Author: nathan.lankford

Pleased to Meet You: Sister Ray Davies

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Monday is a day to look back reflectively, then imagine where you’ll go in the week that lies ahead. In today’s case, we’re met by new group from Muscle Shoals, Alabama named Sister Ray Davies; they’re definitely crafting a new sound for the region, picking up on the usage of space and ambiance to create modern guitar pop. This single below has been out for a minute (last October), but now they’ve gone and recorded a live version to accommodate the single. The sound billows, and the physical space of the band members is reflective of the way that the sound floats and flutters, shifting before your ears. Hoping we’ll hear more from them as the year unfolds.

The Electorate Return with the Great Divide

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Having played in the Aussie music scene for some time, the mates in The Electorate are coming at us with a professionalism that, honestly, we just don’t get that often nowadays. The arrangement boldly builds, only to pull back so that the lyrics can join in, moving towards that sweeping jangle I adore. Light little bits of accented vocals give emphasis to the main mix, creating this budding heaviness that washes over the listener as the song seems to spin into sonic territory that borders on shattering all the pop sensibility they’ve built up. Yet, the restraint and production are such that they never seem to step out of line, making their new album, By Design, seem like a forthcoming highlight of our year; it drops on May 30th.

Softie’s Kiss Kiss Kiss Video

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Last week was a busy one around these parts, you know, with administering state tests to kids and what not. But, in all that, I drastically regret not posting the latest from Oakland’s Softie. The project has been bubbling about for a few years as the recording work of Nicholas Coleman, and now all the pieces are together for a new EP. One of my favorite pieces about this first listen is how the track seems to operate with two divergent narratives, one fueled by the shredding of noisy guitars and the other a sugary sweetness that operates as the central melody. Somehow, it all swirls and tumbles, converging into one blissed out blast of noisy pop. The visuals also manage to provide some added magic, warping the screen just as your brain tries to adjust to it all. Look for the Somersault EP on May 9th via Cherub Dream Records.

Last Week’s Jams (4.7 – 4.11)

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We covered a shit load of great music last week, and as is likely to happen, we’re a bit all over the place, sonically. There’s definitely a fair share of punk-ish stuff like The Golden Toad and Second Act, but some classic pop acts of days of old have returned. I mean, can we give a shout out for Comet Gain and Brideshead both announcing brand new albums? I premiered a brand new track from Gentle Leader XIV, and RayRay continued with our undying love of new Night Beats. Plus, you can’t go wrong with new Austin stuff from French Film (not streaming) and Mobley, so bopping there as well. Just find a favorite, as you’re bound to find something joyful.

Eric Schroeder Shares High Low Video

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This song from Eric Schroeder was pitched to me as “the greatest hook that Evan Dando never wrote,” and it’ll take you just a few moments to jump right on board with me here. Instantly the guitar sound had me, only furthered when the galloping drums and light piano play join up to drive the song into your brain before Eric even enters the fray. His dulcet tones add a sense of striking calm, with the guitars embracing a deeper tone, albeit one tinged with bits of Western swing nuance. If you’re digging on his sounds, swing on by and listen to his new record, Cat’s Game!

Slack Times Share Swing the Dial

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What wasn’t finished on Gone Things, now has a home, as Slack Times have finally put the finishing touches on this bouncing jangler. The Alabama outfit have this incredible nature to bring this bit of Southern rock n’ roll swagger to the world of jangle pop, but for this new track, it’s the instrumental breakdown that has me fawning; it feels like something left on the cutting floor of a Go-Betweens recording session, and that’s never a bad vibe. The style of the vocal recording also appeals to my senses, and guarantees that if we wait patiently, the next LP (which is in the works!) is going to be out of this world. New ditty comes courtesy of Meritorio Records.

Kill the Pain and Power Solo Share New Ditty

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You’ll recognize the names of Melanie Pain (Nouvelle Vague) and Phoebe Killdeer (together working as Kill the Pain), but I acknowledge that their partners in this new morning jam, Power Solo, are brand new to me. Together, they have united to create this sort of rock-a-billy meets garage punk sound, fueled by Melanie’s penchant for pop music crossing-over into hook-laden territory. I mean, if you catch onto the refrain in the song’s latter half, it begs the questions of “if you wanna have fun?” Well, do you? If so, keep an eye out for the joint venture on 7″ for Crunchy Frog Records, coming at you real soon.

Sports Team Bring Out Sensibile

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I wonder if Sports Team is responsible for Pulp’s return, as both bands seem to embrace this very British form of pop, one that bridges in the peculiarities of rock n’ roll and fuses them with reflections on the mundane aspects of modernity. That being said, this one seems to be poking fun at the common people, in a sense, criticizing the way many approach life by embracing certain simplistic activities; it seems like our narrator finds those things a waste. Their new album Boys These Days is set for May 23rd Release.

Cranking Up Second Act’s Latest Single

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As of late, I’ve been itching to dive out on a skateboard and just hit the local park, speeding down with something delicious cranking in my ear, and if I’m being honest, in terms of new skate punk, you’re not going to find anything better than Second Act. Every little riff in this song, whether its the punk nod or the metal breaks feels exactly like my adolescence all rolled up in one song. If you dive into that chorus, you’ll hear the anthemic nature rising to the top, which creates this undeniable power that has me diving deep inside the group’s latest LP, Midlife Crisis. This is the perfect place to grab your coffee and get in your car and crank the stereo all the way up.

Gentle Leader XIV Share Title Track, Joke in the Shadow

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In a world full of immediacy, for which I’m admittedly a sucker, Gentle Leader XIV are offering up an entirely different brand of electronica than our typical fare. For starters, the drawl of the drum sampling seems to be tugging at the time stamp, holding it one place for the track’s duration. Even when the synths take on their full approach, there’s restraint; just listen to the nod to Depeche Mode after the 30 second mark. All of this work leaves plenty of space to be filled, and while the vocals entering adds another layer, even there, the song has space to move and wiggle. You get a ripping guitar cutting into the song’s middle, yet it all feels tethered to the percussive march, and in the end you’re left with this brilliant blanket of modern pop that greets you on its own terms. Their new record, Joke in the Shadow, is out on April 18th via Feel It Records.

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