Five Favourites: Perennial

I remember being told by some friends who got to see New England’s Perennial live when they were last in the UK that it was one of the best shows they’d ever seen. The band’s chaotic frenzied energy was unmatched and the way they interacted with the crowd whilst delivering their immense mod-rock anthems was unlike anything they’d seen before. So, I am extremely excited that we’re going to have them playing for us next week! Come and experience this one-of-a-kind live show for yourself at A L P H A B E T in Brighton on 9th October, along with Kansas-born Piney Gir and Brighton’s own shoegaze superstars Minor Dents. Tickets are on DICE now and they’re cheaper in advance. In the meantime, listen to their epic new album Modernism (and all their back catalogue from the last few years) and get your dancing shoes ready.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspires them. So, following the release of Modernism, we caught up with Chesley, Chad and Ceej to find out about the five albums that inspired the writing of the new album the most. Read about their five favourites, listen to the Modernism on repeat, get tickets to one of their UK tour dates and watch the glorious video for recent single ‘Ready! Steady! Go!‘ below:

The Who – A Quick One
Our favourites are always changing, so we’ve decided to really focus on the key albums that influenced our new record, Modernism. And A Quick One by The Who is at the very top of that list. It’s a pop art masterpiece — catchy and tuneful and tight while also being brilliantly experimental and abstract and sonically adventurous. It’s all melody and weirdness. We really loved that idea of a compact, 10-song pop record that also finds all this room for more elliptical, left-field stuff. Even within individual songs the record will go from power pop to abstract noise at the drop of a hat. Hooks and killer melodies and feedback and weird sonic collages: What’s not to love? A really, really important album for us.

The Jam – Sound Affects
A lot of what is so brilliant about A Quick One also applies to Sound Affects, another short sharp record full of hooks with all this heady, arty stuff just beneath the surface. Of course the mod sound/aesthetic is a really important element for us, and what The Jam are doing here is the iteration of mod that is most at the heart of what we’re doing today. There’s this very stylish, almost playful post-modernism going on on Sound Affects that we really dig. Take something like ‘Start’, which is so clearly and brazenly borrowing the groove and riffs of The Beatles’ ‘Taxman’, but The Jam trust themselves to bring enough electricity and wit to the table that they can really reframe how that very classic groove works and what it has to say. Just a very cool record featuring one of our favourite bands at the height of their powers.

Various Artists – Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971
I’m fully aware this is probably cheating since this record is a four-disc compilation, but I don’t think there’s a single album that has shaped us more as songwriters and producers. That sense of specificity, of pop songwriting as a widescreen, cinematic endeavor full of detail and personality. Then there’s the production on these records: all this experimentation with instrumentation and arrangement and mixing and effects, but all devoted to making these pop gems are memorable and striking as possible. Add to that the fact that this run of songs is, to my mind, the absolute acme of pop music. In particular the mid-60s Motown singles from The Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Martha & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, etc… etc… etc… is just astonishing. ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’, ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’, ‘It’s The Same Old Song’, ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, ‘Heatwave’, ‘Up-tight’. I could go on and on. Perfection.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions – This Year’s Model (1978)
Pop music played as punk music. Costello’s lyrics on this one are unreal; the way he’s able to put together his phrases, his images, his rhyme schemes. It’s always so clever and sharp and fluid, and on this record in particular its all married to this really dynamic, punchy power pop sound. Poetry that stings while electric organs and Fender basses bash away as accompaniment. ‘Pump It Up’, for instance, is just a marvel. Lyrics that good atop a garage rock stomper that perfect. My goodness! As a working pattern of a record that is so flawlessly tailored and such an endless pleasure to listen to, This Year’s Model really can’t be beat.

The Go! Team – Thunder Lightning Strike (2005)
The hooks, the energy, the studio-as-instrument Technicolor joy. An endlessly re-listenable record. We caught The Go! Team live last year on the anniversary tour for this LP and it was such a beautiful, life-affirming night, and a reminder of just how incredible Thunder Lightning Strike is. There’s this collage effect to the way these songs are put together, where there is some really adventurous studio craft, some real experimental production stuff, but it’s all directed towards melody and energy and making the songs that much catchier and that much more electric. It’s a sonic sugar rush, and a really inspiring album to listen to while you’re working on a new project. This absolute burst of infectious creativity.

Huge thanks to Perennial for sharing their Five Favourites with us! Their new album Modernism is out now and we cannot wait to host them live at A L P H A B E T in Brighton next Friday, 9th October. Tickets available on Dice now. In the meantime, get in the mood by watching their glorious recent video for ‘Ready! Steady! Go!’:


And, if Brighton’s not handy for you, catch Perennial on any of their other UK dates over the next couple of weeks. All tickets here.

