This is fine.
I know SXSW has made some errors, and it’s hard to support something so massive in the current climate. But, one thing I’ve always appreciated it that a lot of country’s send their favorite artists abroad to spread the word on their art scenes…and Scotland’s Cloth is one such group we’re excited to get to know better when they make their way next week. They’ve got a new record titled Pink Silence coming out in April, so take a quick read below and get to know them!
While we’ve loved Lunchbox in their most recent run, including last year’s excellent Pop and Circumstance, the music from their lost album Evolver has me swooning. Maybe I’m oversimplifying things, but it feels like a mixture of the Vaselines and Heavenly, albeit with these jazzy little pop structures that wouldn’t be out of place on a Stereolab record. All those little pieces course in and out of the latest video to celebrate the album’s reissue, and I think you’ll have a lot of fun just clicking play and soaking it all in. This video is a collection of scrolling photos from what I assume, and hope, is a lifetime of joy playing music and traveling about, fusing the spirit of the song with like-minded imagery. Evolver is getting released on vinyl via Slumberland on April 18th.
I have a sick kid, so for the first time I’m able to dive through all these damned emails, and in there is this fun tune from Lithuania’s Shishi. The group is on my list of acts to catch when they roll into town for SXSW, and hopefully we’ll get to hear this new single, as it’s got this playful bit of garage meets post-punk attitude. Springy little guitar lines wiggle in and out of the tune, and I’m all for that; they up the ante to the fun by including some group vocal delivery, bringing in an old school vibe that will surely get stuck in your head. They’ve just signed to Birthday Cake Records for a forthcoming EP, so stay tuned!
Despite the song title offering up a grotesque image, the new Weatherday track offers a more intimate glimpse at the songwriting from the Swedish project. For the most part, the song is dominated by a heavy strum, which feels like it’s done so passionately that you can imagine blood dripping down the body of the guitar; there’s something to it that reminds me of the early Bright Eyes stuff where everything felt primal, as if there was no other option but to let it out into the world. Subtly, a sly little bit of electronics bubble, building towards the chorus, offering this softened charm that seduces the listener. This wonderful new tune appears on Hornet Disaster, dropping on March 19th via Top Shelf.
At this point in the indie sphere, it seems (to me at least) that The High Water Marks should be required listening. They consistently churned out a brand of power-pop, envied by their peers and relished by fanatics who trace the band’s musical construction back to its early Elephant 6 roots. Sure, those days are long in the past, but you can certainly hear the way that vocal melodies are layered atop one another, carefully, so as to subtly encourage you to dig beneath the surface. And of course, they’re never straying from pop pieces, as that’s their bread and butter, and they do so with just enough attitude to make the cool kids swoon. Their new album Consult the Oracle is out May 16th via Meritorio Records.
I’ve long been fans of the Estonian label, Seksound, and they’ve been fairly active recently, with a new tune from Pia Fraus…and now this delightful tune from Mariin K. Starting with this stuttered breakdown is a perfect way to set the song up, as it quickly moves beyond synthesized structure into a dreamier bit of heavenly pop. The softness in Mariin’s voice as she hits the chorus perfectly compliments the natural ebb and flow between the dreamier moments and the trip-hop grooves; it’s almost as if this was built for a huge anthemic arena-style singalong, or at least that’s how I’m picture it as I crank it up. Join me?
I’m always going to get behind a Drew Danburry release, and his latest single under the Icarus Phoenix moniker has him revisiting softened indie days of old. There are moments when his voice recalls the works of Ben Gibbard or even Jason Lytle, taking on this stretched syllabic melody. Guitars and ambient notes follow suit, stretching the scenery behind Drew’s voice, lifting it up with subtle textures that rise through the speakers. It’s really interesting when it’s juxtaposed with the acoustic demo, which is also attached to the release, as you get to hear the way the song’s initial stages unfold into this rich pop tapestry.
It’s hard to pigeon-hole Brooklyn outfit Two Man Giant Squid; they often change directions from song to song, and sometimes within the songs themselves, as in the case of last year’s “Weird Recordings.” I think that’s what makes them great for a festival like SXSW, as they can lock into a groove or a set, and manipulate the audience depending upon the vibe…or maybe they show up and melt faces. Think you’ll be satisfied either way. And, if you don’t know about them, check out our brief interview below!
Admittedly, I’m a sucker for a post-punk style jam that feels like it was made in the basement of a dingy apartment, and I mean that in the best way. I miss Blank Dogs! But today, we’ve got this new Ruby Moon tune, wearing the same pair of pants, and in saying that, there’s also a little plot twist that makes the work below uniquely it’s own. Sure, the beats maintain that industrial pop synthesis, but the melodic focus on the vocals and underlying guitar licks offers a shimmering bit of joy that I can’t pull myself away from. Think you’ll feel the same by pressing play below.
There’s a lot going on in the Austin scene at the moment, with our own SXSW show on the horizon, but last week, this Paper Sister track caught my attention. The group swear an allegiance to the left-of-the-dial anthemic pop of the late 90s, which fits my listening habits of late, as I’ve oddly been on a Cranberries kick (ain’t no shame!). This track puts the pop focus in the verses, walking you into the tracks with a softness that seduces the listener at first. They don’t hang out there forever, however, as they’ve also got a penchant for noisy indie rock, which you can hear filling the backdrop of this tune when the chorus kicks in. Just another reason to keep an eye on the ATX scene this year!
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