Further Listening: Sure Sure, Baby!, Roddy Woomble, Somehow, Steevn, moonweather, The Van T’s, Bleach Dream, Rat Fancy, Magic & Naked, Bones Garage, Widowspeak, Turnover, John Joseph Brill, Ratnang Singh, Darth Nater, BROEN, Los Blancos, Annie Hart, Baywaves, Houseplants, Girl Ray, Small Black Reptiles, Night Owls, Mrs. Hopewell, Basement Revolver, Flesh World and another ace new track from Broken Social Scene.

5. Fight For Your Right To Pity

The Curse Of Fightmilk was one of our favourite EP’s of last year, and this week, London-quartet Fightmilk have shared Pity Party, the title track of their new EP, out next month on legendary indie label, Fierce Panda.

Pity Party builds on all the things we loved about Fightmilk; the punchy musicianship, the potty mouthed lyricism, the way with a perfect pop-punk chorus: they’re all present and correct here. Atop fuzzy guitar meandering, muted bass notes and a steady drum-tick, singer Lily Rae spits the smuttily self-deprecating lyric, “don’t you want to do me? I would want to do me”.  Imagine a half-cut Justine Frischmann fronting Art Brut at a kids birthday party and you’ll be in the right ball park. This track serves as an invite to Fightmilk’s party, and it sounds like a good one; one with jelly and balloons, and people crying in the corner after one too many Panda pops.

Pity Party is out July 14th via Fierce Panda. Click HERE for more information on Fightmilk.

4. NRVS LVRS Go Castling

Since emerging into the world with 2015’s debut album, The Golden West, San Francisco’s NRVS LVRS have quietly been accruing fans and critical acclaim. Following the slow burning success of that record, the band are today releasing its follow-up Electric Dread, and recently shared the latest track from it, Castling.

Castling see’s Bevin Fernandez’s rich, almost operatic vocals come to the fore, soaring atop a wave of pounding rhythms and rich, darkly twinkling synths. There’s more than a touch of Kate Bush to proceedings, which is never a bad thing. Electric Dread marks a welcome return for the West Coast husband and wife duo; they were already one of our favourite bands, but we’re expecting a lot of others to come to that conclusion in the none to distant future.

Electric Dread is out today. Click HERE for more information on NRVS LVRS.

3. Caroline Says Clap Your Hand

Caroline Says is the moniker of Alabama-raised, Austin-based songwriter Caroline Sallee. This week Caroline has announced her signing to Western Vinyl, as well as detailing a re-release of her originally cassette-only, debut album, 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t be Wrong. Ahead of the August re-issue, Caroline has this week shared her new single, Winter Is Cold.

Winter Is Cold is a delightfully minimal affair; fingers flutter about the fret board of an acoustic-guitar, with a touch of Bert Jansch or Nick Drake, before Caroline’s vocal enters. Instantly double tracked, providing her own bassy backing, Caroline’s voice is a perfectly understated instrument, never showy but none the less it grabs your attention and hogs the musical lime light. With a collection of new material set to follow in early 2018, Caroline Says is an artist well worth keeping an eye on.

50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong is out August 4th via Western Vinyl. Click HERE for more information on Caroline Says.

2. Charmpit Your Heart

A burst of California sunshine in the thriving London DIY-scene, effervescent trio Charmpit are set to release Jelly, their new EP, next month, and have this week shared the latest taste of it, Buckfast My Heart. Discussing the track with Beautiful Freaks, Charmpit suggest the song is both an ode to Britney Spears’ track Email My Heart, and an exploration of midwinter crushes.

Musically, Buckfast My Heart is a blur of jangling electric chords, rumbling drums beats and driving bass lines. Rhianydd and Anne Marie’s contrastingly harmonious and energetic vocals, entwining and parting like two streams heading for the same river. Thankfully the whole experience is much more enjoyable than actually trying to drink Devon’s premiere tonic wine. Buckfast My Heart is not just a truly joyous thing, it’s the best track Charmpit have released to date, and that’s high praise indeed.

Jelly is out July 14th via Keroleen Records. Click HERE for more information on Charmpit.

1. Good Luck With The Wolves

Hailing from Orlando, Florida, Kinder Than Wolves are a trio, who in their own words write, “bummer jams”. This week the band have shared Good Luck, their first new material since last year’s Mean Something EP.

Good Luck is a winning slice of alt-pop; Paige’s stunning vocal, reminiscent of Katie Crutchfield or Magana, takes the lead, while subtly complex guitar lines, electronic bleeps and buzzes, and muted, wooden percussion weave beneath her. There’s a touch of Let’s Buy Happiness or Adult Mom, to the sweet, almost sleepy production, which adds a winningly melancholic air to proceedings. While we’d dispute just how unkind wolves are, we won’t dispute the quality of the band’s music; Kinder Than Wolves are a fascinating prospect.

Good Luck is out now. Click HERE for more information on Kinder Than Wolves.

Header photo by Austen Frias