Author: nathan.lankford

Giant Day Share We Were Friends

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Derek Almstead has been working around the Elephant 6 Collective for some time, though I love his work with the Glands the most. As of the moment, he’s working on his new project with his wife Emily Growden named Giant Day, and they’ve released a brand new single from their next LP. When listening to their latest single, I can’t help but hear two very distinctive sounds working through: there’s a gentleness akin to Elliott Smith in the vocals and there’s a huge driving build that surrounds the voice. It’s like you can hear this delicate storyteller sitting inside a cocoon, only that cocoon has been crafted by this driving rhythmic wall of noise that’s inescapable. But, then again, you’d expect someone who has worked with the E6 to know all about building huge walls of sound in their craft. Oh, and speaking of, the band will release their new Glass Narcissus LP on August 23rd via Elephant Six!

 

Manners Manners Share Yr Well

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I’m absolutely floored by this new single from Manners Manners; they take every bit of great indie moments in the past three decades and fuse it into this bashing brand of glorious pop. Initially, you might get hit up front by the striking force of the opening guitar play, but sit back as they pull back the blanket and reveal a slightly softer side of the tune; I love the emphatic vocals of the chorus as J Pinder sings “I have been to yr well/and it only flows backwards.” When they return to the verse the second go round, you begin to hear these echoing vocals that add a textural level that’s pretty special. As their guitars twist and intermingle, the tune opens up and another bit of vocals rip right through the tune, delivering yet another plot twist that makes the group’s sound consistently evolving. They’ll release I Held Their Eyes, I Kissed Them All on July 26th via 20/20 Records.

New Split Flexi Disc Featuring The Smashing Times and The See No Evils

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I love the weird world of music where folks are trying to always keep the artistry in the scene, drawing fans into the music they love in whatever fashion they can…like Raving Pop Blast. The label just announced a new flexi 7″ that accompanies their latest zine, and it features two great tracks from The Smashing Times and The See No Evils. I came to the singles by way of the Smashing Times, who pull of the best single that the TV Personalities never wrote, albeit with just a hint more pop sentiment in there. Leeds outfit The See No Evils aren’t too shabby either, bringing a great bit of swirling jangle pop to the table. Feels like this 7″ was made just for me! Get a copy of the zine/flexi HERE.

M. Vaughan Shares Nazare Single

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What does one do when you’ve spent years crafting electronic music, but feel the buzz of your rock n’ roll roots buzzing in your ear? If you’re M. Vaughan, you get caught up in your feelings, and make a mess of it by mixing up both worlds and coming out the other end with a brand new EP. On his latest single from the forthcoming Keep In Touch EP, we get treated to the completed recipe, with this down-tempo techno groove built as the foundational layer for Vaughan’s voice to kind of reach its pop crescendo. If you go in close enough, you can hear the hum of a synth line burrowed in the mix; it’s a peek at just a few of the ways M. Vaughan worked to make this new world more seamless. As you sit back and catch onto the vibe, be sure to grab the new release from Super Tuff.

New Starts Share Asbestos Roof

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I’ve always been a big fan of Darren Hayman’s work since my early days discovering Hefner; he’s done a bunch of great projects and solo work along the way (like the Hayman Kupa Band), but at the moment, he’s focused on New Starts. They’ve offered a fresh glimpse at their forthcoming debut LP, with this charming reflection on getting older and the freedom that gives us. There’s great guitar interplay here between Darren and Joely Smith (also of adults), who Hayman has mentioned challenges his natural inclination to make everything pretty. Really looking forward to August 16th, when Fika Recordings will release the debut, More Break-Up Songs.

Nap Eyes Share Demons Single

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Leave it to Nap Eyes to take an old Alexander Pushkin single and weave it into modernity, as they do today with their musical take on Pushkin’s “Demons” poem. While it likely hasn’t been put to music before, the poem’s narrative nature fits perfectly into the realm the Nova Scotians have crafted; they’ve crafted this stunning elegance, almost as if it was meant as part of some ancient folk symphony. The tinkering piano and distorted ebbs add meaning to each little cranny of the tune, though it’s hard not to be Nigel’s voice, like a moth to the flame, it pulls you into the storytelling. Very few acts are crafting music in this matter, so feel free to raise your glass to these lads.

Parallel Release Painkiller Single

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What?! Two songs from Oakland in one day!? Well, this time we’ve got a tune from Parallel, offering up a darker version of the post-punk realm. On my end, this song revolves around the contrast between the sedated style of vocals and the jagged edges of the guitars. It’s like the two are doing some sort of devil’s dance, the guitar notes circling overhead like vulture feeding on their pray. It creates this sort of darkness, that’s difficult to evade, even with the extra layers of melody that sweep into the track. The band will release their new album, Flooded, on July 10th via Play Alone/Cherub Dream.

Enumclaw Sign with Run For Cover Records

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There’s just something about the songs Aramis Johnson writes for Enumclaw that have the perfect balance between emotional indie rock and punchy rock. Their latest single, accompanying the announcement of a new album and their singing to RFC, encompasses that tightrope act, walking between these thoughtful moments that would fit on any modern playlist, all before bursting into these riff-oriented crashing waves; it forces you to find your footing emotionally, while also indicating the joyous nature that coincides with Johnson’s songwriting. Home in Another Life will drop on August 30th.

Nightshift Share Phone Single

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It really is beginning to sound like Nightshift are about to drop one of the great albums of the year, particularly when you indulge yourself in this fresh track. The tune’s got a bit of melancholy from the string arrangements, setting up the the tempo to move along casually in the verses. That casual nature allows for a sort of graceful sway, played into by the delivery of the vocals. But, there are some more energetic punches for the chorus where they deliver the line “better off without/better off with you,” reminiscent of something you’d have heard on a Life Without Buildings tune. Homosapiens will be out July 26th via Trouble in Mind Records.

Ocelot Shares Brand New Single

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We can always count on our friends Soliti to turn us on to great new stuff coming out of Finland , mostly because they’re the ones releasing the aforementioned “great new stuff.” Today, for instance, they bring about this dreamy new single from Helsinki’s Ocelot; they’ve been quiet since their 2022 debut, so hopefully this brings us promise of more tunes to come. I love the way it works with this incredible beat underneath; the guitar slides up and down, just as the drums snap, all of it working under this intoxicating groove. In the vocals, you get this sort of reserved calm, at times moving into a whisper that exposes just a hint of intimacy between artist and listener. Personally, there’s these great little nuanced moments too, little noise trinkets that sneak in from time to time, popping up to drag you beneath the song’s surface. Enjoy.

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