Best of March 2015

By Ben Tipple

As the UK finally moves forward into British Summer Time, and hazy heads adjust following the loss of that hour, the music machine keeps on churning out some absolutely incredible sounds. With some major releases both landing and in the pipeline, the last 31 days havenā€™t been short of excitement. Here are a selection of tracks that have been keeping our hearts full in PT:HQ.


The Story So Far ā€“ ā€˜Nerveā€™

Since pummelling the ears off everyone on the UK Pop-Punk’s Not Dead trip, The Story So Far have been hard at work in the studio, piecing together the final parts to the follow-up record to 2013’s ‘What You Don’t See’. Mid-March saw a sneak preview of what’s to come, with the chugging chords and melodic, buoyant chorus, ‘Nerve’ is an almighty taste that leaves you begging to hear more. It’s potentially one of the best tracks we’ve ever heard from the U.S pop-punk troopers and it looks like their new, self-titled LP is going to be the ultimate summer treat. [Tamsyn Wilce]


Turnover ā€“ ā€˜Cutting My Fingers Offā€™

Always a band to expand on their sound with each release, Turnover have excelled themselves this time around with the first track to be lifted from their forthcoming album ‘Peripheral Vision’. A hazy, dream-like composition, ‘Cutting My Fingers Off’ is filled with intricate and reverb-laced guitars, all carried by Austin Getz swooning vocal melodies. If the rest of the album is as wonderful as this, then it could end up being a surprise contender for album of the year already. [Glen Bushell]


Cancer Bats ā€“ ā€˜Arsenic In The Year Of The Snakeā€™

Although the album is a little different from a lot of their past work, showing a lot of influence from bands like Black Sabbath and Turbowolf, this two and a half minute blast of aggression shows their old hardcore-punk leanings are by no means gone completely. The riffs and vocals are momentously huge in their own right, and when combined they make for one hell of a racket, and one hell of an exciting listen. [Andy Leddington]


Teenage Bottlerocket ā€“ ā€˜The Call Me Steveā€™

It’s been a great few months for pop punk, and Teenage Bottlerocket keeps that momentum going in the lead up to summer. They’ve slowed down things on ‘They call me Steve’ – taken from their debut Rise Records release, but that doesn’t mean they’ve lost any of their catchy, infectious hooks; and we love it. They’ve just announced a US tour with The Copyrights – fingers crossed that tour can make it over to the UK at some point! [Mark Gadong]


Tenement ā€“ ā€˜Best And Worst Of Timeā€™

Appleton Wisconsin’s Tenement just released ā€˜Bruised Music Vol. 1ā€™, a collection of rare songs and out of print material that has now lived to see another day. The whole release is worthwhile but ā€˜Best and Worst of Timeā€™ shows their best qualities and proves that they perfected writing songs that are catchy as they are rough around the edges. [Mike Petruccelli]


While She Sleeps ā€“ ā€˜Our Legacyā€™

As the title suggests, ā€˜Our Legacyā€™ focuses on the humble beginnings of While She Sleeps, and the path that has led to them to where they are now. With a video showing a look-back on the bandā€™s history, including various home videos, this song is a true reflection of the reality of being in a band, whilst also showcasing how they have risen to the stature they now occupy. Taken from their very recent release of ā€˜Brainwashedā€™, this song shows refinement, class and brutality that can be found throughout the entire album. Heavy backing vocals mixed with Lozā€™s hard-hitting lead vocals (which have notably improved), this is definitely worth the listen. [Reece Weatherley]


Walleater ā€“ ā€˜Swallow Youā€™

Swallow You is the first song from Walleater’s new EP ā€˜IIā€™, which will be released by Tiny Engines (incidentally, Walleater are the first European band to release something on the label) later this year (alongside their first EP ā€˜Iā€™). It’s a perfect summer banger that you’ll listen to it on your commute home and instead of a sea of shitty dudes in suits and an overwhelming mass of grey, you’ll see reds, oranges, yellows, pinks. Walleater have grown so strongly and so quickly, which is obviously why Tiny Engines didn’t sleep on snapping these young kids right up. It is honestly the perfect soundtrack to an end-of-summer-day, which will be awesome whenever summer decides to show up. Definitely one to watch this year. [Conor Mackie]


Frank Turner ā€“ ā€˜Get Betterā€™

ā€˜Get Betterā€™ is a triumphant full band single from Frank Turner’s new and yet to be released album. It is an all-electric ballad that is an uplifting and punchy follow up to his previous record, ā€˜Tape Deck Heartā€™. With a song like this, there is no doubt that the new record will turn up on an end of the year top albums list [Daniella Heminghaus]


