Round-up Tracks: Jack White, Fall Out Boy, Sunflower Bean & more

Won’t someone give Jack White a hug? On the basis of ‘Connected By Love’ (if we take its lyrics literally, which, of course, is always a fool’s game, but often a fun one) he’s desperately in love with someone and feels oh-so-bad about it.

Of course, what Jack White does sonically is well-known by now, and ‘Connected By Love’ doesn’t especially turn any of that on its head. He has expanded his palette somewhat - synths! - and things in general sound a little more expansive, and a little less country twang. Still, that pleasingly glitchy guitar remains. Flip side ‘Respect Commander’ is where things get more interesting - and a whole lot stranger. With vocals that kick in curiously late, and what sounds like a looped, skittish drum beat (evoking pal Alison Mosshart’s Kills, no less), it’s closer to an extended jam than anything else, but when paired with its more conventional sibling, does a good job at whetting the proverbial appetite for ‘Boarding House Reach’. (Emma Swann)

After the powerful but polarising ‘Young and Menace’ landed on the internet back in the first half of 2017, Fall Out Boy’s next move could’ve been anyone’s guess. But, as the release of ‘M A N I A’ draws closer, the picture of their next move is become clearer.

Their latest offering - the Castaway-nodding ‘Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)’ - is another example of just how massive the four-piece can sound. A fully-fledged arena anthem, its intro comes peppered with intricate sonics before the driving guitars take over for a soaring chorus and ‘Wilson…’ really steps up a gear. Granted, this isn’t another fiercely divisive ‘Young and Menace’, but it shows that Fall Out Boy are still intent on pushing the limits of intriguing, interesting offerings, even while penning a right banger. (Sarah Jamieson)

Another teaser of Sunflower Bean’s second LP ‘Twentytwo In Blue following November’s ‘I Was A Fool’, ‘Crisis Fest’ is, nominally, about the shit-show that was 2017. It’s also one heck of a bop: the never-ending doom that is the current news cycle has never sounded so good.

“If you hold us back / you know that we can shout,” rallies Julia, half CBGB superstar, half protest chant leader, atop a track that’s more glam rock than a floral sequin suit. Current ear worm, future dance floor filler - second time ‘round, Sunflower Bean are brimming with confidence. (Emma Swann)

It may not be too long until The Xcerts unveil their fourth full-length, but now - with just a few more days to go until it lands on shelves - they’ve unleashed one of ‘Hold On To Your Heart’’s boldest moves yet. While first cut ‘Feels Like Falling In Love’ saw the trio cement their place at the top table of earwormy pop-rock, it’s with ‘Drive Me Wild’ that they feel to have reached their dizzying, nostalgia-imbued highpoint.

Channeling the sort of fist-pumping adrenaline that only Clarence Clemons could summon back in his E Street Days, the opening licks of saxophone feel anything but overwrought here: instead, the sax sends an immediate energy surging through the track. Not all too distant from the wide-eyed gloriousness of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born To Run’ days, ‘Drive Me Wild’ sees The Xcerts channel that feel of an instant classic, all while simultaneously producing a modern rock anthem. (Sarah Jamieson)

Following on from last year’s compilation LP ‘Collection’, Sophie Allison has announced her debut record proper with ‘Your Dog’. And it’s not quite Iggy Pop. “I don’t wanna be your fuckin’ dog,” she opens, perfectly at odds with the sweetest of tones in which it’s sung. It’s these polarising extremes that make Soccer Mommy’s music so appealing, and ‘Your Dog’ such a promising taster of the debut record. Complete with a video in which Allison drags around her dead boyfriend, ‘Your Dog’ is a step up in every sense of the word, and sees Soccer Mommy showing her teeth. (Will Richards)

Tags: Fall Out Boy, Jack White, Sunflower Bean, Listen, Features