Greg Mendez Announces Beauty Land

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A strong day for songwriters on the site, now with Greg Mendez announcing his new album, Beauty Land. I always tend to marvel at how impactful the work of Greg is, particularly when he delivers such emotion in a short span of time. I know it’s particularly unfair to Greg, but the way the recording highlights the fragility of his voice mixed in with the heavy strum of the strings on the guitar. There’s a little trickle of piano added in, with Mendez intent upon maximizing the emotional tug; he’s such a magician with these slight details he builds into his work. Beauty Land is his debut for Dead Oceans, and it hits on May 29th.

Jalen Ngonda Announces Doctrine of Love

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If you ever come to our DJ sets, you’ll find that there’s a deep love of blues and soul, and there’s a new artist on the scene that I only recently caught onto: Jalen Ngonda. Today he’s announced his sophomore album, Doctrine of Love, and shared the title track from the LP. It’s a classic R&B vibe, working with these swinging melodies, letting his voice soar through the entirety of the track. His vocals are reminiscent of the stuff we heard from early Leon Bridges, but, like many of the traditional tunes, you can almost feel pain in his voice. Daptone will be dropping Doctrine of Love on May 31st.

Hiding Places Drop One Hand Video

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Up until now, the singles we’ve heard from the new Hiding Places have delivered a blast of power hidden behind a pop sensibility that kept us coming back. Today, “One Hand” feels more like a meditative practice, with the song operating in an almost stationary manner, only to creatively unfold in sporadic moments with bursts of feedback and distortion. Of course, they circle back, perhaps connecting to the song’s rumination about how we treat ourselves in the face of maintaining challenging relationships/friendships; it can be a struggle, and like the song, you go back and back, often starting where you began. It’s a nice twist in the band’s catalogue, and illustrates the care they’ve taken in building The Secret to Good Living, out April 3rd via Keeled Scales.

New Single from Natalie Jane Hill

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This Friday, you’re all going to hear the gloriousness of Natalie Jane Hill‘s new LP. It’s a record filled with this masterful maturity that illustrates how quickly Hill has grown into her work. Her voice is incredibly strong, like a folk troubadour that’s been writing songs for decades. But, that said, I expected that, having been following Natalie since Azalea dropped years back; the aforementioned maturity comes from the subtle nuances of her writing this go round. Listen right about the 1:50 mark, where the song journeys off into something that feels a little more blissed out, laced with the spirit of folk as the song circles back and comes to a close. Hopeful Woman drops Friday via Dear Life Records.

Choncy Share Dressing the Part

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If you’re record collection is missing the frantic joy of acts like Parquet Courts, might we turn your attention towards the newest hit from Choncy. The Cincinnati group share a lot of sonic similarities, particularly in the way the vocals are delivered a mid of smattering of angular riffs; I will admit that this single does feel a bit sharper on those angular cuts, giving the band to make it more of their own. They continue to do so with these stuttering riffs that work in between the lead, not to mention their playful deliver of monosyllabic lyrics in the chorus. This song’s a ripper that feels like the fun you’ve been missing, so be on the lookout for Trademark, out April 17th via Feel It Records.

Friko Share Choo Choo

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When Friko circled back a few weeks ago, they were operating with a sort of glam pop style on “Seven Degrees,” but this new single has a completely different feel to it. There’s almost an insane rush into the track, as if they’re trying to keep pace with themselves, chasing the train mentioned throughout the tune. Their repeated barrage of noise and discord gets broken up with the pop nods you from the oft-repeated “choo-choo,” leaving just a hint of pop sensibility hanging within the confines of the tune. Really exciting to see them mixing it all up together, building up anticipation as we near the release of Something Worth Waiting For via ATO Records on April 24th.

Memorials Share Dropped Down the Well

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Every time there’s a new Memorials single I become increasingly obsessed with the group’s work, and this new track just can’t be ignored. I loved the orchestration and the way it continues to roll and push forward on the those synths/keyboards; there’s this intoxicating propulsion that spins tumbles you over and over. Those vocals just ride the crest of that motion, and when the tune moves into its more melodious moments, you just know you’ll have to keep coming back to satisfy your thirst. All Clouds Bring Not Rain could be one of the surprise album of the year contenders; it hits on March 27th via Fire Records.

The Early Years Deliver A New Way of Living

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There’s a certain brand of indie rock that just feels right in your soul, and the latest track from The Early Years is just that. I got caught instantly in the bobbing bass line; it’s reminiscent of the early Manchester scene, creating an instant bit of infectiousness that’s undeniable. Once the tune begins to open into the vocals these broad waves of guitar cascade in, layering melody and dissonance to create this heaviness that seemingly works against the pop nature; it’s the perfect contrast that allows you to get drawn deep into the tones of the vocals. Just a classic pop song execution, leading me to believe their new album Modern Moonlight will have some definite gems; it drops on May 22 via Sonic Cathedral.

Ghosts on TV Share CCTV Video

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Finnish outfit Ghosts on TV have been banging about for nearly a decade, and they’ve just announced a brand new record slated for release this May titled Iridescent. Our first preview at the forthcoming release has them bordering between post rock and chamber folk, using these wide brushstrokes to create this contemplative musicscape that just leaves you with this humbling sense of awe. For instance, as I ran through the single, there was something dynamic in the arrangement, around the 3:30 mark; you get this dissonant guitar ambiance in the distance, but it’s layered with a light strum and a twinkling bit of piano, and in that, it’s as if the whole world stops just for that moment. Admittedly, the song’s on the long-side for my usual tastes, but it feels like this beautiful puzzle that rewards my ears, and every few seconds something new is revealed. It’s a magical journey brought to you by the band and their label, Soliti Music.

Pleased to Meet You: Succulents

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There were several years when we were covering Songs for Walter pretty nonstop, but the project went quiet. But, songwriter Laurie Hulme has returned this past week with a new project titled Succulents. He’s joined by Lucy Ridges and they’re hitting you with this immediacy that pulls from their mutual love of acts like the Pastels and Belle and Sebastian. That being said, there’s something here that reminds me a bit of good old fashioned alt rock from the 90s; I keep hearing bits of the Rentals in the way they intertwine their vocal hooks. They then turn to close out the track with this fuzzy psychedelic breakdown that leads to the final push of blasting hooks! Looking forward to hearing what’s next from the group.

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