Author: nathan.lankford

Runo Plum Preps Bloom Again EP (SXSW Artist)

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Before the announcement of the Bloom Again EP, RayRay and I already had Runo Plum on our artist to watch list for SXSW, and while there are a handful of sets on the schedule, I’m thinking a quiet room in the sunny afternoon might be the best way to soak up the newest track. The dominating force, aside from the vocals, is the heavy-handed strum on the guitar, allowing for this sort of billowing loneliness to embrace a natural beauty. As the tune trickles, I think the slightest bit of arrangement is what allows the weight of the music to really sit with the listener; it’s careful and minimalist, only rising for support when necessary. Looking forward to a few sets, as well as the Bloom Again EP, which is out on May 8th via Winspear.

Touch Girl Apple Blossom Share Vacation Video

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We’ve had nothing but praise for Austin janglers Touch Girl Apple Blossom, and it seems like the world is set up to welcome the group with open arms. A quick guitar shuffle swings you right into the tune; the dueling guitars offer a sunshine brightness while the jangling riffs share a dancefloor ready groove for listeners. It’s quite a mood, and you’re likely ready for the sun to shine right through your living room, but then Olivia’s vocals have this lushness that both works for and against the track’s sharpness. This is the way they magically build tension in their work, dangling slight bits of contrast while allowing their pop sensibilities to take hold. Look for Graceful on May 15th via K Records/Perennial Death.

Cindy Share Procession + Announce Another Country

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I’m an avid Cindy fan, so I should have had this up last Friday, or even Monday, but there’s just so many tunes and I only have just so many words. Alas, here I am with some more words about how incredibly moving Cindy is. They’ve just announced Another Country, which is a nod to James Baldwin, so the literary nature hits home. But, while they tend to embrace the term fog pop on their recordings, I’ll admit that there seems to be a bit more life to this single’s surface. Sure, there’s a forlorn nature to what Karina Gill does on the microphone, but this tune has this almost classic doo-wop swagger to it, looking back to perfect simplicity in pop. Oh, and a little horn nod too? Yep, I’m totally in on Another Country, which hits on May 1st via Tough Love Records.

Circling Back to Figure Eight

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With all the craziness of the early Spring and getting SXSW stuff organized, one can easily slide beyond the secret gems from the underground. I should have known that Cherub Dream Records would, of course, have something brilliant, as the label’s been an incredible powerhouse for up-and-coming acts like Figure Eight. On the band’s latest 7″, there’s this brilliant deployment of space and patience, dreamily stretching over the two minute mark before the song seems to awaken and snap to with a bit of billowing noise. From that moment on, the group embrace a contrast to their quieter moments, letting the volume get cranked up as walls of ambient distortion rush across the front of your speakers. Definitely worth circling back, and its available now!

Special Friend Share Isolation Single

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Our first few listens to the new Special Friend LP have given us relatively upbeat singles, bouncing and clipping along with a classic pop vibe. Now, the duo flip things over and offer up a mellower, albeit equally as moving, brand of pop; this one feels quite a bit like Camera Obscura, particularly in the way the vocals come through here. There’s a softness, with the group settled, happily letting the feathered jangle provide the track with enough rhythm to keep your ears perked up. Adding into the magic is the careful harmonizing of the vocals, which is one of their trademarks in excellence. You’ll be able to grab Clipping in just over a week courtesy of Skep Wax/Howlin Banana/Hidden Bay!

Urq Share Another Mystery Single

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The Louisiana scene has been cranking out some solid indie rock this year, with this new jam from Urq sounding like a definite highlight you’ll want to get your ears on. There’s an eerie video opening, then the track races off at break-neck speeds from the drumming, matched only by the frantic stunt work of the guitar; it’s got that sort of jagged edge that throws off your balance and keeps your body in a constant tilt-a-whirl. On the vocal side, things are a bit calmer, hanging just on the edge of being sung/spoken…in fact, it’s almost like a storyteller narrating whilst keeping pace with the soundtrack to a great tale. All of it put together in a classic slasher film that will grab your attention just as much as this ripper of a tune. The group’s new LP, The Dismal Village, will be out on April 24th via Exploding In Sound.

youbet Share Receive Video

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A recent resurgence in the grunge sound can be hit or miss, with a lot of folks going to nostalgic for the sound, but that’s where youbet are excelling. Their flirting with the sound, using the structural pieces as a foundation to craft their own blend, which is why I’m really enjoying this new single. Sure, elements of it are playing with those distorted guitars, and the band definitely has some bite to they way they pull it off. But, where others have failed, youbet succeed in bringing in the faintest sense of pop sensibility into their work. I love how they pull it back here, carefully revealing a little bit of sweetness to go with their grit. They’ll be dropping their self-titled LP on May 1st via Hardly Art.

Fresh Indiepop from The Cat’s Miaow and the Autocollants

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Bandcamp Friday was a doozy, with new records and new compilations, but sliding under the radar, perhaps, was the new split 7″ from The Cat’s Miaow and the Autocollants. For the Autocollants, this is their first new batch of tunes since 1999, so hopefully the newfound love of indiepop by a younger audience gets them back to writing more and more. Their tune is a little bit classic indiepop, slightly jangly and brief, akin to the stuff you’d hear from Jeanines. The Cat’s Miaow on the other hand offer more of a kind of rambling Velvet Underground-esque brand of pop, and it’s the perfect gem to match their friends. This glorious batch of tunes is brought to you by Shelflife Records.

Kelley Stoltz Announces New LP for Dandy Boy Records

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Please take some time to get into this new track from Kelley Stoltz; it’s a bit of a different jam, which I think illustrates his constant evolution throughout the years. This tune’s built entirely on the rhythm section, with the prominent bass line walking up and down the scales to brilliant effect. You get some ringing guitar tones circling the tune, as well as some accenting vocal accompaniment, all of it kind of offering this space-age garage vibe to it. Kelley’s work in the middle of the tune is that of a conductor, guiding the track with his vocal approach, slinking in between the lines of that funky bass groove. If You Don’t Know Me, Buy Now will be out on May 15th via Dandy Boy Records.

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