Itās seems almost impossible for anyone to review anything that Greta Van Fleet do either on stage or in the studio without comparing them to a certain mythical classic rock band. Our aim is to not use their name because ultimately, no matter the obvious sonic resemblance, Greta Van Fleet have forged their path through their own talents.
Every release thus far has been exceptional and as they release their third studio album, āStarcatcherā, the pre-release singles have again evidenced a band of enormous musical capability. There is an ethereal raw power in their song-writing and this materialises in the most visceral of fashions.
Thematically ambitious, whilst sticking to a tried and tested formula, āStarcatcherā is a continuation of its predecessor āThe Battle at Gardenās Gateā and will instantly gratify fans of the band.
There are a plethora of songs which sound like they were born for the live setting and as the band continue to mature and grow their audience thatās a vital element. Lead single āMeeting the Masterā teased listeners into the experience that this album presents and arriving at the back end of the record ensures that the album finishes as strongly as it begins.
With this release, Greta Van Fleet continue to prove that they are no mere flash in the pan and no cheap imitation. Yes, rather than another band stuck in the past, this group are literally the future of rock music!
From Stadiums, to Arenas and now some of the best intimate venues in the UK!
Circa Waves have announced details of a special run of UK live dates from which a portion of the profits will be donated to local foodbanks in each town they are touring through.
The band had the following to say about the decision to show their support.
āWeāre so happy to be supporting food banks on our next tour. In this current climate where the cost of living crisis is hitting everyone we know that being able to feed your family is no longer a given. We will be playing a handful of small intimate shows with a percentage of profits going to local food banks in each area. Canāt wait to see you there.ā
Greta Van Fleet this week shared their latest offering, ‘The Falling Sky’, which you can check out above.
The track will feature on upcoming new album, ‘Starcatcher’, which is out on 21st July.
āAn unwavering warrior carrying on the endless, eternal, and impossible battle for salvation; these were the elements of symbolism associated with this particular track,āĀ explains guitarist Jake Kiszka.Ā āIn essence our fate is sealed, alike the stars that fall from the almighty heavens to the earth. This philosophy is carried through in the story of a bluesman, at the crossroads of the universe.ā
Bowling For Soup announce ‘Songs People Actually Liked – Volume 2’
Bowling For Soup – ‘1985 (BFS Version)’
Bowling For Soup have revealed details of new collection, ‘Songs People Actually Liked – Voume 2’, which focuses on tracks from 2004 to 2009.
You can check out a new BFS version of their hit single, ‘1985’, above.
Here are some thoughts from BFS main man Jaret Reddick about the upcoming Volume 2 of their Greatest Hits:
“Having a āGreatest Hitsā is one of things you sort of dream about as a kid, but deep down, itās more if a fantasy really. Now here we are realizing our second and we have nearly made it to half way through our career.
I was nervous about these songs. Sonically, on the originals, they were already āthere.ā But I think like everything in our band, the years add something to the luster, and it certainly happened here!
The songs are still intact with their original selves. But I think you will feel a different energy. In a good way.”
Holding Absence continue to build towards the release of upcoming new album, ‘The Noble Art of Self Destruction’, which is out August 25th.
Recently the group share new single, ‘Honey Moon’, which you can check out above.
The band shared, “‘Honey Moon’Ā is perhaps Holding Absenceās most beautiful song to date! A track inspired by the Pixies and Deftones – this is a lovesick poem that looks to the stars to portray a deep, isolated yearning for the love of another.”
Underoath have shared their newest stand-alone single, ‘Lifeline (Drowning)’, which you can check out above.
Speaking on the new single, Underoath said āāLifeline (Drowning)ā is a cry for helpā¦ I feel like weāve all been there, be it as simple as miscommunication or a full on toxic relationship – that very feeling that you cannot tread water like this any longer or you may end up drowning. We wanted to create a song centered around the melody that could still hold the energy of a full blown heavy song.ā
Caskets, who recently announced their new album, āReflectionsā, for an August 11th release, have released an affirming new single, āBetter Way Outā, which you can check out above.
Speaking of the track, frontman Matt Flood says, āBetter Way Out is a song that relates to suicidal thoughts and tendencies. It’s a song about noticing and understanding the trials and tribulations of life, about rising above the feelings of depression and anxiety and knowing your self worth. To have somebody say that they see you and they hear you, or to have a community by your side while you go through these daily battles isn’t something afforded to everybody. So many of us can blindly walk through the barriers that we build inside our heads, alone without a shoulder to cry on or a friend to lend an ear.ā
āNo matter what you’ve been through and might still be going through… there are always routes out of your situation.ā he states. āYou are strong, you are beautiful, you are loved and you are enough. Don’t walk that road alone. We all need each other.ā
Fixation have announced details of their highly anticipated debut album. ‘More Subtle Than Death’ will be released September 8th.
Fixation states: āWe didnāt want to limit ourselves to one particular sound, although the album sounds like Fixation as a whole, there are songs that are more poppy, more heavy, more grandiose and symphonic and more straight forward rock songs. The subjects in the songs are things that frightens and worries us about the state of the world today. These are things that we want to see change in.ā
You can check out the latest single from the band ‘Flat Earth’ above.
Grian Chatten has released his debut album, ‘Chaos for the Fly’, and ahead of the release he shared the last pre-release single, ‘All of the People’, which you can check out above.
