Loop – Sonancy (Reactor Records)

 

Loop were one of my favourite indie bands of the late 80’s, so when I saw they had a new album out, I was intrigued, but also a bit wary. It’s been three decades since their last one, so will mainman Robert Hampson be looking to re-capture the old spirit, or is he willing to try something new? Luckily it’s a bit of both, with the droning riffs still in evidence, but the more concise songs make an impressive comeback.   

Loop - Interference

Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – Backhand Deals (Communion)

There aren’t enough good indie rock bands around at the moment, and so it’s great to find a group that are in love with classic power-pop of the 70’s, and can help The Wombats keep it alive. This Welsh combo have been releasing under-the-radar singles for a couple of years now, but their debut album shaves off the rough edges and delivers a set of assured and confident pop songs, which promises great things.         

    
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard - New Age Millennial Mas

Bird In The Belly – After The City (GF*M Records)

The latest from BITB is a concept album based on Richard Jeffries post-apocalyptic 1885 novel ‘After London’, which foresaw a country devoid of human life, and nature reclaiming the land. Adapting lyrics from traditional songs and Jeffries’ own prose, the band expertly weave an atmosphere of both despair and hope at the mysterious destruction of the land, and it acts as a stark warning of what we could face.

    
Bird In The Belly - Tragic Hearts Of Town

Wovenhand – Silver Sash (Glitterhouse Records)

As Wovenhand is pretty much the solo project of 16 Horsepower leader David Eugene Edwards, then he's allowed to collaborate with his friend Chuck French from Planes Mistaken For Stars, and still class it as a Wovenhand album. It’s mostly Edwards lyrics sung over fragments of French's leftover music, but you’d never know as every song is a fully-formed piece of compelling, emotive alternative Americana.    

             

Wovenhand - Tempel Timber

Thyla – Thyla (Easy Life Records)

Thyla have been on my radar since 2018, collecting their Soundcloud recordings and singles, and they’ve now finally released their debut album, with none of those earlier songs included. The Brighton-based trio are built around the ethereal vocals of Millie Duthie, set against a nostalgia-drenched synth-pop backing, alternating between anthemic shoegaze one minute, and soothing dream-pop the next. Well worth a try.           

Thyla - Amber Waits

The Minders - Psychedelic Blacktop (Space Cassette Records)

The Minders have been around since the late 90’s, producing some great indie-pop music for spinART Records, but as I hadn’t heard from them for a while it was nice to see their name on a new album. It’s taken the three years over the pandemic to finally get to this point, including resurrecting their original 8-track decks, but the result is an album of the brilliant psychedelic garage rock that I remember them for.              

The Minders - Home

Palace - Shoals (Fiction Records)

Although Palace have been around since 2014, this is my first experience of the band, having missed them completely so far, and it's very much my loss. The London four-piece infuse their indie/rock matrix with a touch of stripped-back blues, giving the songs a languid feel, while still keeping them engaging. It’s one of those albums that needs to be listened to in one sitting, and it repays the effort when you do.              

    
Palace - Never Said It Was Easy