Month: January 2019

Stella Donnelly Announces Debut

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If there’s one thing last year’s SXSW showed us it was that Stella Donnelly has a bright career in front of her. She could hold a room on her own with her presence, but more important was her biting wit. She’s not afraid to call people out in song, but she doesn’t do it in a fashion one would find laborious. In her first single from her debut, she’s calling out men and their inappropriate behavior; I appreciate how she approaches her views through a certain pop sensibility, stuck in your head all day and forcing you to listen to what she has to say. Beware of the Dogs will be out on March 8th via Secretly Canadian.

New Music from Mope City

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Don’t let that sludgy guitar deter you from finding the pop nuggets lurking in this brand new track from Aussie outfit, Mope City. I love the mellow pace of this track, letting you sink into your chair as it takes over while Matthew and Amaya trade vocals with one another; it reminds me of the cute moments in a Moldy Peaches song, though much much cooler. But, just as I was comfortable, the band blast forth with a forceful moment of rock n’ roll, making me jump out of my chair. Haven’t heard anyone execute the quietLoudquiet routine this perfectly in quite some time. The group will be releasing their new album, New from Home, on January 18th via Tenth Court Records.

Seductive Pop from Pavo Pavo

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Pavo Pavo are just a few short weeks away from their sophomore release, but I’m surprised more people aren’t clamoring and fawning over the group. The opening is rather playful, feathered vocals hanging behind finger snaps, light percussion and a thump. While that in and of itself has me head over heels for the song, there’s this angelic bliss that gets churned just after the 1 minute mark, right before fading away into a propulsive groove that rides the song to its close. And, then there’s string arrangements too! Seriously, why isn’t everyone in love with this!? Mystery Hour drops on January 25th via Bella Union!

Dreamy Pop From Sea Cycles

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After a somewhat down year in 2018 for music, I’m moving into 2019 with the hopes of finding some inspiration via new bands and tunes. Today I look no further than Jacksonville, FL based band Sea Cycles and their new single entitled “Quota”. It’s as if a band like Choir of Young Believers took their mellow pop and meshed with with the striking beats of a band like Grizzly Bear. Here’s to a new year, and new music.

New Music from Sharon Van Etten

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Sharon Van Etten is poised for great things in 2019, at least if you read all the cool blogs and what not. I’ve always enjoyed her work, but I’m admittedly on the fence with the new sound. Her voice has always had this emotional sprawl and surprising range, but that’s always been draped over some great guitar work. This time around, the vocals have the same power, but there’s less guitar and more prominent electronics. It still pulls at your emotions, and Van Etten can still draw you in on her voice alone, but, I just am not connecting like I once did. But, who am I to say…make your own choices. You can do that when Remind Me Tomorrow drops on January 18th via Jagjaguwar.

Revisiting Fog Lake’s Carousel EP

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I’ve definitely been way into Fog Lake, but somehow the Carousel EP slipped past me during peak list season. But, over the break, perhaps this was the one piece of music I kept returning to time and time again. There’s something nostalgic in the work of Aaron Powell, as if we’re looking back on the classic sound of the 50s. But, rather than just make it a revisiting project, he’s adapted his own sound, quieting his voice, muddying the mix just a bit, leaving you with more of an homage to the past. I’m in love with every song on this EP, and I reckon you will be too. It’s listed as NYP, but remember, tip your favorite bands!

Small Labels and the Side Hustle Pt. 1

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As someone who runs a label (and works on this web site), a lot of folks outside Austin probably assume it’s a full time gig. Truth be told, my main gig is as an 8th Grade Teacher, then a soccer coach, then the site and the label. It got me to thinking of all the other small labels that are out there that I follow closely; they’ve all got their own stories, their own side hustles to make things work in order to bring you the music they believe is the best. So I reached out to a few of them of them to see if they’d briefly share their stories; today we have words from Lost Sound Tapes, The Nothing Song, HHBTM and Arrowhawk Records. Read more

Upbeat Ballad from Kirsten Peckham

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As most blogs and sites get back to work today, there’s only one song, at least that’s come my way, that will lift your spirits; it’s this delightful new tune from Kirsten Peckham. The instrumentation instantly creates this healthy bounce, from the jagged guitar lines dancing around strummed ukulele and a rolling back beat…I dare you not to tap your toes. Peckham has this smoky voice that rides throughout the tune, but I’ve found myself captivated by the way it rises and falls around various notes…not to mention the very soft backing vocal just beneath the mix. You’ll find this charming number on Kirsten’s new album, KP Time!, which is being released on January 25th via Crush Grove Records.

Hook-laden Hit from Dan Francia

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Dan Francia seems willing to let all his friends (features members of OVLOV, Gobbin Jr and Titus Andronicus) play on his forthcoming debut, Coming Back to Life, and we’re all the better for it. A wonky note opens the track before keyboards walk in with the song’s natural hook. But, that’s about as normal as the song gets, structurally. Guitars and bass and vocals pop up intermittently, trading places with one another as Francia corrals his friends into this recording. It layers everything in a unique fashion, leaving the listener with an insatiable desire to revisit each and every note that caught their fancy. The new effort will be released by Exploding in Sound on January 25th.

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