Browsing Tag

90’s Grunge

Dirty Modal Souls went in search of adequate vernacular in their Brit-Grunge anthem, What’s the Word?

Posted on 15 August 2022

In their first release of 2022, the Brit-Grunge trio, Dirty Modal Souls, catapulted us right back to the alt-90s. Lyrically, What’s the Word? is a snarlingly electric hook-constructed continuation of Cameo’s Word Up. Instrumentally, it’s a transatlantic riot of rugged basslines, cataclysmic breaks and guitars which express as much chagrin as the rancorous guitars.

If Faith No More hailed from this side of the pond, their earlier work would carry ample reminiscence to What’s the Word, which doesn’t lose the quintessentially British style of lament. That riled energy rubs up against the Seattle sound to create universal appeal.

What’s the Word is now available to stream on Spotify and purchase on Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Elegant Chasers went off-kilter with the grungy panache in their sophomore single, Sunshine Mourning.

Posted on 4 February 2022
The Elegant Chasers

The Elegant Chasers brought their grungy panache back to the airwaves with the release of their sophomore single, Sunshine Mourning. We’d scarcely lost the earworm that was implanted through their debut single, Lets Ride, but we found ourselves gripped by Sunshine Mourning in a completely different capacity.

This time, the post-punk tinged track is as caustic as one of Sonic Youth’s most discordant releases in the verses and hooky enough in the choruses to give that stadium-filling effect that resonates as volatile gravitas once you get caught up within it.

The one-man powerhouse is taking full advantage of his independent artist freedom. Instead of attempting to appease moguls by pandering to the mediocrity in their tastes, he opted for an off-kilter track that splices together Nirvana-reminiscent drums, cleverly distorted vocals (we are talking Mike Patton level clever here) and guitars that are pliant enough to make your head spin. It is the epitome of an alt 90s aural riot. We can’t wait to hear what follows in his debut album.

Sunshine Mourning will officially release on February 11th. You can check it out for yourselves via SoundCloud and Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Take Me Back: Cardiff’s The Vanities cure our souls sadness with ‘London’

Posted on 12 December 2021

Taken off their hungrily-awaited 11-track magnum opus that has had our previously-cold mindsets feeling dragon-like recently on ‘2001‘, the extraordinarily appealing The Vanities help us heal from all preceding sadness with one of most entertaining tracks so far this year on ‘London‘.

The Vanities is a Cardiff, Wales-based 90s grunge and 80s synth/electro-pop/rock-inspired duo who have a real purpose ingrained into their veins that you can hear rumbling assuredly in their creatively-stimulated sound.

”Combining a love of 90s grunge & 80s synth-pop, the band were a staple of the burgeoning South Wales music scene at the turn of the millennium, with highlights including a release on cult Cardiff-based label Boobytrap Records, selection for the late Tony Wilson’s influential In The City conference in Manchester, not to forget a bizarre collaboration with 80s icon Tony Hadley.” ~ The Vanities

After sparking our daydreams alive with the sunglasses-packed track that marked their rising above the ashes from hiatus on ‘HOLLYWOOD HILLS (INTERMISSION)‘, they further cement their name as one of the bands to listen to in 2021 with another glorious Gareth Bale-like 89th minute winner against England-type performance here. You can certainly see why BBC Radio Wales have wisely placed the band on their highly-prestigious Welsh A-List recently.

‘London‘ from fantastic Welsh indie synth-pop/rock act The Vanities plus a few extra friends who joined them on this one, is an imaginative and euphoric experience that is packed with pulsating piano, sexy sax, catchy whistling, travel thoughts, and lots of love for a city that has so much to see. The vocals here gush through your heart like a healing waterfall on a tired body, and this is just truly spectacular. The lovable Welsh duo has produced such pure joy yet again and for that, we truly thank them.