On the single Grian explains: āAll of the people is the stiff collar tight-fisted hand to the grindstone written where all is blue and everyone is a liar. It is a line of chalk scratched around the world.ā
Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble this week announced his new band Almost Nothing and shared their debut single, ‘Anything Whatever’, which you can check out above.
The band have also revealed their self-titled debut album will arrive later this year with pre-orders here.
Dragonforce singer Marc Hudson has revealed details of his debut solo album, ‘Starbound Stories’, which is out August 25th.
This week saw Hudson share lead single, ‘Astralive’, which you can check out above.
Hudson on the single, āāAstraliveā is the first single from the album and takes the listener on a power metal journey through space and time. This song explores the cosmic mysteries of the universe and mankind’s eternal search for wisdom beyond the stars.ā
Hudson adds, āIt is with great pride that I can finally announce my signing to Napalm Records. I’m very grateful for the label’s belief in me as a solo artist and can’t wait to have Napalm on my side to showĀ Starbound StoriesĀ to the world!ā
Illinois pop punk 5-piece Wilmette has released, ‘No One Knew’, the next single off the band’s long-awaited debut full-length, ‘Hyperfocused’, out on August 4th.
Vocalist Aaron Hailey says, āItās about the guilt of not being able to help someone through a hard time, and the helpless feeling that comes with being there while they struggle.ā
Guitarist Griffin Guge adds, “We tracked this song exactly halfway through the recording process. It was a point where we thought we knew where the record was going until we got to this song.
There was a lot of room to grow on the track, and we definitely got excited to experiment with a lot of cool guitar sounds. One of my favorites of which is in the bridge. We used a variety of unconventional guitar techniques as well as pedals to quite literally make it sound like the song is breaking and the building youāre in is coming down. I think it was very fitting for the part.”
Major Moment – ‘Overcome’
Pop-Metal band Major Moment are back with their new single āOvercomeā!
āāOvercomeā was inspired by our music journey and is about prevailing over difficult times and persevering against all odds. But if we zoom out and look at our everyday lives, full of conflicts, health issues, losses, financial struggles, aspirations, wins and failures, we see a similar theme everyone can relate to, the one of pain and, as a result of overcoming it, personal growth. āOvercomeā is the anthem made for all creators out there struggling to get their voices heard, doubting every day if itās worth fighting for.ā – Vocalist, Sasha.
Crushed By Waves – ‘Won’t Get Out Alive’
UK alt-rockers Crushed By Waves have shared new single, ‘Won’t Get Out Alive’.
Crushed By Waves write from experience, with the new track being a statement of why they are putting everything into their art.Ā Ā The band explain:
“Won’t Get Out Alive is all about keeping the faith, pushing through the hardest times, holding on, and never giving up, even if it kills us. When we see our music can bring a room full of strangers together, the energy in that room is worth dying for, it actually gives us life.ā
Our News Report now looks at the best new releases from the past week and up first are Greta Van Fleet.
The group this week debuted new single, ‘Farewell For Now’, which you can check out above.
The single comes from upcoming new album, ‘Starcatcher’, which is out on July 21st.
āOn āFarewell For Nowā we express the sentiment of our longing to stay on stage and savourĀ the magic created by the audience-music phenomena,āĀ notes bassist Sam Kiszka.Ā āBut we must pack up and go to the next place to do it all over again; as always, weāll be back soon.ā
Ahead of new album, ‘I Inside The Old Year Dying’, PJ Harvey has shared new single, ‘I Inside The Old I Dying’, which you can check out above.
The album is set for releases on July 7th, and to celebrate Harvey has revealed new tour dates.
On the single PJ Harvey says:Ā āThis delicate and beautiful song eluded us until the very last day in the studio. Over the previous five weeks we had tried so many times to capture it and failed, and/but then John reinvented the feel of the guitar pattern. Ā As he was demonstrating it in the control room, Flood handed me a microphone and pressed record whilst I sat next to John trying to work out how to singĀ toĀ it. The result somehow captures the ethereal and melancholic longing I was looking for.
In the lyric everyone is waiting for the savior to reappear ā everyone and everything anticipates the arrival of this figure of love and transformation.There is a sense of sexual longing and awakening and of moving from one realm into another ā from child to adult, from life to death and the eternal.ā
This week saw K.Flay announced that new album, ‘Mono’, will be released on September 15th.
Accompanying the news was new single, ‘Shy’, which you can check out above.
On the single, K.Flay says, āIn my music, Iām so comfortable being loud and brazen, but in my personal life, I can be a bit shy. Especially when it comes to romantic relationships. I wrote this song after Iād just met my (now) girlfriend. And I sent it to her out of the blue. I guess I only know how to flirt through songs? It worked though. Ā āDave Hammer produced this one and he and I have this crazy energy between us. I think when we get together to make music we’re able to disregard the ‘shoulds’ and be purely creative together. A lot of the guitar parts were just freestyle takes, us messing around,Ā but there was a wildness to them that hit us both in the right places.āĀ
On the album, āI started making this record as a person with two working ears. I finished it with only one and this is also the first record for which, from start to finish, I was sober. Ā āMONO is about navigating loss, about looking your aloneness in the eye and deciding not to drink or vape or have sex or watch a television show, but to stand there and accept it, to understand its power. There is only one person on this earth with your mind, your creativity, your perspective. You’re a first and last pressing, a 1 of 1, and 1 is a scary number, but life is scary and funny. And sad. And beautiful. I hope this record is a reminder of that, and how we are all experiencing our aloneness together.ā
Our News Report continues with new music from former The Temperance Movement frontman Philip Seth Campbell.
