Clock Radio - Turfin’ Out the Maniacs (2025)

Clock Radio is a British alt-pop outfit made up of Chris Genner, Oliver Daltrey, Gary Martin, and Fraser Wilson—four old friends who found their way back to each other after the collapse of their first band more than two decades ago. Their debut full-length Turfin’ Out the Maniacs arrived quietly last May, but it deserves far more praise: these originals are simply too tuneful to slip under the radar.

Expect a mix of timeless slacker rock with sincere lyrics, psychedelic mischief with indie wit, and 80s-infused jangle pop with hit potential. It’s lo-fi and rowdy, but even more so compelling and catchy. The band describes it best themselves: “Over ten, melodic, hook-laden songs, we wrestle with the indignities of middle age, the thrilling absurdities of life, and we unravel some of the tensions of our long history playing music together.”

The vocals feel spontaneous and close-up, the performances unpolished in all the right ways, complete with the kind of background chatter and warmth that make you feel like you’ve stumbled into a late-night session in someone’s living room. It’s one of those rare finds that sounds both familiar and freshly inspired. A (re)discovery worth celebrating.