This month we’re stoked to have our July 2016 Playlist curated by our friends Debatin’ With The Boys. For those who aren’t in the know Luke and Alun are two passionate music fans and long time supporters of HATW who have a YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/channel/UCvPvXiMBEKSYim3Is0T7UDg) Here they discuss new music releases, issues facing the alternative music scene, and interviews they conduct with awesome touring bands plus a lot more. It’s a great place to listen to interesting opinions on music, and pick up recommendations of new tracks to check out. As fans of alt music ourselves we love what the guys do and can’t wait to watch their channel grow. Having an outlet like a YouTube channel is so important to discuss things you’re passionate about and share opinions.  We really admire these guys for putting themselves out there, learning new skills to create the videos, and using music to stay positive. Here’s some of their tunes for this month’s Playlist and explanations for why they were picked.

Alun’s Picks

Aaron West & The Roaring Twenties – You Ain’t No Saint

The Wonder Years – Don’t Let Me Cave In

The Story So Far – Mt Diablo

Comeback Kid – Should Know Better

With The Punches – Face Value

Alun: Here are a bunch of songs that resonate me with on so many different levels, whether it be when I’m feeling down and need a pick me up, a party song that just makes me feel like i’m on top of the world or a song with a deeper meaning that makes me take reflection on what I’ve done in/with my life. In my life I have been fortunate enough to experience so many cool and amazing things and to have my friends around me doing so. Unfortunately I’ve also experienced a lot of the bad things life throws at us. When I am thrown in at the deep end of life music is always there to help me get back on my feet and carry on with the next day, because I find that you shouldn’t dwell too much on the past or else you’ll never get out of the rut that you’re stuck in. Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a massive Wonder Years fan, and those guys have helped me through so many situations I’ve lost count. Unfortunately I couldn’t just fill this playlist with just all Wonder Years because I don’t think Hannah would appreciate that HaHa. Music makes such an impact on our lives without us even realising and sometimes you’ve got to sit back and truly take it all in.

Luke’s Picks

Caspian – Hymn For The Greatest Generation

Caspian are an instrumental band from the US who manage to craft these incredible, dramatic soundscapes. I always turn to this band when I just need to take a step back from everything that’s happening. It helps me clear my head and focus myself. Whether it’s focusing on a particular task, or just ridding myself of the clutter that everyday life brings. This band make music I can completely lose myself in.

Creeper – Astral Projection

Although we’re often told to never look back and to leave the past in the past, I feel sometimes that thinking about a rad show, a hilarious night with friends or a great adventure can be really beneficial. I guess the music of Creeper really personifies that for me. They’re a band i’ve watched grow incredible amounts of the last year. From playing basement shows to the mainstage of festivals. I’ve had the pleasure of watching them, but also getting to know them at the same time, and it’s created these incredible memories that i can look back and grin like an idiot about.

The Gaslight Anthem – The Backseat

I don’t know what it is about this band and bands like The Menzingers, but for some reason I always feel hopeful listening to their music. The vocalist, Brian Fallon, crafts these incredible stories of love & loss which seem to hark back to a simpler time filled with dances, diners & boardwalks. This track is a great illustration of it all. Through the frenetic drum & guitar of the intro, to the soaring beginning of the verses and the huge chorus, it makes me smile from ear to ear.

Touche Amore – Pathfinder

Sometimes I just need to release any frustrations I have pent up inside me with a good scream along to a song. There’s loads of great, aggressive bands I listen to who allow me to do this. I chose this track because of it’s lyrical content. Jeremy Bolm is one of the most knowledgeable frontmen in the scene and it shows on this song. Whilst the song is outwardly about life on the road, the lyrics can be applied to almost any situation. Oh and it’s an absolute ripper.

New Found Glory – My Friends Over You

Friends rock. Not the TV show, I mean it’s pretty good, but it’s been overplayed. But your friends. They share the highest of highs with you & support you in the lowest of lows. They’re the type of people who you can say a single word or saying to, a word or saying that’d sound like complete gibberish to anyone else, but they’d get it. They’re the type of people who’ll stay out the small hours of the morning with you, screaming lyrics from 15 year old songs in your face. There’s a ton of tracks that can illustrate the power of friendship, but i think this stone cold classic from New Found Glory sums it up best – “I’d still pick my friends over you”

Brand New – Archers

There’s just something about listening to my all time favourite band that can drag me out of any mood i find myself in. And i guess in one way or another they encapsulate a bunch of the reasons i’ve listed for the individual tracks for far. There’s the soundscapes they create on “The Devil & God…”, the memories I have from seeing them play flawless shows, the way Jesse Lacey spins his lyrics & the sheer raw emotion he shows. Whilst the subject matter of Brand New songs can sometimes be somewhat morose, it’s the connection i share with the music that means the most to me.