Late to the Party: Crumbs

Our friends over at Skep Wax sent us an early listen to Crumbs a few weeks back, but in being up-front, it got buried at the bottom of the emails that I just finally made my way through; I knew it would be good, so I suppose my brain wasn’t in a rush! We’ve got two great tracks you should turn up, with both really having this stomping bit of drum work that’s totally driving my adoration of their sound. That thump gets counteracted by the group’s guitar work, knifing its way in with a sharp twist that guarantees punk sounds will live on here. If Ruth’s vocal performance doesn’t fit the icing on the cake cliche, well, then perhaps you’ve got bad taste. Crumbs will release You’re Just Jealous on May 10th via the aforementioned Skep Wax.

Stream Velcros’ Strange News from the Vault

In incredible things I absolutely dropped the ball on, I’d like to present you the latest LP from German outfit, Velcros. We covered “Troubled Mind,” which was an absolute ripper, hinting at the band’s pop sensibility, blending the styles in a way I hadn’t really heard of late, aside from Salad Boys. In fact, the whole of Strange News from the Vault is filled with these ditties that flirt with being a hard-edged punk brand, whilst being tethered to their pop tendencies. Monday news is always slow, so I wanted to make sure that you had something to crank up to 11; might I suggest jamming out to “Floater,” my favorite on the record.

System Exclusive Share 2 Little 2 Late

If you’d like a little bit of choreography in your synthetic post-punk then you’ve got to press play on the latest track from System Exclusive. I was got carried away in the pulsating groove that opened the tune up, and while that electronic jitterbug can carry the song, it was in the “chorus” where I got really caught up in this tune. You’ll find a slight little slide into a softer realm, with the edges of the keys taking on a softer, sparklier tone that surely will have your head spinning. There’s this confidence in Ari B’s performance on the vocals that makes it impossible to pull yourself away, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same. This tune will pop up on the group’s new album, Click, out on May 17th via Mt. St. Mtn. and Le Cepe Records.

Last Week’s Jams (3.18 – 3.22)

After a week where I felt we left our visitors down, due to some musical gather in Austin, we came back with a vengeance this week. We repped some hometown heroes, announcing that Eastside Suicides would be reissuing their debut, along with a new tune from our friends in Blushing. Perennial site favorites Rural France and Red, Pinks and Purples made their usual appearance with fresh tunes for you. I loved new stuff from Winged Wheel and Yea-Ming and the Rumours. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a bad song in this playlist, which duh, we get to hand-pick what we cover. Press play and enjoy.

Friday Album Streams: Outer World, Rosie Tucker and More

It’s Friday, and while we’ve got several brand new tracks we want you to peep, it’s also the release day of several great records we’ve been looking at and listening to on repeat. You can go back through the site and find the singles, or you can just click on each stream below and enjoy yourself. Remember…please buy the music; that’s why I’ve got the BC links so you can at least donate to the bands/labels that keep rock n’ roll alive.

Outer WorldWho Does the Music Love (HHBTM Records)

Rosie TuckerUtopia Now! (Sentimental Records)

Klaus Johann Grobelo tu il loro (Trouble In Mind Records)

R.E. SeraphinFool’s Mate (Safe Suburban Home)

Smirk Share Bad Behavior Video

I got a press release describing this new Smirk single as a song somewhere between Total Control and Suicide, and I pretty much decided that that’s all I would need to write…I mean, isn’t that enough for you people?! I love the percussive element on this tune, there’s something snappy that almost marches you along the in the track while those guitars swirl and bend all around. Spoken vocals seemingly draw you in further, as you’ve got to pay attention while everything around you seems thundering out of complete control. It’s a great jam, and one that should put you on notice for a slew of East Coast tour dates in the first week of April…you can see those linked in the video’s notes!

Yea-Ming and the Rumours Announce I Can’t Have it All

I’ll be completely honest, as I was fully unaware of Yea-Ming and the Rumours before the release of their last album, So, Bird; I found it one of the most charming listens of 2022, and still find myself going back to some of those tracks. Today, the group, led by songwriter Yea-Ming Chen, announces a fresh take, and one that aims to walk a fine line between “total sadness and extreme happiness.” You can hear that in the messaging on the first single, narrating a character realizing that despite our best efforts, it’s nearly impossible to get everything you want…and sometimes its okay to accept that and find comfort where you can. Those lyrics tend to lean towards a bit of solitude in a way, but I think the musical message carries a different weight to it. There’s a bit of buoyancy lurking, almost a spring, as if our narrator has taken the lesson, and opted to bound down the road towards life’s next test. Ever endearing, Yea-Ming and the Rumours are charting new territory, so be on the lookout for I Can’t Have it All, out via Dandy Boy Records on May 24th.

Winged Wheel Announce Big Hotel

After Shellac came out of nowhere with an announcement this week, it only seems fitting that there’s more surprises in the 2024 release schedule, like a brand new LP from Detroit’s Winged Wheel. We’re just about two years removed from No Island, and it looks like they’ve added Steve Shelley to the mix too for a new album. There’s this swirling ominousness that opens the track, building this almost sterile world of darkness; it feels like the precursor to a murder in a parking garage (if it had a cooler soundtrack). Whitney’s voice comes in like an echo, hauntingly bouncing between the lines of the band’s craft. There are certainly moments where one could go explosive and just phone it in, but I appreciate how they’ve just locked into the groove here. Big Hotel is out May 3rd via 12XU.

A Place to Bury Strangers Announce Chasing Colors 7″

When I first turned on this new track from A Place to Bury Strangers, I thought for a brief six seconds that maybe they were going to start flirting with the realm of indiepop; they employ a jangling guitar line immediately, and it runs through the whole track. But, almost as my brain recognized one of my favorite sounds, the group bring aboard a heavy wash of fuzzy riffs to layer atop the tune. When you set that alongside the soft coo of the vocals, you get that sort of nostalgic Jesus and MC vibe going on here, and that definitely doesn’t hurt my feelings. Another banger in their 7″ series, that you can grab from Dedstrange today.

Goblin Daycare Share Boss Man

Years ago, I was super excited by the likes of Thee Oh Sees and such acts. But, after a hot minute, everyone was doing it, all the way to the gizzards and their wizards, so while there’s some lineage in Goblin Daycare, their approach feels refreshing. Honestly, it almost feels like they’ve take the structure, and just decided that they’re going to turn the whole sound into some sort of monster, making it an abomination within the genre. This new single is bouncing and sharp, with that frantic nature punctuated by these insane vocal lines that fit perfectly into the wobbling wold of the keys as the track hits that chorus. If you’re looking for a little refresh, be sure to look into Agitprop Hotline, out May 17th via Dedstrange.

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