Cong Josie Drop New Single + Split with Hearts and Rockets

It’s Monday, and I’m a wee bit groggy from a late evening, but this new hit from Cong Josie is starting to wake me up just a little bit here. It’s got this stuttering beat, which honestly reminds me of some of later Liars stuff (or Austin’s Font); that magical pulse gets your body in motion, while the vocals crawl out from the depths of the groove. Those vocals at times seem almost swirling, which creates this disorienting effect, letting you completely just get lost inside. If you’re digging this, there’s a new split 7″ with Hearts & Rockets via Psychic Hysteria available now!

Alluvial Nuggets Share Whistling Song

Ever listen to a song that just makes you feel good, even though you can’t put that feeling into words? Today, that’s the new track from Alluvial Nuggets, which is the second single from their forthcoming slef-titled debut. There’s this chugging movement in the guitar play, a bit of swagger that has you rocking back and forth. But, it’s muted, so the snapping of the drums lets you bounce your toes. A few of the guitar lines dip their toes into modern psychedelia, yet even as you think the band’s going that route, they spin in a bit of twangy melody into the chorus, only to let that moment boogie you towards the close. A lot of musical nods, but ultimately just a rad bop. Alluvial Nuggets is out in June via Lost and Lonesome.

Cool Aussie Jams: Hooper Crescent + Sachet

I bought a ticket to the mental struggle-bus last week, so didn’t have a solid albums of the week to run, though there were definitely some things I would have turned you onto, from my end. Both of the below Aussie outfits have already popped up on our end, but we wanted to make sure you got some stream info…with a moderate two cents…you know, to make up for my error.

Sydney’s Sachet dropped their excellent The Seeing Machine, which opens with “Crushing Whims,” which has been on a steady rotation throughout; I’d jam to the EP on this track alone. Personally, Lani Crooks vocals win on every single track; it feels like a new voice that’s begging to be your new best friend. It’s available now from Tenth Court.

Then you’ve got Brunswick’s Hooper Crescent who bring a bit of math-iness to post-punk, creating a sound that definitely bubbles with creativity. It’s a frantic bit of jittery rock n’ roll, with each track offering a different side of the rock n’ roll trends. Grab the Essential Tremors LP from Spoilsport Records.

Baby Blue Drop Human Race Single

I loved the first track from the forthcoming Baby Blue LP, and now there’s another one that feels like a stoned bit of sunny pop. You can hear the sun shining through the structure of the guitar lines, but the steadied beat of the drums keep the track locked into this sedated pace. That crafted weariness seems to perfectly connect with Rhea Caldwell’s lyrics as she seems exhausted by the existence of the human race…and sadly that’s a feeling a lot of us align with, so you find yourself sinking into the song as it chugs along. They’ll be releasing Of My Window via Lost and Lonesome on April 17th.

Parsnip Announce Behold + Share The Light

I thought I was totally sold on all the hot tracks for today, when out of nowhere, Parsnip sneak in a brand new single and album announcement…the first new stuff we’ve heard from the band in some time. They don’t seem to skip a beat, operating as a psychedelic jangle rock tour de force. Sure, the guitars dance and shake, but there’s this purring from beneath that gives the group a more fuzzed out vibe; I still find that rather intoxicating as the vocals only build in the textural groove that leaves the group with this insatiable quality that’s going to have you rushing to pick up their new LP. Behold is out on April 26th via Upset the Rhythm and Anti Fade Records.

Cool Sounds Return with Bugobeat

Danis Lacey flipped the script on all of us with Like That, the 2022 LP that saw Cool Sounds moving away from a very run-of-the-mill Aussie sound into something with a bit more groove, a bit more funk. So, as we listen to the first single from the BUG0BEAT EP, it makes complete sense that Danis is pushing the oddities of funk just a little bit more; you can particularly hear the way the guitar lines and keys are shifted atop one another to kind of craft this dense dance groove. Personally, I love how there’s some middling guitar work that’s sort of the tether between the early days of the project and present funk. Chapter Music will be putting the BUG0BEAT EP out on March 1st.

Hooper Crescent Share Wrong Direction

Totally glad that the groovy side of punk rock is super into fashion; you’ve got acts like Snooper and Vessel taking the fun from the genre and refashioning it in their own brand…and now we can add Hooper Crescent to that mix. They’ve just tossed out a new single from their forthcoming Essential Tremors, spitting out these call-and-response vocal lines that certainly make me think of the B52s. But, while I thought I had the track pinned down, it wiggles beneath, with guitar riffs flopping and squirming all over your floor, with the band frantically trying to pick up the pieces. One half is all groove, sliding secretly into an edgy bit of funky punk. Their latest effort Essential Tremors will be out via Spoilsport Records on February 23rd!

Good Morning Share Two New Tracks

One of the biggest reasons I’ve always appreciated the work of Good Morning is they very much seem like a working class sort of band. They don’t get caught up in the hype and all that nefarious industry business; they just seem to hunker down and work out their songs, tour a bunch, then come back and work on more songs. Today, we get the gift of two fresh tracks from the group, both equally charming in their own light. “One Night” is definitely a shift in sound, offering a vibe that’s much more inclined to focus on the vocals, at least initially. Then the song sort of shoots off, taking on this choral approach that stretches the songwriting. “Real I’m Told” is a bit more closer to home, but some of the production work here seems like the band have hit upon that same territory as Kevin Morby, bringing in great songwriting with just a hint of sly pop sensibility. Stream them both below!

Dumb Things Give You Self Help

I knew almost instantly that I was going to love this track from Dumb Things; the song opens with that forlorn, wistful Aussie twang, sort of weary yet filled with hope on the horizon. Then, the vocals jumped into the picture, working somewhere between Malkmus and Pete Yorn, with faint hints of backing vocals twisting the pop knife deep into your soul. All of a sudden the track drops into the chorus, throwing some sick harmonica at me, and you’re tapping your toes to this spritely track built on the back of broken spirits. This was a really unexpected hit to come my way, and I’m looking forward to their new record, Self Help; we’ll have more on that later!

Levitation Interview: Civic

As you can see, we are frantically try to hit with you as much Levitation coverage as we can before things kick off on Thursday. We’re rolling into our second interview of the day, this time by way of Melbourne based outfit Civic. Now we’ve long been fans of these guys and are super excited for them to travel all this way. If they aren’t on your bands to see list, well what are you even doing. Hit the jump for all them deets.

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