Listen Tracks: Bethany Cosentino, Bring Me The Horizon, HalfNoise and more

The first taste of her forthcoming solo debut, ‘It’s Fine’ arguably sees Bethany Cosentino at her most rich and satisfying so far. A distinct sonic departure from her work with Best Coast, her first solo track is a lilting yet breezy pop offering that’s sprinkled with a dash of country warmth; it’s little surprise to hear that Sheryl Crow is one of her big influences. The storytelling spirit of country is reflected in her lyrics, too; a more vivid tale of trying to move on from the past (“Imagine if I handled this shit like I used to / Imagine if everyone knew the truth the way that I do”), ‘It’s Fine’ feels like an apt introduction to her newest chapter. (Sarah Jamieson)

What is very clear about ‘LosT’ is that it’s a bop; the chorus will be lodged in your brain even quicker than any of the comically gory details that feature in its video: Grey’s Anatomy this is very much not. What’s less so is whether the track - which sounds in part like every pop-rock track from the second half of the 2000s - is being entirely serious. Oli Sykes delivering the opening line, “Watching Evangelion with a big fat slug of ketamine” is either incredibly self-aware or very much not. Similarly, the chorus’s call-and-response of “Why am I this way? / Stupid medicine, not doin’ anything” is either a genius take on SNL-style parody [picture Pete Davidson portraying an elder emo trying to reclaim relevance in the TikTok era here] or a band of fully-grown men attempting a take on teen angst that’s two decades out of date [cue Steve Buscemi gif]. Still, introducing the glitchy 100 gecs-lite breakdown with the lyric “breakdown” is a win either way. (Emma Swann)

Having recently been aired live each night during Paramore’s huge UK tour, the latest ditty to come from Zac Farro’s Halfnoise is a delightfully straight-forward - yet insatiably catchy - number dedicated to his, ahem, ‘Baby’. Sparkling with an effervescent ‘60s spirit - the kind that’s influenced so much of his material so far - and just a flourish of tambourine for good measure, it’s hard not to fall for this one. (Sarah Jamieson)

Make no bones about it, the chorus of ‘Renegade’ has every chance of being a Big Pop Moment this summer. With a similar chilled-out bounce to Glass Animals’ worldwide smash ‘Heat Waves’ - ie it might take a few listens, but once it’s lodged in that internal jukebox, there’s no letting go - Lava’s latest takes that smooth, blissed-out vibe and injects a smidgen of the everyday (quite literally: “Do you wanna go out? Do you wanna play? / We could do the same shit we did yesterday” goes its refrain) and has a wild guitar solo to boot. (Bella Martin)

It didn’t hurt that there was literally a storm brewing outside while pressing play on ‘Fairlies’. An album written as inspired by the Irish coast, a video which itself features stormy water. Similarly, that Grian Chatten without the rest of his Fontaines DC brethren sounds pretty much as one would expect helps, too: softer than the often simmering frontman one sees onstage - his plaintive melancholy bringing to mind that of Richard Hawley, as if the sudden lack of chaos has incited a need for thought - yet with his own distinctive voice that’s propelled by bouyant backing. Thunder imminent or not, it’s comforting. (Bella Martin)

Swedish garage-punk icons The Hives are back with the first snippet of ‘The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons’. In true bollocking, rambunctious style, they’ve kicked the door down with ‘Bogus Operandi’, which signals a darker turn for the band. Driving guitars and relentless drums pound the track over and over again, only letting your ears rest to declare: “Nothing but bogus operandi, yeah!!!”. It’s recklessly campy apathy from the boys, as they hint at the gory death of the titular band originator. If indie sleaze really is back, The Hives are demanding to be taken along for the ride. A tantalising teaser of what’s next to come… (Alex Rigotti)

‘Until I’m Home’ is Ezra Williams’ latest tale of desolation and despair. The Irish singer has made their name on moody, introspective lyricism, and ‘Until I’m Home’ is no exception. A snapshot of Williams’ mental psyche when they’re alone, serpentine synths slither around Williams’ tender vocals, gently musing: “And this big list of burdens I pass onto you are only easy ’til you’re home / But then it’s late, and you’re alone.“” Wonderfully nocturnal and spacious, ‘Until I’m Home’ is the perfect track to soundtrack an abandoned party, a midnight walk in a forest, or a colossal mistake just made. (Alex Rigotti)

The band’s first official release since a string of 3 EPs across 2018 and 2019, ‘Dancing Man’ marks the beginning of a new era for Bristol’s Heavy Lungs. A conversation between vocalist Danny Nedelko and drummer George Garratt that left the pair crying with laughter at a rehearsal bought to life in a fiery, abstract tale about a sinister character known as the ‘Dancing Man’, the track also lands with a video that invites viewers to take a ride into his sinister realm. (Katie Macbeth)

Described by the man himself as a ‘stream of consciousness rant’, ‘Celebrate Me’, the third preview of Baxter Dury’s seventh studio album is both playful and bitter. A look into the self-gratification that simmers within predictably bohemian, West London types, the track is guided by Baxter’s spoken-word delivery that shows no sign of the wordsmith in him slowing down anytime soon. (Katie Macbeth)

Tags: Bethany Cosentino, Listen, Features, Tracks