03/10/25 - VLURE, SPRINTS, Geese, Coach Party, Sparklehorse

A cracking week overall, the 3rd most popular this year.

Congrats to SPRINTS for being our winners this week - in at #4 this year and the top 40 overall. They have a very popular TOTW to boot.

They are consistent as well - the 2024 debut is on pretty much the same score and just a few places higher at #33. Two in the top40 👏.

Despite having his equal highest set of scores, Jim can’t take his first 😄 of the year, which Sam retains by a smidge with his own highest set for 2 years. Andy keeps hold of the ☹️.

Sparklehorse were a new one for most and land with The Breeders and Tears For Fears on the classics.

Andy

Coach Party - Pretty decent rollicking indie rock. 6.5

Geese - Starred off worryingly Zappa like and was pretty nutty and all over the place generally but on the whole it was a fun experience 6

SPRINTS - I didn’t really like their last album and was worried for a song and a half that this was going to be even worse. Fortunately it wakes up and is an acceptable, if a bit overly shouty set of tunes 6

VLURE - I’m not sure I’d like this that much if I hadn’t experienced them live, but I have and those energetic performances push this over the top. Banging, ad I believe the cool kids say 7

TotW - How to Say Goodbye by VLURE

Sparklehorse - I feel like I’ve heard of Sparklehorse but never actually heard them. I really enjoyed this slice of quality US alt rock, with a touch of emo to it and will check out their other releases 7

Phil

Coach Party 7.5

Some of this album is rock bordering on metal and, fair play, it rocks! But Coach Party are smart – they see the need for light and shade so much of the album is quieter, more like regulation indie. Not that there’s anything wrong with that when it’s done this well.

Geese 7.8

Best album of the week. Deranged US indie. Occasionally melodic, frequently off-the-chart bonkers. “All people must go dancing!” cries Geese’s vocalist, at one point. I’d like to see anyone dance to this album without dislocating something.

SPRINTS 6.75

Another band whose sound is on the cusp between rock and metal. There’s also a hefty dose of Goth atmospherics. Slightly wearing but you can’t fault their commitment.

VLURE 5.5

Dance music with shouty vocals, set to a clumping beat. What’s not to like? Well, for me, most of it. Oddly, late on, we get a rock track – How to say goodbye – which sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s great – I’d have enjoyed a whole album like this. Extra half point for that track.

TOTW – Geese – 100 horses

Classic

Sparklehorse 10

This was just a life-changing album for me. It ticks any number of boxes – grungey Neil Youngesque rockers? Tick. Heartbreaking country ballads? Tick. Spooky chamber pieces? Tick. Unexpected moments of weirdness? Tick. One of those special records that made everything that came after it sound different.

Guy

Coach Party - I preferred previous offerings but this was still a decent chunk of indie tunes - 7

Geese - Music good with a decent variety of influences. Vocals less so. He was pretty tuneless. Probably not one I’ll be listening to again. - 6

SPRINTS - Two shouty albums alongside VLURE but unusually for me, I enjoyed both in different ways. This was full of energy. Descartes and Beg were the highlights - 7.4

VLURE - What an odd combination of brilliant rave tunes and punky shouting. Not sure who came up with the mix but it seemed to work! - 7.8

TotW - Feels like Heaven by VLURE

Sparklehorse - I’ve never listened to this before. A good album with some Strokes-like sounds in places. It perhaps had a richer breadth to it arguably but the downside was it lacked the really compelling identity and nothing hugely stood out. Enjoyable though. - 7.5

Justin

Coach Party - no particular stand out tunes but no real filler either. Good, fast, rocking indie. 7

Geese - interesting blues, rock and indie. Bit Rolling Stones in places. Some crazy lyrics 6.8

Sprints - a great indie rock album. Pixies in places. Piles along at a decent pace 7.4

Vlure - Sometimes veers a bit too close to Scooter but otherwise very enjoyable 90s rave but with proper songs and lyrics 7.3

TOTW The Sprints - Coming Alive

Sparklehorse - Never heard of them before. Good slab of lo fi indie. Bit too slow in places 6.9

Paul

Coach Party (7)

Another fun rocky/indie album, similar to the previous stuff I’ve heard but liked it.

Geese (7.5)

Thought the vocal style would be a bit annoying at the start but on second listen grew to really like it. A solid if slightly ramshackle but really enjoyable album all round.

Sprints (8)

Really enjoy this quite fast and heavy in parts but a couple of calmer moments to take the edge off.

VLURE (5)

Didn’t really get on with this. Was looking forward to a bit of dance music following the other indie/rock albums this week but found it all a bit much, especially the vocals. Might work better in a club environment!

Sparklehorse (8)

Really nice piece of chilled out indie/alt rock with more than a few psychedelic influences thrown in. needed this after this weeks fairly full on new releases!

