W/e 06/02/26 - GUV, The Molotovs, Softcult, Whitelands, The Pigeon Detectives

A very tight race this week - less than half a point between the 4, and it’s Softcult who snatch the top spot as well as being our TOTW recipient.

Decent showing as well by fellow debutants The Molotovs.

Guy loved Indie week and takes the 😀 just ahead of Sam and Erol.

Jim and Andy share the ☹️.

Pigeon Detectives say hi to the Maccabees and the Chillies on the classics.

Andy

Guv - Massively unoriginal but actually rather enjoyable. The influences are there to be seen and pretty fun 6.5

The Molotovs - See above but, errrr, not so much. Yer man wants to be Weller but he’s the bloke from out of The Enemy at best. The less said about Daydreaming the better 5

Softcult - In a week of knock offs these were the best. Shoegazey in a Curve way 7

Whitelands - Pleasant enough stuff that starts off sounding like Peace but improves 6

TotW - When A Flower Doesn’t Grow by Softcult

Pigeon Detectives - This should be textbook landfill indie but there’s such an ebullience it rises above the likes of The Kooks and lives on. Even if Take Her Back is a borderline R Kelly jam 7.5

Guy

Guv – Had a very Madchester sound to it. Quite the mix of influences from Oasis to MGMT. Pretty easy listen if a little derivative - 7

The Molotovs – Nothing wrong with the Enemy Andy! I thought this was really good. Full of energy and attitude. Yes, they look like Mods and some songs are very Jam-esque but there are also some straightforward indie guitar numbers - 8

Softcult – I found this very schizophrenic. Some tracks were shoegazey and others indie pop. You didn’t quite know what was coming next and it therefore didn’t hang together for me as well as it might have – 6.7

Whitelands – Nothing wrong with Peace Andy! I thought this was great. Less shoegazey than their previous album we listened too. Some of it veered into Aztec Camera style JJ in places. A cracking album though with some lovely atmospheric guitar riffs. – 8.1

TotW – Whitelands – Heat of the Summer

Pigeon Detectives – I loved this album when it came out. There are some crackers on it. Although having not listened for a while, I noticed a bit more filler than I remember – 7.7

Phil OG

Guv 6.2

Pleasant enough but after half a dozen tracks or so it doesn’t half sound samey.

Molotovs 6.8

Plenty of energy and fizz but it’s not so much their obvious debt to the Jam that grates, just an overall lack of inspiration.

Softcult 6.4

As Guy said, a bit all over the place, and not always in a good way. She said, he said stands out in an otherwise blizzard of shoegaze landfill.

Whitelands 6.8

A slighter more coherent take on shoegaze than Softcult but it never really rises above the level of listenable-but-forgettable.

TOTW – Whitelands - Blankspace

Classic

Pigeon Detectives 6

One-dimensional guitar-based indie. Catchy but dull. Sorry, Adam.

Sam

Guv : it’s virtually impossible to make new music any more so I don’t mind that this is derivative . Largely fun . 7

Molotovs : excellent debut ! Top notch bouncy guitar based enjoyment. 8.2

Softcult : Absolutely fine but whoosh and it was gone . 6.8

Whitelands : some gorgeous sounds on here . Lovely stuff 7.5

Pigeon Detectives: anyone who asks you ‘what is indie?’ Point them in this direction. Bloody marvellous life affirming music . Loved it . 8.8 Nice one Adam !

TOTW : plenty to choose from but I’ll go : Rhythm of Yourself by the Molotovs

Simon

GUV: not what I would have expected from a former member of Canadian hardcore band Fucked Up, but Ben Cook is clearly a man of many talents - I can only assume it was deliberately intended as a homage to Madchester and if so he's done a fine job, apart from a couple of wishy-washy numbers in the middle I really enjoyed it. 7

Molotovs: another album with a retro feel but didn't warm to this at all - had some amusing lyrics but other than that thought it was a bit meh. 5.5

Softcult: more Canadians, and liked this a lot as well - another blast from the past style-wise, took me back to the likes of Lush although stand out track He Said/She Said reminded me more of recent Hannah faves Coach Party. 7.5

Whitelands: more dream pop and less shoegaze than the last album, but still pretty good overall - the first half is a bit lightweight in places but it noticeably improves when they up the tempo after that - the highlight I Am No God, An Effigy put me in mind of Kitchens of Distinction. 7.8

Pigeon Detectives: don't remember this at all - lively enough but the style is pretty generic and nothing stood out. A bit too similar to the Libertines as well for my liking. 6

TotW: Whitelands - I Am No God, An Effigy

Paul

GUV (6)

It’s ok. Liked the tunes but not so much the vocals.

