The Devil's blog is dedicated to unearthing unknown, unheard, unseen, unheralded, unfamiliar or downright unbelievable bands new or old, that have not yet hit the radars of the music papers, magazines and the British public in the UK. If you're in a new band, are unsigned and would like to be considered for inclusion on the site, please email me.
Flash Bang Band Genre: Melodramatic Popular Song / Experimental / Pop From: Brighton, London and South East, United Kingdom
Flash Bang Band formed in Brighton, UK towards the end of 2008. The quartet hail from a variety of influences and, using their tanking rhythm section, they drive nostalgic melodies and memorable, more often than not slightly wonky songs to captivate audiences.
Although the band are relatively freshly minted and despite saddling themselves with a bit of a naff name they've already turned more than a few heads in their home town of Brighton and have just launched their debut ep 'Random Acts Of Kindness' which you can order from their myspace site.
Of the six tracks on the EP three of them can be heard on their myspace site. 'I Want To Better Myself' sounds like they've been perfecting ways to compress the entire Super Furry Animalsouevre into one song while 'Questions' could be the revved up funk soul brother of the Welsh wizards. If I didn't know better I'd swear that the other track on the site, 'The Rhythm Inside You', which incidentally has some of the best pop whistling this side of Peter Bjorn and John, is a refugee from a long lost Kinks album.
If they carry on like this they won't just be a flash in the pan.
Jordan Galland Genre: French PopFrom: New York, United States New York City filmmaker and musician Jordan Galland, formerly of the band Dopo Yume, is best known for his work on Daniel Merriweather’s latest album 'Love & War'. Jordan wrote 'Cigarettes' and 'Live By Night' whichRyan Adams described as “Perfect, like a blowjob on a yacht”... oh how I wish I'd said that!).
If Ryan Adams' description has perked your interest in Jordan you'll be please to find out that he has just released his debut-solo album, 'Airbrush'.
Inspired by Serge Gainsbourg, Leonard Cohen and early Françoise Hardy, Galland's cerebral lyrics are set to pop melodies that mix horns, dreamy backing vocals and curious homemade beats - creating a spooky and intimate sound.
There are two tracks courtesy of the Devil (and OffCentralPR) for you to try out. 'They Always Come Back' starts like Jerri's 'Go Fight Your War' before launching into what sounds like a more focused Pete Doherty in a beret smoking a gauloise. While 'Everyone Else Is Boring' sounds like the Libertines if they'd been born next to the Seine rather than the Thames.
If you like your pop to come equipped with intelligence and a certain je ne sais quoi then pack your bags and head for Jordan.
Artery Music Genre: Country / Indie / Folk From: Iceland
The Devil's inbox is bombarded each day with emails from young bands, starving artists, PR companies, record labels, Nigerians with an offer that sounds too good to be true and companies who can apparently guarantee an erection that lasts all night! But amongst the detritus of the information super highway there's usually one jewel that makes it all worthwhile.
Icelandic musical collective (bands are obviously so last year darlink) Artery Music are one such jewel. The tracks on their myspace site sound like a Scandinavian Moldy Peaches and would be perfect for the sequel to Juno. The Devil's favourite track 'I Like You...' (see MP3 link below) is like the Wannadies 'You and Me Song' with the lo-fi dial set so far down it's verging on the no fi!
Go Try
MP3 - Artery Music - I Like You... MP3 - Artery Music - I Am The Spring If anyone from the IFPI is reading this track is published with the permission of Artery Music so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright. Go Visit
Ten City Nation Genre: Rock / Rock / Rock From: Bury St Edmunds Rock City / Lewisham, United Kingdom
Brash, noisy, spiky rockers Ten City Nation took time out from ripping the UK apart to give the Devil an insight into what they'd do if they were in charge of the world, a little education on the significance of the number ten and their favourite bands on the scene this year. They also asked me to tell you that their new 7" 'Silent Disco/Flashing Lights' is available here and their new album 'At The Still Point' will be out in Augustbut this isn't the Jonathan Ross show so there'll be not such blatant promotion on this blog!
The Devil - Where did you get your name and what other names did you consider before deciding it had to be Ten City Nation?
Ten City Nation - In ancient East Anglian civilisations, the number 10 took on a particular significance and was considered imbued with magical powers. That's why people from East Anglia have been bred to have such large hands. Taking this to its' logical conclusion, we figured that the ideal number of cities for any nation to have would be 10, and so we're making it our mission to whittle away the unnecessary cities of the United Kingdom, which shouldn't prove too difficult. Would anyone really miss Leeds, or Peterborough? I don't think so (if anyone form Leeds or Peterborough is reading . So Ten City Nation was the obvious choice. Well, that or Sexy Kids.
The Devil - What makes Ten City Nation stand out from the millions of other bands in the world? What makes you unique?
Ten City Nation - You'd have to ask our mothers that question (if you give me their email addresses and I will - The Devil).
The Devil - What was the first record the Ten City Nation band members ever owned?
Ten City Nation -
Neil: Beck, 'Loser'. Mike: Probably 'The Stone Roses' by The Stone Roses. Seymour: First record my Dad bought me was 'Baggy Trousers' by Madness. First record I bought for myself was 'Living Doll' by Cliff Richard and The Young Ones. First CD I bought was 'Bite' by Ned's Atomic Dustbin. The Devil - What's the strangest place you've ever played and would you go back there?
Ten City Nation - Haverhill was, and is, strange. We played a Village Fete by mistake a couple of years ago. They told us Rick Wakeman had said yes and we thought, if it's good enough for Rick, it's good enough for us. Then we got there and they'd lied to us about Rick Wakeman - always the mark of a cad. We played anyway, and they blew up our bass amp by way of thanks.
The Devil - Other than Ten City Nation who are the most exciting bands on the scene at the moment?
Ten City Nation - We always enjoy playing with Kunk, Popular Workshop and Untitled Musical Project. And we'd very much like to play with William one of these days. There's plenty of exciting bands about, but we're quite isolated in the countryside. We usually end up listening to Syd Barrett, stripping down to our undies and wrestling. Beats crack cocaine hands down.
The Devil - If you weren't in Ten City Nation what would you be doing? Ten City Nation - Selling merch for Ten City Nation. The Devil - What annoys you most about the current state of the world and if you were in charge what would you change?
Ten City Nation - We're mostly annoyed by everything and everyone. I'm not sure that we'd change any of it, but that doesn't stop us from moaning. The BNP are alarming, and we'd quite like to see them fed to the pigs by psychotic East End gangsters with comedy gangster names.
The Devil - What are the band doing to beat the credit crunch? Any tips on saving money for the Devil's readers? Ten City Nation - Our advice would be to drink as much as possible as often as possible, so things won't matter so much. And don't be in a band. The Devil - If you were interviewing yourself what would be your killer question and how would you answer it?
Ten City Nation - We'd be more likely to smash courgettes over each other's heads than ask each other any sensible questions. Or indulge in some kind of early morning pagan runner-bean planting ritual. It happens more often than you'd think. The Devil - Anything else you'd like to say the the Devil's readers?
Ten City Nation - We're from Suffolk.
Go Try
MP3 - Ten City Nation - Flashing Lights If anyone from the IFPI is reading this track is published with the permission of Ten City Nation so please refrain from alleging infringement of copyright.
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Liverpool, United Kingdom
Any music that is posted here is for sampling purposes only. If you like anything you see here, please support the artist by buying their music and spreading the word.
If you represent an artist on the site and would like to have a song removed, email me and it'll be gone quicker than lager turns to piss.
Flash Bang Band
