Browsing Tag

Vintage Rock

The Wrong Party is ‘California Bound’ in their glimmer of indie garage rock nostalgia

Posted on 14 September 2024

The Southern Kentucky/Northern Tennessee fourpiece, The Wrong Party, delivered an irresistible invitation to revisit epochs of rock via an unchartered route with their third single, California Bound.

With nods to everyone from The Strokes, Pavement, Placebo and Iggy and the Stooges in the honeyed with vintage hues production which also teases the distortion of 90s Seattle grunge and grooves through bluesy psychedelic guitar licks, California Bound is pornography to sonic nostalgists.

The way the influences and eclectic stylings enmesh in the garage-rock-esque release is an undeniable attestation to the band’s unique vision and mission to make up for the shortfall in real and raw rock in the past few decades. If you would rather get a lobotomy than listen to Highly Suspect or Royal Blood, The Wrong Party, fronted by Matt McNew, is made for your playlists.

California Bound hit the airwaves on September 1st; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JD Kucharik rekindled the soul of blues rock with ‘Leavin After Midnight’

Posted on 30 April 2024

JD Kucharik deserves to be placed on the same pedestal as Santana after releasing his INCEPTION EP, featuring the standout single, Leavin After Midnight, which delivers a sound rich in vintage blues rock reverence.

Hit play and encounter a deft evocation of classic blues rock soul that JD Kucharik has meticulously honed over decades. The release is the epitome of aural alchemy; the otherworldly presence comes as a result of the arcane electricity of its instrumental arrangement with Kucharik’s commandingly charismatic vocal presence. The narrative woven through the tune—a story of a fugitive seeking transient solace—adds a compelling lyrical depth to the rich instrumental backdrop.

With a career spanning over 50 years, Kucharik’s roots in blues and rock are evident as he plays the B3 Hammond, piano, guitar, or drums. His approach to music remains steadfastly organic, eschewing auto-tune and computer-driven edits for real-time, hard-earned sound craftsmanship. His dedication to traditional recording methods ensures that each release, whether from his extensive archives or fresh from the studio, resonates with authenticity and passion.

Leavin After Midnight was released as part of JD Kucharik’s EP, INCEPTION, on April 20; stream the release on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Psychosomatik amplified a high-octane alt-rock revelation with their latest release, Slow Motion

Posted on 18 March 2024
Slow Motion by Psychosomatik

Psychosomatik’s latest single, ‘Slow Motion‘, erupts from the speakers with a ferocity that belies its title. This Miami-based rock duo, Edison and Noah, have distilled their diverse universe of influences into a potent mix of alt-rock, psych-rock, and progressive elements, culminating in a track that’s both a nod to rock’s rich history and a bold step into its future.

From the first chord, ‘Slow Motion’ ignites a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s rhythmic allure and the Black Keys’ mastery of reinvented rock. Yet, Psychosomatik’s sound is unmistakably their own. The track is a masterclass in controlled chaos, weaving the slick, seductive elements of Velvet Revolver with a grungy, prog edge.

‘Slow Motion’ is a journey through the duo’s “personal hell”, a character study born from a dark, troubled winter. The track’s power lies in its raw, unfiltered emotion; the unholy release will leave you praying at the altar of the ingenuity of the duo. With every groove, you’re inseparably combined from the momentum as it ebbs and flows, pummelling you down into the grungy depths before bringing you up with the soaring riffs and vocal lines.

Slow Motion dropped on March 13; stream and purchase the single on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

GETNER enriched the Manchester music scene with their expansively influenced Rock n Roll debut, White Walls

Posted on 8 March 2024

Manchester’s newest band of prodigal sons, GETNER, modernised vintage rock n roll tones with the shaking, rattling and rolling reverence in their debut single, White Walls.

With a rhythmic undercurrent reminiscent of The Undertones, an injection of Irish rock roots, garage-y blues rock nostalgia in the same vein as the Jim Jones Revue through the shimmering organ timbres and the barely tamed guitar riffs, White Walls is an expansively influenced Rock n Roll tour de force that asserts GETNER as one of the most promising Manchester bands on the scene.

By thriving on the unique sonic proclivities that each of the four members brought to the table, the band of superlatively talented artists ensured that White Walls hit the airwaves hard enough to bruise it. Feel the impact and be a part of GETNER’s inevitable ascent.

Stream the official music video for White Walls via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Denim Dan falls slowly in their 70s-tinged pop-rock serenade, Santa Maria’s Dome

Posted on 11 December 2023

Santa Maria’s Dome, the eponymous single from Denim Dan’s latest LP, is a captivating piece, rich in both emotional depth and musical charm. This track, set against the backdrop of the band’s established dusted with 70s pop-rock tones, offers listeners a heartfelt narrative wrapped in a nostalgically magnetic soundscape.

The song tells the story of a budding May-December romance, exploring themes of connection and age difference with a poignant yet optimistic lens. It speaks to the universal experience of meeting someone you want to share life’s journeys with because going it alone would only make you feel far from home.

The vocal warmth adds a layer of affability, creating a balance between the potentially tear-jerking subject matter and a more light-hearted, playful air. This juxtaposition is meticulously handled, ensuring the song remains emotionally engaging without becoming overly sentimental.

Denim Dan, hailing from Boulder, Colorado, has been a consistent presence in the music scene since their formation in 1996. Their journey from the debut album Your Foreign Town to their internationally acknowledged sixth album This Way That Way The Other Way showcases a band that has matured and evolved while maintaining its core musical identity. Santa Maria’s Dome, their seventh studio album, continues this trajectory, offering both long-time fans and new listeners a deeply engaging experience.

