Animal Scream Prep Heartbroke Motel + Share Cannibals

Pittsburgh’s Animal Scream are just around the corner from releasing their sophomore LP, Heartbroke Motel, and what better way to get you into their sound than offer a listen to the record’s first single. If you go back (as you should) and listen to Nightwalk, you’ll realize that the band pull from all sorts of influences in that record, hitting on dub reggae and extensive beat work. But, the new record, based on this tune below seems to live off the beat work, apply textural synths and even build in melodic psychedelia. When the chorus hits, heavy riffs ride through the background, while the vocals hit the hook hard, like something you would have found in the classic period of Of Montreal. It’s funky and dark, drawing from the “nocturnal” influences that are abundant on the new LP. Enjoy this Friday treat.

Stutter Steps Share Leafy Dreams Video

It’s easy to get lost in this pandemic situation, so much so that I neglected to devote enough time to the excellent new Stutter Steps LP, which has been out for a wee bit now. Reeling is chock full of both warm ballads and upbeat fuzz pop songs. One of the more calming tracks, “Leafy Dream,” is here with the video treatment; it’s as nature-oriented a visual as the song itself, using minimal percussion and the faintest hint of backing vocals to seduce you, while the song seemingly takes you on a hike through the forest with Ben’s music your willing accompaniment. Come to mention it, there’s quite a bit of nature imagery on this record; you can stream it all right HERE. For now, enjoy the tune and the video, and pick up the album!

Merce Lemon Announces Ride Every Day

Up until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t heard of Merce Lemon, but our friends over at Crafted Sounds tossed us a few tunes to turn us on to her before the announcement of Ride Every Day. It’s a compilation tape taking a few of her releases, adding some bonus material and a polished version of this really striking tune below. It’s one of those songs that seems so simple in its construction, but it feels like a gut-punch, just hitting you right where your emotions are. Mostly just vocals and a light strum, with some added key notes in there, yet you will keep coming back to this song before the day’s up, I swear. This will be out on March 14th via Crafted Sounds.

ATH Premiere: Stutter Steps Are Your New Favorites

stutterstepsOkay, so maybe Stutter Steps aren’t your new favorites, not yet anyways. But, those of you who’ve carefully wrapped yourself in a world of indiepop and Australian/NewZealand guitar craftsmanship will surely find yourselves a new band to adore. This first single is as fine example of the art of songwriting as I’ve come to hear, which should come as no surprise; Ben Harrison, the man behind the band, can call himself a contributor/collaborator to the works of Dean and Britta (if you need to look that up then it won’t mean much). Still, I can hear the band’s references to Flying Nun, though I prefer to imagine Harrison crafting his own American version of the Go-Betweens. There’s incredible melodies and such a gentle warmth; you’re bound to find this the most endearing tune today. Their self-titled album will be out soon via Wild Kindness Records.

Not just another groupie ode

A Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa collaboration is nothing new, nor is an ode to groupies. But what I like about this newest song between the two, “For Everybody”, is the purposeful contradictions throughout the whole song. Also included is a very obvious entire verse dedicated to Wiz Khalifa’s ex-wife, exotic dancer turned video vixen Amber Rose: “I fell in love with a stripperrrr / funny thing is I fell back out of love quickerrrr”. This is not slut shaming. It’s far from it.

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