Two years on from her debut single Toothache, Manchester's Westislonely continues to push out some of the most forward-thinking pop of recent times. Here, her full force comes into view, as soaring melodies swell around a head-rushing chorus and a jolt of electrifying energy. On the release, West said: "Show Me a God’ is a drug-fuelled sex ballad, written from the perspective of the euphoria before the morning after - disgusting with a dash of pleasure." Take a listen for yourselves below.
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| Photo credit: Maysa Askar |
Ahead of their forthcoming album, Nude descending staircase headless, due April 17th via Run For Cover Records, Teen Suicide have unveiled the record's final taster sharing Suffering (Mike's Way). Guitarist and vocalist Sam Ray discussed the new song, saying: "‘Suffering (Mike’s Way)’ was one of the first songs we started writing for this new record. I started working on it in 2022, not long after we started performing live again. I wanted to write something with the same propulsive energy of The Feelies, The Thermals, Wire. Jonathan Richman. That was our jumping off point, and it just sort of evolved from there. The song earned its parenthetical because Mike (Sapone, our producer) was adamant we amend the vocal melody in the chorus by a single note, and though I fought him on it at first, we tried it both ways and he was undoubtedly correct. Lyrically, it’s harder to pinpoint – despite the name, I consider it one of our more optimistic songs. It’s a sort of love song. It’s a song about the world. About living life. About getting clean from opiates. How much better it is to feel everything than nothing. It’s really just a song about movement – forward momentum. All the times you think you can’t go on and then you just do, somehow, and suddenly you’re looking back at it all. And even then, you’re still moving." Taker a listen below.
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| Photo Credit: William McCloughlin |
Today sees Limerick outfit THEATRE unveil their debut single, The Fall. Signing to BMG / Echo, the band share their darkened, goth-tinged sensibilities, as towering choruses crash through the track’s anthemic core. Talking through the origins of their first release, THEATRE explained: “’The Fall’ tells the story of a broken friendship, a changeling like person, and the torment that comes with loving someone as toxic as that. Writing the song was the light at the end of the tunnel of a very dark time. Not only was it the first song that people took notice of and that propelled us into gigging full time, it also was the first song that had a fully fleshed theme and story, and it was the first time we realised that a song could metamorphose a negative experience into art.” Take a listen below.
THEATRE is Maeve O’Shea (vocals), Oscar Halpin (guitar), Dara Gooney (guitar), Gerry Sheil (bass), Sean Storan (drums).
Live Dates
16 APR -Third Man Records, London (sold-out) (UK)
5 MAY -Elephant’s Head, London (UK)
6 MAY -The Waterfront Studio, Norwich (UK)*
7 MAY -Hare & Hounds, Birmingham (UK)*
9 MAY -The Road To The Great Escape, Glasgow (UK)
11 MAY -Camden Assembly, London (UK)*
12 MAY -Camden Assembly, London (UK)*
14 MAY -The Great Escape, Brighton (UK)
15 MAY -Supersonic Block Party @ Supersonic, Paris (FRA)
16 MAY -Scala, London (UK)*
18 MAY -Yellow Arch, Sheffield (UK)*
19 MAY -YES (Pink Room), Manchester (UK)*
21 MAY -Whelan’s Upstairs, Dublin (IE)
22 MAY -Mike the Pies, Listowel (IE)
23 MAY -Kasbah, Limerick (IE)
25 JUL -Deer Shed Festival, Topcliffe (UK)
26 JUL -Truck Festival, Oxfordshire (UK)
29 AUG -Rock N Roll Circus, Sheffield (UK)
*supporting Bleech 9:3
South Wales outfit Waterpistol return to kick-start the week with their slick new single, She Flies. Brimming with timeless ’60s flair, the track pairs hypnotic melodies with irresistibly catchy choruses, offering an exciting glimpse of what’s to come from the band. Since playing their debut show in April 2023 - formed from the ashes of several now-defunct creative projects - they’ve steadily built a reputation on the live circuit, and this latest release goes some way to showcasing exactly what they’re capable of. Dive into their psychedelic offering below.