Perennial UK Tour Dates:

8th Oct – Oxford – The Library
9th Oct – Brighton – Alphabet
10th Oct – Liverpool – Outpost
11th Oct – Leeds – Grindhouse
13th Oct – Nottingham – JT Soar
14th Oct – Coventry – Just Dropped In
15th Oct – Manchester – The Modernist Gallery Shop
16th Oct – London – The Cavendish Arms

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FIVE FAVOURITES: Cinder Well

Fuelled by a desire to experiment sonically and to capture the “kind of harsh mundanity that life can carry”, LA–based composer and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Baker aka Cinder Well carefully crafted her latest album, A Blooming Body. Released in July via Hen House Studios, it’s a disarming collection of tender keys, clear vocals, emotive lyrics and considered instrumentation; through which she evokes a similarly eerie atmosphere associated with louder, heavier music.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with Amelia to ask about her “Five Favourites” and she picked five albums by an eclectic range of artists who have inspired her songwriting techniques. Check out her choices below and scroll down to watch the official video for Cinder Well’s latest single ‘Of Nettles and Roses’ too…

 

1. Mount Eerie – Lost Wisdom
This record was my introduction to the world of Phil Elverum, who continues to be an influence for me. I loved this record and I still do, it is so sparse yet atmospheric, beautiful songwriting, raw harmonies with Julie Doiron. It feels very focused on the loss of a relationship and you just inhabit that for a while when you listen to it. This must have come out during my first year at college and I remember taking the bus to see Mount Eerie play in a small restaurant venue. He played solo and it was great, a strong memory.

2. Cat Power – You Are Free
I listened to so much Cat Power in high school but this record had a good concentration of my favourite songs on it. I think I took more from Cat Power in my early songwriting than I realized at the time or was willing to admit. The first song I ever recorded (my friend recorded me in his bedroom in high school) was ‘Maybe Not’ from this record, and it absolutely blew my mind to realize that we could just do what these seemingly otherworldly people did – write and record music. The songs on this album have such simple chords and that was really encouraging when I started writing. I still feel the same way listening to this record now as I did when I was 16.

3. Elliott Smith – XO
The day Elliott Smith died my mom was driving me home from Junior High and we had the local radio station on. This song that I’d never heard came on, ‘Waltz #2’, and I was stunned throughout its entirety. As it was back then, I was hoping the radio presenter would announce what we just listened to. And then they did, saying “that was Elliott Smith, who died today”. So I went through an intense Elliott Smith phase at the age of 13, hiding my iPod headphones under my hoodie during class absorbing his entire discography. This maybe explains why I tend to write sad songs…

4. Ulver – Bergatt
This record (and Kveldssanger, also by Ulver) was my gateway drug from folk into metal and it was introduced to me by my bandmates in Blackbird Raum, who were older and cooler than me. I loved the atmospheric black-metal which felt entirely new to my brain but the acoustic interludes and clean vocals with strong melodies were also sitting in a familiar world. The harmonic movements of the chords started to seep in to my songwriting pretty immediately when I started writing for Cinder Well.

5. Ali Farke Touré, Ry Cooder – Talking Timbuktu
I found this CD in my dad’s collection as a teenager and have been a big fan of Ali Farke Toure ever since. The melodies on this album are infectious and it has such a sense of atmosphere – the dueting guitars make the production feel full and lush. I love Ali Farke Toure’s guitar playing, it’s so meditative and circular. I have learned a lot from his playing and try to channel this by playing in open tunings with circular finger picking patterns.

Thanks to Amelia for sharing her favourites with us!

Watch the video for Cinder Well’s latest single ‘Of Nettles and Roses’ below.

Follow Cinder Well: website, bandcamp, TIDAL, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Chelsea “Cheech” Moosekian

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Five Favourites: Downtown Boys

Having been big fans of Rhode Island’s Downtown Boys‘ fierce industrial punk for a number of years now, we’re super excited that they’ll be releasing their new album Public Luxury next week on 26th June via Sub Pop Records. Initially connecting at union meetings while working together at a hotel, founding members Victoria Marie and Joey La Neve DeFrancesco let their political drive and desire for change seep into everything they release as a band, and this is certainly showcased in this resonant and powerful collection, its name alone alluding to the need for services to be available to everyone. Propelled forwards with an empowering drive and seething energy, its themes reflect a bold hope and determination that a better world is possible, whilst simultaneously raging against the horrors that continue to strip the rights of marginalised communities. A resonant retort against the powers that be; a colossal call to arms to unite, resist hopelessness and fight for change.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, ahead of the release of Public Luxury next week, we caught up with each member of the band to find out about the albums that have inspired them the most. Read about their five favourites, and watch the poignant animated video for recent anti-ICE single ‘You’re A Ghost‘ below…

Joey Doubek:

Rage Against the Machine – Evil Empire
When I was 9 I came across ‘Down Rodeo’ on my scan-only radio player walking through Chicago O’Hare airport, and was completely overwhelmed by the intensity of the lyrics and riffs. It took me at least a year to place Rage Against The Machine when I finally heard ‘Bulls on Parade’. Now, 30 years later I still get chills whenever I listen to Evil Empire. I credit this record and RATM for helping shape my world view at such a young age; for the realisation that the people in power in the place I live could inflict so much pain and suffering – “Is all the world jails and churches?”

