Walk Upright - Walk Upright

This week's hottest gig + debut album of spiky art-rock from London quartet!

Adding to Gare du Nord's impressive list of releases this year is this eponymous debut LP from London's Walk Upright. Lyrically rich with London-centric frustrations, delivered with heart, soul, humour and a healthy lack of cynicism, this limited edition CD was recorded in the band's rehearsal space underneath a road-supporting arch in Leyton. Sessions were disrupted each time a lorry rumbled past overhead. With this in mind it's no surprise the album has a taut, stripped to the bone sound. Short but to-the-point songs, spiky guitars lines, hooky keys and an infectious urgency to win you over within a couple of catchy choruses. And it does. Think Wire, Elastica and Blur at their best.

With not a duff track among them it's hard to pick a favourite but contenders include early single 'Trash Wave', an art-punk tour-de-force, or 'Waiting For What' with its killer bassline. Then there's 'Dont Weep Melissa' with its earworm chanted chorus, or the incredible saxophone solo (courtesy of Bozo Zoo's Alex Nicoll) on 'Wasting My Time'. Anyway take a listen via the Bandcamp player below and pick one yourself.

One quarter of the band lives in Austria so it's not often the band get to play shows together but this Friday they'll be playing a special album launch show at the Betsey Trotwood, EC1 this Friday(July 6^th). Support comes from Picturebox + Robert Rotifer. Should be one to remember! Five pounds on the door. Bargain!

Walk Upright are -

Denis Osborne – guitar/vocals

Dee McGruddy – keyboards/vocals

Richard Easeman – bass

Gareth Spicer – drums

Click here for Walk Upright on Twitter.

Click here for Walk Upright on Facebook.

The Shifters - A Believer b/w Contrast Of Form (Ltd. 7")

Australian lo-fi punks' latest 7” on Market Square Records! 300 copies only!

2017 may still be a terrible year for politics but it's been an amazing year for new under-the-radar music. So much so that it's sometimes a struggle to keep up and write about it as much as I'd like. One of my favourite small labels keep coming up with the goods, outta Billinghurst of all places. This 'lil platter actually came out at the tail end of July and according to the label's website is sold out. But with a bit of luck and the aid of Discogs notifications you may be able to track down a copy. Or try the band direct via their Facebook page.

The Shifters are a a lo-fi punk band from Melbourne, Australia who make music that sounds somewhere between The Fall's lesser heard melodic moments and the Dunedin sound that came out of New Zealand back in the '80s. It's pretty cool. I like it and I think you will too. They also remind me of an American band called Phantom Buffalo who I think are from Portland Oregon. They put out a couple of albums that I really dug. I miss them. But hey this 7” is helping me get over it. Shame Melbourne is so far away as they sound like the kind of band who would be very enjoyable and accessible at a gig. Do check them out!

Click here for The Shifters on Facebook.

Click here for Market Square Records.