URN

If you like your music as sickly sweet as a pug covered in caramal, rolled in sugar and laid in front of a fire to toast, then San Cisco are for you.
The Australian four-piece are yet to release a debut album but have released a stream of singles, the latest of which being "Wild things".

The story of learning not to trust the Wild things is told to you by lead singer Jordi Davieson, a voice not dissimilar from Ezra Koenig's of Vampire Weekend. The verse provides a sparse slow strummed guitar to the slightly sinister lyrics of "The Wild things will chase you down, they'll steal your thrown and break your crown", clearly based on the book by Maurice Sandeck. But during the chorus the metaphorical sun comes out, as Scarlett Stevens helps to providing co-vocals on these parts, accompanying a twee few chimes of a xylophone.

If you were thinking it's got too sickly sweet, then be prepared for an extra spoonful of sugar to make you wince, as whistling comes into the frame before the second chorus. But if you're worried the band simply provide empty calories you'd be wrong, as the song is held together with a bouncy bassline, and various layers of synth play. It's catchy but worthy of repeat listens.
For fans of: Vampire Weekend, Two door Cinema club, Darwin Deez
Listen to my Show 2-5 every Friday for a new band of the week, every week.

Foxygen, with a name like a sexy new chemical element the band provide a formula that's equally fresh, but with a backbone that has been drawn up from roots of 60s psychedelia.

The duo of Jonathon Rado and Sam France have been performing and writing together since 2005, and are even on their second album after being discovered and produced by the legendary Richard Swift for their first album, 2011's "Take the kids of Broadway".

But let's talk music, the duo like MGMT provide a kind of trip within every song, just as you think you've decided the idea of the song, or understood an obscure lyric about seeing someone's daughters wearing Rhino shaped earrings the whole music cuts a corner. A time change here, a new instrument comes in and the song seems to reflect on itself, before jumping back into the verse you thought you were once familiar with.

The new album "We are the 21st Century ambassadors of Peace and Magic" though not catchy, does reflect the bands ethos. Take single "Shuggie" for example, the story of heartbreak, with repeated mentions of "you don't love me that's news to me" somehow sounds upbeat when put over panpipes, the chorus even offering an inspirational message to believe in yourself to free your soul. It even manages to fit in a funk instrumental break down before skipping off into a giddy outro.

What to do when you visit Bath, visit the Roman Baths perhaps? Look around the Jane Austen Centre? The last thing I imagine you'd think to do is to see a Band who'd be more suited swigging Whiskey down in Nashville. But Bath is the home town to Family Rain the brilliant three piece bursting with potential.

Consisting of three brothers (hence the name Family Rain), this may ring the family band bell of Kings of Leon, but think more along the tone of pretend Brother sister combo White Stripes and you're closer to their sound. They might be hip-hop inspired, but the guitar riff on current hit "Trust Me...I'm a genius" is very much dripping with Bluesy goodness.

Speaking of the new track "Trust Me...I'm a genius" may be the most apt name for their breakthrough single. Genius in the fact they managed to get signed, by having their song posted on blogs and getting attention from Label. Trusting them as if this is what they can do early on wait until they release more material!

For fans of: Jack White (any of his many bands), Black Keys
Listen to "Trust Me...I'm a genius" online now or tune into my show on the 10th of December 12-2Family Rain (Image from thebluewalrus.com)

From the moment the first fuzz dripped guitar riff reverberates about your ear canal, you know it's sweet 90s driven fun from there. On a cold December morning this might come as quite a summery shock to the winter system, but who doesn't want to bathe in the sun drenched tones once in a while.
The five piece from Cambridge have recently released new EP "POP" containing three of the best shoegazing catchy songs you could hope for.
Stand out song "Sweet Honey" couples a brilliant male/female harmony as sickly sweet as the title describes, but cleverly pairs this with intervals of thrashy guitar that allow enough time for you to digest to vocals before you're brought a fresh batch.
The band still in their infancy having only completed a small handful of tiny shows have plenty of time to mature, but if producing songs of this standard from the beginning it'll be worth sitting through any teething pains.
For fans of Yuck, Swim Deep and We are scientists
Listen to Sweet Honey
Even better download the EP "POP" completely free from http://emailunlock.com/deadlypeople/sweet-honey
And tune in to hear two of their tracks on my show Monday 3rd of December 12-2
Carousels, Band of the week (picture from NME.com)

The Vinyls are a great unsigned band that have been floating around the internet for a good few years now (their first self titled E.P. being released back in 2010), so if you haven't heard of them yet why not?

Perhaps it's due to the band name, a google search for The Vinyls does little to find them and can lead to a whole host of other music. Persevere though and you're in for a treat. As a Brighton based band they're among a back drop of an all new music revival from bands such as Blood Red Shoes and British Sea Power, but have not adopted a similar sound.

Instead they harness catchy jangly guitar riffs that appear happily inspired by Johnny Marr and wrap up the cheery pop in lyrics that seem exhausted by modern thinking today, for example: "think you're made of stone? but you're just desperately alone". Though ever since The Smiths it's not uncommon to contrast a sunny riff with lyrics that provide a darker shadow, you have to wonder... if it's not broke why fix it?

If you want to check them out (and I'd recommend you do) go to www.thevinyls.net where you can hear their tracks and their new album Catch! which just came out this year.

Tune into my show 12-2 Monday 26th November to hear two of their tracks. A definite listen for fans of Franz Ferdinand and The Rakes.