Ever wondered what would happen if a fearless little dog chased a lumbering bear out of your living room and then immediately started shouting at politicians? Probably not, but Jodie Langford has, and the result is the gloriously unhinged Dog Vs Bear. Fresh from her excellent debut album Softly Spoken , Hull’s reigning queen of spoken-word party punk proves once again that she’s incapable of releasing anything dull. Our favourite artist returns with another blast of wit, anger, and enough energy to make three espressos seem unnecessary. Inspired by a viral video of a tiny dog sending a black bear packing, Dog Vs Bear cleverly turns that unlikely victory into a metaphor for standing up to powerful people who would rather the rest of us stayed quiet. It’s funny, furious, and frighteningly relevant all at once. Langford’s lyrics take aim at political hypocrisy, greed, and those happy to profit while looking the other way as the world seems to lose its collective mind. T...
Giant Skunk ’s latest single “ AGMTW ” doesn’t politely introduce itself. It kicks the door off its hinges, grabs you by the ribs and refuses to let go. Raw, gritty and gloriously abrasive, this is the sound of a band completely unconcerned with convention. The first surprise is that there isn’t a guitar anywhere in sight. Instead, Giant Skunk builds the entire track around two bass guitars, proving that six strings are far from essential when you’ve got enough imagination and enough low-end power to shake the foundations. The result is a grinding wall of sound that feels wonderfully chaotic without ever losing its sense of direction. Beneath the distortion lies an irresistible groove. Every crushing riff seems determined to drag you deeper into the song, creating a hypnotic pulse that’s equal parts sludge, punk and experimental metal. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does—and spectacularly so. “AGMTW” offers another glimpse into the world of the band’s debut album, Nice to Meet...