With the summer season edging ever closer, it’s time to take a look at some of the new music which will be blaring out across festival sites all summer along. Read on to find out which songs we’ve tipped for summer success.
MUSE – MERCY
Stadium rock behemoths Muse will be headlining a massive 21 festivals between the end of May and the end of July, amongst them the likes of Pinkpop, Rock Werchter and Download. This week, the Matt Bellamy-fronted trio have unleashed new single Mercy upon the world, drawing more attention to the imminent release of 7th studio release Drones. Mercy is one of Muse’s most radio-friendly tracks to date, with a twinkling piano melody akin to 2006’s
Starlight being accompanied by distorted bass, Bellamy’s optimistic vocal tone and a massive stadium chorus. As arpeggios go off during the chorus, it’s very clear that Muse are well and truly back. “Show me mercy from the powers that be” pleads Bellamy in anthemic fashion during the chorus, keeping in line with the accompanying concept present on Drones, which the vocalist claims is their “best album ever”. Whether his claims ring true is something we’ll discover in just under three weeks, yet if the current batch of singles are anything to go by, then the truth is all we’ve been hearing.
NECK DEEP – CAN’T KICK UP THE ROOTS
Pop-punkers Neck Deep are currently gearing up to release second album Life’s Not Out to Get You in August, with Can’t Kick Up the Roots recently being unveiled as its lead single. The Ben Barlow-fronted Welshmen have a tough mountain to climb, with the bar set very high following their critically acclaimed debut album. Life’s Not Out to Get You will make or break Neck Deep’s status as the saviour of pop punk, although Can’t Kick Up the Roots is definitely a step in the right direction. “I’ve been wasting away” claims Barlow during the sickly sweet chorus, before singing of witnessing and avoiding fist-fights during a faster paced verse. Can’t Kick Up the Roots bears all the hallmarks of a pop punk banger, with its self-deprecating lyrics and bouncy riffs ticking all the right boxes.
TWENTY ONE PILOTS – WE DON’T BELIEVE WHAT’S ON TV
The last few years have seen American alt-pop duo Twenty One Pilots rise stratospherically, attaining a fiercely-dedicated fanbase in the process. The two-piece, consisting of energetic frontman Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun, are known for their mental live shows which have seen Dun’s drumkit lifted into the crowd, as well as Joseph repeating a selection of somersaults atop his piano. New album Blurryface, a vibrant mix of hip-hop, pop and rock, is already tipped to be one of the hottest records of the year, which isn’t exactly much of a surprise if you take out time to listen to it. Album highlight We Don’t Believe What’s On TV comes at you like a faster, angrier version of Vance Joy’s hit Riptide, with an upbeat Ukelele melody being underpinned by fierce drumming. Some brass enters the frame towards the end, yet the main emphasis on this track is its massive chorus. Twenty One Pilots will be a household name before you know it.
LA PEGATINA – NADA QUE DECIR (FT. CAPITAN COBARDE)
La Pegatina have spent years building up an unbreakable reputation which has seen them become to most successful party band of modern day. New album Revulsiu is no different, portraying new sides of the band just as often as it presents a perfect party moment. Nada Que Decir, which features vocal contributions from Capitan Cobarde, kicks off with a pounding trumpet and accordion combination courtesy of Axel Magnani and Romain Renard. Its chorus is pure Catalan joy as instrumentation swirls and intertwines around Adria Salas’ recognizable vocals and a catchy “ah ah ah ah”.
FAITH NO MORE – SUNNY SIDE UP
Hard rock/alt metal quintet Faith No More have just put out their first album since 1989 in the shape of Sol Invictus, a sprawling 10-track opus which encompasses (almost) everything the band do great. On Sunny Side Up, a jazzy piano line accompanies gritty bass and Mike Patton as he sings, “I’ll be your leprechaun”. During the chorus, the guitars become more prominent as the song builds up into Patton’s screaming of the track title. This summer will see Faith No More tour the new record relentlessly across Europe and the rest of the world, with these songs more likely than not to make a huge impression on swathes of new and returning fans.
BRANDON FLOWERS – DREAMS COME TRUE
Killers’ frontman Brandon Flowers has been extremely vocal of late on the subject of his main band. Even though most of these claims do come with good reason, Flowers has still got a new solo album to promote. By using The Killers’ future as a weapon of mass promotion and discussion, Flowers has been putting his solo music first with new record The Desired Effect being released today. Its bombastic opening track, Dreams Come True, kicks the record off with brass-heavy grandeur and Flowers’ instantly recognizable voice. Its sound leans heavily towards that which The Killers made use of on 2012’s Battle Born, with the spirit of Bruce Springsteen being embellished in an extremely addictive pop sheen. Part of this is down to the fact that The Desired Effect was produced by 80s pop mastermind Ariel Reichstad, whose pawprints are all over Dreams Come True. Even though The Desired Effect may just be Flowers’ attempt at a Killers stopgap, it’s certainly a strong record in its own right.
Check back soon for a new roundup. You can listen to all six songs here.
