Last Week’s Jams (11.27 – 12.1)

I know Spotify is the devil, so please pass judgment knowing that I know it’s the devil, but I can’t turn my back on the beast…not to mention, the ease of access for everyone, which is where Spotify dominates the market. Alas, yes, I’m using Spotify for my playlist…until Bancamp offers me something better, but even they can’t be trusted anymore! So, I’ll just wrap up last week on my one! ATH Wrapped! We covered a lot of music, with some heavy-hitters like Real Estate, JAMC and Ducks Ltd. popping off with new stuff. There was a ton of tuneage from Australia: Pop Filter, Sachet, The Brights, Alluvial Nuggets and Good Morning. Plus, I’m flipping a coin between the Umbrellas and Bolis Pupul for my fave track of the week. What’s yours? Find out below!

Two Great Aussie LPs to Stream: The Brights + Pop Filter

Two great Australian acts release brand new records today, and oddly, both are being released by great Spanish record labels; but, they both come from different parts of the country, so there’s that?

Sydney’s The Brights have released Oyster Rock! today via Meritorio Records. It’s a collection of pop songs with little bits of Western twang lingering in the songwriting. You’ll find a few upbeat numbers, with most tracks working on a pensive point that allows the melodies to sit quietly with you for hours afterwards.

Pop Filter, up in Melbourne, are like the indie rock hydra; you cut off the head of one songwriter, and there’s another equally gifted craftsman’s head popping up. With so many songwriters, Cono feels refreshing at every turner, tossing out subdued little pop nuggets and bouncy bops of badassery. LP courtesy of Bobo Integral.

Pop Filter Share Undertow

A little over ten days to go before Pop Filter drop their brand new track, and they want to drag you right into the experience of CONO by hitting you with “Undertow.” It’s immediately going to grab you, opening with a racing rhythm section, using snappy drum work and a bassline that seduces you instantly. It doesn’t stop there, as the band race through the tune, dropping discordant noise in throughout as they seem intent on rushing you through the song as fast as they can. Little bit of saxophone helps the song fade out and still throw its weight behind the pop sensibility! CONO is out on December 1st, but it’s already SOLD OUT, so hopefully there’s a repress!

Last Week’s Jams (10.23 – 10.27)

We had a busy week here at ATH, prepping for the festival by throwing some Levitation interviews your way, but there was still tons of music to get out there. We ran some conversations with Video Age, Pachyman, Civic and Shannon and the Clams…plus, I got a Rock n’ Recipe in from the good folks at Lower Plenty. So, lots of words to read from other folks on their music. We also had fresh tunes all over the place from ATH favorites like the Umbrellas, Steven van Betten and Glimmer. Pretty busy week with tons to talk about, so be sure to browse through the site too…as there’s more than just sweet jams from last week!

Pop Filter Share Fighting Spirit

One of the great things about being in Pop Filter is that the band’s armed with so many incredible songwriters, so their album’s are full of a tightly knit diversity. With “Heaven Sent,” the first single, you got an energetic punch of rock n’ roll swagger, but on their newest single they’re settling back into this expansive brand of glorious pop. Every note on the vocals hits perfectly , calmed and coo, with faint hints of soulful, aided by a gentle backing vocal. Perhaps it’s last night’s Nick Drake set, but the piano work adds a nice little texture too that’s thrilling inside. Don’t get me wrong, the track can still swell and feel rocking and rushed, but they’ve got enough experience to pull back in just the perfect spots, leaving you wanting more. Cono is out on December 1st via Bobo Integral.

Last Week’s Jams (9.25 – 9.29)

While it seemed like a slow week, in my brain at least, there was lots of really great stuff to cover over on the site. We were happy to host the new video from Seablite, so be sure you drop in and give it a couple of looks. Plus, our Rock n’ Recipes features returned with Spain’s Melenas, who dropped their new Ahora LP on Friday. Plus, Austin was alive and kicking with new stuff from Molly Burch, Semihelix and Sun June. Seeing our old friends in Pop Filter return to the fold was just a little cherry on top of a great week of music. There’s lots more for you to find in this playlist!

Pop Filter Return with CONO

As you begin to wrap up your collection of albums to make it through the end of the year, might I suggest you save a spot for Pop Filter, the band that sprang up after Ocean Party. They’ve already delivered some great batches of tunes, but on the first single from CONO, man, you get some full-fledged punching pop rock. In the past, they’re songwriting has flirted with energy, but they’re letting go here, and you’re going to find yourself stomping your feet and bobbing your head as Lach bemoans a mundane existence, begging us all to relax a bit and soak it all in, instead. My favorite moment hits at the 1:35 moment, where the vocals are emphatic, yearning for that youthful exuberance; it reminds me of a more sincere Strokes at their best, and I totally love it. CONO will drop on December 1st via Bobo Integral.

Timeshare Returns with New Yellow EP

In case you haven’t been following Timeshare, it’s the solo project of longtime ATH fave Jordan Thompson, known to our six readers as one of the core members of the Ocean Party/Pop Filter. This week, Jordan announced the Yellow EP, the third in a series of EPs that sees Jordan work his way out of a period where he says he “was drifting.” Like all his cohorts, Jordan’s songwriting has an indie rock drive to it, though spun with a unique penchant for pop music; you can listen to the joyous chorus here and hear the euphoric that hits when he Maddison Newman joins in with backing vocals. I’m a fan of the way the song’s verses have this forceful nature to it, while the chorus seems more akin to exploratory folk rock; it’s a cool little juxtaposition. The Yellow EP is out on May 8th.

Partner Look Announce Debut LP

We first brought you news of Partner Look last April, when the band dropped a quick 7″ after forming as kind of a spur of the moment projects between the Hasnain sisters and their partners, Lachlan Denton and Dainis Lacey. This is one of the unique things about the Melbourne scene right now, with friends trading places all over to create exciting new projects. Today, the band announce their debut self-titled LP, dropping via Trouble in Mind/Osborne Again/Spunk in February. Lachlan (of Pop Filter/LD + ER/Ocean Party) gets the lead on the vocals here, and his voice always has this familiarity and spirited vibrance; it adds to the bouncing rhythm section helmed by his drum work. There’s a little bit of twang in the guitars, sort of taking a kind of psychedelic folk boogie to the track that reaches its climax in the chorus when everyone joins in for a singalong. Try this one on for size.

Snowy Shares Two New Songs + Announces New Album

Snowy already released what I believe to be one of his best albums, Alternate Endings (please smuggle a box overseas!), but it seems he’s not resting, as he’s just announced Bell City. According to him, the album is made up of a bunch of tunes he wrote in May, then set aside, only to revisit them later, adding details where necessary or just leaving things be as they were. We’ve got a couple of those songs below, mostly just because I love Snowy’s work and want to encourage you to spend some time with his work. This is just a sample of the 17 songs slated to be on the release, dropping this Friday!

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