W.O.R.N #3

It's been a little while since I've written a WORN, and even though I haven't really been blogging, I've still been listening avidly to music, so I reckoned a little update on my newer listening habits is in order. Like last time, I'm using Stats FM to help out with numbers and statistics, so cheers to them for the help keeping the records - let's get into it:

Genres

According to Stats FM, these were my top five genres over the last six months:

1. Alternative

2. Hard Rock

3. Rock

4. Pop Punk

5. Emo Pop

This is nothing new, and even since the last WORN I wrote over a year ago, the themes are pretty much the same. I have had a pretty good streak over the last month or so of really focusing on a particular artist or album, so in terms of my stats, it's just bolstered the ones that were already there, and introduced new sub categories that still come under those same songs and bands. Oh well, maybe in another year we'll see some more dramatic changes (we probably won't).2

Top 10 Tracks

And now, the countdown for my top 10 tracks of the last six months - clocking in at Number 10 is...

Like Magik // L.S Dunes // Violet

A brilliant track, full of tension, undeniable swing, and enough punk instrumentation to melt your face off a good few times - I had this song so violently stuck in my head last year that I had to play it on repeat during my lunch breaks just to get it out!

And, at number 9...

Emergence // Sleep Token // Even in Arcadia

It was our first new piece of Sleep Token content since their last record in 2023, so of course I played this to absolute death when it came to it's release - plus it's a brilliant track, spanning every technique and genre this band is good at, what's not to love?

Close in at number 8...

Paper Tigers // L.S Dunes // Violet

Another entry from L.S Dunes in this top ten with Paper Tigers, which is another excellent track - energetic and boisterous, this one has so much life injected into it that it found itself in my playlists the second I heard it.

Next in at number 7...

0898 Heartache // Los Campesinos! // All Hell

Now this song right here is pretty damn special, on the closing end of the beautiful record All Hell, 0898 is a triumphant pop rock belter that oozes style and class as well as the trademark youthful exuberance and flashy lyrics this entire album is synonymous with. Listen to this song once, I promise you'll be hooked.

Just in front at number 6...

Jericho // Sleep Token // Two

A blast from the past here, but nonetheless a tantalising offering from the faceless collective. The best part of this track? The final chorus and breakdown, those cymbals with the raw vocals of early Vessel? Match made in heaven!

Standing steady at number 5..

Holy Smoke // Los Campesinos! // All Hell

Another entry from Los Camp on the list here - an indie rock banger like Holy Smoke, well what more can I say? Vibrant, and replayable to within an inch of it's life, this is yet another track from this album that crawled it's way deep into the part of my mind that decides to play music in the back of my head relentlessly until I commit to actually doing it.

Just missing out on the top three at 4...

Gethsemane // Sleep Token // Even in Arcadia

In terms of a song that's only been out for a little over a week, this is pretty impressive. I love this song so much, it's just a triumph. The pain is so visible, but it morphs that into an absolutely gorgeous soundscape, warping and evolving in such a stylish way. This is such a highlight from the album, and is consistently played by me - especially to and from work.

And, for the bronze medal at number 3...

Damocles // Sleep Token // Even in Arcadia

My favourite of the singles, and also one of my favourites of the entire project, if you want to hear about me talk about this song earnestly, go give my full review of Even In Arcadia a read, because this song is so damn special.

In silver medal position at number 2...

A Psychic Wound // Los Campesinos! // All Hell

Easy to listen to, easy to replay, and similarly easy to play on guitar, this track is so simply done, well made, and perfectly performed. A highlight from the album, and the entire discography of Los Camp, which earns it the No.2 spot.

Finally, at number 1...

Caramel // Sleep Token // Even In Arcadia

Although this track isn't my favourite on the record, it by no means connotes that I don't seriously enjoy listening to this track. When it first dropped as a single, it became an instant earwig, both the spoken word and harmonics, and is excellent to blast out of a speaker (sorry neighbours) - a very deserving number one track.

Artists

So now you've gotten some hints, let's talk top artists, because there are a couple in the top five that might surprise you (they won't but let me build some tension)

In the number five spot is a brand new band I've been really getting into, Bring Me the Horizon. I know, criminally late to the hype, and I'm sure your thinking dear reader 'but wait, didn't you claim Post Human: Nex Gen was just fine and gave it a 6.5/10?' - yes, I did, but I gave that record a serious listen recently, and then hyperfixated on it so hard that I didn't listen to anything else for a week straight. I went so far as to buy the vinyl of it and somehow got my hands on a hand numbered variant. If we look at my top twenty songs from the past week, I can see the entirety of Post Human there in all it's chaotic glory. That by no means is to say that I don't like any of their other work, I'm thoroughly enjoying having a stare at their earlier work, but my heart belongs to Nex Gen at the moment.

Number four goes to, surprise surprise, Los Campesinos! After seeing them live at The Troxy in February this year (I forgot to write about it and it's a bit too late now) I fell in love with their music all over again, especially All Hell. It's a record that really covers all the bases, from emotional ballads to pop punk tunes and rock bangers that get you up on your feet. It's a masterclass of musicianship, and is extremely replayable, and I give it a spin on vinyl every once in a while too when I just need to hear the whole damn thing front to back.

Third on the podium goes to L.S Dunes Unsuprisingly, after meeting them at Rough Trade East and seeing them live supporting Rise Against (which again I left too late to post) I really immersed myself in these guy's music. Especially because I love both their records, so I've gotten a lot of mileage out of both - Past Lives is great for that edgy, punk laced post-hardcore sound, and Violet for the swinging tempo and rock inspired guitar melodies. They've really gone from strength to strength, and not only are they lovely guys, they're also dynamite performers who give it their all on stage.

Silver medal goes to the always brilliant Boston Manor - if these guys have zero fans then I'm pretty sure I'd be very dead. Recently I found myself replaying Be Nothing again and again, finding real joy in spinning the record that started it all for these guys. It's such a good body of work, with so many good tracks on it that capture such raw emotion and feeling - you either want to climb straight into a moshpit, or get a lump in your throat from the sheer emotional reactions, or both, maybe at the same time?

Who would've thought it, Sleep Token are at number one. I know I'm very quick to praise these guys, and it's to the point where some may consider it to be a little much. I completely understand that - I too would probably find my incessant fanboying annoying at this point, but I really mean it when I say that this is a band that has captured both my heart and imagination. Their music is so awe inspiring, anthemic and grand, whilst also able to pierce your soul and tug on your heartstrings. The musicianship is also exceptional, with all members of the band curating and performing at such a high calibre. There's a reason why these guys are the flavour of the month, they've put in over five years of insane legwork, and they're getting their time in the blazing Arcadian sun.

Overall

What a six months its been eh? From old classics to new belters, I'm liking the looks of my stats this time around. In terms of the future, who knows? Maybe Bring Me will hit me with something new, or old that I discover. I also reckon ol' reliable Twenty One Pilots will sneak their way back in, what with seeing them live as well as the Blurryface 10th anniversary coming around with some new things to tease, so we shall have to wait and see - till next time!