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THE NEW BANDS SET TO RULE 2016, FEATURING...
MILK TEETH
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EDITOR’S NOTE We’re living in the future now, readers. No flying cars, no proper hoverboards (they have wheels, they don’t count), but loads of amazing music. In this issue, we’re celebrating the best of what’s to come over the next twelve months. From brilliant new bands like Milk Teeth (who played our very first Upset show, fact fans), Creeper and Muncie Girls through to returning ones like Panic! At The Disco, Basement, letlive. and Moose Blood. Three of those bands have already got five star albums set to drop over the next month. These are heady days, my friends. Personally, if there’s one thing I’m after in 2016 it’s more from Paramore. Jeremy may have left the band, but we still need them more than ever. After all, we are Paramore, right?
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IN THIS ISSUE BIG IN 2016 06. MILK TEETH 14. MUNCIE GIRLS 15. BLACK FOXXES 16. BLACK PEAKS 18. ROAM 20. CREEPER 22. HECK 23. DIET CIG 24. AGAINST THE CURRENT 50 AMAZING THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN IN 2016 26. MOOSE BLOOD 30. READING & LEEDS ‘16 32. BIFFY CLYRO 34. LETLIVE.NG 38. DEAF HAVANA
40. BASEMENT 44. PANIC! AT THE DISCO 46. MODERN BASEBALL 49. PUPNG 51. PARAMORE 52. DOWNLOAD ‘16 56. SLAM DUNK ‘16 59. BRIAN FALLON RATED 60. MILK TEETH 62. BASEMENT 63. PANIC! AT THE DISCO 64. ROAM LIVE 66. BRING ME THE HORIZON + PVRIS 68. DON BROCO 69. LOWER THAN ATLANTIS 70. DEAF HAVANA
Editor: Stephen Ackroyd (stephen@upsetmagazine.com) Deputy Editor: Victoria Sinden (viki@upsetmagazine.com) Assistant Editor: Ali Shutler (ali@upsetmagazine.com) Contributors: Alex Lynham, Amie Kingswell, Danny Randon, Emma Matthews, Emma Swann, Emily Pilbeam, Heather McDaid, Jack Glasscock, Jade Curson, Jessica Bridgeman, Kristy Diaz, Phil Smithies, Ryan De Freitas, Sarah Louise Bennett, Will Richards, #DrummondPuddleWatch All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of Upset. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which Upset holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Upset or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally. P U B L I S H E D F RO M
THE BUNKER W E LCO M E TOT H E B U N K E R.CO M
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RIOT
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E V E RY T H I N G H A P P E N I N G I N RO C K
JEREMY LEAVES PARAMORE
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ig news from camp Paramore: bassist Jeremy Davis has left the band. That leaves just two members standing – Hayley Williams and Taylor York – but fear not, they’re not giving up. In their own words: “We really do believe Paramore can and should continue on.”
A statement from the band reads: “These last few years have held some of the most fulfilling moments we’ve had yet… as people, as friends, and as a band. The Self-Titled era was one that we knew would be important for us but also one we’d eventually have to move on from. In moving forward, there is growth, pain, and change… and sometimes the change is
for the people who have helped see us through hard times before and what we’ve discovered is that those people are just as much a part of this as we will ever be. We’re hopeful for Paramore’s future and we’re also excited for what Jeremy’s going to do next. Thank you all for your support and your belief in us. It’s kept us going. We will see some of you
“WE REALLY DO BELIEVE PARAMORE CAN AND SHOULD CONTINUE ON.” not at all what you hoped for. We’ve written and re-written this countless times and there’s just not a good way to put it… Jeremy is no longer going to be in the band with us. To be honest, this has been really painful. After taking time to consider how to move forward, we ultimately found that we really do believe Paramore can and should continue on. And so we will. “We’re really thankful
really soon on Parahoy. If you’re not coming on the cruise, we will still see you in 2016.” Davis, an original member of Paramore, played on all four of the band’s studio albums to date. Their first appearance without the bassist will be on their Parahoy cruise next March. Read why it’s so important Paramore stay together on page 51.
