This is fine.
Nathan and I are prepping for another week of tunes you may or may not love. My week is kicking off with this acoustic pop number “Stayed the Same” from San Diego based crooner Eric Schroeder. He has this expert way in the song of at times having a playful tone but paired with reflective and personal lyrical content. Well done sire.
Schroeder will release a new album entitled Turn On the Stereo on April 26th via Enabler No. 6.
We’re off and running with another busy week of quality tunes for you here on ATH and today I am pleased to share with you this new jam “Jay Owen” from the San Diego based outfit Fieldrush. While it might be labeled as post-emo to some, I think the band also offers a ton of energy and more traditional rock elements to pair with the somewhat slower moments. Ya also gotta feel the rhythm section on this one as the drums and bass absolutely slam together during the heaviest parts of the song. Check it out.
This song is part of a debut EP which does not yet have a release date so stay tuned.
You ever press play on a song and find yourself swept away in the next few minutes? That’s precisely what happened when I clicked on this new single from San Diego’s New Me, so I figured you needed the same vibe in your day. It slinks in with this bubbling synth line, and the dreamier wash definitely had my interest. But, it wasn’t until I heard the vocals from Barnabuss Chump that really sucked me in; there’s this ability to take his voice from the highest pitch, then drop it and spin it in this deeper warmth. Man, I’m hooked on this tune. It’s been a hot minute since their debut 7″, so let’s hope this means more new tunes in the very near future.
The ten tracks that make up the debut album from Exasperation show a band confident in their craft, willing to wear their various influences openly. Album opener “Pyre” has this almost spastic punctuated vocal, before it twists into a crunchier blasting riff ride. It’s matched by songs such as “Devil’s Gate,” which has the faintest smell of Les Savy Fav in the angular guitars and vocal delivery. Still, while things often seem sharp and treacherous throughout Paradise, a soft underbelly exists within that only reveals itself when one pulls back layer after layer, song after song…like on “Sludge Plow.” It’s a power ballad of sorts, calm in its appearance, emphatic in its chorus. Venture forth listener, peel back the layers and uncover the secrets of Paradise.
Not too long ago we shared the latest hit from Spooky Cigarette, and they’re already back at it again with another number for you to swoon over. This one has a bit of a lounge croon for the vocals, coming off like the Dears, though with the gang vocals jumping in, there’s a more emphatic punch to the track. I love how this group just works with simple hooks, develops them into complete tracks that remain in your brain throughout the day. Feel free to stomp your feet, clap your hands and get carried away by the latest from Sand Diego outfit.
San Diego’s Los Shadows have one thing that the rest of the dream pop acts…a sound rooted in Latin rhythms. The opening guitar lines sound like an homage to the beach, but immediately the drums roll in crafting this vibe that’s unlike anything out there. They move it into these smoothed out dreamy croons that crest atop the front of the mix; it ends up giving the song this natural swinging sensation that I cannot escape…nor do I want to. There’s a funky closing minute that definitely brings the Latin vibe full circle. While this single is brand new, you can check in on the group’s other work HERE.
Admittedly, sometimes pop music can get stale or blend in with like-minded artists. Spooky Cigarette is not that band! Their newest song hints at the current underbelly of indiepop, using twinkling guitars amidst a marching rhythm section. But, the vocals of Frank Mindingall have this dreamy yearning, that seems to work separate from the rest of the act. It ends up creating this frantic tornado of pop music that sweeps you out of your chair and into your go-to dance move. There’s just this undying carefree attitude being tossed about that definitely draws everyone into their musical galaxy. Keep an eye out for this San Diego bunch, as it looks like they’re having a hell of a time.
The self-titled album from The Color Forty Nine is only 7 songs long, but there’s so much depth to the recording that one is apt to find the record stretching beyond expectations. Their latest single has singer Phil Beaumont stretching operatic tones over the musical craft of his support. The rest of the band, particularly the violin work creates this forlorn Western vibe; it’s a brand of Americana that largely goes overlooked…somewhere between troubadour and sea-shanty. They’ll be releasing the s/t record on June 15th via Darla.
It’s been a second since we’ve heard anything from San Diego based band The Gloomies, but I am pleased to report that the band is still alive and kicking. Proof of their continued existence as a duo comes from this slick new track called “Palms”. It reminds me quite a bit of the earlier work of a band like Yeasayer if the vocals were a bit more reserved and completely in tune with the music. You’ll find a certain groove to the sound that’s sure to have your body moving along in unison.
The Gloomies will release Romance on July 13th via Thrill Me Records.
San Diego’s Sick Balloons belong to the cult of bands who never stop writing music; they’ve got a bevy of releases, with one more coming this Friday via the good folks over at Bleeding Gold Records. The recording doesn’t have the studio polish, but that lo-fi quality makes the track seem more earnest, more willing to take risks. It’s got a slight feel in the vein of Guided By Voices, especially in the vocal region. Feel free to invest some time in the band’s back catalog, and be sure to grab the new EP when it’s released this Friday.
