Another Great Massage Tune

This Massage LP better not sell out before I get paid, though admittedly, it should definitely be on everyone’s radar. The latest single has this wistful vibe, something akin to a movie scene where the passenger stares longingly out a window hoping/praying for a better day than today…or at least that’s how I’m hearing it. Plus, the jangles and the synths give the song this wash that sounds incredibly similar to Another Sunny Day’s “You Should All Be Murdered,” and that is 100% reason alone to steam this song and tap your toes. I mean, how many great songs can this band write? We’re going to find out when Still Life drops on June 25th.

What’s Cool in Australian Music, Today

Clearly I’m struggling to not write about all the songs and all the cool things, so why not turn three posts into one, you know, just to cut down on boring you with my mundane thoughts on people’s music. So, below, you’ve got streams to 2 great LPs and a new single.

 

 

Shrapnel – Alasitas

This record’s impossible to describe in the absolute best way possible, though I’ve tried to pigeon-hole the band’s sound in the past. Just imagine bits of indie pop, elements of experimentation, prog and psych, then swirled about like the colors on the album art. This is an LP worth self-immersion.

Quivers – Golden Doubt

They’re going to get Go-Betweens comparisons, based on the band’s line-up alone, and parts of that are unfair, but parts are definitely just. What’s just is that they’re writing the same style of timeless pop tunes you want to share with everyone you love. I’m stuck on “When It Breaks” at the moment.

 

Delivery – Brickwork

I’ve already written about the first single from the band’s forthcoming Yes We Do EP, so, feels like we should continue that support as they offer up another frantic bouncer, an energetic frolic in fast forward. Their new 7″ will drop at the end of the month via Spoilsport!

Yesterday’s Massage Video

We’ve definitely been supporting Massage on their new LP, careful to throw in only the appropriate Pains of Being Pure at Heart references where applicable. Here we are a day late on their new video for the record’s first single, which is the opening track on Still Life. For me, this tune is all about the juxtaposition of the varying guitar sounds that course through the song. At times they’ve got that disorienting fuzz, other times you get crisp circular jangles, at times both battling for air…and all of it dripped over a simply thunderous beat. Honestly, what’s amazed me the most about this record, or at least the singles, are how well balanced everything is…every guitar sound, drum beat, and vocal; its really a special treat for us all. Still Life is out in July via Mt. St. Mtn./Tear Jerk/Bobo Integral.

Quivers Share Chinese Medicine Video

At this moment, I’m not sure anyone’s writing timeless pop music quite like Quivers; Sam Nicholson has dialed into peak songwriting, and with his band’s arrangements, they’re crafting some truly unforgettable tunes. This latest single opens much the way you’d expect, with semi-wayward jangles and Nicholson’s voice; the steady beat keeps things moving, giving the listener this undeniable connectedness. Soon, a synth note twinkles in the far off night sky, matched by some very faint backing vocals that build towards a burst…a shooting star of pop falling across the song’s skyline. While all this goes on, sit back and watch the great video animated by Jordan Thompson of the Ocean Party; I’m a big fan of the line work there. But, the song’s not done, as the vocals swell, joined by more of a backing chorus, letting the guitars ring silent as the song fades into a tinkering piano line that eventually disappears into the world. Just another string pop number from the forthcoming Golden Doubt, out on June 11th via Ba Da Bing/Bobo Integral/Spunk.

Another Single from Massage

Bobo Integral is out there proclaiming that this Massage LP might be the best indiepop record of the year; while I’m pretty sure Glenn Donaldson might have something to day, I think that’s reason enough to give an added push to the sounds. Clearly everyone involved isn’t far off, particularly with the sort of soft pop underbelly of this tune; this gives you sort of that dreaming whimsy, that smiling as you stare longingly out the window feels. Twinkling guitar notes and some great arrangement really do make you feel like this could be the stellar indiepop record we were promised. Still Life is being supported by Bobo Integral/Tear Jerk/Mt. St. Mtn. on June 25th.

Quivers Share Hold You Back Single

Remember when you bought that first (or second) Camera Obscura record, and then they came in and blew you away with Let’s Get Out of This Country? Well, I do, and those are the same vibes I’m getting listening through to the singles on the next Quivers LP. For instance, take their latest single “Hold You Back;” it’s got a punchy drum stomp, with Sam weaving and wrapping his vocal notes around every corner. But, those bits were already there on their debut, We’ll Go Riding on the Hearses, but, with this LP, it’s all about those little arrangement details that make you swoon at the band’s feat. Strings hit you immediately here, then they come in and out of the song to build a deep texture that you only get with the best pop songs. Oh, and if you want the real special bit, wait for Holly and Bella to sweep you away with dreamy vocals around the 2:45 mark. Golden Doubt hits on June 11th via Bobo Integral. There’s a video version HERE too!

That New Massage Tune

If you happen to be into the same style of jams as us, you’re likely to know there’s only a handful of sites covering some of these genres regularly, which is where this tune first popped up yesterday. Massage has former members of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, which to me shines through; you can imagine some of these tunes showing up as acoustic demos in the band’s practice space, taking notes from 80s UK indiepop (and some other nostalgic notes). Of course, we wouldn’t love a good slow burn if it didn’t feature delicate little touches of ringing in your ears rock n’ roll, placed delicately throughout so as to walk that tightrope between traditional pop and blends of shoegaze. Heavy hitter labels Mt. St. Mtn./Tear Jerk Records/Bobo Integral will help get Still Life out into the world on June 25th.

Quivers Announce Golden Doubt

I was all in on Quivers when they dropped We’ll Go Riding on the Hearses, so of course I have high expectations for their forthcoming Golden Doubt LP! I’m sure they’ll hate hearing this but the first 2 minutes or this so sounds like classic Grant-led Go-Betweens, using a casual vocal pacing from Sam, and incredible backing harmonies from Holly and Bella…needless to say, I was slow-tapping my toes and enjoying myself. But, as a fan of 10-20 second moments of pop magic, the musical interlude around 1:40 was a nice additional touch, setting me up for the body-tingling pop eruption at 2:30! Group harmonizing never sounded so sweet, and the churning jangles and overall brightness guarantee we’ll all need a copy of the new album; it drops on June 11th via Bobo Integral/Spunk/BaDaBing!

Tim Cohen Shares One Last Single from You Are Still Here

We’re just a few weeks away from the release of Tim Cohen‘s new album, You Are Still Here, and with that, there’s one final single to entice you to rid yourself of a few dollars. What I love from my listens so far is the simplicity and confidence in what Tim’s doing with this record. This jam is just this quick stomping riff, with emphatic lyrical delivery from Cohen that matches every note; the clarity on his voice really illustrates that growing trust in his pipes. There’s also this cool middling section to break the song in half, which I was totally digging (almost hoping he flipped in entire second song inside this one). Have a listen, and grab You Are Still Here from Bobo Integral.

The Boys with the Perpetual Nervousness Share Rose Tinted Glass

We’re only a few weeks away from the release of Songs from Another Life, so the Boys with the Perpetual Nervousness have tossed us one final single to entice your ears. If you haven’t already heard the crisp pop rock sounds the band have to offer, then please, indulge us by clicking play below. Just imagine Teenage Fanclub peeling off their masks Scooby Doo style to reveal an even poppier version of themselves; this is what you get back. The pacing and vocals are pretty spot on comparison, but there’s this lightness that comes with the Boys presentation, something in the riffs just feels a bit more airy. Plus, they’re dropping the new LP via Bobo Integral on February 5th, and you know we love the label, so its a win-win!

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