Review: Sundressed/Secret Stuff – Split EP.

As the two bands tour across the US, Secret Stuff and Sundressed release their split EP this Friday through Spartan Records. Secret Stuff have released a video for one of tracks through Bullett Media, Ew, You Taste Like Cigarettes, which you can listen to here.

Secret Stuff’s tracks work to the band melodic strengths, with influences of math rock and DIY rock tunes that really work for this band, with spiralling melodies created by the guitars on tracks such as You Betcha, Pal really accentuate the best of what this band do on this split record that combined with those lyrics really work.

Sundressed pick the pace up, bringing more energy and power with first track Autopilot, where the bands guitarists really work with the drums in harmony to make a great sound which contrasts with their second track, Best Of/Worst Of, where the band keep it acoustic. The simplicity really works for the band, the sound really suiting the vocal perfectly, the production really highlighting the melodies and that clean vocal really nicely – and with a big chorus, this track makes for one of the highlights of this far too short record.

The two bands compliment one another so well on this Split EP with melody heavy sounds with Secret Stuff and a focus on pace and energy from Sundressed that balance the EP incredibly well – the tour sounds based on this a great mix of sounds that work together. Highlights for me are You Betcha, Pal and Best Of/Worst Of.

8/10.

Bands To Look Out For In 2016.

I made some good bets last year, with Milk Teeth having a perfect album out last week and Ducking Punches doing a tour of Europe soon with Frank Turner, it certainly seems I did alright. There’s so many bands I could talk about here, but these six are bands that I think will make a splash this year.

1. Blood Youth – Recently releasing a new music video and an excellent EP, this band are what was Climates, and they’ve certainly moved on to better things in 2015, and they’re not a band you should be sleeping on. The band release their sophomore release in March and if their first record is anything to go by, you should be listening to this band right now.
2. Beautiful Bodies – You can see the band now on tour with Mayday Parade and The Maine across the UK, the band signed to Epitaph Records in 2014, and have some big choruses and incredible energy that I look forward to seeing more of – their latest album was released in June last year and it’s a great one, go listen.
3. Secret Stuff – A band who have just released their EP, This Is Fine are pretty good, but live this band will be interesting, following in the vein of bands such as La Dispute and Hotel Books, this band are so much easier to connect to and have a real way with words, I suspect this band will achieve things in 2016.
4. ROMP – Their debut EP was released last year, and then they were signed to Bad Timing Records and will soon be releasing their EP on vinyl through the label. Sorry, Not Sorry was produced with Jesse Cannon who has worked with Man Overboard and Somos and they have done pretty good – the band’s debut album comes out on March 4th, Departure From Venus, and it’s probably going to be amazing.
5. Like Torches – Recent album Shelter has some great songs and the band certainly show their influences on it too, particularly Yellowcard, which makes sense considering the band’s singer Ryan Key, produced the album for them. The band have just finished a tour in Europe and under new management I’m sure this band will be back on the road once again.
6. The Subways – The band who tour across the US for the first time soon, released their self titled album in the UK last year and will be releasing it in the US soon and on vinyl there. The ban create some huge choruses and great punk melodies that makes for such a great record, this is surely a band who should be gaining attention this year.

Other bands to look out for are Pierce The Veil who finally release their follow up to Collide With The Sky this year according to Fearless Records where Tonight Alive also will release Limitless through. We Are The In Crowd should be releasing news of their new album finished last May – most of the band being busy working with Against The Current who release their debut through Fuelled By Ramen this year, a band ready to go stratuspheric this year, it’s certainly a year where women will take the lead, maybe for the first time.

Review: Secret Stuff – This Is Fine EP.

Secret Stuff release their debut EP for download and 12′ vinyl through Spartan Records on th 29th Of January, as they tour the US with labelmates The Foxery. The band have a range of influences from math rock melodies to screaming vocals and its an interesting combination of styles that works for this band as they gain attention.

Creating melodies from different influences and styles, the EP, has some really great songs with real finesse, the band really honing their sound on This Is Fine. Songs such as I Knew You So Briefly, You Old Soap Dog (Yes, there’s a song called that) bring those sort of Math Rock guitars and an excellent foundation of drums that really give this band to an extent it’s own style.

There is great vocals that perfectly pair with the melancholic writing on this record, a real dark and emotional sound to the vocals that works effortlessly on This Is Fine, Golden Sound in particular where that vocal shows that feeling, which gives me a Seahaven vibe on this record. It’s certainly a band still trying to find something of their own when it comes to sound, but it is a really great EP with some excellent musicians working together to create some spot on melodies.

Some huge sounds on this record that work perfectly together throughout, Secret Stuff should be proud of what they have made on This Is Fine as you can hear the hard work gone into this EP, this is certainly a band who in the future are going to be a force to be reckoned with. Highlights for me are Golden Sound and No Promises, not a record for the fainthearted.

7.5/10.