GURT – Survival Of The Shittest EP

Gurt’s ‘Satan, etc.’ release from 2024 showcased a band who were unafraid of coupling absolutely devastating riffs with a sense of fun. Unlike some of their more frivolous forebears, however, the bulk of Gurt’s best material didn’t rely on being a novelty – it could be enjoyed purely on face value, and through the greatness of its arrangements. Two years on, the self-proclaimed “party doom” outfit’s ‘Survival of The Shittest’ EP works a similar trick. A huge sense of force can be heard driving almost every riff – heavy enough to crush skulls, yet still accessible in a way that might attract the less committed doom fan.

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MUCK AND THE MIRES – Beat Revolution

In 2004, at a time when half the world was hopped up on the sounds of the Franz Ferdinand debut and Arcade Fire’s ‘Funeral’ (an album the Canadian band have never bettered), and at a time when Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ was making inroads into being a best seller, somewhere in the wilds of Boston, Muck and The Mires were making garage rock noises for a much smaller audience. Not that the love poured into the tunes on their ‘Beginner’s Muck’ LP was any the lesser; the energy on that record spoke for itself, and the band’s love of Flamin’ Groovies and other retro fare propelled them forward, subsequently making stronger albums whilst retaining admiration from the underground power pop fans.

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GATHER THE LOST – Silver Lining

Gather The Lost first started making waves online in 2022 with their digital single ‘Alone’, released to streaming services not long after the band first formed. Although the song wasn’t particularly striking on a musical level – a barrage of jangling chords on the verse and an overdriven riff on the chorus shared a huge love of 90s alternative sounds – it was clear that in Carolyn Dunne, they had a very distinctive vocalist. Throughout the four minute number, she used her voice as a powerful tool, shifting from dark croon to full cry, capable of huge volume, but also capable of sharing a truly emotive tone that didn’t quite sound like anyone else.

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MARTYRS – The Church Street EP

Towards the end of 2025, Welsh indie band Martyrs released the ‘Halloween Dream’ EP, a release that incorporated bits of 70s rock, light psychedelia and a host of drum loops that conveyed more of an influence from electronica. This created a cornucopia of sound that appeared to never settle, and in that respect – and especially with the presence of a lax vocal – the material showed influence from fellow Welsh band Super Furry Animals. If that somehow got missed on the band’s self-penned numbers, a trippy cover of ‘The Man Don’t Give A Fuck’ was on hand to make it very clear. Although short, ‘Halloween Dream’ was a release that more than suggested Martyrs would share more great music in the future.

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THE CHELSEA CURVE – The Rideout

Those keeping a close watch over the Boston music scene in a post-lockdown era will certainly be aware of The Chelsea Curve. Vocalist Linda Pardee and her band have really carved out a niche in feel good sounds, blending the hooks of the early 80s power pop bands with a mod driven feeling of power. Their short and sharp approach has delivered lots of superb sounding chorus oriented numbers that revel in their love of recycling the past, yet never sound stale.

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