Masculine Pain Share Hot Suit

Austin’s Masculine Pain are fairly new to the scene, though its various members are longtime staples of the music scene here. You’ll recognize the vocals of Eric Braden of Big Bill, while Nate Cardaci of Tres Oui/Literature and Tim Bond round things out. This one’s a slow-burner, building over beats and a bobbing bass line; it’s the perfect setting for Braden’s vocal delivery, matching each syllable to the movement. Dreamy guitar notes filter in from the background as Braden sings “I’m not in control.” For me, the climax comes right at the 1:50, the mood twists, guitars and synths wash in more of a dream vibe, and as the vocals match, it’s this huge wall of euphoria blasting you right in the face; I should have been expecting this. Putting great songwriters together doesn’t always work, except when it does…and here, it does.

Sasha Bell Announces Solo Album

Sasha Bell has a remarkable resume; she’s been a key part of Ladybug Transistor, Essex Green and The Sixth Great Lake…and now she’s stepping out on her own with Love is Alright. There are definitely some musical elements that will sound familiar; the first thing that stuck out to me was the dreaminess of the guitars churning in the background, combining that sparkling jangle with crisp notes that ring out in step with her vocals. I was really drawn to the space the song allowed around the 2 minute mark, allowing some air to sort of breathe into the song, giving off this celestial quality you won’t forget. Of course, the power of Bell’s vocals can mesmerize you as well; I love the way certain notes get curled from emphatic delivery to understated elegance at the end of syllables. Quite a start to a solo career; Love Is Alright will be out November 8th via Both Sides Now.

Premiere: Orchid Mantis

It’s yet another warm morning here in Austin and I’m needing some chill music to help me ease into this long week. Thankfully my new friend Thomas Howard sent over this new song “No One Else Around”, recorded under his musical project Orchid Mantis. It’s been the perfect song to chill my Monday stress and ease me into the day. The beat is impeccable, the recording is tight, and the vocals blend in almost perfectly. Great track.

 

Shadow Monster Share Punching Bag Video

I’m a sucker for singles; I get songs stuck way inside my head, like the latest single from Brooklyn’s Shadow Monster. For a two piece, this tune packs a lot of punch, a combination of the distortion ringing out from Gillian Visco’s guitar and the crashing cymbal (and fill) work put down by drummer John Swanson. Visco has this softness to her voice, also present in the guitar notes beneath the first layer of fuzz; it builds this slow moving tension, moving back and forth like a pendulum of impending release. Just at the two minute mark we get that glorious emotional release (somehow it sent me down a Get Up Kids wormhole), but it’s a glorious way to close out with some cacophony. The band will release their album Punching Bag via Dadstache Records on October 11th.

They’ll be celebrating the release of this new single at Our Wicked Lady in Brooklyn on 9/4.

Pink Chameleons Offer Up Melting Face

Finnish outfit Pink Chameleons have quite a unique sound; they claim to have an affinity for garage and psychedelia, not to mention their love for Waylon Jennings, so you can see where things get a little bit muddy. Here, they definitely have a middle section of garage swagger beneath this heavy psychedelia…but what hooked me, and it’s looped in twice in the track, is this playful balance between male and female vocals in the chorus. It seemingly works against the driving pulse of the music beneath the surface, sort of raising the song’s spirituality before the effortless swagger of the verse comes into play; I like a good juxtaposition, in any form. This tune will appear on the group’s new EP, which is slated for release later this Fall via Soliti Music.

Palm Friends Announce Nice Weather EP

Minneapolis has a history of great bands, and while fairly new, I’m hoping that Palm Friends can fulfill the promise set out by their new single, and forthcoming Nice Weather EP. Guitars sort of ring lightly from the get-go, but you can feel tension as they turn over and over, building towards this huge drop…it comes at the 20 second mark. Once you’re there, you’re in love with the band and this song; it really only takes 20 seconds before you press play time and time again. I love how indifferent the vocals are, like they don’t care whether we’re listening, they’re going to do their thing while the rest of the band gets on with it. I don’t think you can play this song enough times today, but if you do, I promise you your jaw’s going to hurt from the ear-to-ear grin. Look for the EP via Forged Artifacts on August 16th. Go grab the Pre-Order.

The BVs Share Catapult Video

If you haven’t read my Albums of the Year…so Far, you should; you’ll find Cartography, the latest effort by the BVs hanging in the top ten. Today, you’re further encouraged to adore the band by watching their new video for album stunner, “Catapult.” In regards to the track itself, it features these deepened vocal tones working over these guitar chords that seem to dart off into the far horizon; they all swirl and mesh together for a beautiful chorus. This video version is part lyric video, part tour diary; I love the tour diary aspect, as it captures what life on the road is for so many bands…trying to make sense of it all and crack a smile while dealing with the mundane life inside a car/van. Their album is being repressed by KUS…and they’ve got dates all through the UK next week.

Tour Dates: 7/19 – Brighton, 7/20 – Rainham, 7/23 – Oxford, 7/24 – Nottingham, 7/25 – London, 7/28 -Derbyshire (IndieTracks)

Poppel Announce Make Sense

Having formed in 2016, Belgium’s Poppel don’t seem to have slowed down on the writing process; they just released Hit It last year, and already they’re back with another collection of endearing songs. This playful new video comes with the announcement of Make Sense, the band’s second long-player. The video’s personality almost seems to impact the listening experience, with those jangling guitars offering up the appropriate amount of exuberance. Still, stylistically, you can sense a hint of dreaminess oozing through this track, which perhaps finds the band treading that Real Estate territory that makes the kids swoon. You can grab the new album on September 20th from Meritorio Records.

Starman Jr Shares Speed

It’s been a couple of years since Starman Jr, the project of Adam Porter, has popped up on our radar, but today feels like the perfect day to listen to his new work. At first, I was drawn to the intricate, yet intimate, feel of the guitar work on this tune; you’ve got to really pull your head down towards your speakers to take in every single note. But, going back again and again, I realized his voice was exactly what made the song. It has this quality, like its an old recording left behind by a dear friend or lover, crafting nostalgia while still giving you comfort; I feel like he left it out there in the world for me, or maybe for you. This tune will appear on a new LP, slated to drop later this year via Muscle Beach Records.

King Ropes Share California Stars

For a brief five seconds, you’re tempted to hear this song as some sort of 90s rocker, but soon King Ropes pull away from that, giving off a brief little vocal blurb that resembles that one song from Butthole Surfers that everyone knows. Still, the song’s natural progression isn’t over, it plods slowly, allowing the natural melody in the vocals to build; the guitars and bass still have this ominous tone in the distance behind the voice Dave Hollier. The pinnacle is from the chorus with the line “those California stars they shine and shine;” it’s a sublime pop tidbit amidst a song that avoids the trappings of modern pigeonholing, never staying in one place long enough to bore the listener. This bodes well for Gravity and Friction, out on July 26th!

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