This week Campbell debuted new single, ‘Magical West’, which you can check out above.
Campbell has announced that his new album, ‘City Lights’, will be released on September 1st and a UK Tour will take place later this year.
Support for the tour comes from Alice Faye.
Speaking of the new record, Campbell explains: āāCity Lightsā is everything I know. The album flowed naturally, each song informing the next. Itās half new songs and half older unfinished pieces. Iāve been writing it since I was 16, all through my 20s and my years in London, through moving home to The Temperance Movement, touring, resting and having a family.ā
Speaking of his varied career and the bumpy road heās traversed to get to this point, Campbell adds:Ā “A new band here, a new project there, a change of direction again and again until, suddenly there was calm and the time to think. In a small studio just outside Glasgow, with pictures of Bowie, Jagger, Neil Young and Tom Waits, I recorded an album about my whole life. I had no desire to shed my skin. I was perfectly comfortable in it for the very first time.āĀ
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni James and the Cold Gun have shared their latest single, ‘Bittersweet’, which you can check out above.
The track features on upcoming their self-titled debut album, which is out on July 21st.
Speaking on the album, frontman James Joseph says, āWe can’t wait to get this album out into the world, it’s a no frills rock and roll ripper recorded ourselves in the garage where we first started jamming as a band, we think it’s a great introduction to what we’re about at our core, loud, energetic guitar rock…ā
Grove Street share, ‘The Path to Righteousness’, the title-track of their debut album.
“The Path to Righteousness represents and explores escapism & the importance of having outlets or vices to help forget about the struggles of life, and the paradoxical irony of how escaping every day life improves every day life,” says guitarist Sandy.
While drummer, Josh, adds, āthe track itself came together pretty organically in the practice room. I remember listening to Suicidal Tendencies and Power Trip at the time and wanted to capture a hybrid of groove and fast thrashy vibes. We wanted the last section to build and then finish strong and heavy. The repetitive vocal hook was added last minute in the studio, but it fast became my favourite part!āĀ
Rituals – ‘Living Blind’
Rituals share their new single, ‘Living Blind’.
On the track, the band says:
āThe release of Living Blind feels like a turning point inĀ Rituals. Lyrically based on the lack of awareness for others issues, problems and grief. Living in a world in which people only take and fail to give to one an another. With our debut Download Festival performance, tours in the UK and Ireland andĀ our biggest ever sold-out headline in Newcastleā¦There’s never been a better time for the band to be releasing this track.ā
Any Given Sin – ‘Cold Bones’
Any Given Sin share ‘Cold Bones’ from debut album, ‘War Within’.
As a military vet often faced with the horrible news of duty’s permanent scars, frontman Victor Richie dug deep inside himself for the lyrics. “I wrote it by myself on the piano,” he recalls. “I was in the military for seven years, and I had a lot of friends commit suicide. We lost too many of our buddies in Iraq and Afghanistan. This song is about those people, but it could be for anyone who has lost a friend under similar circumstances.”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the big news that Blur will be releasing their first new album in eight years!
As the group played a tiny hometown show in Colchester it was revealed that a new record, ‘The Ballad of Darren’, will arrive on July 21st.
The album is preceded by new single, ‘The Narcissist’, which you can check out above!
Damon Albarn said – āThis is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.ā
Graham Coxon said – āThe older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention. Sometimes just a riff doesnāt do the job.ā
Alex James said ā āFor any long term relationship to last with any meaning you have to be able to surprise each other somehow and somehow we all continue to do that.ā
Dave Rowntree said ā āIt always feels very natural to make music together. With every record we do, the process reveals something new and we develop as a band. We donāt take that for granted.ā
Next, we turn our attention to Greta Van Fleet who continue to prepare for the release of their new album, ‘Starcatcher’, on July 21st.
This week the group shared their latest single, ‘Sacred The Thread’, and you can check it out above.
āI always like to think that some peopleās first impression of Greta Van Fleet in concert is, āWow, these guys really like dressing to the left and blowing shit up,āā notes frontperson Josh Kiszka, adding, āthis song is particularly important to me because itās about my jumpsuits.ā
Within Temptation treated fans this week to a brand new single, ‘Wireless’, which you can check out above. The track comes ahead of a hotly anticipated new album which is due later this year.
Vocalist Sharon den Adel comments, āWirelessā is a song about a soldier who goes to war convinced that he is going for a good cause. Heās indoctrinated by government-controlled media and thinks heās going to be welcomed back as a saviour, only to find out he has been used. This has resulted in people seeing him as a brutal conqueror instead, and now he finds himself on the wrong side. His life and the lives of many are deceived and destroyed.ā
Skindred also had new music on offer this week as they set free their summer reggae anthem, ‘L.O.V.E (Smile Please)’, which you can check out above.
