damn have evolved into a four-piece for the release of this absolute throat-shredding riff-y monster!

Egyptian Blue – Contain It
(Collateral Damage)

Choice little post-punk number from Brighton four-piece Egyptian Blue, taken from their 2019 four-track EP ‘Collateral Damage‘. Ripper central that gets right under your skin.

Steely Dan – Dirty Work
(Can’t Buy A Thrill)

Inspired by Tony Soprano blasting it out in his massive motor, ‘Dirty Work‘ is a certified peach, the perfect soundtrack – whether you’re getting razzed in the sun or singing too loud in the shower.

Cate Le Bon x Group Listening – Magnificent Gestures
(Here It Comes Again)

Quite the ‘magnificent gesture’ of Cate Le Bon to let Group Listening re-work some of her material (ey up!) This delightful number from the pairing of Sweet Baboo and Paul Jones treads fresh ground for the hypnotising cut from her wonderful (Mercury Prize nominated, don’t forget) record ‘Reward‘.

Mattiel – Those Words

Phwooar, this has got a bit of a timeless classic, heart-swelling vibe to it – the latest from Atlanta based outfit Mattiel, out now via Heavenly Recordings.

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Album Review: N0V3L – NON​-​FICTION

Words: Andy Hughes

In the brain-overload video for Crack Cloud’s ‘Crackin Up‘, amongst the gun-shot suicides and beach side effigies, there’s a shot of a snake-eyed tattooed bod in a dimly lit room staring at a host of computer screens. Before the release of their debut album ‘Pain Olympics‘, a video surfaced on their Instagram of a slack-tied, cigarette smoking bloke surrounded by screens, he too in a dimly lit room, watching a progress bar fill up as he uploaded what one assumes was said record.

The seemingly ever-growing ‘multimedia collective‘ are an outfit of many, many vibes (a single video of theirs generally packs in more ideas than most band’s have throughout a career), with one recurring theme being a hermit sat in front of computer screens, looking at who knows what. It rings true though, given everything to do with Crack Cloud up to a point feels like you’re unearthing something secret, looking over your shoulder to see if anyone’s caught you watching what looks like a snuff film (in reality, with this being the internet, there are pockets of fans from all over and sure enough, their debut album was critically acclaimed).

That excitement of discovery unsurprisingly extends to those that move amongst the Crack Cloud circle and on the discovery of N0V3L in late 2018, our fingers couldn’t type about them fast enough (though we did manage it). The moodier arm of the collective (featuring Crack Cloud personnel Jon Varley and Bryce Cloghesy), their sound is less yelped vocals and quirky, more post-punk and new-wave nostalgia.

2019 saw the release of their self-titled debut, a mini-LP of sorts and a record we were, quite frankly, very taken with. The record captured a self-sustaining creative operation – N0V3L worked out of a rental home in Victoria, British Columbia, producing their own music, videos, and clothing. Two years on and they’re on the eve of releasing ‘NON-FICTION‘, their debut album proper, written by Varley between 2017 and 2020 and recorded on a Tascam-388 in the very same home, since torn down – another casualty of the alleged unforgiving housing market in Vancouver.

Bleak so it is, but a house being torn down, spreading the community across the western province of British Columbia, is just part of the makeup of the collective. Mental illness and the fallout of an opioid overdose crisis is a deep part of the network, British Columbia recently marking a somber anniversary in mid-April of five years since a public health emergency was declared after 200 people died of opioid overdoses. Varley himself was victim to an opiate addiction while working in Vancouver’s downtown Eastside.

A number of years back I was fortunate enough to catch both Crack Cloud and N0V3L share a small stage in Leeds at a packed out Hyde Park Book Club. Mid-way through the set, Varley was notably shaken and had to stop in the middle of a new song, his voice cracking as he broke the silence in the room to announce how personal it was to him. Maybe memories have blurred the lines on this one, but hearing it in full on record it has sleeper hit written all over it – but it’s also evident that all power seems zapped out of the vocalist as he sings on ‘FALLING IN LINE‘ of numbing the mind.

The power-zapped vocal of Varley shifts throughout the record, captivating at every turn as it moves from pained one minute (‘UNTOUCHABLE‘) to automaton-like (‘APATH‘) to almost rapping, the singer straining to get everything out of his mouth (‘VIOLENT & PARANOID‘).

