In our eyes the end of August brings with it the end of summer. Gone are the weekly trips to often muddy fields, the engorgement on cheap, regularly cold meat from vans with questionable hygiene ratings, and the consumption of buckets of lukewarm beer and cider. August was, as ever, the busiest month in our calendar. Writers trotted off to Ieperfest in Belgium, Rebellion Festival in the party capital that is Blackpool, every metallerâs wet dream â Bloodstock, and we witnessed the return of Hevy Festival and the [un]official end to the season; Reading and Leeds.
All the while, the music world continued to release some excellent offerings, including new music by The Copyrights, Sick Of It All and Pianos Become The Teeth, alongside a wealth of exciting up-and-coming talent. Here are a selection of seventeen handpicked tracks that have soundtracked the end to our summer. Now letâs see what Autumn has to bring⊠[Ben Tipple]
The Copyrights â âThe World Is Such A Dragâ
âThe World is Such a Dragâ comes from the Copyrights new album, âReportâ. This song is a great continuation of the bouncy rhythms, catchy riffs, and fun lyrics the band does so well. Like every song on the album, âThe World is Such a Dragâ could easily have been the lead single. While it is one of the longer songs on the album, at just about 2.5 minutes, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the typical, off the wall brand of Midwestern pop-punk the band is known for. Be sure to catch these guys on tour and get ready to sing and dance along. [Mat Stokes]
Whirr â âHeavy
The second track to be released from Whirr’s forthcoming album ‘Sway’. A stunning combination of droning, reverb laced guitars, and dreamy, swooning vocals. A welcome return by Whirr after some member changes, and prove once again that they are the best in modern shoegaze/post-punk. [Glen Bushell]
Nathan Detroit â âThe Way Downâ
Nathan Detroit are the most under rated pop-punk in the UK right now. Their ‘Peace Of Mind’ EP, released in August on Saint November, is stacked full of awesome melodies and ‘The Way Down’ is a great three minute jam. [Tom Beck]
Moose Blood â âSwim Downâ
With the release of their debut album âIâll Keep You In Mind From Time To Timeâ just over a month away now, Moose Blood have delivered yet another insight into the record with âSwim Downâ. Continuing with their gritty, emo-punk inspired anthems, âSwim Downâ flaunts Moose Blood at their best. Itâs a love song disguised under a punk persona, an ideal soundtrack for those who want to make out with their girl without having to become a right soppy sod. [Tamsyn Wilce]
Ty Segall â âFeelâ
Ty Segall’s newest record, Manipulator, came out August 26 on Drag City, and “Feel” is a weird, rocking, psychedelic good time of a tune. Ty has been putting out solo record after solo record since 2008, and each one has gone a little deeper into the weird. This fella has a lot of influences, and they’re definitely reflected in his work in a good way. [Sarah Scanlon]
Pay No Respect â âHope For The Hoplessâ
The opener (and title track) of Pay No Respect’s debut In At The Deep End Records release. A four song affair, this lot are as brutal as ever – and flying the flag for UK old-school beatdown. Lovely stuff. [Mike Scott]
Lower Than Altantis â âEnglish Kids In Americaâ
Shamelessly pop-tastic with Duce’s natural awkward edge, it’s a song to get your teeth into. Fun, catchy and lyrics that tell a story, with some epic guitar work thrown in. Accompanied by a tongue in cheek video, badass in all ways, and filmed in Miami with some beautiful cars and on a jumbo jet. This gives us a second teaser that their self-titled new album is going to be bigger and better than ever. [Jess Kempner]
Hacktivist â âFalse Idolsâ
Fresh from opening the main stage at Reading and Leeds 2014, Hacktivist bring us their latest single ‘False Idols’. These guys are definitely one of the most innovative and stand out bands of the last few years. ‘False Idols’ is the perfect combination of a progressive metal sound and rap vocals. [David Burd]
