Stockportians Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Joe Donovan, Myles Kellock and Josh Dewhurst are Blossoms, a band leading the charge for new guitar pop in the UK right now, being the only real band to feature on the BBC sound of 2016 longlist. Their latest single Charlemagne was released earlier this month on Virgin EMI and is almost definitely the best song named after a Frankish medieval ruler you’re likely to hear for a long time.
It’s taken the 5-piece only a couple of years, since forming in 2013, to capture the attention of the music industry with their blend of danceable indie pop, which you should file somewhere between the post-britpop indie of bands like The Coral and the synth-soaked psychedelic sounds coming out of Manchester’s scene today. At a time when interesting new guitar bands are few and far between, Blossoms have made it clear they are unafraid to stray from the norm with this latest single, which at times sounds like Falco's 1985 classic Rock Me Amadeus, bust mostly just sounds brilliant.
The track starts with a criminally catchy synth line, more 80s than Rick Astley’s shoulderpads. I'ts not long until the rest of the band join in, providing a much more modern sounding groove as singer Tom Ogden greets the listener with the opening line, “Hello, hello". Ogden's vocal is unique, and his delivery is perfect throughout, particularly during the refrain on which he cries out "If only I could show you, Don't go". The overall result is a track which is sure to be stuck in your head for the foreseeable future.
Overall it's yet another promising offering from Blossoms, intelligent indie pop with radio-friendly sensibilities, It's blissed out and breezy vibes are sure to make Charlemagne an alternative festival-anthem this summer.
Charlemagne is out now on Virgin EMI.
