A quarter of a century ago, Modesty Blaise released a self titled album full of retro pop gems that took cues from various touchstones from the past, including The Beach Boys and The Zombies, and recycled them with love. A second record, ‘Melancholia’ improved on the formula, and at its best, the record flaunted a huge budget and equally big hooks. In terms of that kind of musical pilfering, Jellyfish became absolutely worshipped in the power pop community, and by comparison, Modesty Blaise have sort of become also-rans. That deserves to change.
Category Archives: News
Watch: Le Mur share new video for explosive new track ‘Porno’
Spanish band Le Mur sound like a force of nature on their current single ‘Porno’. With immediate effect, the arrangement introduces a slow, heavy riff that mixes the tones of post metal with a grungy undertone, bringing out the very best in Pedto’s aggressive tones.
Watch: Vancouver pop punks Chief State share new video for ‘April Showers’
At the end of 2025, the release of the ‘No Brakes’ single found Vancouver’s Chief State in great form. Sounding like a tribute to the melodic punk sounds of the late 90s, the track fused the thunderous rhythmic qualities of peak No Use For A Name with the poppier edges of Sum 41, utilising strong harmony vocals throughout. Although a really melodic chorus should’ve been the track’s best feature, the already impressive performance boasted an even better middle eight where the pop punk riffs gave way to something a little sharper, showing how tight the band’s rhythm section could be.
Watch: Kill The Silence share new video for ‘The Final Word’
In terms of blending metal subgenres, Kill The Silence’s current single ‘The Final Word’ makes a bold statement. The track’s very heavy intro fuses the sheer force of groove metal with the complexity of prog, resulting in something that appears to pull in different directions, yet sounds incredibly tight.
Caïman shares new acoustic track ‘sans tricher’
Marking the end of a three year silence, singer songwriter Caïman released the wonderful ‘Dreams Are A Way To See Dead People Again’ in June 2025. The low key track blended indie, pop and dream pop elements in a way that helped to bring out the best in a light, melodic vocal, making it easy to hear why some had dubbed the performer “the French Marika Hackman”. It was an absolutely fantastic return.