Well its big ol’ week on the Fresh Faves front with no less than 14 tracks being included. This surely is a bonus for everyone involved, especially me as I get to find out a little more about each of the chosen many, as opposed to just listening and deciding if I like them or not in the Listening Post stages. So without further or do, here they are…

BLONDE BUNNY – This Evening

Blonde Bunny are a five piece based in London and originally from Oundle. Now geography was never my forte and I did immediately think that Oundle must have been abroad somewhere, but after a quick search it is actually in Northamptonshire, so you learn something new every day eh. This is a great opening track to this week’s Fresh Faves. At first it seems rather unassuming, but when the main melody arrives you’ll be head nodding right through ‘til the end.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

CRAIG HANSEN – Sunshine

Craig Hanson is a bloke from Sydney (Australia, I knew this one without checking my atlas) who apparently missed out on a great opportunity to make his way in music and is now giving it another crack, and rightly so I say. Although his sound has all the layers of Rock, his voice will certainly make anyone not overly keen on the genre sit up and listen. Keep on rockin’ Craig and I’m sure people will keep on rollin’ in to hear your music.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

FLOORBOY – Yellow Roses

Floorboy, AKA Jim Smith, is a singer songwriter from Norwich. Now for me the recent upturn in the under sixties singing Folk music has been a struggle, mainly because it can sometimes seem a little at odds with the way the world is nowadays and also because it was traditionally sang by old blokes with beards. But for some reason Floorboy’s voice actually conveys some realness to me that can sometimes be missing and changes the track from being background music to something you sit and listen to. Lovely stuff indeed.

Facebook | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Twitter | YouTube

FORESTEARS – Against The Floor

I’m a sucker for a bit of brass in my music, I find it always adds that little bit extra something to a song as long as it’s not over done and thankfully Forestears have got it just right in this one. This six piece from Brighton certainly have a great laid back sound, and one I’ll be seeking out more of for sure. I don’t often say a band will go on to be bigger, because we all know of some great bands that simply just don’t make it, but I’ll take a punt here and say that Forestears will. Fingers crossed.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

JAKE DOWNS – Seize the Water

No, no, no, there must be some mistake here. Jake Downs is asinger songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and by the sound of Seize The Water a very very talented one, but according to his biog, he’s 18 years old. I know many artists that would give up a limb for half his talent and they’d still be on to a good thing. His credited influences are range of the great and the good over the decades and it’s clear to hear in his music that he’s not just been listening to them, he’s been ‘listening’ to them. Thanks Jake for making me feel old and untalented.  😉

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

KEVIN PEARCE – Get By

Hailing from Essex, Kevin Pearce describes his music as Alternative/Ethereal Folk. Now sometimes it can be fair to say that artist’s descriptions of their sound can be a little off, but here is an example of you get what it says on the tin, especially the ethereal. It’s this that makes Get By stand out and give it that extra bit of something

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

PALOMINO – Trapped

Palomino are local to my neck of the woods, Manchester, and were until recently known as Doldrums, a band I had heard of on the local circuit. As Palomino they are definitely rocking the Manchester sound with some aplomb.

Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

SHOPPING – Santa Monica Place

I’m really glad that Shopping’s Santa Monica Place has made this week’s Fresh Faves, as it was personal Fave from the off. With home production being something that most musicians have easy access to nowadays it is really good to hear something that has that raw sound. All I can tell you about this band is that they are three piece from London. Shopping can easily be up there with new bands such as Savages and Pins.

Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter

THE AGENCY – Carnivale

The Agency are from up North (Newcastle to be precise) which can be heard in the wit of the lyrics of Carnivale. It’s a cleverly written track with more than hint of Americana, or as they describe it themselves, Gothicana. A good track that should certainly entice more fans to their music.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

THE DEADLINE SHAKES – Dont You Be Too Cool

The ukulele is having a massive resurgence of popularity of late, and I know some people are getting a little tired of it, but I’m not one of them as long as it’s done right. Scotland’s The Deadline Shakes are one of these getting right. Don’t You Be Cool mixes some great classic pop/rock and could almost be a great ELO song without sounding like it’s from a couple of decades ago.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter

THE KIPPLE – Never Know

Liverpool’s The Kipple are here to give this week’s Fresh Faves a kick up the backside with some dirty beat laden noise. Never Know is a nice sharp shock of a track would certainly get a crowd whipped up into a sweat in a dark and dingy venue.

Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter 

THE PATIENT WILD – Snowbound

The Patient Wild are a five piece acoustic rock outfit from Berkshire that started off as duo under a different name until new band members joined at the tail end of 2011. They only started gigging earlier this year and from the sound of Snowbound they have gelled very well together.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

TIRED ARMS – Ursa Minor

Tired Arms are made up of Evan Gildersleeve and Lawrence King, who have been making music together since 2008. The dark instrumental of Ursa Minor is just right for those laid back late night/early morning restful sessions.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

VINNIE & THE STARS – I’m Not From America…I’m From Hull

Well I don’t really need to tell you where Vinnie and the Stars are from, or for that matter, where they are not from either. This is clever and fun that will have your head bobbing from the off. This could easily be Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer’s working class Yorkshire cousin.

Official | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube

Fresh Faves reviewed this week by
Team Freshnet’s Simon Poole

FROM TOM: If you’ve submitted a track that hasn’t made the Fresh Faves you’re welcome to re-submit it again. But if you have been a Fresh Fave in recent weeks could you possibly hold back for at least six weeks before sending us another one. If you keep sending us great tracks every week it leaves less room for new names who haven’t had a chance yet…