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  • Show Pics: Idles @ Stubb’s

    After over 2 years of being a home body and living with anxiety, mixed with a dash of unease, it was an overwhelmingly cathartic experience to get out of the

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  • Fest Pics: ACL 2021 In Review

    We are a little bit clear of ACL 2021’s two weekends. We dealt with the mental gymnastics required to attend both weekends during a pandemic. Proof of a negative test

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  • Rock n’ Recipes: Quivers

    Earlier this year, Quivers released the most excellent Golden Doubt, receiving rave reviews all over the globe…not to mention ATH adoration. So, having followed the band, we reached out to

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Stream New Album From Gold Star

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If you’re looking for even more album streams for the weekend, might I suggest you check out Headlights U.S.A. (Pts. I & II) from Los Angeles based artist Gold Star. The man behind the name, Marlon Rabenreither, truly creates a cohesive and engaging albums worth of Americana inspired, driving indie rock tunes. One might pick up hints of War on Drugs at times mixed with something a bit more playful or twangy like Fruit Bats or Night Moves. It should be a great soundtrack to cooler temps and long road trips.

If you like what you hear, pick up an LP over on the Gold Star bandcamp page.

Friday Streams: The Radio Field, 2nd Grade, Matching Outfits, Midwestern Medicine, Eerie Wanda

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We tend to cover a lot of stuff, and well, sometimes we don’t get the dedicated album review or streams, but today I had a spare minute, so I wanted to throw up some great album streams for you, all from bands who we’ve covered recently. They’ve al dropped releases in the last two weeks, and this is a great way for you to spend your time, if you haven’t already done so, or planned to do so!

The Radio Field – Simple EP (Subjangle)

FFO: Teenage Fanclub, Boys with the Perpetual Nervousness, Lucksmiths

2nd Grade – Easy Listening (Double Double Whammy)

FFO: Deadbeat Beat, Young Guv

Matching Oufits – Band Made Out of Sand (Kitchen Leg)

FFO: Dry Cleaning, Blonde Redhead, Broadcast

Midwestern Medicine – The Gold Baton (Website Records)

FFO: Built to Spill, Neutral Milk Hotel

Eerie Wanda – Internal Radio (Joyful Noise)

FFO: Tess Roby, Aldous Harding

Aluminum Share Red & Gold Single

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In just about a week, Dandy Boy Records will release Aluminum‘s Windowpane EP, but before that hits, there’s another single you definitely want to get running through your mind. Whereas the core of “Windowpane” was a little bit pop oriented, with a heavy rock center, “Red & Gold” holds nothing back, tearing through your speakers as soon as you press play. You’re greeted with a wall of rushing noise, pushing the song’s into your face as riffs rip though. But, while the pace doesn’t slow, Marc and Ryann enter the fray, trading vocal lines to bring in this melodic balance that gives your ears a momentary respite. In between those sweet moments you get huge riffs shattering your ear drums; it’s like a noise rock Oreo cookie, so take a bite and enjoy the sugary melodic center! Windowpane EP is out on 12″ next Friday, October 7th.

Midwestern Medicine Share Disabled Step + Release The Gold Baton

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There’s tons of great stuff out there in the musical world, but I’d love to turn your attention towards the other Portland…Maine that is. That’s where we meet Midwestern Medicine, that today, release their new album, The Gold Baton. It’s difficult to categorize the sound here, as it’s got lots of little nods here and there. One thing you’ll definitely get from the vocals is this supreme intimacy, that sort of vocal that seeps into your soul. At times, the band feel like a stripped down version of Galaxie 500, with careful guitar work providing this melody that overpowers you, begging you to hit repeat. Spend a little time with this tune, and if you’re taken by it, go give The Gold Baton a listen.

Carpet Burn Share New B-Sides

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Just in case you missed last year’s Carpet Burn 7″ EP, there’s now a reason to revisit, as the band have just built in two B-sides for a compilation cassette. As you can tell on the newer tunes, the group have added in a sense of humor to their DIY pop sounds, which makes them all the more endearing, to us (and their label Spoilsport!). While “A Little More” very much feels like a Melbourne bit of pop, “Pencils and Sharpeners” expands that sound, delving into something a little more on the psychedelic tip. It’s a wonderful addition to an already great 7″, and now with the working title of I Can’t Believe Its Not the A-Side. available today on cassette via Spoilsport!

Video Premiere: Fujiya & Miyagi Drop New Body Language

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Brighton based Fujiya & Miyagi is simply one of the most well known names in the indie electronic pop game, having started their musical career over twenty years ago. Nathan and I have really been seeing the tunes coming out this year as a welcome return to the band’s engaging, dance pop ways. So naturally we were thrilled and excited when asked to premiere this new single with accompanying video for “New Body Language”. This, sure to be on your weekend party mix, song will be the last track released before new album Slight Variations is released on Friday. Pre-orders are currently live for digital and physical releases of the LP.

Here’s some words from David Best on both the track and the video:

Track: “New body Language is probably the most instant and accessible song on the record. We took a lot of our current listening habits and put them in a blender till it turned out like us.”

Video: “The video Bob Brown & I made plays with the idea of perception. How we appear to ourselves is generally not how we are perceived by others.”

Key Out Share Drive Single

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I’ve been keeping an eye on Sydney’s Key Out with their Afterville LP set for release in mid-October, and their latest single is precisely why I’ve been so keen on the tunes. This single begins rather benignly, just offering these heavy vocals over strong synths, but give the tune your attention, for as soon as I switched to casual the song begin to build extra textures with backing vocals and then these ringing guitar sounds. To me, the build is what makes the sound explosive, although the volume seems to hold just below the melody, letting that star shine through. If you dig it, the band are releasing Afterville on October 14th.

Evripidis and His Tragedies Share Alegre Persona Triste

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After our DJ set last night, I came home to find an email from Evripidis and His Tragedies; I knew immediately that this would be the tune that would start off our day, and perhaps yours. The track has this nostalgic bent to it, like the best of classic synth pop from the 80s, which matches up with the video’s goal to take from the likes of Grace Jones and Peter Gabriel. There’s a whole lot of bounce and natural joy that resonates from the way the song was constructed, with dual vocal harmonies hitting all the right notes. It’s subtly satisfying, but punch enough to get you going this morning.

Electric Pets Share Make You Mine

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Derby’s Electric Pets will be dropping their Elephant EP this November, and we’ve got a track bursting with pop sensibility to entice you to keep your ears peeled for their release. Immediately, this song hits you with a punch of melodic volume, setting you up for Emma’s soaring voice to bring the band’s rock n’ roll flare into the realm of pop rock. They balance things perfectly, with the rhythm section stomping all the way through while the vocals almost seem to channel a bit of Nashville twang in their presentation; it helps the band push the boundaries of where indie rock has been the last however many years. If you’re willing to stretch your expectations of indie rock, you’ll find that Electric Pets are the perfect place to land; the Elephant EP is out November 11th via Reckless Yes.

Melby Share Hammers Single

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With a few weeks to go, Melby stop by with one final single before the release of their forthcoming LP, Looks Like a Map. Having spent a lot of time with all the singles, I absolutely adore the way the band have begun to flex their musical muscles, hinting at the varying sounds we’re likely to encounter. This one for instance, has these little subtle breakdowns, multiple tempo changes, and a meandering solo at its center; it all feels like it was completely constructed piecemeal, with the band’s cleverness the only way to build into this seamless pop song. Looks Like a Map will drop on October 21st via Rama Lama Records.

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