The BANG BANG BANGS (Sweden) – Disguise (single)
That’s a rather evocative band name, isn’t it? I don’t think anyone is expecting a gentle ballad from The BANG BANG BANGS and that most definitely isn’t what you are getting.
They are from Uppsala. We’ve had a few artists from there recently and there are plenty of alternative styles on show. They describe theirs as “crispy beat punk”.
It’s a new band but they look like they’ve been around the block a few times and they are tight, at speed.
This, ‘Disguise’, is their second dingle, following the debut ‘Sun God’ last November.
The band is inspired by garage punk, post punk and indie pop and they manage to mix all those styles together here.
Their PR says they stand on the shoulders of giants in these categories and I wouldn’t argue with that.
Whereas ‘Sun God’ was a little staccato ‘Disguise’ runs like a well-oiled machine. They channel Carter USM in the opening section so well, particularly in the chord progressions, that I was expecting Jim Bob to chime in. Thereafter it might be an Undertones song for a couple of minutes before it times out with a heavy rock session which could be a Battle of the Band as everyone tries to score that last minute equaliser.
There’s a head banging beat and a tune there from start to finish while the vocal has just the right amount of attitude.
I imagine they are a dynamic live band and you can check that out for yourself if you are in central Sweden where they play a gig in Uppsala on 25th May and one in Stockholm on 1st June. Check their social media for details.
Just one thing guys, any chance of shortening that name? My fingers are aching. If it’s Pigsx7 it can be Bangsx3?
Find them on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091104768894
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebangbangbangs
Scarlett’s Garden (Sweden) – Conflict (single)
Also from Sweden is Scarlett’s Garden, which you might remember from December 2022, and their song ‘Break like glass’, which was about the importance of family ties and of listening.
You won’t have to listen too hard to hear this latest offering, ‘Conflict’; an appropriate title right now, n’est-ce pas?
But first a little about the duo (actually a trio, counting Håkan Sjöstrand on drums since late 2023) as I didn’t really give them a big-up last time.
I suspect they are from the same part of the world as The Bang Bang Bangs, just north of Stockholm. Suvi Biggs, originally from Finland, is the vocalist, a hard rock veteran who has been a backing singer for a symphonic metal band (I’d like to know which one), with a voice to match that requirement.
Caroline Boston is a classical violinist who plays self-taught lap steel guitar in the band and is also the producer. I’m not sure about her background but she sounds American.
They share a common love of roots rock and country rock, and that has been their style hitherto although this song takes a further step away from Americana in the direction of hard rock.
Indeed they started off as an acoustic band before Caroline added the steel guitar and it is highly prominent on this song. She wields it around like a rock goddess.
They might be the Bangesses by the time of their next single. Now there’s a band name to conjure with.
The song is about “tip-toeing around subjects that are difficult to discuss”, which may or may not reflect their own life experiences, but there is no holding back musically, it is full-on, in your face bluesy country rock. Way to go.
Find them on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScarlettsGardenOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarlettsgardenofficial/