NEED TO KNOW... SNAKES ON A PLANE - AND A BUS - PROBABLY
Fresh from completing his touring commitments from 2015, Frank Carter has announced that he and The Rattlesnakes will be heading out on a headline run in Europe and the UK. Find the dates in full now on upsetmagazine.com.
SHOW ME THE TOUR DATES
New York’s Show Me The Body will visit the UK early next year for a string of tour dates, which will also see them head out to Europe for shows in Amsterdam, Groningen and Paris. Find the full list of dates on upsetmagazine.com.
ONE HECK OF A TOUR
Heck are heading out on tour in 2016. “After being held back for most of 2015 this tour is about us being let loose”, states guitarist Jonny Hall. “Bigger, brasher, louder than ever, everything gets stepped up. New songs, new setup, new danger.” You can find a full rundown of where to find them on upsetmagazine.com.
REF-EU-SED AND UK TOUR (SORRY - ED)
Refused are set to return to the UK this March as part of a European tour. The former Upset cover stars hit our shores on 22nd March with a date at Glasgow’s Garage. They’ll then head to Manchester, Leeds, and Brighton before finishing up at Birmingham’s Library on 26th March.
NEW YEAR, NEW BANDS. AS 2016 OPENS ITS DOORS, OV E R T H E FOLLOWING PAG E S W E ’ L L MAKE SURE YO U ’ R E P R O P E R LY BRIEFED ON T H E ACTS WHO WILL D O M I N AT E THE NEXT T W E LV E MONTHS.
MILK TEETH
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WO RDS: A L I SH UTL E R. PH OTOS: PH I L SM ITH I ES.
ilk Teeth are a resilient band. During a tour supporting Balance and Composure, their van broke down after they drove from Dublin to Glasgow, and “it just never started again.” Only halfway through the tour, it was a crushing blow and remains one of the worst days of guitarist Chris Webb’s life. After playing the show in Glasgow, Milk Teeth then drove a rental car 250 miles to their hotel in Stoke-onTrent where, instead of wallowing or raging, they gave each other matching stick and poke tattoos. Branded for life with a sad smiley; a mark of never giving up.
The band have been through an awful lot in their three years together. But it’s not the knocks that define Milk Teeth. It’s their determination to get back up. It’s an attitude that’s always present. From their hit-theground-running work ethic, through debut album ‘Vile Child’ to the recent departure of guitarist / vocalist Josh Bannister, Milk Teeth never say die. “To be honest, it wasn’t a big surprise when it happened,” explains vocalist / bassist Becky Blomfield. “We’d definitely seen it coming for a long time. He wasn’t happy, we weren’t happy and it had been quite a hard few months for us as a band. There was a lot of negative energy in what we were doing. It was the right decision for him and the right decision for us. I wouldn’t want him to be unhappy continuing and yeah, it’s a more positive environment since it
happened.” Despite the knock of a founding member leaving, Becky, Chris and drummer Oli Holbrook never entertained the idea of it meaning the end for Milk Teeth. “Why give up when we’ve got this far?” Formed in college and raised on a diet of Title Fight, Guns N’ Roses, Tonight Alive, Nirvana, Slipknot and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Milk Teeth started life as so many bands do. Debut EP, ’Smiling Politely’ “was meant to be a demo, just something we had so we could play some shows.” Over-achievers from the off, it was a success, allowing them to then spend their weekends playing live. “We just played and played and played. We met loads of bands around the country and we were lucky to have bands that took us on tour. I think those are the little steps you take,” explains Oli. “Those days were funny because we all still had jobs. So we’d drive up to Manchester, play a house show at midnight, get back at four and then get up for work at six,” reflects Becky as the band, sat backstage at London’s Electric Ballroom while Refused soundcheck downstairs, talk fondly about carrying their gear through working kitchens, the first time they got a bottle of Jack on their rider, and having amps dropped on them. Milk Teeth have never wanted a shortcut. Walking
BLACK PEAKS
