Sheer Mag 'Need to Feel Your Love' - Album review

Released on July 14th from London's Static Shock Records, Need to Feel Your Love is the debut full-length release from Philadephia's Sheer Mag.

Already beloved in underground punk circles, this album is an attempt by the band to cross-over into a more rock and roll mainstream, and helped by the whirling dervish of their lead singer Tina.

Sheer Mag (L-R) - Matt, Hart, Tina, Kyle, Ian

The album is not an out and out punk record, it contains moments of pop delight and rock and roll heaven from a by-gone era; reminiscent of heady 70s licks on guitars from Thin Lizzy or the Allman Brothers to the pop delight of many American bands in the late 20th century. This can be seen in the video for 'Suffer' below.

When listening to the band this reviewer was reminded of a band called Young Heart Attack, a band whose only hit single, 'Starlite' which mixed The Who and The Darkness, with a high pitched lead singer. Sheer Mag have a female vocalist in Tina whose voice will recall Beth Ditto of The Gossip, and whilst their debut album had a very heavy punk tinge, Sheer Mag have a more inclined rock sound.

The video for rock ballad 'Just Can't Get Enough' is a great pathway into the album and if you give the album some time it will grow on you from the grit of album opener 'Meet Me in the Street' to the statement of intent that is 'Expect the Bayonet'; the rock vibe from halcyon days is perfect for these summer days in the city.

Sheer Mag 'Need to Feel Your Love' is out on July 14th.

You can pre-order the debut album from Sheer Mag from the Static Shock Records website.

Beach Fossils 'Somersault'

The long awaited return of Brooklyn's own Beach Fossils, culminates with the release of Somersault. An album that is their first material since 2013's Clash The Truth and showcases a band that is growing in maturity and refined songwriting together.

The album is a combination of different recordings across New York City and Los Angeles, meaning the tracklisting is a reading of a band both growing but being influenced by their surroundings during the making of the album

Starting with the up tempo stomp of 'This Year', the next song is second single 'Tangerine' (feat. Rachel Goswell) a sumptuous bit of summer that is great to hear as the days get longer and hotter in June. They remind this listener of Foster The People without the grandiose nature of the production, Somersault is more stripped back and open a record.

Throughout the album there is a sense of feel good and summer, but also this overwhelming burden of growing up and how the influences of youth can impact these musicians; a reflection of hopefully being together appears in 'Down the Line' and the pay off is the symphonic splendour of 'Be Nothing'.

Beach Fossils are a band new to my ears, yet this is an album which is at times brilliant and splendid in equal measure. They appear to be a band who are trying to break out by achieving songs that are both universal and yet very personal to themselves at the same time, without negating their electronic and smaller beginnings. This is a great background album for a barbecue on the patio or rooftop as the shimmering compositions will accompany a warm laidback evening.

Somersault is released on June 2nd by Bayonet Records.

My thanks to One Beat PR for the review disc.