Introducing... The Dress Down Kids

The Dress Down Kids
"Tear the Roof Off"
Unsigned
Released: 12th February, 2013

Stop what you're doing, and listen. Today's 'new music' is so new that I, myself, only found out about the band a few hours back. "How?", you ask... let me explain. Twitter is a wonderful social media site in which anyone in the world can contact anyone else; and that's exactly what the bass player, Tom Buxton, of a band named The Dress Down Kids, did earlier. Surely one of the best methods of getting your music heard is to make it unavoidable, and being the open-minded type, I had no problem listening and sharing their debut single "Tear the Roof Off" to my 100+ followers.

The track is surely a future festival anthem (Reading organisers, please book them!). Fronted by Kele (from Bloc Party) sound-a-like - a comparison I'm sure the lead singer won't mind me using - the track is a gem amongst the music breaking through into 2013. Fantastic chorus, and a well-directed music video; set in an old-person's home. The band's Twitter (@Dressdownkids) reveals the track is scheduled for release on February 12 - a date I'll now eagerly await. Here's hoping 2013 brings you some success boys.

"Blow me like a floating feather"

Peace

"Wraith"

Columbia Records

Released: 13th January, 2013

With Q1 typically the most lackluster in terms of 'big' music releases, I've decided this year to really delve into some new bands; tipped for big things in the coming years. The first to be featured here are Peace, a quartet from Birmingham signed to Columbia Records (home to The Vaccines). Having released a few straight-to-vinyl tracks and created music under new monikers (The Criminal and November), the band are releasing their first official single, "Wraith" on January 13th.

It's hard with bands not to draw similarities, and in Peace's case; the likes of The Guardian and NME have drawn similarities with Wu Lyf and The Maccabees. The stand out comparison for me is Foals, a band now well past their prime. "Wraith" is the perfect way to kickstart 2013, the year heralded as the 'return of guitar music'. The verses are mellow, leading up to one of my favourite choruses on an indie-rock record in recent years; and don't even get me started on their The Horrors-sounding middle eight. The vocals, the guitars and the drums sound perfect together, as we all know; but Peace really hit the nail on the head with this particular track.

How could such a track be captured in the beauty of a music video, I hear you say? Well, the music video really is the icing on the cake. Featuring all four members of the band- including brothers Harrison and Sam - the video sees two fairly-clad black women thrusting around on a stage (see below); to which one Youtube user simply commented "So much jiggly-ness" - and they're not wrong. 

For those of you looking for some new music, or for those that like me religiously follow these music polls (e.g. BBC's Sound of 2013; of which Peace featured), then I'd definitely give Peace a listen to.

Music Video