Category: News

Don’t Worry Drop This Time Single

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Something in the water has allowed the folks in the UK to seamlessly blend pop punk and emo into this new anthemic sound, and there’s no one doing it better than Don’t Worry this week. Their latest single off their new Idealism LP begins with this chugging guitar; it’s got a heavy riff that drives the energy, forcing the drums to justly emphasize every hit. The verses get delivered in a matter of fact manner, striding in their own fashion, almost working against the pace, but that’s what sets the chorus up for brilliance. The punchy switch from the velvety voice to an anthemic growl of self-reclamation has me singing at the top of my lungs. Specialist Subject Records will drop Idealism on July 18th!

Star Moles Shares Fate Single

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I am an absolute lover of incredible voices, and today, I continue to indulge and marvel at the work of Star Moles, the project of Emily Moales. Beginning with a light strum and a bit of bard-esque storytelling, the quickly takes off from the light strum, twirling the listener around in this striking melody. Careful little notes on the tune give it a spiritual lift, though as it spun me about, I kept coming back to the Emily’s voice and its magical draw; it reminds me of Quinnisa from Big Blood. If you’re looking to completely obsess over an artist that wasn’t on your radar, you might want to go down the rabbit hole of Star Moles’ Bandcamp; the new album Snack Monster is out on August 8th via Earth Libraries.

The Mary Onettes Drop Two New Singles

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This past Spring, the Mary Onettes quietly dropped a stellar single for our ears, the first hint that 2025 might offer the Swedish outfit a welcome return. Today, we get further insight into their plans, as they’ve delivered two fresh singles, with the promise of more coming from the group in 2025. The first of the two tunes, “Hurricane Heart” reaches back to their self-titled LP, particularly in the cavernous feel of the vocals; I love the quick strum of the guitar that works in the song’s backdrop, akin to something you’d hear on a Go-Betweens track…just spun in a dreamier space. They do switch to some loftier tones in the vocals as it progresses, so it’s nice to hear plot twists being used to illustrate how far they’ve come as a band. On the other new single, they enlist Maja Milner of Makthaverskan on vocals to balance out the emotion; it’s a nice addition on a track that brims with a new energy. You might not have heard such adventure in their earlier works, but it seems like they’ve really come together to craft something supremely refreshing. This is the band at their finest, and I cannot wait until we get our hands on more new music!

Nation of Language are Not Ready for the Change

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After getting to see the new jam “Inept Apollo” live at their Kilby Bock Party aftershow and then in video format, we have another new song and video from Nation of Language. “I’m Not Ready for the Change” takes us on the most shoegaze bend the band has taken. There is a twelve-string guitar providing that hypnotic shimmer while vocals are layered throughout the track. From what has been shared so far, Dance Called Memory (due in mid-September) will have a few curves thrown in as they expand on the formula that we all know love.

New Music from Cass McCombs

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I feel like Cass McCombs is an artist I consistently take for granted, though I’ll admit to owning several pieces of his work; he seems to pop up in the quiet times in the industry and just deliver these powerhouse ballads. For instance today, he dropped a track with a steady little strum driving the track forward; there’s a snappy rhythm section behind it too, giving energy to the tune while the vocals would seem to be floating in the outer realms. He also has these tonal vocal switches that remind me of the magic of Sufjan, taking a kind of calm delivery and turning into something more ethereal. But, don’t ignore the nuance in the tune, as that’s what makes Cass’ work special; there was this cymbal build I heard that I thought was going to smash through the roof, only to get pulled back. Looking forward to hearing Interior Live Oak, out in August via Domino.

Nansy Return with In Your Eyes

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Now that we’ve gotten some rock n’ roll out into the world, let’s focus on the softer side of my heart, like this tune from the recent reunited Nansy. The Oslo band was an indiepop go-to in the early 00s, but walked away until this last week; their new single embraces the early charms whilst bringing it right up to speed with the modern sound. I’ll be honest, however, as the vocals are what swept me away, not that the music doesn’t have its own magic, but the way it switches from the calmed delivery into this more pronounced pop spin got right under my skin. Hats off to the arrangement as well, as there’s a great bit of depth that will surely reward your repeat listens.

Telamor Share Feed the Machine

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This track from Telamor popped up while I was out on the road with family vacation, and I’m cranking it up in hopes you’ll do the same. There’s a sort of old school rock n’ roll vibe to this, perhaps of the sort that borders early days of punk rock…thinking of the Dolls and such. It’s got that steady chug, but with it, just a hint of glammy swagger…all of it wrapped up in a tight little ball to deliver an apt message. The song begs you to stop taking those licks, stop letting the machine control you…we can push back and with enough tunes like this, take over the machine!

Circling Back on Smug Brothers

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Try as I might, it simply isn’t possible to dive into every single piece of music sent my way, but I’ve found some time to go back to Smug Brother‘s latest LP. They’ve got some sonic connections to other Ohio acts, which you’ll hear, but if you listen to the tune below, what I’m really appreciating is the clarity and pop-forward focus. Guitars have that crystalline twist to them, but everything else is screaming for melody; the band don’t hold you back here either, jumping feet first into the power-pop pools of glory. If you’re digging on this, join me in circling back to Stuck on Beta, out now via Anyway Records.

Repeat Return with Nothing New

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While Sweden is a beautiful land of pop tunes in my brain, it’s nice to hear a band like Repeat who are bringing a bit of a growl to the scene. The group have previously caught our ears with “Celebrate,” but this new jam is one I’ve been cranking up nice and loud; it’s got riffs that rip right through your house, jagged and snarling in the best possible way. The vocals have that same desire to claw at your eardrums, though they do so with the faintest hint of this earnestness that I can’t escape; they’re both pop-centric and yet angry enough to keep an old punk like me caring. They’ll have a new EP ready for us in no time, or so I’m told!

Last Week’s Jams (6.9 – 6.13)

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I might have cut last week short by taking off Friday in its entirety, as I was hanging in New Orleans with my wife and kids…but I’m pretty sure we packed a fair amount of jams into a short four day work week here. It was good to see my old friends in Other Lives back at it with new music, and offering up an orchestral pop number that’s focused and brief. We featured a couple of great premieres from Forever Star and Dancer, so you can circle back and get hitched onto those two bonkers tunes. Plus, good to see Quin Galavis hitting peak form with a new Living Set tune, so dabble all over and you’ll be able to love a little of it all.

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