May was insane at Team PT. We had Groezrock, Slam Dunk, Deadpunk, Camden Rocks and one of our staff members ran away to America and threatened to never come back. There was a lot of good music seen by us all and a lot of new amazing music that you should listen to. Welcome to the Staff Picks!
Josh Chandler Morris & Carly Slade – ‘Who’s Gonna Hold Your Hand’
Former ska punk supremo Josh Chandler Morris and soulful partner in crime Carly Slade have released a haunting folk number that just hits the right spot. Far removed from Josh’s former band, this MK duo show glimpses of what’s to come; perfect harmonies and the great skill of creating a sense of loss and hope. The self shot video also shows sparks of old skool Pixies – which is always a good thing in my book. [Mark Gadong]
​Hop Along – ‘​Horseshoe Crabs’
Hop Along’s recent release “Painted Shut” is by far one of the best albums I’ve heard this year. This release shows the band’s resolve with creating well structured songs that swing between every musician’s strengths and Francis Quinlan’s unique voice. Horseshoe Crabs is a wonderful song that starts with brooding piano part and ends with an melodic, emotional ending. [Mike Pettruccelli]
The Early November – ‘Better This Way’
Whisper it if you’re in a crowd of grown-up Drive-Thru Records fans whose adolescent angst was soundtracked by 2003 dÄ—but The Room’s Too Cold, but The Early November’s new album ‘Imbue’ might just be the best of their career. An early highlight, ‘Better This Way’ juxtaposes the maudlin melodies of TRTC’s slower tracks with grungey dynamics more evocative of Devil & God-era Brand New, achieving consistency through Ace Ender’s unmistakeable voice. Though not necessarily representative of the album’s broadly poppier sound, it’s an absolute belter. [Rob Barbour]
Westkust – ‘Dishwasher’
It’s no secret that when bands come out of Sweden, you know its just going to be great. It doesn’t matter with it’s hardcore, punk, or indie the Swedish just get it right every time, and Westkust are no exception. Sharing members with fellow Run For Cover post-punks Makthaverskan, they fall somewhere between the saccharine melodies of Best Coast and early 80’s new wave. Its hard not to fall in love with their new record ‘Last Forever,’ which is drenched in swirling reverb and warm fuzz underneath catchy vocal hooks. The perfect soundtrack to long summer days. [Glenn Bushell]
Citizen – ‘Stain’
Let’s be real here – Citizen’s previous album in ‘Youth’ was incredible wasn’t it? Therefore any new material was understandably met with both excitement and hesitation on how they will top it. ‘Stain’, however, pushes Citizen; it pushes the hardcore/grunge genre of which they fall upon and thus, they push themselves musically. The psychedelic, muffled vocals are harsher here, and quite possibly the harshest you have ever heard from the band, but combined with a softer and catchier chorus creates a collation of musical appeal. Their new album “Everybody is Going to Heaven” will be out in the end of June, and I don’t think anyone’s ready. [Reece Weatherley]
I The Mighty – ‘Adrift’
I The Mighty are a band that haven’t quite yet made their mark on the UK, but with their new album ‘Connector’ they are going to demand your attention. ‘Adrift’ is the second single to be released from the record and is a catastrophic track full of ferocious drumming, slick, erratic guitar lines and impressive clean/unclean vocals from Brent Walsh. The lyrics highlight the issues of the modern world, whilst delivering them in a stylistic fashion that stands out amongst many of the other tracks on the album. [Tamsyn Wilce]
Anti-Flag – ‘Sky Is Falling’
The Pittsburgh punks are back with their newest release “American Spring.” The record is business as usual, bringing up the latest issues in the world today. One of those being drone strikes mentioned in the song “Sky Is Falling.” While the song has a more pop-punk vibe than their previous albums it and the rest of the record shows maturation. The release’s lyrical content also proves that the band still packs a mean punch. [Daniella Heminghaus]
Don Broco – ‘Automatic’
The Bedford lads may be parting ways with their rockier roots and delving into E4’s Made In Chelsea, but that doesn’t stop new single ‘Automatic’ from being an absolute belter. With its instantly infectious hook and seductive undertones, ‘Automatic’ hints at the unapologetically vibrant direction the band are taking with their sophomore album of the same name. Rock or not, Don Broco will be bringing everyone to their feet with this little number over festival season. [Ben Tipple]
The Story So Far – ‘Phantom’
Their latest album may lack the immediacy of their début ‘Under Soil And Dirt’, but ‘Phantom’ shows that The Story So Far haven’t lost their knack for crafting powerful tunes. The verses in particular pulse with an understated energy that’s complimented by the subtle guitars and Parker Cannon’s haunting vocals. It’s as far removed from their pop-punk roots as anything they’re ever written, and whether it’s a glimpse of what the future holds for them remains to be seen, but ‘Phantom’ is one of the best songs of their career so far. [Chris Hilson]
Young Guns – ‘Daylight’
The mighty Young Guns are releasing their third album ‘Ones and Zeros’ next week (spoiler: it’s unbelievable) and ‘Daylight’ is just a small taster of what’s to come. It’s a huge track, with soaring vocals from frontman Gustav Wood, a disgustingly catchy chorus and an overall massive sound. With songs like this, Young Guns are well and truly ready to conquer the world. [Lais Waring]
Senpai – ‘Hell In My Head’
More brilliant music coming out of prolific producer Will Yip’s Studio 4 arrived this month in the shape of Senpai – the new project from Sean and Brennan from Pity Sex. This track, coupled with ‘Mind Honey’ is another example of the unending influence of Brand New within Senpai’s fuzzy grunge context [James Fox]
Bullet For My Valentine – ‘No Way Out’
A stunning return to form for the Welsh Metal Titans, with the debut single from their new album ‘Venom’. With A punishing intro, and some of Matt Tuck’s finest vocals to date, Bullet have released a classic song with a clear nod to their future. The band’s first release with their new bassist Jamie Mathias, features fantastic harmonies and having debuted it live at Camden Rocks this past weekend, it sounds incredible in a live setting. ‘No Way Out’ sets a marker for BFMV’s future as they set out to take over the world once again. [Adam Rosario]
Great Cynics – ‘I Feel Weird’
The new Great Cynics album is an absolute summer jam and ‘North Street’ sees them at their best. Iona’s vocals are on point, the song is relatable – “and I know wrong it is to keep judging people’s lives, when I fuck up my own most of the time” is just bang on really and it’s catchy. You want to dance to it. It’s brilliant. Can’t wait to see them do this live (since some of us did miss the album show!) [Maryam Hassan]