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Playlist: Hawk Eyes – Our Scene

• 29th Jan 2015

We’ve loved Leeds based riff-masters Hawk Eyes for many moons here at Glasswerk, even way back when they had a different name that’s now buried in the sands of time. You can imagine, then, that we were really pleased when they returned recently with a stunning new album ‘Everything Is Fine’ – to celebrate the release, we caught up with them so they could give us the lowdown on their local Leeds music scene…

1. Postwar glamour girls – Sestra

I listen to this song in particular a lot at home – Alice and James’ voices work so well together, creating a light and shade in the lyric. This band are great as they do strong stuff delicately; The Cure meets Nick Cave meets wild beasts.

2. Blacklisters – Clubfoot by Kasabian

This is a straight cover of Clubfoot by Kasabian, but its done in such a unique and innovative style that its almost like a completely different song that just happens to be called Clubfoot by Kasabian. Sometimes I look at Billy and I wonder if I’ll ever be as handsome as he. We grew our hair together once so that we could both be like Patrick Swayze in Point Break.

3. Hookworms – Away Towards

You don’t simply put on a Hookworms song and listen passively – you get sucked into its field and then it surrounds and submerges your senses. You give yourself over to them.
Go and see them live to get a fuller understanding of what i’m trying to say.

4. Black Moth – Room 13

I took some friends to see Black Moth on a whim at Tram Lines a few years ago. Now they’re all friends. So that’s nice. Dom is my favourite drummer in this town – a big-big hitter and i love how the other guys get their guitars dry, crunchy – and really present in your ear. Much more effective than saturating with distortion which is a mistake – so so many bands that try to be heavy- make. And of course there’s the wonderful Harriet. She really stepped up with her vocals on this record. I think some bloke called Andy Hawkins may have worked on it??

5. These Monsters – When the Going Gets Weird

Isn’t this video brilliant?! The band made it with our friends at Lord Whitney (lordwhitney.co.uk) who also did a couple of Hawk photo shoots and the cover of the Blacklisters record. Its a small world Leeds – very small. Lets join more dots then: Tommy the drummer did the artwork for our last record – Ideas, Ian the Bassist used to drive us and Sam the singer has always been there to offer me emotional and spiritual advice. Oh and that guy on the computer – that’s Mr Drew Milward – he may have made a hawk eyes tshirt too. See – SMALL world.

6. Pulled Apart by Horses – Lizard Baby

I really like what the lads did with this last album – it still has all the raucous elements but a swagger that wasn’t there before. I do love a good swagger in a rock song. Don’t you?

7. Super Luxury – (BEING BOOED)

Ever heard of these guys? NO? Really – you are in for a treat. I wish this band wasn’t from Leeds then I could like them and they wouldn’t be a band from Leeds that I liked – just a band I liked. Anyway here they are being booed by their own crowd. These guys are too cool to have “music videos” on the internet so I’m afraid you’ll have to click this band camp link instead – the album is pay what you want. Tell them Stick sent you. Oh and bung them a fiver!

8. Track and Field – World

I’ve known these guys for a long time – ex members of The Plight and Warboys and Feint. This is genuine – straight up, no gimmick, non-contrived rock music by some really talented musicians that earned their stripes playing in proper emo/hardcore bands (not that sweep fringe nonsense) in the squats and dives of Europe. Give it a listen – its honesty might inspire you.

9. Humanfly – English and Proud and Stupid and Racist

Obviously I could have included a link to just the audio but that’s not the total of what Humanfly are/were about – sadly the band have split now. But here’s a glimpse at their past greatness. They had a massive influence on us when we started out and its an honour to have such amazing composers and commentators as friends. Also – we need this song now more than ever I think.

10. Hawk Eyes – Enemies

This is the latest track to be taken from Hawk Eyes’ new album ‘Everything is Fine’ which is released on 9th February. It’s got all the riffs in the world on it and we can’t understand why they aren’t one of the biggest bands in the country. It’s not fair is it? Well guess what kid, LIFE’S NOT FAIR. (We wrote this bit ourselves, can you tell? – Ed)