National Album Day UK 2024 has a theme of ‘great British groups’ (did Oasis time everything perfectly for this reunion?). In this post, I focus on the new crop of great British (and Irish) bands that have crossed The Rubicon - the point at which it is for them to decide how the rest of their career goes and no one else. Hopefully.
https://unsplash.com/@reganography Image by Samuel Regan-Asante
There is nothing better than a band in the ascendant - an unstoppable upward trajectory - on a roll. In the streaming era, with attention spans frayed, content flowing thick and fast everywhere and now AI looming to replace ‘real’ music, it’s more satisfying than ever to see bands and artists grow. For me this is especially true in the rock world. And since ‘indie is the new rock’ this applies to indie as well. It’s hard to speak in genre terms these days. I suppose ‘music with guitars, bass and drums’ might be the most accurate way to say it.
Having discussed and dissected the art of longevity and survival in the music business a fair bit now, I’m especially pleased to see that bands can grow in stature in the way they always did, despite the ongoing pressure and a rather daunting checklist of ‘must achieves’, including:
Make some really good songs.
Find an audience.
Get some representation: manager, publisher, label, lawyer.
Build a fanbase.
Impress industry gatekeepers.
Make a decent debut album.
Focus on the music YOU want to make.
Change creative course as necessary.
Improve your stagecraft.
Become commercially viable.
Stay together…and stay sane.
Rinse and repeat.
The potential for longevity checklist goes on. It isn’t easy running the record industry gauntlet. And that’s just on the way up. Through the downs (and there will be downs) bands will have to overcome all manner of adversity and setbacks, enough to draw up another checklist, for another article.
It isn’t plain sailing from here, however. Even bands who cross The Rubicon will always be hungry and never satisfied, because it is creative longevity they seek really. They want to make a dent in the culture and a ding in the universe. They want their music to keep on getting better. They want to leave a legacy, and even become legend. That’s partly why bands like Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys are so revered. Not only have they achieved all of the above, but they did it on their own terms - that’s just the way it had to be.
The second, third and fourth legs of the journey of a band are in many ways harder than the initial rise to ‘the top’. So in a sense, here is a potted ‘situation analysis’ for some of those bands with the potential to become household names, not just ‘popular’ but perhaps even known to your mum and dad, son or daughter or that friend who's not so much into music as you are. You dear reader will probably know these bands of course. But if not - remind yourself of these rare talents who just might go the distance.
Nothing But Thieves
Formed in 2012 in Southend-on-Sea, this English rock band has a classic five-piece line up with two lead guitar players (although they also play samplers and keyboards). The line-up is lead vocalist and guitarist Conor Mason, guitarist Joe Langridge-Brown, guitarist and keyboardist Dominic Craik, bassist Philip Blake, and drummer James Price. In 2014, they signed to RCA Records and have now released four albums with the UK major, the most recent, Dead Club City, getting to number one on the UK album charts.
The band’s debut album wasn’t a critical success but has aged into a modern classic, containing a few genuine anthems. Singer Conor Mason has an unusual appeal combined with a signature voice with fantastic, operatic range, and the band is a growing force live (their 2024 Glastonbury set was storming). All round, they come across as a sort-of modern incarnation of Led Zeppelin and that’s saying something. The fourth album is a watershed for really good bands and Dead Club City paves the way for this one to go from very good to undeniably great. The band hasn’t had any hits and doesn’t need any. They have a sizable loyal fanbase. RCA records seems to have gotten it right with Nothing But Thieves, making the band a priority without over-hyping them. If anything, they are still underrated. They are about to embark on an US tour - probably an attempt to break there. Whether it succeeds or not, the band has everything needed for longevity, including most importantly, time.
Fontaines D.C.
The Dublin (as in D.C.) band consists of Grian Chatten (vocals), Conor Curley (guitar), Conor Deegan III (bass), Tom Coll (drums) and Carlos O'Connell (guitar). I’ve heard ‘Fontaines’ described as “the best band in the world” twice in the space of one week by people on the radio, such is the band’s ascendancy curve. If Q Magazine still existed, and still handed out that award, Fontaines would be a dead cert winner for 2024. Since no such thing exists we might perhaps rephrase the accolade to “the hottest band around right now”. Quite rightly in my humble opinion. The band’s fourth album Romance took them to a new label, XL, after three albums with Partisan Records (who must have been gutted to lose them, but still have IDLES and an impressive roster).
For Fontaines, the game has been ‘upped’ with a new producer and a set of really good songs (and a new anthem in ‘Favourite’) drawn from a wider genre palette. The band has also realised that ‘styling’ is a factor and they have come out with this record literally looking more the part (shout out to wearing Thin Lizzy T shirts lads). Given the band is essentially a sum of their influences, their sound is both derivative but somehow fresh - an exact requirement for potential longevity. Frontman and lyricist Grian Chatten has a way with words and an edgy stage presence. Live, the band is exciting but has work to do to become truly impressive at the same time. If anything, 2024 will require Fontaines to stay grounded and focused on their craft, as there is a danger of them becoming over-hyped. But right now the stars are aligning, with each subsequent of their (four) albums hitting a creative, critical and commercial ‘next level’ feel. Romance isn’t a masterpiece but is close enough, signalling the band has one in them. So, if longevous bands have their best work ahead of them, greatness beckons for Fontaines D.C. and praise be the bandwagon keeps on rolling. Their success has even paved a way for a crop of new Dublin guitar bands, including New Dad, Gurriers, so in some ways a legacy is stamped already.
Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice are a rock band from London. Formed in 2010 as a duo, singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie ‘upgraded’ the band to a classic four piece, adding bassist Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey. As Chrissie Hynde might say: “is there anything better than a four piece rock & roll band?”. This rhetorical question from one of rock & roll’s greatest frontwomen won’t be lost on Ellie Rowsell. It’s clear the band are enjoying their ride towards greatness thus far, and working very hard at it.
The stakes have been raised by Wolf Alice - a position they’ve chosen for themselves it seems. Their fourth album is very highly anticipated - in other words comes with dangerously high expectations - especially since they ‘switched up’ from an indie (Dirty Hit) to a major label, Columbia Records. Third album Blue Weekend was superb and topping it won’t be easy. Wolf Alice will have to either make a masterpiece, or ‘do a Kid A’ - something left of field but impressive - although I can only assume Columbia is very much expecting the former, not the latter. A strong fourth record would see the band poised for the very top, with Emily Eavis probably having their phone number at the ready for the big call up. That’s if Glastonbury still wants rock bands as headliners!
Like both Nothing But Thieves and Fontaines D.C., Wolf Alice have yet to catch on in the U.S.A., again probably something entering Columbia’s thought process. As said, the stakes are raised, but the band seems up for it - everything is set for that perfect music industry scenario: “next level success”. Next, longevity and legend status. Just don’t blow it folks.
Sam Fender
I’m adding SF to the list even though he is of course, technically, a solo artist. However, Fender has a core band of loyal sidemen - his close mates. Even if they won’t ever become household names, they are to Sam what the E Street Band is to Bruce, with whom he is of course, compared. Is he worthy? The music industry shorthand must always make such comparisons but in this case, who would argue? He is the Springsteen of South Shields, The North, even the whole of Britain. Sam has already won over Glastonbury (calling card for future headline slot very much placed on the Eavis desk) and even receives advice from Sting. Sam Fender is a superstar already, although there is a question mark over whether he wants to be. That will have his major label reps in occasional night sweats. No pressure then, Sam.
Two (UK number one) albums in, the expectations are for a great third record, preferably with another theme along the lines of bona fide hit Seventeen Going Under. And even if breaking the USA shouldn’t be a priority or a necessity, it feels like no other artist is rendering troubadour rock & roll quite like Sam Fender, even if that has been territory forever occupied by American artists (male and female). The last time Brits invaded American cultural territory so effectively might have been The Rolling Stones and they have stuck around you might say. SF has it all. Great songs, real deal working class roots, fantastic stage presence, classic album credentials. He is yet another potentially great artist under the wing of a major label (did you think major labels were just TikTok addicts these days?). Perhaps the more telling question is whether the modern music industry - and specifically Polydor Records - can accommodate and nurture such a talent into global stardom. We should all keep our fingers firmly crossed.
Another Sky
Time for me to go out on a limb. Another Sky is a London based rock band composed of Catrin Vincent (vocals), Max Doohan (Drums), Naomi Le Dune (bass), and Jack Gilbert on drums. The band is two albums in (on Fiction, again within a major label structure this time Universal).
This band has, in many ways, renewed my love of rock music. Think Talk Talk, U2, early Coldplay even - to bring crude music industry comparisons into it - and you’ll be getting warm. Another Sky might be derivative, but Catrin Vincent has a unique voice (a “once in a generation voice” according to one review) while the band plays really, really well. Their first two albums (and E.P. in-between) sound fantastic. Beach Day is especially impressive. They are old school in every sense, while their youth imbibes the music with the energy of early U2 and Radiohead records.
Those first two albums didn’t chart, and so the band is yet to have any kind of real break. And yet their commitment to their art seems complete, they are destined to achieve some level of sustainable success, surely? Who would be an A&R man for rock bands in this day & age? Breaking a band with progressive rock leanings is not for the faint of heart, but then see above (Wolf Alice). The band just postponed a forthcoming UK tour, so I’m praying everything is okay and they can hold it together and work their way through the checklist. One thing with longevity is you’ve got to stay on the bus - the music industry is an ‘in it to win it’ business.
You’ll no doubt have your own list of favourites. Indeed, one of the best things about the ‘band’ scene right now is that there is no shortage of great bands with lots of potential. The return of guitar bands intrigues me. Wunderhorse, Been Stellar, New Dad, Mercury Prize winners English Teacher, buzzed up The Last Dinner Party and Wet Leg - they are all really good, already. The last British band to become a household name is probably Arctic Monkeys and they arrived almost 20 years ago. Whether the bands mentioned here will reach anything close to Sheffield’s finest is unlikely. The music industry is a harder environment for bands to thrive in than it used to be. Labels can take less risk by signing a bedroom pop solo artist with a social media following. Bands have to share the paltry spoils from streaming four or five ways, making commercial viability harder by a multiple. As for hit records, bands can’t even get a look in on the charts these days.
But The Wombats, The Courteeners, The Kooks…who would have backed those bands for the long and fruitful success they have? They made their way down the checklist and into the second act, even if your mum and dad have never heard of them.
Good luck to all of them.