TOTW Descartes - Sprints

Simon

Coach Party: sparky and effervescent indie rock - doesn't have anything quite up to the standard of Micro Aggression from their last album but Girls! and Disco Dream are both bangers. 7.8

Geese: certainly one of the most interesting albums we've heard for a while, although still not entirely sure what to make of it - it comes across as chaotic and incoherent but I'm sure there's method in the madness and happy to give it the benefit of the doubt for now. 7

SPRINTS: I was very taken with their debut last year but if anything this is even better - it may take the best part of two tracks to fire up but from then on it's a ferocious tour de force of primal rage and indignation - cracking stuff. 8.2

VLURE: style-wise we've been here before, definite shades of Prodigy and Faithless amongst others, but they make up for the lack of originality with plenty of spirit and brash exuberance. 7

Sparklehorse: unusual and distinctive album, although found it quite abrasive and can't say I really took to it - probably best appreciated after several listens. 6.5

TotW: SPRINTS - Descartes

Matt

Coach Party - 7.7

Geese - 7.2

SPRINTS - 7.8

VLURE - 7.1

TOTW - Descartes SPRINTS

Adam

Coach Party

Bopping along indie rock beats. Georgina was a close one to get TOTW. Well rounded album with a number of solid tracks. 7

Geese

This had the potential to be great in combining some indie, folk, bluesy vibes but falls short for me. 5

Sprints

Distortion, shouting, energy - get in. Descartes a clear stand out track. 8

Vlure

Benefit from a small Reading boost in the scoring. In your face punk eclectronic mash up. Spoken word droned on for me a bit in places. 7

TOTW

Sprints - Descartes

Classic

Certainly excels in the more up tempo moments for me. A weird and wild journey of an album. 7

Erol

Coach Party - this fizzes along nicely. Really decent indie rock. Georgina and Control are the stand-out tracks. 7.3

Geese - apart from the scratchy vocals, I really quite enjoyed the bluesy vibe here. 6

Sprints - one of the best albums we’ve heard in a while. Rambunctious and full of punch, this is what indie punk should sound like. 8.2

Vlure - 90s rave with shouty vocals. A great combination. This had me bouncing around on my daily dog walks this week. 7.8

TOTW- Rage by Sprints (reminds me of the Mysterines)

Classic - a reaosonable slice of indie but it didn’t over excite me. Have not come across them before. 6.5

Mark

Coach Party - I keep getting them mixed up with Courting (who I prefer) including when we saw them at AYL. Thought this was alright but only just keeping its head above the landfill - 6

Geese - a mixed bag, definitely some potential here and I do like their angular Brooklyn indie rock vibe even if sometimes it goes a bit borderline freeform jazz in places - 6.5

Sprints - One of so many good Irish bands around at the moment, intense and moody, bit of Mysterines in there as well - 7.5

Vlure - I actually preferred this to when we saw them at Reading where all the manic jumping up and down and fluorescent shorts were a bit Wham on speed. Thought this was decent enough Prodigy / Pendulum lite - 6

TOTW - Rage by Sprints

Sam

Coach Party : I’m a fan and this is a good album that’s not quite as good as the previous one. 7.5

Geese : another US band who’ve been around for 10 years , we don’t know . I liked this . Sounded like early Rolling Stones : 7.5

Sprints : what a great listen , dark and moody and different. 8.5

Vlure : this got my booty shakin ! I loved this , absolutely banging . 8.6

TOTW : many contenders… Between Dreams by Vlure .

Sparklehorse : really reminded me of Grandaddy which I had as a classic and they came out at the same time. There is the odd misstep but overall this is excellent. My favourite classic from Phil . 8.5

Annette

Coach Party: 8

Geese: 6.5

SPRINTS: 8.5

VLURE: 7.5

TOTW: Descartes by SPRINTS

Classic: Sparklehorses - 7

Jim

Coach Party 8

I’ve had a soft spot for them since their cracking AYL set in 2023. Whilst it’s not especially inventive, it’s filler-free quality throughout from indie-pop to more angstly rock. Good work.

Geese 7.5

Took a couple of gos - initially felt a bit disjointed but I warmed to it and he’s pretty effective at releasing his inner Mick Jagger.

SPRINTS 9

Take some FDC, mix in a little Mysterines and Amyl add even more horsepower and grit and out pops this gem, fronted by singer with plenty of swagger. Couple of nice brooding numbers to warm you up and then bosh, it’s frickin unrelenting all the way ‘til you can take a breath on the closing track. Coming Alive, Descartes, Pieces and Rage all worthy TOTW. Thrilling work, sitting comfortably alongside CSH as the best rock album this year.

VLURE 7.5

Crackign effort at some 90’s rave, first half in particular – a Scottish take on the For Those I Love debut.

TOTW: SPRINTS: Something’s Gonna Happen.

Sparklehorse 8

The more energic tracks were terrific, looking at Rainmaker, Cow and Someday I Will… in particular. It just dropped the pace a little too much a little too often for my taste, but a top choice none the less