Whilst initial live outings of ‘NON​-​FICTION‘ hinted that we’d have a record that shifted from the more danceable, skittish post-punk of their debut and leaned into their moodier, downbeat side, there’s still a lot of the new record that moves at a clip and propels the tracks forward, the likes of ‘STRANGER‘, ‘PUSHERS‘ and ‘EN MASSE‘ destined for moving feet and shuffling shoulders in dimly lit basements.

Opener ‘UNTOUCHABLE‘ sparks things off immediately with rapid-fire drumming and stabbing, jangly guitar as the listener is transported to a German post-punk show or even New Order in their earlier days. Frantic and dance-y, it very much sets the tone. This is, for me, where N0V3L excel – danceable, energetic and moody post-punk, with drums firing fast and bass lines stealing the show.

Back to that live show in Leeds (as well as a support slot for WAND in Manchester later in 2019) and one of the highlights came from the rhythm section, the topless drummer moving about like a wind-up toy, hammering the kit, whilst the bassist hovered closely, doing his thing, the pair holding everything down and adding so much to each and every track. The bass is particularly notable throughout the record, a vital cog and very fitting of an era gone by.

On ‘Pain Olympics‘, Crack Cloud bookended its eight tracks with a definite open and close, each quite theatrical in approach and grandeur. On ‘NON​-​FICTION‘, N0V3L aren’t so much for the theatrics, but it feels very much like an opening statement and a closing of this chapter at its end, with the New Order comparison returning on ‘NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE‘ and its quite beautiful close to the record as Cloghesy‘s sax rings out and everything fades.

Born out of turmoil and sadness, ‘NON-FICTION‘ captures a time and a place in the life of Varley and N0V3L and whilst it’s pained, the results of their debut are something special and worthy of being documented.

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Listening Post – April 2021

Words: Andy Hughes

Ah April. Ain’t it sweet? As dependable as the sun showing up more and more during the day coinciding with me wanting a beer outdoors, we’re back – first of the month, on the dot – with a NEW playlist to tuck into. You know the drill – 20 tunes, old and new.

Show Me The Body – Survive
(Survive)

Rock ‘ard NYC hardcore from Show Me The Body, snipped from their brand new EP of the same name. Yes it’s hard not to chuckle a bit at the opening lyrical gambit, but that’s HC innit? Proper ripper to kick off proceedings.

Japanese Breakfast – Be Sweet
(Jubilee)

More delectable indie pop delights from Michelle Zauner, a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast. March 2021 came through with the goods with the announcement of her third album ‘Jubilee‘, the first studio release since 2017’s ‘Soft Sounds From Another Planet‘. Chorus on this one is MASSIVE – A top bit of kit.

The Fall – Theme From Sparta F.C.
(Country On The Click)

As cliched as they come, can’t get enough of these fuckers at the minute! Having just finished Dave Simpson’s searching book ‘The Fallen‘ and having likely finished Steve Hanley’s ‘The Big Midweek‘ by the time this goes to print, I’m finding myself sticking this lot on quite a lot just lately. ‘Theme From Sparta F.C.‘ is a big current favourite – love the terrace chanting and thump-thump-thump that goes along with it. Rock hard.

Deradoorian – Saturnine Night
(Find The Sun)

Absolutely hypnotic stuff from NYC based artist Deradoorian. From a record described briefly as “a waypoint on a spiritual journey of acceptance“, it’s very much a trip. Got a bit of a Neu! vibe to it. Completely new to us, but it turns out they’re a former core member of Dirty Projectors and known for prior collaborations with Flying Lotus, so you’re in safe hands, Chuck!

Unschooling – Social Chameleon
(Random Acts of Total Control)

Thank you to Unschooling for coming along and filling an Omni-esque hole in our lives whilst the Atlanta trio decide what to do next. From a new EP out in April, the four piece out of Rouen, France have excelled here in producing poppy, danceable post-punk with smiles in mind!

Arab Strap – Fable of the Urban Fox
(As Days Get Dark)

“Fuck off back to Fox Land, these streets are fucking full.” We were lucky enough to have ‘As Days Get Dark‘ a few months before release and it was this track that I continuously returned to, listening intently to vocalist Aidan Moffat as the story unfolds. Love how it all gets a bit Tekken 2 in the instrumental.

