Maths Class + Popular Workshop + William + Heels Catch Fire

> MATHS CLASS (Brighton)
The best live band in the country (since we saw them at The Great Escape Festival in May!) Launching their new single 'Nerves' tonight. The absolute 'new young and hot shit' from Brighton. They play faster than they themselves can keep up with - a taught rhythm section seemingly set on techno/rock beats. Guitars are both spiked and single noted like the best of New York No-wave and funk punk and abrasive distorted metal power-chords. Minimal and wining synth gives a short semblance of melody while vocals are breathlessly ranted - all in all the most exhilarating listening of the year so far. US hardcore and electro meets UK artrock on a track trodden by Test Icicles, Cutting Pink With Kinives and Help She Can't Swim. Utterly new and essential and ... their 'Absolute Dancer' punk-epic featured on the Artrocker Unsigned CD last month.
+
> POPULAR WORKSHOP (London)
Where have they been, our Artrocker favourites ? The best news is that they have been in Chicago recording their debut album with Steve Albini for release later in the summer. We've heard it too, and it takes Popshop to new sonic levels. Their abrasive rockouts are a welcome London answer to the post-hardcore artrock of the North whose sound they meet head-on (Think Forward Russia, Dananananaykroyd, This Et Al) but give welcome melodic hooks to hold on to. If you ever wished Placebo had been more inventive and not one dimensional then PopShop could be your answer. Last single was a fabulous nod to friends and neighbours William and some long since gone Manchester band and is gloriously titled 'William it was really something' on Tough Love Records
+
> WILLIAM (London)
Thrilling artrock trio from Lewisham who hooked up with hip Tough Love Records to release a wonderful debut 7" single 'Five Minute Wonder' (now reissued and digitally downloadable) It's fiery chiming chords rock like Modern Lovers or Strokes and the best of New York's new wave and with a squealing yelping J Mascis lead vocal William have already picked up favourable 'Clap Your Hands Say Yeah' comparisons. William have the energetic pop sensibilities of 'Murmur' period REM and pace of The Rakes with guitar ambitions towards Tom Verlaine and Dinosaur Jnr. Now they have a full album due out shortly on Tough Love alowing them to develop their artful twists and turns midway between SST's finest The Minutemen and hooky, early Pavement.
+
> HEELS CATCH FIRE (Brighton)
Ferocious new addition to the Brighton post-hardcore artrock scene currently flourishing with Elle Milano and Maths Class at its head. Some pretty virtuoso playing on their frantic myspace tunes - tunes within tunes within tunes as they twist and turn with dual guitar riffing of the sub-metal, post Sonic Youth variety which in the UK owes no small debt to the rise of Forward Russia - we've dubbed it 'progressive' artrock. Time signatures are both foot-tapable and unfamiliar as the band challenge the listener at every corner - it's no 'easy listen' but then again, they rock like At The Drive In ! Surely only a matter of time before releases are available too. Blinding and intense at The Great Escape too.