London – The big news over this side of the water this week was the announcement that Ed Sheeran will close this year’s Glastonbury Festival as Sunday’s headliner. Such is Sheeran’s current wave of chart domination via his latest album Divide that it is strange to think that he made his Glastonbury debut in 2011 in the tiny but tasty-sounding Croissant Neuf tent in the Green Fields. The acoustic trailblazer went on to take a Glastonbury main stage spot in 2014; facts that this year’s Glastonbury Emerging Talent hopefuls might want to contemplate as they await the imminent announcement of who has made it through Round 1!
Meanwhile not that far from the festival site, Bristol, UK trio IDestroy has a new single out and has announced a tour taking in dates in the UK and Germany over March to May. Interviewed by Best New Bands last year IDestroy has been busy writing in between gigs and is ready to unleash new material on British fans before continuing the tour in Germany. “Annie”, coupled with “98%” as a double A-side, was inspired by an unknown girl according to lead vocalist and guitarist Bec Jevons: “Annie’s name was scrawled all over some toilet door. She sounded pretty cool, so I decided to write a song about her. We hope she likes it.” Keeping to the band’s riffy yet melodic sound, the song is a continuation of IDestroy’s brand of feisty party-punk delivered with rebellious charm.
The creative community over here has had a great deal to say since the UK voted to leave the European Community, with almost wholly anti-Brexit sentiments rivalling the anti-Trump feelings in the USA. Currently spending time in Montreal away from her homeland, British singer-songwriter Lail Arad has now joined the fray with a witty and bittersweet take on Brexit via “The EU Song”. Following plaudits earned with her 2016 album “The Onion”, reviewed here by Best New Bands, Arad has applied her wry turn of phrase to the British referendum. As much a song about the break-up of a relationship as about Britain’s go it alone decision, you are left to ponder if the protagonist of the former has made the correct call.
Taking a long hike west from Montreal to California, indie rock duo The Early Comebacks has returned with a new EP the tautologically challenged Distant Distance. Lead track “Pass You By” invites you rather to do the opposite and hang around while its sunny West Coast charms and spiralling rhythms engage you. The EP offers a collection of songs, to quote the band, crafted with “heavy doses of love, caffeine and introspection”. It adds up to a cute blend of classic pop and noughties indie and highlights the writing and instrumental talents of vocalist Kevin Ty, ably aided by Kevin Coleman’s drums. Ty weighs confession and confrontation in his lyrics, evoking memories while the warm melody lines of “Pass You By” sooth the passage through.
Photo of Ed Sheeran by Greg Williams
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Tony Hardy
Tony’s great passion in life is music and nothing gives him more pleasure than unearthing good, original new music and championing independent musicians. His association with Best New Bands brings great opportunities for this. He also writes for Consequence of Sound and is a judge for Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition.
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