Two years on from their last visit, London-based, Wrexham-raised Art School Girlfriend returned to the Welsh capital on Friday in support of her recent third studio album 'Lean In'.
The move upstairs to the venue’s larger room felt telling. What once suited an intimate, almost hushed atmosphere now stretched comfortably into something broader, more assured, without losing the emotional core that defines Polly Mackey’s project.
There was a certain symmetry to the evening. Downstairs, a metal show rattled the foundations, all distortion and volume, while upstairs the crowd gathered in anticipation of something more reflective. Mackey acknowledged the contrast with some dry humour, joking that L.Y.A.T.T. might give the band below a run for their money.
When it arrived later in the set, its pulsing, techno-leaning electronics briefly blurred that divide, a reminder that Art School Girlfriend has always been about texture and physicality on a grand scale.
Opening with The Peaks, the set established a tone that was both controlled and immersive. The sound was remarkably clear, each layer given space to breathe, allowing tracks like Diving and Down The Line to unfold seamlessly.
There was no rush. Instead, the music drifted and built, often feeling almost ethereal as synth lines hovered just above the surface before dissolving back into the mix.
Mid-set highlights came in the form of A Place to Lie and Waves, both of which leaned into the project’s more expansive tendencies. The latter especially benefited from the upgraded space, its slow swell filling the room in each and every corner. Save Something and Doing Laps continued that trajectory, balancing fragility with a subtle sense of propulsion.
By the time Heaven Hanging Low arrived, the set had settled into a hypnotic rhythm. It was a testament to the control Mackey now exerted over both sound and space. Elsewhere, during Is It Light Where You Are, a projected backdrop of fan-submitted photographs appeared, each taken at the same hour across different parts of the world, quietly reinforcing the track’s sense of distance and connection.
The closing stretch, Out There into Hope More, Hopeless, brought things back down without losing intensity. There was a sense of resolution, but not closure. Noting she didn’t do encores due to the awkwardness they brought, it reinforced the feeling that this was a set that didn’t need to prove anything, because it already had. Art School Girlfriend commanded the space with quiet authority, crafting a live experience that was immersive, textured, and increasingly hard to look away from.
*****
Manchester based five-piece Georgian have returned today with their expansive new single Crackled Grounds. Filled with darkened pop nuances, the track's gothic feel serves up an exciting introduction to their year ahead. The track is taken from their forthcoming EP of the same name due out later this year. Take a listen below.
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| Photo Credits: Stay Focused Photography |
Welsh singer-songwriter Brook Fox has returned this week with his euphoric new single Rome. Gathering support by BBC Radio Wales, achieving the Welsh A-List playlist twice, driven by anthemic energy and impassioned vocals, the track’s infectious melodies signal an exciting year ahead. Recorded with trusted producer/mixer Tim Hamill, it also marks the debut studio outing for Brook Fox’s live band, capturing a glimpse of the raw, exhilarating energy they bring on the road. Take a listen below.
Upcoming Live Dates 2026
May 22nd - CWRW, Carmarthen
May 23rd - In It Together Festival, Margam
May 30th - Afan Ales, Port Talbot
June 11th - Fuel, Cardiff
June 12th - Bunkhouse, Swansea
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| Courteeners © Joshua Halling 2026 |
They say good things come in threes. Today sees Courteeners announce details of their forthcoming album God Bless The Band, the very best of Courteeners, announce a huge arena tour celebrating the band’s phenomenal 20-year career and unveil their brand-new single The Luckiest Man Alive. God Bless The Band celebrates an incredible two-decades of the band, featuring tracks from their seven studio albums - St. Jude (2008), Falcon (2010), Anna (2013), Concrete Love (2014), Mapping the Rendezvous (2016), More. Again. Forever. (2020) and Pink Cactus Cafe (2024) - along with two brand-new tracks ‘The Luckiest Man Alive’ and ‘Plus One Forever’ produced by Liam Fray and James Skelly. Speaking about the release, Liam Fray says “In October it's 20 years since our first gig, so with a couple of new songs fresh from the studio, the timing just seemed right for a Best Of. If we mean half as much to people as they have done to us over the years, then we've not done too bad. We look forward to seeing you down the front… God Bless The Fans x” Take a listen to the new single below along with a full rundown of dates including London, Alexandra Palace.
