Author: nathan.lankford

I’m Enjoying Night School

Leave a comment

Only a day away from the release of their new LP, and Night Schoolhave convinced me of their talents with the release of “Marigold.” It’s a track that really hits home for my listening tastes, be it the voice or the guitar work, I’m hung up on it all. The vocals have this dreamy drift to them, draped angelically atop the bounce of the drum work; I like how there’s real clarity in the lyrics despite that ethereal vibe. And, of course the guitar work is perfect; it has that angular sharpness our friend Stevsie (Tres Oui/Mean Jolene) always weaves into his songs, and its presence here definitely adds to my intoxication. Disappear Here is out tomorrow via Graveface Records.

Fresh Elva Track for You

Leave a comment

I’ve seen lots of lists about the most anticipated albums of the next few months, and sadly, none of the ones I’ve seen include Elva; I’m here to remedy that for me, and for you. “Ghost Writer” is the band’s newest single from their forthcoming Winter Sun LP. It has this spry bounce to it from the churning of the guitar chords; it reminds me an indiepop version of early Beulah. The big difference here, at least in what we’ve heard thus far, is that Ola takes the reigns on the vocals, with Elizabeth (of Allo’ Darlin) taking up the backing vocal roll, and together they craft this sublime harmony that rides throughout the song…all the way to the fuzzy guitar chord that jumps in for the song’s last minute. Winter Sun drops on April 19th via Tapete Records.

Give Grant Pavol a Listen

Leave a comment

Lately I’ve just been thinking about music as the soundtrack for various occasions in life, and in my mind, this new Grant Pavol track feels like reaching the apex of some huge achievement, perhaps the cliched mountain climb and looking down below; there’s some sort of natural euphoria emanating that I can’t explain. The song has this intimate expansiveness, which is a perfect juxtaposition…that seems to be something this song pursues, especially with the strumming and more intricate guitar work fighting for the perfect balance within the confines of the track. This tune appears on the Okay EP, dropping May 17th via Accidental Popstar Records so keep an ear out!

Loving This New Julia Shapiro Tune

Leave a comment

Whether it’s been through her participation in Chastity Belt or Childbirth, I’ve always appreciated the tracks Julia Shapiro has been a part of through the years. Now, she’s taking a side-step out on her own, and this first listen is wonderful. I love how the song has this innate guitar bounce to it, inducing toe-tapping and joyousness. Her vocals are pretty spot on too; they seem to sort of ride the song’s natural groove, fitting in in between bouncing moments and letting notes hang and drift in the air. Seems like Shapiro has been through a lot of personal strife to get here, so let’s hope there’s joy in this wondrous song she’s crafted; Prefect Vision drops June 14th via Hardly Art.

Big Thief Share New Single

Leave a comment

I think there’s one thing that most people in the indie world can agree upon, and that’s the quality of Big Thief; even my wife and I agree on how great the band is! Today, the band share a new single off their U.F.O.F LP, which is slated for release on May 3rd. Knowing that the album was written in rural Washington makes it easy to follow the band’s music on this new single; it seems like a straight nod to traditional American folk music. But, of course, Adrianne Lenker’s voice is sublime; it walks a fine line between intimate folk whisper and soulful powerhouse; this is perhaps my most favorite Big Thief tune…that’s just for today, though.

Austin fans can catch the band at Stubbs on November 4th.

Hook-Laden Pop from Porridge Radio

Leave a comment

If there was one song I wanted you to listen to on repeat today, the one that you’d inevitably find haunting the caverns of your mind, it’s this fresh track from UK outfit Porridge Radio. It’d be enough to say that the bouncing opening lines had me hooked, and you’d find the same, but then enters Dana Margolin to steal the show from everyone else. Her delivery has this clever indifference, but there are moments when she’s able to stretch her powers to emphasize certain lines in order to give the listener emotional catharsis. There’s something magical in her performance, something that seeps into your soul and never leaves. This single is their first new tune since 2016, so hopefully there’s more of this just around the corner; it’s out today via Memorials of Distinction.

Dehd Share On My Side

Leave a comment

Some bands brandish their simplicity like a bag of honor, and I have to tell you that Dehd is one such act, maximizing their emotional pull in a minimalist manner. Jason Balla takes the reigns on this song, delivering his lines with a mixture of croon and spoken word; Emily Kempf belts out this quivering chorus, almost as if she’s reaching out to us from a far away dimension. And, speaking of Emily, she’s also the star of the video, fiercely walking along the highway, at times celebrating life with a shuffle and a hop as the music rings out discordantly. I’m still perplexed by how intoxicating this band can be, and having witnessed it in person at SXSW, you’re in for a treat when Water Out drops via Fire Talk on May 10th.

Energetic Number from Delsbo Beach Club

Leave a comment

I’ve been hyping Delsbo Beach Club since their creation it seems, and with their new EP on the horizon, I’m going to keep pushing you their way. Their latest single opens up with this slinky bounce, almost as if they’re channeling Madness…only in a more frantic fashion. Then the song takes on this gritty beach vibe, perhaps akin to recent stuff from Growlers. All of that gets woven around a tight rope of pop sensibility, executed in under 2 minutes so you can easily hit play and start all over again. At the end of the month, the band’s new EP drops via Rama Lama Records.

Bedroom Pop from Shawn Kim

Leave a comment

Wanted to sort of kick off Tuesday with something playful that came across the old desk this week…a new track from Canadian Shawn Kim. He kind of teases the listener, sort of like Majical Cloudz, operating with this theatrical vocal riding atop a simple groove, a la the majority of classic bedroom pop. But, at the one minute mark, the beat drops in and the song begins to swell and blossom; it ends up fading back out through the song’s latter half, but that hook, however brief, really drove this song into my subconscious…like a bedroom version of Jens Lekman or something.

Dumb Return with Club Nites

Leave a comment

When Dumb released Seeing Green last year, I blasted that record plenty; it was spastic and fun, yet filled with just enough hooks to satiate a pop nerd like myself. Today the band announce Club Nites, a new collection of tunes, though stylistically, it seems quite similar. It’s got that sort of wonky punk progression, bordering on being just a bit nerdy why keeping the listener a bit off balance. The vocals get delivered with this matter-of-fact spoken word, taking on the style popularized by art-school punkers of late. But, just as I thought I had it all figured out, the track spins and sputters with this angular tailspin that gets out of control before the band bring things right back to order. Club Nites will be out June 7th via Mint Records.

1 … 644 645 646 647 648 … 1,520
Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com