“The competition in Brighton is furious, and to impress people or get them interested, you have to do something really special,” begins frontman Will Gardner. Hailing from the south coast musical hub, in some ways Black Peaks have reaped the rewards from the storm Royal Blood created. With regards to whether they believe being Brighton-born has either helped or hindered the band, Will confesses that it’s been a combination of both. “At the time we were starting out, we were playing alongside some absolute monster bands like Royal Blood, The Physics House Band, Poly-math and Tigercub. Royal Blood definitely put Brighton on the map and made things happen for the music culture here. The industry eye was definitely on Brighton which gave us a big helping hand… One thing that confuses us is constantly being measured and compared to Royal Blood despite the fact that we are a totally different band and write very different music?” That they are. The band’s blend of complex progrock and intricate melodies
screams of something new and innovative, that injects a whole new lease of life into modern rock and with continuous support, it’s given the band the podium to push and break the boundaries of mainstream rock. “We never expected any of our songs to be radio friendly, we definitely didn’t write them that way,” claims Will. “I don’t think we ever will intentionally write a radio ‘friendly’ song, it’ll just happen when it happens I guess.” With no intention to go out and impress, their trueto-themselves, honest rock inadvertently pricks the ears of those in the know. Looking back on their experiences over the last year, Will reveals his love for their tour buddies. “We definitely learnt a lot from Arcane Roots, what a phenomenal band. They are one of the most professional and hard-working bands in the UK right now. Just watch, Arcane Roots are going skywards for sure. In terms of festivals, I think we learnt a lot this year and really came into our own as a live act by the end of the summer... Watching The Dillinger Escape Plan perform and sharing the stage with them was breathtaking.”
“IT NEEDS TO HAVE DARKNESS, IT NEEDS TO HAVE HEAVINESS, BUT IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE BEAUTIFUL.”
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WORDS: EMILY PILBEAM
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lack Peaks have had a wild ride. Their first single ‘Glass Built Castles’ provoked universal acclaim. Every new track has since been met with anticipation, leading to support slots and appearances at festivals – all without a debut album. With ‘Statues’ due for release this year, it’s no wonder everyone’s getting excited about what lies ahead for the seemingly unstoppable quartet.
WORDS: ALI SHUTLER
CREEPER
C
reeper set out to play Southampton’s Joiners a few times and make some records for fun. Somewhere along the line they’ve galvanised a committed and growing fanbase, signed a record deal and been heralded as the Next Big Thing. Their journey has been “shocking” - in the band’s own words - but the South Coast mob are more focused on penning the next chapter than changing the world.
Speaking from West Quay, as featured in ‘The Honeymoon Suite’ video and the weekends of Southampton’s youth, frontman Will Gould is excited. “It’s been a crazy year. More’s changed that you could possibly imagine,” he starts. Gifted time away from the front line, Creeper have finally had a chance to process 2015. “Fucking hell, that was mad,” is the general summary. Last year saw the band achieve all their dreams. This year sees them with new ones. “2016 is a crazy year for us. We’re going to be away so much,” he teases. Kicking things off supporting State Champs and Neck Deep on “the poshest tour” they’ve ever done, Creeper have their eyes on pastures new. “Nice big rooms and we’re all going to share a bus. Me and the Creeper boys aren’t used to that world. We’ve been trying to work out how to do our show on a big stage. We’re going to be playing to kids who have never heard of us before. As soon as you play with these bigger bands, you get a mix of kids but it’s going to be really, really fun to do those shows. We’ve got all these theatrical ideas for it.” In amongst that tour, which will also take Creeper to Europe for the first time, the band will be heading out on their first ever headline run as well as taking on a show at Southampton Guildhall. “Growing up, I went to all the shows there. It’s absolutely mad because Ian [Miles, guitar] and I would never think one of our bands would get to play there. We never thought of ourselves playing big stages like that. All of our dreams, dreams that were more daydreams, are coming true.” A rare pause. “All of our wildest daydreams are slowly becoming real,” he repeats, rolling the words around his mouth. “It’s weird,” Will laughs.
