Merce Lemon Shares Will You Do Me a Kindness

I’ve been covering Merce Lemon for several years now, and when the band into town for “not SXSW,” they were definitely one of the top artists I had to catch live. They didn’t disappoint one bit, and now they follow that up with this enchanting ballad that might just break you. There’s this majesty in Merce’s voice, particularly as she curls some of the notes around the edges of the chorus here; I think its a hugely powerful turn of notes that stands alone in its power. Luckily, the arrangement doesn’t hurt either, with fiery solos occasionally ripping through the light strumming, blossoming into this huge feeling you won’t soon forget. This tune brought to you courtesy of Darling Records.

Silver Biplanes Announce New LP + Share Radiogram Video

A little over a year ago, Silver Biplanes dropped their debut, A Moment in the Sun; the album was filled with a sort of pastoral indiepop vibe, as Vanessa’s voice encompassed a nostalgic brand of pop we don’t hear often enough. Fast forward to today, and they’ve got a new single and a new record; they’ve described the new single as somewhere along the lines of “The Cardigans, Hawkwind, the Who and the Buggles.” Honestly, I don’t know what to make of that either, but it shows some of the exploration they take on with their new album, Traveling by Candlelight. You’ll get these little psychedelic nods in here, rolling around through washes of synths and guitar washes that coat the track in this dense pop haven. Sounds like they’re going to take the crisp joy of pop and see how far they can stretch it! You can get the new LP on April 2nd via WIAIWYA and Old Bad Habits.

Eels Shares Goldy Single

I know this new Eels track popped up yesterday, but I’m circling back on this one as it gives some of the songwriting credit to my good old pal Tyson Ritter. Mark E. says Ritter has become one of his ‘favorite, weird, eccentric and imaginative collaborators,” which resonates as I remember a teenage Ty spending hours watching Super Furry Animal videos and exploring anything he could. The song’s solid too, with this heavy wash that rides throughout it; I love how every note from E’s voice just drips with this emotion that seeps right into your skin. You’ll find this track on Eels Time, the new Lp that drops on June 7th.

Lip Filler Return With followup

London based group Lip Filler came onto my radar last year with the release of their self-titled EP which featured top song of 2023 “Monster Truck.” This year the band will power in to 2024 with more new music along with some planned summer dates in London, Manchester, and Bristol. Their latest effort, “followup”, is a pure stunner of a single with an electronic, dance theme paired with a killer guitar riff and energetic vocals. I am here for all of this.

Lip Filler will release this song as part of a new EP entitled witchescrew. That’s due out on May 26th via Chess Club Records.

Jetstream Pony Share Track from Under the Bridge Comp

It appears that it is day two in our support of Skep Wax, as we’ve got more new from the UK label now that they’ve upped a new Jetstream Pony track from the label’s forthcoming Under the Bridge 2 Compilation. If you look at the list of participating artists, it’s all heavy-hitters, with names such as The Orchids, St. Christopher, Boyracer and more. But, I’m here to talk about this new Jetstream Pony tune! I love the driving nature of the guitar work; it reminds me of a poppier version of the Wedding Present, mixing a blend between jangling guitars and distortion. That said, the band’s bread and butter is always the sweet melodic mixture that enters with the vocals, and this jam is no different. Dive into the bliss, and grab a copy before it’s April 6th release (there’s a US distributor to help with shipping costs!)

Cosmit Release Brand New EP

I want you to get up and out of your chair and pump those fists today, and what better way by giving you a listen to the brand new Cosmit EP that just dropped this morning. Their sound fuses tons of elements from the like of pop punk to garage to soul, but I won’t lie if there’s not a feeling of nostalgia that’s pulling me into this track. Opening tune “Punisher” almost feels like a British take on Sparta, while “Hard Love” has a bit more swagger and suggestive pop inclination, so you can flip the coin and just have a blast with this blaring through your speakers. Still Cosmit EP is out today via Specialist Subject Records.

Strand of Oaks Announces Miracle Focus

Tim Showalter has described his new record Miracle Focus as a record that represents “a temple of peace in my life,” so when listening to the first single, it’s interesting trying to piece together the puzzle in where this would fit in a record; you’ll find that it’s the opening tune on the album, which perhaps hints at its mesmerizing blend of soulful vocals and wash of electronic atmosphere. His voice, for longtime Strand of Oaks fans, is always going to be the draw, and this approach sees him moving that even further into a croon-adjacent voice; I think of moments of Cohen or Cave (also Patrick Wolf, but not sure that’s a household name), just letting their notes drip with emotion. It’s going to be really special when this all gets put together; Miracle Focus is out on June 7th via Western Vinyl.

Magana Releases Teeth LP

Spending the last few years on the road with Mitski and Lady Lamb has clearly helped Jeni Magana find her footing as a songwriter, as Teeth, sounds like a statement of an artist stepping into their own light. The album single, “Break Free,” premiered here on ATH, and I found it an intoxicating number filled with synths that match of with Magana‘s powerful vocals. While that was clearly an upbeat number, there’s such diversity on the whole of Teeth that it feels like Jeni can do no wrong. Take the opening track “Garden,” which feels folk influenced then it pushes right into the bold bravado of “Beside You” in the following tune. “Girl in Chains” definitely has this aura of reclaiming power, perhaps alluding to the theme of Teeth and Jeni Magana claiming this musical space as her own. Stream the entirety of the LP below, courtesy of Audio Antihero.

Late to the Party: Crumbs

Our friends over at Skep Wax sent us an early listen to Crumbs a few weeks back, but in being up-front, it got buried at the bottom of the emails that I just finally made my way through; I knew it would be good, so I suppose my brain wasn’t in a rush! We’ve got two great tracks you should turn up, with both really having this stomping bit of drum work that’s totally driving my adoration of their sound. That thump gets counteracted by the group’s guitar work, knifing its way in with a sharp twist that guarantees punk sounds will live on here. If Ruth’s vocal performance doesn’t fit the icing on the cake cliche, well, then perhaps you’ve got bad taste. Crumbs will release You’re Just Jealous on May 10th via the aforementioned Skep Wax.

Stream Velcros’ Strange News from the Vault

In incredible things I absolutely dropped the ball on, I’d like to present you the latest LP from German outfit, Velcros. We covered “Troubled Mind,” which was an absolute ripper, hinting at the band’s pop sensibility, blending the styles in a way I hadn’t really heard of late, aside from Salad Boys. In fact, the whole of Strange News from the Vault is filled with these ditties that flirt with being a hard-edged punk brand, whilst being tethered to their pop tendencies. Monday news is always slow, so I wanted to make sure that you had something to crank up to 11; might I suggest jamming out to “Floater,” my favorite on the record.

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