Category: News

Houses of Heaven Share Strange Temptation

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Last time we were out jamming to Houses of Heaven they offered up the dark club hit “Deserve,” but as we dive in deeper with another single, they’re not afraid to hit things a little harder in the electronic realm. I love the pulsating rhythmic beat of this tune, though it definitely carries a sharper industrial edge than we had on that last hit. Even the vocal work feels a bit more strained, a bit more aggressive in its presentation…and, of course, I don’t mind that one single bit. When you hit the chorus, or what seems as it it fits that role, there’s this murky pop underbelly, though it gets shielded by the wash and the pulsing synth notes. This whole record is starting to feel like one great dark pop journey, and I’m totally here for it. They’ll be releasing Within/Without on April 26th via Felte.

Lunchbox Share I’m Yours, You’re Mine Single

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We’ve already been gifted the opening track from the new Lunchbox LP, and the band follow it up appropriately with the album’s second track. This track displays the true power of pop, as the tune works efficiently with a stomp and clanging tambourines; the vocals are delivered in this matching moment that seeks to meet up with the march. Still, further success lays in the chorus, hinting at a slightly more melodious moment, then it gets buoyed by some additional horn arrangements. Catchy and cool, you’re going to want to dip your toes in the proverbial pop waters below; Slumberland Records will release Pop and Circumstance on May 10th.

Babehoven Share Ella’s From Somewhere Else

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Admittedly, I’ve been in more of a rocking mood the last few years, but there’s something in this season that’s really made me yearn for music just like Babehoven crafted for their new record. For instance, they offer up this new single with little more than a forlorn bit of strumming, setting up the calmed brood of the vocals. Just as you think the tune will settle in under the blankets with you, the percussion kicks in, bringing just a bit more spirit to the tune, though it never loses that initial intimacy. Sounds continue to fill in from behind, continually building and at that point, you’re caught, drifting away on the tail of the song. Really excited for Water’s Here In You, dropping on April 26th.

+/- Announce Further Afield LP

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It’s been a few years since we last heard from +/-, so excited to see that they’ve got a new record on the horizon for the end of May. I easily got caught up in that weird distant spring sound, then fell in love when the drums started snapping at the pace. When the vocals come in, riding the up and down of tones, I found myself diving right into the track. Still, they weren’t done, throwing in an energetic bit of jangling guitars to flesh out the sound; it’s crazy how a song can sound so full and employ such sparse sonics simultaneously…then again, that’s the mastery of the craft. Further Afield is out on May 31st via Ernest Jenning Record Co.

Gabriel Birnbaum Announces Patron Saint of Tireless Losers

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Good things come to those who wait, or at least that’s the camp I’m in when it comes to news of Gabriel Birnbaum‘s new LP, five years after releasing the excellent Not Alone. I first came to appreciate Birnbaum as a songwriter with Wilder Maker, and he’s only grown in his approach. When recording the new album, he kept the demos to himself, bringing them to the musicians he was recording with so as to flesh the song’s out together. That sort of organic nature is definitely apparent on the single, with a liveliness bleeding through the recording when it comes to the arrangements; it feels almost as if you’re right there as they’re jamming out. His new album has found a home on Western Vinyl, who release Patron Saint of Tireless Losers on June 28th.

Jess Locke Shares Rocket to Ride

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If like me, you’re looking out your window, seeing the Earth brandish a vibrant green, then perhaps you’re also seeking something offering a straight ahead rock jam, like this new Jess Locke tune. The Melbourne songwriter isn’t too far off from the likes of the Beths, building these huge distorted riffs that rattle the cones on your speakers; there’s just this honest blast of joy that immediately comes through as you turn the knob to the right. And, speaking of honesty, there’s something in the vocal portrayal that has that same earnestness you might have found in a young Jenny Lewis back in the day. If you’re into it, Jess is releasing Real Life on May 3rd via Dot Dash/Remote Control.

Check Out This New Grocer Tune

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Ever have one of those tracks that just finds its way under your skin, no matter your expectations? Well, this new Grocer tune definitely found its way into my brain, and now I’m hoping it finds a landing place on your side of the speakers. There’s something powerful in the way the vocals are delivered, almost like a roller-coaster, rolling up then down then up then down. Expertly crafted, the song feels really open at the beginning, with lots of sonic space left behind the vocals, so they’re able to create that emotional pull. But, then you hit the latter half and they jump on the gas and let the song rip. Give it a whirl and enjoy. Grocer release Bless Me on April 19th via Grind Select.

La Luz Shares Poppies

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I’ve always enjoyed the work of La Luz, though admittedly I hadn’t given too much attention to their forthcoming record (I can only listen to so much music!). But, when I played “Poppies,” there was something truly majestic in Shana Cleveland’s vocal performance; I love how it begins slightly romantic, then rolls into something a bit more smoky and billowing. The song itself plays like a more transcendent brand of psychedelia, offering up a bit more hope in a sense, which works thematically as Cleveland says the song occupies “a sense of rebirth” after entering the world again following her cancer diagnosis and “trying to make sense of it all.” Definitely am more focused on New of the Universe, which drops on May 24th via Sub Pop.

Oh Boland Announces Western Leisure

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Slow day on the scene as of late, but wouldn’t you know it, Meritorio Records had something up their sleeve just for us: Oh Boland. The Irish outfit has just announced their latest LP, Western Leisure, filling our ears with this joyous barroom rock n’ roll. For my two cents, its not too far away from what Paul Westerberg wanted, taking this sort of rock-steady guitar sound and infusing it with a bit more punch and twang. At times, you’ll find it hard to ignore the sheer exuberance from the boisterous gang vocals that seem to celebrate life. Here’s your chance to turn it up and just have some fun; Western Leisure is out on May 31st.

Red Sleeping Beauty Add Another Single

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Swedish pop outfit Red Sleeping Beauty have been working in 2024 with a single a month, and today, we can hear the latest installment in that project. This one is by far the shortest, though as Tony Molina fan, who am I to argue that you can’t capture the listener with brevity. You mostly get a light bit of strum and the warmth of vocals; then the tune gets a little percussion and a wash of twinkling synths, carefully finishing off this puzzle piece. An interesting plot twist to their work thus far in 2024, so we’ll check back in with them on May 1st!

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