F E B R U A R Y // M A R C H

February has brought us many new music discoveries from a range of sonically unique artists.

Here are our picks to get you in the mood for transitioning into spring.

BRETT

Hailing from Washington USA, dreampop quartet Brett specialise in creating hooks that will leave you humming for days.

I came across a relatively old Brett track and was instantly hooked. The track in question is entitled 'Modern Classic'.

Released in 2016, 'Modern Classic' is a guitar beat driven anthem. As the fourth of five tracks on the band's 'Die Young' EP, the track encompasses the tone of the EP - the dreamlike restlessness of youthful love and perhaps the regrets and opportunities surrounding it. 

Brett's sound has evolved in 2017 to showcase more socially aware themes and arguably a darker side.

New single 'Roman Candle' exhibits what is to come from this interesting group. Accompanied by 2017 release 'Emperor Tho', it is clear that the dreampop label may not be as suited to the band anymore. Although the catchy hooks remain, the new songs place an increased emphasis on the drumkit and guitar feedback to create a melodic sense of chaos as opposed to the synth layers we've heard previously. 

Brett release their new EP on 16th March - save the date. 

RICKY MONTGOMERY & THE HONEYSTICKS: 'OUT LIKE A LIGHT' [single]

Ricky Montgomery & The Honeysticks are an experimental indie pop band from Los Angeles, USA. The group credits its internet following to two of its members’ (Ricky Montgomery and Caleb Hurst) gaining notoriety on the app Vine. They are set to release their debut EP, 'The Honeysticks EP', on 23rd March (we can't wait!). As part of the debut, the group will be officially changing its name to The Honeysticks.

Today we're focussing on the track that led me to The Honeysticks - 'Out Like A Light' (2017).

If I were to summarise this track in one word it would be whispy. By this, I mean that you can picture a couple slow dancing in a faded reminiscent state. The song itself seems to be about the triumphs and tribulations of a relationship in a blurred fashion. This is aided by a steady simple drum beat and emotive vocal phrasing complimented by a distorted guitar solo and the sound of running water towards the end of the track.

Another Honeysticks track worth noting is 'This December', released in 2016 as part of the 'Montgomery Ricky' album. Incorporating some of the melodic elements of 'Out Like A Light', this track is a far more upbeat sounding, foot tapping effort. 

CAVETOWN: 'LEMON BOY' [album]

Cavetown is 'a 19 year old boy that wants to make music forever' - @cavettown.

Some have labelled Cavetown's genre as alternative bedroom pop, personally I don't think you can put a label on it. With elements of acoustic folk rawness mixed with the odd electronic beat and a dabble of piano - 'Lemon Boy' (2018) is a unique, atmospheric and refreshing album. 

The first single I heard from 'Lemon Boy' was the title track. Opening with a stripped down guitar and vocal combination, the metaphorical use of a lemon tree in the lyrics of this song make it rather unique. A relaxed beat mixed with an atmospheric bed of vocals makes this a perfect song to add to your wind down playlist (until the end which features a louder guitar solo but there's an acappella version to avoid that).

'Fool' is an interesting track as the techniques used on Cavetown's vocals differ to those utilised in the rest of the album. This adds another dimension to the song which, accompanied by a distorted beat, makes the song arguably more pop-like than others.

One thing that is evident from listening to the entirety of 'Lemon Boy' is that Cavetown has an ability to shape a song around a memorable chorus. I enjoyed seeing the progression in the album, with experimentation on some tracks that contrasted my initial impressions of Cavetown. 

Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic

To hear all of the music featured on We Want Good Music follow our Spotify playlist here. 

J A N U A R Y

January.

Reality has reared its head after the idyllic bubble that is the festive season.

This is what we've been listening to.

The Recoupes: 'All I Know' [single]

THE RECOUPES ARE BACK.

Some of you may recall that we reviewed The Recoupes' EP last year which you can find here. The indie pop quartet are back with new single 'All I Know'.

Arguably slightly different in tone from the tracks we've previously heard from the band, 'All I Know' utilises tropical sounding energetic guitars reminiscent of a Model Aeroplanes vibe and has a hook that you'll be humming for days. We like.

