Posted on Friday 26th April 2024 at 16:00
It’s nearly the month's end, so it's time for Gigantic Tickets On Repeat blog! Check out all the big tunes and bangers that we have been enjoying in April that we just had to share with you. There’s a whole load of indie, folk and pop plus plenty for fans of soul & funk too!
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“Sugar Sandwich” is taken from 70s rock-inspired group Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard’s brand new LP Skinwalker. Packed full of attitude, this deep cut proves that glam-rock will never die so go grab your platform shoes and turn this track up loud!
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Parquet Courts songwriter A. Savage dropped The Loft Sessions earlier this year. The four funky tracks complete with wonderfully weird lyrics are a joy to hear, and they kick off with the timeless lead track “Can’t Shake The Stranger Out Of You” which is fully loaded with laidback vibes. Press play and enjoy the chill.
London-based indie outfit FEET are the breakout band of 2024. They follow up their first LP What’s Inside is More Than Just Ham with this killer new single “Sit Down”. It’s included on their eagerly awaited new album Make It Up which is released later this year.
Living legend Peter Gabriel unveiled his tenth album I/O just last year. His first new material in 21 years, it includes this evocative song is a stripped-down exploration of mortality with a real, raw honesty.
Modfather Paul Weller recalls the smooth sound of his days in The Style Council on “Rise Up Singing”. Recorded at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, lush orchestral strings are met with the veteran songwriter’s unmistakable vocals.
Mac Miller released his platinum-certified wavy anthem “Small Worlds” in 2018. It featured on the Top 10 album Swimming which saw the late hip-hop star receive a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album.
Who doesn’t love a bit of The Kinks? “Rats” is a suitably scrappy song, with trashy garage-rock guitars and an outlandish wailing organ. Originally a B-Side to "Apeman", it proved popular with fans and was later released as a single in 1970.
Dio’s “Rainbow in the Dark” is such an awesome heavy-metal single. Epic vocals are accompanied by a killer riff leading into some serious face-melting lead guitar and it’s impossible not to fist pump for the entire four minutes.
“Weekender” is the thirteen-minute baggy ode to hedonism and overindulgence by Camden indie-dance champions Flowered Up. Their signature song broke the Top 20 when it came out on the iconic label Heavenly Records in 1992, and includes samples from the classic cult film Quadrophenia.
“Greatest Hits” is strangely sublime, combining soulful vocals with icy strings and glitchy dance beats. It was the last single taken from band of the moment Jockstrap’s acclaimed debut album I Love You Jennifer B. The Mercury Prize-nominated record dropped in 2023 and is a masterpiece in art-pop and avant-garde indie.
Idiosyncratic Minnesota indie-folk songwriter Adrianne Lenker is back with her single “Fool”. The Big Thief frontwoman’s unbridled joy is abundantly clear as she laughs with happiness on her charming ditty as heard on her new album Bright Future.
Classic Carly Simon's song “You’re So Vain” saw her nominated for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1974 Grammy Awards. Simon said that the song was never directed at one person, but the audacity of men in general. A sentiment shared by listeners around the globe, as “You’re So Vain” went to No. 1 in five countries. And if you listen carefully, you can just make out Mick Jagger who contributes backing vocals
We love Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard in the Gigantic office, so it’s no surprise that they’ve popped up a second time in the On Repeat: April playlist. “Therapy” is inspired by singer Tom Rees’ experiences of mental healthcare which he describes as being like having “my head squeezed like a giant cyst and years and years of backlogged pus just started oozing out”.
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Mysterious funk trio Skull Snaps shrouded themselves in secrecy, releasing a single self-titled record which kicks off with this punchy little number. Oozing groove, all the band needs is the power of love to feel super good.
Californian doo-wop revivalists Shannon & The Clams recall such greats as The Ronettes and The Supremes on their dreamy love ballad “Ozma”. It’s hard to believe that this track is only eleven years old as it sounds like it could be a Phil Spector classic.
beabadoodee goes all out on the slushy loved-up goodness on “Dance With Me”. It captures all the teenage feelings of a first infatuation, and could easily be the soundtrack to the next big independent rom-com film.
