Muso's Guide - Columns

Singles That Mingle 20220309

09 March, 2022
Written by Captain Stavros
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Laveda

'bb’

Single out March 4 on Papercup Music

A moody tune that radiates frustration, feels like being tossed around in a ship on a choppy patch of water.

Metz & Adulkt Life

‘Book of Curses’

Split 7” out now on What’s Your Rupture?

Sounds in the same vein as Cubby and the Gang but more desperate and frantic than upbeat. Worth a listen to be sure.

Barrie

‘Concrete’

Barbara – Out March 25 on Winspear

Another imaginative and solid track from Brooklyn Native Barrie. London tour dates March 26th @ Banquet and 31st at Rough Trade East.

Noon Garden

‘Beulah Spa’

Beulah Spa – Out April 1 on Liquid

Friend of the blog, psych agent, and all around chill dude Charles Prest drops the latest and last single weeks before an anticipated full length album drop. This track is a trip.

Weird Nightmare

‘Searching for You’

Out May 20 on Sub Pop

The boys from Metz sure have their fingers in a lot of pies, in this case of the pizza persuasion. An energetic track with extra cheese hold the anchovies.

My Idea

‘Crutch’

Out April 22 on Hardly Art

If the sun ever peaks out from behind the clouds you’ll want to pop this on. In fact, pop it on before hand and compel that stupid ball of gas to make an entrance.

Landon Lloyd Miller

‘Bluebonnet’

Light Shines Through – Out Now on Twin Mesa

A track that folds in the stripped back essence of Country but expectantly forges towards a new frontier.

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Singles That Mingle 20220301

01 March, 2022
Written by Captain Stavros
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It’s that time again, when Captain Stavros brings you through the best tunes and new releases.

Chubby and the Gang

‘Who Love Ya (Coup D’Etat)?’

On Partisan Records – Out digitally

Another solid track by the Gang that seemingly never sleeps. Great feeling guilt free, thinking of who loves us and getting a Chubby.

The Queen’s Head

‘Self Titled’

Permanent Creep Records

Thought this was King Kruel’s new track. It was so weird that at one point we didn’t know if we dug it, wanted to dance, or both. So, here it is instead.

!!! (Chk Chk Chk)

'Storm Around The World' (ft. Maria Uzor)

Warp Records – Let it Be Blue, Out May 6

!!!’s sound continues to evolve with the release of their new single but are consistently putting out listenable material. Maybe because the drumbeat sounds like it was lifted from Madonna’s Vogue. Just saying.

Dama Scout

‘Emails from Suzanne’

Gen wo lai (Come With Me) – Out April 22 on Hand In Hive

Deerhoof meets GWAR!!! Shut up and take our money!!!

Daniel Rossen

‘Unpeopled Space’

Warp Records – Out April 8

Wind down and then wind up when the hook hits on this jazzy beaut of a tune.

Bodega

‘Statue on the Console’

Broken Equipment – Out March 11 on What’s Your Rapture?

Anxious, feel like getting weird, dongles? You’ve come to the right place.

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Metal Detector: The Hu

21 February, 2022
Written by Marky Edison
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Welcome back to the Metal Detector. This week I have been mostly listening to Mongolia’s unstoppable power metal machine, The Hu. It’s been hard to avoid the hype around this band but any time someone brings a brand-new sound to the metal table, it’s to be warmly welcomed.

Combining traditional music and metal is nothing new, per se. Folk and pagan metal are well established here in Ireland, and around the world too. Irish trad is easily recognisable to most people in Europe and America, but we’re not accustomed to hearing throat singing solos.

The electrified Mongol instruments that The Hu use to such great effect are new to our ears too, so the combination of battle beats, hummable melodies and Khannite costumes are something to be celebrated. Their artwork and appearance are reminiscent of hardcore Dungeons and Dragons, and we can only imagine how they’ll present their unique and original music when they play live.

The Hu have just the one album out so far, but they are about to embark on an extensive North American tour. It’s been two years since they played here, for obvious reasons, and hopefully we’ll see them back here soon.

They’ve certainly made the most of their newfound fame. After getting members of Halestorm and Papa Roach in for guest slots on their US singles, they’ve covered two Metallica songs including one for the Blacklist charity album. As well as backing from Metallica et al, the Mongolian government have shown their support for the band, staging a show at the Mongolian Embassy in London, and honouring them for services to culture. With new songs written and being road-tested, expectations will be high for album #2, don’t let us down, Hu!

