Author: nathan.lankford

Last Week’s Jams (5.27 – 5.31)

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In one of those weeks that magically felt longer than it was, we managed to cover a fair amount of ground, cranking out coverage of at least 20 new tunes for you. Add to that B. Gray’s excellent Kilby Block Party footage and the Levitation Announcement, and, well, we seem like we have our shit together! I loved that there was new stuff from Ryli and Autocamper, both giving me little doses of my pop fix. There was a lot of new stuff, too, that scratched a different itch, with Fortunato Durutti Marinetti announcing a new LP, coinciding with a fresh track from the new Tropical Fuck Storm LP. A bit all over the map, but in the best way. Let us know what you loved the most.

TG Shand Releases The Deadpan Break

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When I clicked go on the new tune from New Zealand artist TG Shand, I found this solemnity in the opening moments; there’s this motorik beat, but it seems to be pushing full force into this mellow wash of atmosphere, like its struggling to gather pace. As Annemarie Duff’s voice enters the fray, the textures begin to take color, with light brushes of guitar and synthetics brushing against one another in the background. Duff’s voice, too, feels like a texture, light and capable of maneuvering between the beat and the coating of noise. And, as the song fades, it settles into this club groove, with a slightly more bold bass line and snappier drum rhythms, pushing the tune to its close.

Sea Dramas Release Every Problem Created for Us

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Here were are on a Friday with another single from a San Francisco band, although Sea Dramas are taking the whole “fog pop” sound into their own hands, channeling a mix of baroque crooners into their sound. At times, you can grab wisps of acts like the Clientele, especially if you jump into “Brooding Teenagers;” it reminds me of something Richard Hawley would write, backed by these sweeping arrangements that elevate the bedroom croon. There’s this cool heaviness throughout the record too, at least in mood, as each tune has a bit of a shadow hanging over it, challenging the pop constructs, and in that, the juxtaposition only adds to the charm. Every Problem Created for Us is out today via Royal Oakie Records.

Slackin Beats Shares Full Mind

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After a week of torrential storms and end of school activities on my end, I felt like I needed something to get me grounded this Friday, so luckily had this new Slackin Beats track to kind of kick into the weekend (and my official summer break!). It jumps in with this almost march, using the percussive element to set the beat before allowing the vocals to do their work atop the march and added percussive grooves. Just as you hit the 1 minute mark, the tune drops into magnificence, spinning with a more celebratory mood and a different vocal texture that seduces the listener. A little downtempo electro never hurt nobody, and if you’re digging it, keep your ears out for a the debut LP from the Swedish producer.

Will Johnson Joins Magnolia Electric Co for New 7″

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Will Johnson looks to be keeping himself fairly busy this year, having just released the excellent Diamond City, and now he’s teaming up with members of Magnolia Electric Co. for a Magnolia & Johnson 7″ and Tour. As the two team up, they’ll release a 7″ version of a Jason Molina track, then flip over to find a Will penned tune; both artists played/wrote together before Molina’s passing, so this seems an apt project. But, today (and yesterday for those on their game), the new team released a version of “The Big Beast” from the 2005 Trials and Errors LP. With Johnson on the vocals, there’s a bit more of a growl to it, encouraging the band to fire up some of those guitars and let things burn behind him. The 7″ comes out this September courtesy of Keeled Scales, with a brief bit of dates confirmed for Texas around the same time!

Levitation 2025 Is Here

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If I’m being honest, Levitation might have outdone themselves this year, and with that, you better get your hands on tickets, as this one might be selling out. I mean, Pavement, Mastodon and TV on the Radio are the headliners…and that’s just getting the bill started. There are acts like Built to Spill and Brian Jonestown Massacre and UMO next on the poster. But, there is some new things rolling out; they’re changing their downtown home and returning a proper festival to Palmer Events Center…right near the grounds of the legendary Fun Fun Fun Fest, so we’ll be interested to see how it all lines up. Check out information and tickets HERE.

 

New Modern Nature LP On the Way

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Jack Cooper has been rather omnipresent in the music scene of the last decade or so, being a key component in Ultimate Painting before pulling away to focus on Modern Nature. Their last LP was in 2023, and now there is news that we’ll get The Heat Warps at the end of this summer. Our first listen has the band repositioning their approach, taking grooves and riding them out into expressions of emotion, then staying stationary in hopes of letting that feeling sink into the soul of the listener. In a way, it reminds me of a sort of combination of Low and Fugazi, sort of taking music as meditation, then splicing in album themes through little clips of lyrics. Should be a definite staple of your listening this week; The Heat Warps hits August 29th via Bella Union.

Emily Hines Releases All of Our Friends Single

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Since being picked up to work with Keeled Scales for her forthcoming LP, Emily Hines has definitely been growing in our listening rotation, as I’ve definitely enjoyed the two early singles from the album. With her latest single, you can hear Emily beginning to stretch her legs and settle into her sound. There’s this quieted intimacy in the production of the instrumentation, with listeners able to hear fingers sliding up and down the strings. However, there’s this exuberance and childish freedom in her voice too, which was the highlight for me, hearing her folk leanings and taking them to a broader playing field of accessibility. These Days will be out on August 1st, and will definitely get some playing time at my house.

Gelli Haha Shares Spit Video

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When you find yourself stuck in a musical rut, sometimes you just need to kick over your chair, stand up and dance…and what better way to get started than by cranking up this new Gelli Haha track. A self-imposed rule of only using “S” words creates this artistic layer to the project, along with the incredible video by David Gutel that has Gelli strapped into some absurd scientific experiment. For me, I got locked into this groove, wrapped around a tight little punch that feels like you’re running in place at full steam. It’s propulsive, but stationary, locked into this groove that forces your body to convulse in a freeing fashion. Not sure what all that means? Press play below and grab Switcheroo on June 27th from Innovative Leisure.

The Perfect English Weather Share Pilgrimage

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With this Spring lighting up with great indiepop, I want to make sure we take a moment to celebrate the classic pop stylings of The Perfect English Weather, particularly their charming new single. Little time is wasted here, with the tracking opening up with budding arrangements, setting sweeping brooms of chamber pop into motion, I keep being drawn towards that lonely piano line walking us along intermittently. Still, I’m a massive lover of moments, the shocking sort that just put you on your toes and sweep you away; I found it here, for the first time at the 1:20 mark, with the line “he didn’t want to be loved by people” breaking me perfectly. Their new album Just Beyond the Lights will be out on Friday via Matinee Recordings.

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