There’s something special about bands that capture the very soul of their homeland, whether it’s Americana artists embodying the sparseness of the desert or surf rock bands sharing the playfulness of the waves. Swedish band Woods End are one of the finest examples of this that I have ever come across. With ‘Lanterns/Allhelgona’ they paint a scene of the frozen north at twilight. The sparse folk arrangement conjures an image of somewhere isolated and at the mercy of nature, the harmonies rise and fall like they are echoing across the frozen expanse for only the mountains and forests to hear. The haunting melancholy of this track has a timeless feel, like it has been shared by the fireside for as long as there have been people to sing it. There’s an ancient magic at work here, as this song draws you in and you find yourself never wanting to leave.
top tracks
Top Tracks: Edenthorn – Mind Like A Minefield
Some sounds are just built to last. The tried and tested alt rock approach of Durham quartet Edenthorn tears it up with simple yet solid riffs, proving that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel just so long as you give it everything you’ve got to compensate. ‘Mind Like A Minefield’, taken from their new album Exist out 20th April, certainly doesn’t hold back. The driving intro riff is reminiscent of Metallica while the whirlwind solo has Pearl Jam written all over it. The energy of this track alone is more than enough to make this worth your time, but the lyrics take this song to another level. Dealing with the trials within that many of us face on a daily basis, fighting against your own thoughts as you overthink every little detail. This song perfectly captures that feeling and at the same times makes you feel like you can one day overcome it.
Top Tracks: The Martyn Crocker Band – Everything They Want and More
In this more politically aware time that we find ourselves in, it’s easy to forget that for most people it isn’t about drawing battle lines or making moves on a chess board, for most of us it’s simply about keeping on keeping on in the hope that brighter days are on the way. With this latest single Belwood favourite Martyn Crocker and his new band have perfectly captured the struggle; slaving away to make ends meet while those at the top live the high life, all the while wondering how long this crooked system can last. From the slick production to the trenchant lyricism, Martyn has really upped his game with this uncompromising indie powerhouse. ‘Everything They Want and More’ is the kind of track that everyone, no matter their background, can unite behind as they commit to moving towards a better future, one step at a time.
Top Tracks: Andy Cook – Swirl
This is just the track that your roadtrip playlist has been missing. The latest single from Minneapolis based singer/songwriter Andy Cook is sure to set off your wanderlust and leave you longing for adventure. ‘Swirl’, taken from his upcoming EP Modern Man out 13th April, is about being stuck in a digital age and the burnout that comes with maintaining the online facade of a perfect life and being surrounded by people doing exactly the same thing. It’s fitting then that this Americana gem compels you to leave all that overthinking behind and just hit the open road with ‘Swirl’ as your sole companion. Opening with hints of the Grateful Dead’s ‘Touch of Grey’, and culminating in guitar work reminiscent of The War On Drugs, this is the most enthralling example of Americana I’ve heard thus far this year.
Top Tracks: Harry Pane – Beautiful Life
The latest single from this London based singer/songwriter may seem on paper like your typical folk fare, but there’s some subtle and indescribable quality to it that makes it stand out like some shimmering mirage off in the distance. Musically this new release from Harry Pane feels like the soundtrack to some lone gunslinger treading a solitary path through the desert, walking away from the problems of the past and letting them fade like footprints in the sand. Lyrically however ‘Beautiful Life’ focuses not on the past, but on the new day waiting over the horizon. It is a song that treasures all the little things in life that offer a glimmer of hope and joy, those little moments that help get you through today and give you reason to look forward to tomorrow.
Top Tracks: Canshaker Pi – Put A Record Out
If you’re looking for a song to get you fired up, the kind that ignites a feeling of pure electricity running through your veins, then do I have a treat for you! The latest single from Amsterdam based quartet Canshaker Pi firmly ticks that box. ‘Put A Record Out’, taken from their upcoming sophomore album Naughty Naughty Violence out this May, channels Sonic Youth in their prime, as well as boasting hints of The Damned and Joy Division. These frenetic slacker rock firebrands are equal parts are equal parts rowdy and playful on this track, treading a perfect balance between the raw lo-fi sound of classic alternative rock and the kind of wily little flourishes that give the band a brazen charm that stands out from the crowd. This is a great taster of what one of the best indie acts in mainland Europe can do.
Top Tracks: Some Villains – The Skin
This new track from Somerset alt rockers Some Villains is an absolute beast. The driving drum beat and chugging riffs sound like some unseen creature pursuing you through the undergrowth, culminating in a raw, snarling guitar solo as it surges forth from the darkness and goes in for the kill. Lyrically the new single, taken from their upcoming EP Outliers out 16th March, deals with how something that has been broken can never really be the same again. The wound may heal but the scars remain, though they give us a chance to learn from our mistakes and move forward. We are all broken in some form, but it should never be enough stop you from picking up the pieces and building towards a better future.
Top Tracks: FINNO – Do Not Move
The revolution of the youth is nigh, and tempestuous trio FINNO have come out with all guns blazing on their dauntless debut single ‘Do Not Move’. With young people leading the charge for a better society on both sides of the Atlantic, and showing a damn sight more common sense than most of those in government, it stands to reason that their ire seeps through into the medium of music. With a heavy stomp like some encroaching doom, sly snaking guitar solos to lure you in deeper, and lyrical visions of a world lost to hate, ‘Do Not Move’ is like the scrappy younger sibling of Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’. It’s an unflinching mission statement of a new band eager to leap into the fray and fight the good fight for what they believe in, and I’m eager to see what their next salvo has in store.
Top Tracks: Aphrose – Move On
They say that the best revenge you can enact against those who wronged you is simply to get up, dust yourself off, and live your best life irregardless. That is just the scene depicted in the new single ‘Move On’ from Canadian artist Aphrose. With her smooth soaring vocals and the understated instrumentation, it recalls the golden age of soul when a great voice was something that you felt as much as heard. ‘Move On’ is as much a message to the one who hurt her to say that living with their actions and seeing themselves for who they really are is punishment enough, as it is a reminder to herself, and anyone listening, that you can’t let loss, regret and anger hold you back. There’s always a chance for new life to bloom from the ashes given the proper care and nurturing, likewise there is always happiness to be found for those that learn from the past and grow as person.
Top Tracks: Kindo – Return To Me
After what feels like forever, The Reign Of Kindo are finally back with new music (albeit with a shortened name), and it’s like they never left. Bringing together sultry smooth jazz, dazzling prog intricacies and spellbinding pop melodies, their incomparable signature sound feels just as fresh as ever. This new offering ‘Return To Me’ depicts creative inspiration as an absent lover, and deals with the paranoia of her not returning. Clearly their muse isn’t going anywhere as they are on fire as usual on this track, proving to be the very epitome of slick and precise. With a new record entitled Happy However After due for release this spring, Kindo have just shot up to the top of my list of most anticipated albums of the year. If the rest of the record is as good as then it’ll have all been worth the long wait!
Belwood Music 