Weekly Alt-Rock /Indie Reviews

[dh-nufc]

As well as being seriously interest in sport and video games, I'm a huge fan of Alt-Rock/pop/Indie music. I though I'd list some of my favourite music new and old each week with the idea that like minded music lovers will discover some new bands and maybe even people who don't normally listen to this genre will find something completely new.

Hot New Bands
Circa waves - formed in Liverpool, England in 2013, I'd describe their music as upbeat melodic pop/rock.

Albums
Circa Waves released their debut album 'Young Chasers' in early 2015. This was my album of the summer and being British that really means this was my album of my 2 week holiday in sunny Spain!


Songs
There isn't a bad song on their debut album, it cracks a long at a fast pace and never really slows down.
Most famous song - T-Shirt Weather is their most played song on Spotify (12 million listens)
My favourite song - so difficult to choose but I'd probably go for 'So long'

Tours
Currently touring the United States, wish I could go and see them!!!!


One you might have missed
The Shins - American indie guitar pop band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, formed in 1996. I only discovered The Shins last year but I became obsessed quite quickly by their debut album 'Oh, Inverted World'. The band are still together but have not released an album since 2012. The lead singer, James Mercer has a unique but melodic voice, some of the lyrics are crazy yet brilliant.

Albums
The Shins had released 4 albums but by far my favourite is their debut, 'Oh, Inverted World' released in 2001


Songs

Most famous song - 'New slang' which features on their debut album and has 45 million listens on Spotify and was prominently featured in the film 'Garden State'
My favourite song - as well as 'New Slang' I love 'Girl Inform Me' also from the debut album.

Tours
I can't find any active tours


The Famous
Oasis - I could not start this weekly(If anyone likes it  ) feature without mentioning my favourte band of all time. Without Oasis I doubt I would have my love for this music and I even doubt that alot of the music I love would have ever been produced. I've never met anyone who doesn't have an opinion on Oasis, they seem to be loved and hated in equal measure. Growing up to their early music was inspiring and seing them live is something i'll never forget.
For those who have not heard of Oasis(I'm sure there are a few) they were formed in Manchester in 1991 with brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher being the forefront of the band. They shot to fame in 1994 and were the forerunners with Blur of Brit Pop. Oasis split up around 6 years ago but there is hope that they will be re-united.

Albums
Oasis released 7 studio albums and it's concidered that their first two are superier, I certainly agree.
Definetly Maybe was released in 1994, (What's The Story) Morning Glory? in 1995. If you've written off Oasis without giving them a real try of have never heard their music then I urge you to give these albums a good listen. For me they are timeless.


Songs

Most famous song - 'Wonderwall' found on 'What's The Story', Wonderwall has had 125 million listens on Spotify(Note that Most Oasis songs have only been on spotify for the last couple of years)
My favourite song - Slide Away, Live Forever, Supersonic, Cigarettes and Alcohol, Some Might Say, Don't Look back in Anger, Morning Glory, Champagne Supernova, Masterplan, Rockin' Chair, Little by Little, The Importance of being Idle, The Shock of the lightening.  Sorry i couldn't name JUST 1!!!! 

Tours
I wish

[dh-nufc]

Due to lack of interest and lack of time I didn't get one done last week and can only briefly do one this week but here goes -

Hot New Bands
Drowners - from New York/Wales

Albums
Self title debut album which was out in 2014. My favourite debut album since Kings of Leon back in 2003

Songs
Pure pleasures is probably my favourite



One you might have missed
The Verve - long career where they have been split up as often as together.

Albums
Loyal fans will probably disagree but my favourite album was the one which game them most success - Urban Hymns which was released back in 1997. In my top 5 albums of all time

Songs
Bitter Sweet Symphony, Sonnet, Lucky Man and my own personal favourite 'Space and Time'

The Famous
The Arctic Monkeys - my favourite current band. They have changed so much over the years from cheeky energetic kids to rockers with style. Alex Turner is one of my musical hero's, my son is part named after him.

Albums
Their recent album, AM is amazing!!
Their Debit album - Whatever People Say I am, That’s What I'm Not


Songs
R U Mine? Do I Wanna Know? Mardy Bum

Go out and listem i've you've not given them a chance already.

[mrooola]

Nice. Missed this last time around and although I have lost touch a tad on what's new and trendy, this is definetly home turf for me. I'm more into the pop part of the scale.

My 5 most played artists at the moment (added with a song for reference):
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams
Right Away, Great Captain - We Were Made Out of Lightning
Kite - True Colours
Luke Temple - More Than Muscle
Active Child - Hang On

[dh-nufc]

Hey mrooola, glad you liked it. I've not heard of any of the bands you've listed but I'll give them a listen and see what I think!

[mrooola]

I really liked drowners. Very strokes/Franz fredinandish and after a bit of thinking I suspect that my tips might not be what you normally listen to, but do check them out and let me know what you think.

I guess though you are more of a muse or Bombay bicycle club type of guy (to name something not already mentioned) and I'm more of a the national type of guy.

If so, let me know and I'll see what I have in store

[dh-nufc]

Glad you like drowners, I was crazy about them when I first heard the album last year. You're absolutely right about the bands I like but I do like the National too and Editors, white lies etc. I will give your suggestions a try still.

[dh-nufc]

By the way, the whole point of this thread was to spread the word and the fact that one person has discovered  one band on my list means it was worth doing!

