Sound check: Sep 9-15

Sound Check is an internet radio show I created to shine a little extra light on just released bangers from unsigned, indie, and indie-adjacent bands and artists. It airs Tuesdays at both 4 am and 4 pm British time on Daz in the Hat radio. Since recordings aren’t available after the fact, I follow episodes up with these recap posts.

All songs featured here were released between September 9 and 15, 2023.

You can hear all of them – plus a couple dozen others that didn’t make it into the episode in the sound check: Sep 9-15 playlist.

Enough Isn’t Enough – Crooked Ties

This is just the second single from the Sheffield alt rockers. I can certainly identify with the sense of regret that can come from overindulgence. I’ve definitely made many promises to myself I’ve failed to follow through on, too. It’s hard to believe these guys only formed at the beginning of this year, and played their first gig as a group in March!

Draw the Line – The Castros

Quite enjoy the thumping fourth single from this Fife-based quintet, formed a little over a year ago. The energetic young Scots will be performing at Edinburgh’s Big Day Out this coming Friday and will be supporting Flechettes in Glasgow on October 21.

Woman – The Sway

Always down to get a little psychedelic with the Sway, and their third single of the year delivers. After being out on the road this month, the band has a hometown gig at Hangar 34 in Liverpool to look forward to on September 30. Apparently their biggest to date. They’ll also be hitting Water Rats in London on October 21.

Don’t Go – Seb Lowe

A young man who truly doesn’t back down from his opinions, Seb’s become known for setting social commentary to music. Billionaire Extraordinaire is the latest in a string of singles this year that are cementing him as a great young artist with important things to say. This single came with a B-side called Don’t Go, a song Seb said he wrote a while ago and that it’s quite different to anything else he’s done. It definitely got its hooks into me!

Aliens – The Great Leslie

This is the lead single from their second EP… of the YEAR!… 21st Century Problems, which was released on September 15. I’m just such a fan of the way that singer Ollie plays with his range. The falsetto moments in particular emphasize the drama of what is a provocative, no-holds barred song focusing on the controversial topics of asylum, immigration and inequality, and all in the form of an absolute banger!

Seriously, the entire EP is worth a listen. Massively important topics done justice in a massively entertaining way.

Mind’s a Riot – Lissy Taylor

This woman is a powerhouse vocal talent. I was a big time fan of her last single, Feel for Me, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of this song since I heard her perform it live when she opened for Skylights in London last month. Recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, this belter has a rippling energy, a feel that seems made for live performances. Lissy says this song captures “the chaotic energy of life”. If you’ve also contended with negative thinking, regrets, and people pleasing, this one’s for you. And even if you haven’t, chances are good you’ll still be well entertained.

Rich Boy – Dylan john thomas

This is the second single from the 25-year-old forthcoming debut album, due out next January. From being raised in a foster home and busking in the streets of Glasgow to being touted as Scotland’s latest breakout star, there’s no doubt that Dylan is a young artist on the rise. He’s got a real zest for storytelling, which I appreciate. Dylan sets out on a UK headline tour in November and it’s little wonder that many dates sold out months in advance.

Alright – Overpass

I’ll say this: All it took was one listen to this song for for me to go pre-order the vinyl for the band’s debut EP, which is due for release next February. I did catch the Birmingham four-piece at a festival last month, and I’m tickled that I’ll see them not once, but twice more this fall: The busy band has secured a support slot on both The Royston Club’s and Vistas’ fall UK tours.

Another Movie – The Avenues

I’m sorry – “How many fucked up stories should I tell you/ Before you realize that I’m not funny/ I’m just asking for help”. Some real lyrical gems, excellent use of pacing and dynamics to tell an all too relatable story of existential anxiety. In fact, I had so many thoughts about this song, I wrote a whole post about it. The guys have a big hometown headline show in Hull on November 11. On the strength of this single alone, I’m sorely tempted to forego my other gig plans to be there.

Shudder – Come At the King

Fresh off the August release of their cover of White Stripes tune Hotel Yorba, the guys have finally released their debut album, Overgrown, packed with what they’ve branded as “gloriously filthy rock and roll”. They say it’s come a few years later than they’d have liked, with doing things 100% independently. They’ve got to be downright proud of this body of work. Shudder was first released as a single in 2019, but gets another moment in the sun as an album track.

Fallen Short – Youth Fountain

It’s giving angst. It’s giving nostalgia. It’s giving Perfect by Simple Plan. The emo pop-punk vibes here really bring me back to the sounds of my youth and the fact that Tyler, the artist behind Youth Fountain, is from the west coast of Canada, where I grew up… it just amplifies it. This is the first single off the upcoming third album, Together in Lonesome, due out November 3. Tyler says overall it’s an album about loss and going through the motions while feeling like you’ll never be good enough for anyone or anything you’ll pursue.

These Days – The Facades

This is the band’s sixth single, and the first from their debut 4-track EP, set to be released late this year. These Days is apparently a fan favourite that’s been trotted out for live sets for a couple of years already, but just now getting a well-deserved release. Singer Alannah has said it’s the story of being young and realizing that you have to start becoming an adult and that it has a sound that captures the mood of the hot summer day on which it was written.

Sea Legs – atmos bloom

You’ve got to love when what began as a lockdown project turns into something truly beautiful. This is the Manchester group’s first new single since last year’s debut album, Flora. The lyrics sting a bit. “It’s not a very nice place to be/ When you’re living inside a dream/ Of a faded memory”. But in spite of the fact that the lyrics kind of make me feel some type of way, the song itself is soo soothing, so very dreamy. If you find yourself in London in early October or December, you might want to check out one of the band’s upcoming dates.

Every Last Goodbye – The Native

I am absolutely head over heels for this tune. It’s another heartbreak song. But you know what makes my heart feel warm and full? Vocalist Charlie’s voice. With a gentle grit, he manages to imbue the song with a gravitas that lingers and aches – but in a very satisfying way. He’s currently bopping about the UK doing a number of pop up acoustic shows through the first part of October to mark the single’s release. He also took part in a climb of Mount Snowden in Wales last weekend, for charity. He took a guitar up, so you can see a clip of him singing this song in the wild on the band’s Instagram.