Fresh off the release of their sophomore single, Sydney indie-rockers Blue Gremlin have shared a playlist of tunes the helped shape their ferocious sound.
If you haven’t already wrapped your ears around 21, the sophomore single from Sydney-based four-piece Blue Gremlin, stop what you’re doing and go listen to it now. The song is a powerful slice of indie-rock, and we’ve had it spinning on repeat ever since we first heard it.
Fresh off the song’s release, we caught up with the band themselves for a playlist of tunes that, in one form or another, influenced the release.
The Smashing Pumpkins – Mayonaise
I listened to hip-hop for two years, exclusively. Then this was sent to me and I went straight back to alternative music but, this time, I started writing music. Its parent album, Siamese Dream, has everything a rock record should; colour, soaring dynamics, delicate lows, and intense emotion. I think only a song like this could completely shift someone’s musical path, like it did for me.
The Smiths – Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
This song freezes the world around you and puts you in a frenzy of energy and euphoria. A lot of music can do this, but what’s special about this is that it’s done with just a jangly guitar, rockin’ tambourine, and a dramatic Morrissey performance in an upbeat rock band. Something that’s so simple that achieves so much.
Björk – Enjoy
This is everything that I’m not, but everything that I’ve been pulled towards lately: eerie melodies and electronic landscapes.
The Velvet Underground – Venus In Furs
The blueprint of what alternative music is and should be.
Pixies – Letter To Memphis
Just pulls on my emotions. It’s hard for a song to do that but, when it does, it’s one of a kind.
David Bowie – A New Career In A New Town
Its parent album, Low, is often listed as Bowie’s best album. It probably is and I think it’s because of one thing: possibility. This track and the rest of the album just scream at the possibility of different musical dimension.
Slowdive – When The Sun Hits
This is just another song that ticks all the boxes: delicate lows and soaring highs. What makes this one stand out to me, is that the chorus isn’t just a loud explosion, it’s one that’s dreamy and colourful, like a rainbow fire.
Oasis – Morning Glory
Same reason I put The Smiths in here: entirely different bands, but their music gets me going in the same way.
New Order – 1963
Storytelling, synths, and drama.
The Cure – Charlotte Sometimes
One of the greatest bands to ever exist. Always emotional with lots of texture, they create a feeling that others can’t.
Lou Reed – Coney Island Baby
The reason I love Lou Reed’s music so much is because what he does, especially lyrically, is so purposeful while lots of other music is so disposable. He doesn’t need a super catchy chorus or flashy hooks. He talks intimately to the audience about taboo experiences and difficult emotions, in a direct and articulate way. The best part is that he does this with no more than three or four chords and a very limited vocal range. Emotional intelligence can take you further than any music school can.
Have a listen to Blue Gremlin’s new single here. Check out the full playlist below:
