Last Week’s Jams (8.11 – 8.15)

It was a pretty busy week on my end, heading back into the school room and what not, but lots of great music making its way to our ears. Kicking it off with one of my favorite tracks of the year, with the latest single from Sorry, but then moves in to hear our friends I Was a King dabbling in the softer side of power-pop. Plus, the folks at Skep Wax and Slumberland keep pumping out the hits with new music from The Cords and Telephone Numbers. Really excited for you to hear the newest single from Austin’s Living Set too, if you missed it by accident; there’s another Austin act in there too named the Point, you might want to check if you’re into stretching your musical brain! Click play and see what’s up.

Ivy Drop Heartbreak Video

Over at the ATH offices, we’ve been pretty excited about new music from Ivy, so whenever a new single leaks out into the world, you can bet that I’m all over it. On this new one, it’s a bit of a rousing stomper, using a stomping drum beat to establish the rhythm of the tune. But, the employment of a horn section also provides a similar bounce that gives a spritely drive to the track itself, leaving lots of open space in between the lines. That’s where the group excel, with jangling guitar lines popping in and out, all the while letting the cool breeze of the vocals blow across the top of the mix. Traces of You comes out on my kid’s birthday, September 5th, courtesy of Bar/None Records.

Last Week’s Jams (7.7 – 7.11)

What a crazy week of music it was. We had new shit, cool shit, trendy shit, weird shit, dance shit…just a bunch of really awesome tunes. Austin had a lot of representation, with new jams from K. Boswell, Die Spitz and Day Friend and Thanks Light. There were several outright rad tunes that you need to crank up, like BRNDA and Weakened Friends, so be sure you click to give those the proper love. Some cool electronica style bops too, from the likes of Angel T33th, Brown Lemon and Solo Career. And, if you know what’s right for you, you’ll swing below and turn on that new Shame track…or find something weird in between.

Ivy Share Fragile People Video

After being away for over a decade, Ivy triumphantly announced their return last month. Today, there’s another single to share with you, and it illustrates the careful steps they took in the crafting of this assumed masterpiece; you can hear how they take a step by step approach, first a wash of keys, then percussion, then vocals…the bass opens it up with little guitar stabs jumping into further build on the textural touches. Their melodic touches throughout the tune ingrain the song in your subconscious, the way the best pop music does. It’s difficult to imagine what they had to go through to complete this record after the passing of Adam, but if this is the last official Ivy release, its a reminder of the group’s gifts since their formation in the early 90s. Traces of You is out September 5th via Bar/None Records.

Last Week’s Jams (6.9 – 6.13)

I might have cut last week short by taking off Friday in its entirety, as I was hanging in New Orleans with my wife and kids…but I’m pretty sure we packed a fair amount of jams into a short four day work week here. It was good to see my old friends in Other Lives back at it with new music, and offering up an orchestral pop number that’s focused and brief. We featured a couple of great premieres from Forever Star and Dancer, so you can circle back and get hitched onto those two bonkers tunes. Plus, good to see Quin Galavis hitting peak form with a new Living Set tune, so dabble all over and you’ll be able to love a little of it all.

Ivy Prepping Traces of You

You likely already heard about Ivy prepping their new album, Traces of You, but I’m a little slow to the game, so I wanted to make sure I gave it the proper love. It’s a fairly subtle tune, with the smokiness of the vocals getting the majority of the focus. But, don’t ignore all the arrangement and nuance in the tune; I like how there’s an acoustic guitar that gets picked up midway through, adding just a touch more texture to the whimsical groove. All that said, the vocal work’s layering also adds texture, like in the latter half where the refrain of “say you won’t” kind of hangs in behind the front, to a mesmerizing effect. Traces of You drops this September via Bar None.

Swirling Pop from Cruel Summer

Cruel Summer have made a name for themselves in the San Francisco scene, and they look like a continually rising star with the announcement of their new LP, Ivy. What I love about their new single is the way the guitars rise into the air like a smoke, billowing through your speakers as the vocals quietly, and softly, crawl out on top. It walks that careful line between dreamy pop and the gazier elements that modern listeners find endearing…I certainly could do with more songs like this. Look for their debut LP via Mt.St.Mtn. on June 30th.

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