[song] Pillow Queens – Gone

Photo by Martyna Bannister

Today, Irish indie rock band Pillow Queens announce a new album titled Name Your Sorrow, which will be out April 19 via Royal Mountain Records.

Along with the news they are sharing a new single “Gone”, the emotional song which tells the story of exiting a collapsing relationship. It is a truly a perfect mix of the their signature sound — raw, honest, and utterly captivating.

Speaking about it, band shared the following: “”‘Gone'” is a song that looks into the vapid nature of brief romantic encounters and the hyperbole that can become so monotonous, it makes you jaded.” The track came about at the end of a jam session during a songwriting retreat in The Burren on the West Coast of Ireland. Lead vocalist, guitarist and bassist Pamela Connolly adds: “Lines like, ‘I was in your top five things to do’ convey a lack of self-worth that’s tackled throughout the album. It’s a song that showcases a vulnerability that allows for no silver linings–it’s the reality of how someone is feeling in the moment”.

Stream below and pre-order the album here.

[song] Chalk – Claw

Belfast’s Chalk is one of our favourite new bands and it seems that with each release they are only getting better and better. Their output defies easy categorization, drawing from a range of influences while maintaining a distinct identity, and their songs are characterized by a willingness to push boundaries and experiment with sound, making each track a unique and dark journey for the listener.

Chalk live at Waves Vienna’23

It is hard to tag them — there are elements of post-punk, noise, industrial, electronic madness etc. etc. But what really matters is that the final result is just amazing. Their new single is titled “Claw”, and it is the first taste of their upcoming extended play Conditions II (check out the first part here). Speaking ahead of its release on March 1 through Nice Swan Records, bandleader Ross Cullen says the following about it & the song:

“Claw is about falling in love inside a nightmare. There’s a mixture of loss and relief that we wanted to capture. Subconscious feelings are at the crux of most of our tracks – something that we started on Conditions EP. We still feel like we’re in that universe of figuring ourselves out as people and using our sonic palette to make sense of it. There’s still a few feelings we want to explore and staying in the world of Conditions is something we’ve grown to enjoy – we don’t want to leave just yet”.

Chalk also have a set of shows lined up for the next months. Make sure to catch them on any of the dates for the brilliant and energetic performance — the band always gives 100% to every gig.

Stream below and pre-order the EP on vinyl here.

[song] bedbug – halo on the interstate

In March bedbug will release a new album titled pack your bags, the sun is growing via Disposable America. Over the years, the project of Dylan Gamez Citron (they/them) has grown from a solo outfit in Boston, MA to a full-fledged indie rock band in Los Angeles.

The first preview of an upcoming LP is “halo on the interstate”, a mesmerizing piece that captures warm feelings in the form of a perfect indie rock jewel. It would certainly appeal to the fans of such bands/musicians as Built to Spill, Cap’n Jazz, Alex G and The Microphones.

Listen below and pre-order the record on Bandcamp.

[song] My Best Unbeaten Brother – Slayer on a Sunny Day

My Best Unbeaten Brother is a Croydon-based trio featuring Ben and Adam Parker, the two brothers behind such groups as Nosferatu D2 / The Superman Revenge Squad / Tempertwig.

Joined by another Ben, they play frenetic and adventurous indie rock that is fun and instantly appealing. “Slayer on a Sunny Day” is their first track, out now on Audio Antihero. It is truly exciting and certainly a great way to start your 2024! Hopefully, soon we will get some more stuff from the guys.

Stream it below (along with some of their older songs as well).

[song] doops – Fever Tree

Photo by Louis-Jean La Grange

Reading’s quartet doops unleashed today their stomping new rocker “Fever Tree”. The song is an absolute smasher with grimy riffs and moody, raw production.

It is the second teaser (after “Idle Hands”) of the upcoming EP by the band, set for release early next year, and the origins of the track begin with an absent bass player, as vocalist/guitarist Andy Bingham shared:

“In doops’ second recording since becoming a four piece, the band lyrically attempts to challenge the theme of trying to stay relevant & visible in a world of constant artistic re-invention, questioning at what point this compromises the integrity of the artist in the process. Set to the back drop of Tarrantino’esque groove, it’s bands’ first experiment into a switch-around on instrumental duties: our bassist Luke couldn’t make practise, so I covered for a rehersal and we ended up with the Fever Tree riff at the end of it!”

Stream below.