Elder Jack Ward – The Storm

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Jesus is coming back soon, and Elder Jack Ward wants to make sure you’re ready. He sure was.

Perhaps he knew his time was coming soon, so it’s no surprise the veteran Memphis gospel-soul singer wanted to use his last breaths to continue spreading the Word through music to anyone with ears to hear. He went to visit the heavenly realms in April, just months before this posthumous album’s release, but if you’re not ready to be converted, this album may not be for you.

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Chitinous Mandible Share Summertime Drive

How does one develop the soundtrack to the perfect “Summertime Drive?” I mean, we all have our different expectations, but in the case of Tom Herman Jr, perhaps he turned to road trips with his father, who plays drums on the tune here. The vibe here almost seems to be one of American nostalgia, albeit one through a slightly psychedelic lens. In both the video footage and this track, there’s this natural feel of exploration and wonder, like we’re all constantly stumbling upon new lessons as we hit the road ourselves. So, you owe it to yourself to discover what Tom and his father have built for you on this slow burning psych trip. Look for a self-titled album from Chitinous Mandible on June 30th.

Lola Tried Drop Don’t Care At All Video

I think Lola Tried are definitely ready to be considered one of the premiere pop rock acts in Austin at the moment. There’s a certain maturity in Lauren and Ray’s songwriting that seems to hold dear to a punk ethos while aiming for much bigger sounds, bolstered by a thunderous rhythm section that allows the song to ebb and flow perfectly. When the guitars pull back and allow the vocals to take center stage, one realizes how they’ve maximized space to play up the grittier bits. And for all the hooks in the vocals and bass lines, there’s still that rad tenacity, maxed out with a ferocious closing. Fingers crossed a new LP is around the corner here!

 

Film School Announce Field; Share Single

Having been banging around for over two decades at this point, it’s been really nice to see Film School continue to grow as artists; they’ve expanded their entire sound, building in these dense textures that add depth and discovery. Today we share “Tape Rewind” with you, kicked off instantly by this heavy eruption of feedback and noise. For all it push towards that side of psychedelic rock, the groove gets locked in, and serves as the gravitational pull for the tune. Things swirl and percussion erupts, but you can’t escape being sucked into the melodic nature of the vocal work; it’s like you’re being sucked in by a tractor beam, indifferent to the cavernous noise all around you. This song is the first single from Field, their new LP for Felte Records, out August 23rd.

Firestations Share Travel Trouble

Thick Terrain is just a few weeks away from its release, and with a new record on the horizon, Firestations have shared another stellar song to get you in the mood. Angular guitar lines squiggle their way right into your ears from the start, perhaps building a little audial tension. Soon, the sharpness gets pushed to the background, with the vocals being brought to the forefront, detailing a sense of common humanity, while perhaps calling out those of privilege and their treatment of modern inconveniences. For all the beauty of the song’s vocal core, the weight is certainly felt in the way the song explores sonically, hitting much heavier notes throughout the song’s linear unraveling. Thick Terrain is out on July 14th via Lost Map Records.

Lewsberg Announce Out and About

If you have not purchased your tickets for the Lewsberg train, might we invite you to grab one now, as they’re sure to be one of your favorite bands…plus it’ll make you feel cool for telling your friends you were into it first. Anyways, the Dutch band announce their new LP Out and About today, dropping mixes of two of the tracks that will appear on the record. “Without a Doubt” has this spritely nature to it, just shuffling in the mix as the vocals keep things joyously grounded; it’s the precise brand of no-rock pop that the group excels at crafting. Meanwhile “Communion” feels like a pastor’s sermon delivered by someone who grew up listening to all those early Flying Nun records. Can’t say enough wonderful words about this group; Out and About is out in September; self-released, but US folks can order through 12XU.

A Beacon School Announce First LP in 5 Years

Patrick J Smith has taken some time between his last A Beacon School LP, but he’s ready to put that aside and let us all indulge in yoyo, his brand new record. You get a couple of sneak peeks today, with the sparkling pop of “Potion” sure to grab you with its immediacy and melodic core. “Jon,” on the other hand, is more extravagant, like a mini suite built for the dance club or late night drives under city lights; it carries this extra life force to it that will have you marveling. Both tunes provide a glimpse of what’s to come, letting us know that Smith’s time away from a proper LP might be to our benefit, as both tracks are easily digestible pieces of great pop. yoyo is out on October 13th via Grind Select.

Life Strike Share Downwinders Video

When we first heard this track from Life Strike, I marveled out how the band managed to take on the subject matter of post-nuclear fallout and make it something you wanted to cheer on from the sidelines; I still feel that way, but now there’s this powerful visual to go with the bursting energy of the tune. The coloring of the video alone provides this really impactful image, especially as the colors bleed out, as one would expect from a nuclear explosion. As I watched through, I also started to hear more thunder than jangle in the music, giving the band a heavier sound than what I initially thought, so be ready to sit back and relish in both the music and visuals. The band release Peak Dystopia via Bobo Integral/Stable Label on July 14th.

Snooper Share Powerball Video

After catching the band live during one of their great SXSW sets, I’m really looking forward to hearing how the whole of the new Snooper record comes together. Their latest single is a pummeling piece of noisy art punk, filled with screaming guitars and thundering drums, while the vocals operate in this robotic mantra detailing the narrator’s view on this week’s powerball lottery. For me, the interesting thing about listening to Snooper is their ability to musically edge the listener; they take the tension all the way to the max point, then just drop out, letting you finish or move on to the next song, which we’ll get to do when we pick up Super Snooper. The new LP is out July 14th via Third Man Records.

Indie Rock Gem From Tennis Courts

Though they may hail from Brooklyn, the songwriting duo of Patrick Walsh and Andrew Clarke certainly show some Southern Rock twang in their sound as the musical group Tennis Courts. Take this new tune “Jamie’s Party,” as an example with its indie rock meets Americana vibe to it. Think a band like Young Buffalo or Band of Horses but with a more classic rock structure to the song. Whatever you like to call it, I’m sure you’ll find it catchy as hell.

This track is the first single from the upcoming debut LP due out sometime this fall.

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