The High Water Marks Announce Consult the Oracle

At this point in the indie sphere, it seems (to me at least) that The High Water Marks should be required listening. They consistently churned out a brand of power-pop, envied by their peers and relished by fanatics who trace the band’s musical construction back to its early Elephant 6 roots. Sure, those days are long in the past, but you can certainly hear the way that vocal melodies are layered atop one another, carefully, so as to subtly encourage you to dig beneath the surface. And of course, they’re never straying from pop pieces, as that’s their bread and butter, and they do so with just enough attitude to make the cool kids swoon. Their new album Consult the Oracle is out May 16th via Meritorio Records.

New Icarus Phoenix Single

I’m always going to get behind a Drew Danburry release, and his latest single under the Icarus Phoenix moniker has him revisiting softened indie days of old. There are moments when his voice recalls the works of Ben Gibbard or even Jason Lytle, taking on this stretched syllabic melody. Guitars and ambient notes follow suit, stretching the scenery behind Drew’s voice, lifting it up with subtle textures that rise through the speakers. It’s really interesting when it’s juxtaposed with the acoustic demo, which is also attached to the release, as you get to hear the way the song’s initial stages unfold into this rich pop tapestry.

Ruby Moon Drop Slow Burn

Admittedly, I’m a sucker for a post-punk style jam that feels like it was made in the basement of a dingy apartment, and I mean that in the best way. I miss Blank Dogs! But today, we’ve got this new Ruby Moon tune, wearing the same pair of pants, and in saying that, there’s also a little plot twist that makes the work below uniquely it’s own. Sure, the beats maintain that industrial pop synthesis, but the melodic focus on the vocals and underlying guitar licks offers a shimmering bit of joy that I can’t pull myself away from. Think you’ll feel the same by pressing play below.

Paper Sister Offer Run Home Single

There’s a lot going on in the Austin scene at the moment, with our own SXSW show on the horizon, but last week, this Paper Sister track caught my attention. The group swear an allegiance to the left-of-the-dial anthemic pop of the late 90s, which fits my listening habits of late, as I’ve oddly been on a Cranberries kick (ain’t no shame!). This track puts the pop focus in the verses, walking you into the tracks with a softness that seduces the listener at first. They don’t hang out there forever, however, as they’ve also got a penchant for noisy indie rock, which you can hear filling the backdrop of this tune when the chorus kicks in. Just another reason to keep an eye on the ATX scene this year!

Wylderness Return with New Single

Welsh outfit Wylderness have been consistently dropping great pop hits since we stumbled upon them several years ago, and their latest single continues in that tradition, even offering a glimpse at where the band go from here. The balance between light guitar notes and heavy riffs is perfect, weaving them together like some dreamy rock quilt of perfection. In that, they manage to use that balance to keep a steadied pace that allows the tune to create a natural tension; they hold that feeling tightly, waiting to unleash it until after the halfway mark of the tune where things spin and crash beautifully. They’ve got a new Safe Mode EP on the horizon, so we’ll keep you posted!

Pike Release Final Words

After a long absence from recording, Canadian lot Pike are back with a couple of new songs you should get into while you can. I like the straddling pop styles of the tune below; it kind of seems like it’s playing a musical hopscotch, bopping from side to side in the speakers. Erik Hamilton and Katie Laine trade vocal spars, often overlapping one another to build this textured melody that gets cut into pieces as the song takes on a more angular approach in the track’s latter half. If you’re looking for a solid vibe of cool, then you can’t get much better than pressing play on the new single below.

Pale Lights Announce Mini LP

Through the years we’ve happily covered the work of Phil Sutton and Pale Lights; we were even fortunate enough to work with him on one of his Love Burns solo efforts. There’s news of a new mini LP coming our way, and our first listen is as delighting as we’d expect from Phil and company. A quick jangle kicks things off before the tune jumps into a full-on gallop, popping up on the backbone of some quick cymbal play and the angular strummed notes. Sutton does his best croon, coating the track with his heavy melody that you can’t escape; he even gets a little backing nod from one of his female counterparts, only maximizing the joy as an organ plays out in the distance. Can’t wait for us to hear the entirety of the new LP; it’ll be out later this Spring via KUS and Jigsaw.

Don Goblin Drop Extra Bitters EP

Denver’s Don Goblin swung for the fences with this new Extra Bitters EP, but there’s one EP that I can’t stop playing, thus I had to get in your ears before I forget to spread the good work. Explaining this tune is a touch troubling, as they seamlessly move between a solid indie rock vibe and an ode to the jangling pop that I consistently dive into every day. When the tune opens, you expect this sharp and smoothed melodic focus from the vocals…and to a degree, sure, but they switch it up with subtle nod to the Dead’s “Touch of Grey,” or at least that’s how I hear it.

Tunde Adebimpe Shares God Knows

Perhaps it’s because we spent so much of our young adulthood listening to TV on the Radio singles, but any time I hear a song featuring Tunde Adebimpe I’m immediately transported to a place of happiness (which we all need right now!). That said, his new solo LP is starting to shape up like a really thoughtful blend of pop. In the opening minutes, he has you, letting his lyrics hang and fall on the last piece of each poetic line, setting up the tune to have a subtle bounce atop a quiet piano line. It’s his delivery there that’s really exciting, particularly the way he uses syllables to create an extra beat and layer of texture. Still, the pop sensation comes with a bite to it, as the whole song uses the refrain “God knows you’re the worst thing I ever loved,” commenting on the reflections of heartbreak. The Black Boltz is out on April 18th via Sub Pop.

Sports Team Share Maybe When We’re 30

There’s a lot of wind blowing overseas with Sports Team on the wings, and I’ll admit, I’m always interested in what the press adore over there, and how it resonates in the States. With this lot, it’s fully hit or miss, but this new single is definitely a hit, and perhaps it’s because it does sound wholly British in its presentation, though the latter half of this tune does move into that territory of every day indie rock. The entirety of the tune operates on this sort of steadied bounce, kicking through a matched vocal performance that seems to walk you through their contemplations on our investment in social media. Kind of feels lie a [better] British answer to Arcade Fire, with commentary and pop and art bred as one. Boys These Days will be out on May23rd via Distiller/Antenna Records.

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