This is fine.
It’s always a struggle to get back to work after over a week of play time. Reminiscing helps ease the sleepy eyes and doldrums so lets have another look back at the awesome week of music that was. Nathan kicked us off yesterday with some fine observations and I’ll continue the opinions today about the SXSW music week. Follow the jump for my awards.
Sometimes you just need a track you can turn up loud and jam to and New York’s Controller are here today to give you just that with their new song “Separator.” This song is pretty straightforward new wave indie rock, but it has this nice little choral hook that will get you to jam on this Tuesday. Personally, I needed this song to wake up and start my day dancing, so hopefully you’ll use it in the same way wherever it finds you.
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It’s been over a year since Gim Kordon released their last record, and I’m definitely stoked to hear the entirety of their new 7″, Vielakin On Ikava. While the band chooses to work in their native Finnish tongue, the crisp guitar work and the steady drum work provide a nostalgic turn to classic alternative guitar rock. This is hopefully just a glimpse of greater things to come, with the band hard at work with their friends at Soliti Music to bring you something explosive. If you’re lucky, you might be able to grab this limited release on April 18th.
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Our friends at Fleeting Youth Records are on a pretty good roll here in 2015; they’re cornering the market on crunchy guitar pop (sometimes of the nerdier sort). Today I bring you another tune from the soon to be released self-titled Van Dale album; this one features more of the distorted guitar we heard on their earlier single, but there’s a cocksure swagger that inevitably builds into a delicious hook you want wrapped around your ears. You want something you an turn up loud and play air guitar to? Then grab the record on March 31st!
Download: Van Dale – Speak Yellow [MP3]
Okay, so maybe we’ve been all about Turn to Crime, but I think with their latest single, they fully deserve our attention here. For me, this band has some sonic similarities to the work of my fave, the Walkmen; it uses a similar style working with the negative space…and there’s just a slight hint of Hambone in the vocals. It doesn’t hurt that the band are also showing some diversity in their work, which bodes well for their forthcoming album, Actions. Look to pick up the record on April 28th via Mugg & Bopp.
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I can’t tell if I should label this tune as an instrumental or not. I mean, there’s technically vocals, but they come in the form of “oohs” being used as an instrument behind the softened jangle of the ringing guitars. Sure, there’s no lyrical content per se, but I was still able to find some sort of emotional pull in it that encouraged me to share it with you. After a hiatus, the BBDDM is back at it with this new mini album, titled Kill the Fuzz, which is being released by Fire Talk Records on April 21st; it’s definitely something to keep an eye on, as this band has been underground for too long.
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I first heard from Shunkan last year, and it seems fitting that the band returns now, as there’s definitely a movement to give the lady rockers of the indie world their long overdue credit. In less than two minutes the group cuts through with strong riffs and energy, behind the tenacity of Marina Sakimoto’s vocals pushing forward all the while. The new single’s being released by Art is Hard Records who have commissioned a rad comic to accompany it’s release, so if you’re feeling this tune, then be sure to grab it before the limited run is gone!
Download: Sunken – Our Names [MP3]
Still playing catch-up, and while there’s a definite upbeat bent to get you back up on this Monday, there’s need for some quiet solace today, and it comes via Trans Van Santos. Last week, during our little festival, he dropped his Moon Mirage album, filled with quieted folk ballads offering solemn emotions and intricate notes placed here and there. It’s a place of respite for those looking to escape the buzzing noise of all that surrounds them, requiring a careful listener to fully submerge themselves in the listening experience. It’s available now via Royal Oakie Tapes & Records.
Download: Trans Van Santos – The Flight [MP3]
With SXSW this year there was lots of hubbub about fewer bands and less corporate entities flooding the streets, but despite all that, I still managed to have myself a good old time. I’ve got some thoughts and awards to hand out, and these are strictly my experience, as we tried at ATH to split up and cover as much as we possibly could. You can read on, if you’ve got the time, to see what I had to say. Read more
I’m sure everyone is waiting for some new genre to break through to the masses, but in the meantime the combination of surf/garage rock is still alive and kicking…and it always deserves mention when it’s done as well as Sick Sad World‘s new single. There’s a propulsive drum beat, though nothing outlandish; it holds the beat perfectly for the guitar work of Jake Jones to kick in with some solid power riffs. Say what you want about the genre growing weary, but when it’s execute this well, I can’t help but turn it up and rock on out. Look for the band’s new album, Fear and Lies, on April 21st via Help Yourself Records.
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