Category: Tunes

New Pop from Sherpa

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sherpaA few years ago I stumbled across Sherpa, a little known New Zealand act at the time. I’ve kept my eyes on them, especially recently as news came my way that they were set to complete their new record; today is that day.  The album is titled Blues & Oranges, and I’ve spent all morning listening to every track rather carefully.  I appreciate the band’s construction, as in this song, where they carefully maneuver their way through pop structures and utilize modern touches like looped beats.  This song has a bit of an Of Montreal feel, at least in the way the vocals are delivered, which is one of the reasons it’s my favorite of the bunch…at least on my first three listens.  Pick up the record HERE.

New Music from Toy Cities

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tumblr_inline_n5ezgmj9N21qzxlbnFriday’s always need a bit of fun to get you through the day and into the weekend, so why not take a stroll with Toy Cities today.  The Brooklyn band has created this lush lush bit of danceable pop that’s coated in synth lines and smooth vocal delivery; it’s a rather calm track until the group spins things in the pop direction during the chorus.  You’re going to find yourself bobbing your head and tapping your toes as the song draws to a close, which should get you excited for the release of their debut album during the month of June.

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Naomi Punk Ready New Album

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naomiWhispers of Naomi Punk have been growing louder over the last year or so, as the Olympia group’s popularity is spreading greatly.  There’s an off-kilter guitar chug that opens up the track, leaving plenty of room for the vocals to make their entrance with a like-minded walk-along vocal.  Personally, I like that the song holds steady almost throughout, rather than rush through an anthemic punk moment.  We should be up for good things when the band releases their new album, Television Man, via Captured Tracks on August 5th.

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Come Rock with Street Eaters

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reverseSorry we’ve been changing servers, otherwise I’d have you listening to this great new tune from Street Eaters earlier than today.  It’s a song that came our way a few days ago, and I definitely got hooked on it immediately.  The guitars are dark and grinding the minute you play, but as the cymbals begin to crash into your ears, the song takes on a more pop-centric feel.  Megan March’s delivery fits perfectly into this track, and the tune gets even more punch when John No trades places to take the lead role.  Look out for the group’s rocking new record, Blood Muscles Bones on June 17th via Nervous Intent Records.

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New Single from Fresh & Onlys

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freshI’ve been on a Fresh & Onlys kick for some time, only reinforced by the great interview they gave me during Psych Fest.  Now they’ve got a new single to get you just as excited about the release of their next album, House of Spirits; trust me, this is one of the standout tracks on the record.  The performance of Tim Cohen on this track is pretty incredible, soaring quite high while the rest of the band keeps their pace.  You’re going to need to have this record in your collection when it’s released on June 10th via Mexican Summer.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/02-Who-Let-the-Devil.mp3]

 

Synth Jam from NUN

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NUNSometimes I think I should just move on over to Melbourne; I’m somehow entranced with the music coming out of the Australian city.  The latest band to rise out of the ranks is NUN, which came to my attention via their association to Woollen Kits. This is one of the two tracks they’ve released in association of their self-titled LP, and this one’s a bit more subdued, taking on a slower pace than the other track.  While this one evokes more of a dark pop note, they have a few other tunes that seem like the female-fronted Australian version of Liars; it’s pretty rad, if I do say so myself.  Their album is available now from Aarght Records.

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Fresh Single from Twin Peaks

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twinpeaksEven the press release from Twin Peaks acknowledges that the band bares no resemblance to the music of their television name sake, so don’t even expect something dark and gloomy.  What you will get from the minute you press play is a rambunctious sound, operating with a whole lot of swagger; this reminds me of the early stuff that Natural Child was pulling off. So, if you find yourself in the need of some bluesy guitar rock, then you’ll do well to jam to this new track from the band.  They’ll be releasing a new record, Wild Onion, on August 5th, preceded by a nice long tour, which includes a date in Austin on May 24th.

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Pleased to Meet You: Ginnels

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ginnelsI owe a huge debt of gratitude to Finest Kiss for turning me onto this great tune/band.  Ginnels are an Irish band, who up unit know seem to have made albums of compilations, but their newest, A Country Life, is said to be the group’s first focused LP; you’re not going to find a greater piece of pop than this today.  There are obvious touches of pop all over the record, from indiepop to Elephant 6, showing a band who know their way around the great tradition of pop songwriting.  This is the first song on the record that I couldn’t stop playing, though others followed pretty soon after.  You can pick it up from Tenorio Cotobade.

Cocktails Rock Another Hit

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cocksThere’s got to be something going on out on the West Coast, especially in the Bay area.  They’ve got the garage rock and power-pop scenes locked down, and Cocktails is another one of those acts that’s doing things right.  The riffs within this track are perfect for turning up your stereo really loud, but the song still holds onto it’s pop attitude with the way in which the vocals are delivered.  You’ll be able to grab their newest release, Adult Life,  on June 17th from Father Daughter Records.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/07-Bob-Pollards-Mind.mp3]

Download: Cocktails – Bob Pollard’s Mind [MP3]

New Music from Matt Kivel

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mattI’m in love with the feeling of this song.  At first, I got overwhelmed by the tone of the guitar; it’s got this deep tone that feels like it’s slowly strutting along the streets with a carefree attitude.  But, I also am really impressed with Matt Kivel‘s voice.  There’s a gentle quality to it, and it’s carefully placed just atop the guitar chords.  The rest of the track has pretty minimal instrumentation, even down to the guitar noodling in the background, but it’s this understated beauty that might just make Days of Being Wild a great listen; you can pick up the record on July 8th on Woodsist Records.

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