Lockdown robbed West Country based Jess McAllister of the chance to share her absorbing debut ‘Courage/Fear’ with live audiences across the land, instead restricted to the odd socially distanced or virtual gig, as, like many of us, homeschooling and side hustles suddenly took priority.
On the face of it the new record from '68 is another glistening dollop of sledgehammer sleaze but look beneath the hood and it's clear that frontman Josh Scogin has hit the chop shop, turning an already full-blooded power duo into a true tyre-shredding hot rod.
The setting – your lockdown living room. The time – 36 seconds after dropping the needle on Blanketman's National Trust EP. The scene – chaos, as the Manchester-based indie-pop darlings crescendo into the joyous, crashing chorus of 'Beach Body', the first song released from their debut EP and the one that really got the hype machine churning.
Minneapolis muso geek trio Baby Boys have expertly utilized their vast amounts of time spent honing their skills in recording studios, combining that hard-earned nous with the playful experimentation of a certain local Purple pop legend, creating a beguiling little cartoon of an album full of twists and turns.