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The Rife Team

Bristol Bands to Get Totally Psyched for in 2015

Big Jeff

Source: www.bmfbristol.wordpress.com

Alright, so we’re all knackered from 2014– BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE. 2015 is brimming with hope, promise, and lo-fi goth folk. Sammy Jones gets stuck into what’s worth keeping an eye out for in the New Year.

2014 was a great year for Bristol music. Bristol bands seem to be maturing, diversifying, and just being generally more exciting than ever before. There’s something for everyone, and it’s happening ALL THE TIME. If you’re bored on a Tuesday night, you’re just not trying hard enough. Here’s what to keep them peeled for in 2015. It’s going to be another one of the greats – and let’s be real, 2014 is like, SO last year.

The Naturals

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The Naturals are a band that have been hanging around since the beginning of time, but good things obviously come to those who wait- they’ve got an album coming out in the New Year. Catch them at the Arnolfini on the 17th of January. Just listen to that song above, for crying out loud: how much more young, raw and unafraid can you get? Sickening.

Personal Best

Personal Best

Source: www.facebook.com

Personal Best break hearts in the best kind of way wherever they go (here’s my review from Swansea). Their crushingly great fuzz-pop has found a new home in what is set to be an absolute winner of a full-length album tentatively named ‘Arnos Vale’ and tentatively dated as ‘early March’. You can listen to their first EP here (it is possible that I know all the words), and you can go see them in January here.

Trust Fund

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Trust Fund made a video with lots of dogs in it and it’s an absolute joy. It’s also a spot-on counterpoint to their starkly honest and unbearably true lyrics that HAVE to be some of the best written in 2014. They’ve recently been signed to Turnstile Records and their album is coming out in February. The launch party is in Bristol on 7th February. Here’s the Facebook event.

Spectres

Spectres

Source: www.soniccathedral.co.uk

Spectres have an album coming out in February and you should be ‘Dying’ to get your ears on it. Get it? Because ‘Dying’ is the name of the album? Kill me. Huge, arch, and swooping, it’s already got the NME talking. They’ll also be playing an ‘album launch wake’ after their February tour on 7th March in Bristol at a mystery location. Hope it’s the zoo.

Age Decay


Ever heard of lo-fi goth folk? Well, my friend, 2015 is where that all changes. Age Decay is a bedroom project gone mad in that, it’s actually good, and it’s actually going to escape the front door. Chris Nicholls’ self-recorded downer-nightmare Pavor Nocturnus is released on cassette in February, and after that he’s getting a live band together for 2015 to tour. An album is also in the works.

Scarlet Rascal

Scarlet Rascal

Source: www.facebook.com

Scarlet Rascal have a startling stage presence and their 2015 album is set to be similarly stop-you-in-your-tracks. They’ve been on the road touting their Horrors-y post-punk all over the UK for a bit now and their Invada-backed album is very near on the horizon. Can you hear the sound of children weeping on the air? Yeah, that’s probably them.

Special mentions: Oliver Wilde is reportedly ‘deep in the studio’ after an exceptional 2014, Velcro Hooks are making films and an album and stuff, DIY indie-pop-punk trio Grubs will keep on being great, and so will Hallie and the Annies.

So, what’s Sammy missed? She can’t be every-flippin’-where, you know. Help a sister out on Facebook or Twitter