introverttoday's rock picks span the whole spectrum: a boston songwriter reuniting with an old bandmate after 25 years, a glasgow band turning real grief into cinematic indie rock, a phoenix powerhouse delivering road-tested classic rock, and a liverpool four-piece stacking hooks into pure melodic rock. four tracks, all built to be played loud.
how will i ever know - george styles
The verdict
“george styles turns a 25 year reunion into a hard-hitting alt rock banger”
how will i ever know is a hard-hitting alternative rock single born out of pure serendipity. isn't it the best sometimes? styles was stuck on an unfinished track when an out-of-nowhere message from his old bandmate, drummer tommy street, kicked the whole thing back into gear. bassist jeff gilman rounded out the trio, and the chemistry between all three is genuinely instant. musically, this one builds slowly, before exploding into a tight alt-rock explosion. it's a properly powerful and driven listen.
george styles is a boston based singer-songwriter reuniting with drummer tommy street after a 25 year hiatus, the pair having spent four years cutting their teeth together before that long gap. how will i ever know follows last month's better conversation, and it's clear styles isn't slowing down anytime soon. let's hope there's many more to come.
thank u for making this george styles 🥁
the fall - point pleasant
The verdict
“point pleasant builds the fall into a dark and devastating slice of atmospheric indie rock”
the fall opens with delicate acoustic guitar and atmospheric piano before swelling into a soaring wall of reverb-soaked guitars. and the build mirrors the song's emotional arc perfectly. written in the weeks before the band's vocalist lost his father, it reflects years of watching him struggle with addiction and the painful acceptance that some battles just can't be won for someone else. musically it reflects the mood well, with hints of early verve, and some great guitar work adding atmosphere. a really moving, cinematic listen.
friend of the blog point pleasant are a glasgow based five-piece indie rock band with geordie-led vocals, drawing on 90s britpop and modern indie for fans of idlewild and shed seven. the fall blends moody atmosphere with the band's usual danceable energy, though this one carries a lot more emotional weight than most. it's a genuinely brave song to put out into the world, a brilliant single.
thank u for making this point pleasant 🍂
the warning - sweet mess
The verdict
“sweet mess unleashes sylvie's powerhouse vocals on a epic slice of classic rock”
the warning is built around a message to trust your intuition, and sylvie's strong, theatrical vocals carry that warning with real conviction. the band keeps that live, road-tested energy running through the whole thing, powerful without losing any of the chemistry that comes from years spent opening for acts like great white and stryper. a real slow, swampy groover this one, before exploding in the chorus. as the fifth single in their catalogue, and it shows a band gaining moer and more confidence. a deep and epic listen.
friend of the blog sweet mess are a phoenix, arizona based four-piece playing original music alongside rock and roll classics at private events, festivals and casinos across the region. sylvie fronts the band with fer lopez on guitar, rob watson on bass and michael hayes on drums, all contributing vocals along the way. that stage-tested chemistry is all over the warning. we love it.
thank u for making this sweet mess ⚡
hard to leave you - rise
The verdict
“rise stacks harmonies and hooks into an a stunning, infectious slice of melodic rock”
hard to leave you moves fast and stays catchy the whole way through, built on stacked vocal harmonies and genuinely strong guitar work. recorded at whitewood studios in liverpool, the production keeps everything crisp without smoothing out the band's live energy. this one just keeps on building. the opener. the verse. the pre-chorus. the chorus. it keeps building, and there's a seamless blend of synths and guitars running here that gives it that 'rise'-vibe. it's a properly fun, high-tempo listen that doesn't waste a note.
friend of the blog rise are a liverpool based four-piece made up of sam kinley on bass and vocals, paul kinley on keyboards and backing vocals, alex mahoney on drums and brian petch on guitar. they draw from melodic rock with the occasional nod to progressive influences, and hard to leave you is a strong showcase of that blend. if you like you rock melodic, epic and 80s tinged, these are the guys for you.
thank u for making this rise 🎹