The track got its first public airing last summer via Skindredās incredible main stage performance at 2022ās Download Festival. There, 60,000 rabid fans turned Doningtonās metal fest into one big, happy dancefloor. āWhat a way for us to bring that song to the world for the first time,ā beams frontman Benji Webbe, āon a big stage, in front of a field of maniacs, doing what we do.ā
The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘Smile’, which will arrive August 4th!
The Dead Daisies this week revealed that they will be releasing a ‘Best of’ collection from across their career.
The rotating line-up has also seen the return of singer John Corabi ahead of a run of upcoming live dates.
“It’s been an amazing decade with The Daisies! We’ve rocked out with some of the best in the business, toured the globe, released eight albums and are thrilled to be showcasing the body of work from over the last decade with our upcoming āBest Ofā Album release and tour. I’m excited to be welcoming John Corabi back to the band. Can’t wait to get back on the road again in 2023 to perform for our fans!” – David Lowy
Up next in our News Report are The Used who this week released new album, ‘Toxic Positivity’.
On the album, vocalist Bert McCracken says āHumans share such similar experiences and similar tragedies and everything in between. This record is quite tough for me to listen to, because itās a reflection of times in my life that have been some of my lowest ever. I want people to understand that, no matter how bad it gets, you don’t have to give up. Everything always feels different no matter what. So what you’re feeling right now you will not feel later on.ā.
The last pre-release single, ‘Giving Up’, debuted this week and you can check it out above.
The band adds, “We think this song is fun and cute. We hope you love it too.”.
To celebrate the decade anniversary of ‘The Greatest Generation’, The Wonder Years have shared a revived b-side called ‘GODDAMNITALL’, which you can check out above.
“‘GODDAMNITAL’ is a song that almost was, and then, for a long time, categorically was not, and now is,” vocalist Dan Campbell says of the track.
“When it came time to find bonus content for this box set, we went grave digging in old hard-drives to find the demos from TGG that didnāt get finished and then exhumed and reanimated this one. It was the closest to being done at the time. All of the music was there. The chorus had lyrics and melody but, for budget and time constraints it got abandoned before it had verses and a bridge. Now, a decade later, itās finally finished. We asked Steve Evetts to produce it the same way he would have if it were on the original album and it now stands as a spiritual and somewhat literal b-side to The Greatest Generation.”
Pre-order a new ‘The Greatest Generation’ box set here.
It was a big news week for Holding Absence as the group revealed that they will release their third album, ‘The Noble Art of Self Destruction’, will be released on August 25th.
In a message to fans the band said, “We feel like these songs are almost a love letter to everything Holding Absence. We can’t wait to show you just how much space we have managed to cover, and how hard we were able to push ourselves with these songs.”
The band also debuted their new single, ‘False Dawn’, which you can check out above!
On the song the group say, “This song is definitely a personal favourite for all of us on the record. A somewhat defeatist song about denouncing expectations, and coming to grips with failure – this song is a quintessential Holding Absence song, with it’s uptempo energy and downtrodden introspection. We hope you enjoy.”
TEMPT have shared new single, ‘Roses’, which you can check out above.
On the songās meaning, guitarist Harrison Marcello says: āItās a tribute to the people who uplift you and bring out the best in you. It’s about embracing their infectious energy, being drawn in by them, and becoming part of their spirit.”
“I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved with ‘Roses,ā shares vocalist Zach Allen. āIt’s a song that truly reflects who we are as a bandāhigh-energy, infectious and unapologetically rock n’ roll.ā
Dream Wife continue to prepare for the release of ‘Social Lubrication’, on June 9th.
This week the group debuted their latest single, ‘Who Do You Wanna Be?’, which you can check out above.
The band note that the song is āabout running on the capitalist treadmill and falling face first on the pavement. Hollow slogans, social media activism without action, leftist infighting, monetising feminism, ‘girl boss’, all soul crushing nonsense. Capitalism consumes everything. We should tear down the unreachable anxiety filled idea of perfectionism and move from hyper individualised narrative to collective action to create hopeful, rebellious, collective, systems of care. This is a call to arms for change.ā
The final new release in this section of our News Report comes from Meryl Streek.
You can check out standalone new track, ‘If This is Life’, above.
Commenting on the new single, Streek says: āIn my mind, it’s a straightforward pop song while still holding onto the same Meryl message. It’s written about the current state of Ireland and how the housing crisis is affecting families across the country on a massive scale. The eviction ban has been lifted and the landlords are evicting families onto the streets once again, with 11,754 people living in emergency accommodation at the start of this year and no sign of it getting any better. That includes 1,609 families, with 3,431 children in homelessness. 55% of them are single-parent families and we’ve still got the same corrupt government turning a blind eye and not admitting their mistakes. It’s an absolute joke, and people need to start speaking up about it.ā
rock band from hell have announced that their debut album, ‘Music For Late Night Activities’ will be released on September 1st.
Alongside that news the group have shared their latest single, ‘Cloud9’.
The band comments:
ā’cloud9ā is a pop-rock anthem that screams out the agony of the outsiders. Itās a song where Nirvana goes pop and Post Malone goes rock nā roll. It rose from the feeling of being left outside ā you feel like youāre not valued or appreciated, while others are living in cloud nine at the same timeā.
