Menace Beach releasing new LP 'Lemon Memory' (streams), playing SXSW, tell us about their favorite songs of 2016

Leeds indie rock true-believers Menace Beach will release their second album, Lemon Memory, on January 20 via Memphis Industries. Ryan Needham and Liza Violet know how to hit that sweet spot of warm n’ fuzzy, crunchy and catchy and fans of the new LVL Up and Car Seat Headrest LPs should take note if you haven’t heard them before. You can listen to “Give Blood” and watch the video for “Maybe We’ll” drown — and stream their 2015 LP Ratworld — below.

Menace Beach will be on a UK tour in early 2017 and they’ll be heading across the Atlantic to play SXSW (and hopefully a few other North American shows as well). Dates are listed below.

Meanwhile, Ryan has given us his list of “Songs I’ve searched for the most on the internet in 2016,” which includes current tracks from Grandaddy, Angel Olsen, Car Seat Headrest, Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam, and more, complete with very entertaining commentary. Read that below.

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RYAN OF MENACE BEACH – TOP 10 SONGS IV’E SEARCHED FOR THE MOST ON THE INTERNET IN 2016

Grandaddy – The Way We Wont
They are one of my favourite bands ever and i’d just about accepted that they were done for good; then they just unexpectedly dropped this best-yet classic Grandaddy single. I’m so excited for the album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v50LoackQM0

Bruising – I Don’t Mind
These guys are touring with us in February and I’m really looking forward to seeing them every night. I wish they’d hurry up and do a full length record but for now these sporadic and brazenly hooky 7″ singles they drop every couple of months will have to do.

Angel Olsen – Shut Up Kiss Me
I loved the previous record but when this came on the radio i was super hungover and for some stupid reason didn’t recognise it as Angel Olsen. It just blew me away and i leapt out of bed all like “argh what the fuck is this?! its amazing!” Made me forget the hangover.

Traams – Penguin
After two albums, Traams are just popping tracks out here and there and seem to be charting new waters before album three. This is my favourite thing they’ve ever done; its a driving and totally english sounding post punk masterpiece.

Cowtown – Emojicore
A legendary band from my adopted hometown of Leeds. They released album three this year and this is the last track and an album standout for me. They are just consistently incredible and all over the place both live and on record.

Sleaford Mods – TCR
I’m pretty sure they’d hate our music but I can get past that because I grew up in the next town to where they started out so i totally get the angle. This one just feels oddly nostalgic to me for some reason – probably the accent reminds me of home. Its all about the lyrics and the execution.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – First World Problem
Its an obvious comparison but i have loved Prince since i was 6 years old and i’ve loved UMO from day one so this just ticks a lot of my boxes. Its cool to hear UMO with a slightly more sterile or pop production, it totally works.

Car Seat Headrest – 1937 State Park (LIVE KEXP)
Again an obvious reference, but because I’m so hung up on the songwriting of people like Benson/Barnett/Kweller, there was no way I wasn’t going to love this album. Some people are just really really good at chords and cool changes, and thats my favourite trick in songwriting that all the best ones do. I’ve been mining the KEXP sessions on YouTube a lot this year too cause they always sound incredible and I’ve found a ton of new stuff through those.

Hamilton Leithauser and Rostram – I Had a Dream
Anything with Hamilton’s vocal on just tears me apart. The Walkmen were a big influence when i first started messing around in bands years ago and he’s still totally nailing that powerful yet fragile, and slightly pissed-at-4am-shouting-in-the-street thing. Its such a great noise.

Pulled Apart By Horses – The Big What If
PABH are releasing their 3rd album a few weeks after ours comes out in Jan 2017 and like us, they recorded it with Ross Orton over in Sheffield earlier this year. From what I’ve heard of it, the new album is more psych-tinged and out-there than the last couple. They are really great at explosive rock music and are amazing live.