Whimsical Share Rewind Video

We’re going to have ourselves a little Shelflife party over here at ATH, which is completely okay, as it’s one of my favorite labels. Earlier we had that hot Salt Lake Alley tune, and now we bring you the latest from the dream-gaze outfit, Whimsical. The video, like the song, is definitely shrouded in a bit of denseness, with the guitars churning out this wall of noise that serves as the background; the video uses slow pacing and these similarly heavy color tones to match that vibe. Musically, Krissy Vanderwoude’s voice is able to pierce the shroud of darkness, delivering this pulsing bit of melody that shimmers on the surface, as this genre should. If you dig it, Melt will be out on April 1st.

Silver Tapes Announces Forever Home EP

The year 2021 seems like the year music really feels like it started to reawaken in Austin, which is where we get to meet Silver Tapes and their new Forever Home EP. The band is the project of former Shy Beast Drummer, Drew Silverman, producing his own mixture of heavy textures and hard snapping beats. In this tune, the track carefully begins to unfold, working in the opening minute as this sort of textured pop opus, working over synth stabs and careful melodies. For me, I got hooked when the song drops in with this heavy riff that just sort of explodes the foreground and then shimmers all over the place, clouding the speakers with melodic fuzz. Silverman bounces all over the place on this EP, searching for the sounds that match up with the EP’s themes of loss, nostalgia and security. The full EP is out November 5th, so be on the lookout to double down here.

Flowertown Announce Self-Titled LP

If you are hip enough to follow Paisley Shirt Records then you might already have Flowertown on your radar, and in fact, you might have already heard versions of the song from the band’s self-titled LP. But, Mt. St. Mtn. has announced they’ll be compiling these songs and remastering them in proper format for a first ever vinyl pressing. The band is comprised of Karina Gill (Cindy) and Michael Ramos (Tony Jay) and together, they’re dropping breadcrumbs all the way back to the early days of K Records and Flying Nun. Guitars twist and turn around the steady percussive element; it sounds at times as if the band’s finding their footing together in the a live space for the first time…giving that lo-fi aesthetic that can’t be faked. My favorite moment, in a very weird strong Nathan only way actually comes at 1:25-1:43; its this guitar interlude that has these perfect tones that sort of breathe air into the vocal duet, giving more charm than one man can handle. The LP will be released on April 23rd!

e4444e Shares Solar Video

I reckon I should stick with the Aussie scene first thing in the morning, so here’s a tune from e4444e off the forthcoming Coldstream Road. From what I’ve heard from Romy Church’s project, this tune is one of the more stripped down tracks present on the record, and perhaps that’s where the draw is for me. Church’s voice spends the first minute pretty much on his own, coolly floating atop the strummed acoustic guitar. When the 1 minute mark drops, textures start to be formed and layered, building in a sonic realm where one can let go and get lost. It’s a pretty special tune, to my ears. Get it this Friday via Spunk Records!

Young Guv Shares Caught Lookin

It seems at this point that Young Guv can sort of do what he wants, and deservedly so I’d say. Today, he dropped a tune that’s quite a digression from the first single off the forthcoming Guv II, his follow up to Guv I, which was released earlier this year. Sure, there’s some interesting guitar work, but it definitely takes a back seek to the sleek slow dance grooves of this new tune; I mean, there’s a sexy sax solo lurking right there in the middle of the song. I love that it gives a completely difference glimpse at what’s inside of the artist here; we can’t all rock day in and day out. Guv II is out on October 25th via Run for Cover.

Charlie Belle Are Back

The Austin indiepop duo Charlie Belle have had some ups and downs in their brief career, from NPR praise to leaving their label, they’ve seen it all. It seems that’s helped them keep things in persepective, and with their forthcoming EP, it looks like they’re back to basics working around the centrical force that is pop music. Jendayi has this sparkling voice, proudly defiant at times and quiety coy at others; it works well against the circular riffs from her guitar. The band will release their Like I Love This EP on September 25th, with another EP already being readied for Spring of 2019.

Really Digging on New Shannon and the Clams

While the garage-rock swagger may have fizzled out, it seems fitting that Shannon and the Clams have made it through unscathed, as they clearly found a niche within the genre that seems rather timeless. The guitar sound carries that nostalgic swing to it, but of course Shannon’s voice is always bound to steal the show; she has this incredible range that often gets overlooked with her slight rasp. The band are all set to release their new record, Onion, which will be released by Easy Eye Sound on February 16th.