EXTS – ‘Memories’
Post-hardcore newcomers, EXTS have announced their debut EP, āThe Fragile Space Betweenā, is set for release on 23rd June. The group have also shared a brand-new single titled āMemoriesā, which will feature on the EP.
āThe trackās about dropping the pretence and owning the truth. Tragedy strikes everyone at some point and we make good and bad decisions in those moments. Life loves to throw us curveballs from time to time & finding a way to keep positive, when it feels like thereās no break in the clouds, it is tough. The whole EP is about overcoming adversity & āMemoriesā is no different. Lyrically it nods to the old cliche āwhat doesnāt kill us makes us strongerā, especially in those defining moments in time.ā – Vocalist, Jack Flynn.
Lucky Hit – ‘Obvious Sucker’
Pop punk band Lucky Hit have returned with a brand-new single titled āObvious Suckerā.
Many of us often romanticise the past. The lyrics focus on a couple and the way in which they spent their time together and how they felt. The memory of that person often stays with us years after. The song itself is not about an ex girlfriend or a summer fling, the song is about a time in our lives personified. Ā The time we spend in our younger years enjoying ourselves and taking risks and the spend out latter years romanticising it.ā – Vocalist, Lawrence Murphy.
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
Up first this week is the latest news from Download Festival who this week added additional bands whilst also confirming the stage splits for each day.
The Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot headlined event will also now feature the likes of State Champs, Puscifer, Hundred Reasons, Static Dress, Cancer Bats and more.
Following the announcement of new album, ‘Starcatcher’, last week, this week has seen the news that Greta Van Fleet will be back out on tour later this year.
The UK will see the band tackling arena shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow with support from Mt. Joy.
Our News Report continues with Atreyu who have also announced when they will return to the UK. Alongside their EU tour the band will play a run of eight dates in the UK this November.
Continuing the theme of bands announcing their return to the UK, Danko Jones have revealed a full EU and UK tour for this Autumn that will finish at the Garage in London.
We segue our News Report now from tour announcement to new music as Dream Wife unveiled both this past week.
As the group get ready for the release of new album, ‘Social Lubrication’ on June 9th, they’ve set up a full UK tour set to take place in October.
Support for the tour will come from Ash Kenazi.
The band also had more new music on offer with new single, ‘Orbit’, which you can check out below.
Dream Wife – ‘Orbit’
On the single the band explain, āWritten through the joy of jamming together and locking into the groove like a multi limbed space age organism, Orbit has a dance rock edge from the early noughties of bands like New Young Pony Club and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Lyrically, it was inspired by post-lockdown London coming back to life and sharing a space through friendship and community. And how each day you never know whatās in store for you or how a stranger can become someone close to you – for a day, a heartbeat, a phase, or a lifetime.ā
Next up we have Skindred who have this week shared their new single, ‘If I Could’, which you can check out above.
The track comes from new album, ‘Smile’, which is out on August 4th.
Frontman Benji Webbe recalls that the track was inspired by lockdown and how much he hated 2020 and the effect it had on the world. āOn the other hand, 2023 is a different story,ā he says. āWeāve released new music and weāre still to drop another few monsters from our album āSmileā. Weāve got the KISS tour coming, and weāve also got our headline tour supporting the new album. So 2023, to me, looks like a very exciting time to be in Skindred. Iām very optimistic about the future!ā
The Amity Affliction debut ‘Not Without My Ghosts’
The Amity Affliction – ‘Not Without My Ghosts’
This week also saw The Amity Affliction release their latest single, ‘Not Without My Ghosts’, which features Phem, and you guessed it – you can check it out above!
The new album of the same name will be out on May 12th.
It was a big week for James and the Cold Gun as they announced that their self-titled debut album will arrive on July 21st!
Accompanying that announcement was new single, ‘Something to Say’, which you can check out above.
Speaking on the album, frontman James Joseph says, āWe can’t wait to get this album out into the world, it’s a no frills rock and roll ripper recorded ourselves in the garage where we first started jamming as a band, we think it’s a great introduction to what we’re about at our core, loud, energetic guitar rock…ā
Another band approaching the release of their debut album is Militarie Gun who will release, ‘Life Under The Gun’ on June 23rd!
This week the group shared the latest single from them ahead of that album. You can check out ‘Very High’ above.
The record is inextricably linked to Sheltonās past. āI grew up in a household with family members struggling with addiction,ā he explains. āIt was an oppressive force. We were always wondering, āIs it going to be a good day or a bad day? Are the cops going to come today? What am I going to come home to after school?’ā
On the album, āThis is what I thought we sounded like all along,ā Shelton laughs. āItās always felt like a melody-forward band to me, but I think now weāre finally achieving what I was always setting out to do.ā
Willie J Healey has shared his latest single, ‘Little Sister’, which you can listen to above.
The track features on upcoming album, ‘Bunny’, which is due for release August 25th.
Willie says āThe whole era is something that I love. Long before making āTwin Heavyā, I had always listened to funk, soul and R&B, but for some reason it never translated into my own music. Really my inspiration was just the feel of things.āā
He goes on to say about āLittle Sisterā specifically “We recorded it in New York, just one take, it was magical. I remember spending a couple of hours learning and messing around with it and then it was done. I really just enjoy playing music that makes you feel really good.ā
Lottery Winners – ‘Letter To Myself’ feat. Frank Turner
Lottery Winners had more music to share this with as they debuted their new single, ‘Letter To Myself’, which features Frank Turner. You can listen to the track above.
