Author: nathan.lankford

Cola Release Pallor Tricks + Announce The Gloss

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One had to know that Cola was just around the corner from a new release, as they’ve had several singles pop up as of late. And indeed, yesterday we found out that The Gloss is coming our way very soon; the announcement came with a brand new single, and one that certainly illustrates the fascinating structure of the band’s songwriting. Throughout the opening minutes and into its core, “Pallor Tricks” sees to work against itself sonically, with guitar lines jutting against one another like puzzle pieces you can’t force to fit. Tim Darcy settles it down in the verses, though that anxiety-inducing aura still hangs over your head. Mild melodies seep into the chorus via Darcy, perhaps one of his best parlor tricks as he’s able to turn his indifference into something very pop forward. The Gloss is out June 14th via Fire Talk Records.

Aluminum Share Beat Single

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This day old bread from Aluminum is certainly taking a nod from some of Britpop’s finest. They obscure the sound a bit by building in these guitar textures that recall recent acts like Dummy or Peel Dream Magazine, but it very much feels indebted to to mid90s Britain. Vocals hide in the middle of the mix, even with the backing vocals sinking within, encouraging the rhythm of the tune to be the driving force that captures your attention; you’ll feel the melodic pop bits as they soak into your skin, but you’ll still feel like turning it up nice and loud. A little bit of everything, making Fully Beat an album to keep an eye on; it drops via Felte Records on May 24th.

Amy O Shares Early Days Single

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If you’re looking for a repeat of “Dribble Dribble,” you might want to check your expectations at the door, as “Early Days” provides a different glimpse at Amy O‘s songwriting. Below, you’ll hear a track that opens up carefully, working with Amy’s vocals over a guitar picking that leaves plenty of space for the notes to resonate in the empty space that surrounds you. There’s certainly some textural notes behind the guitar and vocals, providing the necessary bulk that makes the track more than an average tune. Personally, I’m interested in sharing it with my wife, as the track details Oelsner’s mothering journey that began in the early stages of the pandemic, much like my family’s experience, so something we can all relish together…and share with our daughter. Mirror, Reflect is out via Winspear on May 10th.

Camera Obscura Shares Liberty Print Video

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Long ago, when a friend first suggested listening to Camera Obscura, I remember that it was all about Tracyanne Campbell’s voice; it felt steadfast in solitude, yet charming in its emotional power. When I listen to their latest single, “Liberty Print,” I can still feel the majesty in Campbell’s vocal performance, though sonically, you can hear the band moving in new directions; even Tracyanne comments that “it’s the song most unlike anything we’ve one before.” That charming openness of the song, leaving drifting guitar notes atop sampled synth notes is perfect, leaving the song with tons of space to be filled…and they do, adding in snappy drum work that gives the song a bit of gallop. Lyrically, the song manages to detail Campbell’s grief (after the passing of her brother) from within the context of a buoyant pop song; this the charming craft of a songwriter few can beat. Look to the East, Look to the West is out on May 3rd via Merge.

Faulty Cognitions Share Fresh Single

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As an avid Dirtnap Records fan, Chris Mason and his old band Low Culture were certainly an act I was familiar with, and even have an LP in the catalog. Now, however, Chris has moved to San Antonio where he’s fronting Faulty Cognitions, a brand new act. Mason has a pretty distinctive voice and style, so you’re getting a mixture of punk and classic rock n’ roll thrown at you with a DIY ethos. And maybe it’s just me, but there’s something in the guitars that feels like it bleeds Texas, though that could just be me. Love the gang vocals that get employed too, bulking up the sound into one riotous burst of rock. You can find this song on their new LP, Somehow, Here We Are, out this Friday. Plus, if you’re in the Austin area, the band play at the Parish on April 16th! A week from today!

Swiftumz Announces Simply the Best

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Over the last several years you’d likely notice a heavy San Francisco pop presence on our site, as that’s been one of the best scenes delivering works that hit right at home for me. Today, we bring you news of another act from the Bay Area, Swiftumz, who announces the new album, Simply the Best, today. And, as much as I love the foggy nature that often accompanies the vibe, this has this natural clarity and sincerity that should help you find it as endearing as I find it. There’s singer-songwriter elements working here, especially with the way you hear the stroke on the strings themselves, but you’ll also find lush arrangements and little psychedelic guitar licks lurking in the shadows. Empty Cellar Records will release Simply the Best on June 14th.

Sunbeam Sound Machine Shares Creatures

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Just last week we were sharing a track by Snowy, nodding to his production work the last few years in his downtime with Pop Filter and his own Snowy Band…and today, he pops up on the mixing duties for a new tune from Sunbeam Sound Machine. His 2019 album Goodness Gracious built a huge audience for Nick Sowersby, and while those tunes illustrated the broad brushstrokes he’d apply to his craft, this new track completely opens up a more meditative state. His vocals operate over steadied guitar lines, flirting with a dreamier nature, but mostly ringing out like some mysterious Wyld Stallyns song for the future. That lead guitar eventually takes the song for a walk, weaving in and out of the meditative ring, sinking the song further into this sort of ethereal landscape. Look for this on the new Soft Signal EP, out Friday.

Flypaper Share Separate Nothing

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You may recognize Rory Sear from his time in Beachtape, but as of late he’s been focused on his new project Flypaper. During the pandemic, he found his way with an acoustic guitar, spending more time working on the simplicity in his own songwriting, with a nod to folks like Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. Here, on the latest single, you get drawn in by the intimacy; it’s not quite a Smith-esque whisper, but you certainly feel like you’ve been brought into Sear’s secret world. Then, the song drops in and there’s an eruption of pop, pushing drums and piano and soloing guitar lines to really bulk up the track’s flavor. If you’re looking for simplicity executed well, then perhaps you need to checkout Another Orbit EP, which drops May 10th via PNKSLM.

New Music from Winston Hightower

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I’ll admit that I was totally digging the first single from Winston Hightower‘s forthcoming LP, but for some reason or another, I lapsed, so I’ll make up for that below. Those of you that are into the modern fascination with post-punk are going to find yourselves a new hero, as both the tunes below are definitely hitting those notes, particularly with the sharpness of the guitar sounds. That said, the second single that dropped last week slows things down, letting the performance kind of dangle in front of the listener in all the right places; I can definitely hear some Tim Darcy comparisons in the vocal delivery too, furthering my own adoration. If you’re into it, Winston Hytwr is out on May 31st via K Records/Perennial Records.

Restless Leg Share Sow a Little Seed Video

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I’ll admit that Restless Leg have a bit of a nostalgic Oceanic sound, self-proclaiming that they worship at the altar of the Go-Betweens and the Clean. You can certainly hear the guitar lines making nods to those predecessors, particularly in the way the jangle just hits each note perfectly. That steady guitar chug allows for the rhythm section to build in an appropriate bounce, continuing their pop infatuation; I think they double-down though by adding in some nice vocal layers that perfectly mix up the flavors of what they’re doing. This tune appears on the group’s forthcoming Dance Around My Head, which will be out later this year via upstart label Sinister Porpoise Records.

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