Though it may be understandable if you haven’t heard of Manchester risers Mewn prior to today, I think they’ll be on your radar after you check out this new single “Two Days”. It has this sort of melodic emotional vibe similar to The National but with this tiny hint of pop playfulness to make it even more engaging and memorable. It progresses quite nicely.
Mewn will be releasing this tune on a new EP due out sometime later this summer. In the meantime, enjoy “Two Day” below.
Washington D.C. based band Flasher is a local favorite around these parts and we’ve been entuned to the group since their debut album Constant Image dropped in 2018. With so much love and hype from us, you can bet we all added this new tune “Love is Yours” to our best of 2022 playlists after just a few listens today. It’s an upbeat, indie pop inspired tune with a downright sick baseline to boot. All of us in the ATH offices are glad to have this band back and can’t wait to hear more from the upcoming LP.
New album Love is Yours will be released on June 17th via Domino.
For those of you who listen to me talk music on the regular, you know I’ve been on a deep dive over the last few years into soul and R&B music with a major focus on Memphis and the surrounding musical hot beds in the South. To be straight and totally honest, Elizabeth King is not a name I was familiar with prior to today. Maybe her musical history has something to do with my unfamiliarity as her recording career lasted only from 1970-1973 as lead vocalist for Elizabeth King & the Gospel Souls who only had one true physical release (that I can find). After a brief recording career in the 70s, King retired from recording and performing live to pursue raising a family and singing in her local church. Nearly 50 years later, King and her powerful, gospel inspired voice has returned to making music and my inner soul enthusiast couldn’t be more excited.
Bristol based band Pet Shimmers took the ATH offices by storm back in 2020 and we’ve been eagerly awaiting some new music ever since. This Spring our patience has been rewarded with news of a new 7″ featuring this new track called “Sonder”. The tune has those familiar fuzzy pop notes we love from Pet Shimmers, but also maybe a touch more of a pop element and a beautiful song progression. This band is surely on a path to stardom.
This tune will be featured on a 7″ single coming out on June 16th digitally and July 17th on vinyl. Pre-orders are live now.
My apologies for my lack of musical postings over the last few days/weeks though my pal Lankford has held down the fort as he usually does. I’m back today with this shoegazy as hell tune called “Closer II” from Chicago based indie legends Gentle Heat. For those familiar with the band, you may notice a slight change in the vocals with the addition of keyboardist and accompanying singer Sarah Clausen. I am loving how her vocals provide this sort of eerily harmonizing effect that sort of fades and melds into the fronting vocals of David Algrim. Be warned, the track may start a tad slow, but it certainly picks up.
Gentle Heat will release new album Sheer, featuring this new tune, on May 13th.
Neighbor Lady is one of those rare bands who first hit me with a beast of a single (“Let it Bleed”) and I immediately became a huge fan. This was back in 2018, and the band has been busy ever since releasing the album Maybe Later in 2020 and also touring with a stop here in March during SXSW. This year the group has a follow up planned with a brand new LP entitled For the Birds coming on July 1st via Park the Van Records. Prior to the summer release date, the band has offered up this bright and poppy new tune called “Felt”, which still has that lovely twang in the vocals of Emily Braden but with a band filling out their sound with lush layers and textures.
On a day that more resembles a cloudy and windy day in the UK than our actual home of Austin, it seems like a fitting day to share a tune from Leeds based outfit English Teacher. This new tune “Mental Maths” features a sort of frantic, almost sloppy yet beat driven sound with some really timely and engaging vocals. All Leeds aren’t we!English Teacher will be releasing this track on their upcoming debut EP entitled Polyawkward due out on April 22nd via Nice Swan Records.
As I’m sure many of you know, Jenn Wasner is a long time favorite around the ATH offices with her years spent fronting Wye Oak and also in her side project Flock of Dimes. Her release last year, Head of Roses, was high on my list of top albums from 2021 and I’m sure some tracks snuck into DJ nights in the Spring. With such a stellar release, Wasner surely had a ton of material in the bank so it comes as no surprise to see her putting out an album of unreleased gems, bootlegs, and live recordings. Head of Roses: Phantom Limb will see a digital release on April 15th and features this stunning new track called “It Just Goes On”. Wasner’s voice is still one of the strongest and most enchanting in the music world today.
Matthew Field is a London by way of Cape Town songwriter who really gained some positive press with the release of his debut EP M Field last September. His playful take on indie pop music truly delighted fans and gave a sense of hope that maybe the genre could still turn from big pop stars being labeled “indie”. If you’ve yet to hear his music, let his new tune “Hyenas” serve as an introduction and I promise you’ll ears will be happy. Enjoy and give a shout to M Field on IG.
Well it is nearly time people, we have but one week left before things get a little nuts here in Austin and SXSW gets underway. Make sure you’ve stocked your fridge with the essentials and finalized any travel plans if you are visiting us from out of town. It will be a crazy week and you don’t want to lose time by not being prepared. With one week to go, we still have a few of our SXSW interviews to share with you all. Today I am pleased to share this one with Irish artist Sinead O’Brien. Hit the jump for full interview.
Though it may be understandable if you haven’t heard of Manchester risers Mewn prior to today, I think they’ll be on your radar after you check out this new single “Two Days”. It has this sort of melodic emotional vibe similar to The National but with this tiny hint of pop playfulness to make it even more engaging and memorable. It progresses quite nicely.
