Listen to glorious vocalisations, tale of a lonely little mouse, a toxic love song, beautiful poetry, and the ill fate of chasing fame, in this edition of indie/rock reviews.
Gloria – “End of the Race (YEH)”
Manchester-based band Gloria will compel you to scream “YEH!” while violently headbanging to their explosive alt-rock track “End of the Race (YEH)”. Austin Woodcock delivers a masterclass in vocal range and modulation, soaring effortlessly over high-strung guitars that roar from start to finish.
The track bursts with psychedelic energy, shifting between soft, melodic verses and hard-hitting screams that hit like a freight train. Built on surging bass lines and relentless drums, Gloria have crafted an anti-anthem that is equal parts thrilling and thought-provoking.
Jason Lenyer Buchanan – “Gus Gus”
Jason Lenyer Buchanan treads the absurdist-realist line with dangerous precision in “Gus Gus”. It’s a comedic yet deeply heartwarming tale of a mouse that somehow says everything about the human condition.
The music draws you in with a deceptively soft tug, but before you know it, you’ve fallen completely for this tiny protagonist. Whining strings and a quietly commanding piano steer your emotions entirely at Buchanan’s will, making his narrative voice feel both intimate and inevitable.
Philosophical, political, and heartbreakingly relatable because aren’t we all just mice desperately searching for some cheese?
BLOCK – “I Thought I Won The War”
Jamie Block turns heartbreak into a full military operation on “I Thought I Won The War”, drawing a chillingly accurate parallel between abusive relationships and armed conflict.
Both leave you convinced you’re winning right up until the moment you realise you never stood a chance. The arrangement is wonderfully deceptive, bright and punchy where the subject matter is bruising and bleak, which is precisely what makes it land so hard.
Block has a gift for making the unbearable feel singable. Anti-folk was always meant to tell the truth nobody else would. This is exactly that, boots, bruises and all.
Allison Preisinger – “The Woman Who Collaborates”
Allison Preisinger’s “The Woman Who Collaborates” is a simple, stunning acoustic piece where stellar vocal movement meets lyrical poetry in the most unassuming way. James Bertolino’s words find a perfect home in Preisinger’s gentle instrumentation that is mixed to perfection.
This would be best enjoyed on a park walk when it starts to drizzle just slightly, like blessings from heaven.
Tom Emlyn – “Starsick”
Tom Emlyn’s “Starsick” tackles the hollow glamour of chasing fame with a wink and a fuzz pedal.
Emlyn’s cartoon-bright vocals sit perfectly over a boomy bass and layers of synth, all anchored by a gloriously lo-fi Casio drum machine, landing somewhere between a Marc Bolan b-side and the opening credits of a cult sci-fi cartoon destined to be discovered and obsessed over.
The track is short, punky and to the point deserving of a listen and sticking around.
Find our previous indie/rock reviews here.
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