The band are set for the release of their new album, ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’, on April 28th!
With just a month to go until their debut EP ‘Youāre Welcome’, out 19th May, Lambrini Girls share new single āLads Lads Ladsā about toxic masculinity.
“In order to be a lad, make sure to follow the following guidelines: excessive drinking, harassing anyone with a pulse and starting fights. Most importantly, make sure to never talk about your feelings as this simply cannot be associated with manliness. Lad culture is the shit stain on the bathroom floor and toxic masculinity is the toilet paper that refuses to unstick from the shoe of society. Nobody wins.” says the band.
headcage – ‘false gold’
Alternative Post-Hardcore band headcage have shared their brand new single āfalse goldā.
āWith this track Iām trying to lay down the premise of always wanting more from life, as in wealth, status or fame but ultimately realising the people and culture that those things predominantly exist in are not the world I come from or identify with in any way, shape or form. To put it simply, it’s something Iāve always wanted for so long, and is also something I hateā. – Vocalist, Leyum Pattinson.
Grove Street – ‘Lessons of the Past’
Recently signed to UNFD, get yourselves acquainted with Grove Street via recent single, āLessons of the Pastā!
āGrove Street becoming a part of UNFD felt like it was meant to happen,ā says guitarist Sandy. āA label that fully believes in us and wants to nurture our growth as a band is a rare thing to be seen. This band started out as fun between friends, we never had any expectations of reaching the levels we have and with UNFD behind us we can push those levels even further.ā
Speaking of the track, the band share, āLessons of the Past focuses on police brutality, abuse of power, systemic oppression and racism. People not taking a stand against these things only encourages them to manifest further, and we as people must do better to hold those in power accountable.”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the return of Greta Van Fleet, who have shared new single ‘Meeting the Master’, which you can check out above.
The track will feature on their newly announced upcoming album, ‘Starcatcher’, which will be released July 21st.
On the single, the band notes, āāMeeting The Masterā peers into an esoteric world heeded by the word of a wise teacher. Sung in the voice of a devout believer, and eventual group exclamation, the song details the love these fervent followers have for their teacher and their firm belief in his vision. Itās an exotic spiritual journey. A dark comedy that inevitably ends in chaos.ā
With regards to the album, āWe didnāt really have to force or be intense about writing, because everything that happened was very instinctual,ā Jake says. āIf anything, the record is our perspective, and sums up where we are as a group and individually as musicians.ā
Throughout the ten-song collection the band explores the duality of fantasy versus reality and the contrast between light and darkness. āWe had this idea that we wanted to tell these stories to build a universe,ā says Wagner. āWe wanted to introduce characters and motifs and these ideas that would come about here and there throughout our careers through this world.ā
The band took multiple concepts from critically acclaimed second album The Battle at Gardenās Gate and brought them into Starcatcher, although Samās take on the new recordās big ideas hint instead at new beginnings. āWhen I imagine the world of Starcatcher, I think of the cosmos,ā he says. āIt makes me ask a lot of questions, like āWhere did we come from?ā or āWhat are we doing here?ā But itās also questions like, āWhat is this consciousness that we have, and where did it come from?āā
This week also saw Peter Gabriel share the latest taste of new album, ‘i/o’, with the release of the title-track.
Speaking about the new track, Gabriel says:
āThis month the song is “i/o” and “i/o” means input / output. You see it on the back of a lot of electrical equipment and it just triggered some ideas about the stuff we put in and pull out of ourselves, in physical and non-physical ways. That was the starting point of this idea and then trying to talk about the interconnectedness of everything. The older I get, I probably don’t get any smarter, but I have learned a few things and it makes a lot of sense to me that we are not these independent islands that we like to think we are, that we are part of a whole. If we can see ourselves as better connected, still messed up individuals, but as part of a whole, then maybe there’s something to learn?”
‘i/o’ as a potential album title has long-been known within fan circles, and is now the name of the current project, the album and the forthcoming tour, but as Gabriel says, āIt’s been around for a long time as a title for this project. I always knew I was going to write a song called “i/o”, but the title came first.ā
Therapy? continue to build to the release of new album, ‘Hard Cold Fire’ on May 5th. This week saw the band share new single, ‘Poundland of Hope and Glory’, which you can check out above.
The band say, āThis track started out as a hard take on how people lose themselves in narratives to the point that the myth takes on greater importance than the fact. Just like the old adage about the liar repeating the lie so much that they eventually believe it themselves, the culture around us is bursting with fairy stories we tell ourselves.ā
There was also new music to savour this week from Holding Absence as they debuted their latest single, ‘A Crooked Melody’, which you can check out above.
Like Moths To Flames debut ‘Predestination Paradox’
Like Moths To Flames – ‘Predestination Paradox’
Like Moths To Flames have released their first new music in two years with return single ‘Predestination Paradox’, which you can check out above.
“I think there are a lot of things that we all commit to, where we know how it will end,” says LMTF’s Chris Roetter. “This song is meant to portray the experience of learning that almost everything has an inevitable expiration date. We never know how much time we are offered or how much time is left, yet we still immerse ourselves in these deep relationships.”
2000trees announce Soft Play as their final headliner!
