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There’s really only one show you NEED to go to. That’s the Ramesh album release over at the Belmont, which kicks off at 7 PM. I’ll be there, smiling, and hopefully selling LPs. But, for those of you who aren’t into Ramesh, which I completely respect, there’s tons going on tomorrow night, so here’s some places you might want to find yourself. Read more
The press release on this tune read as a melding of Hot Chip and The Dandy Warhols. That was definitely enough to peak my interest in regards to Avid Dancer. This song doesn’t have the immediacy of a HC bounding hook, but I can definitely hear that cool swoon in the bits of vocals. There’s a steadier pacing too, at least until you move your way into the beat-y chorus. I like the infectious attitude, but I also appreciate the restraint; it means longevity in my listening rotation. This tune is the title track from the I Want To See you Dance EP, which comes out on October 21st.
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When I first posted about “Caught in a Dream” the first tune from FF that I heard, I was really taken aback. It had this youthful rock approach, something one might consider a fuck it all approach. But, this time around, the band is showing some diversity, choosing to hold back on the pace, allowing for a bit more delicacy in their playing. This approach is quite different, though I can see how it would sit right alongside their earlier tune in an album setting. Luckily for us, we’ll get to hear just that on their album, Lord; it’s being released by Couple Skate Records on October 21st.
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It seems like it’s been forever since I wrote about North Texas’ Fishboy
, and in fact it has (3 years!). Luckily, they’re readying a brand new album and graphic novel titled An Elephant, and I’m hoping it gets them a little love over the Interwebs. This track has a pretty rocking guitar opening, but it’s the chorus and it’s explosion of pop simplicity that really has me hooked. There’s nothing particularly special in it; it just has a nice little melody. These guys have always played by their own eccentric rules, lyrically and musically, so I have no choice but to appreciate them more and more. Give it a chance; the album comes out on November 18th.
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The more I hear from this new Allo Darlin, the more I swoon. There’s something magic about a perfectly executed indiepop tune, and this one is more than just magic. I love the vocal interplay between male and female, fittingly coming across like friendly banter between lovers. There’s indiepop, then there’s the spectacular, and this track is definitely falling in the latter category. Their new album, We Come From the Same Place, will surely be in your hands on October 7th when it gets a US release by Slumberland Records. That’ll be followed by a nice long US tour too, including an Austin date at the Mohawk.
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It would make sense that the founding members of the Men are going to gain interest with their new project, Dream Police. After all, the Men have had a pretty solid run, though there founders are stepping away a bit from the sound we’ve seen them offer up over the last few years. The guitar work isn’t too far off, though there’s more of an 80s snarl to the vocals. That makes sense though, as DP have a bit of darkened nostalgia swirling around their new project. I’m not in love just yet, but we’ll see what happens when Hypnotized hits the streets on November 14th via Sacred Bones.
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This song from Australia’s Pond opened up really slowly, and I was worried I wouldn’t sink my teeth into it, having been a fan of the group’s early work. But, just after the 1 minute mark they turn up the guitars and get into a real swing, steering more in the direction of what I see as an ode to Brit pop, though the psychedelic elements are still faintly present in the song. It’s one of those tracks that you can wrap your head around once you spend some time with it. You’ll have plenty of time when they unleash Man It Feels Like Space Again, which is on its way soon.
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I probably should have written about the Bedhead retrospective box set that includes tons of B-Sides and rarities, like this Stranglers cover below. Bedhead were one of those group’s that I adored, and still listen to from time to time (even going into their New Year era tunes too), though I was never fortunate enough to catch the group live. They always had this intricate touch to their songwriting; it reminded me of the complexity of American Football, but with more of an intimate appeal, as opposed to the art-school approach I felt AF took. This cover is a perfect example of what the band accomplished, and I hope everyone really goes back and revisits the group. Bedhead: 1992-1998 will be released on November 11th via Numero Group, so you’ll need to save some funds to pick up the box set!
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Those of you who have a punk rock leaning, or even a power-pop bone surely have nice things to day about Buzzcocks. Well, they’re back with their 9th studio album, and as always, we can be skeptical, but let the song speak for itself. I mean, what are we to do? Devoto isn’t here (though he was only there for one album), but you still get the meat and potatoes with Pete Shelley. Personally, I like the sound of the guitars here, though I wish there was a bit more pace behind things, especially Pete’s vocals. There’s two cents for you. Save your opinions until we hear the entirety of The Way on November 18th via 1-2-3-4 Go Records.
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You know that B. Gray is going to be upset that I got to this new Superhumanoids track before he did. There’s a huge vocal effect here, but it’s not such a huge issue that you can’t feel the humanity of the vocals themselves. The track pulses and moves forward, and the music sings perfectly constructed around the lyrics, bubbling and popping forth into a groundswell of electro-pop bliss. This is the A-Side to the group’s Flipping Out 7″, which is available from Innovative Leisure.
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