Alright (Okay)

The image shows four young men with their hands stacked together in what appears to be a team huddle or solidarity gesture. They all have their faces turned toward the camera while their hands are joined in the foreground of the image.

Also known as A (OK), this Liverpool band throw some fine US underground influences (Parquet Courts, Pavement and Modest Mouse, for example) in amongst the more obvious nods to Idles and Shame. The guitars lurch and clash and clang, the rhythms always sound pleasingly close to coming off the rails and frontman Alex’s vocals have a very distinctive rawness. Live favourites at home, they’re starting to build a head of steam further afield and plan on releasing their debut EP soon. In the meantime, you can catch them at Stockton Calling and say you preferred their earlier stuff! (Lee Fisher)