gold - Austin Town Hall

Cleo Handler Charms with Gold

March 7, 2023 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

There are a lot of wonderful storytellers in the indie sphere nowadays, but as of the last few months, I don’t know if I’ve run across someone so instantly enchanting as Cleo Handler. In a way, the songwriting is similar to early Moldy Peaches, flirting with a matter of fact nature that borders on the absurd; I love that there’s this sincerity to the tracks, a world without pretense as you wear your heart on your sleeve. Throughout Gold the songwriting just sparkles with humor and charm, built on the backbone of stellar pop musicianship, so get at it now.

<a href="https://cleohandler.bandcamp.com/album/gold">gold by Cleo Handler</a>

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Sleuth Share Sick Days Video

March 23, 2020 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

While “Sick Days” was likely written before this coronavirus pandemic, the new video from Sleuth comes at an apt time, particularly in the way it was recorded, with each member filming while in isolation. You’ll likely find some similar ground if you’re laying low and staying safe. Musically, the song has this casual bounce at the get-go, like happily plodding along and telling stories with an old friend. At the 1:16 mark, the song jumps off and gets a touch boisterous, using gang vocals to build up the song’s exuberant nature. It’s a great song, with a relatable video; you’ll find the track on their new album Gold, which is scheduled to drop on May 29th via Lost Sound Tapes/Jigsaw Records.

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New Music from Marble Arch

March 18, 2019 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

I remember when all my friends were raving about Nirvana, I was sitting at home raving to my sister about Republic by New Order. Somehow, the music of French outfit Marble Arch always reminds me of that tape, especially their new single. The entire first minute is filled with this propulsive post-punk, wrapping guitar chords angularly around one another as the listener becomes intoxicated by the sound. Once there, the band operates back and forth between the energetic pop and the dreamy state of the vocals, keeping you forever unbalance in the most loving way possible. For real, if New Order had a child, then this band is it; hear for yourself when Children of the Slump drops Friday via Geographie.

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Paul Alexander Announces LP Under Two Medicine

August 21, 2018 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Admittedly, I haven’t even thought about Midlake in some years, though that’s not meant as a slight to the band. So it’s good to see that Paul Alexander will be stepping out on his own under the moniker of Two Medicine. Our first listen to anything from the album is quite special in my mind; it’s like a sheet on clothesline, billowing in the wind, and with each gust, it soars higher and higher into the air. And that’s all just surface level ear candy, but the real treat is the careful worked happening below with harmonies and quiet bubbling bass providing the song with some advanced texturizing. The debut LP, Astropsychosis, will drop on November 2nd via Bella Union.

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More New Music from Gangi

September 24, 2012 nathan.lankford Leave a comment

Not too long ago I brought you a track from Gangi, but it was a slow, sprawling sort, unfolding gloriously over a short span. This new tune, “Gold,” is a little bit different, with what feels like a similar approach that one would find on Arcade Fire recordings, using backing vocals in gang form and piling on layers of instrumentation. Again, you can find this tune on the group’s upcoming record, Gesture Is, which will be coming out on October 2nd via Office of Analogue and Digital. If the group can maintain this sort of balance on the LP, it’s going to really win people over.

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