Author: nathan.lankford

File Under Indiepop: The Keep Left Signs

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11393329_10153538320074014_8047800131827082902_oThis week’s been really slow musically, and I can expect with CMJ that next week will be much the same. So, with that, I’ve done some hard core browsing of the net. It gets boring posting the same thing as P4K which is the same thing as Stereogum…it’s an endless cycle of been there done that. Luckily, I stumbled across this great band that I know nothing about, The Keep Left Signs. In fact, there’s little to no information on the group, other than the demo tracks below…and a poster with their name on it that also features Fireworks, The Garlands and The Electric Pop Group. Those names and these songs have me convinced. You?

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Grape St. Album Release @ Hotel Vegas Tomorrow Night

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Grape St.Really happy for our boys in Grape St.; they’ve moved on from our little label to really bang out their excellent new effort over at Burger Records. Luckily for Austinites, the band’s going to be celebrating their release tomorrow night over at Hotel Vegas. Their shows always get sweaty, and are nothing short of a classic rock n’ roll party, meaning you should schedule it in right now. As for their album, Wallpaper, it’s the best work Curtis has done since Harlem went on Hiatus; it’s gritty when it needs to be and poppy in all the right places. They’ll have CDs on sale for super cheap, with a slight delay in the vinyl, so that’s on its way too. Jam this track, one of my favorite live ones from the band.

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Stove Does a Great Pollard Impression

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stoveI know it probably seems like an immediate diss, but I mean it as a compliment…who doesn’t want to have the songwriting kicks of Robert Pollard? It seems like that’s the direction that Stove, the new project from Steve Hartlett from Ovlov, is going with his new music. I’ll say that some of the guitar work has a heavier hand, but the overall power-pop appeal is definitely Pollard-esque. It’ll be interesting to see how much differentiation comes on the debut for the band, Is Stupider; it sees a release on November 11th via Exploding in Sound.

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Did You Hear This Jonathan Bree Tune?

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breeI’ve been looking all day for something totally weird and out there, and of course, it’s easy to settle with the likes of Jonathan Bree. He’s got this incredibly operatic voice, living in the world somewhere between Majical Cloudz and Magnetic Fields. The musical accompaniment is fairly simple, just carefully playing on some of Bree’s classical influences such as Tchaikovsky. If you ask me, the entirety of his new record, A Little Night Music, is pretty genius stuff, so you’ll want to catch onto it before he’s a household name for everyone. Enjoy the track below. 

Newish Tune from Animal Daydream

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10462486_592441910854860_703342773680514304_nI first heard of Animal Daydream via their EP earlier this year on Jigsaw Records, so I was checking back in on them, doing the rounds, when I found this new tune from them. It’s strange, as the track’s not quite folk rock, yet not quite indiepop…still, there’s something undeniable about it, making it difficult to pull yourself away from it. There’s even a bit of a garage-y jangle that bounces to it, just adding another layer that creates an infectious bit for listeners. Should hopefully have news on a new EP soon, as this was the band’s first hint at what’s to come.

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Dream Pop from Tiny Fireflies

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tfIt’s possible you’ve heard this band before under different monikers, but all you need to focus on now is Tiny Fireflies making your day. Working as a duo, the group has just released a synth-laden bit of dream pop that will surely have listeners scrambling to hear more. You’ll be greeted with a gentle vocal and a pulsating rhythm, immediately putting you in a dream state of the most pleasant sort. Luckily, you won’t have to wait too long to hear their new album, The Space Between, as the duo is self-releasing the record on November 11th; it’ll be greet here with open arms.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/220188425″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Late to the Party: Fort Lean

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11201878_1024241284283320_5550141870366638523_nThere’s been tons written about Brooklyn’s Fort Lean, and I’ll admit that I was only mildly interested until yesterday when I found myself listening to the band’s latest “single” (it’s been floating around for a bit). “Buddy Boy” seems like the perfect entry point for people like myself that are discovering the band; it’s a heavy dose of strategically written pop, bursting with melodies amidst a warm wash of electronics flourishes and other atmospheric touches. It’s one of the tunes off their New Hobbies EP, which features this B-Side, so don’t be a dummy like me and get your ears around it now. Also, check out their LP, Quiet Day, which also just came out.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/223443889″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

ATH Premiere: Historian Readies Current

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krisPersonally, I enjoy searching out music that changes on you. You’re accepting one direction, you can see the tension rise, but then it turns. Sometimes, like in the case of Historian, the changes are subtle; they’re quick and simple, like the move that happens around the 2:40 mark. It sets the song off a bit, allowing for the song to grow and change into something completely new; it’s like listening to the evolution of music, right through your speakers. This quiet flare of the dramatic has won Historian, and it’s main songwriter Chris Karman, comparisons to the likes of Spiritualized and Radiohead…that leads to a great deal of promise as the band prepares to release Current on October 30th via The Record Machine.

Interesting Listen from Still Parade

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stillThe first few seconds of this new single from Still Parade didn’t grab me; I was afraid that somewhere in there was lurking too much programming. But, the vocal that followed shortly really grabbed me; it holds onto an airy quality in a high pitch that’s come into my listening world rather frequently. Of course, this track doesn’t stay here too long, fading out into a bit of an electronic freak out as the song pushes towards the close. Vocals are coated in this pulsating wash, and the song gently wraps. Expect a full release in 2016, but for now enjoy this little number.

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Fresh Coathangers Jam

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CoathangersWhat? A new jam from the Coathangers hits and you think I won’t post it? Well, you’re wrong. This new single comes as the opposite side of the band’s split with Black Lips, which we ran a bit ago. It’s definitely on par with some of the better songs the group has written of late; it’s got a pounding rhythm section, sliding guitar squalls and a bratty attitude that lets you know these ladies aren’t messing around. That new 7″ Split is going to come out on November 13th courtesy of the good folks over at Suicide Squeeze. They’ve also got an ATX date (as well as others) lined up for October, so keep a look out.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/224060449″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

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