The Lockdown Listener: Volume 2

As the UK wide lockdown relaxes yet continues, never has there been a better opportunity to invest time in discovering new music and to take comfort and get lost in the music you love. Below we share our second lockdown playlist and some of the best songs we’ve been enjoying of late!

The Magic Gang – ‘Take Back the Track’ – The Magic Gang return two years after the release of their popular self-titled debut. ‘Take Back the Track’ makes no excuses for its cheesy funk driven rhythm and, from the off, it is a highly enjoyable dose of feel good nonsense. The band marry together the disco influences with a dose of vocal participation inspired by the Carl Douglas novelty hit ‘Kung Fu Fighting’. Great fun from start to finish!

Sports Team –‘Here’s the Thing’ – Sports Team are one of the most exciting guitar bands to surface for a long time and this track, an early single from new record ‘Deep Down Happy’, is a rollicking 3 minute dash that can barely contain its own excitement. Be careful not to let it in your head because it’ll stay there for days!

Brendan Benson – ‘Richest Man’ – This country rock track taken from Benson’s recent album ‘Dear Life’, finds him paying tribute to his family as he sings “I got two beautiful babies and one hell of a woman as my wife, I got twice the love and half the money, must be the richest man alive”. In the hands of a less confident musician this theme could descend into schmaltz, but here Benson never sounds anything other than authentic and urgent.

Howie Payne – ‘Faster than Light’ – From the first bars of this opening track from Payne’s new EP ‘In Dreams’, you can feel the joy he takes in unleashing his electric guitar for a burst of psychedelic infused grooves. ‘Faster than Light’ captures this atmosphere perfectly and it is the said lead guitar that is the real star, with its falsetto licks instantly catapulting the number in to the stratosphere.

Your Twenties – ‘Billionaires’ – A Spotify Discover playlist for Ear to the Ground, ‘Billionaires’ is a perfectly self-contained pop rock song with the feel good buzz of the vocals and guitar riff combining on the chorus giving this song a well-deserved place on our summer playlist.

Levitation Room – ‘Quarantine’ – Lockdown has forced many musicians to become more creative with their song writing and recording, and many of course have been inspired by recent events in their output. This delicate acoustic ramble finds Levitation Room ponder the global pandemic with lyrics including “stay away from the door, the world’s not safe anymore, keep your hands clean whilst you’re stuck in quarantine”. The delicacy of the observational lyrics and the acoustic backing creates a track perfect for quiet and relaxing contemplation.

Jake Bugg – ‘Saviours of the City’ – Jake Bugg has been experiencing an identity crisis since he first found fame with his debut in 2012. His subsequent recordings have all been frustratingly inconsistent in style and quality, but here he does what he does best – an observational performance proving that he requires nothing more than his guitar and voice to work his magic!

The Ruen Brothers – ‘Break the Rules’ – Heavily inspired by the sounds of bygone eras, the Ruen Brothers have become known for their 50’s and 60’s inspired rock and roll sound.  ‘Break the Rules’ does not break free from this mould, but does find them on fine form as they sing forlornly of breaking rules over a jazz swing inspired melody.

The Weeks – ‘Bobbie’ – The Weeks are unjustly unknown and appreciated in the UK (perhaps due to a sonic overlap with fellow residents of the American South, Kings of Leon) but this, their most recent single, proves why they deserve some attention. The distorted southern guitar rock riot rattles along with fierce passion that stands up to the Kings of Leon back catalogue.

The Avett Brothers – ‘Locked Up’ – Taken from the band’s 2019 release ‘Closer than Together’, an album that saw the group tackle a broader range of subject matters from gun control laws to childbirth, ‘Locked Up’ is a highly enjoyable song that finds the band combine their melodic song writing with an urgent rhythm and passionate lyrics. Well worth a listen!

The Band – ‘Ophelia’ – When you think of the Band it would be fair for your mind to turn to their Americana inspired back catalogue and collaborations with Dylan. Funky melodies probably wouldn’t jump to the front of your mind, but that is just what ‘Ophelia’ is and damn do they do it well! This stunning funky groove of a track finds the Band breaking free of their shackles and having a blast whilst they’re at it. Defying expectations has never sounded so good!