Who says surf rock has to be sunny? Brighton, England's The Wytches are confidently riding a wave of bad vibes onto the U.S. music scene with the help of ghoulish vocals, raucous guitar bends, and dementedly poetic lyrics. The result of the trio's manic energy is their debut album, Annabel Dream Reader, which will drop in to haunt your dreams on Aug. 26.
The Week spoke to frontman Kristian Bell, bassist Dan Rumsey, and drummer Gianni Honey via email about the power of heavy songs, what tunes they play in the van, and the plight of polar bears. Below, six songs that they recommend:
1. The Cure, "Cold"
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RUMSEY: "The production on this song is something I'd aspire to. The song creates powerful imagery for me and I often listen to it at the height of any emotion."
2. Nick Cave, "The Ship Song"
RUMSEY: "The sentiment is simply put across in this song. The chord structure is simple, too, which gives way for the lyrics to pour through."
3. Jane Birkin, "Jane B"
BELL: "I play this song in the van after every show because the melody is so soothing."
4. Elliott Smith, "Good to Go"
BELL: "This song is one of my favorite Elliott Smith songs. The melody is constantly changing."
5. The Walkmen, "Postcards From Tiny Islands"
HONEY: "This song is just so heavy and melodic and you can tell they're all going f--king wild playing it. I'm not a massive drummer kind of person but the beat is just amazing."
6. Grauzone, "Eisbaer"
HONEY: "[Grauzone] is a really old Swiss post-punk band. This song is just so mellow and chilled out... I have absolutely no idea what he's saying though. I think its about a polar bear that can't cry because its too cold."
Annabel Dream Reader is out August 26 on Partisan Records.
(This interview was condensed and edited by Samantha Rollins.)
Watch the video for "Wire Frame Mattress" below:
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