Author: nathan.lankford

Give Unicorns at Heart a Listen

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The end of the year is list time, so new tunes are pushed back, and I’m just out here creeping on the Internet trying to find some gems. That’s how I stumbled upon Unicorns at Heart…a bedroom pop outfit hailing from California. They just dropped a self-titled cassette via Hidden Bay last week, and I can’t stop playing “Stay.” It has this natural softness, almost like an Elliott Smith vibe, wrapped in a more modern guitar sound that fits the dreamier landscape. The whole collection is an intimate affair, allowing you to indulge your pop fancy as you see fit; it’s just you and your speakers and these Unicorns at Heart.

Boyracer Covers the Style Council to Encourage You to Vote

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Tomorrow is the end of the midterm, and everyone is making the final push to get the vote out; Boyracer joined in on the fun by banging out a quick cover of The Style Council’s “Walls Come Tumbling Down.” They collected a bunch of their friends to hold up the lyrics, and you might just see a certain ATH member holding his baby up in the mix. Take a listen to the song, watch the video, get out and vote…if you haven’t already. Please.

All of this is courtesy of Emotional Response Records.

Indigo Bunting Drop Brand New Album

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We were really happy that Indigo Bunting jumped on the Austin music scene, rising from the ashes of our faves Tiger Waves. Over the weekend, they quietly dropped their first L,P Clip Show, and boy are you in for a surprise. Opening track “Circus Circus” sounds just like the title, a collage of pop moments layered atop each other in an organized fashion. The whole album has the group at their most playful, and yet the most contemplative; take a listen to “Celia” for a perfect example on that note. You also won’t want to miss the standout tune, “Solitaire,” which might be one of my favorite tracks to come out of Austin this year! It sounds like Animal Collective just hung out with the Flaming Lips getting weird while listening to Coma Cinema…so you know I think it’s a win.

Rad Tune from Dehd

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Chicago act Dehd have a pretty solid pedigree, but we needn’t focus on that when they’ve got this stunning new track to enjoy. The track really has this sound that seeps into your soul, and I get that that sounds strange, but those guitar chords seem to weave their way into your skin as the vocals take on a heavy solemnity. All the while you feel as if the track is rolling, churning you over and over like a wave crashing upon the shore. Man, this is a serious jam for serious people. Rock it out and have a happy Friday.

Ex-Pooches Members form U.S. Highballs

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I was a huge fan of Scottish power-poppers The Pooches, and while the band is seemingly defunct, U.S. Highballs offer a little solace, albeit in a softer pop version. It’s a fairly simple number with roots in James’ first trip to Japan. The duo work over synthesized percussion, but it’s the feather guitar that I’m drawn to here; it works perfectly with the natural melody created in the vocals. If simple pop songs are your thing, then you’re going to really enjoy the duo’s new Think Again EP, which drops next Friday (11/9) via Lame-O Records.

Stream a Great Pop Album by The Last Detail

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There’s always tons of album streams at the end of a week, so I’d like to point you in a direction that might take you off the beaten path…but only go this road if you’re a fan of soft pop rock. The Last Detail is comprised of Mehdi Zannad and Erin Moran (A Girl Called Eddy), and together they’ve decided to give you a collection of swooning pop songs. Several tracks offer that airy introspection, while others have this understated elegance, like “Lazy.” If you’re looking for a hit, give a listen to “Fun Fair,” though I’ll admit I’m partial to “Talk to Me.” If you dig it, the self-titled LP is available today from Elefant.

Delicate Pop Song from Soft People

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Caleb Nichols claims that the latest single from Soft People came to him via an infectious melody on a long bike ride that he just couldn’t escape. I’d be weary of such a claim if it weren’t for the fact that this song’s melody is precisely what drew me into the band’s newest track. But, the more time I spend with this track, the more I tend to marvel at the fragility of the vocals just before the 1 minute mark, furthering my appreciation. It’s clear to me that the husband-husband duo have this beautiful balance writing together, and here’s to hoping we get more pop tracks like this from the duo; look for this track on a new cassette on their label Sandwich Kingdom.

Guitar Pop Ballad from Soccer Cousins

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If I were to set the scene for you, I’d start by asking you to recall your favorite guitar rock band. Turn the volume down, add a little pop sensibility and you get the brand new Soccer Cousins tune. This isn’t meant to demean the band’s effort, rather to call your attention that your favorite rock gods probably all have a penchant for writing a catchy ballad like the tune below. I like the increased tempo bouncing the song along in the last minute of the track…carrying an infectious nod all the way to the track’s close. The new single is available now, with a promising new EP in the works for next year via Gentle Reminder.

 

New Rose Channels Nostalgic Americana on Poison Tree

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It would be easy to offer up New Rose as Americana revisionists, but in listening to their new single, it almost seems as if they’re revisiting what all those revisionists were revisiting. The coating on the lyrics almost has this wispy crackle to it, as if it’s been worn by years of existence; it works wonderfully with the guitar bending in the distant horizon while cymbals sway through the speakers. It stretches out over 3 and a half minutes, tickling the fancy of all those steeped in the roots of American rock n’ roll; look for the band’s Crying Eyes on November 9th via Broken Circles.

Welcome Back Pedro the Lion

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There are certain paints that just pervade your soul; they sink deep into your humanity and refuse to let you go. Pedro the Lion/David Bazan is one such artist. Almost every album he crafted as Pedro has a certain spot in my own musical evolution, or even in my own personal evolution, thus I’m really excited that he’s revisiting the old name. Immediately he begins to tell the story of Christmas morning in 1981; it’s his lyrical work that’s always made him so accessible, wishing we could all be so poignant in our words. Of course, this is a new version of the project, so you get that full-band sound once the song gets into gear. Maybe people forgot how great Bazan was, but here’s to hoping we all lend him our ears; Phoenix will be out on January 18th via Polyvinyl.

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