Last Week’s Jams, Today (5.2 – 5.6)

So much good music last week, and so much to cover. Well, we tried to get up as much as we could, plus Brian got some great photos of Good Morning and Packs. Here’s our weekly musical recap, with lots of awesome news, like new releases from Tan Cologne, Field Guides…and Voxtrot! I think the news of their Early Music compilation definitely made my week, even as I was held hostage in my classroom by state testing. Enjoy some jams from last week.

Porridge Radio Share End of Last Year Video

Porridge Radio is crafting something quite special for their new album, Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky, especially if we’re going with this new video from the group. Dana Margolin’s voice sounds calm and sincere within the confines of the verses, even as the lyrical content seems to be apologetic to a certain degree with lines like “you break everything you touch.” There’s a rolling moment where a bit of the harsher tones from Margolin creep in as they exclaim “I don’t wanna go back;” it’s just a faint little bit of grit, allowing the song to unfurl into the video created by Maura Sappilo‘s artwork. This new record will be out May 20th via Secretly Canadian. They’ve also got a huge US tour in the Fall, with an Austin date at the Parish.

Suep Share Video for Misery

With ties to Joanna Gruesome and Porridge Radio, it would make sense that SUEP would fall on our radar, and here they drop in with a brand new video for their single “Misery.” But, one of the things about being tied to other bands is that it tends to shadow expectations, so put those aside and slide into the Suep’s DMs, as they’ve got something going on here. There’s this lounge bounce, almost a jazz-inflected pop ditty, with crooned vocals swirling as the band build layer upon layer of pop sensibility. They employ various electronic and psychedelic notes, twist them up with backing vocals and then present it in a tripped out video format. If you were into the work of Jonathan Bree, well, this band takes that and stretches it into a fashionable pop spectacle. Keep an eye out here, and we’ll keep you posted if we hear more! This single brought to you courtesy of Memorials of Distinction.

SUEP Drop Domesticated Dream Video

SUEP is a band that should be on your radar, immediately. The band is comprised of members of Porridge Radio, Joanna Gruesome and PC World, all heavy hitters in their own right. For starters, this video is just pure joy; it feels like we can finally stop for a moment and not take our lives so serious; it’s freeing in that sense. Musically, the band have crafted this sort of amalgam of pop sounds, often leaning towards the “everything and the kitchen sink” method; it reminds me of a more modern, almost punk influenced version of Architecture in Helsinki…if anyone remembers that band. You’ll find it kind of funky, you’ll find yourself gently swinging your hips and grinning, which is all you need to keep on top of SUEP. This single brought to you courtesy of Memorials of Distinction.

Porridge Radio Share Another New Tune

Porridge Radio might just be one of my favorite bands of the moment, and in that, also one of the best. The UK outfits latest tune begins with this off kilter strumming and percussion, that quickly breaks into noisy discord, establishing a dangerous mood. But, while it would be easy to sink into that, the band quickly turns it into this blossoming pop chorus that’s sure to stay with you when the song ends. Once they return to the verses, things will put you even more on edge; the guitar strings almost seem like they’re being sawed in parts as the vocals rise to cacophonous. Yet in the end, we’re left with this glittery pop coda that erases the anger and tension, leaving you with a smile, begging you to play it all over again.

Hook-Laden Pop from Porridge Radio

If there was one song I wanted you to listen to on repeat today, the one that you’d inevitably find haunting the caverns of your mind, it’s this fresh track from UK outfit Porridge Radio. It’d be enough to say that the bouncing opening lines had me hooked, and you’d find the same, but then enters Dana Margolin to steal the show from everyone else. Her delivery has this clever indifference, but there are moments when she’s able to stretch her powers to emphasize certain lines in order to give the listener emotional catharsis. There’s something magical in her performance, something that seeps into your soul and never leaves. This single is their first new tune since 2016, so hopefully there’s more of this just around the corner; it’s out today via Memorials of Distinction.