In February 2022, Das Kapitans released their double A-sided single ‘Big Muff’/’MTV’. This was the first new material from the UK noise rock/indie punkers since winding up their ambitious twelve albums in twelve months project, but the new tracks showed anything but a slowing down in terms of creativity. ‘Big Muff’, in particular, showed more than enough evidence that the band would be bringing even weightier riffs in the near future.
Tag Archives: indie
RYAN ALLEN – I’m Not Mean (Four By Ryan Allen) EP
When it comes to a Ryan Allen release, it’s never immediately obvious what you’ll get. His brilliant ‘Up Here’ EP from 2019 presented some brilliant punk-edged power pop via a song cycle regarding his divorce; the first of his 2021 releases, ‘What A Rip’ was a guided tour of his various poppier influences, and that year’s second venture, ‘Digital Hiss’, was an exploration of lo-fi, noisier work. That was also cool, but not necessarily what lovers of ‘What A Rip’ would’ve expected…or maybe even wanted.
KEELEY – Echo Everywhere EP
Keeley’s debut EP ‘Brave Warrior’ proved that it was possible for a band to have a retro sound without sounding like a complete throwback to the past. Its four songs had a 90s electronica/dreampop heart, but there was enough about its feel and song writing that felt very contemporary. In terms of alternative pop, it was broad in its appeal, and the praise gained from high profile industry faces like Stuart Maconie and Steve Lamacq was more than deserved.
DAS KAPITANS – Big Muff / MTV
After hitting upon the stupidly ambitious idea to release an album every month, UK noise rock/indie punk band Das Kapitans found themselves insanely busy throughout 2021. Not only did they achieve their goal, but they also left the world with a body of work that was of a much higher quality than such bulk, rush released product would ever suggest. Just using the ‘Fall’ and ‘Happy’ albums to gauge the band’s sound, the quickly amassed catalogue is a treasure trove for lovers of noisy, guitar based rock/punk, with tunes like ‘Boney’ and ‘Cranberry Sauce’ whipping up a very 90s punk sound indebted to Wipers, and the more melodic ‘Blue’ coming across like a supercharged blend of classic Sonic Youth and the more contemporary sounds of the early Arctic Monkeys. Twelve albums is a lot to take in by anyone’s standards, but it’s fair to say you can drop into the dozen pretty much at any point and discover some great, hook driven noise.
CAT DOWLING – Animals
The former vocalist with Irish electronica/alt-pop band Alphastates, Cat Dowling strikes gold on her 2021 release ‘Animals’. With its mix of jangling guitars, occasional dreampop-ish haze and a few busy rhythms, the core of the album’s best material shifts restlessly, but never in a way that seems showy, or ever feels directionless. Most importantly, Cat’s desire to constantly move between moods never detracts from some deftly written songs. Whether at the helm of loud-ish rocky numbers, or lending a sultry vocal to an ambling 90s influenced tune, or even tackling jazzy pop, the performer shines throughout, and her unshakable presence is vital in taking a genuinely mixed bag of tunes and turning that into something that sounds like a complete and coherent listening experience. The vocals are recognisable as being those from the Alphastates singer, but musically, so much of ‘Animals’ is a different beast; if you were feeling flippant, you might consider it a “grown up pop record”, but it’s so much more than that.