Category: News

Chris Staples Releases A Cold New York Morning

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There are few artists who really can craft something emotionally moving in the most simplistic form, but Chris Staples feels like one such songwriter. His voice has that familiarity, akin to Sam Beam, and it pulls at you, begging you to be part of something greater than yourself. It’s offered up with a light guitar, occasionally layered with another behind to build in some extra depth. Those little nuances are perfectly placed in the arrangement, maximizing every little emotional pull, like the synth notes in the middle. Honestly, it reminds me of a young college Nathan listening to Pedro in my dorm room, and I don’t mind that one bit. His new album Don’t Worry will be perfect for those seeking musical solace; it drops on August 5th.

The Cords Announce Debut Record

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It looks like I’ll be giving all my money this year to Slumberland/Skep Wax, as the two powerhouse labels have announced another joint release that I’m surely picking up. Today, the Cords have announced their debut self-titled album, and the new single picks up on all the promise they’ve displayed in the handful of singles that have popped up over the last couple of years. It’s an energetic rush of jangling guitars and steadfast drumming, snappy in the right spots while your cup is brimming with the melodic hooks on the vocal front. There is an innocence that pervades this tune, something that just allows you to lift your head above the foggy clouds of the sad world we live in, and for a moment, catch your breath and relish the joy in the simple things. Really looking forward to the entirety of their debut; it drops on September 26th.

Superchunk Share Stuck in a Dream

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With their much anticipated new record just a few weeks away now, Superchunk have dropped what’s likely to be their last single from Songs in the Key of Yikes. This one comes out swinging from the get-go, running right at you with huge riffs and the most magnificent chorus you’ll be singing at all their shows. They even tease us with a little stuttering breakdown just after the one minute mark, right before jaunting off to some solo guitar flair to put their musicianship on display. Be ready to scream “I’ve been stuck in this dream all night,” when the record drops on August 22nd via Merge.

Cate Le Bon Shares Is It Worth It (Happy Birthday)

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Whether you want to believe me or not, Cate Le Bon is a once in a lifetime artist, as evidenced by her continual evolution; she reminds me a lot of Bowie, shapeshifting between album cycles whilst guiding others in their own studio endeavors. On her latest single there’s this synthetic haze that washes over the entirety of the tune, giving this heavy buzz in a melodic fashion. It’s a pretty vocal forward track, even with the heavy piano and synths; there are some heavier vocal tones accented by these playful little run up the scales that I absolutely adore. Her new album, Michelangelo Dying will be out September 26th via Mexican Summer.

Bee Bee Sea Drop It’s All About the Music

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It’s three songs, or, well, it’s one song, played three different ways. This is the new release from Italian rockers Bee Bee Sea, dropping a fresh little scuzzy EP for you to crank up as we await the announcement of their new album. The focus track encompasses the band’s blend of garage rock aesthetics and bounding rhythms; they explode with infectiousness each time they hit that chorus, turning it into pure pop as the track spins to a control. I love how they’re music is seemingly sing-along ready, yet something in it gives it just enough to tether it to a more punk vibe, like in the “Fast” version on this new EP. Stream the OG version below!

Bitchin Bajas Announce Inland See

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When I first saw the title of the new Bitchin Bajas single, I was certainly intrigued, as the title is one of my favorite Horace Andy tracks. As the quiet opens up and textures are layer, there’s an electronic pulse that feels a bit like that stuttering skank guitar; I will admit that I almost thought it was guitar, forcing me to dive in really deep into the tune. There’s little bits of woodwind floating atop, with synthetic lines zigging and zagging, all of it sort of creating this dense soundscape that feels like a futuristic dub record. If this is any sign of things to come, Inland See will be out on September 26th via Drag City.

Gregor Announces Milk Thistle Salmon Blush

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Australian artist Gregor has been a regular fixture on our site over the years; he’s released several albums through Chapter Music, but now goes out on his own for the forthcoming Milk Thistle Salmon Blush. As a songwriter, Gregor has mastered the balance between poetry and sound, as his arrangements often times feel like cinematic pieces, crafted to perfectly support the spoken word, as you’ll hear here. This tune has this futuristic pulse, and while it begins slowly, the tune opens up with a more rhythmic sample that begins to create a natural feeling of movement. His goal seems to be commentary on the mixture of the future with our own self-reflection, so keep an eye out for more as we inch towards the October release of the new record.

Linda Smith to Split 7″ with The Smashing Times

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You likely are already aware of our affection for The Smashing Times, but just last week the Baltimore bunch announced a new 7″ with one of their local mates, Linda Smith. When listening to the first single to leak out from the new project, you can hear the bedroom pop majesty from Smith; her song moves at the perfect pace, almost letting the vocals walk atop these grand keyboard/synth samples. That pacing combined with the nature of the vocals allows the listener to slink into the tune itself, while there’s this mysterious nature too, really drawing me deep into the synthetic texture. Looking forward to hearing the whole split EP, which comes out on August 14th via Upset the Rhythm.

Malena Zavala Preps Melt EP

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Been a couple of years since we’ve heard from Malena Zavala, and the gentleness of her latest single seems the perfect way to officially open up the listening experience of the week. The ornate nature of the meandering guitar notes creates this vastness that perhaps seems empty if it weren’t for the vocals. But, the vocals are there, often as ambient notes floating to fill the aforementioned space, at other times they embrace this lightness that borders on playfulness, cresting and falling atop of the guitar strums; Zavala can also retreat with her voice, pulling back and creating this intimacy where it feels as if the music only exists between she and the listener. This is the title track from the forthcoming Melt EP.

Last Week’s Jams (7.14 – 7.18)

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Felt like a pretty busy week all in all; there were lots of big album news leaking out, and we tried to cover the ones we love, like new Living Hour and Telephone Numbers…and I had to squeeze in that new Blood Orange. Tons of new stuff has been coming out of Austin too, like new stuff from Dress Warm, Living Pins, Chronophage and Ingebrigt Haker Flatten (do we still get to claim San Gabriel?). Winter and TAGABOW continued with their run of solid singles, as did Wombo, so there’s a whole lot of stuff for you to sound your way through below. Bummed that new Bats tune I posted isn’t up on the DSPs.

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