Category: News

Stream Living in Disguise from Flower Graves

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Admittedly, I was all in with the reemergence of psych rock that came with things like Levitation and the like. But, after a few years, it got kind of boring; it felt like everyone was recycling the same bits and pieces, and I just grew weary of listening to the same song over and over. Fast forward to now, and there’s this new LP from the Flower Graves. It was presented to me as two halves of an LP; sure, there are song breaks, but the presentation really let me immerse myself within the album’s confines…which is how I fell in love with it. You can find the stereotypical psych tropes, like fuzzed out riffs and smokey guitar noodling, but peak beneath the songs and you’ll find this striking pop sensibility. “Living in Disguise,” for instance, definitely employs a stronger sense of melody than one typically finds, leaning almost towards dreamy pop realms. I’m partial to Side B’s “Plastic Orange;” it feels like a pop hot air balloon just slowly descends atop the whole LP, which, in turn, sets you up for the heavy riffs of “Night Byrd.” The whole Living in Disguise LP is a journey, but one easily worth your time today; the album drops Friday via Wallflower Records.

Poppel Announce Make Sense

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Having formed in 2016, Belgium’s Poppel don’t seem to have slowed down on the writing process; they just released Hit It last year, and already they’re back with another collection of endearing songs. This playful new video comes with the announcement of Make Sense, the band’s second long-player. The video’s personality almost seems to impact the listening experience, with those jangling guitars offering up the appropriate amount of exuberance. Still, stylistically, you can sense a hint of dreaminess oozing through this track, which perhaps finds the band treading that Real Estate territory that makes the kids swoon. You can grab the new album on September 20th from Meritorio Records.

Bopping B-Boys Track

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Late yesterday, B-Boys dropped another tune from their forthcoming Dudu LP, which is now only a few weeks away from release. But, while their previous singles this go-round have been these short punchy jaunts, this new number stretches beyond the four minute mark. Interestingly, it still holds onto the same propulsive art-punk vibe with sort of indifferent spoken-word delivery; it does differ with touches more of instrumental work where the band are able to flex their muscles, only building tension in their songwriting for the emotional release of the listener. It’s supposed to offer up a bit of respite from the “instant pace” in everything we do, which perhaps is why the band have chosen to sit back and let you explore this track a little more. Dudu drops via Captured Tracks on July 26th.

Lovely New Song From Campfires

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It’s been quite some time since I last posted on Jeff Walls and his Portland based project known as Campfires. Focusing mostly on recording and spotty touring over the last few years, Walls is returning this year with a new album called Fare Trax coming out on August 30th via Fire Talk. As a preview of the new material, we are happy to share the very first single entitled “I’ll Go Home”. Leaving behind some of the grit pop from earlier releases, this new material features a more washed out sound with some small hints of twangy, country guitars. It seems like a perfect evolution for an ever evolving artist.

Mal Blum Shares See Me

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Great pop rock comes few and far between, but it definitely seems like a lot of it has been coming from Mal Blum in the last few months, building anticipation for the release of Pity Boy. It’s a pretty classic formula with verse chorus verse etc, but dammit if this chorus won’t get stuck in your head all day long; I love the infectiousness that begs for a sing-a-long in the live set. The subject matter seems deals with the narrator feeling invisible, which could relate to Mal Blum or not; I’m sure we’ve all felt that way at times, unfortunately. Jus another reason to connect to Pity Boy; it drops Friday via Don Giovanni.

Welcome Back Tincho

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Having been some three years since I last heard from Seattle based Tincho, I was excited when they sent me some new music a few days ago. The new song, “I Got Home Today”, features a fairly straightforward tack on indie rock with chill guitars, quiet vocals, and a nicely executed progression. Think Beach Fossils if some of that washed out, shoegaze effect was lost and replaced with a cleaner, bright sound. It’s good stuff.

Tincho will be releasing a debut album sometime later this year. Stay tuned.

 

New Strange Ranger Tune

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This new Strange Ranger tune has a lot of people’s interest at the moment, with the band poised for big things when they drop Remembering the Rockets here in a few weeks. On their latest single, we get to here keyboardist Fiona Woodman take the lead, which, for my two cents, creates sort of a new texture for the band’s sound. The background has this almost post-rock feel to it, blending into a sort dream pop piece once Woodman’s voice enters the picture. Tucked into the whole of the album, it gives you sort of this early reflective piece, allowing you to completely give into the album’s emotional appeal. The LP drops on July 26th via Tiny Engines.

Neutrals Drop Video for Hate the Summer of Love

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Last week while you were celebrating America, I was celebrating the great music to come our way in 2019. One of the albums at the top of my list was Kebab Disco by Neutrals. Today, they’ve shared a video for one of the album’s standout hits, so I feel like you should enjoy it, if only for another reference point on as to why you need this LP. The opening moments are owned by that bass line, brooding and bopping before the guitar jumps in to sort of skirt and dance around it. There’s this disaffected youth vibe to the track, which is perhaps why I adore it so much…something youthful and rebellious…I’m grasping at straws in my old age. Regardless, if you like the song, buy the album from Emotional Response.

Gotta Check Out This New Party Hardly

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Leeds based outfit Party Hardly has received several mentions on our site in the past and we’ve grown to love the efforts by the up and comers. Today the band is sharing a new single with the masses called “Rats in the Kitchen” and we are already feeling it. This one is going to be for fans of guitar driven, punk themed guitar rock complete with heavy bass and perfectly executed drum timings. Chalk this up as another hit for our UK friends.

This song will appear on a new EP entitled Modern Strife is Snobbish coming on July 26th.

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Azure Blue Shares Video for the Rose

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I don’t really need too much of a reason to shed light on the genius that is Azure Blue, but, since I’ve really enjoyed Images of You (not to mention all the previous releases), it only makes sense to share this video from the album. I think one of the biggest joys of this song is that Tobias’ voice is really the focal point on this number…which is one of a handful of slow tunes on the latest LP. But, that’s important because it’s so easy to get lost in the hook-laden pulse of electronica he’s crafted, yet when peeled away, it’s clear that it’s his voice that has always carried the melody. Plus, it’s the perfect bookend to another brilliant release; it’s available now via Hyrbis/Matinee Recordings.

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