We move our News Report on now to the best festival announcements from the past week and up first is 2000trees.
This week saw a wave of additions to the line-up including headliners Soft Play making their live return. Also added to the line-up were Dinosaur Pile-Up, Hell Is For Heroes, Gaffa Tape Sandy, Haggard Cat and more.
They join the likes of Bullet For My Valentine, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, Bob Vylan, Holding Absence, Deaf Havana, Hundred Reasons, Skindred and many more.
The second wave of acts for Y Not Festival were revealed this week including Sea Girls, The Pigeon Detectives, Yonaka, Cassyette, Gengahr, Feet, Peaness, The Hara, DEADLETTER, Daisy Brain and more.
They join a bill featuring the likes of Royal Blood, Kasabian, Paul Weller, The Wombats, James, DMA’s, The Charlatans, KT Tunstall, The Murder Capital, Kid Kapichi, Beans On Toast and many more.
Our News Report looks now at the best live announcements of the past week and we kick off with Royal Blood who have revealed two intimate warm-up shows in amongst their packed summer.
Bristol-based rock multi-instrumentalist Lucky Thief shares his new single, ‘Silencer’.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the single, Lucky Thief explains, āSilencer is about being unable to control how we speak. So many people have opinions that are narrow minded, selfish and ill-considered; This song airs my frustration with them. It also looks at how hard it is for me to stay quiet, if I feel something deserves to be said, I will not be silenced.ā
Harker – ‘Wasting Time’
Brighton, UK punk rock powerhouse Harker have released a new single titled ‘Wasting Time’.
The band comment, “‘Wasting Time’ is about the breakdown of communication in modern life – it’s easy to misunderstand and mislead when you only talk through a digital screen. Talk to your loved ones in person, debate face to face, and know when to set your boundaries if it’s not working. ‘Wasting Time’ is a back to basics, 4 chord postpunk pop ruckus track – heavy hooks and fuzzed out guitar walls, just how we like it.”
Cape Crush – ‘Sandwich Wars’
Cape Crush, hailing from Massachusetts, have unveiled their new single, ‘Sandwich Wars’.
Vocalist Ali Lipman, says “‘Sandwich Wars” is an emo pop anthem I wrote about not apologizing for yourself. I wrote it from the point of view of giving advice to a younger version of yourself. It was inspired by the advice of my former roommate Chelsea who left earth too soon about not being so quick to blame yourself. Our house was called Club Sammich, which is where the Sandwich Wars title comes from. It’s got some personal imagery in, but hopefully it conveys that your mistakes don’t define the person you become. I think Sandwich Wars is the band’s favorite song on the EP. This came together as a full band song with James really driving home the riffs and all those little musical moments that keep you listening (like the car crash), Jake’s bass and backing vocals in the last chorus, and Cody’s energetic beats. We love playing this one and we hope people enjoy listening!”
Watch Episode 42 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests ANGER PARTY!
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 42 – ANGER PARTY
2021 has been another tough year to live through. There have been some signs of normal life, for example the return of live music, but we end it as we started with true normality a distant memory.
This year has however been a stunning year for new music releases. Yes, lockdown musicians and the odds are their creativity will take over. In Full Pelt Music’s first full year of existence we have reviewed 65 albums and the quality of those releases has been exceptional.
Last year we counted down our Top 20 albums of the year, with a special Advent Calendar countdown on our Twitter. This year we have expanded! Our 2021 countdown has taken place across all our social platforms, and has listed our Top 50 albums of the year!
With that social media countdown completed, it’s now time to compile our completed Top 50 in one place. So let’s get started!
What we said:
“there are stunning moments spread throughout the album”
Rob Zombie – ‘The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition)’
What we said:
“was anybody craving a new album from The Offspring in 2021? Perhaps not, but actually in this messed up world we live in, maybe, just maybe, we needed it!”
“vitality shouldnāt be mistaken for relevance and whilst the band may have peaked commercially, they remain of utmost importance to a generation of music fans”
Check out:
Rise Against – ‘Nowhere Generation’
What we said:
“anybody that had any doubts about the natural talents of this group of musicians, they should now acknowledge a new force”
The quality of this year’s releases has been truly phenomenal as our opening 30 albums attests. The competition is extremely tight for the coveted top spot and that is clear throughout the prestigious Top 20 that follows.
What we said:
“a sublime collection of upbeat, heartfelt and powerful songs that is bound to be stuck on repeat for the foreseeable future”
“a rare talent that have now reinforced their passion and ability to create great music for anybody who wants to listen but without concession on their vision”
Well there you have it! What a truly magnificent year for new music 2021 has been. What will 2022 have in store? Remember to discover the best new acts by following our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist’!
Stay tuned for our 2021 Year in Review coming very soon.
Welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report. We start off this week with a handful of 2022 festival announcements including the above from Tramlines Festival!
The event will be headlined by Sam Fender, Kasabian and Madness. They will be joined by a packed supporting cast including on the Friday – James, The Snuts and Working Men’s Club.
The Saturday will host The Vaccines, Little Man Tate, Self Esteem, Inhaler and Lottery Winners. Sunday meanwhile will feature The Wombats, The Coral, Sports Team, Yard Act, Do Nothing and The Goa Express.
