Category: News

Yea-Ming Covers The Velvet Underground

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If you were fortunate enough to attend the Oakland Weekender in 2024, you might have picked up the tape that featured Yea-Ming Chen‘s cover of “Pale Blue Eyes.” But, while working on the next album (‘rumors’ have it slated for a 2026 release0, Yea-Ming wanted to make sure she got this Velvet Underground cover out into the world. I love how her vocal resonance sounds similar to Lou Reed’s, slightly smoky in its presentation, though clearly grasping to pop sentimentality. Chen recorded the majority of the song herself, so a lot of the VU excess is gone, leaving you a bare-bones version that’s equally as stunning in its own right, with Yea-Ming admitting she embraced some of the imperfections in the recording as a way of connecting with Reed’s spirit. Stream it now below!

Artificial Go Play Musical Chairs

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We get a lot of emails, and I have a strange way of listening to the lot; I open 20+ tabs and just bounce back and forth between them to see what sticks in my brain…but then there was this Artificial Go track that just kept coming on and on again, and I couldn’t stop playing it. Going back to the email of the tune, it was talking about C86 and Sarah, but the more I played it, the more something felt very Raincoats-ish. It’s got that same sort of punk sentiment, using sharp guitar sounds to crank out melodies with a snappy little drum kicking right behind to maximize the hook. Then, soak up the vocals; they’re joyous and bouncy, except when they’re not, and they hit a sharper attitude, all throwing caution to the wind and bounding forward with exuberance. Their new record Musical Chairs will be out on May 16th via Feel It Records.

Little Mazarn Announces Mustang Island

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Since their earliest EP back in 2016, Little Mazarn has felt like a great secret within the confines of the Austin music scene; they are the artists’ artists; they are a band with an unparalleled musicianship…and now, they’re stretching their sound beyond ‘the gate’ of their own sound. On this first single from their forthcoming LP, the group have almost entirely erased their folk traditionalism (thought faint hints remain) in favor of embracing the expanse of the world as a whole, allowing this to work almost more as a vocal piece. It leaves the lyrical content front and center, and in the case of this song, touching upon the concept of grief and how one deals with its omnipresence. Honestly, this feels like Little Mazarn taking their sound and moving it into territory previously occupied by Low. Mustang Island is out on June 20th via Dear Life Records.

The Perfect English Weather Share London-By-The-Sea

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For me, Tuesday’s are always the struggle (I’m a Monday kind of guy!). So, with that, this velvety bit of jangling pop from the Perfect English Weather is the perfect salve for my morning grumpiness. According to the notes, the tune was penned after the band reflected upon a chance meeting with Morrissey back in 1984, and in that, our narrator seems to question is it possible to still love the person he has become (or that’s how I see it). If that’s the case, it’s a quite biting tribute, but disguised in this chamber pop fever dream that seems perfectly suited for a cafe in London-by-the-Sea. The group will be releasing their first album in seven years, Just Beyond the Lights, will be out this May via Matinee Recordings.

Pleased to Meet You: Sister Ray Davies

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Monday is a day to look back reflectively, then imagine where you’ll go in the week that lies ahead. In today’s case, we’re met by new group from Muscle Shoals, Alabama named Sister Ray Davies; they’re definitely crafting a new sound for the region, picking up on the usage of space and ambiance to create modern guitar pop. This single below has been out for a minute (last October), but now they’ve gone and recorded a live version to accommodate the single. The sound billows, and the physical space of the band members is reflective of the way that the sound floats and flutters, shifting before your ears. Hoping we’ll hear more from them as the year unfolds.

The Electorate Return with the Great Divide

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Having played in the Aussie music scene for some time, the mates in The Electorate are coming at us with a professionalism that, honestly, we just don’t get that often nowadays. The arrangement boldly builds, only to pull back so that the lyrics can join in, moving towards that sweeping jangle I adore. Light little bits of accented vocals give emphasis to the main mix, creating this budding heaviness that washes over the listener as the song seems to spin into sonic territory that borders on shattering all the pop sensibility they’ve built up. Yet, the restraint and production are such that they never seem to step out of line, making their new album, By Design, seem like a forthcoming highlight of our year; it drops on May 30th.

Softie’s Kiss Kiss Kiss Video

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Last week was a busy one around these parts, you know, with administering state tests to kids and what not. But, in all that, I drastically regret not posting the latest from Oakland’s Softie. The project has been bubbling about for a few years as the recording work of Nicholas Coleman, and now all the pieces are together for a new EP. One of my favorite pieces about this first listen is how the track seems to operate with two divergent narratives, one fueled by the shredding of noisy guitars and the other a sugary sweetness that operates as the central melody. Somehow, it all swirls and tumbles, converging into one blissed out blast of noisy pop. The visuals also manage to provide some added magic, warping the screen just as your brain tries to adjust to it all. Look for the Somersault EP on May 9th via Cherub Dream Records.

Last Week’s Jams (4.7 – 4.11)

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We covered a shit load of great music last week, and as is likely to happen, we’re a bit all over the place, sonically. There’s definitely a fair share of punk-ish stuff like The Golden Toad and Second Act, but some classic pop acts of days of old have returned. I mean, can we give a shout out for Comet Gain and Brideshead both announcing brand new albums? I premiered a brand new track from Gentle Leader XIV, and RayRay continued with our undying love of new Night Beats. Plus, you can’t go wrong with new Austin stuff from French Film (not streaming) and Mobley, so bopping there as well. Just find a favorite, as you’re bound to find something joyful.

Night Beats Release New 7″

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Last month we hit you with a new track called “Behind the Green Door” from our pal Danny Lee Blackwell under his recording moniker Night Beats. Well today the track sees a full release as part of a limited 7″ vinyl pressing from Suicide Squeeze. Both the original song previously shared, and a new version are streamable on Bandcamp with purchase options for both digital and for the exclusive vinyl release. But wait, there’s more! Danny was also kind enough to offer some insight into his creative process and how this track came about. Hit the jump for his words, which just might offer you some personal inspiration.

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Eric Schroeder Shares High Low Video

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This song from Eric Schroeder was pitched to me as “the greatest hook that Evan Dando never wrote,” and it’ll take you just a few moments to jump right on board with me here. Instantly the guitar sound had me, only furthered when the galloping drums and light piano play join up to drive the song into your brain before Eric even enters the fray. His dulcet tones add a sense of striking calm, with the guitars embracing a deeper tone, albeit one tinged with bits of Western swing nuance. If you’re digging on his sounds, swing on by and listen to his new record, Cat’s Game!

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