Tethered Slump On The Rise

One of the strongest DIY bands doing the rounds here in London is Vertical Slump. Featuring members of Shopping/Gloss Rejection/Omi Palome/Circuit Breaker, they take a frantic post-punk stance and inject it with some synth squall insanity. There are some Australian touchstones here that seems consistent with underground scenes - see the likes of Ausmuteants, Total Control or Gold Class, three Melbourne bands that bear reference here. 'Tether' is the first taste to come from the band's debut 7", and it's an agitated buzzsaw that plateaus into a warm chloroform hazed dream when the chorus hits - not necessarily a light at the end of the gloaming, but respite from the tension. It's a delectable slice of monochrome madness. Ruined Value comes out soon through Icecapades - pre-order it here.

FRIDAY COVER UP - Crossing The Telescopic Dog

It's been a busy week on the music calendar here in London. David Byrne has killed it with his Meltdown curation (I got to see Sunn O))) put in an incendiary performance at the Royal Festival Hall on Tuesday, and reports were that Jonny Greenwood's live score with a full orchestra for an airing of There Will Be Blood - of which I failed to get tickets - was brilliant); Pissed Jeans played two sell out shows at 100 Club and were on top of their (and everyone else's) game; and starting tonight is the crowdfunded noisy fest Wyrdout, featuring the likes of Gnod, That Fucking Tank, Silent Front, Bad Guys and the mighty Helms Alee. New Cross has also held some stellar gigs - the Witching Waves show at New Cross Inn last night in particular. Tomorrow night though looks to be an absolute peach too - with a "rare" performance from psych creepers The Telescopes. So in celebration of this, here is their cover of the seminal Stooges song 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' off their Fuzz Club Records split from earlier in the year. The other side of the wax? Held by none other than A Place To Bury Strangers.



The Telescopes play at New Cross Inn tomorrow with support from Vertical Slump, Virgin Kids, The Infinite Three, Sky Between Leaves and none other than SM fave James X Boyd & the Boydoids - get your tickets here (and it's meant to be a hot one so enjoy the sunshine noise and beers!)