“ALL OF OUR WILDEST DAYDREAMS ARE SLOWLY BECOMING REAL.” to us, and so nice about ‘The Callous Heart’, it did give us encouragement. We’re all very awkward and anxious. Even though we shrug it off and say we don’t give a shit, you always worry that what you’re doing sucks. It was such a sweet reaction though, we weren’t prepared for that.
The three months between the band’s Halloween homecoming and their “biggest show to date” in Birmingham this February is the longest break the band have taken, but they’re not returning emptyhanded. There’s a bombastic new EP on the way. Yup, Will drops the b-word but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Creeper. “It’s a sequel to ‘The Callous Heart’ and introduces a new character, The Stranger, to the fray. It matches the ambition, if not takes it a little further than our last record.” After two structurally similar EPs, this new record is “completely different.” With a “really bombastic” intro that Will is still “really wrapped up in,” the band’s third record nods to High School Musical, REM, The Bouncing Souls, Explosions In The Sky and Jim Steinman while also being self-referential. The record also includes a song that is “really involved in the concept. It wraps it all up,” as well as one of Will’s favourite ever tracks and “one of the hardest, fastest songs,” the band have ever written. “I’m really excited about it. It’s rich with ideas and really different for us.” However you paint it, Creeper are a punk band. There’s only one way they’re ever going to do things and that’s their way. However, there’s a passionate, enthusiastic audience waiting at the door. “Although I’d argue that we’d always do what we wanted to do anyway, the fact that people were so responsive
“I think I’ve said that line so many times (Creeper bingo players, take note - Ed) but we just weren’t prepared at all. We were always completely blown away by the response and it meant we could justify a lot of the decisions we were about to make with this new record. It’s meant that we can kick everything up a gear and be really, really confident in what we’re doing. I have full confidence in all my friends in this band, in everything they do and every idea they come in with.” Not only has 2015 allowed Creeper the confidence to fully explore every one of their fairytale ideas, it’s also gifted them a shared vision to create. “We’ve learnt a lot about how we like to write songs. In the past Ian and I would write a song, bring it to the band and they’d flesh it out for us. This time we came in with skeletons of ideas and the whole band would put it all into one piece. That’s been really fun and we’re all just having a really good time.” “Slowly, something’s really happening at the moment,” offers Will. It would appear Creeper are beginning to catch up to their impact. “We’re in such a good creative space at the moment and there were a number of years where Ian and I just weren’t. It’s difficult to turn it on when you do anything creative and I think that’s why bands make crappy records sometimes. You have to make records because you’re a band, it’s what you do but if you’re not in the right place to do it then it sucks. That’s always my nightmare.” Don’t worry though, for Creeper it’s dreams all the way. “We’re very lucky at the moment, we’re always very inspired and we’ve got a lot we want to get done. We’ve got a lot of songs we want to write. We want to keep this momentum going and keep playing. We’re really just having the time of our lives with this band and trying not to take anything for granted. We’re just like excited little kids about everything, all the time. I can’t wait for people to hear this new thing we’ve got going on, and we’ve got even more going on that we can’t talk about. We just want to keep doing what we’re doing. That’s the plan and next year it goes up. It all gets cranked up in quite a significant way.” P 21
