In this week’s podium of greatness, we have three English bands. Triumphing in our latest Tracks Of The Week tournament, Juliet’s Not Dead – originally from the North East – saw off a worthy challenge from Lancaster’s Massive Wagons, while Torquay-born Kris Barras and his Band took out third place, in the process consigning the entire rest of the globe to ignominy. Like a World Cup that England actually wins, if you like. So congratulations to them all.
By the time you read this, our latest competition will already be underway, with challengers from Greece, New Zealand and the Turkish precinct of Los Angeles challenging the usual Brits and Americans. Enjoy!
Villagers Of Ioannina City – Veneremos
These hard rockers from the North West of Greece combine heavy metal and stoner sensibilities with the traditional flavours and instruments of their homeland. It’s a commanding combination, not least on this title track from their upcoming album. Galloping Iron Maiden-meets-Metallica oomph comes with primal, hypnotic heat, courtesy of old-world Hellenic folk streaks – think heady woodwind screams from Greece’s rugged, mountainous Epirus region. The music video involving castles and cloaked figures also helps, natch.
HOLID4Y – Veridream
2026 is turning into the year of the Rivals Sons solo album, as guitar maverick/moustache-twirler-in-chief Scott Holiday releases this expansive, cinematic first taste of his new solo project (following Jay Buchanan’s Americana-fuelled singer/songwriter fest earlier this year). It’s *not* what you’d expect – in a good way. Opening with 70s prog synth textures, Veridream grows into a psychedelic but hooky adventure. A strange, trippy beauty, paving the way for the full album, Topology, coming later this year.
Split Dogs – Suffer
The UK punk’n’rollers veer into beefier heavy metal territory on this game-raising new single. At first it’s pure heavy-booted Sabbathian doom, but then Harry Martinez starts singing and everything kicks into a bouncier gear, creating a rough-throated, theatrical world of cobwebs and black leather that invites much dancing of the not-cool kind (i.e. the most fun kind). “The song deals with the struggle of letting the past dictate your happiness,” Martinez says, of the personal lyrics here, “but ultimately it’s about taking your power back, knowing your worth, and moving forward.”
Queens Of The Stone Age – Easy Street
Back in our lives with a beautifully weird, catchy swirl of lo-fi alternative sweetness, psychedelia and shadows, QOTSA team Josh Homme’s warmly heartbreaking croon with the countrified harmonies of singer/songwriter Nikki Lane. Built upward from gentle acoustic strumming and hand claps, Easy Street comes with a video cast of oddball characters, and it all gets…well, stuff happens. It’s probably best if you watch it. Tender, dark and ultimately kind of lovely.
Ricky Warwick – Seek Zen Destroy (feat. Phil Collen)
Almighty frontman, voice of Black Star Riders and solo artiste, among other things, Ricky Warwick has always had a way with a tune, and this one’s no exception. A bright yet dirty, strutting rock’n’roller with a touch of Prince under its skin, it features Def Leppard’s Phil Collen on guitar and backing vocals.“I wanted to make an album that captures everything I love about rock’n’roll,” Ricky says of parent album Fire & Vengeance, “its power to bring people together, to make us dance and connect with one another, even in a world that often feels consumed by fire and vengeance. At its core, this record is about finding hope and unity in the chaos.” Amen to that.
Eddie 9V – Blowin’ Up
In our experience, the best country-fried rock’n’roll has an edge to it, a little bit of a dark side, even. Such is the case with Dan Auerbach-produced Atlanta dude Eddie 9V. Yes his name sounds like a battery or piece of gear, but Blowin’ Up is swell – a deliciously greasy, easy-on-the-ear Southern groove machine with a laidback funky blues kick, its musings on breaking through as an artist flipped into an actual, explodey-explodey ‘blowing up’ situation in the video. Fine summer holiday fun.
Powder Chutes – Rivers
We somehow managed to miss this when it came out a couple of weeks back, but we’re putting that right now because Rivers is an absolute beast of a song, driven by the angriest riff you’ll hear this week, the kind of savage, lurching stomp that’ll prompt listeners to check that Godzilla isn’t rampaging through their neighbourhoods. It’s the first new song to emerge from the feisty New Zealanders since last year’s (rather excellent) debut album, and it bodes well for whatever big noise they have lined up next.
Ölüm – Yılan Kadın (Snake Woman)
Ölüm are a Los Angeles-based Turkish psychedelic rock band, so it won’t surprise you to learn that Yılan Kadın (Snake Woman) is both mysterious and exotic, with a video populated almost entirely by extras who appear to have been freighted in from an underground shisha lounge in Istanbul circa 1975. It’s beautifully crafted – melodically as well as aesthetically – with a slinky groove, excellent use of Middle Eastern melodies, and a keyboard player who wears a towering hat.
(LouderSound)
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