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Oxygen Thief. The Luka State
Energy shot! The Luka State balls 30 years of Britrock into its new single Oxygen Thief. With the loud, powerful and dry drum hits, popular since Therapy? in the early 90s and the enthusiasm of whatever the name of the band, and song was, where something was coming over the mountain, this single is a dream of an alternative, melodic rock song. This band knows exactly how to do everything right where the effects, breaks and emotions are concerned. This song will make crowds at festivals go crazy. With the driving rhythm of drums and the guitar explosions, success is guaranteed. Oxygen Thief is one of those songs that make a person feel alive. Whatever their age.
Also duo Illiterate Light, Matt Gorman and Jake Cochran, was in Covid induced hibernation and used the time to come up with a new album (27 January, 'Sunburned') and this single, named after the day it was written on. The listener will find a song with a nice mix of a pop, slightly psychedelic vocal melody, with a great rock sound. Far bigger than any duo can produce when just playing together. The Black Keys comes to mind most when listening to Feb. 1st. Illiterate Light is much louder and less blues influenced though. The effect pedals are all over the guitars, creating a host of different sounds that in the studio will have been ear scorching, while on record all is mixed into the right proportions. This combination works really well on this single. In other words, lay 'Sunburned' on me, please.
EUT shows a totally different side to itself. The alternative pop rock has been set aside for a more electronic and dancelike song called Can't Stop Me. In part the song sounds like something of a joke, as if the band is simply having fun in trying something different. At the same time the song is approached far too serious to be just a joke. Having listened a few times now, I still do not really know what to make of Can't Stop Me. At least the keyboard riff is funny. For the rest, it seems like EUT has produced a song that is not for me.
Jay Allen and companions return to WoNoBlog with a kind of song that is instantly pleasing. Be Mine Tonight sounds as if it has been with me for over 40 years while still sounding as fresh as if I heard it for the first time; which I am right now of course. In their new single there is simply so much familiar, from Springsteen at his most pop, Shaking Stevens, a host of (post punk) pop bands. It's simply all in there, including a great sax solo by Terry O'Malley. Why is it so good that Jay Allen and the Archcriminals make records in this vein? Because the band is good in its own right but also because most of the originals aren't around any more. This song is totally anachronistic, yet so much fun and good that it is a release to treasure.
I was almost sure to never hear from traumahelikopter again. Years and years of silence preceded the release of Please Don't and the announcement of a new album. The wait was worth it. Please Don't is a fabulous up tempo punky rocker that keeps the energy flowing for the duration of the whole song. It is over six years we had to wait. The line up of the band is not your average: two guitarist and drummer with an incomplete kit. It leads up to kicking up a storm anyway. Please Don't is exactly that. There's a storm raging, while at the same time the song gives me the idea to be in the eye of it. The sounds come from everywhere and somehow I can be in the middle of it all. Listening to it, enjoying it, having fun. There's some great guitar playing going on while together they caught the excitement and energy. Please Don't deserves to be a huge hit somewhere in the multiverse. Fun fact. I only saw the band play live once. The Wiki page shows a photo of that show.
Loud rock or in the band's own words: "Parties, broken amps, wild gigs, sweaty people... That's what we sound like". In my book that is about accurate. Birds View puts loads of energy, the buzz word this week it seems, into this song and it pays off. Phoning starts with a loud distorted riff, answered by a lighter sounding lead guitar, wailing long-held notes, while the rhythm section comes in to take care of the rhythm and deep end. The singer, Niko Huber, sings-shouts his lyrics. The German youngsters, early 20s, know where Abraham found his mustard, as several influences are easily detectable. With assistance of the past they create their own future and based on Phoning that future may just be bright.
Search and you will find this song on the blog before. This time it is the shoegazing version of Kidbug that covers this Yoko Ono - Lennon Christmas song. With dark, distorting guitars and a drummer who is pounding away as if a large building needs to be demolished before this Christmas, not much of a Christmas atmosphere is left, which suits me fine. I already had my fair share for some days, thank you. Kidbug really takes a play on the song, as there's a long and dark, psychedelic sounding coda that takes the song even into a darker realm. Snow may be falling but nothing is well seems to be the main message here. Kidbug took the song and turned it completely upside down and inside out. Yoko, not averse to some avant garde in her day, may have a hard time recognising her own composition from the second half of the song onwards.
With Ethel The Murder Capital goes from a whisper, for an alternative rock band that is, to a storm, like an alternative rock band should. This does come a bit as a surprise. Also, it is quite daring. James McGovern is not the most steady-voiced singer and that shows in the softer parts. He is like a fish out of water, panting, barely surviving. Listening to Ethel this has it charms, as it allows him to build up his vocal part and he does. Another feature is the keyboard, with its high notes. A new feature as well for the band. It gives Ethel an 80s vibe, where the rest of the song is obviously in style with the alternative rock of the past few years. With Ethel The Murder Capital releases its third single towards the second album, 'Gigi's Recovery', slated for 20 January. It's starting to look it will please fans with it's second album.
An energy jolt from Ireland, although Somebody's Child's Cian Godfrey is saying goodbye to Ireland with his video before moving to London. We Could Start A War is not a new song. Godfrey re-recorded it as he thought it could sound better than what was basically a demo. The song starts relatively soft but with the obvious intention to explode. Somehow you hear it, listening to the beginning. There's an energy that does not allow itself to be constrained. This is just so clear. Just before the verse changes to chorus off we go. A second of silence and bam, smack dab in your face. Somebody's Child announces something that has become a reality about 1500 kilometres from here over 300 days ago. A chilling effect this has on the content of the song. Exciting though it is. Pop with a lot of rock in it We Could Start A War is.
I had never expected to write on Duncan Lawrence again after his Songcontest winning song 'Arcade'. Recently I heard Electric Light on the radio and wondered who this singer could be, as this song, in its category, is a very strong one. It combines 55 years of pop music in several great ways. The fantastic harmonies go back to The Beatles and a lot of elements to Electric Light Orchestra. Why I did not recognise Duncan Lawrence in the singing, is that he finally, to me at least, sings and does not assort to vocal tricks and antics. And voilá, a great song that flows and flows and has several high points where the music soars across. Any artist can surprise at some time in its career and Duncan Lawrence has with Electric Light, "ah ah ooh". A beautiful song.
Wout de Natris
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