Thats Worth A Listen...


Hello,


So I've missed the 'Tips for 2010' boat but let's not fret, lists of exciting new bands and tracks are always welcomed. When at 6music at the start of the New Year Tom Robinson proclaimed 'regardless of whether a band makes it or not it doesnt make a track any less worth listening to'. So in carrying on in that vain in the next couple of posts I hope to list bands who havent been mentioned as tips in larger circles, not because I'm being a music snob and trying to find bands with less than 1,000 myspace plays to claim as my own (although that probably contributes) but because, regardless if they go on to sell millions, their music is still important. All this considered I wish the bands the best in making millions, if indeed they want to.


Cold Pumas:

Many a music lover may claim 'the noiser the better' but I'm a guy who sleeps with ear plugs in almost every night. However thanks to Cold Pumas I've replaced those with headphones hohoho because their music is so very impressive. They released a Split 7" with Male Bonding last August, which is enough to know I'd like this band. They may have awhile until they're challenging Joe McElderry but should do well off this Garage/Psych/Noise revival. Recent single 'Jela' is the pick of the bunch, guitars, guitars, more guitars and hardhitting drums...who needs vocals anyway.

Cold Pumas Myspace



Fair Ohs:

Like Paul Simon, just...Punk. These guys have fused 2 genres which are witnessing a revival at the moment, which makes themmmmm Tropical Punk? They've played under many an incarnation, The Pharoahs, The Mighty Pharoahs, Thee Fair Oh's, but this has to be their best sound to date. Appealing to fans of Punk, Surf, Garage, Afrobeat and, well...Pop, this act has a broader appeal than ITV 2,3 and 4 put together. They're playing Nottingham this weekend with Cold Pumas and Spectrals, a gig which I would have happily put on in Newcastle and lost £100+ on, so that'll be good won't it folks.

Fair Ohs Myspace

Christian



Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Polarsets - Then a Girl Falls In Your Arms




Recently I was lucky enough to gain work experience as an intern at 6music over the extended Uni Christmas holidays. Contrary to what you’d think it wasn’t all about making cups of tea and coffee either, granted I did excel at this. I got to spend most of my time working on the Tom Robinson’s Introducing Show and as a result feel more clued up on new music than ever. One of the main jobs was sifting through the recommendations we got sent, which contained an unusually high amount of North-East contributions. Amongst them were Newcastle’s very own Polarsets, which, after maybe 10 seconds of listening, I put through and with Tom’s seal of approval made it into the show last week.

Now, safely back in the North-East, NSR have been sent their new E.P, available for free at polarsets.bandcamp.com, 3 tracks which cement the band as one of the strongest in the region. ‘Just Don’t Open Your Eyes Yet’ and ‘Then a Girl Falls In Your Arms’ are strong, hook laden tracks you’d expect to hear on any daytime radio show, the latter as catchy a pop song I’ve heard all year.

Obvious similarities can be drawn between the band and fellow Tyne natives Little Comets, jangly guitar riffs, frantic drumming and high pitched vocals; complete with golden vocal harmonies is the closest thing the North-East has to a ‘sound’. Parallels can also been drawn to The Wombats, Go Faster and Hot Club De Paris, all with the ability to write a track to chant along to that isn’t necessarily seen as ‘Lad-Rock’. However, the fundamental connection these bands share, above all else, is that they sound like their enjoying themselves.

They’re apparently pioneering a genre they call ‘Deep Disco’, a sound which conjures up images of the Bee Gees and Kool and the Gang being banished to the sewers. But on this evidence, this is indie-pop at its catchiest. The E.P has a genuine sense of exuberance, optimism and energy hugely lacking from a host of ‘ones to watch’ acts and promises much for future releases. They’re playing a host of dates around the North-East, well worth investigating.


Christian.





Read Users' Comments ( 0 )