#76: Top 5 Unsigned - 03/04/13

The Fallows

The Fallows, a four piece indie-pop band with roots all over the North West, are making the kind of radio-friendly pop-rock that will appeal to fans of the likes of The Killers.  The music the band makes isn't groundbreaking. But it's done to see a tee that it really doesn't matter that you've heard it before. Chances are, The Fallows do it better.

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Landmarks

Ten years ago, pop-punk bands were ten a penny, with none of them really managing to break the mould set by bands such as New Found Glory. Thankfully these days the quality of the pop-punk bands that come to my attention is much higher than it used to be. Manchester Landmarks are one such. Their blend of gang-chant choruses, charming lyricism and undeniable enthusiasm makes the band one of the freshest sounding bands around at the moment. With plans for an EP release in the forseeable future, Landmarks are a band to keep at least one eye on.

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Hidden Witness

Coming together from four corners of the UK, Hidden Witness are a band whose music spans genres in the same way it's members span the country. There music is as understated as it is candid and heartfelt. Jangly indie-pop guitars and clean unaffected vocals assert the band's aesthetic. If their forthcoming début album is half as good as the songs on their SoundCloud, then Hidden Witness are on to a winner.

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High Low

Essex-based two-piece High/Low don't make the kind of sound you would expect from a band with such minimal members. Crashing drums and guitar purport a DIY aesthetic that runs behind and indie-pop veneer that's surprisingly full-sounding, appealing to fans of bands such as Foo Fighters or Ash. With two EPs behind them already, High/Low are a band who are undeniably on the up-and-up, it's only a matter of time before they break through.

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Tabby Notes

Tabby Notes aren't the usual type of band I would include in these features. But when I heard singer Tabby Jackson's vocals, coupled with the upbeat pop/punk/rock fusion of the band behind her I knew they had to be included. Sounding somewhere between Joan Jett, Blondie, and No Doubt. This type of music just yearns for misspent weekends drinking in a park. The ska elements that the band occasionally exhibit are particular highlights of the band's repertoire. 'Can't Find You' sees Jackson sounding like Tsunami Bomb's Agent M, and is all the better for it.
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Check out last week's Top 5 Unsigned