Dikembe – ’24 Karats’
August 1st saw Floridian punks Dikembe release their second album, âMediumshipâ, a piece of work that could very well be the emo record of the year perhaps only challenged by The Hotelier’s ‘Home, Like Noplace Is There’. There’s huge Brand New/SDRE Vibes all over ’24 Karats’ just like the rest of the album, across which you’ll find moving instrumentals aside burdened, high-emotive vocals. [James Fox]
Sick Of It All â âRoad Less Travelledâ
Sick Of It All are back with grunting bass and those searing vocals…so what’s changed? Well, nothing, and there’s no reason to fix something that isn’t broken. More positive hardcore that isn’t overproduced but is cleanly done – the New York four piece are at their thundering best on this track. [Sam Kanal]
Pianos Become The Teeth â âRepineâ
Completing the transformation the Baltimore five-piece started with their Touche Amore split back at the start of 2013, âRepineâ, the first track to be released from Pianos Become The Teethâs forthcoming âKeep Youâ LP, sees them do away with their guttural screams. Instead, the track is built around a beautifully ominous soundscape and metaphor filled brooding lyrics. Few bands succeed in injecting this much emotion into their sound â âRepineâ is five minutes of dark beauty. [Ben Tipple]
Royal Blood â âBetter Strangersâ
Breaking news: Scientists predict global riff shortage as Royal Blood’s dĂ©but has ALL of them. The sweeping calm after a Tsunami of biblical-sounding drums and blues riffs so filthy they’d make Larry Flint blush, there’s something particularly satisfying about album closer âBetter Strangersâ. It all kicks off with a drum intro so laid back it sounds like Ben Thatcher’s about to drop the sticks altogether and just start nodding along, but then Mike Kerr’s stoner-rock influenced riff comes in over the top and what follows is four minutes of swaggering, effortless groove. The aural equivalent of a James Dean lookalike sipping neat scotch in a dimly lit bar while brazenly ignoring the smoking ban. So. Fucking. Cool. [Rob Barbour]
Aspiga â âMy Little Eraserâ
This is pop punk, if pop punk had was snarling and sassy and a little dangerous. ‘My Little Eraser’ is catchy and a little rough around the edges. Let’s all get feisty! [Maryam Hassan]
Bobby Barnett- âDo You Think I’m Happyâ
Taken from his solo acoustic album ‘Little Wounds’, ‘Do You Think I’m Happy’ is as good as you would have expected coming from the Captain, We’re Sinking frontman. At times both delicate and desperately forceful, ‘Do You Think I’m Happy’ is an emotional and cathartic listen. [Clara Cullen]
Darko â âAtlas To Atlantisâ
Is it skate punk? Is it Tech punk? Call it what you will, all that matters is that this is fast and loud and awesome. A combination of face-melting fretwork, rapid fire riffs, and gruff vocals result in melodic hardcore at its best. Taken from their forthcoming ‘Sea Of Trees’ EP, ‘Atlas To Atlantis’ is frenetic, slick, and a perfect introduction to the band. [Chris Hilson]
Haters – ‘Chuck Your Boyfriend (Have A Sandwich)’
First off: what a song title. This track from Haters’ first ever recorded sessions – produced by Gnarwolves’ Thom Weeks – has got true riot grrrl spirit, tapping into lead singer/principal songwriter Jo Olney’s love of that scene, combined with some raw Brighton pop punk. Fans of Candy Hearts, The Tuts and Muncie Girls will love it; Lande Hekt from the latter has already called Haters her ânew favourite bandâ. [Georgina Langford]
Estates â âThe Is A Strange Houseâ
Loud and cohesive, âThis Is a Strange Houseâ from Estatesâ side of their new split with Ourlady is just what you would expect following their incredible self-titled that was released earlier in the year. Estates/Ourlady Split is currently streaming on Idioteq and will be out on Guard Records and Mind over Matter Records September 20th. [Franklin Wallace]
Remember you can listen to all of our Best of… playlists together in one over at our Best of 2014 Spotify Playlist (assuming the tracks are on Spotify).