Newly Announced Arena Dates:
Fri 06 Nov Leeds, First Direct Arena
Sat 07 Nov Cardiff, Utilita Arena
Fri 13 Nov Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena
Sat 14 Nov London, Alexandra Palace
Fri 20 Nov Glasgow, OVO Hydro
Sat 21 Nov Birmingham, Utilita Arena
Pre-sale tickets go on sale Wednesday 15th April.
General sale from Friday 17th April from ticketmaster.co.uk and gigsandtours.com
Additional Summer Shows already announced:
Thu 23 Jul Stoke-On-Trent, Victoria Hall (SOLD OUT)
Sat 25 July Sheffield, Tramlines (festival headline, SOLD OUT)
Thu 27 Aug Leicester, O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)
Sat 29 Aug Manchester, Wythenshawe Park (SOLD OUT)
God Bless The Band album tracklist:
1. Are You In Love With A Notion?
2. Cavorting
3. Acrylic
4. You Overdid It Doll
5. Pink Cactus Café
6. Summer
7. Take Over The World
8. Bide Your Time
9. Small Bones
10. The 17th
11. Fallowfield Hillbilly
12. That Kiss
13. Lose Control
14. Modern Love
15. Sycophant
16. Hanging Off Your Cloud
17. The Luckiest Man Alive
18. What Took You So Long?
19. Not Nineteen Forever
20. Plus One Forever
Deluxe Album Formats:
21. Sweet Surrender
22. Chipping Away
23. Smiths Disco
24. Sunflower
25. Winter Wonderland
26. The Rest Of The World Has Gone Home
27. International (Acoustic)
28. Beautiful Head
29. More. Again. Forever.
30. 20th Century Boy/Cigarettes & Alcohol (BBC Radio 2 Session - Live At Glastonbury)
31. Here Come The Young Men
i: https://www.instagram.com/courteeners
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| Photo credit: Jackie Domi |
Signing to ATO records, 26-year-old indie folk-country singer-songwriter Alex Amen announces his debut album, Sun of Amen, out June 12th. Sharing the record's latest single Diamonds, we get a tasty insight in to what lays ahead with his soft playing vocals and warming melodies. Take a listen below. The accompanying video features footage of Alex rock climbing, his time in Vashon where he took up wooden boat building and his excursion sailing from Washington to Canada last summer.
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| Photo credit / Billy Emery |
Following on from last month's return with Bus Stop, Manchester's Truthpaste are back with their latest single, Friendship Is The Truth. Taken from their newly announced debut EP 'I Don't Know Either', set for release April 28th on Dirty Hit & Memorials Of Distinction (caroline, Grove, Naima Bock), the track's bittersweet melodies thread seamlessly through its track’s interlocking instrumentation, coming together in a deeply satisfying listen. On the new single, 'Friendship Is The Truth', the band say - "Euan and Claire played it to us once, then we got distracted for a couple years, but I would find myself singing it and trying to figure out what it was. I was very happy to finally piece it together last summer. It felt like the right time for it to form as we have all become very good friends over the last couple of years and it is indeed the friendship song." Take a listen below.
Live dates
10th April - Wanderfal Festival, Falmouth
11th April - Outer Town, Bristol
4th May - The Lexington - London
5th May - Hyde Park Book Club - Leeds
6th May - Soup Kitchen - Manchester
7th May - The Big Difference - Leicester
9th May - Strange Brew, Bristol
15th May - The Great Escape - Brighton
16th May - The Great Escape - Brighton