Joe DeGeorge:

Pharoah Sanders – Journey to the One 
Soft and ferocious, delicate and powerful, technical and fluid, yearning and fulfilling. This record is a beautiful illustration of the breadth of Sanders’ capabilities and expressions. Jazz mythos and legend aside, this record inspires my own playing and performance, existing in the motional space between the freer worlds we imagine, the frustration of the present, and the struggle to move ourselves towards utopia. This role for the saxophone in this space I find well established by Sanders’ work.Pharoah Sanders’ use of saxophone in this evocative and spiritual space are apparent when paired with the declarative idealism of the chorus on ‘You’ve Got to Have Freedom’. Freedom, peace, and love; these are the things we got to have. But with Sanders’ entrance on this song we hear no conventional illustration of peace or harmony. Instead, a heralding ostentato of frustrated harmonics from a muscled embouchure tells me that the work of getting all to have freedom, peace, and love is necessary, physical, hard, strained, and will stretch our ideas of what is possible and what is acceptable. 

Joey La Neve DeFrancesco:

Yasmine Hamdan – I remember I forget 
This was one of my favourite records of 2025 and I wish it got more coverage here. Hamdan succeeds in the extremely difficult task of creating an album that’s both achingly beautiful and so directly in response to the past years of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and now Lebanon. For instance, the gorgeous song ‘Shmaali’ is based on taraweed, a type of traditional Palestinian song sung by women that often uses coded language to secretly pass information without Israeli soldiers understanding. I love the animated video she made for the title track ‘I remember I forget’ and we hired the animator Khalil to make the video for our recent single ‘You’re a Ghost’.

Victoria Marie:

Priests – Tape Two
I know it is not a full length, but I really love Tape Two by Priests. Our band had the pleasure of meeting Katie Alice Greer when she was in Chain and the Gang, and she introduced us to the members of Priests. Tape Two came out on cassette and I remember having a cassette player that my grandma gave me to listen to mixtapes with Spanish and English songs that she’d made me. Tape Two’s ‘USA (Incantations)’ and ‘Lana’ just really really hit, with ‘USA (Incantations)’ managing to highlight the USA’s violent and brutal history with its beautiful use of music, adrenaline, and vocal protest. Also, I really appreciate how much Katie has always used her platform to speak against poignant injustices, from sexism in music to the need to end bombing and war on Gaza and Palestine.

Mary Jane Regalado:

Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Hands down my most listened to album of 2025 & 2026. This album beautifully captures the joy and pain of the Latinx diaspora. Encapsulating the lasting effects of colonialism while highlighting the legacy of resistance in our communities; from the commodification of our people and culture, the heartbreak of witnessing gentrification and displacement, the privatization of lands, and the fight for independence, to the inherent need to shake ass and deeply celebrate and honor love, friendship & family. The way Bad Bunny masterfully merges genres like reggaeton, salsa, bomba, dem bow and plena so seamlessly creates an album that is so exciting and fresh, but ultimately coherent. It blows my mind. It’s the perfect soundtrack to listen to while getting ready for a night out, on a long drive on tour, while cleaning my apartment, or while making protest banners at an art build. A few months ago the governor of Puerto Rico came to DC to promote Puerto Rican statehood – my friend invited me to an art build organized by JUPI (Juventud Unida por la Independencia) to protest and call for the independence of PR. Currently PR is being militarized by US troops – the island is being hit with ICE raids, beaches that are for the people are being privatized and sold to foreign investors. The struggle for anti-imperialist liberation and independence continues in PR, and this album reminds us that as we fight for liberation, it is important to have fun, to be in community with comrades and our loved ones. To celebrate each other, help each other out when in need – chill at the beach and enjoy the sunset, perreo, party, take pictures of our loved ones, hang with abuelo and play dominos all day. Take time to grieve, be present and embrace the short amount of time we have on this earth, and enjoy the small things like coffee in the morning, and a gallon of rum with friends while dancing in the streets.

