Sorting through the week’s new singles and songs that have surfaced online over the last seven days, Jamie Skey (@jamie_skey) presents five songs you need to hear this week…
Search engine-friendly synth-pop via some creative spelling seems to be having its day in the sun right now, with Scottish synth mongers Chvrches tweaking the interest of critics with their 2013 debut The Bones Of What You Believe, while blitz-pop duo Curxes are currently exploding notions of how traditional synth-pop should sound. Valkyrie is a case in point, owing to its full-frontal attack of sheet-metal beats, roaring brass and unashamed female authority.
With its mix of cool-breeze guitars, wood-smoked vocals and boot-stomp chorus, Somebody New, the debut single fromLondon-based blues enthusiasts Bella Figura, smacks of Kings Of Leon sinking whiskey highballs with Aussie jam band the John Butler Trio.
Last time out scuzz-rock duo Saint Agnes – a seamy partnership between The Lost Souls Club’s Jon Tufnell and Kitty Austen of Lola Colt – reframed The Doors’ barroom belter classic Roadhouse Blues for their own grubby ends. Resurfacing with Old Bone Rattle, the pair’s raw chemistry proves as potent as ever present as they dish out a grinding splurge of defiant rock’n’roll graffiti.
With their last album Atlas, Real Estate took their suburban ennui-sounding indie on a long, hazy road trip across 60s jangle-pop territory, sounding like The Byrds chasing a distant, sunset-shimmered horizon. The band are now releasing the album’s opener, Had To Hear, on special limited-edition orange-colored vinyl seven-inch, backed with their new b-side, a cover of The Nerves’ Paper Dolls.
Considering their name, Dub’s spunky mixture of Pavement-like pop nous and The Cribs’ raw energy is actually pretty smart. Still I’m Stuck is the sound of self-assured swagger and keen song craft cranked up to ten.
