Is it just me or is every up-and-coming indie band that has a slight garage rock sound dubbed ‘the next Strokes / Kooks / Vaccines?’ I wanna say Circa Waves are, but I won’t, because they are so much more… Hey, at least they’re not called The Circa Waves. Comparisons aside, the Liverpudlian quartet have developed their own brand of infectious and dynamic indie pop rock, tipped for greatness by many.
If you’re a fan of The Kooks, The Strokes… blah blah, you’ve heard it before. Put aside comparisons and listen to Circa Waves, fresh outta Liverpool.
With the never-ending wave of new Britpop artists – à la Royal Blood, Darlia, The Bohicas – the ever-increasing pool of indie rock bands only continues to grow. As a result, it can be difficult for emerging bands to differentiate themselves from the generic ‘Ooh they sound like The [insert band name here]’ label that is slapped on them upon hearing a mere guitar riff. But despite their likeness to certain indie rock bands, Circa Waves have established their own unique sound with great aplomb.
Hailing from Liverpool, Circa Waves are Kieran Shudall (guitar/vocals), Joe Falconer (guitar), Sam Rourke (bass) and Sian Plummer (drums). Frontman Shudall has definitely has his fair share of ups and downs, after spending years struggling in unsuccessful bands. But there was a light at the end of the tunnel when Circa Waves was formed in May 2013, going on to tour the UK and Europe. Interestingly enough, the band had to play their first gigs under pseudonyms Malkovich Malkovich and Wet Wet Wet Wet Wet in order to keep record label talent scouts at bay. After a mere six months, the Merseyside foursome embarked on a tour of the UK, signed with Transgressive Records (home of Foals, the Subways, and Mystery Jets), and released their breakthrough debut single, Get Away.
They’re only a young band, but by no means are they out of their depth. In their whole one year and one month of existence, Circa Waves have put out a small but impressive selection of songs harking back to the euphoria of the British Invasion bands of the mid 60’s. They’ve been described as the ‘Scouse Arctic Monkeys’ and when you hear Get Away you’ll get why. With plenty of jangly guitars and trudging basslines, the debut release set the bar high for their burgeoning careers. Double A-side counterpart Good For Me’s opening bars are vaguely reminiscent of Doves’ There Goes The Fear, then erupts into the classic stylings of good old indie rock – incessant guitar licks, quick-fire percussion and a razor-sharp hook.
The song that is making the rounds on triple j’s hit list at the moment, Stuck In My Teeth contains a breakneck-pace chorus that’s contagious as the flu – basically it’s a song that will refuse to leave your head. If songs could get stuck in your teeth, this one would. But Young Chasers was the beginning of it all. The Liverpool four-piece’s debut demo was written by Shuddall in his bedroom, uploaded to his Soundcloud and then played by taste-making BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe – all in one day. Brimming with boisterous, psych-tinged nuances and feel-good vibes, it’s not hard to see why the catchy indie pop gem exploded in popularity. At only two minutes eight seconds, you’ll be left wanting more.
Circa Waves so far are doing well in navigating their way through the infinite and ever-growing indie rock scene, and with a debut album on the way, these boys are going to be massive. The next Strokes? Try The Next Big Thing.
Circa Waves will perform at Splendour in the Grass in North Byron Parklands, Byron Bay, NSW on July 25 – 27. You can catch Circa Waves playing sideshows with Metronomy or at their own headline show in Sydney. Dates are:
Wednesday, 23rd July 2014
Astor Theatre, Perth (with Metronomy)
Friday, 25th July 2014
Forum Theatre, Melbourne (with Metronomy)
Monday, 28th July 2014
Metro Theatre, Sydney (with Metronomy)
Tuesday, 29th July 2014
Newtown Social Club, Newtown, NSW (Headline show)
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