Huge thanks to Downtown Boys for sharing their Five Favourites with us! We can’t wait for the release of Public Luxury next Friday 26th June via Sub-Pop Records. In the meantime, watch the poignant animated video for recent single ‘You’re A Ghost’ here:

Photo Credit: Naomi Yang

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Five Favourites: Tenderness

As someone who had Deep Throat Choir soundtrack me walking down the aisle, hearing the voice of anyone from that incredible collective always feels pretty special. And so the debut solo album from Katy Beth Young (also of Peggy Sue) – aka Tenderness – has been an extremely welcome treat for my ears since its release last month. Showcasing Young’s gorgeously rich vocals as twinkling Americana-tinged hooks ripple throughout, True offers stirring reflections on relationships, grief and the fleeting nature of joy. As a gentle melancholy flows alongside a twinkling uplifting grace, it’s an exquisite testament to Young’s resonant songwriting and the beautiful raw emotion that shimmers through every song. I was lucky enough to hear the album live at St Pancras Old Church a few weeks back; a perfect setting for the moving celestial splendour of Tenderness.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them the most. So, we caught up with Katy to ask about her “Five Favourites” and she’s picked five albums that she feels most influenced the writing and recording of True. Check out her choices below, scroll to down to watch the beautiful video for ‘Day Of Atonement‘, which features Deep Throat Choir singing alongside Katy, and make sure you set aside time to immerse yourself in the full album.

Kim Deal – The 2013-2014 Singles 
This is not exactly an album (sorry!) but I love Kim Deal a lot and she/The Breeders have been a huge influence. She put out these ten singles in 2013-14 without much fuss and I listened to them constantly when I discovered them about a year later – ‘Are You Mine?’ and ‘Beautiful Moon’ are pretty much perfect. There’s surfy guitars and lo-fi drums and Kim Deal’s perfect voice and also absolutely killer lyrics like – “I’m happy for you / but I feel crying”. I’m always aiming for that kind of conciseness and contradiction with my own lyrics. The arrangements are very sparse and simple and satisfying and they sound very alive. It’s like each song has been condensed into its absolute essence, which is something I’ve aspired to do with Tenderness – just letting the song be itself musically and lyrically. They also all sound like they belong together – from the heaviest to the gentlest. True was made over quite a long time, so Euan and I worked really hard to pull some sonic threads through them and make sure they belonged, and this set of songs was a really good touch point for that. 

Big Thief – Masterpiece
The first Big Thief song I heard was ‘Real Love’. In the space of a week about six different friends sent it to me saying “I think you’ll like this” and obviously I did. I love every Big Thief album & their solo stuff too – they are each perfect for a slightly different day, time, mood  – but Masterpiece is still the one I listen to the most. It makes me want to sing along in a way that probably only Mariah Carey ever did before. The song ‘Masterpiece’ makes me want to write loud songs and ‘Lorraine’ makes me want to write quiet sexy songs and ‘Vegas’ makes me want to practice the guitar. 

Allegra Krieger – I Keep My Feet on The Fragile Plane
A lot of my writing influences happen quite slowly without me really noticing, but recording influences are much more conscious. Allegra Krieger was a big one for this album. The sounds and the mood and the space she leaves around things is so captivating. We used it as a reference for vocal sounds and mood a lot. And the songs are brilliant and clever – there’s a real sense of place and time and Krieger can create a whole world or a whole relationship in a couple of lines. This is one of my favourites from the song ‘Lingering’ – “I wanted to tell you something small and stupid / but I couldn’t remember when I saw your face.” I’ll listen to any album that Double Double Whammy puts out now. 

Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
For better or worse Bright Eyes will probably always be my hand-on-heart ‘favourite band’. I discovered them at my most tender and suggestible age (I was trying to download ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ on Limewire but I’d forgotten what the title was). Oberst’s lyrics have had a profound effect on how I write and what I aim for – they are honest and wise and naive and heartbreaking and hopeful at once. When I was younger, I loved Lifted, or the story is in the soil, keep your ear to the ground the best because it’s noisy and emo and kind of mean, but now that I’ve fully accepted that my soul is part-country I’ve come back around to I’m Wide Awake… It’s a bit of a time capsule for me now, plus it has Emmylou Harris on two songs.

Laura Marling – Song for our Daughter 
This album came out at the very start of the pandemic and I listened to it a lot walking around my local area that summer – which is also when I was writing the songs that would become True. Laura has been an influence forever, but I think at that moment there was something particularly inspiring about the clarity of her voice and her storytelling and the musicality of the arrangement. It helped me give myself permission to make these quieter songs with my voice right in the middle.


Huge thanks to Katy for telling us about her Five Favourites! Watch the beautiful video ‘Day Of Atonement’ below, and make sure you check out True, the debut album from Tenderness, which is out now via Amorphous Sounds.

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