[Ed. Note. For those new to the group in 2023 rex started a series titled “Rex Festive 15”.

The title was a shameless, but honest, play on the annual lust from the legendary BBC personality JOHN PEEL. Each year he would publish his “FESTIVE 15.” It was basically a top 50 songs of the year. rex so looked forward to reviewing the list.

His FESTIVE had a different trajectory . As he explained it-

“The plot is to identify for you 15 newish outfits that have my serious attention and interest.”

When the list was complete on October 18 last year it looked like this (in no order of ranking):

1. Bdrm
2. Just Mustard
3. Squid
4. Black Country, New Road
5. Fontaines D. C.
6. White Flowers
7. Porridge Radio*
8. Ist Ist
9. Pip Blom
10. W. D. Lung
11. Yard Act
12. bar italia
13. Big Special
14. Pale Blue Eyes
15. Nightbus

And that was that.]

The * is today’s starting point. With the demise of the wonderful PORRIDGE RADIO there is now a vacancy on the list.

I did not rush to fill this vacancy. However, the successor on this list has quickly come into focus.

This outfit recorded what is a strong contender for my song of the year and has now released their debut LP “It Goes On.” It is the bomb.

And with that, I am adding WESTSIDE COWBOY 🇬🇧 to my FESTIVE 15!

It probably won’t surprise you to find out they are from Manchester.

I posted the single (and now LP opener) “Kick Stone (The Boys)”. Listening to this song repeatedly, as I have, is what I imagine the sound would be in heaven if the house band was THE VELVET UNDERGROUND 🇺🇸 with THE FEELIES as the permanent opening act. I am going to add that song to the end of the post for those who didn’t get my post on May 29.

For today though I am going with another track from the LP to demonstrate they are not 1 song wonders.

Here is “Pin Up Boys” live from the Green Man Festival and then the studio version on SPOTIFY.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEZDSdDnNs&list=RDvzEZDSdDnNs&start_radio=1&pp=ygUaV2VzdHNpZHIgY293Ym95IFBpbiB1cCBCaXmgBwE%3D&ra=m

SPOTIFY- which also has a video…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEZDSdDnNs&list=RDvzEZDSdDnNs&start_radio=1&pp=ygUaV2VzdHNpZHIgY293Ym95IFBpbiB1cCBCaXmgBwE%3D&ra=m

I hope you remember when you first learned of and began to love this outfit.

(SONG 1731)

Now here a replay of “Kick Stones (The Boys)” on SPOTIFY with video-

https://open.spotify.com/track/71UFn1u1I5W29Sg6DlvKE1?si=a-d6AL7tTi6Wt5SetqvL3w&utm_source=copy-link

(Previously SONG 1663)

Play Loud Or Perish

8/22/2026