today’s rock picks lean into grit, melody, and emotional conviction. in mid february, we’re enjoying a lot of new rock stuff, from existential indie bite to 80s-tinged punch, raw garage instinct to darker experimental edges, these four artists each bring their own kind of power.
change it – tom minor
“tom minor sharpens existential indie into something brilliant urgent and restless”
change it feels like a manifesto wrapped in jangling guitars and punchy indie-pop rhythm. there’s a little costello or prefab sprout in the lyrical presentation, but also frustration, a sense of wanting to break free from inertia and actually do something about it. the hook repeats like a rallying cry, half ironic, half sincere.
london-based tom minor blends indie rock, new wave, and power pop with sharp songwriting instincts. change it lands as both commentary and catharsis, melodic, slightly chaotic, and knowingly self-aware. taken from his new album ‘Ten New Toe-Tappers for Shoplifting & Self-Mutilation’, this is just great and you should check it out.
thank u for making this tom minor 🔥
sweetheart – zachary mason
“zachary mason delivers a wonderful heart-on-sleeve rock momrent with classic instincts”
sweetheart opens gently before building into something crunchier and more driven, nodding to a 70s and 80s rock textures while keeping the emotional centre intact. it’s about love and connection, the vocal is great, and it’s all told with a punch that stops it drifting into sentimentality.
based in guildford and friend of the blog, zachary mason writes across genres but keeps rock at the core of his sound. sweetheart feels earnest and melodic, powered by live-band energy and a clear affection for classic songwriting. can’t wait to hear more from zachary this year.
thank u for making this zachary mason 🎶
raincoat – boneyard rebels
“boneyard rebels channel raw instinct into garage-leaning alt rock with a fizzing bite”
raincoat feels immediate, a bit like it was captured in the moment rather than polished into submission. gritty guitars and a lovely, tense eerie atmosphere give it a restless edge, with a vocal presentation that’s really great. it’s loads of fun, and – when combined with a lovely beatles-ish middle eight – we’re fully sold.
hailing from montreal, friend of the blog boneyard rebels embrace spontaneity and creative instinct. raincoat sounds unfiltered and alive, rock music that thrives on tension and texture rather than perfection.
thank u for making this boneyard rebels 🌧️
with you – ben rankin
“ben rankin delivers straight to the heart alt-rock goodness”
with you steps slightly away from distortion and into vulnerability. it’s got it all; stripped-back moments, really really great guitar lines and emotive vocals, give the track a reflective weight. before exploding into a huge chorus where there’s real sincerity in the delivery here.
based in canberra, ben rankin blends rock and metal influences with a clear love of melodic pop songwriting. self-produced and personal, with you shows another side of his sound, introspective, honest, and unafraid to sit with emotion. it’s fantastic.
thank u for making this ben rankin 🖤
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