The Ar-Kaics Share Stone Love

While the latter half of this fresh Ar-Kaics tune takes off in a fiery ball of psychedelic stomp, you’ve got to lock into the classic rock grooves of the first minute or so of the tune. There’s a bit of an assured swagger to the riff work, but there’s this openness that seems faintly celebratory, like one’s gathered up in a van full of friends and ready to hit the road. When they hit the road, tambourines and shakers are passed around and everyone’s on board to ignite the fire that lights up the song’s latter half. There’s definitely an interesting juxtaposition, as the front half totally owes a debt to the classic while the back half is more akin to early Oh Sees or Black Angels. They’ll release See the World On Fire via Feel It/Bachelor Records.

Marcel Wave Announce Something Looming

If you were all aboard the Dry Cleaning brand of jangling post-punk with spoken words, but then felt a little desensitized, might I ask you to check in on Marcel Wave. In many ways, the bands both employ similar sentiments in some of the jittering mannerisms, but ultimately, I find this London bunch a lot more springy. Skip into the song and you’ll likely notice the fashionable post-punk plod, that is, until you hit the chorus where there’s a sparkling disco-ball vocal performance bouncing rays of light all across the track. There’s also some aggressiveness too in spots, hinting at the right type of edge we might find on Something Looming; the LP drops June 14th via Upset the Rhythm/Feel It Records.

Corker Release New Single

Feel It Records was on a roll late last year, releasing tons of great new music for us…and now they’ve got Corker releasing a new single. It rips right through your speakers, offering up a brand of post-punk that feels sort of Marked Men adjacent, to me anyways. It’s got this natural pop sensibility, but it’s surrounded by this darkness as the band play into their own aspirations by driving the listener at a furious speed whilst piling on their disorienting vocals. It’s a quick little ride through rock n’ roll town, but if you’re definitely digging their Falser Truths LP from last year, this comes as welcome news to you.

Wet Dip Release Rollercoaster Single, Announce Smell of Money

Please don’t let the soulful twenty seconds that greets you upon pressing play sway you on Austin’s Wet Dip. Because, as soon as you think you’ve pinned down pop, the start gun fires off and the group rushes out the door, spurred on by a frantic bassline and snapping bit of drum work; the rapidity creates this emotional anxiety as you’re barely able to keep up with the band. But, for a moment, they offer you respite, giving you a final warning of their tenacity, reminding you that the rollercoaster is about to speed off, so it’s best to follow safety precautions. As they push you towards the close, things begin to get erratic, guitars skittering here and there, cymbals crashing, hurtling us all towards an abrupt halt, fading back into a pop snuggle at the end. Smell of Money, their new LP is out on November 10th via Feel It Records.

Friday Album Streams: Red Pants, Spllit and The Serfs

It’s Friday, and while I’m here trying to wake up for a late night of Levitation, I know there are three pretty near perfect records for you to soak up today, all with different sonic appeals, meaning you get a little bit of everything if you wanna win!

Red PantsNot Quite There Yet (Meritorio Records)

This is a record that lands somewhere in the land between Sonic Youth and Low, but if you had recorded that record in hopes of offering a solitary listening experience. The more time you give this LP, the more its secrets are revealed.

SpllitInfinite Hatch (Feel It Records)

The Louisiana band is crafting post-punk like no other; they fill their songs with quick turns and sonic changes, each song refreshing in its ability to shift gears in an instant. Oh, and with all the weirdness, it still comes off catchy in the right spots.

The SerfsHalf Eaten by Dogs (Trouble in Mind)

Honestly, its been a minute since I’ve had this much fun listening to a record. It pulls in psychedelic nods with this punk ethos that gets mixed up in electronic textures that continue to push the envelope of what is and isn’t “indie rock.”

Spllit Drop Bevy Stew Single

You’ve absolutely got to get in on SPLLIT! In an odd way they remind me of the early Omni stuff, messing with time and fluidity within their songwriting, always keeping you on your toes as they move back and forth. They have this way of weaving their melodic charms into the tune that feel almost apathetic, like they’re apologetically providing you with a little bit of an earworm, just to get that hook under your skin. Just before the 2.5 minute mark, the song hits a glitch and slows to a thick churn, with chords being walked up and down through your speakers. Totally in love with the stuff popping up from Infinite Hatch; it’s out on October 27th via Feel It Records.

Hard Copy Share Airlines

Another week and another chance to turn you all onto Hard Copy. They’re working under a punk umbrella, most assuredly, but perhaps one of the things that’s most intriguing is the way the album twists and turns in on itself, changing directions. Here, I feel like there’s some Byrne meets B-52s at play, but there also seems to be this sort of indifference towards either, especially in the way the lyrics occasionally get delivered in an almost haphazard step by step basis. Then the song moves into this narrow dreamy state, with the vocals punctuated and erratic, letting the band bounce every which way they choose. It’s a fascinating journey, and one of the various reasons you should have 12 Shots of Nature on your radar; it drops on October 20th via Feel It Records.

Friday Album Streams: Lower Plenty, Class, Open Hands + More

It’s Friday, and while Austin is focused on ACL Weekend One, I’m here to turn your ears towards some great albums that you’ll benefit from if you’re into the whole streaming process. Several of these we’ve talked about quite a bit, so it’s good that now you can get your hands on them in their entirety. Going to start with what’s quickly becoming one of my favorite LPs of the year, then let you pick and choose what’s your flavor.

Lower PlentyNo Poets (Bedroom Suck Records)

ClassIf You’ve Got Nothing (Feel It Records)

Open CityHands in the Honey Jar (Get Better Records)

The SuncharmsThings Lost (Sunday Records)

Half StackSitting Pretty (Forged Artifacts)

Hard Copy Announce Debut 12 Shots of Nature

I love when a friend passes you a record or an email and says “Check this out; it’s right up your alley,” and then they’re actually right. This is my first introduction Richmond’s Hard Copy, with an allegiance to taking punk back to a stage when things were just getting figured out. There’s this sort of lop-sided back and forth shuffle as the vocals come into play; it’s building tension and making me nervous as I listen, but also propelling the tune forward. Then, chords ring out and there’s an underbelly of nervousness in the vocal; it gives off a bit of bite, something we’d most recently associate with Protomartyr or Ought…gruff but looking back at melody. Then the track completely breaks down and feels like the band just got caught by their parents, both strange and excited. Look for the group to drop 12 Shots of Nature on October 20th via Feel It Records.

Sugar Tradition Drop Don’t Leave Me

If you thought the tenacity of Motor City music was dead and buried once we gave the torch to Jack White (I think he tried to extinguish it!), then you better stop right where you are and turn on Sugar Tradition. After the slight bit of boogie from their first single “Fragile,” they turn things up a notch here, drawing from the city’s history and aim to tear right into your heart with a howling performance that’s likely to force your soul to leave your body, if only to shake it on stage with the band. While I love the ferocity, what really works here is the thunderous drum work; it feels at times as if things are completely out of control as pounding notes and cymbals crash in your ears. You want your hair blown back? Grab More Sugar from Feel It Records on October 13.

1 2 3