Last Week’s Jams, Today (2.21 – 2.25)

We hit it hard last week, mostly because we’re gearing up to see how this whole SXSW thing goes down. Plus, there were tons of new songs dropping everywhere. Two of my favorite Austin artists, Rad Gnar and Twain (he’s from Austin now dammit!) dropped new tracks, so that rules. Plus, the Jeanines dropped what might be the best pop song of the year, though the Stereogum comment section likely disagrees. We’re also including all the jams from artists we talked to that are heading our way for SXSW this year, so check tracks from the likes of Paul Jacobs, Phebe Starr, Teke Teke and more!

Star Party Share Shot Down Video

It’s a wonderful year for fuzzy pop records, and we’re only two months in; we’ve got the new Artsick and Kids on the Crime Spree LPs, then on the horizon is this new Star Party. They’re getting some Shop Assitants/Black Tambo nods, and I don’t mind that, but to me, it feels like they’ve taken Talulah Gosh, injected it with amphetamines, then recorded it in a ramshackle tin shed. It’s strikingly melodic, despite the chaotic tendencies, and you can’t help but be charmed by the accompanying video, either. Energetic and punchy, hook-laden and fun…all of which makes me excited to add another great pop album to my collection this year! Meadow Flower is out March 11th via Feel It/Tough Love.

Last Week’s Jams, Today (2.14 – 2.18)

What were the hot jams from last week? Well. We have them. We put them on a nice little playlist (you can complain about it later) so you could enjoy revisiting the hits. We’ve been running spotlights on SXSW artists, so you’ve got tunes from Logan Lynn, Grant Pavol and Elephant Stone, hoping it’ll catch your eye and get you to check out the interviews. Our friends in Good Looks dropped a new tune, plus we’ve got absolute rippers from Bodega and Dehd, plus some cool shit under the radar from Star Party, Salt Lake Alley, Red Pants and Howless.

Stream Star Party’s Push You Aside Single

Last week Bandcamp gave a huge push to Star Party‘s forthcoming Meadow Flower LP, and while the band were on my radar, it’s only fitting that I share that out with you all too, just in case you missed it. I think it’d be easy to toss the band in the bucket with acts like Best Coast or Vivian Girls, and probably not too far off, sonically. But, there’s this heavy noise element, something that seems a little darker and perhaps a little more counter-culture; they’re the Shangri-Las to everyone else’s Supremes. Their debut album looks to take those bedroom influences and fill your living room with cacophonous noise that echoes while your mind soaks in the sugary goodness of the melodies. The album drops on March 11th, but you can order it now!

Check Out Star Party

For starters, I’m passing on a “check this out” that I got from a friend, and they were definitely right that we should all listen to some Star Party. The Washington bunch just dropped this 4 song EP, with a few fresh rippers and a couple of covers, one of which gives a nod to the Shop Assistants…so you know they’ve got tastes. It’s got that sort of sugary side of the Ramones in there, buzzing guitars and big swirling hooks…though imagine if you took that and ran it through some noisy machination, burying the pop sensibility beneath layers of squalling feedback. I dig it. Do you?