50 SOU N D TH E KL A XO N S! HERE COME...
AMAZING
THINGS
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MOOSE BLOOD’S
#1
SECOND ALBUM WILL SEND THEM S T R AT O S P H E R I C W O R D S : H E AT H E R M C D A I D P H OTOS : SA R A H LO U I S E B E N N ET T
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50 A M A Z I N G T H I N G S T H AT WILL HAPPEN IN 2016
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ou know when you make an album with friends and it’s just good old fun? Then that album takes you and your band not only around the UK, but the US, festival circuits, and on the road with many, many brilliant bands? Granted, it’s not something many of us can relate to, but for Moose Blood, that’s life following ‘I’ll Keep You in Mind, From Time to Time’, and it’s a chapter for the band that is slowly coming to an end. As fans move into the new year looking back on recently curated ‘end of year’ lists, they’ll sit and pinpoint those who’ll possibly make the cut in 2016, and it’s around now we’d start placing our bets: Moose Blood are on to something special. Behind the mix of their songs that just get under your skin and embed themselves with ease and honest lyrics, 2 8 upsetmagazine.com
” H O P E F U L LY PEOPLE LIKE THE ALBUM AS MUCH AS W E D O.” is a passion for what they do and drive to make the most of every moment. When those elements collide there’s little to stand in their way - as shown by their astronomic 2015. “It has been fantastic,” says Eddy Brewerton, on the past twelve months. “We honestly couldn’t have wished for any more. We have been so busy and we are so thankful for every opportunity that we have been given. We feel very lucky. Our first headline run was fantastic for us, our sets at Reading and
Leeds, Slam Dunk and Warped UK... Spending the summer on Warped Tour was an incredible experience.” To top that off, they recently played their first headline show in the US, which was a brilliant success, and have set their sights firmly on their second offering. “It’s crazy for us. To headline a show so far from home is amazing enough, but to sell it out on top of that just blew our minds. And spending a few weeks recording our second record in LA was a great way to start bringing the year to an end.” That second album will earmark a lot of changes in the band - for one, their fanbase has justifiably grown, and now there’s an anticipation surrounding their next step. The tracking is already done, with mixing and mastering next on the cards, those finishing touches before it’s released into the world. “This record came together a lot faster than the last and we had a little longer in the studio this time around. We have toured so much since the last record came out and I think that helped us
become tighter as a band and play better as the four of us. I think that there is just a natural progression with these new songs and we are really proud of it.” “We started putting a few ideas together when we had some spare time on tour over the summer, but it wasn’t until we got home that we started writing properly,” explains Eddy. “We really thought about the structures of these songs and spent a little more time going over parts in the studio to make them as good as they could be. We were lucky enough to work with Beau Burchell again and he really pushed us to put out the best work that we could.” But while Moose Blood are pushing themselves and aiming higher and higher with their music, they remain firmly settled in their lyrical roots. It’s real to them, it’s about life as it happens, and that won’t change. Their lives can be laid bare in the music. “We write songs about our lives and things that have actually happened over the past year and a half. Relationships, family and everything else that comes with it is what inspires us the most. There are songs on this record lyrically that we really have just given everything to. “We wanted to be as honest as we could and I am really happy that we have done that. I think for us it is just
a natural progression from the last record. This is the most proud of anything that we have been a part of before, so hopefully people like it as much as we do.” While 2015 has been massive and 2016 will, assumedly, be of a similarly hectic standard with the album out, what rings clear is they remain humbled by the experience. At any given opportunity, how lucky they feel to have had these experiences comes through, how appreciative they are to people for giving them a chance. “We honestly can’t believe the things we have done,” he says, not for the first, second or probably third time. “I don’t
think any of us can really comprehend how lucky we have been. We say it a lot, but we really are so grateful for everything and we are just making the most of everything that we get to do.” And that gratitude mixed with a love of what they do is why fans of the band will have a lot to look forward to in 2016, with no plans of sitting back and putting their feet up on the horizon. “We want to be as busy as we can,” says Eddy. “We will be putting out this new record and be touring as much as possible. We love what we do and want to do it as much as we can.” P
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BASEMENT
A R E A BO U T TO D RO P A N A L BU M TO B E L I EV E I N W O R D S : R YA N D E F R E I TA S . P H O T O S : E M M A S WA N N
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ith third album ‘Promise Everything’ on the way, Basement are in high spirits as they’re gathered outside a North London rehearsal room. And why wouldn’t they be? Having just returned from a huge US support-run with The Story So Far, they’re here to rehearse their new material for a rather large upcoming UK tour of their own (as well as a Maida Vale session for the Radio 1 Rock Show that you can probably find online somewhere by now). This time two years ago, though, Basement weren’t an active band. In fact, they were just about to announce their return from a two-year hiatus. The Ipswich group’s popularity had steadily risen in their absence after 2012’s ‘Colourmeinkindness’ – released post-hiatus announcement – had gone on to be one of the highest regarded releases in the genre. Suffice to say, the reformation was big news. However, having played what was understood to be their ‘last show’ only fourteen months prior, there was an underlying degree of cynicism coming from certain sections of their fanbase when the band announced that they were back. At best, those sections felt as though the brevity of the hiatus cheapened the emotions they felt at those ‘last hurrah’ shows. At worst, some considered that the entire ‘break’ was one big publicity stunt. Yet the band were anything but calculated about either the hiatus or the return.
