It's been an non-desired hiatus, but here we are, back with a trio of
great discoveries, enjoy!
The Understudies. Coming from London, the band formed in 2008, debuting with EP "Wanting vs Getting" in 2010 on
Odd Box Records. The double-sided 7" single "
Everyone Deserves at Least One Summer of Love" followed in 2011, and finally, since a couple of weeks ago, we can enjoy their debut album "
Let Desire Guide Your Hand" released by
Firestation Records. Classic heartwarming indiepop, utterly romantic, clearly reminiscent of
The Beautiful South (boy-girl vocals passionately dealing with all our mundane miseries) and
Morrissey, nicely invigorated & embellished by the arrangements of
A Little Orchestra. Soul music,
sweet British guitar pop full of soul.
Withered Hand. Behind the enigmatic nickmane hides Dan Wilson, a Scottish musician based in Edinburgh, who played in several bands until he began a solo musical career at age 30, after one of his close friends died and he became father. That period of his life heavily determined his hugely praised debut "
Good News" in 2009 (re-released in 2011 on
Absolutely Kosher Records in the States). Now he's back with sophomore album "
New Gods", out since February via
Fortuna Pop (UK) &
Slumberland Records (USA). Featuring stellar appearances from Pam Berry (
Black Tambourine), Eugene Kelly (The Vaselines), members of
Belle & Sebastian & Frightened Rabbit, the album is a mind-blowing example of a musician with a
unique gift to pen perfect indiepop tunes. Unmissable.
School. This Swedish quartet formed by quite famous musicians from different Gothenburg bands singing in English for the first time, just gathered last year, offering three wonderful singles to date: debut "So Long" in late 2013, followed by "Clouds Aside" and now "
Head Over Here", all of which through
Luxury.
Timeless indiepop pieces, showing a style that fits comfortably in an addictive place between jangle and dream-pop, with the bursting vocals of Alice B completing the arresting, immediately catchy trio of extremely promising tunes. Eagerly awaiting for more!
Flesh World. Hailing from San Francisco, CA, this quartet assembled in the summer of 2012, thanks to the gathering spirits of Scott Moore (Guitar, Synths) and Jess Scott (vocalist, guitarist & also part of the lovely Brilliant Colors!) who began writing tunes together and quickly recruited Andrew Luttrell on bass and Sam Lefebvre on drums. The fully formed combo debuted with a self-titled EP in December 2013, out via La Vida Es Un Mus Discos. Two 7” singles, 'A Line In Wet Grass' and 'Just to Tear Me Down' followed in 2014, anticipating their first album ‘The Wild Animals In My Life’ released in 2015 on Iron Lung Records. Finally, past year they signed with Dark Entries Records, releasing sophomore album ‘Into The Shroud’ in early September. A collection of eight blasting tunes, echoing Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Birthday Party, a tone of melodic hooks, razorsharp guitars and killer immediacy sunk between dark aesthetics, droning synths and a bouncy, very dynamic rhythm section, Flesh World is a knockout.
Makthaverskan. Quick jump to beloved Gothemburg, Sweden, to meet this quintet formed in 2008 and quickly pushing the engines with a collection of demos and, a year later, their debut self-titled album, out via Luxury Records. After a couple of singles, 'Makthaverskan II' appeared in March of 2013, with the band repeating the "pattern" until the arrival of 'Makthaverskan III', out last October. Extremely powerful (honouring their curious name), with the intense, dramatic vocals of Maja Milner exploding over your head once and again. Think of Blondie on steroids, or Siouxsie (again) leading and impossibly rushed version of Cocteau Twins. Pop with a punch and an edge, listening to Makthaverskan is quite a nocturnal, sort of cinematic, utterly fascinating experience.
Drahla. And we i n Leeds (and Wakefield), UK, to meet this DIY young trio, active since late 2015. First release, single ‘Fictional Decision’ surfaced in October of 2016, with two more tunes following in the form of the 7" 'Faux Text', out via Too Pure in late April of 2017. And before the year came to an end, the band put out the 'Third Article' EP. Eight tunes so far, but enough to got us completely excited. They are in a very intriguing place, somewhere in between art-rock, noise and post-punk, a version of The Fall . But there´s something raw, even menacing and, at the same time, utterly appealing, in the way the guitars attack and hide, Mike Ainsley´s drums propels, sometimes even spits, the songs tempos, and co-vocalists Rob Riggs and Luciel Brown help building the inner tension of every piece with that coldness in their vocal delivery. Eager to hear more. Band to follow closely, believe me.... 
