Category: Music

Fancy getting fucked up this Christmas? Let’s face it, that’s what the Christmas spirit is about for most of us – an excuse to get wasted. Fuck it, it’s Christmas, let’s double the excess and ballbags to the consequences.

Big fat Canadian punk fuckers Fucked Up have got themselves into the Christmas spirit with a cheeky little single called ‘David Christmas‘ – ‘take heed of the brightest star shining in the sky, take heed of the arrival of the three men oh so wise’ they scream in true punk rock fashion, successfully bringing the spirit of Christmas to the bleak and cynical world of hardcore punk. Better still, ‘David Christmas‘ is a cracking slice of Fucked Up’s stomping street-hardcore sound.

The B-side is even better and features answer messages from all of their celebrity friends including Nelly Furtado, Cole Black Lips, Davey Havoc and many more. You need this for xmas. If you can find it that is, 1000 7″ singles only and they’ve already all gone. Too slow punks, too slow. But hear it here…

James Sherry

Now, anyone who knows me will know that I can rarely sink my teeth into an album unless it is jam packed with swearing, screaming, chuggy guitars and the occasional grunt. A friend had told me about MeWithoutYou and I constantly said I would check them out, when I had no intention of wasting my time on yet another factory produced indie creation.

Eventually, after being threatened with being tied to a chair, I gave the album ‘Brother Sister‘ a listen. Well, more fool me for not doing it sooner. I am officially a MeWithoutYou addict.

This 5 piece from Philadelphia may be quite ‘softly softly’ but it works. They take bog standard indie and shake it up with a fusion of percussion, keys, foot tapping drum beats and unpredictable vocals.

What makes this band for me is the delivery of the lyrics. Front man Weiss sucks you in with his dulcet mellow ramblings until he has lured you close enough to blow the skin of your face with his erratic delivery of the chorus.

I am now the proud owner of all of their albums and I suggest you all get your ear ‘oles around this lot.

Kelly Renda

Formed in Leeds in 2004, The Plight mix kick-arse rock n’roll with the ferocity of classic hardcore, creating a potent brew that is quickly picking up fans across the country. ‘Imagine Black Flag getting trashed with Thin Lizzy at a Motorhead gig,’ it says here on the press release thingy and I’m not one to argue ‘cos they’re bang on. The Plight have the intensity of any prime hardcore act but play it with such a rock n’roll strut you can swing your hips while you circle-pit.

Their debut release ‘Black Summer‘ features six sonic sucker-punches that will knock you for six. Yeah, they’ve been compared to Gallows and the CD includes from brilliant artwork from Dan Munford who also did all of the Gallows artwork and although The Plight come from a similar mind-set as Watford’s finest, they sound very much their own and play with enough energy to inspire a teenage rampage. Definitely ones to watch in 2008.

James Sherry

Sometimes a song comes along by someone you’ve never heard of before, and it just clicks. Sam Sparro‘s Black & Gold is just such a tune. Having been turned onto the track a couple of months ago, it was a song that I couldn’t stop myself from playing on repeat, with it’s throbbing bassline carrying the smooth vocals from the very opening bars.

Sam Sparro’s vocals might not be my usual cup of tea, but after hearing the chorus, I defy anyone not to bop their head and be singing “black and gold, black and gold” by the time the song has reached its climax.

Having just been championed by Annie Mac, this is a guy who is bound to go places in 2008 so what better way to introduce you to him before he gets huge than by sticking him in the Buzz Chart? Enjoy!

Abjekt.

Having been a huge fan of Manchester Orchestra since I first laid my ears on them, I was intrigued when I found out they were touring with a band called Annuals and they had each covered one another’s songs for a split 7″.

Annuals, I thought, not The Annuals. Too many ‘The’ bands around right now not doing anything remotely interesting. Simply, Annuals. So I gave them a shot and was very impressed indeed.

Covering Manchester Orchestra’s haunting ‘Where Have You Been’ is not an easy task, but Annuals have taken it and put a very nice electronica twist on it, with beats and loops reminiscent of The Album Leaf and airy vocals on the side of Death In Vegas. Basically, it’s awesome because it’s an amazing band covering another amazing band, because they’re friends. On a side note, MO covered an Annuals song as well. You scratch my back…

Moose.