#CrateDigging: New Adventures in Vinyl

 

 

Welcome to crate-digging, a new format where I take a dive into 3 vinyl releases that may have alluded you this month in the world of rock.  

First up is the debut self-titled release by LA punk rockers Cuffed Up. Inspired not by the sounds of American Punk bands, instead they formed with a mutual love of UK bands like IDLES and Shame, writing song which aren't just a love letter to those bands as an active continuation of their legacy.

French Exit is by far the best song of the album, with its clever mix of street poetry and existential crisis in song form. Singer recounts the thoughts she has going through her head at an ill-advised house party in such minute detail that it edges to satire as the drums and guitar loop over each other in a style of another personal favourite band of mine, Bodega. further nods to the punk of the past appear with  Danger, which channels The Sex Pistols with its jittering guitar and punching drums that you half-expect expect Johnny Rotten or Sid Vicious to appear. With songs like these, rest assured this band will be around for a long time to come. 

For those looking for something a little different and a little quieter Katy Kirby is a Texan-born singer-songwriter with an electro-acoustic sound that is a far cry from many of her contemporaries in it's honesty and creativity, her music drawing indirect influence from the Evangelical Church music of her youth.  For her debut album Cool Dry Place she ranges from the picked guitar, shaker and instantly singable melodies of 'Traffic !', a song about frustration, jealousy and privilege, to the slow, shyness of 'Secret Language' where she deftly channels Leonard Cohen. It's an album full of promise for an artist that is destined for greatness and a great addition to your record collection.

Finally, Awake by SOM is that rare thing in metal, an EP which is both complex and measured, with 2 original tracks and some gorgeous remixes of 4 other tracks from their debut album The Fall. Highlights from this include Awake // Sedate, the EP's opener, which sets the tone perfectly with its immersive and layered sound and the U Dye remix of Open Wounds, where Marshall Gallagher of Teenage Wrist adds some gorgeous grunge sounds into what is already an absolute behemoth of a song. It's a perfect fit for the modern vinyl collector by a band that will appeal to both hardcore metal-heads and casual fans alike.   

I hope you enjoyed this new format if you want to find any of the albums on this list visit www.Bandcamp.com. If you want to get the latest updates from the blog or just say hi follow us at @upto11official on Instagram and Facebook