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yes that’s right, news time! a short selection of links to all things going on in the music biz:

i didn’t say anything. i didn’t say anything! i didn’t say anything, anyway, film is expensive

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, the people yearn for lcd soundsystem, but in the meantime, this hits pretty hard

some singers have voices that make you reevaluate opening your mouth when that’s the competition

genre: rock, experimental
release date: 30/01/26
runtime: 3:41
video: yes 🙂 → watch

i need to tell you all something this week. i’ve been ill. sick. down and struggling. some might even say gross as i’ve been lying horizontal in bed sick as can be. i’m currently halfway through a stack of antibiotics from a cupboard labelled ‘the good stuff’ that’s getting me to the other side, but it felt pretty gnarly for a hot second there. so quell my frickin surprise when i’m scanning through the song submissions in our little community database we have going on, and there’s a track in here making fun of me. poking fun at this lil newsletter writer. let me tell you i took it personally. unfortauntely, it only went downhill from there. you see, the song itself? is pretty frickin banging. it’s by a band called my first time who are all of a sudden working their way into one of my new favourite acts, and this song took over this weeks newsletter while making it look easy. so do yourself a favour no matter how you feel, check it out and let’s get into why it rocked my socks.

this song mixes together a pair of elements that make it absolutely land. unfortauntely i have to be honest, a big first component are the intangibles. the certain juice that this brings to the table in a certain strange bowl. ‘is that bubbling’ you ask it as it stares you in the eyes. you see, the performances here in particular from the vocalist hit that note of musically rtalented and excellently performed, but more importantly delivered with the full force of an artist with something to say. this is a performer bursting through the speakers you’re listening to desperate to tell you what they think whether you wantt o hear it or not. it’s only made all the more powerful by the personal and frankly, funny lyrics leading you by the hand into the world of this songwriter. the dry wit and easy rhyming made all the more endearing by the beautiful retention of the singers accent. no faux middle american here. all of this energy sits gently and congruently on top of a fuzzing ball of even more energy in the instrumentation. the break beats, aggressive repetitive guitar riffs and occaisonal sirens set a groovy scene unrepentant in it’s character and energy. all of this, all of it, is made all the better by the tiniest of bridge moments hitting in at 2:34. that little moment of melody and breathing serving as an eye of the storm to contextualise all the drama it punctuates.

that bridge was such a highlight it makes me a bit sad that the final chorus that comes in afterwards didn’t take things to a new level. it is more of a return to form afterwards instead of using that little repose as an opportunity to coil like a little spring and go kerchow. better luck next time i guess!

it just, it is quite funny that i’m just so sick, and this is so sick, and in completely different ways

after a little hunt, i got stuck listening to this track by swim school which i freaking love. it’s not as kinda indie grunge in the same way as this, it’s slightly different, but it sounds so good i tihnk you’ll forgive me

putting my pin in this one. like seriously, i know i often will give a nod to an artist in some way and be like oh i think they’re good and they’ve got big things coming. not so gentle here this time, this band are absolutely trucking and you heard it here first. check the date, that’s the day you found them, that’s the day we found them, and it’s right before they blow the f up and i can’t wait.