News This Week In New Music (18th January 2014)

As this week’s Tracks feature will testify, there was an endless amount of new music stampeding into the scene. Tracks from Adult Jazz, Primitive Parts, Young Fathers, Blood Cultures all contributed to one of the busiest weeks in recent memory. Liverpool student Lapsley became a star overnight with her ‘Station’ video, Flagland arrived fronting a 20-track album that could easily take next month by storm, Francis Lung continued to show himself up as a dynamic songwriter full of surprises, and The Magic Gang fulfilled early potential with the sinister ‘Shallow’. There’s plenty to dig into, but we’ve picked out our favourite three moments from the past 7 days, ranging from debut television performances to expectation-defying singles.

Here’s the best of what happened this week in new music:

TRACK OF THE WEEK
Thumpers - Galore


If there’s one word that neatly epitomises everything brilliant about Thumpers, it’s ‘Galore’. Ok, so ‘superfunplexextravaganza’ might’ve been slightly more suitable, but it doesn’t roll off the tongue. From the first second onwards, this title track on the band’s debut album is a glistening, glitter-doused, 100mph race into the gleeful pop heavens. There’s no endpoint to Thumpers’ perfectly-applied excitability, and there’s every reason to believe ‘Galore’, when it eventually lands, will arrive as the absolute album of the summer.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
The Orwells - Who Needs You (Live on Letterman)


The best aspect about The Orwells’ US television debut was the immediate aftermath. Just like when the Chicago Strokes-channellers arrived on Jools, they were met with a 50/50 split in opinion. Half consider Mario Cuomo to be the biggest dickhead to front a band this side of Tom from Kasabian, the other half consider him to be some self-coined saviour of rock’n’roll. Youtube comments range from ‘Why does the singer act retarded and drunk’ to ‘absolutely mental, love these guys.’

The writhing around on the floor, the pelvic thrusts? Yeah, it’s crass. It’s uncomfortable to watch because he’s a hairy devil, the physical manifestation of a grizzly hangover. But then comes the realisation that he’s fronting sharp, all-encompassing rock music, steeped in NYC-circa-2000 references but capable of having a similar impact over 10 years to the good. Letterman was impressed - more than impressed; he practically asked them to become a regular fixture on the show.

DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK
Psychedelic Black


This would’ve gone to Yumi Zouma based on their new ‘The Brae’ track. But the New Zealand-raised, Paris via New York trio arrived on the scene a few months back, and they nearly stole Thumpers’ track of the week thunder, too. At it stands, Psychedelic Black is a completely new prospect, although the mind behind the madness is Logan Hyde, and he’s had experience in previous solo guises (Hypno Safari) as well as playing in Youth Lagoon. This new start is heralded by ‘Melting’, a quick-witted tye-died affair that wears retro influences on its sleeve. Perhaps Psychedelic Black is the US equivalent of Temples; shamelessly nostalgic and totally incapable of writing a duff song. What begins as a merry old ride through the ‘60s soon morphs into a Tame Impala aping juggernaut, riffs striking like bolts of lightning.