This is fine.
As the year nears its close, there’s a handful of releases that are worthy of your listening experience. We wanted to run through a couple of them so you had some stuff to enjoy as you browse Bandcamp on the first Friday of the month. You’ll find some mellows jams, some guitar pop, and some powerhouse vocals…all of which we encourage you to enjoy by clicking below! Don’t forget to support your artists and labels.
Through their first few handfuls of singles, the folks in Sweet Nobody have been turning out really charming pop rock, but today they make their boldest statement with “Forget Me.” I was first caught by the confidence and power of the vocals, hitting some notes that fall between Sharon Van Etten and Jenny Lewis. But, cementing the power of the vocal hook is the way they build up the tune, using stuttering riffs to kind of add tension to the track, then rolling out the red carpet for the melody to walk right up and blow you away. If pop rock is your bag, there’s not better you’ll here today. They release Driving Off to Nowhere on November 7th via Repeating Cloud.
The new record from Long Beach’s Sweet Nobody is shaping up to be quite a listen, hanging on the edge of pulling from nostalgia and updating it for pop fans everywhere. On their latest single they let the rhythm section take complete control, with the pace of the vocals and each little saccharine note matching the snap of the beat beneath their feet. Speaking of those vocals, they offer up the best version of pop on this side of the dial, making you swoon with this near dreaminess that launches into pure beauty at the 3:40 mark as the song comes to a close. If you’re enjoying their new stuff, be ready for Driving Off To Nowhere, out on November 7th via Repeating Cloud.
If you haven’t made room for Rally the Tropes on your purchase list, then you might want to reevaluate your budget this month, as their new single solidifies the forthcoming Teenage Tom Petties record as a must have. Like most TTP tunes, there’s a natural grittiness to the recording process, giving the tune a huge edginess and DIY mentality. But, while I adore that aspect and its lo-fi aesthetics, their penchant for hooks and guitarmonies, making everything they do infectious and with just enough punch to keep the cool kids off my back. Love looking forward to this new LP, which drops via Repeating Cloud // Safe Suburban Home on October 24th.
I cannot wait for the rest of ya’ll in America to really get behind Teenage Tom Petties, especially as they’ve got a new record, Rally the Tropes on the horizon. This first single is just a straight ripper, indicating that Tom Brown and company aren’t done with kicking ass in 2025. The entirety of the new record is a celebratory experience, with Brown reveling in the joyousness of the group’s creation, as well as the power they’re now cranking out. The stuttering start that sets up the hook at the 16 second mark rules, recorded perfectly so that when the tune drops in you’re bouncing off the walls with the world’s largest grin stretching from ear to ear. Rock n’ roll is supposed to be fun, and no one is having as good a time as this lot. The new LP is out via Repeating Cloud and Safe Suburban Home in October.
When I listen to Jeff Tobias latest single, I’m instantly reminded of acts like Gary Numan or Devo, at least in the construction of the musical element; it has that leaning towards pop construction via manipulated sounds, and the playfulness is spot on. That said, the way that Tobias delivers his vocals seems to work in contrast to the beat itself, illustrating how far he’s pushing his creation, but also how one can manipulate every facet of the tune. You get more of that wave of inspiration as the track breaks down into a saxophone induced freakout, with a nod to some of Jeff’s other roles in the musical world. Really excited to hear how he toys with listeners in a creative and confident fashion when One Hundredfold Now In This Age drops via Repeating Cloud on October 17th.
A good bedroom pop tune should never go to waste, thus I’m running back to this Upper Narrows tune from the other day, along with the announcement of a brand new EP. I took a lot of joy hearing how there’s a nice little wash of keyboard building ambiance in the distance on this one; it adds the perfect texture to a tune that feels like a late night serenade to a group of friends. Tyler Jackson’s voice has this great bit of pleasantry to it, like a kindness that’s built for bringing you joy on your saddest days. Look for the Over the Prairie EP, which drops on September 23rd via Repeating Cloud.
We get it. Mondays are a total drag. So you’ll need some fuel to get your day going now with some proper rock n’ roll from Maine’s Snake Lips. They’ve got this thundering groove that courses through their latest single, letting the bass build bobbing waves beneath the smashing of rolling drum hits. The whole time, the rhythm section is competing with the surf-y garage vibes of the guitar; it wriggles in and out with fury…perhaps a precursor to the growl of the vocals that opens up the edge in the track’s later moment. Look for the group to drop Cat Beach on July 25th via Repeating Cloud Records.
Felt like the opening jittery jangles of this new Snake Lips tune was the perfect way to kick off your Friday morning. They race right in, angular guitars whipping us into a frenzy whilst a smattering of drums shake up the scene behind the vocals. In terms of those vocal blasts, they get a little bit of call-and-response emphasis throughout the tune, creating a little bit of a pop sensibility from within the confines of an energetic little ripper. That pop moment only get further pumped up when they drop little “bops” as the track bangs to a close. Their new record Cat Beach will be out on July 25th via Repeating Cloud.
Tried my best to keep up with the news last week, but one of the records I forgot to give a nod to over here was the newest album from Maine’s Festiva. They’ve got a garage meets pop punk sound, with Carver Arena-Bruce’s distinctive a dominating sound throughout the entirety of your listen. Each time I listen to a different track, I get a different vibe, so we’re popping up the more pop-friendly version to get you with the band’s hooks. You’ll find a lot of joy in between verses here, which makes me flashback to last night’s Dinosaur Jr show, just letting the guitars rip and ride. Their album, Everything in Moderation, is brought to you by the kind folks over at Repeating Cloud.