Singles that Mingle 20220216

16 February, 2022
Written by Captain Stavros
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The latest dispatch from our London Correspondent, Captain Stavros

Laundromat – ‘Combo’

Out Now on Brace Yourself Records

Next Gig: Servant Jazz Quarters February 17

A rich mosaic of our favourite sounds. Definitely feels like a nod to The Breeders – ‘Cannonball’ bassline mashed up with Beck’s Odelay album.

Erasers – ‘Constant Connection’

Out April 22 on Night School Records

Perth duo compile a mesmerizing and haunting soundscape. Effortlessly blurring the lines between a dreamscape and reality.

Mauv – ‘Paradise’

Out April 8th on All My Thoughts

A single we felt that earns your attention. Curious and interesting, worth a listen.

Efterklang – ‘Alien Arms’

From the album Wildflowers – Out Now on City Slang Records

Touring: London @ EartH, March 1

Efterklang is new to us. The video for ‘Alien Arms’ caught our attention specifically because of its collaborative approach which is something that comes through in their music too.

Panic Shack – ‘Mannequin Man’

Debut EP Baby Shack, out April 8 on Brace Yourself Records

Stripped back garage rock made by a bunch of troublemakers.

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The Metal Detector 20220214

14 February, 2022
Written by Marky Edison
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Hello from sunny but freezing Dublin, and welcome to The Metal Detector, Muso’s Guide home of metal, and related musical ramblings. If there’s a metal band you think we should be writing about, please get in touch on our Twitter and Instagram, and let us know.

The words Hungarian instrumental prog metal, may, quite rightly, scare off some. I’m among that cohort. I’m an old punk and metal fan, and I despise prog, but I’ve been following Debrecen’s Ghost Toast since they signed to Inverse Records.

Inverse are one of my favourite metal labels. They work with bands from all over Europe and release new records almost weekly. I’ve found some of my favourite tunes there in recent years. Not least ‘Eclipse’ from their last album, Shape Without Form. The follow-up is Shape Without Color and they’ve gone even further down the prog rabbit hole on this one. It takes balls of brass to release a 12-minute single to launch your album but, too often, it feels like longer than that.

The band was formed in Debrecen, Hungary in 2008 and they appear to be on a similar trajectory to Liverpool’s Anathema. They blend instrumental styles from heavy and groovy metal to the tight syncopation and drones of prog. They’re still capable of rocking out and laying down head-banging riffs, but there’s just a build-up of fluff in between. There are moments when that indulgent streak becomes overpowering and listening feels like an endurance test. It becomes ambient music for metallers like 65 Days of Static or Tool. Hopefully the rest of the album is tighter.

Singles that Mingle 20220204

03 February, 2022
Written by Captain Stavros
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Our frontline reporter and London correspondent, Captain Stavros, brings you the newest and most exciting new tunes.

Mothermary – ‘I am Your God’

Out Now – Italians Do It Better

Calling all Italians Do It Better fanboys/girls, double trouble coming at you with Mothermary. No such thing as too much of a good thing. Foot tapping rump shakin’ goodness.

Tempers – ‘Nightwalking’

Out April 1– on DAIS

Stripped back doom-synth (I’m not sure that’s a thing, but it is now!) sullen and moody. Somehow still catchy though.

Bnny – ‘I’m Just Fine’

Out now on Fire Talk

Melancholy vocals accompany equally melancholic melodies. If you dug Windowspeak and Holy Motors’ latest, give this a whirl.

Tess Parks – ‘Happy Birthday Forever’

Out May on Fuzz Club

We immediately got some low-fi Sneaker Pimps vibes off this one, let us know if you hear it too.

Media Giant – ‘Guilt/Shame’

Out now on Brace Yourself Records

We had a good feeling about this one because the promo shots were next level ironic. Media Giant’s tunes are anything but ironic, they feel awkward in a loveable and listenable way.

Zoee - ‘The Empty Glass’

Flaw Flower is out now on Illegal Data

Theatrical avant pop comes at you mostly like a psychedelic pagan ritual to welcome in the spring time sooner, a helluva lotta more fun than a ground hog day event in our opinion.

Geese – ‘Projector’

Out now on Partisan Records and in the UK for a tour in June.

Reminds us of Feet, effortlessly cool. It’s the type of track that reminds you to check-and-see what’s piping in through your headphones.

Calexico – ‘El Mirador’

Out April 8 on City Slang

A visually appealing video accompanies a familiar sound Calexico south-western sound. It’s a blur which, one, or all, South American musical styles they draw from and pay homage too point is it sounds mighty fine.