Potty Mouth – Hell Bent
Potty Mouth are an American, all-female punk-rock band who’s phenomenal debut album Hell Bent has recently gained them critical acclaim. Their ‘I don’t give a fuck’ nonchalance combined with their witty lyricism and charm have made them stand out from the large crop of punk-rock bands who have popped up in the past few years. This album also contains some pretty catchy tunes including some of my favourite songs of 2013: The Spins (watch below) and Black and Studs.
PINS – Girls Like Us
Manchester band PINS’ debut is another essential punk-rock album which was released in September. Their fan base has been increasing over the past year following the release of their debut EP ‘LUVU4LYF’ and a string of electrifying live shows. This is one of the most honest and raw records you’re likely to hear all year.
Joanna Gruesome – Weird Sister
The combination of hard-rock and pop is tough to pull of but Cardiff-based band Joanna Gruesome do it perfectly; their fast-paced production coupled, poppy choruses and boy-girl vocals make for 28 minutes of pure awesomeness.
VV Brown – Samson & Delilah
I know I already bigged this album up in my last post but it is so good that I feel a second mention is justified. After a disappointing debut and a shelved second album, VV Brown has come back fighting with this incredibly ambitious third album, Samson & Delilah. It features a divers range of (equally brilliant) tracks from the funky Grace Jones-esque The Apple, post-dub pulse raiser Igneous and the euphoric Ghosts. Highly recommended.
FKA Twigs – EP2
Although this is technically not an album, it is one of the best things I have heard this month. FKA Twigs is a mysterious South-London-based electronic artist who has sent the blog-o-sphere into a frenzy since her Water Me video dropped earlier this year. What we have here are 4 perfectly formed electronica tracks which suggest that her full-length album (due next year) will be very special indeed. Expect her to dominate the ‘Ones to watch in 2014’ lists.