The Flatliners ā€“ ā€˜Resuscitation Of The Yearā€™

Although ‘Dead Language’ was released way back in 2013, opener and new single ‘Resuscitation of the Year’ is a great reminder of how brilliant The Flatliners simply are. With its twangley guitars setting up the intro, the eventual crash, smash and grab of all four instruments coming in highlights the bands knack for making absolute belters. If that’s not enough, then B-side ‘Fangs’ is a bonus for any Flatliners fans to get their teeth into (sorry, had to do it) until the band grace us with their next effort. [Joshua Wroath]


Death Cab For Cutie ā€“ ā€˜The Ghosts Of Beverly Driveā€™

Metaphors stretched to breaking point? Minimalist electronic influences? Jangly guitars? Check, check, check. The third track to be released from upcoming 8th album ‘Kintsugi’, ‘The Ghosts of Beverly Drive’ takes everything we love about Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, throws in some reverb-drenched 80s drum sounds and knocks it out of the park. [Rob Barbour]


Mean Jeans ā€“ ā€˜License 2 Chillā€™

Mean Jeans, Portland’s favorite group of party punks, have just released a 20-song singles collection on Dirtnap Records, appropriately titled Singles. This compilation record serves as a good starting point for those looking to get into the band, and a little bit of everything for everyone else. ā€˜License 2 Chillā€™ comes from an early 7″, also released on Dirtnap, takes us back to the bandā€™s early days with their first LP, ‘Are You Serious.’ Mean Jeans are like if you asked the Ramones to play Municipal Waste covers– it’s going to get rowdy, and you’re going to have a good time. [Sarah Scanlon]


Courtney Barnett ā€“ ā€˜Pedestrian At Bestā€™

Between the lackadaisical, stream-of-consciousness vocals and hangover-chasing crunch of power chords, itā€™s tempting to describe ā€˜Pedestrian at Bestā€™ as ā€œslacker-grunge-pop-whateverā€. But Iā€™d rather view the lead single from Aussie singer-songwriter Courtney Barnettā€™s critically acclaimed debut album ā€˜Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I just Sitā€™ simply as cool and unforced. Her thoughts spill out through her lyrics and are defined by chronic indecision: ā€œI love you, I hate you, Iā€™m on the fence, it all dependsā€¦ā€ Essentially, this is a purge, and you can feel her, and possibly your own anxieties lighten with every repetition of its scatter-brained, infectious chorus. [Richard Craig]


Movements ā€“ ā€˜Buriedā€™

ā€˜Buriedā€™, the latest track by Californian alternative four-piece Movements, sits brilliantly between typical pop-punk, emo and the experimental new wave. By doing so, the track sounds notably unique, whilst delivering the occasional nod to turn of the century emo stalwarts and the likes of Seahaven. March also saw Movements play their first ever show, supporting the seminal Have Mercy. If ā€˜Buriedā€™ is anything to go on, the future is looking very bright. [Ben Tipple]


High Rise – ‘Memories’

They may have spent some time away from the hardcore scene after going on hiatus in 2012 but High Rise are back, and ‘Memories’ is a perfect reminder of what we’ve been missing. On the surface it’s a slice of pummelling hardcore from the London five-piece, and the crunching beatdown certainly backs up that idea, but the melodic chorus and elements of thrash from the guitars show that High Rise aren’t afraid to mix things up a bit. Most importantly ‘Memories’ is fuelled by an energy that suggests High Rise have a very promising future ahead of them. [Chris Hilson]


Success – ‘Lives That We Deserve’

Red Scare does it again. Toby’s ability to notice what needs to be heard by the slobbering masses is unmatched. All across America, people will be soon kicking themselves for sleeping on their new favorite band for so long. Fast, hard driving, catchy sing alongs in the vein of Red City Radio, Nothington, and other bands who sing with their hearts on their sleeves, Success steps up to the plate and knocks out of the park with this one. Bring your friends, you’re gonna want some company for these guys. [Mat Stokes]


Personal Best – ‘This Time Next Year’

Personal Best are exactly what are needed as the cold, dark months of winter leave us. ‘Arnos Vale’ is an upbeat, positive album that is brilliant to dance to. Catchy as hell too, you’ll find yourself singing along to this track by the end of it. Potentially the best new band to come out of the UK this year so far. [Maryam Hassan]


Random Hand ā€“ ā€˜Abide (Demo)ā€™

The boys have sadly announced they are going on hiatus after one last album – and gave us a teaser of a track ahead of the release, which was funded enough by fans in under 6 hours of the Pledge going up. The track isnā€™t streaming online, but Pledgers can access it via PledgeMusic. [Mike Scott]