Music / new releases
Four new tracks and one album to rock out to
Get those devil’s horns in the air. Good old no-nonsense rock music appears to be having a moment in Bristol.
Music fans looking for soft, emo, Blues or indie, or simply for an unapologetic, no holds-barred rock out – look no further than these new releases.
(Fun fact – the ‘pinky and index finger in the air’ gesture is actually a superstitious sign originating in Italy and designed to ward of evil spirits).
is needed now More than ever
Adult Leisure, The Rules
From the first driving guitar chug right through to the silky smooth vocals and power ballad-esque chorus, the Bristol boys on the rise have produced a soft rock belter likely to provoke emotion-screwed faces and pumped fists.
The single is taken from forthcoming album The Things You Don’t Know Yet, due for release on October 3 ahead of their hometown show at Thekla on October 10.
“Starting off life via an Islands in the Stream-esque voice-note sent in the band WhatsApp back in December of 2023, The Rules is exactly the pop-soaked song Dolly Parton would be losing her mind at,” said vocalist and lyricist Neil Scott.
“We were listening to lots of Blossoms at the time and wanted to write a song from both sides of a relationship on the verge of breaking down. Fast forward to earlier this year, when we were lucky enough to work with the talented Jess Chivers who provided backing vocals on the track, the song and emotions we wanted to capture were truly brought to life. This is our take on the 70s golden era of pop duets.”
Foreign Affairs, The Last Dance
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With crunchy guitars, a bold, high-flying chorus that oozes (misguided?) confidence and hints of Arctic Monkeys, The Last Dance tells the tale of a bank heist gone wrong. It’s the third single taken from the duo’s debut album Brothers, due for release on September 26 on BS7 Record Co.
“The Last Dance was inspired after watching Hell or High Water, a story about two brothers robbing banks across West Texas,” said Lawrence Purnell, who formed the band with his brother Adam in their teens. “I wanted our album to include at least one track that told a bold, cinematic story and this felt like the perfect chance to write a ‘what if’ for me and Adam. Purely fictional, of course…”
Listen here.
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The trio’s latest single follows the release of the well-received You Don’t Need a Sun Tan and comes ahead of their album, planned for release in early 2026.
It’s a straight up belter that captures the all-encompassing experience of teenage love and its “chaotic beauty,” according to vocalist Oli Rainsford: “Dog Days is a love song that lingers on the lattice of a ghostly, nostalgia-drenched wedding dress.
“With teenage love we trick ourselves into thinking that this moment, right now, is all there will ever be. Those years are ones where we find ourselves, who we are, and those first relationships are cornerstones throughout the rest of our lives. Nobody forgets their first love. There’s a nostalgia for the teen years that resonates.”
Oswald Slain, Have You Got What You Came Here For?
Channelling the timeless swagger of retro rock, the single from the band formerly known as Little Thief is a fun, frenetic and tongue-in-cheek track based on their experience playing covers for drunk crowds at ski resorts in the French Alps.
On the inspiration behind the song, Charlie Fitzgerald explained: “Rhii and I spent a couple of months playing in the bars around the French Alps as a little rocky two-piece. It was really fun. Everyone was always super drunk and it was pretty full on.
“The crowd just wanted to sing along and dance after a day skiing on the mountain so we would play songs people knew. Saltburn had just come out and Murder On The Dance Floor was having a major resurgence, so we played a version of that quite a lot.
“I wrote the lyrics to Have You Got What You Came Here For? in the morning after a particularly fun night playing at Cavern bar in Morzine. It’s angsty, rebellious and one of our favourites to play live. It has a stupidly long title and some pretty risqué lyrics. It’s definitely the terrier on the upcoming album.”
It was recorded in the band’s home studio and produced by Mumble Tide’s Ryan Rogers. The album, the band’s debut, will be released on October 24.
Amber Lights, An Ocean Inside
The ambient rock four-piece, who launched their debut album at the Louisiana in August in aid of Frank Water, say the record should be listened to in full: “It explores fundamental questions of the human condition: life, death and the passage of time.
“We really wanted to offer a full end-to-end listener experience. Despite the current creative climate, we wanted to produce a full ten track studio album that presents as a single piece of art. One that can and really ought to be listened to end to end.”
Representing eight years of songwriting, the band have said they are very proud of the record which they recorded and produced at BIMM before self-releasing. Listen to it here.
Main image: Amber Lights
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