As we approach Christmas and the New Year, some of our writers have reviewed new tracks from the entire month to curate your Christmas playlist. Check out our December Recs with reviews of Weezer, Sam Fender, and more.
blindfolded - Against The Current
Against The Current continue to go down the rock trajectory that they set out on their fever EP with their new single blindfolded, even acknowledging the influence of their previous project with a clever lyrical nod in the pre-chorus of the track. blindfolded fuses this rock sound with some emo-rap tendencies in the instrumental, which are likely a sign of the influence of some of the artists from this genre who they have collaborated with over recent years, such as guardin and LiL Lotus. The single continues to see the band verging towards the rock side of the pop-rock genre, and it went down a treat when they supported Pierce The Veil on their UK tour recently, so do yourselves a favour and check it out yourself if you aren’t lucky enough to have heard it already. Gemma Cockrell
I Want A Dog – Weezer
This new release from Weezer, I Want a Dog, from their latest addition to the SZNS series isn’t as punchy as other Weezer songs, yet leaves a warm fuzzy feeling inside. The song is truly about wanting a dog, and the joys that it can bring. Alongside an acoustic composition, the lyrics read “I want a dog / ‘Cause he’d try to lick my face / And he would smile / When I get home to my place / I want a dog”. It definitely is an earworm and a heart-warming song for any dog lover, but that is all it serves. It doesn’t have any particular redeeming feature except its catchiness and the soft feeling it gives if you own a dog. The soft acoustic ballad runs into a frenzy of an onslaught of electronic sound which does ruin the mood of the track given its soft beginnings. All in all, an underwhelming single, but a cute one that can strum the heartstrings of pet owners. Kerenza Hudson
Little Bull Of Blithe – Sam Fender
As an early Christmas present to fans, alongside brand-new track Wild Grey Ocean and the live deluxe edition of his chart-topping album Seventeen Going Under, Sam Fender has ended the year on a heart-warming release dedicated to his late grandmother. Little Bull of Blithe, while not an official single, is one of Fender’s welcome ventures into the acoustic world. Two minutes long and acoustic guitar-led, it pays tribute to the “queen bee of a little humble hive.’’ The Geordie-born and bred singer is known for his honest lyricism which is derived from his family life and experiences growing up, and the stripped-back production on this track allows the listener to process his heartfelt tribute. In the future, it would be great to see Fender add more acoustic-driven songs to his discography, as they allow his fantastic vocal range to shine further. Amrit Virdi
Alter of Self – Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence bring another brutal track to the table with Alter of Self. It’s an old-school bouncy track that provides a hefty weight to the deathcore legend's discography. The vocal screams from Eddie Herminda are palpable and balanced well within the underlying riff. With a steady build-up to some great sci-fi-sounding vocals bringing the lyrics “A strong desire to abbreviate self’’ before crashing back into the disgustingly brutal riffs and vocals. This track is the 3rd single to come off Suicide Silence’s forthcoming album, which I am itching to hear after the recent releases. Kerenza Hudson
Carry You Home – Circa Waves
Having had the pleasure of seeing Circa Waves at Reading Festival this year, their new single Carry You Home invoked the same sense of nostalgia as witnessing them in action. Carry You Home saw Circa Waves return to the Indie Rock sound for which they first acquired fame back in 2015, and it wouldn’t sound out of place on that debut album which also contained singles such as Fossils, Get Away, and most notably their biggest hit T-Shirt Weather. You can’t help but smile while listening as you’re transported back to a simpler time when your greatest concern was if you’d remembered to do your homework on time. The simplicity of the lyrics of a person giving their all to win the approval of the person they yearn for most is something that most people can relate to (lucky for you if you can’t). Adding a dash of environmental concern in a couple of the lines (which is something I guarantee we should all relate to), makes this a comforting and pleasant listen, even for those who hadn’t grown up with Circa Waves. Michel Haddad
Show Me Your God – The Amity Affliction
Show Me Your God starts out with a light piano intro before bounding into the heavy bassline with some choral-style backing vocals over the top. The aggressive vocals switch up with the cue of a gun click reload, something fairly new to TAA, following the trend of the hardcore scene. A blistering metalcore track from the band following and drawing from the trauma of a close friend who has passed away, it brings the emotion and melancholy that The Amity Affliction handle so well. It’s the first track off their self-produced record, which starts off the series of songs which focus on explorations and internal meditation very strongly. The Aussie metalcore titans have made a strong and powerful return to their heavier roots, which brings excitement for the release of their upcoming album. Kerenza Hudson
My Head Feels Strange – Vistas
What else is there to say? Vistas are back with more angsty guitar, contrastingly coupled with lead singer Prentice’s rejuvenating, uplifting tone of voice in My Head Feels Strange. There are the same repetitive (but bop-worthy) hooks that we know and love, as well as a raunchy reverberating bass. The song is touching and honest, but it is also in its essence rather relatable - we have all known someone to break promises and let us down, but such a let-down is harder to forgive when we ourselves feel we are at rock bottom. Given this is the season of excess coursework and exams are quickly creeping up, this introspective tune tugs on the heartstrings with its ode to burnout and discombobulation, but is balanced by the ever-light-hearted indie-pop riff. Jacob Edwards
Edited by Roxann Yus
Cover image courtesy of Weezer via Facebook.
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