The Three Strange UK Bands Revitalizing Guitar Rock
Rock isn’t dead! It just sounds weird now.
The UK is home to some of the greatest musical landmarks of modern history. From UK garage to The Beatles, there’s no shortage of talent coming from the isles. Recently, rock music has been going through somewhat of a rut. It’s no secret that hip hop is commanding the bulk of attention from the music community, and for good reason- many new artists are creating great and unique hip-hop music. But part of me misses the bands of the past. The early 2000s were filled with rock bands, edgy or not, but the popularity of guitar rock is noticeably diminishing.
These British Bands could change that. While I wouldn’t strictly call these bands guitar rock, in fact, that may offend their most fervent of fans, there’s no doubt that what these kids are doing with guitars is completely unexpected. To be honest, most of what they’re doing is downright weird. But the average age of these musicians hovers around the early 20’s, which is completely shocking once you hear the talent in their music.
black midi
Hailing from London, black midi are a band that defy convention. Named after an obscure and impossible genre of music, they’re frequently labeled as “post-punk,” but even that moniker is starting to barely cut it. Their music is at times loud, at times quiet, but at all times unexpected. Frontman Geordie Greep is less a singer, more a performance artist, and purveyor of atmosphere across tracks.
Only two albums into their career, black midi are already heroes of the underground with “Cavalcade,” an obtuse and strange masterpiece. Angular guitars, ascendant drumming, and a band that just sounds amazing together create an experience unlike anything else currently in guitar rock. They control the noise, surrounding themselves with mountains of sound, only to snap back to laser-focus on a dime. While bands are plumbing the depths of Led Zeppelin and The Doors, trying to imitate the past, black midi are marching forward, unfazed by the popular trends.
They’ll sound like a punk band on “Near DT, MI” but hover closer to ambient on other tracks. The band are uninterested in any convention, instead becoming omnivorous consumers of influences. Already having released “Schlagenheim” to critical acclaim in 2019, the sky was the limit. On “Cavalcade” they’ve created a labyrinth of strange visions, driving guitar, and stunning drumming.
Black Country, New Road
Alongside black midi are Black Country, New Road- a cast of musicians that have been gathering steam off of astounding singles for a few years now. Their debut project, For The First Time is unassuming on the front, a stock photo that has nothing to do with the band. On the tracks though, there’s a narrative of a broken country, of the UK falling apart and young people trying to understand the world around them.
It’s a bold move to start out your debut project with an instrumental, but Black Country, New Road has earned it, already sounding like a band in their prime. Jazz, rock, something almost ancient, whatever it is, it’s an incredible statement.
By far the most impressive track is “Sunglasses,” which travels from commentary on British society to a perspective on what it means to grow old within the world. Just under 10 minutes, it’s a tour de force that sits shoulder to shoulder with other amazing tracks.
Isaac Wood, the singer, is the anchor. Although For the first time is filled with excellent performances, guitars or violins or otherwise, Wood is your spirit guide on the journey. He writes like no one else in modern pop, speaking of NutriBullets, the Cambridge Science Fair, and lifting lines wholesale from Phoebe Bridgers.
Squid
Squid, like both bands previously mentioned, are skilled at destroying convention. Their music is jazzier, in how it is carefully laid out and mapped, but can suddenly sprint into a completely new direction. They cut their teeth on popular singles like “Houseplants” and “Sludge,” in 2019 and 2020 respectively, after forming in 2016.
Bright Green Field, their debut on normally electronic outfit Warp Records is full of this. Songs are long-winding, the whole record clocks in just under an hour, but the path to get there is completely unpredictable. Ollie Judge, both the singer and drummer, is again disillusioned with his country in his words, but still his at times deadpan, at times impassioned voice is a completely different approach than black midi and Black Country, New Road.
They stray the closest to post-punk out of the three bands, again that genre fails them. The best moments recall Talking Heads or something like Neu! On “Narrator,” guest singer Martha Skye Murphy begins screaming towards the tail end, becoming the eye of the storm as the band wraps it up in a big finish. “Narrator” is far and away the best song on the already astounding Bright Green Field in how it packs in everything that makes Squid the band that they are. The song itself is a hurricane, with swirling punk guitars and synthesizers.
But Squid are not content with just juggling these instruments, other tracks utilize cello, trumpet, and trombone, among others. Though they do not sound pretentious, Squid always find a way to circle it back and make it a compelling song, rather than an interesting diversion.
With Squid and Black Country, New Road releasing their official debuts this year, there is a strong future ahead of them. But, for now, these British bands are hard to define. They bring up equal notes of Slint, This Heat, and Ought, with a bit of jazz for good measure... Call it art-punk, call it experimental rock — all the same, it’s extremely impressive what these young Britons are doing with the form.
