The Wedding Present + more across Manchester Academy.
In no particular order:
Youthful Glasgow band who combine the classic punk rock of Ramones/Jonathan Richman and the Mary Chain into razor sharp missives with killer tunes- along with fellow Glaswegians Velveteen Saints they represent a wave of great, fuzzed out, vibrant and totally alive guitar bands who are going to storm it in 2014 if the radio dares to play them
Nottingham scuzzed up council estate duo who sing great words about this disunited kingdom and capture the seething unrest of the times with classic sharp and dark humour. Like John Cooper Clarke on steroids.
Louderthanwar review.
3. Sugermen
Liverpool based teenagers who somehow make the classic guitars against the world formulae sound fresh and alive. Like the jam and the Clash but for this century.
Louderthanwar review.
Like Hawkwind on even more acid. Rubber masked men who make lunatic 4 bass and one drum driven hypnotic mayhem. Sheer genius.
Louderthanwar review.
5. Big Ups
A scrubbed up take on the feral intensity of Black Flag and Minor Threat and yet more proof that hardcore is going back to its roots after the breakthrough of Radkey last year.
The return of GW Sok the former singer and lyric writer for the EX in stunning new outfit made up of various long term players on the Dutch scene.
Louderthanwar review.
7. LUVV
Any band that includes The Chameleons as an influence is certainly worth a listen and Cardiff’s LUVV are not a disappointment. Also nodding to Public Image Limited and Joy Division, there is an insistent guitar sound best exemplified on ‘Us’ on the below link. Wales is a hotbed of emerging talent at the moment and LUVV look set to emerge as a hot new act in 2014.
Louderthanwar review.
8. Throwing Up
Fierce girls who play fuzzed up classic melody punk rock with a touch o girl group tune grandeur thrown in. Released by Tim Burgess on O’Genesis
Louderthanwar review.
9. Gnarwolves – Forever touring melodic pop punkers who regularly sell out 200+ capacity venues despite minimal press.
10. Dirt Box Disco.
At last a UK based punk band who sound like they will go all the way. Great anthemic songs combine with thrilling daft humour and wackoid stage gear for an entertaining ride.
Louderthanwar review.
11. Backhanders
3 gigs in and this Salford band are getting talked about by a lot of people with their semi rapped street songs that sound like classic modern council pop.
12. The Minx
Manc based band who take the sweet end of skinhead pop like the Specials and the redskins and make it sound 21st Century – so versatile they could support Stone Roses or play Rebellion punk festival and tie up all the loose ends.
Louderthanwar review.
13. Sweet Benfica
We reviewed their phenomenal EP earlier in the year and this year are expecting big things from the South Wales brothers who channel the most authentic of lofi Americana.
14. Cult Leader
Newly signed to Deathwish, Cult Leader feat three-quarters of Gaza, arguably one of the best metallic bands of the last decade.
15. Henry Blacker
New band feat members of Hey Colossus (whose Cuckoo Live Life Like Cuckoo snuck into Louder Than War’s #aoty list at no. 150)
16. Deja Vega
From the ashes of Louder Than War label signings Deadbeat Echoes who supported the Charlatans, 2014 should be big for Deja Vega.
17. Cretin 77
Intense and magnetic punk rock from Corby- currently the most punk rock town in the UK.
Louderthanwar review.
18. Ecstasy
‘They remind us a little of Delphic. A bit like Depeche Mode (the early years when Vince was with them) and would probably be liked by those currently swooning over the aural delights of Chvrches. They make you feel like you do when you hear the Pixies.’
Louderthanwar review.
19. Drowners
Their name gives it away for the Brooklyn based band whose love of Suede and Britpop is all over their music.
20. Silent Front
Longish running band but their imminent new album should see them break out into if not the mainstream then at least as close to the mainstream as a band rocking the spirit of such noise rock pioneers such as Shellac and The Jesus Lizard can get.
21. Diesel Drums – two guitars and a rhythm section makes for some traditional rock n roll sounds from London band – https://dieseldrums.bandcamp.com/album/taller-than-stories-single-3.
22. Gold Codes
Afrobeat / indie band from Derby. Debut single Feverfew available for download now – https://goldcodes.bandcamp.com/track/feverfew.
23. Escape to New York
Another Derby band who have really stepped up their game with recent single Growing Pains – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roScQl-tIvQ.
24. The Unsemble
(members of Tomahawk, Einstürzende Neubaten, Silver Jews) release debut album this year.
25. Delaplains
Classic Manc guitar pop with that lightness of touch that made the early Roses so classic.
Louderthanwar review.
PART 2 of top 50 new bands for 2014 is here.
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Are Silent Front twice as good as the others?