Armed with just her trusty acoustic guitar, alt-country star Suzie Ungerleider reminisces on her rebellious adolescence. She recalls evocative memories of anarcho-environmentalists bombing government buildings, falling in love with punk-rock and more moments that made an impact during her formative years.
Raise the devil's horns because Geordie are here to rock your socks off with “Black Cat Woman”. The Newcastle-based band were a big deal in the 70s, and this stomping song sees them team up with AC/DC's singer Brian Johnston.
Brilliantly bratty, Charli XCX’s “Von dutch” recalls both the trashy sound and style of the early 00s. The chaotic electroclash beats and sassy lyrics make it an instant club classic which was produced by Easyfun and would definitely have been your Myspace song back in the day.
Leaning hard into 80s synth-pop, “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan is a kiss goodbye to a doomed relationship with a former lover who refuses to acknowledge her true feelings and sexuality. There’s not a hint of bitterness, just a warning about all the pain her past sweetheart has in store if she can’t break the chains of heteronormativity.
Canadian psych-pop songwriter Patrick Lefler AKA ROY embarks on a wonderful voyage of sonic strangeness. His tender track, complete with gentle keys, grandiose strings and lounge-style vocals can be found on his fifth LP Spoons For The World, which is released next month on Idée Fixe Records.
Get into the groove with Khruangbin’s “A Love International”. The Texan psychedelic-rock trio present a blissful and radiant instrumental track that transports the listener to sunkissed climes. Go check out their latest LP A La Sala, their first full-length album in four years.
“Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” is a powerful song from the politically charged power trio The Jam. Taken from their third album All Mod Cons, it’s a painfully clear snapshot of the urban decay of Britain in the late 70s and the resulting rise in tensions and neo nazi violence.
New York indie-rockers Vampire Weekend return with new album Only God Was Above Us, which includes the experimental track “Mary Boone”. The band take a surrealist approach to the fall of the art dealer convicted for tax evasion and love in the Big Apple, pinching a sample from Soul II Soul’s "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)".
Released in 1957, "Little Bitty Pretty One" is the instantly recognisable hit single from rock-n-roll superstar Thurston Harris. The peppy song was originally written by Bobby Day and has also been covered by Cliff Richard, Aaron Carter, Huey Lewis and the News and The Jackson 5.
Experimental indie-rockers Bombay Bicycle Club team up with blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn on the hypnotic anthem “Heaven”. Nostalgic and triumphant, it sees both parties playing at their best and could easily be an uncovered 90s treasure from the jubilant Britpop days.
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Celebrated Brazilian songwriter and comic Juca Chaves draws on dub and Latin rhythms in his catchy 1970 earworm “Take Me Back To Piaui”. The 45 was one of the last releases in his home country, as the popular figure was soon forced to flee to Italy after being publically critical of Emílio Garrastazu Médici and his fascist regime. He continued to write and release music in exile until his return in the 80s.
“365” by Waxahatchee reveals the pain caused by a co-dependent relationship based on addiction. The single is accompanied by a video directed by Corbett Jones and Nick Simonite. It’s filmed as a single shot that sees the indie-folk songwriter surveying the city from an empty apartment.
Scouse rockers The Mysterines new single “Sink Ya Teeth In” takes a bite into the myth of true love. The grungy track asks where does passion end and dependence begin, and is a taste of their eagerly anticipated new album.
Garage-rock songwriter Ty Segall kicked off 2024 with the release of his latest record Three Bells. It contains the single “My Room” which goes all out with squalling guitars and a plucky little bassline that just begs to be played over and over again.
Australian neo-psyche voyager Sunbeam Sound Machine takes us on a marvellous out-of-this-world experience with “Fever Dream”. The five-minute journey into the outer limits is a woozy kaleidoscope of mind-bending sounds and feel-good vibes.
Swiss psyche outfit Glaascats kicked off their latest LP with the mysterious intro track “The Comforter”. The darkly melodic and atmospheric song was the perfect way to start a truly compelling record from a mesmerising band.
Alt-country singer-songwriter Bill Callahan is a prolific writer and performer, working both under his own name and the moniker Smog. “Diamond Dancer” appeared on his 2007 LP Woke on a Whaleheart and has shades of David Bowie’s Blue-eyed soul era but with his own distinct Americana flavour.
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