Popstrangers Share No I.D. Video
In a couple of weeks London outfit Popstrangers will be releasing their new album, In Spirit, and drawing near, I’m liking the way things are shaping up. The album’s title track is one of my favorite tunes of the year, and now we’ve got their latest, sliding into a heavier vibe. Perhaps its the video accompaniment, or just that jittering noise in the background, but there’s something slightly evil about the way this tune begins to unfold. The vocals hide in the background, letting the tension build through the thumping drum work and these anxiety-inducing elements of noise. How they manage to hold onto any pop sensibility it beyond me, but its there, giving the song this brooding bubble that hopefully catches your ear. In Spirit is out June 10th via Rice is Nice.

You might recognize Jared Sparkes as one of the members of Michigan’s Dont, but for now, we’re focused on his solo project
I always get excited by a Mint Records release, and this forthcoming LP by
Jimmy Hewitt, aka
When we began this blog back in the day, I covered Gentleman Jesse quite a bit; his work as a power pop revisionist had my attention from the start, and I felt like Leaving Atlanta was tragically overlooked. So, here we are a good ten years later, and Jesse Smith returns; he quietly dropped Lose Everything last Fall, and now there’s a brand new EP he’s working on for Third Man Records. The EP features a cover of “True” by Atlanta band the Fans, as well as this stomping ripper co-written with Greg Oblivion. Grab the Compass EP over
Strangely, when this new track from Hellrazor drops in, I thought to myself, “I wish this is what that new Hum record sounded like.” But, with that spacey noise up front, the noise recedes, opening up this tune to a bit more of a melodic draw, pulling back the covers on the band’s pop tendencies. Still, you can hear the thump of the drums, tempered since their opening pummel; they take the chorus and help launch the song into this wall swell of ferocious noise, albeit one with a softened underbelly. Plus, those in need of the heavy fix get a mid-track breakdown with furious drum work that doesn’t quit until your ears are bloodied and the song crawls to a close.