This week our Fresh Faves are reviewed by Simon Poole from Silent Radio:

Here we are again, it’s Monday and it’s time to give you the best of the best from last week’s music. I must admit that this week has been pretty easy on the writing up duties. This may be down to us raising the bar a little on the last lot of Listening Post choices, but the effect seems to have had the desired result in the final ten. It’s good to know that all the artists below are here because of their music, not because they have a great PR wagon behind them, or a dedicated bunch of family and friends that have voted for them. Simply good music being recognised for what it is. Go, Friends Of Freshnet!

PS I must mention my favourite band name that didn’t make the cut this week, Walter Matthau Stance. Great name indeed.

BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY – Satisfactory Man

Well there’s no messing around with this week’s opening track. Beautiful Country’s Satisfactory Man kicks ass right from the get go. This Brighton based trio can certainly rock out with some of their influences, such as Springsteen and The Foo Fighters. If good honest rock n roll is your thing then head over and check out the rest of their recent EP.

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FLASH PAN HUNTER – Quiz Show

Back to Brighton again now with Clark Gregg AKA Flash Pan Hunter. He says of himself “I’m not really an anthem writer. I don’t put down huge choruses. It’s more about the subtle movement of rhythm and finding interesting ways to layer melodies. Sometimes though, it does kick off a bit”. Well Quiz Show certainly does kick off a bit and there’s nothing subtle about the catchy rhythm throughout.

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HEIDI EMMA PEACH BROWNE – Secret

Well the Secret is out and it’s been remastered, and what a beauty it is. Heidi Emma Peach Browne has the voice of an angel and certainly knows how to put a song together. It would be easy to compare her sound and vocals to the wonderful Jesca Hoop, but it’s more than just a comparison, on the strength of this track, she’s as good as.

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INDIGO FURY – Radio Song

It’s time to rock again with the very talented Indigo Fury from Belfast. The band endeavour to hit you with as many hooks, riffs and beats as you can handle, and Radio Song does exactly that, especially on the hook front. Here’s a band that have the knowhow to write strong and very memorable songs.

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KRAMMER VS MAURICE – Night Bus Home

East London collective Kramer vs Maurice are purveyors of what I would describe as observational music, you see it, and you write it, as it is, in all its beauty and ugliness. Night Bus Home is easy to connect with and I’m sure if you stick this on your MP3 player the next time you need to use the last bus home after a night out you’ll be able see most of the characters mentioned. It’s one of those simple, but clever, tracks you can return to over and over.

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ROBOT//ALIEN – You Are Traffic

Staying local (to me), Robot//Alien reside on t’other side of town in the leafy Manchester suburb of Chorlton-cum-Hardy (stop giggling, that’s its proper name). You Are Traffic has a big sound, especially as its being created by just two of them, Rob Allen and Philip Sykes. Noise pop is here and it’ll still be around for a while as long as bands like Robot//Alien keep it at this level.

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SABIYHA – Queen

Well there’s not much info I can find on this silky voiced singer songwriter from Croydon apart from she’s 19 years old and that she has a handful of tracks recorded. Clearly Sabiyha is quite new and what’s even more apparent is that she’s talented. If she keeps to the level of this song then I’m sure the Folk folk will sit up and listen.

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SAM THOMAS – I’m Gonna Be A Witch

We have another elusive artist here in Sam Thomas, who is so shy and retiring we only managed to find him online thanks to BBC Introducing.  They say kids should be seen and not heard, but on this occasion Sam has managed to reverse this, as I’m sure even the most ardent anti kid fans will enjoy the samples of children’s voices in this track. More of the same please Sam…

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SHAUNA MACKIN – Rita

Originally from Dublin, Shauna Mackin crossed the water over to my neck of the woods to do a degree in music at Salford University. Now I don’t know how she got on with her studying, but I’m sure you’ll agree when it comes to her music, what she has can’t be taught. Her voice is simply divine and you don’t have to listen too hard to hear the Irish charm flood through.

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SUN DOGS – Dream and Machine

I Love this track, I’ve played it almost repeatedly since discovering it in the Freshnet Dropbox last week. It may be the longest on this week’s list, but seems by far the shortest. It builds and builds for a full five minutes (give or take a scond) just like any good Krautrock track should. Not only does this hark back to bands like Neu, but brings in the new – with acts such as Moon Duo who have proved there’s life in this genre yet. Sun Dogs‘ The Dream Machine EP is due out in April on Electric Company, and it’s already on my shopping list.

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This week’s Fresh Faves reviewed
by Simon Poole from Silent Radio

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…