The track is about frontman Alan Li's girlfriend and finding someone who believes in you and sees past your imperfections to devote your life to.

This feel good track oozes summer so is perfect to shake away those January blues!

We look forward to hearing more from The Recoupes.

Troye Sivan: 'My My My' [single]

Another artist coming into 2018 with new music is pop sensation and YouTuber Troye Sivan.

Following the success of debut album Blue Neighbourhood, 'My My My' begins with a 1975-esque synth quickly broken by the familiar tones of Troye's unique vocal. 'Oh my my my' - the hook that makes this track anthemic as it is repeated and layered over a bed of pitch shifted synths, r&b beats and vocals.

The video for this track perfectly embodies its message of being joyful and excited by a new romance, showing Sivan strutting around an empty warehouse oozing confidence. The flashing images shown in the video also compliment the pulsating beat driving the song.

After hearing this once you'll be hooked - much like any Troye Sivan song.

DECO - 'Chances' [single]

Hailing from Nottingham, UK, DECO successfully bridge the gap between pop sensibility and rich musicality in their take on indie-pop. Having spent 2017 building their reputation playing live around the country, including main stage performances at the likes of Y Not Festival, it is easy to see how the infectious energy present in their music would translate to the stage. 

Today we're focusing on the duo's track 'Chances', released last year. 

With a similar vibe to that of The Recoupes and Model Aeroplanes, bright guitars and an upbeat hook define this song. The song itself is about witnessing dishonesty within a relationship and consequently its breakdown but masked with an optimist 'look on the bright side' lyric.

We look forward to hearing new music very soon from this indie-pop force.

You can listen to DECO on Soundcloud here. 

Talos: 'Wild Alee' [album]

Image: Feel Good Lost Records

Hailing from Ireland, Talos marries a chilled vibe with emotive lyrics to create a very atmospheric sounding debut alternative pop album. Most of the tracks have a relatively slow/moderate tempo which makes this album perfect to listen to whilst studying.

'Odyssey' is one of the stand out tracks on 'Wild Alee'. A song about the cycle of self doubt, Talos' ability to shape emotion around lively electronic beats to create an epic track is demonstrated in this piece.

For an album mainly centred around synths, guitars and drums, the addition of a piano on 'Piece(s)' is a refreshing twist. This is the shortest and perhaps most beautifully blurred track on the album, a  haze of serenity. This is a song to get lost in.

'Tethered Bones' is another track that has a slightly different feel to the rest of the album, perhaps because it was in fact Talos' first single. With a more impatient sounding pulse throughout, swirling and building, momentarily broken by a piano part, then culminating into a vast sounding final chorus, the track ends with the clicking beat that first attracted my ear to this song.

If there is a narrative encompassing all tracks, it would be of the story of an epic journey told through emotive soaring vocals and polished production.

Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic


Find all the music featured on WWGM here: We Want Good Music Spotify Playlist

New Year New Us.

New Year New Us.

From now on #NewMusicMondays are no longer.

Instead, we'll be uploading our favourite tracks/artists/albums from the previous month as a sort of recap on the 1st of each month!

Check back on 1st February for reviews of what's been getting us through the January blues.

Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic

CRITICS 'Woodwork' EP

The wait is over, London based dirt-pop trio Critics' second EP is here. Filled with the catchy melodies, insane guitar parts and groove heard in their previous EP 'Spilt Milk', the highly anticipated 'Woodwork' reinforces Critics' label of 'ones to watch'.

Kicking off with previously teased track 'Key Lime Pie' gets the EP off to a great start. Reminiscent of the more pop infused elements of the first EP,  this is the type of song you can't help but click and sway along to. 

'You make everything alright,

Turn the dark into the light,

Got a tattoo on my mind.' 

Continuous dance beats and uplifting guitars are punctuated by those distant vocals that have come to define the Critics sound. This adds interest to the verses. Vocalist Lynn's unique tone can be heard throughout the chorus, adding a bit of grit to an otherwise very pop orientated track.

In contrast, the more rock orientated 'What Are You Waiting For' follows. The crash of cymbals, claps, heavy bass drum and distorted guitars lets you know we're in a different area of the Critics brand now. 

