This is fine.
As the end of one of my busiest weeks in months came to an end, I was really excited to see Frankie Rose over at Red 7. The show also featured several rising stars such as Dive and The Young, so we couldn’t complain, especially after all the work put in to make the venue more enjoyable.
Read on for our thoughts and check out Brian Gray’s photos.
| Date | Saturday, April 14th |
|---|---|
| Location | Red 7 |
| Doors | 1000 pm |
| Tickets | $8 from Transmission |
The former Dum Dum/Vivian Girl Frankie Rose hit the ground running this year with the release of her album, Interstellar. It showed a definite focus, highlighting Rose’s warm vocals in the gently constrtuced pop structures. That alone is enough to make you hit up this cheap show, but, you can also catch Dive, a new favorite of ours. The group features members of Beach Fossils, and they should be pushing their upcoming album for Captured Tracks. Oh, and that’s not enough? Well, catch Cheap Curls…another former Dum Dum Girl kicking off the night. Seems like a great place to spend a Saturday evening.
Download: Frankie Rose – Know Me [MP3]
This track surfaced towards the tail end of last week, and the more I listen to it, the harder it is not to fall head over heels in love with Dive. The band recently signed on with Captured Tracks, who will release their album Oshin on June 26th. There’s a similar bounce to the early work of Beach Fossils (no surprise since the bands share members) holding the pacing on this track, but you can definitely see that the group’s placed a bit more emphasis on the clarity of the lyrics and guitar sounds; i the end, it makes for a much warmer sound, yet still very intimate. We’re all going to enjoy playing this one.
Download:Dive – How Long Have You Known [MP3]
We’ve been in love with Beach Fossils for some time now, so we’re always happy when a new track springs up out of nowhere; today was just such a day. The group’s got a spanking new 7″ coming out on Captured Tracks on February 21st, and we’re here to share the A-side “Shallow.” For me, the guitar line practically own the entire song, though I love those softly places vocals that get to duel it out at the same time. If you’re looking for something to put a bit of pep in the step, then get on jamming to this track. Don’t forget the band will be in Austin for SXSW!
Download:Beach Fossils – Shallow [MP3]
We’d be remiss if we didn’t hit on the big news of the day, the return of Wild Nothing to the music-making fold. When Pitchfork premeired the track earlier today, they talked of main songwriter, Jack Tatum, working in a professional studio for the first time. I’m not sure how I feel about that, as I felt like a lot his charm came from the fact that he crafted those sounds in his bedroom. Still, after listening to this track, so far everything seems well; I’ll be pleased if its half as good as Gemini, their first full-length. For now, expect this single to come out via Captured Tracks, in order to hold us over while the band is recording.
Download: Wild Nothing – Nowhere [MP3]
You know that if something sounds good, the odds are that it is probably going to end up in the hands of Captured Tracks. They’re at it again, grabbing onto new UK up-and-comers, CoverGirl. Listening to their first single, you can tell that the band’s got a few things to figure out, but even if they don’t, there’s a great quality to their introduction to the masses. At first, there’s a bit of indie haunting, but as the pace begins to pick up, you can hear some audible chaos. It’s definitely got a foggy dynamic, and only time will tell where these guys will end up, sound-wise. For now, just sit back and enjoy.
Download: CoverGirl – Paris Burns [MP3]
Portland-based Blouse have been making their way around the Interwebs with a slew of recent 7″ releases, the most recent coming on Sub Pop. As it stands now, the band’s signed up with Captured Tracks for the release of their self-titled debut, which will be released on November 1st. This latest single begins with the quality of a warped recording, but if you can withstand that, there’s some blissful pop moments surfing thoughout the song, making for an elegany little listen. Game, Blouse(s).
Download: Blouse – Videotapes [MP3]
My boy Nick passed this track along, and it’s got several interesting little twists that really made me a fan of Soft Metals today. I began falling for the atmospheric wash that breached my ear drums for the first few seconds, but then it dropped some electronic beats before fleshing out the track with some female vocals. I mean, if you’re going to make electronic music, it should sound like this; reminds me of Soviet. So if you’re a fan, like I am, be sure to give the band a good listen, then go off and buy their record next week, July 19th, via Captured Tracks (the hottest label around).
Download: Soft Metals – Eyes Closed [MP3]
It seems like Slumberland Records is intent on signing all the great bands in the world; I expect a Celebrity Death Match between them and Captured Tracks soon. They just announced today that they’ll be releasing the debut record from Veronica Falls on September 20th. The label has even been kind enough to offer up a free download of “Come On Over” for every one to sample. This track sort of begins with a trickle, jangling guitars and all, but then it jumps off with banging drums and faster guitars. Female vocals soon enter to provide a dream-state that will accompany listeners through the rest of the song. It’s a pretty promising single, so let’s all get excited about Veronica Falls.
Download: Veronica Falls – Come On Over [MP3]
That’s it. I’m going to throw my hands up as my new obsession definitely has to be Hoop Dreams. They’ve just released a superb 7″ track on Captured Tracks, and I can’t help but just press repeat over and over again. There’s this weird hint of Orange Juice, but with a more modern feel that will definitely appeal to any current listener in the indie music spectrum. Perhaps it’s too short, but that makes it all the more powerful, as you can’t help but get this song stuck in your head the minute it comes on; it’s likely to remain in your head for some time to come, making the band your new obsession as well.
Download: Hoop Dreams – XCPR [MP3]
