Photo:

IT’S CHRISTMAAAASSSSS!! Okay, not quite. However this is my last post before the big day so that’s close enough. I’ll take the time now to wish you all the most magical Christmas and I hope Santa brings you lots of music related goodies. I’ve already sorted your New Years Resolutions, and that is to check out every single one of the bands below.

To get you started, here are my Top 5 bands you should know about for 2014.

MMX

If you saw The 1975 on their most recent UK headline tour and did the sensible thing of checking out the support acts beforehand, then you would have discovered MMX. Their Oxfordshire blend of cinematic indie productions and haunting vocals will smooth away any bad mood and leave you a little mesmerised.

For Fans Of: The 1975, Coastal Cities, Lorde

Moose Blood

I’ve been singing their praises for a while now, but I won’t stop until all of you add them into your record collection. Leading the UK pop-punk scene, quote their lyrics to any girl and she will be putty in your hands. They just make really good music, okay?

For Fans Of: Gnarwolves, Real Friends, The Swellers

Fort Hope

Once the eyeliner-wearing, emo/goth heartthrobs of My Passion, someone has now thankfully handed them a face wipe and they’ve cleaned up their sound too. Their Christmas number has sent shivers down my spine, they’ve been championed by Jimmy Eat World and Blitz Kids and their newest EP release, Choices, is just further evidence of why Fort Hope will be huge in 2014.

For Fans Of: Straight Lines, Max Raptor, Jimmy Eat World

Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun

Offering something a little different to all the alternative guitar bands floating around right now, Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun are for fans of new-age punk with a warm heart. If you’re looking for beastly breakdowns, you won’t find them here. What you will find however, is impeccable song writing and two albums full of festival anthems.

For Fans Of: The Dangerous Summer, The Xcerts, Pure Love

The Hype Theory

It’s not easy being compared to Paramore on a frequent basis, but The Hype Theory are out to prove that they’re not just another band with a pair of boobs. This year’s album release, Captives, has firmly cemented itself in my Top 10 albums of 2013, incorporating catchy choruses with heartfelt lyrics – The Hype Theory have got the passion to see them go far. There’s guts and raw energy, powerful vocals and a hidden darkness in their songs, definitely ones to keep an eye on.

For Fans Of: Mallory Knox, Blitz Kids, Tonight Alive

So there we have it, that should get you started for the New Year and I’ll keep you up to date as often as I can with all the superb new bands I come across in the next 12 months. Here’s to 2014 and another fantastic year for music! HOORAH!