(Photo Credit: Wyndham Boylan-Garnett)

Cassandra Jenkins – Hard Drive
(An Overview on Phenomenal Nature)

Whilst relatively new to us, Cassandra Jenkins has some notable work under her belt – previously providing guest vocals on Kevin Morby and Muzz records, as well as rehearsing as part of Purple Mountains with the late David Berman. ‘Hard Drive‘ is a beautiful piece, incredibly captivating with its spoken word taking you on a journey. Very Prefab Sprout ‘I Trawl the Megahertz‘ – get on that if you’re unfamiliar (and have 22 minutes to spare…)

Everything Everything – SUPERNORMAL

Seemingly five minutes on from the release of their last record, Everything Everything return revitalised and unleash this gigantic single. Named after SUPERNORMAL stimuli – “highly exaggerated triggers that create a stronger reaction in us than evolution ever intended. Our animal brains can’t help but reach for the bigger, brighter, tastier, sexier, bloodier, more intense experiences.” ‘You’re GOD DAMN RIGHT!’ Go on lads!

Part Chimp – Back From The Dead
(Drool)

Loud enough to knock you off your stool, the Part Chimp phenomenon rears its not-dead head again with a new record on the way via tastemakers Wrong Speed Records! A true ripper, it’s a proper face-melter and calls for the return of sweaty basement shows sharpish!

Home Counties – White Shirt / Clean Shirt

Off the back of previous single ‘Modern Yuppies‘, Home Counties continue to embrace their wonky oddball side and offer up a DEVO-esque stance here via the rather fun ‘White Shirt / Clean Shirt‘. Yes please once again to the end-of-level-boss-battle breakdown towards its end.

Spread Joy – Semantic
(Spread Joy)

More excitement from Chicago outfit Spread Joy and their forthcoming debut album. Whilst we previously said all you need is 60 seconds to get your rocks off, this time around it’s a bit longer (only just) but we love this straight down the barrel punk smasher.

Shame – March Day
(Drunk Tank Pink)

From an album that remains on heavy rotation, ‘March Day‘ was an early favourite when we first heard ‘Drunk Tank Pink‘ and every time we hear it we still get that brand new feel in our ears. Mega infectious post-punk from the Southern lot.

Holiday Ghosts – Off Grid
(North Street Air)

If you’re in the UK, you’ve likely noticed it’s not freezing cold outside. Sure enough, whilst it was still chilly when we discovered Holiday Ghosts, their sun-soaked, 60’s vibes powered us through the end of winter and plonked us bang into spring (with our shades firmly on). I’ve been hammering this and prior single ‘Mr. Herandi‘ ever since!

Field Music – Not When You’re In Love
(Flat White Moon)

Carrying on this ‘I’m in my 30’s‘ routine, I was doing the washing up when I first heard the new Field Music album and whilst putting a cup on the drying rack, I was completely struck by the brilliant ‘Not When You’re In Love‘. Love the vocals on this one from Peter Brewis, knocking it out of the park – “D’you know what I mean?“

Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Medieval Wall
(All in Good Time)

I very recently came out the back of an Aussie punk binge with visions of getting smashed at live shows – struck with the realisation that we’re still a while away from crowd-surfing (though on that ‘I’m in my 30’s’ trope, the end might’ve already been in sight…) The brilliantly named Eddy Current Suppression Ring have been on the old radar for a while now and we can’t get enough of this repetitive hypnosis on offer.

Lithics – Excuse Generator
(Mating Surfaces)

From Portland, Oregon outfit Lithics’ second album ‘Mating Surfaces‘, ‘Excuse Generator‘ is a proper super-charged, razor-sharp post-punk delight to get you worked up. Quirky as you like.

Bachelor – Stay in the Car
(Doomin’ Sun)

Mega Pixies vibes via Bachelor, the new project bringing together Melina Duterte (Jay Som) and Ellen Kempner (Palehound). Just prior to the pandemic, the pair hooked up to put together their debut album, with first offering ‘Stay in the Car‘ very much tickling our fancy.

N0V3L – Group Disease
(NON-FICTION)

It was great to see everyone pick up on Crack Cloud over the past year, so fingers crossed there’s a similar rush of support for the debut album from N0V3L – an outfit we’ve been banging on about since their first few tunes went online a few years back. ‘Group Disease‘ carries on their taut, throwback dealings in new wave and post punk and has us intrigued for what’s across the other ten tracks on the record.

Total Wkts – Odermatt
(No Holiday)

Following on sharpish from the release of the Total Wkts debut album, John Newton a.k.a. drummer John from duo JOHN, returns with another set under the Total Wkts guise. As crunchy and raw as an onion from the fridge, ‘Odermatt‘ offers up the very BOOMing sound we’ve come to love from Newton’s day job.

