Zula Return with New Years

Every day I wake up and go to work. I grab some coffee, sit at my desk and then start teaching. All day long I try to remind myself that life’s the most fun when I’m being weird; I encourage my students to be weird. Zula encapsulates the weird in their approach to writing pop centric hits. Changes in tempo, switches of instrumental focus all come and go from the instant that organ grinder opens things up. And sure, it could get so much weirder, but I’m glad that the group keeps its focus, circling around pop themes and sugary melodies. It’s a timeless sound that never seems to go out of fashion with my tastes…like a modern Beulah. If you like this track, you’ll want to catch New Years when its dropped by Inflated Records on September 21st.

New Silver Girl Shares Starlight City

Finnish outfit New Silver Girl have a new album on the horizon for October, and today we’re happy to share with you the latest single. This tune has a bit of a glam glitz to it, and not just because of the video attire; it also has this slight vocal hiccup that recalls some of Bowie’s best vocal inflections. But, there’s something polished and glossy about the tune, perhaps due to producer Gordon Raphael, who also worked with the Strokes and Hinds. He knows his way around taking the gritty details and turning them into rock n’ roll gems; this is another such occasion. Look for the album to drop in late October via Finland’s best, Soliti Music.

Upbeat Number from Jack Drag

You know, some days you just want to sit back and enjoy a great pop song; you don’t have to participate; you can just sit back and let the melody catch you up; this new Jack Drag single is one such track. Aside from the first 30 seconds of space beats, this song starts off like Jack’s channeling an acoustic version of Jay Reatard; the pace and the chords are definitely reminiscent of Jay. But, the chorus takes that pop sensibility and ups it a notch, matching the vocal melodies that come from Dragonetti as he works his way through the song. I just keep tapping my toes and smiling. And, while it might not be a huge piece of the track, I love the keyboard/bells at the end of the tune is a nice touch. His new album drops on September 14th via Burger Records.

WWPJ Return With A Bang

Though maybe a little late on the news here, it seems important for us to always share news on bands that have long been favorites of the ATH team. We Were Promised Jetpacks certainly has received a lot of notoriety on our site so of course this announcement of a new album after a long four-year wait is exciting for the entire crew. What’s even more exciting is this new song “Hanging In” seems to be a return to form for the band after a minor letdown with their last album. It’s pretty damn epic. Welcome back boys.

WWPJ will release new album The More I Sleep the Less I Dream on September 14th.

Pleased to Meet You: Andy Burns

When Andy Burns reached out to me, I wasn’t familiar with his work, but I’ve been delving deep into the music he’s sent me. He’s putting finishing touches on his latest album, which will be out in the Fall; it was completed while the Australian songwriter has been living in Tokyo. I’m a sucker for string arrangements, especially when they accompany light little pop songs, such as this one. Plus, Andy carries deep vocal tones, though there’s a slight hint of operatic tendencies lurking deep in there. A mellow number that’s perfect to start out your Friday goings-on.

Santiparro Releases New Single, Readies LP

  1. Way back in 2015, Santiparro released the spiritual folk masterpiece, True Prayer; I raved about it over and over. But, in about a month he’ll be releasing his brand new LP, The Talon, and we’ll gladly support the artist again. The below single is indicative of his markedly new approach this go round, branching out into new sonic territory through his close work with produce J Ashley Miller. The opening minute uses a guitar in the distance with some sort of electronic gurgling lurking as Santiparro lets his voice search for that spiritual high ground. Strings momentarily envelope the sound, and you can feel the song beginning to build into an extravagant pop opus. Not surprisingly, he still seems to be seeking a better world, for himself and for us…one of the many reasons I’m still drawn to his work. The Talon might be his bravest work to date, so be sure to keep a look out for it on August 3rd; pre-order HERE.

Charming New Sleep Good Album

One of the great things I love about Sleep Good is that they pop up out of nowhere, just when things seem to have gotten stale. This last week, Will Patterson’s project dropped Bohemian Grove, the latest full length; it might also be the best work he’s crafted to date. I like the fact that it’s all styled similarly, though each track takes on its own role in the record. For instance, “Bombay” opens up the record with this relaxed, almost beach-laden, vibe; it has this light vocal that floats throughout. Then, “Ridin High” takes on this crooner charm, though the backing vocals hold a similar lineage to the opener. Take the journey through Bohemian Grove below; grab the LP version from YK Records.

Hot New Track From Holy Esque

Our Glasgow amigos in Holy Esque once played a show for me at Nomad, and I have remained a loyal fan ever since. It’s crazy that the band has been absolutely silent for about a year, but the guys are now ready to share with us what they’ve been working on for all that time. This new track, “I Am The Truth”, is to serve as a preview for the new full length LP entitled Television/Sweetwhich is due out June 8th via Beyond the Frequency. What can I say really, this is Holy Esque at their best and finest. A heavy synth, that always impressive gruff vocal, and of course the guitar freak out ending is always welcome. I say go on and pre-order the new record while you enjoy this one.

Wimps Return with Poppy Rocker

You imagine folks get bored playing the same old sound, which is great for Wimps, as the band continue to evolve sonically. They’ve just recently announced they’ll be releasing Garbage People via Kill Rock Stars this summer, and our first listen still has the band brandishing their same frantic rock sound…though they’ve turned up the infectiousness quite a bit. Rachel’s voice naturally grabs the listener on this track while the guitar work pushes the song forward emphatically…and in the end it almost feels like we’re spinning out of control, until they settle in to close the song out. The new record will be released on July 13th, so mark your calendar for something fun!

More from the New Air Waves LP

Warrior, the new album from Nicole Schneit’s Air Waves project comes at you next Friday, but before we get there, let’s have one final single, shall we? The album’s title track is not only a powerful step in the thematic elements of the record, but it’s also a testament to the driving infectiousness that pervades the LP. A propulsive guitar line pushes you through the entirety of the tune, vocals delivered in an almost chant/protest fashion. It will also carry a bit of weight that her friend Kevin Morby joins her for some backing vocals on this number; look for the LP April 6th via Western Vinyl.

1 38 39 40 41 42 61