The Great Escape Preview: The Bombay Bicycle Club

With good reviews on their previously-released EPs, Bombay Bicycle Club will release their debut album I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose Island Records in July. After first forming when the band members were just 15, they've created something that NME described as the “hottest sound to come from North London for quite some time.” Their energy is raw and has a sort of hazy shoegaze that layers above snarky, mature lyrics and otherwise poppy, jittery vocals. Since winning a competition against The Holloways, they've gotten a lot of good press and are producing music that shows a lot of promise.

The Great Escape Preview (OK Tokyo)

OK Tokyo are three guys from the UK who’ve “traveled to the future, to pre-historic lands, and back again”, and it shows. Their combination of heavy, aggressive guitar riffs and supersonic vocals are taking electro-rock to a new, exciting realm of hard rocking and intergallactica. OK Tokyo make it clear that they don’t give a shit -- they just want you to throw your hands up and join in on their journey to the future. Their first single, “You Better Believe It” has been a staple in taking my nights out to another level. You’re tired, but sure you’ll have a beer or two. Listen to this song -- you’ll find yourself ready to fucking tear it up.

Check them out at The Great Escape on May 17th at The Brighton Coalition.

Download: "TV Evangelist" [mp3]

By Erin Kapor

The Great Escape Preview (Elle Milano)

When it comes to humor, Americans and Brits have a totally different idea of what funny is. Most American bands that deem themselves as funny or witty are just merely obnoxious, singing about poop or girls or whatever, but the Brits revel in subtlety and wit, coming at you with a crack when you least expect it.

Brighton's Elle Milano are by no means a funny band, but they infuse their lyrics with a wit reminiscent of Art Brut, Bromhead's Jacket or The Indelicates. With lines that don't hit you until the 50th listen, they're a gift that keeps on giving, all the while being backed by excellent spiky, spastic post-punk. After a few years of holding us at bay, the band has just self-released their debut, Acres of Dead Space Cadets, a perfect collection of tunes for a jilted generation. This is an early contender for album of the year.

Catch them on May 17th, the closing night of this year's Great Escape.

Download: "Oh Society, Look What You've Done" [mp3] // [Buy Here]

The Great Escape Preview (The More Assured)

When a band comes along that shakes up a music scene, they are always followed by a ton of imitators, some bad and some that are good. The Libertines brought about a lot of copycats, but London's The More Assured fall into the latter group, also being part of a larger network of capital area (post) teenage bands that are starting to garner international notice. Among these are Kets, FortyFives, Lo-Fi Culture Scene and former band of the week, Pull in Emergency. The band has just a few singles out, all of which are out of print except for the latest one, "I Wanna Be a Sex Offender." Their next show will be a slot at this year's Great Escape in Brighton (England) on May 15th.

Download: "Zones" [mp3] // [Buy Here]