This is a much darker toned track yet it retains the ability to make you want to move around - even if it's to sway your arms and stamp your feet.

I particularly liked the call and response element of 'What Are You Waiting For' that features group vocals shouting the hook of the song in response to the drum pattern. You can definitely imagine this live.

Coasts - 'This Life' Album Review

Picture Source: @coastsband on Twitter

Bristol five piece Coasts are back with their second pop infused indie album.

Looking at the track listing, you can already see the journey you're about to go on emotionally. Tracks such as 'Heart Starts Beating' and 'Come On Over' sit at the beginning of the album, you might argue this indicates a positive start to a potential relationship as opposed to the middle/final tracks 'Make It Out Alive' and 'Born To Die' that may suggest a darker tone - but we'll see.

'Take Me Back Home' kicks off the album with a sound reminiscent of the band's first album - fun, upbeat pop that you can't help but dance and move along to. Amongst the strong beats and guitar licks creating that typically Coasts summer vibe, attention to the lyrics of songs can sometimes be lost. I particularly liked the metaphor used at the beginning of 'Take Me Back Home' to illustrate sunlight coming through the window and its later use to conjure up a picture of a stunning sky.

'Sunlight starts to skate across the ceiling.'

'Where the sky is glittering gold.' 

To me, this song is written from the perspective of looking back to when life was less complicated. However, the memories might be a tad embellished as they seem so perfect. 

PICTURES - THE SCRIPT GIG

This week saw Irish rock/pop trio The Script return to Birmingham to play intimate venue The O2 Academy.

With a set full of classic anthems to sing along to and a few tracks from new record 'Freedom Child' scattered in for an introduction to their new sound, The Script put on a fantastic show.

Support came from hit singer-songwriter JP Cooper (you've heard him on summer anthems such as 'September Song' and 'Passport Home') who kicked off the night perfectly.

Then it was time for the infectious energy that is The Script. Here are some pictures from the show:

JP COOPER

THE SCRIPT 

All photos taken using an iPhone 6s.


Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic



Find out more about The Script here.

'Wayback EP' by The Real Cool

Picture Source: @therealcooluk on Twitter

Hailing from Birmingham, UK, The Real Cool are a three piece dream pop band on a mission to bring the 80s sound into modern times. Today we'll be looking at their debut three track EP 'Wayback!'.

Released earlier this year, the EP uses synths, drum machines and the narrative of love as a thread.

The EP opens with title track 'Way Back' and immediately packs a punch diving straight into the lyrics of the chorus.

'I knew I'd be with you, when I met you

way back in the summer girl.' 

Although slightly repetitive, this is a chilled song with relaxed synths and perfectly placed drum beats/claps punctuating the track. The reduction of instrumentation to just synths and a simple beat towards the end of the song is particularly interesting and adds to the laid back vibe.

A relatively simple, clean sounding love song - this is one to sway your arms along to.

Next up we have 'Home', a contender for my favourite track on the EP.

Bright guitar riffs introduce the track but we quickly revert to the chilled synths heard previously with perhaps more of a bass element.

Personally, my favourite part of this song comes towards the middle when almost all the instruments are taken away so you can hear the relaxed, raw tone and accent in the vocals.

The mixture of slightly sarcastic social commentary-like lyrics, mellow synths and guitar riffs is slightly reminiscent of bands such as The 1975 - never a bad thing! But of course, The Real Cool add their own unique edge.

'Home' is all about the modern dating scene and how technology plays a key part in that. This gives rise to some of the best lyrics I have heard in a while, such as:

'It's okay to be at home, 

I'll seek you in a screen on my phone.'

'If you swipe right,

then I know that you're just my kind.'

'I fell in love with a selfie.'

'You're sweet twenteen

and you're living a dream on your newsfeed. '

'Blinds' is the final track on the EP. - upbeat, pure synth heaven. 

I'd argue that this is the most 80's influenced song but still retains a modern twist and those smooth guitar riffs continue to make an appearance. 

With a higher energy and more bass enhanced groove, 'Blinds' is definitely one to dance along to and finishes the EP perfectly. 

The future looks very exciting for this Birmingham trio.

Until next time...

@wewantgoodmusic

Find out more about The Real Cool here.