to be in a band anymore. There was no ‘intent’ with it either way. It was like, ‘Okay, let’s put it on hold and see what happens. If we have the time to do it again, we’ll do it and if not, we won’t.’” “The time we weren’t doing anything was just because everyone was doing separate stuff and everyone had decided that they wanted to focus on their careers outside the band. For example, I was teaching.” “Then, I realised I was quite good at managing my time and was able to do stuff on the side, too. So we started talking about whether or not we wanted to try and play some more shows and eventually decided to get together and record something. Halfway through that process, I brought up the idea that maybe we should go for this full-time and everyone was on board. It was a good time to put our professional lives outside of the band on hold, too.” “Honestly though, we could’ve ended the hiatus a week after we took it if we wanted. We took the break for us, so it doesn’t matter what people think about it.”
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Basement have delivered the most complete, cohesive album of their career – and it might A M A Z I N G T H I N G S T H AT WILL HAPPEN IN 2016 well be the one to truly define the band. Where ‘I Wish I Could Stay Here’ drew comparisons to their peers and ‘Colourmeinkindness’ not-so-subtly harked back to 90s alternative, ‘Promise Everything’ is the result of Basement having the experience, tools and selfassurance to write a record truly their own.
The band must know this, too. There’s a tangible buzz among them tonight, despite Fisher’s soft-spoken, humble demeanour. Their excitement remains grounded by their self-awareness though, and when talking about the new album there are obvious reservations about how it might be received. “Part of me thinks – and a lot of us in the band have said it too – that we’re going to put this out and that people are gonna be like ‘urgh, this is not what I was expecting’,” Fisher confesses. “Just because there are things on it that are a bit different to what our fans have heard from us and just things that might not be what they’re used to.”
“ W E TO O K T H E BREAK FOR US, IT DOESN’T M AT T E R W H AT PEOPLE THINK.”
“The whole hiatus thing was pretty casual for us,” explains vocalist Andrew Fisher, sat just as casually on a sofa outside their practice room. “I can understand the cynicism – it was really short – but it was just because I wasn’t sure whether or not we’d have the time
Besides, with ‘Promise Everything’ almost here, there can be no question about the band’s intentions going forward. Nor about whether getting back together was the right move, since the record is by far their most accomplished yet. Somehow, given the circumstances (“A few of the songs were written completely separately from each other. We were in different parts of the country and even the world for some of it”),
In truth, they’re probably overthinking these concerns – especially as first single ‘Oversized’ garnered such a positive response - since the differences on the record are subtle. Basement haven’t taken a too sharp a turn from ‘CMIK’ musically, it’s just not as draped in nostalgia and its foundations are built on vastly superior songwriting and melodies rather than the previous record’s immediacy. Stripping back the 90s-esque sound was a bolder move than it might seem. In the last few years, we’ve heard Superheaven, Title Fight, Pity Sex, Citizen, Moose 41
RATED
MILK TEETH VILE CHILD
Hopeless Records
eeeee EVERY SO OFTEN THE UK UNDERGROUND SPITS OUT A BAND SO BRILLIANT THE WORLD NEEDS TO PAY ATTENTION. WITH ANY JUSTICE, MILK TEETH ARE ONE OF THOSE BANDS.