In It Together Festival has been announced to take place in Margam, Wales next June. The event will feature headline performances from Two Door Cinema Club, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Clean Bandit.
They’ll be joined over the weekend by the likes of Editors, Lottery Winners, Scouting For Girls, Soul 2 Soul, Spector, The Hoosiers, The Magic Gang and The Vaccines.
As our News Report moves along to tour announcements, we get started with Placebo. The band recently revealed that they will release a new album, ‘Never Let Me Go’ on March 25th.
Now the band has unveiled a slew of tour dates across Europe and the UK including two dates at O2 Brixton Academy in London. Tickets and pre-orders will be available here.
Placebo also debuted the second track from the album this week. You can check out ‘Surrounded By Spies’ below.
Greta Van Fleet this week revealed the ‘Dreams In Gold Tour’ for 2022. The world tour will include dates in London and Manchester with UK support still to be announced.
Another band announcing tour dates for 2022 this past week was The Treatment. The band revealed a lengthy trek around the UK for next spring entitled the ‘Devil In The Detail Tour’.
Support comes from Piston and South of Salem and tickets are available from here.
It’s time now to focus on the new music releases from the past week and what better way to start than with Stereophonics. The group continue to prepare for the release of new album, ‘Oochya!’ on March 4th.
This week saw them debut the latest track from the album, ‘Do Ya Feel My Love?’ which you can check out above.
Salvation Jayne debut ‘A Mouthful Of Magnificent Spite’
Salvation Jayne – ‘A Mouthful of Magnificent Spite’
Finally this week a band who recently featured on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist. Salvation Jayne this week debuted their latest single, ‘A Mouthful of Magnificent Spite’.
You can listen to the track above, which is the title track from the groups upcoming debut album. That album arrives on February 18th and you can pre-order here.
Salvation Jayne also revealed a UK Tour to celebrate the release with the dates below, and tickets here.
GRETA VAN FLEET – THE BATTLE AT GARDEN’S GATE – ALBUM REVIEW
Greta Van Fleet erupted onto the scene in 2016 and their early releases solidified them as āones to watchā and āthe future of rockā. Their debut album harnessed this early promise and fulfilled exactly what was needed from it at the time.
Now as 2021 creeps into summer, the band return with their highly anticipated second album with many questions to be answered. Can they maintain the quality? Are they a one trick pony? Can they dispel the critics that they are Led Zeppelin copycats?
From their previous releases you know that the band arenāt afraid to be themselves, despite those comparisons to Plant and co. Whilst they have managed great commercial success they donāt appear to chase the mainstream as it were. Before even starting to listen to āThe Battle At Gardenās Gateā, I clock the runtime of over an hour. I know that this will be a journey, but what will I find on the way?
Well, this is most definitely a Greta Van Fleet record! Their sound, unique or not, is distinctive and there is no escaping that here. This does however feel like an album whereby the group have made a conscious effort, perhaps not to escape comparisons, but to outgrow them.
WATCH ‘HEAT ABOVE’ ON YOUTUBE!
Greta Van Fleet – ‘Heat Above’
āHeat Aboveā, āMy Way, Sonā and āBroken Bellsā welcome us on our journey through the evolution of Greta Van Fleet. These songs typifying what will follow, packed with delicious riffs and hauntingly powerful vocals.
The album flows well as it really needs to at this length. There is enough variation and distinction to retain your attention as the record progresses through the fantastic āAge of Machineā, āStardust Chordsā and āThe Barbariansā.
For anybody that had any doubts about the natural talents of this group of musicians, they should now acknowledge a new force. This band are no longer the future of rock, they are now very much the present!
We roundup the best music news from the past week!
Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week in our News Report. To stay up to date with the biggest news be sure to follow us on our social channels:
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announce 2021 nominations
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2021 Nominees
The legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has this week announced the artists nominated for induction in 2021. Included in the list of worthy nominations are Full Pelt Music favourites Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden and Rage Against The Machine.
With megastars such as Tina Turner, Kate Bush and Jay-Z also included, the race for the 2021 fan vote is sure to be a close one. The good news is that it’s easy to get involved. All you need to do to register your vote is complete the online voting form here.
We have plenty of new music to share with you this week. We start things off with the latest single from Greta Van Fleet. The band this week debuted ‘Heat Above’ taken from their upcoming new album.
‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’ will be released on April 16th. You can pre-order your copy now here.
Crossfaith have unveiled a new track this week. ‘Dead or Alive’ sees the band at their ferocious best, and you can listen on your platform of choice here.
Never Not Nothing (the duo formerly known as Black Futures) have this week announced a new EP series ‘Art Ritual’. The duo have announced that the first EP, ‘Art Ritual 001 EP’ is coming soon.
Kicking the series off is the new track ‘Maximum’, which you can check out here.
MarthaGunn give us ‘Honest’
MarthaGunn – ‘Honest’
Another band delivering new music this week is the fantastic MarthaGunn. The band have released their latest track ‘Honest’, which you can check out here.
Our final new music selection this week is ‘Fantasies’, the brand new track from Novacub. Check out the video above and find out more about the band here.
Sean McGowan announces livestream show
Sean McGowan – Birthday Livestream Poster
Finally this week, Sean McGowan has announced a new livestream show. His special birthday livestream will take place this Tuesday (16th) on his Facebook page here.
