Month: July 2020

New Music from Iska Dhaaf

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I felt like I need some solace and some clarity this morning as I was getting ready, and lo and behold, a new tune from Iska Dhaaf pops up in my world. I hadn’t heard from the band in about five years, and that track “Shut Up” was a polar opposite of the intimate performance they offer below. You can feel yourself sitting in the room with the group, hearing the vibration of the plucked strings echo in the room. The vocals have that fragility that almost makes you want to cry, almost as if they struggle to exist as soon as they hit the air.

Anjimile Releases Maker

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Prepare yourself for a special single here, with the latest from Boston’s Anjimile coming along with the announcement of Giver Taker for Father/Daughter Records. At first, they reel you in with the powerful vocal performance, mostly working operatic notes over a quieted picking of guitar notes. My fascination grew, like a traditional linear plot. The song begins to build in light rhythm/percussion; you get some small layered conflicts via little flourishes in the distance, then the song begins to roll forward, still propelled by voice. The 2.5 minute mark reaches the song’s climaxes before it all begins to subside, ending abruptly and fading out. Giver Taker will be out on September 18th.

Sorry I Missed This: The Crystal Furs Beautiful and True

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I’m having to circle back on this new album from the Crystal Furs, as it slipped by my coverage when it initially dropped a few weeks ago. We were big supporters of the band when they were one of the few indiepop gems of Texas, and that’s not changing now that they’ve upped and moved off to Portland. Their new album Beautiful and True actually feels more like a nostalgic indiepop record, which for me is my favorite of the genre. You’re going to get these brimming melodies throughout each track, with the rhythm section tossing out this haphazard bounce while guitars churn those sharp jangles in your ears. I think my favorite standouts are “Hey Maxine,” “The Robber Barons of Lombard Street” and “Pretty Mind,” but we encourage you to get in on your own favorites. The LP was released in limited numbers via Subjangle, but is still available digitally.

Merce Lemon Announces Moonth LP

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Admittedly, Merce Lemon was not a name I was familiar with until earlier this year when Crafted Sounds sent the “Moon (Demo)” our way. But, that’s one of my favorite tracks of this year, so to have her turn around a few months later with a collection of new songs is quite exciting. I’m fascinated by how full this song feels, despite falling beneath the 1.5 minute mark. Opening with Lemon’s voice offers that songwriter vulnerability, and there’s almost just a hint of twang hanging on the notes. Soon, a steady percussive element breaks the track open, giving it sort of this rambling pop feel, raising the song’s bar even higher. Short, sure, but another bit of endearing spectacle. Look for Moonth on August 14th.

Driving Number From Pynch

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As we all continue to push through more quarantine life this summer, it’s been fantastic for us music bloggers to keep receiving so much new music from artists working from home. Today we have this new tune called “Somebody Else” which was written and produced by songwriter Spencer Enock for his band Pynch. The tune definitely has a more lo-fi take on the garage rock genre of a band like The Strokes if their songs incorporated a more driving sound with epic progressions. As someone who typically looks for those solid and spell binding song progressions, this one is right up my alley.

“Somebody Else” is available on all streaming platforms now.

Film Review – Relic

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis

After an elderly woman goes missing in the woods surrounding her home, a mother and daughter return home to find her but are haunted by her ever worsening, and all consuming, dementia.

Relic comes out this Friday, July 10th via all streaming platforms and I’ve got a review for you if you’re into the horror/thriller genre.

Please hit the jump for my thoughts on this upcoming film by Natalie Erika James.

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Waves of Dread Share Artless Hearts

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Another week and another single from the forthcoming II EP from Waves of Dread. This tune continues to illustrate the group’s expanding sound beyond their origins, while still leaving one foot in the realm of shoegaze. This one’s dreamy, but it almost feels like it kind of has some reference points to that sort of acid-house vibe, messy and explorative all at once. Still, when the song pulls back for the opening lyrics, the pop attributes pop their head up, delicately draping melody across the track. Stoked at the ever expanding palate of the group, and we expect to hear more next week as they’ve promised a single a week until the II EP drops!

Sea Pinks Drop Crocuses EP and Take a Break

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It’s strange to know you’re saying goodbye to something that meant so much to you, on a personal level, which is the case for Sea Pinks. I think I came into the project due to Neil’s role in Girls Names, but in the long-run, I think I found SP to be much more meaningful and long-lasting. This phenomenal four song Crocuses EP sees the band taking an indefinite hiatus, and while that’s sad, I’m really grateful for these last four tracks. I’ve previously mentioned how much I adored the upbeat shuffle of “Crocuses,” an immediate toe-tapper. But on the EP, it gets followed by this sprawling pop rocker, “Running Down the Clock,” employing sharp guitar turns and this rising vocal with just enough swagger to keep the feeling of cool. You get a touch of post-punk meets Mats in “Secret Garden,” but I think that “What Just Happened” is a great way to go out for the group. The titular nod could be mere coincidence, though I suspect it was intentional. The guitars are super crisp with just a hint of hipness in the vocal. I’m going to miss this act, but interested to see what comes next. Enjoy the last EP!

Straight Rocker From Del Paxton

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Hey it’s Friday so let’s go into the weekend with some fun rock music to jam out too and take away our worries about the sad state we are in. Well you need look no further than this upbeat number, “September”, from the Buffalo based outfit Del Paxton. It’s certainly a throwback themed number harkening back to bands like The Promise Ring, or maybe even GUK. However you want to take it, hopefully it offers you some enjoyment today.

This tune appear on a new 3 song EP entitled September, Bedtime, Ontario out on August 19th.

 

 

Wesdaruler and Friends Say Fuck Trump America

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Last year Athens rapper Wesdaruler released Ocean Drive via our friends over at HHBTM, which was my first introduction the songwriter. Now, going into July 4th, he and a few friends have written this “Fuck Trump America” anthem, and considering the state of the world its required listening. The lyrical content seems spot on for those that I hope frequent this site, but we can’t rest on our laurels; I spent several days driving through small-town Texas and believe me that Trump enthusiasm is still very real and very dangerous. Personally, I love Linqua Franca‘s verse on this track; she has this way of hitting syllables in the bounce that just make things so effortless. She’s also got a podcast with Dopeknife, who raps on the verse too; you can hear them at Waiting on Reparations.

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