PVRIS – Heaven
PVRIS are back, then. And they’re no less brilliantly dark, either. ‘Heaven’ is the natural step on from their brilliant debut ‘White Noise’ – arms to the sky euphoria blasting out from the shadows. It’s smart, modern pop and counter culture rock in the same breath, proving at the end of the day attitude is everything.
Paramore – Told You So
Paramore’s new era continues in glorious technicolour. Following on from the lightning shock of ‘Hard Times’ comes the equally tingly ‘Told You So’. Another pineapple slice of tropical beats, it’s got a math-roc-at-the-beach-bar chorus and that trademark upbeat music / melancholy lyrics juxtaposition pinned to its chest. With less than a week until ‘After Laughter’, Paramore feel like the most exciting band on the planet right now.
Demob Happy – Dead Dreamers
Demob Happy are back with a new single, and they’re more than welcome. Packing a sweeping sandstorm that nods to Queens of the Stone Age on its way past, they’re still their own band. They’re off on tour with The Cribs soon, but ‘Dead Dreamers’ hints at bigger things still to come.
Don Broco – Pretty
After conning us into coming to a wedding that never happened, Don Broco are making it up with the first taster of their next album. ‘Pretty’ sees the band taking a sharp turn from the rolled up sleeves and Maimi Vice neons of Automatic. This time round there’s riffs and grooves, falsettos and fire. Their second surprise of the week, then.
Best Ex – Girlfriend
Candy Hearts are no more. Mariel Loveland is rebranding, and Best Ex sound fabulous. ‘Girlfriend’ – the first taster of a new EP – sparkles with possibilities. Under that previous moniker there was always the sparkle of a hidden pop gem, but here it’s been unearthed and polished up for all to see, mounted on a shiny ring. We’re glittering.
State Champs – Hurry Up And Wait
State Champs do pop punk bangers, so with the deluxe version of their most recent album ‘Around The World And Back’ dropping it should be no surprise to anyone that they’re packaging yet another with it. ‘Hurry Up And Wait’ does no such thing, launching itself head first into the fray. You’d expect nothing less.
Free Throw – Better Have Burn Heal
The second track to be taken from full-length ‘Bear Your Mind’, set for release on 26th May, ‘Better Have Burn Heal’ matches lyrics of pain with soaring catharsis. “‘Better Have Burn Heal’ is a song about my struggles with body image and body dysmorphia,” says lead singer Cory Castro. “I’ve struggled with the way I feel about myself for quite some time and writing about it finally made sense. I tried to write the song in a way that anyone who has ever felt uncomfortable in their own skin can relate to. I’m still learning to love myself and I hope this song can help people who are on that same path to know that they aren’t alone in that journey.”
