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It’s Friday. Friday’s the new Tuesday, but does anyone even remember Tuesday release days anymore. So, here’s a bunch of stuff I jammed today, and I recommend for you to jam as well. Plus, threw in one of RayRay’s favorite bands too.
Tony Jay – Perfect Worlds (Slumberland)
The Creepy Crawlies – Weeds (Self-Released)
Will Johnson – No Ordinary Crown (Keeled Scales)
Bareknaked Ladies – In Flight (Raisin’ Records)
There’s never a bad day to run a track from Blue Ocean, especially as the noise in my head could use some noisy accompaniment to clear it all out. On the latest single you get this disorienting wash of feedback and atmospheric warbling, seeping atop a quiet and steady little beat in the background. Murky vocals texture the song with faint melodies from the upside down, buried deep within the confines of the atmosphere. All of it gets the glorious video accompaniment, taking viewers on a fantastic ride that doubles-down on the stretched emotions presented in song. You’ll get this song on the group’s new LP, Fertile State, out October 13th via Slumberland.
It’s nice to see the heavyweights of great indie labels throwing their weight around behind some incredible music, and as usual, Slumberland have picked up another score by grabbing onto New Jersey’s Lightheaded. I have a feeling that folks will be drawn to the magical melody of Cynthia’s voice, taking on this mystery that vaguely reminds me of Mary Weiss. Musically, the song’s got some swirling guitars that would fit right along many of the acts in the label’s stable, though the group approach it with a bit more of an orchestral approach, scaffolding their pop sounds so they lift you to the heavens where pop dreams come true. Their new EP, Good Good Great, is out on October 13th! Also, if that’s a Prefab Sprout reference in the video (I say yes!), I’d like to challenge you to 7 degrees of Slumberland!
Breaking last week, we wanted to remind you that you’ll now get a collection of great tracks from young Ohio janglers The Laughing Chimes on vinyl. They’ve hand-picked a few tracks off their various releases to put them on in one beautiful 7″ that you’ll have spinning on your record player for some time to come. Through these three tracks, you’ll get the earnestness of the band, be that from their youth or just their enthusiasm, they’re highlighting the best of the sounds that those into the jangle realm adore. The Laurel Heights 7″ will be available from Slumberland/Prefect Records on September 22nd.
I got turned onto Blue Ocean a few years ago when the group put a few of their EPs together for Paisley Shirt/Dandy Boy…and today they get a further stamp of ATH approavl with the announcement that the band have signed on with Slumberland for their first LP. It’s incredibly difficult to pigeonhole the project; they create these layered textures, all working in unison, yet seemingly fighting against one another. At times my ears get drawn towards the crashing wave of screaming distortion; the rhythm section seems to work against that angst, coming in more playfully, almost bouncing; it all swirls together like this Captain Planet of DIY indie rock! All of that’s accomplished before we get swept up in the indifferent cool of the vocals. Absolutely in love here. Fertile State will be out on October 13th.
Scenes across the US musical landscape tend to move from time to time, and as of the last couple of years, there’s not been a place I’ve gravitated towards, musically speaking, as much as San Francisco. Today, one of the Bay Area’s biggest labels announces a new release by one of the best bands; Slumberland Records will be releasing the next Tony Jay LP! Now, who is Tony Jay? Well, rumor has it that the band is loosely tied to Michael Ramos of Flowertown, but he’s not singing here, so perhaps the vocals have been leant to video director and Cindy powerhouse, Karina Gill? Most importantly, this song feels like that perfect late night lullaby; it hangs in your brain, allowing you to walk between that realm of reality and deep deep sleep. While it all starts with soft vocals over a subdued beat and a ringing guitar note, there’s a turn to a steadier strum that changes the melodic nature, and it will most certainly take your breath away. Look for Perfect Worlds to drop on September 15th.
Seeing as it is Bandcamp Friday, there’s an easy place to spend your money that I must immediately direct you towards: Jeanines. I don’t care what record it is, but today, you get the perks of picking up a brand new 7″. Having spent a lot of time with Don’t Wait for a Sign, I was really pleased to see them pulling on a slightly different shade of spiraling pop music. This one feels like something you might have found on an old Crystal Stilts record, albeit spun through the incredible weaving of Alicia Jeanines voice. This band never puts out bad songs, so you’re going to want to grab one of these new 7″ pieces from Slumberland Records; the physical release is due on July 7th.
Friday was a busy day around these parts, but it seems like it was even busier for those over at Slumberland headquarters. The cherished label got some coverage from us via a new Reds, Pinks and Purples single, but we missed out on some other exciting new stuff, so I wanted to be sure we had that up there. After their great self-titled LP, Chime School came back with a brand new hit from their forthcoming 7″ (out in April). Not to be outdone, or out-chimed, Ohioan power-poppers the Laughing Chimes dropped another charmer through the label. Sorry I didn’t get this all up on Friday, but better late than never?
Obligatory posts are very rare, but when someone’s in the writing form like Glenn Donaldson has been, it seems like it’s a no brainer as his songs for The Reds, Pinks and Purples are that good. There’s something in the title track for The Town That Cursed Your Name that seems uplifting, spiritually, almost joyous. For me, I think that highlights some of the thematic pieces that course through the entire record, as Donaldson seems to have found solace in just creating, pushing forward to balance living and art, despite the trials and struggles artists face these days. It feels like he’s giving a voice to all those out there in the same spot, loving to create in the face of decreased opportunities. The new LP is out March 24th via Slumberland Records.
This whole 2023 thing has been quite a shit show from those at the ATH offices: forced server changes, loss of electricity, loss of Internet (still!), and we’re old! But, we keep pushing on, as there’s still plenty of great tunes for you to cover and enjoy. It was good to hear that our old pal Jana Horn has a new LP on the way; she’s been one of my favorite voices forever. I think my favorite jam of the week came from the latest single from Roller Derby…with a video that has lots of nods to Austin and their journey to SXSW last year. Plus, Elephant 6 added the Rishis to their roster, so be sure to give a listen. Label of the week clearly goes to Slumberland with more Frankie Rose and new Reds, Pinks and Purples. I aim to hopefully have more tunes up this week! But enjoy a quick journey through what we loved last week!
