Indie
See: The Lonely Together release video for Congregation
Maybe it’s The Lonely Togethers Scottish roots, but there’s something of both the Biffy Clyro and Snow Patrol about them. A mixture of the anthemic and the emotional, if you like. It wrapped up in swathes of guitars and atmospheric backing vocals, aiming to, according to the band themselves “carve(ing) a mysterious path through love …
Album Review: Beach House – Thank Your Lucky Stars
While I consider Beach House to be a special sort of band, I’d never consider then to be particularly prolific. This is a band that takes a good couple years in between albums in order to cultivate and organically grow a Beach House record. That sort of melancholy and malaise doesn’t just grow on trees(unless …
Track: The Black Ships – Dead Empires
The Black Ships prove that the past doesn’t have to be dead and buried with new single ‘Dead Empires’. This band from Saratoga Springs is here to show us that this part of New York is the new breeding ground for American dark romance. “When thinking of the scene here I am reminded of the …
Live Review: The Duke Spirit – Wilton’s Music Hall 22.10.2015
The Duke Spirit lived up to their name with a majestic and energetic performance at the historic Wilton’s Music Hall. This was a show that had sold out within a few days of going on sale. Until their appearance at End Of The Road festival in September, The Duke Spirit hadn’t appeared on stage together …
Album review: Various Artists: Creation Artifact: The Dawn of Creation Records 1983-85 (Cherry Red)
It’s a shame Creation Records is now known as the home of bloated rock gods Oasis when in reality it was the ground-breaking label that created DIY indie pop. It helps Creation was started by one of music’s genuine mavericks Glaswegian Alan McGee and his genius is celebrated in this lavish 5 CD compilation of …
Premiere: Stutter Steps release video for Fog
Stutter Steps, the Pittsburgh indie pop six piece outfit, are today premiering their debut video Fog right here on Backseat Mafia. Taken from their forthcoming self titled debut album, it features Dean Wareham from Galaxie 500/Luna on slide guitar. Singer/Guitarist Ben Harrison met the indie luminary through his job at the Warhol Museum, where he …
Live: The Cribs and Pulled Apart By Horses, Sheffield O2 Academy 24.10.15
On a brisk evening in Sheffield two of Yorkshire’s finest under the radar bands met at the O2 Academy. Traditional chants of “Yorkshire, Yorkshire” greet Leeds’ Pulled Apart By Horses to the stage. Material coming predominantly from latest album Blood, the riff-heavy belters rip through the crowd, which tonight consists mainly of undergraduates and lad …
Live Review: Sleaford Mods – Brussels Ancienne Belgique 20.10.2015
Much has been written about Sleaford Mods; the non-musicality jibes, the faux-chav accusations, the lazy comparisons. Serendipity allowed me to sit in on the “An audience with…” in the AB’s adjoining bar a few hours before the show, and the strokes of misperception are bolder if anything from a non-UK perspective. The host began by …
Track: Holy Esque – Hexx
Glasgow quartet Holy Esque have announced their long awaited debut album will drop on February 26th 2016 via Beyond The Frequency. From it the band are streaming a brand new single, Hexx – released as a double a-side along with ‘Silences’ on the flip, which is out on December 7th. It bursts into life, with …
Track: United Fruit – Nightmare Recovery
United Fruit announce their (very welcome) return with a dream single. The Glaswegian quartet will release their latest EP, Nightmare Recovery, on 13 November (via Ditto Music) and this title track is the melodic but explosive teaser for what’s to come. The band have been experimenting with post-punk, post-rock and shoegaze influences for the new …