Author: nathan.lankford

Yea-Ming and the Rumours Announce I Can’t Have it All

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I’ll be completely honest, as I was fully unaware of Yea-Ming and the Rumours before the release of their last album, So, Bird; I found it one of the most charming listens of 2022, and still find myself going back to some of those tracks. Today, the group, led by songwriter Yea-Ming Chen, announces a fresh take, and one that aims to walk a fine line between “total sadness and extreme happiness.” You can hear that in the messaging on the first single, narrating a character realizing that despite our best efforts, it’s nearly impossible to get everything you want…and sometimes its okay to accept that and find comfort where you can. Those lyrics tend to lean towards a bit of solitude in a way, but I think the musical message carries a different weight to it. There’s a bit of buoyancy lurking, almost a spring, as if our narrator has taken the lesson, and opted to bound down the road towards life’s next test. Ever endearing, Yea-Ming and the Rumours are charting new territory, so be on the lookout for I Can’t Have it All, out via Dandy Boy Records on May 24th.

Winged Wheel Announce Big Hotel

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After Shellac came out of nowhere with an announcement this week, it only seems fitting that there’s more surprises in the 2024 release schedule, like a brand new LP from Detroit’s Winged Wheel. We’re just about two years removed from No Island, and it looks like they’ve added Steve Shelley to the mix too for a new album. There’s this swirling ominousness that opens the track, building this almost sterile world of darkness; it feels like the precursor to a murder in a parking garage (if it had a cooler soundtrack). Whitney’s voice comes in like an echo, hauntingly bouncing between the lines of the band’s craft. There are certainly moments where one could go explosive and just phone it in, but I appreciate how they’ve just locked into the groove here. Big Hotel is out May 3rd via 12XU.

A Place to Bury Strangers Announce Chasing Colors 7″

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When I first turned on this new track from A Place to Bury Strangers, I thought for a brief six seconds that maybe they were going to start flirting with the realm of indiepop; they employ a jangling guitar line immediately, and it runs through the whole track. But, almost as my brain recognized one of my favorite sounds, the group bring aboard a heavy wash of fuzzy riffs to layer atop the tune. When you set that alongside the soft coo of the vocals, you get that sort of nostalgic Jesus and MC vibe going on here, and that definitely doesn’t hurt my feelings. Another banger in their 7″ series, that you can grab from Dedstrange today.

Goblin Daycare Share Boss Man

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Years ago, I was super excited by the likes of Thee Oh Sees and such acts. But, after a hot minute, everyone was doing it, all the way to the gizzards and their wizards, so while there’s some lineage in Goblin Daycare, their approach feels refreshing. Honestly, it almost feels like they’ve take the structure, and just decided that they’re going to turn the whole sound into some sort of monster, making it an abomination within the genre. This new single is bouncing and sharp, with that frantic nature punctuated by these insane vocal lines that fit perfectly into the wobbling wold of the keys as the track hits that chorus. If you’re looking for a little refresh, be sure to look into Agitprop Hotline, out May 17th via Dedstrange.

Motorists Announce Touched by the Stuff

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I don’t know a single person in my circle that wasn’t in love with Motorists‘ 2021 LP, Surrounded, so expectations are high today as the group announce their brand new LP. While the last LP delved into a mixture between power-pop and proto-punk madness, it seems like this go round, things are a bit brighter, a bit sharper in sound. There adherence to big hooks and melody is still working within the first single, but that being said, I certainly feel like there’s more of a Oceanic influence on the guitar work…and obviously we’re all here for that. Soft vocals working within an environment of huge guitar sounds? Yep. Going to head off and grab Touched by the Stuff today. It drops on May 24th via We Are Time/Bobo Integral.

New Amy O Single

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Yesterday, Amy O. dropped this ridiculously tasty little track, and while it was all over the place, I couldn’t resist throwing my support behind it. Opening up in a bedroom-pop fashion, working with a snappy beat and a driving guitar line, you get that intimate listening experience that like-minded souls will find endearing. Then, at 1:31, the guitars drop into this fuzzy distorted wall, upping the level of the charm, perfectly embracing the promise and hope that Amy talks about in relation to her new record, Mirror, Reflect. Playful and bright, this single has me looking towards that LP; it’s out on May 10th via Winspear.

Blushing Share Seafoam Video

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We’re really excited for Blushing and their new album, Sugarcoat, as we’ve long been in the band’s corner cheering their successes. They’ve got a brand new video out today, and it’s one that shows the group flirting with a little bit of the band’s range, sonically speaking. Sure, you can hear the guitars encircling overhead, building on their classic dreamy textural repertoire, yet as that washes through, I was drawn to the vocal work on this chorus; it even encourages the guitars to stretch a hint too, taking on almost more of a darkened pop goth feel. That vibe gets furthered around the 2 minute mark with an almost spoken monologue whispering through. Sugarcoat is going to rule, and it’s out on May 3rd via Kanine.

Squirrel Shares Crayons EP

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I’ve been checking in on New Jersey’s Squirrel since the project landed on my radar last year, and I’m definitely enjoying the Crayons EP that just dropped this week. The opener has a whole lot of spirit, sort of bouncing and jangling along, which according to the accompanying PR was written during a great moment of hope. “Teas” also teases some of the ways Squirrel takes risks within the confines of indie sounds, and that willingness is part of the songwriting charms I implore you sample here. Kind of feels like the songs are being written by the lost son of Wayne Coyne, so give it a go.

Spencer Hoffman Announces Roses Fly

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I really enjoyed Spencer Hoffman‘s 2002 LP, Apple Core, so it’s exciting to hear that there’s a new EP on the way this May. Our first listen has a bit of a ghostly western vibe to it, offering up a slight twist on modern cosmic country. In a sense, it’s almost as if the tune’s struggling on the turntable, warped through the years of being played; you can hear that sparkling twang, but as it fills the air, it seems to sort of hang eternally. Ultimately, it allows for Hoffman’s voice to hang in there and almost whisper its melody into your ear, which worked to great effect. Looking forward to the release of the Roses Fly EP; it’s out on May 10th via Anxiety Blanket Records.

Rural France Share Tag Along Single

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Having fallen in love with the first track from Exactamondo, it only makes sense that we reinforce our love for Rural France by covering their new single today. While “Packhorse” felt clean and brimming with pop sensibility, “Tag Along” seems to be a little bit of a sonic shift, playing with noise in the background, layered to juxtapose the sugary center. Don’t get me wrong, the vocals are still offering up their usual sweetness, so you can still be enchanted, but the edges feel rougher and maybe, dare I say, “lo-fi.” I like that we’re getting a peek at the variation we can expect when the LP finally hits; it’s scheduled for an April 26th release courtesy of Meritorio Records.

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