February is often the coldest, saddest month of the year but at PT:HQ we’ve been having a grand old time with all the new music it’s thrown at us. Beat off any leftover February blues with our playlist of what we liked most.
Young Guns – ‘Speaking in Tongues’
‘It seems like an age ago that Young Guns released their last album ‘Bones’, but they’re finally releasing their next album ‘Ones & Zeroes’ this coming June. The same day they announced the album release, they also released ‘Speaking In Tongues’, which is chock full of melodic hooks, soaring vocals, and big, sing-along choruses. If ‘Speaking In Tongues’ is this huge and infectious, it can only mean good things are coming from the YG camp.’ [Jess Tagliani]
Murder By Death – ‘I Shot An Arrow’
Creating a romantic sound through the use of dark folk melodies, heavy drums, whimsical piano/cello accompaniment, Murder By Death just destroys it with “I shot an arrow.” It grooves perfectly, and their new album “Big Dark Love” shows an different approach to their music but still maintains the simplicity and wonder they can bring about. I highly advise this record, it’s been one of my favorites so far in 2015. [Mike Petruccelli]
Blacklisted – ‘Burnt Palms’
The highlight off the long-awaited comeback album by hardcore legends Blacklisted. Very reminiscent of old Coliseum, and nearly makes up for the near decade it’s been since Coliseum put out anything that sounds like this. [Jim Howes]
More Than Conquerors – ‘Red’
This Belfast quartet have been busy writing the follow-up to 2013’s ‘Everything I’ve Learnt’ and our first glimpse of the record comes in the form of new single ‘Red’. A distorted, grungey riff opens this spectacular track, with vocalist Kris Platt’s distinct tone sounding darker than ever. The drums are snappier, the guitars are beefier and overall the whole sound More Than Conquerors have created with ‘Red’ is enticing and increases the levels of anticipation for their new record. [Tamsyn Wilce]
WOAHNOWS – ‘Sounds Like Spitting’
Plymouth’s Woahnows play punchy indie music which verges into punk with the perfect amount of jangly guitars, humming bass and totally absorbing singalongs. ‘Sounds Like Spitting’ is just that, off their upcoming album ‘Understanding and Everything Else’, coming out on May 4th. [Sam Kanal]
ALCOA – ‘Always Chasing Me’
After two years of wonderful highs and unfortunate lows, Derek Archambault of Defeater fame has returned with his Americana influenced project Alcoa, and ‘Always Chasing Me’ is a prime example of what an exceptional songwriter he really is. Far more stripped back than anything you have heard from Defeater, and channelling the spirit of ‘Nebraska’-era Bruce Springsteen, this will make your heart hurt. Traditional, honest, and relatable, ‘Always Chasing Me’ is unquestionably one of the highlights of Alcoa’s second album ‘Parlour Tricks’. [Glen Bushell]
The Hextalls – ‘Ouch, My Childhood’
Our favourite ice hockey inspired, computer gaming fuelled pop punk band are back and in the space of two and a half minutes they manage to take a stab at every single mediocre remake of 80’s shows. Michael Bay, watch out! [Mark Gadong]
Maths – ‘The Laughter Stirs The Canyon’
Back in 2010, trio Maths released the fantastic “Ascent”, still a true landmark in British screamo music. Since then, they’ve played the odd frustratingly sporadic show, but have predominately gone AWOL. Now they’re back with fantastic new EP “The Fires Courting The Sea” and an upcoming EP release show at Birthdays on March 24th. Whether they’ll last the course this time around is anyone’s guess, but “The Laughter Stirs The Canyon” certainly conveys the simultaneous adrenaline rush and gut punch that has kept fans on tenterhooks for five years. Welcome back, boys. [Ollie Connors]
Jeff Rosenstock – ‘You in Weird Cities’
“When I listen to your records, it’s like I’m hanging out with you” What better way to describe why anyone would listen to Jeff’s music? The vicious honesty he pours into his music always makes him come off as the kind of person you could really connect to and have a great time hanging out with. What’s great about this song is that we get the idea that Jeff is able to apply a similar principle to listening to his friends records. Nothing says, “lets party and hang out a weeks worth in a night the next time we are together in the same place” like a raucous sing along that will be stuck in your head and keep your feet moving all summer. [Mat Stokes]
Science Club – ‘Feelings: The Song’
Science Club are the sort of band who make you want to dance, no matter where you are. They are exceptionally good for when you are stuck at your desk and need music to twirl around in a chair too. The best kind of punk music is the kind you close your eyes to sing along to, the kind you TALK IN CAPS ABOUT and the kind that just won’t leave your head. This whole album is brilliant and this song builds up to perfection in punk “Tell me not to walk away, tell me you want to make amends and I will try, and I will try my best”. The title is accurate, there’s a lot of feels in this song. [Maryam Hassan]
Anakin – ‘Ctrl.Alt.Del’
Taken from the stunning album ‘Celestial Frequency Shifter’, ‘Ctrl.Alt.Del’ finds streams of synth winding their way between solid walls of guitar as Jonathan Wessel’s vocals glide over the top in a way that makes the song much more than the sum of its post-rock parts. Melodic yet muscular and with a Star Wars quote amongst its lyrics, ‘Ctrl.Alt.Del’ is as imaginative as it is memorable, and is a perfect example of what Anakin do so well. [Chris Hilson]
Hindsights – ‘Out Of My Skull’
Although it’s entirely possible to select every track from Hindsights’ beautifully melancholic debut as a highlight, ‘Out Of My Skull’ perfectly showcases the band’s downtrodden yet optimistic songwriting. Dominated by emo infused pop-punk vocals, and underpinned by a fluctuating melody, the lyrics speak of hope. The track embodies the sad-rock genre in which the Berkshire four-piece find themselves – offering a much needed light at the end of the tunnel. Ultimately, it demonstrates both the intensity and beauty that lay the foundations for the remainder of ‘Cold Walls / Cloudy Eyes’. [Ben Tipple]
Matthew Caws – ‘Fiscal Cliff’
The first of six instalments of the Devinyl split series from Bad Timing Records features Matthew Caws of Nada Surf covering Kevin Devine’s song “Fiscal Cliff.” This stripped down version is a pure delight and packs the same punch as the original does. With a start like this the split series proves that it is definitely worth listening to. The next two installments will feature Meredith Graves of Perfect Pussy and Tigers Jaw, respectively. For more info see the Bad Timing Records website. [Daniella Heminghaus]
Big Fin – ‘The Selfish Sun’
Frankly, every track from Big Fin’s album ‘Ebb & Flow’ qualifies as a ‘Best of February’ contender but limited as we are to a solitary selection, ‘Selfish Sun’ is the one. More representative of the album than pre-release track ‘Weeper’, it paints a calm, swaying aural landscape before swelling into a huge chorus which gives way to some beautifully subtle, minimalist string arrangements. . Dynamic and delightful, ‘Selfish Sun’ is the perfect accompaniment to these waning winter months. Big Fin’s Twitter handle of ‘@Nextbigfin’ may turn out not to be ironic after all. [Rob Barbour]