Hear this silky gem on their Bandcamp or Spotify and find out more about the likeable lads on FB.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Francis Botcherby brought the Seattle sound to morally bankrupt British shores with ‘Parliament of Wolves’

Posted on 4 December 2021
Francis Botcherby

Cambridge, UK-based alt solo artist, Francis Botcherby, has been honing in on his sound for over a decade; his music has featured on BBC Cambridgeshire amongst many stations. His most popular music video to date has racked up over 100,000 streams, and he has counted plenty of other successes in between.

His latest single, Parliament of Wolves, carries the same protestive lyrical edge as Billy Bragg, but stylistically, Botcherby brought the sound of Seattle to UK shores. With bassline growls that will evoke nostalgia for Soundgarden’s grungy licks and enigmatic vocals that carry a touch of the Mike Patton magic, there’s a fair amount of nostalgia but there is something incredibly refreshing about his shimmering guitars and grooving rhythms that throw further back to the days when Hendrix reigned supreme.

Francis Botcherby’s single Parliament of Wolves was officially released on December 3rd. You can check it out for yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

We’re infatuated, while Fred Whitacre, JR is ‘Less Smitten’ in his sonic Grunge single.

Posted on 22 June 2021

Fred Whitacre, JR’s latest indie grunge earworm, Less Smitten, acts as a TARDIS with one destination, the alt 90s. The over-driven distorted guitars eclipse the Seattle sound as Whitacre lends from heavier genres to ensure that the sticky-sweet melodies in Less Smitten hit with bruising impact.

If you could imagine the sweetly sentimental sound of Nada Surf, the disquiet chaos of Nirvana and the experimentalism of Pavement all rolled into one high-octane anthem where the buzzsaw riffs cut with a hint of pop-punk, you’ll get an idea of what is in store when you hit play. Quite honestly, I couldn’t be more infatuated with Less Smitten, which feels like quite the paradox, but it isn’t every day new grunge artists emerge with sludgy tones that lead to a spike of serotonin.

The official music video for Less Smitten is now available to stream via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

”Miniature Cyclops” from California Punk band Dads Under Where rock in with eccentric release

Posted on 29 July 2020

Dads Under Where is a psychedelic rock band from Sacramento with punk, grunge, and math rock influences featuring manic theatrics that uncovers your inner rock n’ roller. ”Miniature Cyclops” .

The Californian 3-piece full of long shaggy hair and gritty guitar riffs, ice up with some gruff vocals illuminates the speakers. ”Miniature Cyclops” is a very eccentric song full of old school 90’s punk rock sounds. That era was a real top shelf time to be listening to this type of music. Dads Under Where would of fitted in well during this time as their music is fantastic.

With drums, vocals and guitar being the centerpieces here, the Sacramento outfit slam in sliding on the greasy dance floor. Dads Under Where bring back the fun of punk rock with a raving set up drums to set up the mood splendidly on ”Miniature Cyclops”.

Stream this new rocking track here on their Spotify music channel.

Check out the band’s Facebook page to find out more.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

ATR releases Icarus Died In Vain: It’s loud and the perfect representation of Rock

Posted on 19 April 2020

ATR has dropped their single ‘Icarus Died In Vain’, giving that full on Rock and Roll sound, making sure it’s extremely loud.

Within the first few seconds the chaos begins, amping up the volume giving it that real in your face sound, it’s heavy but in a good way and continues that throughout. Clashing on the drums, the insane shreds on the guitar, giving it this real thunderous instrumentation.

The vocals are fairly rough and harsh, really keeping that loudness the same, piercing through the instrumentation. Having the occasional high-pitched shriek halfway through, it’s dark, fairly peculiar and rather unique, but it’s one hell of a Rock song and one that deserves all the recognition it gets.

Be sure to listen to ATR’s piece because it’s one you won’t want to miss, especially if you’re into music that’s more on the heavy side.

Check out ATR’s single Icarus Died in Vain by heading on over to YouTube.

Review by Karley Myall