Stream the Santa Maria’s Dome album in full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Love Bug Junkie delivered an alchemic masterclass in vintage tonality with ‘Voodoo Woman’

Posted on 29 November 2023

Voodoo Woman, the latest single by North Carolina’s own Love Bug Junkie, is a bluesy rock revelation steeped in the allure of authentic Americana. As the track opens, listeners are immediately transported to a dimly lit juke joint, where the air is thick with the scent of smouldering incense and the promise of enchantment. The band, known for their emotionally charged and robust sound, has managed to bottle the alchemy of a voodoo priestess’ charm and pour it generously into their music.

The song is a masterclass in vintage tonality, with guitar riffs that cry out with the wisdom of the old spirits and a rhythm section that thumps in time with the heartbeat of the bayou. Love Bug Junkie’s vocal prowess is on full display, finding a haunting middle ground between the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, and the soul-penetrating timbre of Chris Cornell. It’s this unique blend that also conjures vibes reminiscent of My Morning Jacket during their It Still Moves era, yet the band infuses their own distinct essence into the mix.

Voodoo Woman is a sensory experience which taps into a raw, almost primal energy that is both captivating and inspiring. Their performance, whether live or recorded, showcases a love for music that transcends genre and era. With their eyes set on leaving an indelible mark on the music industry, Voodoo Woman serves as a powerful statement of intent from Love Bug Junkie. This band unites their audience in the shared space of rhythm and blues, with the promise of uniting people through the undeniable power of rock music.

Stream Voodoo Woman on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Black Smoker shake, rattle and roll through their raucous and raw garage rock debut, Dissolution

Posted on 25 October 2023

With all the sonic swag of Eagles of Death Metal and psychedelic garage rock kicks of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, the debut raucous and raw with distortion single, Dissolution, from the Washington-based five-piece, Black Smoker, is a frenetic hair-raiser that could easily lead a crowd into sharing the same furore that unfurls like smoke from a loaded gun from the riffs.

It is only a matter of time before the outfit stops reigning supreme in dive bars and takes its sound to bigger arenas; God knows that their maniacally wild hits could fill them. After banding together in 2017 and dominating the live circuit, they’ve got their blackened hearts set on making digital platforms their dominion. You may as well submit to their supremacy now before they assert it with even more force in their sophomore release.

Dissolution dropped on October 10th; stream it on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Prepare for the vintage tonal transcendence in No Named’s seminal rock single, Fall in Love One More Time

Posted on 23 October 2023

With all the heart-in-throat romanticism of R.E.M.’s The One I Love fused with the ease and psychedelic tonal colour of 70s rock and the raucous appeal of Sunset strip sleaze legends The Dogs D’Amour in the chorus, the seminal single, Fall in Love One More Time, from the underground trailblazing outfit No Named weaves through the epochs of rock to deliver a timeless rock-licked love letter.

Signed, sealed, and delivered, the melodically eloquent release is a testament to the band’s journey from pain and suffering to joy and inner peace through the avenue of music. With the determination to root their tracks in authenticity and emotion and to keep the traditions of recording and producing alive by not being seduced by modern production, No Named is one of the last vestiges of the classic era while delivering refreshing iterations of sonic transcendence through their tracks.

Stream Fall in Love One More Time via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tom Rogers resurrected psych blues in his single, Rise Again

Posted on 16 August 2023

From the first nostalgic note in the debut single, Rise Again, from Tom Rogers, you will bask and revel in the Beatles and the Doors reminiscences and find something brand-new in Rogers’ reggae, blues, folk and psych amalgam.

While the groove-pocketed rhythms take a firm grip of your rhythmic pulses, the kaleidoscopic tones abstract you from the 21st century as the visceral with bluesy soul vocals light a fire under the vintage production.

With Pawala Ariyathilaka on lead guitar, Will Fraser on Drums, Dan Wakeling on bass, and Steve Burholt on keys, Tom Rogers and his backing band delivered a superlative slice of psychedelic blues rock reverence that will allow you to slip back in time and across the Atlantic. They didn’t reinvent the wheel with Rise Again, which carries a flood of second-coming redemption, but the way they gave you a ticket back to the 70s era of blues rock via a route never taken is something to celebrate. If you’ve got the Black Keys and The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on your radar, you have room for Tom Rogers on your playlists.

Rise Again was officially released on August 4th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Fantastic Shams walk the ‘Crooked Line’ in their latest psychedelic proto-punk trip

Posted on 20 July 2023
Crooked Line by Fantastic Shams

Nostalgia may be a factor, but by no means is it a solitary driving force in the latest single, Crooked Line, from the Indianapolis-hailing prodigal sons of psychedelic proto-punk, Fantastic Shams.

The vintage-toned rhythms take the wheel in the feel-good hit, which allows you to revisit by-gone eras by a path never taken, while the kaleidoscopic colour that spills across the unpredictably wild progressions gives the soundscape the sticky-sweet propensity of an infectious earworm.

With catchy power-pop guitar hooks to draw you into the centre of the release, Fantastic Shams will have any fans of The Heartbreakers, The Stooges, and Velvet Underground eating out of the palms of their melodic hands.

Crooked Lines is taken from the forthcoming debut LP, Play Fantastic Games Win Fantastic Prizes, which will traverse themes of loss, love, and alienation through a social commentative lens.

Stream and Purchase Crooked Line via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast