We invited artists, labels and publicists to tell us which records or artists they’ve personally enjoyed over the last twelve months. Callan Milward‘s picks below. Weatherstate’s new EP, Dumbstruck, will be released on January 22nd via Failure By Design Records.
10. Diamond Youth – Nothing Matters
“Diamond Youth have always been one of our favourites and i liked this record. It’s a pretty ambitious step for the bands first full length. We actually snagged some production ideas for our new record from Nothing Matters. However if you’re new to Diamond Youth check out some of their EP’s. Absolute bangers.”
9. Four Year Strong – Four Year Strong
“I think a lot of people welcomed this album. We’ve been FYS fans since our teens and this comes across as a fresh yet nostalgic release. It’s obvious you can hear they’ve taken earlier influence. It’s just a hard hitting rock record and a guilty pleasure.”
8. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Blossom
“My god, This record is absolutely bonkers. This is exactly what UK punk rock needs right now and Frank Carter is hands down one of the most important frontmen going today. It’s so sick to see him tearing venues apart once again. This record is swish.”
7. Trash Boat – Brainwork EP
“We were fortunate enough to tour with these guys earlier this year. It was hands down one of the funnest runs we’ve been on and getting to hear this EP night after night was a blast. Various bits of this EP has been cemented into my head and it’s just full of bangers.”
6. Hindsights – Cold Walls / Cloudy Eyes
“Again, another fantastic UK band doing great things at the moment. This album is nicely produced and the songwriting is fantastic. I love the ambience that rolls through this record and with each track things seem to get deeper. Benio’s melodies are also incredible. So many good things to say about this record.”
5. Seaway – Colour Blind
“To me, Seaway have always been a solid band but i’ve never truly appreciated anything they’ve done until now. This was an unexpected entry into our top five but it’s a solid record. I’m a sucker for really strong guitar leads and the production on Colour Blind showcases all of that. As well as that, you get a whole heap of catchy melodies. This is a pop punk record that really has made an impact in 2015 and leaves me wanting more from them.”
4. Muskets – Spin EP
“This EP blew me away and it should be heard from more people. We met these dudes early this year in Brighton and they instantly blew me away. If you’re a fan of big sounding rock music with emo undertones this will be up your street. “Spin” helped kill many miles whilst travelling to shows. These guys have a solid future within the UK scene.”
3. Neck Deep – Life’s Not Out To Get You
“Never been a mega Neck Deep fan but I love songwriting with huge catchy hooks and Life’s Not Out To Get You is jam packed with them. My favourite track of the album is “Serpents”. The track is an absolute banger. All the tracks have a Blink feel to them and the chorus of this track really reminds me of +44….how great was that album?!? Reunion please?”
2. Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright In The End
“What an incredible return from Weezer! If it isn’t obvious enough, Weezer have been one of the key driving forces behind how we write our music and this has been the best release from them in yonks. Hearing “Back To The Shack” for the first time instantly got my head bobbing.. the whole track is just two chords! How can they create something great out of something so simple?! Through and through, This is definitely worth a spin for nostalgic Weezer fans who want to hear something new.”
1. Superheaven – Ours Is Chrome
“Jar by Daylight/Superheaven was a stand out album for me of the last 5 years so they had a lot to follow with this release. As soon as I heard “I’ve Been Bored” I knew that Ours Is Chrome would be great and it definitely didn’t disappoint. My favourite track off the album is “Leach”. The chorus is an absolute rager. “Room” is great too… The verses are so Nevermind influenced, which is obviously never a bad thing”