Author: nathan.lankford

Plastic Bubble Share Recontextualize + Drop New EP

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Classic brands of pop indie rock come few and far between, which is why it’s always a blast to sit down and listen to what Kentucky’s Plastic Bubble are making happen. We’ve got the opening track below from their new The Circular Breathing EP. This single hits you with chugging guitar strokes, stuttering in a sense that offers up a nice bit of swinging momentum. They adopt their own lesson too, recontextualizing their own single, switching from the frolicking pop rock into a more ethereal dreamscape that opens the listener to some tasty vocal melodies sliding through. Get your pop rocks on below!

Last Week’s Jams (8.12 – 8.16)

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I reckon we have a few more months of solid hits before the world settles into Year End Lists or what not, and while I may be swamped, I’m really enjoying the great music that just keeps pumping out. This week we had all sort of old favorites and new, with our pals in Humdrum announcing a new LP, while other reliables like APTBS were doing their thing. Really got into the new stuff from Weak Signal and Mo Dotti, not to mention that lovely track from Little Oso. And then, we were able to close out the week with Jim Nothing and Dancer dropping fresh songs? Yeah, just out here crushing it!

Little Oso Announces How Lucky to Be Someone

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If you’ve been a fan of acts like the Beths then we’d like to introduce you to Maine’s Little Oso, who’ve just announced their brand new LP, How Lucky to Be Someone. Our first listen to their new work has these perfect little guitar lines, shimmering, but not too far into the gaze realm, so you can still really feel their angular nature raining down upon you. But, while that backdrop seduced me immediately, it’s the calmed approach to the vocals that really warms, at least in this tune. I can definitely hear spots where the band could explode, but I kind of like that they don’t, holding you tightly to the core until you’ve reached the end of the song, where there’s finally that cathartic release that wraps it all up in a nice pop rock bow. How Lucky to Be Someone will be out early next year via Safe Suburban Home/Repeating Cloud.

Ocelot Offer Kolme Kesaa Single

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Finnish outfit Ocelot are here to sprinkle in a bit of traditional pop onto your plate today, sharing the last single from their next LP, Siskoni on noita. While my Finnish is still in its early learning stages, the sentiment of the song matches with the vibrancy that’s brought to light here, according to words form the band. It’s an ode to “new awakenings aligned with that fresh feeling only Summer can bring,” which seems to be presented in the craft of the music itself. Beginning with the end of Spring, drifting towards the end with a forlorn piano line, then moving towards a pronounced lift in energy and power that rises like the Summer sun, brightening and warming everything that it touches. If you feel buoyed by both the song and the seasons, be on the lookout for the new album on September 20th from Soliti Music.

Whisper States Shares Ghost Rode

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I love being surprised by a press release, like I was with this new Whisper States single. There’s lots of mention of songwriter Chad Molter’s work in various Dischord bands, not to mention working with Joe Wong and Mary Timony. So, I pressed play on this new jam, and boy, not what I was expecting, but also, in the best way. One of the only similarities I found was the driving rhythmic push that creeps beneath the surface, perhaps the heaviest edge the song brings to the surface. But, there’s so much reward here, harkening to a different era of American pop music, perhaps finding some footing in the pastoral folk, albeit one brimming with hints of Elephant 6 pop sensibilities. I’ll definitely be checking out the self titled LP, which drops on September 6th via Trap Set International.

Weak Signal Share Rich Junkie

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There’s always something to be said for simplicity and execution in songwriting, and the latest track from New York’s Weak Signal perfectly exemplifies that mentality. It opens with a driving bit of guitar, chugging along with the snapping hit of the drums; there’s not too much flare…no overlapping ambiance or walls of noise, just distortion driving you forward. Now, for all that heavy guitar sound, the band’s bread and butter is the distinctive interplay of Mike and Sasha on the vocal mix; they’ve got these contrasting tones that fit perfectly together, but also fill in the space so that while the song feels like a rocker, you’re not quite sure with all those delectable melodic morsels of pop hanging about. Just another banger from their forthcoming Fine LP, out on September 6th via 12XU.

Dancer and Whisper Hiss Announce Split 12″ for HHBTM Records

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After a very successful Spring LP release for Dancer, it looks as if we’ll be treated to more from the Glaswegian no-pop masters. A serendipitous conversation with HHBTM Records led to the band befriending queer-post-punk Portland act, Whisper Hiss, and the two acts agreeing to cull their individual projects for a Split 12″ release! Dancer weave their springing style into “Priority Girl,” which features brilliant little vocal twists and turns that continue to establish the act as one of the best in the game. Whisper Hiss had to give the Scots a little bit of a “hold my beer” moment, upping the ante by throwing out some old school angular punk wiggles that worm their way into a bit of an erratic shimmy. Two really great acts combining for a pop release for the ages, and all thanks to the great people at HHBTM; the 12″ will be released on October 4th.

Jim Nothing Shares Present Single

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As cliche as it might seem, listening to the new single from Jim Nothing will have you feeling wistful, sitting in your bay window and gazing out into the world with a sense of wonderment. Each time the guitars turn over, it’s like they’re churning buttered pop, circularly bring melody to those seeking a bit of soulful replenishment. And, as if you couldn’t just sit there and soak up the musical warmth, there are these touchstone backing harmonies that recall every indiepop act since the beginning of time. There’s no shortage of magic within the confines of any Jim Nothing song, thus we expect Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn to be chock full of pop secrets we’ll carry with us for some time to come; it drops on October 15th via Meritorio Records.

Mink Return with Perished in Bloom Single

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After beginning the day with a little bit of subdued pop acts, I felt like maybe we all needed something to pick us up, or even just give a bounce to our step, like this rad new Mink tune. The German outfit are living in that territory rooted in a dance history, but perhaps flirting with the realm of indie rock where Future Islands hang out and party. You’ll feel the bass line pumping through you, with that synthesized beat driving you to run about your house with your arms spread out like an airplane…or at least that’s what my kid’s doing this morning. Feel free and crank it up!

Stream Icarus Phoenix’s New Album

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For months we’ve been encouraging you to give Drew Danburry’s Icarus Phoenix some of your attention, and to be fair, we’ve actually been doing it for years, as we’ve been hooked since catching onto the self-title LP way back when. Today, you can officially stream I Should Have Known the Things You Never Said. On the new LP, you’ll find Danburry peaking at just the right time, aided by fellow craftsman like Jake Bellows of Neve Dinova. “The Things You Never Told Me” might just be one of my favorite tracks of the year, and it starts the album on the right foot, swelling from a sort of casual ballad into this sweeping emotional powerhouse, punctuated by a few little backing yelps. Standout tracks like “High Tide” might also entice you, living in the apartment adjacent to Ben Gibbard’s beset work; it’s the sincerity in the lyricism that just keeps you coming back. There’s little hints of folk, bridging into great indie rock, so you’re not going to go through the entirety without finding some little charm to keep in your pocket. So, click below and stream all of I Should Have Known the Things You Never Said.

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