These gritty LITM Rock Picks come to you from HMRC, Transgalactica, Foundry Town Survivors, and more!
1. HMRC – Flat Circle
Flat Circle is a biting, gritty track that lays emotions bare in a way that’ll make you unable to look away. HMRC – a four-piece English band comprising Lloyd Holmes, Arian Starfield, Joseph O’Neill, and Duncan Arnold – is eccentric, unconventional, and embodies the spirit of punk rebellion with an admirable effortlessness. Lloyd Holmes’ vocals are unsettlingly powerful, the type that’ll linger heavy in you, while the drums and guitar pound relentlessly and restlessly on in the background. Lyrically, HMRC is bitterly clear about themes of abandonment, eternal struggle, and tragedy – it expresses grief with stark clarity, building it into an almost tangible entity.
2. Transgalactica – Joyce of the Market
With a mood that shifts effortlessly between medieval and prog rock, Joyce of the Market weaves a rich sonic tapestry. Transgalactica introduces tension into the song’s organ chords, utilising historical references to evoke a sense of grandeur and gravitas. Rooted in cultural history across landscapes – especially recalling Irish history – it’s a call to action in musical form. Reaching out to also refer to Poland’s occupation and freedom cleverly makes the song feel effortlessly global. Its stirring vocals aren’t just recounting stories of the past – they’re bringing them to life in a tone and structure that almost ceremonially underscores the themes they’re bringing out.
3. Foundry Town Survivors – Three Sisters
As Foundry Town Survivors explains, Three sisters is a nautical phenomenon where three large waves appear in succession, posing a threat to those both on and offshore. On Three Sisters, they evoke the same fear, awe, and turmoil that come with such an event. With crashing drums, sliding guitar and vocals straight out of a fantasy ballad, the song isn’t as tumultuous as you might expect – it’s oddly calming, maybe owing to its meditative structure, reminiscent of a shanty. It’s elegant and easy on the ears, while still embodying the spirit of the three sisters. The decision to embody the sisters in the accompanying music video is inspired and adds a whole new layer of depth to the track – watch here!
4. The House Flies – Sweet Foxhound
With an easy indie-rock sound, The House Flies bring warmth and impact on Sweet Foxhound. It’s reflective, combining multiple musical approaches and techniques with mastery, building a chill, hazy ambience; it swirls around you like vapour, holding you loosely enough that you don’t feel overwhelmed, but tightly enough that you’re forced to pay attention to its beautiful layering and haunting vocals. Combining deep textures with light melody, Sweet Foxhound is reminiscent of ‘00s rock while still retaining a timeless, nostalgic feel. By the chorus, there’s a decided guitar motif that makes it easy to sway along, resulting in a mesmerising track you’ll not forget in a hurry.
5. Social Gravy – Fools
Fools straddles the line of energy between grunge pop and punk rock effortlessly. It doesn’t hide behind metaphor and embellishments to make its point – from its very beginning, it has no qualms about being straightforward, blunt, and snarling. A biting critique of 2016’s political climate and the “fascist favourite nominee”, it’s as relevant today as it was nine years ago, with its central chant of “You’re a liar… you’re not fooling me,” and lines like “You think you’re smart but you’re racist.” Making quick work of being clear about its views, it’s performed with grit and punch – while remaining a song you’ll want to loop.
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