The Molotovs (8)

Enjoyable high energy indie, kept the pace up well.

Softcult (7)

Not bad and didn’t mind the mix of styles too much, kept it interesting. Mostly enjoyed the base heavy tracks.

Whitelands (7.8)

Really liked that managed to maintain decent quality throughout.

Pigeon Detectives (8)

Better than I remembered. Superior quality naughties churpy indie.

TOTW - whitelands - Blankspace

Justin

GUV - an enjoyable synthesis of a variety of 90s Madchester bands. 7.3

The Molotovs - fun raucous guitar indie. 6.9

Softcult - MBV like. All quite enjoyable. 7

Whitelands - shoegaze style indie works well. Only downside is listened to it a lots but in one ear out the other. 6.9

TOTW GUV - Warmer than gold

Pigeon Detectives - mid afternoon main stage indie. Fun but lightweight. 6.7

Jim

GUV 6.5

A nice reminisce and fun in places but after a while it felt like a Madchester cover band trying to cover them all at the same time

The Molotovs 5.5

Didn’t get on with this, wasn’t snappy or catchy enough. Cool look on the cover though.

Softcult 7.5

This week’s winners by a few lengths. More thoughtful and interesting than the rest. On full throttle they had some Wolf Alice about them.

Whitelands 5

Waaay too dreamy and light for much of it, slight ramp up near the end did not save it.

TOTW – Softcult’s She Said, He Said.

Pigeon Detectives 7.5

The Libertines-lite first half is good, runs out of steam and edginess a little, but enjoyable stuff.

Phil New

Guv 6.8

I should love this manchester sound, it made all the right noises, but found the excessive reverb ghostiness on the vocals was irritating.

Molotovs 7.1

Lively, energetic album. Enjoyed this

Softcult 7

Heavy in places without tipping into gloom, varied mix of styles was good.

Whitelands 5

I fell asleep at some point during this with my headphones on and had to go back a few tracks to listen again. Sums it up really.

TOW - Softcult - She said, he said

Pigeon Detectives 6.5

A couple of decent tracks that I had forgotten about. Not a huge fan, similar to other bands of the time.

Carlo

Guv – 6.5

These guys were OK guv, but not quite boss enough for me. Nothing really stood out.

The Molotovs – 6.9

Punchy sound with a nice mix of tracks. Found his voice a little on the angry side.

Softcult – 6.9

Dreamy with a bit of rock. One minute you’re chilled listening to Queen of Nothing, then you’re suddenly hit by Tired.

Whitelands – 6.5

Inoffensive and easy to listen to.

TOTW: The Molotovs – Nothing Keeps Her Away

Classic Pigeon Detectives – 7.2

Never listened to the whole album before – some great tracks in there.

Matt

GUV - 6.8

The Molotovs - 7

Softcult - 7.5

Whitelands - 7.2

TOTW - Not Sorry, Softcult

Mark

GUV - it's baggy meets shoegaze, as the revival for this kind of sound continues. Bits are EMF/Jesus Jones, then it's Ride / Chapterhouse and some classic jangle. Total early nineties student indie disco, and therefore has a nostalgic glow about it - 7.5

The Molotovs - ok it's massively derivative but reminiscent of so many bands that I really like. Everything repeats itself after a while, and this is basically a revival of the mod revival. Good to see kids still wanting to pick up guitars and do this kind of thing - 7.5

Softcult - Started out as regulation girlie indie pop then got a little more interesting as it went on - 6.5

Whitelands - maybe a bit uptempo to be full shoegaze, but there's definite Ride / Peace / Charlatans atmospheric indie pop vibes here, and I enjoyed it - 7

TOTW - Chasin' Luv, by GUV

Erol

GUV - 6.5

The Molotovs - 8.3

Softcult - 7.4

Whitelands - 7.2

TOTW - Rhythm of Yourself, the Molotovs

Pigeon Detectives - 8

Annette

GUV: 6.5

The Molotovs: 6.5

Softcult: 7.5

Whitelands: 7

TOTW: She said, He said by Softcult

Classic: Pigeon Detectives: 7.5

Adam

GUV

Definitely nods back to 90s. Little generic in places. 6

Molotovs

Punchy punk/indie, great energy. 7

Softcult

Fuzzy grungy sound, good stuff. 7

Whitelands

Shimmering shoegaze - polished but not a lot of depth 6

TOTW: Molotovs - Get A Life

Classic

Found myself listening to this in full last year, thought its held up well. Nothing groundbreaking but solid indie tunes from start to finish. 8