‘V
ile Child’ is Milk Teeth. Capturing the tension and chemistry of each member before roughly grabbing a loose thread of influences and running with it, their lightning in a bottle debut is the perfect snapshot of who the band are. From the opening roar of ‘Brickwork’, through the swaggering growl of ‘Burger Drop’ to ‘Leona’, all rugged expression, harrowing soar and beyond, ‘Vile Child’ is consistently yet astonishingly great. The quirky sidesteps and stolen glances that defined the band’s earlier work as
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something special are still present but Milk Teeth have learnt how to deploy them with devastating accuracy. In amongst all the noisy brilliance, the band find space to show off their darker side. Away from the battle to be heard, ‘Moon Wanderer’ deals with a more internal struggle lamenting, “I’ve given up on giving up”. ‘Kabuki’ is just as fraught and just as pained yet stripped of the rest of the band, Becky Blomfield’s
admissions are even starker. The bedroom confessionals would make for an uncomfortable listen if not for their arching poetry and hopeful shimmer.
‘Vile Child’ sees Milk Teeth all grown up. Retaining the confusion, the lust for life and the potent defiance that’s carried them this far T R AC K L I ST under their own fire, this record marries 1. Brickwork charming DIY punk 2. Driveway Birthday with an ambition to 3. Burger Drop take it worldwide. 4. Brain Food Make no mistake; 5. Swear Jar (again) Milk Teeth aren’t part 6. Get a Clue of any scene but their 7. Moon Wanderer own. With a debut full 8. Kabuki of wonder, they’ve 9. Crows Feet come good. As the 10. Leona band marches on, 11. Cut You Up they’re only going to 12. Sunbaby get better. Ali Shutler
TRACKS OF THE MONTH
SAVAGES ADORE LIFE
Matador
eeee .LIKE A PUNCH TO THE GUT, SAVAGES TAKE NO PRISONERS
.GLASSJAW NEW WHITE EXTREMITY There’s a new Glassjaw album coming. We know! Finally! The lead track is as good as you’d expect.
On their debut, Savages were hardly without a sturdy backbone, but it only takes seconds of their follow up to see that this time round, they mean serious business. ‘The Answer’ rides a fevered riff into battle like a warhorse. Arty-protopunk is matched to flat-out rock muscle, and it works. ‘Adore Life’ is every bit the clenched fist of its cover art. Sure, its opening gambit is the most in your face moment, but the brooding tension never drops off. Savages make the widest vistas feel pleasing claustrophobic; the machine-gun drum and bass thunder at the heart of ‘T.I.W.Y.G.’, the hissing groove of ‘Evil’ - take them on at your peril. Stephen Ackroyd
.LAST HEIR WEIGHED Rule one. You can never have enough scuzzy, kinda-thrashy, sort-of-but-not-quitemelodic pop music. Last Heir know that better than most.
CONRAD KEELY ORIGINAL MACHINES
Superball
eeee
BURY TOMORROW
ten tracks bursting with pure Bury Tomorrow.
Nuclear Blast
It’s a bit like the guys went out with a question to the public: “What would you want in a Bury Tomorrow album?” Then they made their to-do list. Heavy - tick. Vocal interplay - tick. No filler - tick. The last one, really, is that the album is a total belter, and that’s another big ol’ tick. Heather McDaid
EARTHBOUND
.THE STARTING LINE ANYWAYS This Will Yip produced track is the first new material from the band in absolutely ages, with their previous album dropping in 2007.
eeee What happens when your last album seems to have found the finest version of your band to date? Well, you distil it. Instead of taking ‘Runes’ and making ‘Runes 2.0’ with experimental bells and whistles, ‘Earthbound’ digs a little deeper, with
Twenty four tracks. That’s how many songs ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead’s Conrad Keely has managed to cram onto his debut solo album. Don’t go glassy eyed yet, though. Each one is a polished gem never left long enough to outstay its welcome. Often immediate, always interesting, ‘Original Machines’ is a trip around Keely’s mind; swapping between genres, styles and cultures at will. A genuinely fascinating listen. Stephen Ackroyd 61