[dh-nufc]

Something a little different this week.
Here's my 2015 top 40(Okay 39!!) Alt-Rock/Pop. Let me know if I missed anything good -
1 Noel Gallaghers                  High Flying Birds Chasing Yesterday
2 Circa Waves                       Young Chasers
3 The Wombats                     Glitterbug
4 The Strypes                         Little Victories
5 Editors                                 IN DREAM
6 Mallory Knox                        Asymmetry
7 Drenge                                 Undertow
8 Mumford & Sons                  Wilder Mind
9 Bad Suns                             Language & Perspective
10 Dexters                              We Paid for Blood
11 Muse                                  Drones
12 Little Comets                     Hope is Just a State of Mind
13 Young Guns                      Ones and Zeros
14 The Libertines                    Anthems For Doomed Youth
15 The Maccabees                 Marks to prove it
16 Everything Everything       Get to Heaven
17 Foals                                 What Went Down
18 Diamond Youth                 Nothing Matters
19 Brandon Flowers              The Desired Effect
20 Wolf Alice                          My Love is Cool
21 Life on Film                       Here it Comes
22 Slaves                               Are You Satisfied?
23 Don Broco                         Automatic(Deluxe)
24 Frank Turner                     Positive Songs For Negative People
25 Young Buffalo                   House
26 The Bohicas                     The Making OF
27 OK Social Club                 Baby Eat Your Heart Out
28 The Charlatans                 Modern Nature
29 The View                          Ropewalk
30 The Vaccines                    English Graffiti
31 Black Black Hills               Black Black Hills
32 Imagine Dragons             Smoke + Mirrors
33 Spector                             Moth Boys
34 Of Monster and Men        Beneath The Sun
35 Peace                              Happy People
36 Stereophonics                  Keep The Village Alive
37 Nothern Faces                 Nothern Faces
38 The Cribs                         For All My Sisters
39 Palma Violets                  Danger in the Club

[mrooola]

Nice. At the end of the year or early January I usually put together a top 100ish list. Not sure if I'll get around to it this year.
You don't happen to be a spotify user? Would love to listen to your list but I can't be arsed to check them all 1 by 1. Some really nice tunes in there so I don't want to miss out

[mav78]

Cool mate 37 now so it's a been a while since I kept up with music. I have Spotify now though kinda reinvigorated my interest

[dh-nufc]

Yeah I have Spotify, that's how I get to listen to so much stuff. I'll see if I can put a playlist together

37 Mark? That's no excuse. I'm 40 on Monday. I don't know much in the charts, only what my 8 year old plays but I like to keep up with all new music in this genre.

[jtcurrent]

Nice posts...diggin it. Recently found The National. Their album Trouble Will Find Me completely grew on me. Dark and melodic. Also, for a little Indie Folk check out Brown Bird. Just thought I'd contribute with some recent finds, for me.

[mav78]

I miss the days of buying 4 music mags a week lol. My misses keeps up to date with modern music so I'm resigned to her play list anyway! London grammar i like of late the first song off their album is a new fav

[dh-nufc]

Dec 19, 2015 10:22:13 GMT -5 jtcurrent said:

Nice posts...diggin it. Recently found The National. Their album Trouble Will Find Me completely grew on me. Dark and melodic. Also, for a little Indie Folk check out Brown Bird. Just thought I'd contribute with some recent finds, for me.

Yeah, The National are really good. Will check out Brown Bird

[mrooola]

Dec 18, 2015 7:53:40 GMT -5 dh-nufc said:

Something a little different this week.
Here's my 2015 top 40(Okay 39!!) Alt-Rock/Pop. Let me know if I missed anything good -
1 Noel Gallaghers                  High Flying Birds Chasing Yesterday
2 Circa Waves                       Young Chasers
3 The Wombats                     Glitterbug
4 The Strypes                         Little Victories
5 Editors                                 IN DREAM
6 Mallory Knox                        Asymmetry
7 Drenge                                 Undertow
8 Mumford & Sons                  Wilder Mind
9 Bad Suns                             Language & Perspective
10 Dexters                              We Paid for Blood
11 Muse                                  Drones
12 Little Comets                     Hope is Just a State of Mind
13 Young Guns                      Ones and Zeros
14 The Libertines                    Anthems For Doomed Youth
15 The Maccabees                 Marks to prove it
16 Everything Everything       Get to Heaven
17 Foals                                 What Went Down
18 Diamond Youth                 Nothing Matters
19 Brandon Flowers              The Desired Effect
20 Wolf Alice                          My Love is Cool
21 Life on Film                       Here it Comes
22 Slaves                               Are You Satisfied?
23 Don Broco                         Automatic(Deluxe)
24 Frank Turner                     Positive Songs For Negative People
25 Young Buffalo                   House
26 The Bohicas                     The Making OF
27 OK Social Club                 Baby Eat Your Heart Out
28 The Charlatans                 Modern Nature
29 The View                          Ropewalk
30 The Vaccines                    English Graffiti
31 Black Black Hills               Black Black Hills
32 Imagine Dragons             Smoke + Mirrors
33 Spector                             Moth Boys
34 Of Monster and Men        Beneath The Sun
35 Peace                              Happy People
36 Stereophonics                  Keep The Village Alive
37 Nothern Faces                 Nothern Faces
38 The Cribs                         For All My Sisters
39 Palma Violets                  Danger in the Club

Although I don't agree on your list (Who ever does when it comes to music?) there are some real solid albums on here. Editors IN DREAM is probably my favorite album of the year. I didn't know Of Monsters and Men had released a new album, so I'm very excited about that. I really enjoyed My Head is an Animal and Your Bones from that album was my Top song pick of 2012. Others that I liked on your list is Drenge (new to me), Mumford and Sons (eventhough I do feel they are starting to sound like a broken record), Little Comets, Maccabees, Everything Everything, Foals, Young Buffalo, The OK Social Club, The Charlatans (Had no idea they still existed) and Vaccines. Still have a few unknowns to listen to. Thnx for sharing!