The Smashing Times Share Dreams on Union Avenue

There’s something nostalgic in the craft of the Smashing Times; it’s definitely a sound that seems steeped in classic guitar pop sounds that evolved out of the early 90s; think Galaxie 500 with a little more risk. The vocals on this new tune have this distinct delivery, like they’re sung half-heartedly, save for a few spots where they really get belted out. For me, this song’s all about the guitar sound, churning over and over like billowing smoke blowing through my speakers with this sense of melodic yearning. There’s some slight jangles, a tinge of psychedelia, and it’s all just so glorious that I can’ really imagine you loving a better song today. The band will release this tune on a 7″ which you definitely need to pick up from Painter Man Records before it comes out this weekend!

Pleased to Meet You: Chew Magna

To be fair, I’ve covered various works from the members of Chew Magna, which features folks who’ve played in Butcher the Bar and Songs for Walter. But, in this new line-up, you get something a bit heavier and a bit more brash, which I’m clearly not against! While the shattering noise that opens the song leans towards a brand of noise rock, the song quickly settles into this driving rhythm with vocals pouring forth in a steady fashion. As the song progresses, guitars and vocals skitter this way and that, fueled by the energetic pulse of the track. Definitely are some solid comparisons to old school post-hardcore meets early indie rock grooves…so find yourself in love here. Rumor has it that there’s an LP on the horizon.

Sad Eyed Beatniks Announce Claudia’s Ethereal Weaver

There’s probably not a scene hotter, in my opinion, than what’s going on in San Francisco right now, and you can add Sad Eyed Beatniks to the mix of projects ready to make their name with new LPs. Kevin Linn and his project just announced Claudia’s Ethereal Weaver this last week via Meritorio, with a scheduled release for January in the new year. Our first song comes by this great video created by Mike Ramos and Karina Gill (both hot commodities on their own!). It begins with the faint sound of chimes blowing in the wind, which creates this sort of expansive openness to the tune. Just after the 30 second mark the rhythm section launches in, providing these overlapping jangling guitar lines; it honestly sounds like what you’d expect to hear from an indiepop version of Joan of Arc (and I don’t mind that one bit!). Loving that sound combined with Linn’s voice, and with it goes another quick $15 I’m personally donating to the San Fran scene; you can grab a copy HERE.

Azure Blue Shares Define Your Dreams

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Rule of Thirds, Tobias Isaksson and his Azure Blue project share a brand new single, with hints at a future record on the way. This one hits hard immediately, pulling in a pulsing synth beat and these heavy grooves that drive the track forward. The song flirts with a dark edged vibe, though Isaksson’s voice constantly provides a melodic flourish that’s hard to ignore; I love how his vocals always seem to have some calming gravitational pull while the tunes pulse and push around him. For now, we’ll let you enjoy this new tune courtesy of Hybris Records, but we’ll keep you in the loop as we get more info on the new LP.

Marissa Paternoster Shares Final Single from Peace Meter

This Friday Don Giovanni will be dropping Marissa Paternoster‘s proper debut as a solo artist, and we’ve been covering the singles all along the way. I’m excited by the album because I feel like we’re really getting some insight into Paternoster’s life, and while its been there before, it feels much more intimate and relatable in the presentation of this record. Musically, this song seems full, yet stripped down. The mix feels peeled back like the layers of an onion, leaving us with the core that is Marissa’s unique voice driving the emotional pull of the track. Peace Meter drops Friday, so be sure to check it out, grab it, you know, support your favorite artists.

Last Week’s Jams, Today (11.22 – 11.26)

We took a break last week, albeit just for a few days to spend time with our families, so instead of the usual hour, you get just a mere 30 minutes of sweet sweet music. A few of the tunes I tossed up don’t exist on the streaming sites, so I just pulled in some other hits…from Great Lakes and Ted Leo, so maybe you’ll go back and check out the site, or check out their other work. Also, got some new stuff from Fawns of Love and Kaputt, so while it’s a shorter list than usual, it’s not short on jams. Enjoy your week folks.

Kaputt Drop New Single, Gone West

It’s been almost two years since Kaputt dropped Carnage Hall, and the Glaswegian group is ramping up production as they aim to put out a new LP early next year. We got this new single courtesy of their label Upset the Rhythm, and it’s got me salivating at what’s to come with the new record. Of course, the song opens up with these sharp angular stabs, keepings us off kilter a bit with this sense of anxious paranoia. The vocals come in heavy and dark at first, but what I really loved happens just after the 1 minute mark. When the chorus comes in, the heavier vibe of the vocals starts to take on a bit of this sort of melodic punk tone; it’s less frantic and dangerous, more along the lines of what you might find on a Buzzcocks record. Feel like this is a tune that’s good enough to take us into the holiday. We’ll see ya’ll next Monday!

Sniff Share Horizontal Friend Single

It’s that time of year when sweet tunes start to dry up but I think we’re still able to find a few hits to bring you before winding the site down and calling it a year. One of those tunes is the newest single from the UKs Sniff, the follow-up to their stellar Sniff EP. It’s the sort of tune that walks the finest lines between power-pop and traditional pop-punk, with the song’s latter half really exploring the meaning of pop on its own terms. There’s this earnestness to the tunes that’s absolutely undeniable so I hope you’ll spend some time enjoying this sweet jam today!

Swansea Sound Share Pooh Sticks Video

In case you weren’t in the know, we helped get a cassette copy of the debut from Swansea Sound out into the world last week, but since album’s and videos never die, we wanted to encourage you to watch the band’s video for “The Pooh Sticks.” I’m not sure what’s the star here though…is it the incredible song? I mean, they tease you in with Hue’s casual spoken delivery, then ramp it up with classic jangling pop sounds. But, could it also be the great video designed by Rob and Amelia themselves? Using the record’s collage work style and some live cuts, though I’m pretty sure Rob flies off atop a cymbal. Just another reminder that you might be missing out on one of the sneaky good LPs to drop this year. Grab the tape from us HERE, or maybe an LP from our friends at HHBTM.

Die Die Die Announce New Album

Sure sure, I’ve been mostly hitting on the pop notes of late the last few years, but when something like Die! Die! Die! hits, I just can’t turn away from the abrasiveness that raised me. That thundering rhythm section that opens this song is intoxicating in its own right, then you get the Andrew’s voice barking angrily. At times, it almost seems like the drums are doubling down on the vocals and guitar, begging them so speed up and explode. Back and forth we go, reminded by Wilson’s lyrics that we all get lost in the mix sometimes, and thus we’ve got to reset. Everything about this song feels explosive, and I can’t wait for the band to drop This Is Not an Island Anymore next February.

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