Last Week’s Jams (2.19 – 2.23)

With a holiday squeezed in, and some craziness on my own end, we maybe didn’t cover as much as I ideally would have liked to cover. Nonetheless, there was tons of great tunes running on the site, including a premiere from 40th Parallel, plus brand spanking new music from Apollo Ghosts…which I’m still listening to right now. Rural France is back too, so we included that in our coverage, not to mention the fact that we got a hot new Daniel Romano tune included. You can never go wrong either with new Reds, Pinks and Purples or En Attendant Ana…and those are included. It’s a 45 minute collection of solid rock n’ roll, so turn it on and turn it up.

Elephant Stone Are Going Underground

As you’ve seen from the site, I’ve been really into the forthcoming Elephant Stone LP, which finally drops tomorrow! While we initially got into the band with their psychedelic sounds, Back Into the Dream seems to be offering a glimpse at a band working their way into other musical realms. For me, while I can certainly hear the psych nods in the mix, there’s something about this that feels more like a Britpop bit from the 90s; I keep thinking I hear hints of Ash in the way the vocals soar in the chorus. There’s a nice little plot-twist too, when the band pull back to offer a nice little subdued moment before letting the riffs fly right through your speaker. Stoked to see them flexing their songwriting muscles; grab Back into the Dream tomorrow.

Last Week’s Jams (1.15 – 1.19)

Last week was a strange one, particularly with the seeming loss of Pitchfork. But, here at ATH, we’re like the tortoise, just going slow and steady, doing our thing til we get to the proverbial finish line. There was tons of music to cover, and I mean tons, so we got to as much as we could, trying to highlight the stuff that wasn’t getting much love. Brand new music from Bolis Pupul came our way, plus Colin Newman reissue news. RayRay loved the new ripper from Gulfer. Personally, I loved the new Friko and Boy with Apple, and got to introduce you to new Fantastic Purple Spots from their EP next week! Sit back and enjoy some tunes.

Elephant Stone Share Pilgrimage

Seeing as I have covered almost every single on the new Elephant Stone LP, it seems fitting that I squeeze in one last one, just as the band have slid one final nod before the record’s release. As I’ve listened to a lot of Elephant Stone music over the years, I’m personally loving how they’re taking their psychedelic influences and pushing those into a more modern adaptation. Honestly, there’s barely any psychedelia running through this track, although we’ve seen a lot of recent acts incorporating saxophone like we hear here; it’s a bit more soulful and jazz oriented, which hints at the tune (and the album’s) themes. Back into the Dream is the LP title, and you can feel that dreamscape coursing through this tune, but it also feels like a “pilgrimage” of sorts, as the band have set out to find new forms in their work…and I’ll be here for it when the LP drops on February 23rd.

Last Week’s Jam (12.4 – 12.8)

I know you’re all anxiously awaiting our year end collection of favorite songs, but we’re just not there yet! We did run our excellent Top Albums of 2023 last week, and while that’s getting all the headlines, there were tons of great new tracks to enjoy. I was particularly enamored with the new BVs tune, as you knew I would be, not to mention some deserved adoration for the brand new Lamplight track. Local friends Psychic Seatbelt dropped a new EP, so they’re getting some love here, and throwing in a Get Wrong tune to celebrate their EP from a week or so ago. Glad folks still put out music throughout the whole year, not just up until List Week.

Elephant Stone Celebrate Another Year Gone

It’s your local Elephant Stone fanboy here, back at it with another fresh track from the band, furthering our excitement for Back Into the Dream. This new one’s a short and sweet number, with a pure pop bent, sounding as classic pop rock as you can get. Their video performance is an ode to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” though I’ll tell you that the track itself has Beatles written all over it…and that’s never a bad thing, especially when its done as well as this lot does it! Little Cloud Records will be dropping the LP on February 23rd, so go ahead, and get on it.

Last Week’s Jams (11.6 – 11.10)

It may not have been a week covered in big names, but there were tons of ridiculously quality tunes dropped this last week. We had tons of ATX stuff, from Daily Worker to Wet Dip to S.L. Houser to Voxtrot, so we were all over that. I fell in love with Dumb Things, which is the Aussie outfit opening up this week’s playlist. But, it’s probably a toss up for me whether the new track from The Witching Waves got more plays than that new Weakened Friends. A ripper of a week with some new names we hadn’t come across before like Amelia Coburn, so give the whole mix a Monday morning spin.

Elephant Stone Share History Repeating

Elephant Stone is aging like a fine wine? Have I said that before? Perhaps that’s just history repeating. Regardless, as they continue to step into a more expansive pop sound, as opposed to toiling in the tropes of modern day psych, I’ll admit that I’m totally enamored. There’s this warmth that’s always been hanging about in their work, but it seems more apparent here, accented by this great little wash of synths, which inevitably lifts the melody right to your ear. Vocals get some special backing moments too, layering in this nostalgic pop sound that nowadays seems fairly timeless. Still, while they’re working at being pop-centric, they’re still capable of creating mystical moments, as you hear in the latter half of this new jam. This song appears on their new LP, Back Into the Dream, out in February via Little Cloud Records.

Last Week’s Jams (10.9 – 10.13)

We’re getting to that point when everyone is scrambling to find their favorite tracks, find their favorite collection of songs to put into those fruitful lists that you’ll all look at, then claim to hate! We do it too! Still, covered a bunch of great new music last week. There were great new tunes from Red Pants and Teenage Tom Petties, plus we got to celebrate a really busy release week with stuff from Lightheaded and Upchuck, among others. Our friend Jared Leibowich had a new tune up, but it didn’t make it onto the DPSs yet, so be sure to circle back and check on that one. There’s a couple of long-burns too, from Native Cats, a Beacon School and the Uptights, all worthy of some deep listening. Stream on!

Elephant Stone Share The Spark Single

The great thing about listening to a band for years is you kind of get to hear them move and change, much like the people in your own life. With Back Into the Dream slated for release early next year, we’ve got another Elephant Stone track that has the band almost riding into pure guitar pop territory. There’s a nice little key-based bounce along with some cascading guitars in the foggy distance, but the core of the tune almost seems to ride upon this delightful jangle, with a soaring vocal that’s probably one of my favorite recordings of the band to date. You’ll be able to get your hands on the LP at the turn of the new year!

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