Alien Nosejob – Beyond the Pale
(Hc45-2)

The conclusion of our Aussie punk binge, Alien Nosejob are very much just the ticket for knock out, speed-freak punk that comes out of the gate at 100mph. Very much something to sink your teeth into.

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Album Review: CRACK CLOUD – PAIN OLYMPICS

Words: Andy Hughes

Ever since finding out about Crack Cloud, it’s been hard to shut up about them. Drawn in by the visuals from their striking video for ‘UNCANNY VALLEY!‘, my head was spinning after the monumental two halves presented – dark and unnerving beginnings leading to an energised, skittish post-punk conclusion. Their visuals scream snuff film and It felt like i’d unearthed a forgotten video nasty or something that should be hidden in the dark depths of the internet (incidentally, my partner describes their output as “nightmare music” and my constant playing of this, ‘Swish Swash‘ and ‘Image Craft‘ didn’t help…)

An album followed – their first two releases sandwiched together – and was greedily lapped up by those in the know and others quick to catch up. Following the reveal of ‘The Next Fix’ just over a year ago, the first part in the (at the time) mysterious PAIN OLYMPICS series, I found myself combing their Instagram for clues or anything to indicate something new was on the horizon. Members of the collective branched off into other territories in the meantime – a number of its bods appearing in nostalgic post-punk outfit N0V3L, whilst multi-instrumentalist Bryce Cloghesy put out material under his solo moniker Military Genius last year.

Cut to July 2020 and here we are – ‘PAIN OLYMPICS‘ is announced fully, “Based on True Shit“. True shit indeed, when initially all you could find on the band were three music videos, bandcamp links and a few lines of text (originally dubbed “a multimedia collective, comprising members from different cities”) the tale has since evolved to tell a bigger story – one of rehabilitation and addiction, much more than music, the collective providing asylum for the disenfranchised and using a sense of community to turn adversity into hope amidst an out of control opiate crisis plaguing Canada. Similarly, the music found on the album has evolved from what devotees might expect, but ultimately it treads the path of light and dark and on their official debut proper, Crack Cloud lean heavily into this notion, with challenging, uneasy passages mingling with glimmers of light that can be found throughout.

Bookended by ‘Post Truth (Birth of A Nation)‘ and ‘Angel Dust (Eternal Peace)‘, the album begins and ends cinematic in scope, with soaring instrumentation ramping up the theatrics, treading a fine line between angelic and horrific. With the ear picking up the hustle and bustle of the street, complete with dog barks and police sirens, at times it comes across like a theatrical production or at least a musical moment like you might find towards the end of HBO drama Oz. You could easily see the entire cast of Crack Cloud bursting through the gates at Emerald City, chanting the chorus that ends ‘Post Truth…’. When both shift from centre, it brings to mind a Cornelius jam, hypnotic with heavenly female vocals and sparkling instrumentation, sitting on top of a rumbling sense of unease that permeates both tracks, each camp fighting for the attention of the listener.

Between the goalposts the album is constantly shifting gear, with early singles ‘The Next Fix‘ and ‘Ouster Stew‘ (and a reworked version of ‘Bastard Basket‘) revealing much, but not a whole lot. ‘Ouster Stew‘ – single of the year contender – is a post-punk dance-a-thon similar to the material you can find on the debut N0V3L release, whilst ‘The Next Fix’ is real down the barrel stuff, vocalist and drummer Zach Choy energetically spitting stream of consciousness vocals before the track builds to euphoria and he’s backed by a choir, complete with bursts of brass elevating it beyond comprehension of what might be expected of Crack Cloud. Similarly, ‘Favour Your Fortune‘ flits between vocal types, even sounding like an energised Beastie Boys for the briefest of moments, calling to mind the collective vocal and military stomp from ‘Empty Cell‘.

On ‘Somethings Gotta Give‘ the tension teeters into bubbling over, Choy almost gasping for air as guitars screech to the extreme and it reaches its heightened culmination. Latest single ‘Tunnel Vision’ pushes this feeling of dread even further, fully sinking its teeth in as they hammer the unrelenting track out at length. Sounding absolutely urgent, the clashing vocals ramp up the anxiousness and the raw, painful cries out toward the end are so impactful.

In true Crack Cloud fashion, ‘PAIN OLYMPICS‘ is unexpected, cool as fuck and scrambled our brains. Eight songs feels short – especially given the anticipation behind the record – but as a stand alone piece, it’s so engrossing that one finds it hard not to play this again and again.

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