If It's Too Loud...

With the runaway popularity of Wet Leg, it makes sense that we'd start hearing more bands from Isle of Wright. If Isle of Wright is going to be the next Seattle, Reminders are a great new addition. Their latest single, "Post Paris Blues," isn't the kind of music that we'd normally associate with England. Instead, it sounds more like southern California's finest skate punk or mall punk, but with a British accent which gives it a new kind of bratty edge. Notice that I didn't call it pop punk. Although there are definitely pop hooks with "Post Paris Blues," I can't call it pop punk with a good conscience. This is a great fun song, and a great debut for a band that could be primed to be next to explode. Frontman Leo Dyke says of the new song: "This song came about because I was unhappy with a girlfriend at the time, and I saw an Instagram post from a girl I used to see and her new boyfriend in Paris. I guess at the time I wished I were him, ...

Personally, I'm going to listen to any song called "Ghost" in October, so it's a huge plus when the song is great. Yarraman's new song is a classic early indie/punk rock track that could double as a Masterclass in the whole loud/quiet/loud dynamic. It's a slow burn that is festering in intensity. At times it's truly discordant, and at others it has the subtle beauty of an Explosions in the Sky song. Mostly, it's reminiscent of bands like Rites of Spring and Fugazi but with a strong British feel.  Vocalist Lucian Huxley Smith explains the meaning of the song: ‘“Ghost” is about the imbalance in gendered discourses and the perceived need of toxic men to centre themselves in the discussion. It posits questions of ‘masculine’ behaviour and asks to what extent it is possible for well-meaning men to disentangle themselves from the toxic cultures in which they were brought up." You can listen to "Ghost" below. The song is available now as a sing...