FNS Side 2 // Mailbag & Misc. Mayhem

This week we’re cracking open the mailbag and checking out some tunes that were sent our way and which caught our ear.  Hope you enjoy them.

Good Kid – “Witches”

This track is one that I would have embraced 15 years ago, and it still catches my ear in the same way.  It’s a fresh blast of pop infused punk, which details the treks that Nick (yes, he’s in the band) and his pal Tom have made through the UK.  On one of those hikes, the guys came upon a small forest that was descended upon nightly by an unusually large flock of birds, and upon seeing this, the logical explanation for such a strange occurrence would be witches (I mean, why wouldn’t it be?).  If you dig bands like Hollerado, you’ll be right at home here.

 

The Bandicoots – “Dead End Street”

There is a distinct cool, UK indie rock about the latest single from The Bandicoots.  “Dead End Street” has all of the ear marks of something that could have easily been recorded by a subdued Arctic Monkeys, or Tame Impala.  The band dropped this single in advance of their 3rd EP entitled Zolly which drops on June 23rd.

 

Fake Shark – “Heart 2 Heart”

In the past we have featured Fake Shark’s biggest hit to date “Cheap Thrills”, and reveled in its indie synth-pop greatness.  The band dropped “Heart 2 Heart” earlier this year in advance of their recently released debut Faux Real.  The video itself is awash in neon, and loaded with synth-pop new-wave vbes, Fake Shark are a band that would have thrived in the 80’s, but as much of a retro vibe this tune gives off, the band is undoubtedly progressive.  To boot, the band drops by the Seahorse Tavern on Saturday evening, so if you need something to do, hit up their show.

 

DYLYN – “American Nightmare”

It’s easy enough to judge a book by its cover, DYLYN is a 20-something pretty blonde girl which immediately (unfairly or not) sets an expectation of what you are going to hear.  Fortunately for the listener, DYLYN isn’t going to be forced into your cage of expectation.  This track “American Nightmare” is fiercely defiant and shows that this is an artist who is willing to set out and forge her own path for better or worse.

 

Arcade Fire – “Creature Comfort” 

The Montreal indie-rock collective is an act that is perpetually reinventing itself, at times they make instantly accessible indie-rock, others you will find the band dabbling in electronic-influenced sounds, sometimes they are dusty and country tinged.  Currently the band is on something of a Disco kick, and as obtuse and jarring the lead single “Everything Now” was, its follow-up “Creature Comfort” is far more accessible and weighty.  Now, if these two singles are any indication, I do believe we are starting to see the band having something to say about the state of the current generation and its incessant need for instant gratification and Wants trumping Needs.

 

Royal Blood – “Lights Out”

When I initially heard this track from the 2 piece UK rock outfit Royal Blood, I honestly thought it sounded like a new Muse single.  Instead it is a healthy slice of modern alt-rock, which has torn pages from the playbooks of both Nirvana and The White Stripes.  If you dig Tame Impala, or Arctic Monkeys, or the 90’s grunge era, Royal Blood are a band for you.  They are flying those rock n’ roll horns high and proud.  This is a band deserving of your attention.

About the author

Trev

A proud and over-caffeinated husband, father, runner and writer. I've written for the local weekly The Coast for over a decade and have since taken to creating and writing for HAFILAX for even longer. I hope you enjoy the musings of a guy who has loved music for the better part of 4 decades, and has an album of concert tickets to show for it.

Instagram