Dez Dare Premieres 10000 Monkeys + An Argument with Time

Looking forward to what’s shaping up as a busy March, we’ve got our eyes on Brighton’s Dez Dare and his record, A Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin. An earlier single was sort of an electronic-induced version of that cliche of “going for a drive with the windows down;” it was a smash, and a reminder of the anomaly that is Dez Dare. Today, you get the more pensive piece, culling some heavy riffs into this almost spasming bit of electronic pop music. Could it be a game soundtrack? Possibly. Could it be Dare flirting with our need to be surrounded by walls of noise? Certainly. Those bursts are brief, an exorcism that quickly gets peeled to reveal clever beat-play. Then, it returns, the riffs jamming out and the vocals adding an emphatic kick to the percussion, stomping the song to a close. You can grab the new LP from God Unknown Records on March 1st.

Savak Drop New Single, Will Get Fooled Again

I was already a big fan of what Savak have accomplished through the years, but with their latest, they seem to be hitting the right notes, especially as I’ve been in a 1st wave emo mood as of late. There’s something in here that certainly feels a kinship to that area, with bright guitars and melody working in unison to build this powerful melodic core. But, even there, the band seem capable of adhering to the darker edges of rock n’ roll after the punk explosion; something in this song feels forlorn and brooding, particularly in the way some of the ways the vocals fall over the syllables. Just another reason to pencil in Flavors of Paradise on your LPs to buy; its out March 1st.

Sturt Avenue Share Title Track from Bury Me in the Garden

So, while us here in the States were turkey-ing up, the rest of the world carried on as one should, just like Sturt Avenue, who released Bury Me in the Garden. We’ve covered the band’s work before, noticing their brand of orchestral chamber pop and how it naturally has that swelling feel-good nature to it. The title track from the record has an incredible vocal performance, again, from Bryn Soden; I love how we can feather a note, but then turn around and pull another tone from deep in the gut…and all the while there’s a perfect bit of accentuating backing harmonies to boost. Feel like this is the warmest welcome to a fresh week of music!

Steven Van Betten Shares Ideal Day, Drops Friends & Family LP

We’ve been covering Steven van Betten‘s latest release pretty nonstop as singles roll our way, and today you’ll get to hear the record in its entirety, but wanted to spin one more focus track your way. This is one of the briefest tunes on the album, but the way van Betten comes out of the gate with this really light vocal over carefully picked strings really stuck with me; it’s got this great joy that’s really indescribable. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, the song slowly adds in a sprinkle here and a sprinkle there, adding texture that grows the song before your eyes, like some magical video of a flower going from seedling to full bloom. Be sure to check out all of Friends and Family today, courtesy of Future Gods.

Melody Fields Shares Jesus Single

If you were looking to get into the latest cool Swedish outfit, might I suggest you try on some Melody Fields. This weekend they sent us a reminder that their latest track also came with the release of their 1901 LP. For me, this track’s sort of in that weird psychedelic territory where it’s not quite Spaceman 3 but also not quite Brian Jonestown; there’s certainly a heaviness pervading, albeit with these swelling vocal melodies popping in and out in all the right places. Ride thids tune right into the purchase of their new LP; it’s available now!

Jeff Moller Shares Another Name, Drops New LP

I was a little behind the times on Friday, so I missed running new stuff from Jeff Moller, just as he dropped his Sigh Baby. But, we’re musically hanging out for the first part of this morning, so I wanted to make sure we shared the closing track, which I felt was one of the various special tracks on the LP. This song opens with this twinkling guitar note, shining down on this heavy groove that locks the listener in place; it feels heavy and dark, setting you up for the cascading melody that shoots across during the chorus. Honestly, kind of sounds like the National meeting up with Grizzly Bear on goth night…all before your dad and his friends got into them. If you love it, check out the whole LP.

Soft Science Share Single, Announce New LP

What a great day to return from a minor surgery to find fresh Soft Science music to spin for you. Personally, the band brandish my favorite style of the indiepop realm; it’s equal parts dreamy/gazey and jangly, giving the song this sort of mellow drift that’s pushed forward by the punching rhythm. You can feel the guitars grab you by the neck and swirl you about in the air, only to get caught in some magical gust that carries you to find what dreams may come. You’ll either get caught up daydreaming, or put this on a playlist for a drive under the night sky, but either way you’ll be a winner if you grab this from Shelflife Records; Lines is officially out on September 8th.

Blues Lawyer Share Chance Encounters

It’s been a few years since we’ve gotten our hands on a solid Blues Lawyer LP, but it looks like 2023 will finally bring us all a little bit of joy by way of All in Good Time. Feedback opens the door for pounding rhythm sections to toss us right into the mix, with the guitars knifing in form the distance and steadying the noise simultaneously. You’ll find the vocals hanging themselves out to dry on this pure pop clothesline; there are certain notes just dangling on the ends with this joyous melody. There’s even a little aid from backing vocals, all before the song wrestles with a furious stomp that helps bring it to a close; it’s rad to see the band not missing a beat despite a little bit of an absence. They drop the new LP on February 17th via Dark Entries.

Unkle Bob Release Invisible Single + Announce New Album

UK outfit Unkle Bob have returned with a brand new single, and the title track from their forthcoming Invisible LP, which caught my ear immediately. There’s this natural sense of calm that resonates almost immediately; it’s like they’ve built on slow-core tropes and built in a little bit more movement, letting the vocals kind of crest and meander through the dense cavernous sound. At times the song feels heavy and dark, but the synth and circular nature of those cresting vocals continue to bring in the pop sensation that makes this a jam to keep in your rotation as you map out your weekend playlist. We’ll give you more news about the LP as it comes our way.

Letting Up Despite Great Faults Share Self-Portrait Video

I’ve spent a lot of time the last few weeks enjoying IV, the latest long player from Austin’s Letting Up Despite Great Faults. Hopefully you’ve been passing your time in a similar fashion, and if not, then indulge me by watching this new lyric video for “Self-Portrait” in hopes that you see the error in your ways. Starting off with a light jangling guitar sets the mood, just before the rhythm section (which is always spot on) pushes the song into foot-stomping/hand-clapping territory. Mike Lee’s feathered voice softly caresses your inner ear as heavy riffs run beneath the surface, fighting to break through the band’s melodious nature helmed by Lee and Annah Fisette’s vocals. Plus, the band get bonus points here for the great video created by Pelvis Wrestley‘s Benjamin Violet…a kind and artistic human in their own right! Grab the LP right HERE.

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