Follow Friday: Girlpool, Naked Giants, Heart Attack Man, and More

Girlpool

The Los Angles based duo, Girlpool, effortlessly create a full sound with only a guitar, bass, and booming vocals. The two — Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad — have been creating music since they blasted onto the scene in 2013. Though their self-titled resonated within certain groups, their sophomore album, Before the World Was Big, left a lasting impact on the indie rock scene. Now, in 2019, the band has matured and come out with their fourth full-length album, What Chaos Is Imaginary.

In the band’s early days, it faced this challenge with the bravado of youth, but lately, the process sounds more measured, resolute and open-ended. What has remained at the heart of Girlpool’s music is Tucker and Tividad’s shared resolve to simultaneously revel in and make sense of the chaos of being alive.

NPR Music on What Chaos Is Imaginary

In so many words, critics talking about Girlpool‘s sound have tried to grapple with their inherent sincerity and wholesome sound that quickly evolves into bouts of harmonized screaming — a unique channeling of punk rock through some of the most endearing songs around. To see this unique blend live, be sure to head to Girlpool’s official website to look for tour dates near you.

Girlpool capture their sound with Ernie Ball Power Slinkys.

Be captivated by the sounds of Girlpool down below.

Naked Giants

Coming hot out of Seattle, Naked Giants are ripping onto the fuzz rock scene as of late. Scorching guitar riffs and vocals that start at a dull rumble and peak at sound-bending screams define their sound. Their 2018 sophomore album, SLUFF, was a defining moment in their career, landing them a live session at legendary local radio station, KEXP. This year, Naked Giants released an energy packed EP complete with a full-length-film-slash-music-video of the same name, as seen above: Green Fuzz.

We get good and nasty so you don’t have to.

Naked Giants Official Bio

Clearly, the band is of few words — they simply go out to make music, have fun, and rock out. But what they lack in philosophical commentary on their own music, they make up for in their — literally — giant sound. For a trio, these three dudes sure can make a lot of noise. If listening to their music makes you want to get on your feet and start flailing, check out their official website and look for tour dates near you to catch Naked Giants live in action.

Naked Giants get loud with Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys on guitar and on bass.

Get wild with Naked Giants down below.

Heart Attack Man

Heart Attack Man is a power-pop ensemble from Cleveland, Ohio. Their sound is defined by shining power chords and anthemic vocals. Adopting the sound of early 2000’s pop punk like fellow Ernie Ball band Sum 41 into the modern era of 2019, the band channels these influences on their sophomore album, Fake Blood.

As stated in Newton’s Third Law of Motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Despite the unbelievable power that Heart Attack Man wields, we are not exempt from the laws of physics, and the equal, opposite reaction pushing against us has certainly shaped us.

Eric Egan, Clevescene

But, according to Egan, they have influences from all across the map, including pop, heavy metal, hardcore, and death metal. To catch Heart Attack Man in action and see how their sound comes together life, check out their website for tour dates and more information.

Heart Attack Man uses Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom and Regular Slinkys on guitar. On bass, they choose Super Slinky bass strings.

Bang your head to the top tracks from Heart Attack Man down below.

Gang Of Four

Since 1976, the English post-punkers Gang Of Four have been ripping it up. In UK punk rock scene, Gang Of Four has had a vast influence, inspiring artists such as R.E.M. and charting in The Rolling Stone as one of the best punk bands of all time.

Fusing James Brown and early hip-hop with the bullet-point minimalism of the Ramones, Gang of Four were a genuine revolutionary force in their pursuit of working-class justice. The Leeds foursome bound their Marxist critique in tightly wound knots of enraged funk and avenging-disco syncopation, slashed by guitarist Andy Gill’s blues-free swordplay.

The Rolling Stone on Gang Of Four

Their “political punk” lyrics have the band commenting on all sorts of events, sometimes even including U.S. politics. The band is still rocking out in 2019, and they have even recently released another album, Happy Now. If you want to catch the legacy of Gang Of Four live in action, check out their tour dates on their official website.

Gang Of Four bring it with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys on guitar and Extra Slinky bass strings.

Get in the pit with Gang Of Four‘s top tracks below.

The Home Team

Yes, that is Ryan “Fluff” Bruce in the thumbnail. The pop-punkers from Seattle, The Home Team, are a five-piece who not only know how to rock, but also know how to have a sense of humor. The first 30 seconds of their music video for “Ageless” (as seen above) has them stood up in front of a panel of musical influencers, winning them over with their door-busting sound.

The Home Team’s first label full length is prodigal in it’s sprawling variety and intricate writing both. Better Offis a powerful record that manages to be a fun, care-free summer hit and a deeper, more introspective experience for cooler, lonely autumn nights. Angsty without being overdone—catchy, but not tooth-rotting, too-fluffy and sugar-coated, The Home Team are an endearing act that will drive fans of pop-punk crazy, and convert some skeptics all at the same time.

New Transcendence on Better Off

The group is proud of their DIY roots, emphasizing that all of their music is made through dedication and hard work. In 2019, The Home Team has been releasing stripped down, acoustic versions of their tracks from Better Off. If you want to catch them live, be sure to check out their tour dates on The Home Team website.

The Home Team melts faces with Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom, and Regular Slinkys on guitar. They also rock Super Slinky bass strings on bass.

Get up out of your seat with the top tracks from The Home Team down below.