Bokka – Roll Down the Hill

Released back in March, Run Down the Hill is a five track EP from Polish dream pop purveyors Bokka. Made up of five tracks, three of them cover versions, it finds the band at their most playful.

Formed in 2013, Bokka found early success with their first single, Town of Strangers.  Taken from their eponymous debut album it enabled the band to quickly establish themselves on the Polish music scene and garnered attention from further afield.  Right from the start Bokka insisted on keeping the names of the band members secret and let the music speak for itself. , It is a decision that makes their live performances all the more more intriguing as the group take to the stage in disguise. Bokka have since recorded two further albums, both well worth seeking out.

The opening track here  is a cover of Nancy Sinatra’s version of 1966 song Bang Bang.  It’s a wonderfully atmospheric take on one of the poppiest murder ballads ever released.

Next up is a cover of Joy Division’s all-time classic Love will Tear us Apart. When approaching a cover version it can be all too easy to compare it to the definitive original version and ask ‘Why?’  It’s much more fun though to go in with an open mind and say ‘’Why not?   The band have performed the song several times live and once you listen to their take on the song it’s easy to understand why their fans were clamouring for them to release a studio version.

The final two tracks are rearrangements of the band’s own songs. Too Far Too Close is taken from 2015 release Don’t Kiss and Tell whilst 2018’s Life on Planet B was the original home for Take my Hand. Both songs have been given a harder edge to the point where it is tempting to say that the band have effectively given us cover versions of their own songs.

If you aren’t familiar with Bokka then Roll down the Hill serves as a useful introduction and will hopefully have you giving their albums a whirl. This is the sound of a band having  great fun messing around with some songs they obviously have a great deal of affection for and certainly worthy of adding to your collection.

Roll Down the Hill is available on all the usual platforms, find out more by clicking here.

You can find out more by connecting with Bokka on Facebook. 

 

Locked Hands – The Getting By

The rather splendid new single from Locked Hands, The Getting By, is one of those   tracks that seems to resonate with the strange times we are living in right now.

Reminiscent of Bowie at his most contemplative, the plaintive vocal tells of the cruel torment that anxiety can cause. As the song develops the atmospheric musical backdrop cleverly mimics the lyrics as the initial onset of anxiety develops from a trickle in to an overwhelming flood.

The Getting By is both beautiful and haunting. You certainly won’t be filing it under easy listening. However as lock down fears give way to moments of anxiety for many of us, whether brief or sustained, it’s a comfort to know that you are not facing them alone. This song is the musical arm around the shoulder that we all need occasionally.

The Getting By has been released by Errant Media and is available on soundcloud and all the usual streaming services.

Get the latest from  Locked Hands  on Twitter.

 

The Nickajack Men – Consistent Ignorance

 

Consistent Ignorance is the new song from Falkirk’s The Nickajack Men.  Filmed and recorded live at Stirling’s Tolbooth Studio it’s a welcome respite from yet another lockdown Friday.

Running at just under four minutes this is  a glorious piece of indie rock which, not content with hooking you in instantly, improves with every repeat listening.  There is also a wonderful moment near the start of the video when the band appear lined up,  It’s sure to raise a smile.

Whilst you can detect the sounds of bands such as The Only Ones and The Replacement bluesed up with the Rolling Stones in their DNA the Nickajack Men have managed to carve out a distinctive sound for themselves. Hopefully we do not have to wait too long for a full album to appear.

You can check out the song on Tolbooth Projection’s youtube channel HERE.  It’s well worth subscribing whilst you are there as well.

You can get the latest from the  The Nickajack Men on Facebook and Twitter. 

Good Dog – Floating / Bumblebee

Released yesterday on Lost Map records, Floating / Bumblebee is the new double A side single from Good Dog, the alter ego of Pictish Trail   band member Susan Bear.

If this lock-down period has you yearning for something different to lift the mood then forget the wine sozzled purchases from Amazon and treat yourself to these two slices of delightful Indie Pop.

Floating has it all, glorious vocals and a musical backdrop which rewards you more with every listen. The instrumental Bumblebee more than lives up to its double A side status as it takes you on a sonic journey you will not want to end.

These tracks serve as a taster to the album Creature, due out on May 22nd. Mark that down in your diary, we should be in for a real treat.

You can buy this Double A side buy  on bandcamp HERE

Get the latest from Good Dog on Facebook.

Floating / Bumblebee is available on the usual streaming services.

Fistymuffs – We Fight

About Time, the 2018 debut EP from Fistymuffs, was so full of energy it practically vibrated. It’s good to find that during the intervening period none of that initial fire has dimmed.

We Fight contains another  four fine songs from the band.  Whilst still providing some of the rawest post punk moments you will hear, there is more subtlety at work here  with songs heading off in directions you don’t quite expect.

Opener Hey You! is a straight out Riot Grrl call to arms.  There is no intro, all niceties are dispensed with as the band drag you straight in to their world.  Singer Ashley Stein will have you feeling like you are being dragged into a vortex with her insistent ‘Listen to me’ refrain. It’s more than slightly unsettling and  compulsive listening.

Next up is Gentrification of Leith, a song inspired by the Save Leith Walk campaign, launched after property developers submitted plans to demolish a row of sandstone buildings including the much loved music venue Leith Depot. This may be a protest song but the band don’t resort to mere  preaching here, rather they deliver their message against a pleasingly trippy musical backdrop.

Riots Not Diets puts the diet industry firmly in the band’s sights and they continually hit the target. The constant change of pace is inspired as the track veers from anger to frustration and back with visits to several points in between.

The final track Survivors Write History (there is also a Radio Edit version present) is the most melodic song on the EP and packs the biggest emotional punch. It’s possibly unfair to single out a highlight when each song is so strong but for me, this was it, an absolute triumph.

We Fight showcases a band who hold nothing back. Please check them out on bandcamp where you can buy the EP and some rather wonderful merchandise as well.  And if you are new to the band you should definitely check out previous EP,  About Time.

Fistymuffs are Ashley Stein on Vocals and Bass, Suky Goodfellow on Guitar and Vocals and Nikki Fox on Drums.

You can buy We Fight here. 

Send the band some love on Twitter,

And check out the latest Fistymuff news on Facebook.