No Frills Reviews

Big Banging Guitars

I do try to cover a fair range of genres on the blog, but a good old guitar banger is still the quickest way to my heart. They don’t get much more banging than Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (or Pigsx7 for short). They currently seem to be the acceptable face of metal in the indie world. I think that’s partly because they eschew a lot of the typical metal aesthetic (fair play; metal is dorky as fuck). But, more importantly, it’s because they produce BIG psych-tinged stoner-doom bangers. That’s encapsulated on the aptly-titled, Ultimate Hammer, one of the standouts from latest album, Land of Sleeper.

Staying in the north-east with two of the year’s best singles. Firstly, from Swine Tax in a Tyne-Wear team up with Sunderland’s bigfatbig. Annual Leave is a rip-roaring punk blast, with frantic vocals about daddy long legs and Battenbergs sounding absolutely vital. And five piece, Komparrison, with the anthemic, He Doesn’t Get It, a hook-filled celebration of sexual realisations.

And there’s another north-east connection to round this section out, with the Geordie front-women duo from Leeds-based, Mother Said. The north-east: officially the home of 2023’s best guitar bangers. Their debut single is a protest about not wanting to walk the dog and I’ll go out on a limb and say I don’t think there’ll be a better song on the subject all year.

Irelands Dreaming

Raising the stakes a bit, firstly with Meryl Streek, whose recent single, If This Is Life, shows a flair for making the political feel personal. It’s part stream-of-consciousness daydreaming of conflicting personal ambitions and part political indictment of the decision-making that have contributed to the housing crisis in his native Ireland. And it’s got an irresistibly sweet melody underneath it all.

It may have failed to make Eurovision for Ireland, but Hawaii by PiL certainly brought the emotion. John Lydon’s dreamlike ode to his wife, who died earlier this year after suffering with Alzheimer’s, is part hopeful, part despairing. With Lydon barely recognisable as the former Johnny Rotten.

Lovesick Laments

Also bringing the emotion are the boys and girls who make their latest heartaches seem like the world’s most pivotal problems. Dutchmen, Magnetic Spacemen, cut to the chase with the straight-talking indie rock of I love u for the love. Rock & Roll at its raw, uncomplicated best capturing pure, unfiltered feelings. And Manchester’s Spangled revealed their softer side on the excellent pining indie ballad, That Farm in Dunham.

Dubliner, CMAT seems poised to cement herself as a breakout star ahead of the release of her second album and its easy to see why on the evidence of Whatever’s Inconvenient. A country pop belter about playing the role of the other woman, which manages to incorporate references to Heat magazine and Mark E Smith.

Independent Up And Comers

Two relative newcomers offering different takes on the importance of independence. On the verge of her debut album is Derby’s, emzae. Previous single, I Guess, Anyway provides a promising preview of what to expect. A spacey pop epic offering a bittersweet reflection on little victories amidst health struggles.

While scousers, Reignmaker, went full-blown indie anthem on The Stone Roses-esque Find My Own Way. They’re still only a couple of singles in, but on the strength of this they could become something big, so get in there early while you can still claim you liked them before they got popular.

Folky Flavours

Three very different points on the folk spectrum. Virginia newcomer, harf offers up a Lumineers-like indie-folk singalong in For You I’ll Wait, which feels like it could be a future festival anthem. While Dubliner’s Lankum are about as traditional as it comes. Newcastle from their acclaimed False Lankum album sounds timeless, with the haunting vocals of Radie Peat transporting you back to an olde worlde. And Belfast-native Arborist mixes Fleet Foxes-style Americana with some subtle trippy-ness on his latest album. Matisse is a particular standout, a lyric like “Is he taking the piss?” really shouldn’t sound as nice as it does here.

Disappointing Album, Great Tune

Relative to the hype it’s received, I think the debut from indie ‘supergroup’ boygenius might be the worst album I’ve heard this year. I’m honestly bewildered at the praise it’s received. But it does have one great moment in Anti-Curse, with two minutes of restrained build-up leading into a 20 second burst of catharsis that’ll make you want to listen straight back to shout along with it.

I didn’t think the latest album from Feist was that bad, it just had too many dull moments. But Borrow Trouble is one of the best tunes she’s ever done. Musically, it’s kind of like Bowie’s Heroes being played on a distorted tape. Meanwhile, she takes you on a journey of her vocal range, from the opening verse’s soft whisper through to a chaotic conclusion of wild wailing. The feral howl at 3:38 might be the best musical moment of the year.