Month: August 2023

Quien Es Geronimo Shares Levedad

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If ever there was a song that felt like rubbing the sleep out of your eyes on a Monday, it’s this new track from Quien es Geronimo. The project is the moniker for Chilean songwriter Tomas Mendizabal, who is currently spending time in Mexico City, though the roots of this song stem from the artist’s time spent in Berlin. There’s a really light strum, almost like the melodic nature of the vocals was meant to be the dominating factor. Bits of electronic orchestration build and swirl around the strum and voice, peaking, then fading into obscurity as the track quietly leaves you, sated and calmed, ready for the rest of your day. This track is made available courtesy of Western Vinyl.

 

Charming Pop from The Slow Summits

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There’s definitely been a whole in my heart since Cats on Fire called it quits a few years ago (or went dormant). But, it looks like The Slow Summits are here to pick up the fallen torch of charming-man indiepop. Anders voice definitely harkens back to Mattias’ vocals in the aforementioned Cats act; they do a great job here too filling in some of the empty space with really light backing tracks, allowing the melody to blossom. Steady drumming and a wash of synths definitely build that swoon that accompanies many an orchestral pop act; I particularly like the little nuanced shuffle in the distance at the 3:11 mark, which close ears will catch. What a splendid day to start the week!

 

Last Week’s Jams (8.21 – 8.25)

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There continues to be an unreasonable amount of great music coming out nowadays, and I’m absolutely baffled at how it just never ceases; there’s been nothing but week after week of tunes for me to fawn over. This week’s a little all over the place, with a little bit of rock, a little bit of pop, a little bit of songwriter and back again. Wanted to begin with the great cover of “Rock n’ Roll” by the Feelies, then jump right into some of my favorite tracks of the week. I mean, new Tony Jay and Red Pants make all of us winners. Plus, there’s a new Lewsberg tune floating about, which I definitely have included in other playlists. And, I got back on that review game with a track by track breakdown of Holy Wave’s latest. So spend some time looking back at last week!

Have A Nice Weekend with OMD

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We love Nation of Language around these parts. They were the best thing about ACL last year. Their upcoming record is going to be an absolute banger given recent well-shared singles. Did you know one of their key influences was OMD? Of course, you did. Listen to “Wounds of Love” not tell me it is a love letter to the synth pop, hit making pioneers. The thing is, OMD is still making music. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys reunited in the 2006 after a brief time apart after Andy kept the ship afloat following their success in the 80’s. Since then, new material has been released, as well as one of the best box set releases in Souvenir. We may have missed the single release for this post, but you gotta give it the duo for keeping loyal to their roots yet modernizing their sound on “Bauhaus Staircase”. The song is the title track to the upcoming release in October, which they have hinted may be the band’s last. This video is pretty damn cool and the synth riff in the break just before the two minute mark, perfect.

Album Stream: Adrian Marner’s The College Years

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Adrian Marner first popped into my eras when we covered his single “Cracks of Time;” it had the sort of innocence of Elliott Smith, albeit with a bit of a more of a pop sparkle to it. This approach sticks around for the College Years, bringing you bedside as Marner works with heavy strums and a voice that wears a bit of production magic. While standout singles like “The Unsaid Goodbye” and previously mentioned “Cracks of Time” are surefire hits; I’ve found myself gravitating towards “Rock Star Fatigue” and “My Best Friend” as other stopping points for those just popping in for a quick listen. Each song has its own little charms if you dig in, and in the grand scheme, it feels like Marner is setting the scene for what could be a very promising catalog. The College Years is out today courtesy of Zerowell Records.

Sagittaire Share Two Lovers Video

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Patience is a skill oft overlooked in the rock n’ roll scene, but when done well, it allows the music to marinate, to really soak the listener in its emotional power…like this new track from Sagittaire. To me, it feels like the an electronic pulse, sent to the surface from some underwater research center, at least for the first fifteen seconds or so. Then, vocals walk into the show, again, keeping their distance in the presentation, almost like a ghostly echo hanging in the ether. You’re here for a minute or so, meditating, waiting as a percussive element move into the song, pushing into a more organic, beat-driven world. The Surraul directed video builds upon the layering of sound, with a stationary figure seemingly unaware of the world behind him, then moving into a blurring of the lines as the song gradually unfolds. Lucian and Caroline is the new LP; it will be out on October 13th.

Fortunato Durutti Marinetti Announces New LP

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For some reason, ever since I devoured Memory’s Fool, Fortunato Durutti Marinetti felt like the natural heir to Jens Lekman; the songwriting had the same joyousness, even in serious tracks; it also had layers of depth, sonically speaking, which is clearly a gift in the songwriting. Today, we’ve got the news I’ve been waiting for, there’s a new LP headed our way real soon. This go round, we hear the project was meant to be a melting pot of synths, saxophones and violins; it’s like a chillwave playlist at the local club. As always, the songwriting craft is the perfect cocoon for the vocals, often spoken, then wrapped in the melodic texture. The saxophone work feels omnipresent, like its going to play in your head all night long, or, as I prefer to hear it, like the perfect musical accompaniment to a poetry reading. If you’re into Destoyer or the aforementioned Lekman, press play, slide back into your chair, and let the song dance inside you. Eight Waves in Search of an Ocean is out in November via Quindi and Soft Abuse.

Genuine Leather Share Genuine Love

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For almost ten years we’ve been throwing support by the shapeshifting styles of Chris Galis and Genuine Leather. While the early work of the band had Chris working with friends from the Austin scene, his later work reflects a bit more of a pop focus. Still, he’s always known his way around a huge hook, and that won’t change when he releases the Genuine Pleasure EP. I love the way this one slides in instantly, filling your ears with this sleek synthetic dreaminess; it puts the song in the current bedroom pop mold, only with a bit more bravado. Digging into the chorus, you can hear a bit of a funky R&B guitar slide, adding texture and style to the tune, clearly an indicator of how much time and dedication Galis put into his work for the LP. Think of acts like Tame Impala or Phoenix, sprinkling in just a bit more modern pop attitude. Genuine Pleasure is going to please a lot of ears on September 29th via The Animal Farm.

Sean Henry Drops Everything Breaths

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After years working mostly on the DIY scene in New York City, Sean Henry eventually signed to local label Double Double Whammy and stepped into a proper studio for a short string of impressive releases. No dabbling with some new sounds and playing frantic live shows around the city, Henry is slowly dropping some new tunes our way. This first one, “Everything Breathes,” shows a musician who has expertly learned to polish his sound and sprinkle in some subtle hints of pop sounds amongst the noisy rock. It’s a jam and hopefully just a sampling of more to come.

New Single from Waves of Dread

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I’m always down to get behind a Waves of Dread single, so here we are with the band’s latest tune, “Forevermore.” Honestly, when this song opened, I immediately jumped to the JaMC comparison, but that didn’t last long, as the vocal entry marks an adjacent touch. There, the calmed cool feels a bit like classic Pains of Being Pure at Heart, albeit through the lens of a heavier wash of guitars in the distance. Even with those nods, the band manages to turn a chorus into something entirely their own, which is a great marker for the band’s songwriting; they can bring you nostalgia and familiarity, then churn it into something that feels completely fresh. I’m sure we’ll hear more soon!

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