This is fine.
Last year Deeper released their self-titled record via Fire Talk; I wrote about it a whole bunch, and was super in love with it upon its release. Today we’ve caught up with the group to have them answer our SXSW questionnaire so you’re more informed when you go watch them play! The band play at Hotel Vegas on March 15th.
If I were to pick out an Austin artist that would break out into the world to win everyone’s hearts, the odds of that group being the Infinites are pretty high. What began as a looped guitar project between Dan Levine (Ghetto Ghouls) and Jared Zoltar (the Zoltars) has a evolved quickly into a well-oiled pop making machine. In their newest single, the guitar lines dance and flutter, jumping out sharply when emphasis is needed. Everyone else takes on a casual vibe, waiting for the the vocals to intoxicate; I love how Jared naturally has this hook in the way he’s delivering his lines, matched perfectly by those guitar parts. The band will be releasing their debut self-titled LP on First Human Records on April 26th.
I was a big fan of Austin’s Hex Dispensers, and it looks like Alex and Alyse are ready to move forward with their new project, Eerie Family. The duo quietly released their new self-titled album on Tuesday, and while there are sonic similarities, particularly Alex’s voice, there’s some really beautiful moments I don’t want you to ignore. For instance, “A Ghost Who Lives Inside Your Heart” is stunning; it leaves all sorts of empty space in the track, though that’s filled with various sonic flourishes, almost like a more indie rock version of Magnetic Fields. Other tracks like “A Crooked Path” give Alyse the starring vocal role, switching up the mood just a touch. It’s a wonderfully brooding listen, and one I suggest you hop on right away!
If you know me, you know I have a penchant to stare dreamily out the window in my classroom; I wish I could take the kids outside and just enjoy the world. So, I’m always looking for tunes to accompany my daydreaming, like this Jonny Kosmo tune. It’s a way-relaxed number that recalls a touch of tropicalia, while almost pulling in an R&B lounge act at the same time…especially when that horn comes riding in before the 3 minute mark. So, if you feel like daydreaming, just quietly turn this track on and let it carry you off into the sun…or to the self-titled release out March 1st.
We all had hints that a new Chris Cohen record was on the horizon, and I’m just grateful that it’s closer on the horizon than I expected. I’ve been infatuated with Chris since Overgrown Path (2012), and this new single strikes a similar chord. Chris writes with such simplicity, or seemingly so, that you end up being caught up in the song’s emotional pull rather than focus on the instrumentation. We have that here, though the melodies Cohen pulls from his voice are so sublime that they pull you in like tractor beams. The next album is self-titled and it will be released by Chris’ longtime label Captured Tracks on March 29th.
I can pretty much be guaranteed that anything coming out via WIAIWYA is going to be something I’ll enjoy; John seems to hand pick from my brain for his catalog…or so I like to think. His first release of 2019 is going to be the debut from Whoa Melodic, the project of Michael Wood who has played with the Hayman Kupa Band and Singing Adams. Our first listen has this almost stuttering mod feel to it, like if Elvis Costello hung out with a bunch of indiepop kids; there’s that sharpness in delivery contrasted with the natural warmth of Wood’s voice. Seems like a great way to start off 2019; the self-titled LP will drop on Februrary 1st.
There’s always tons of album streams at the end of a week, so I’d like to point you in a direction that might take you off the beaten path…but only go this road if you’re a fan of soft pop rock. The Last Detail is comprised of Mehdi Zannad and Erin Moran (A Girl Called Eddy), and together they’ve decided to give you a collection of swooning pop songs. Several tracks offer that airy introspection, while others have this understated elegance, like “Lazy.” If you’re looking for a hit, give a listen to “Fun Fair,” though I’ll admit I’m partial to “Talk to Me.” If you dig it, the self-titled LP is available today from Elefant.
We’ve shared a couple of tunes off this New Silver Girl LP, but now we can share the whole release in its entirety. The album kicks off with heavy, hook-laden riffs, though they’re spun in this atmospheric manner that allows the band to pull in some pop sensibility; it doesn’t hurt on some of the more exploratory tracks like “Phantom Ride.” Of course, a great LP never works if you’re not willing to differentiate, so you get softer numbers like “Tennessee” and “Alms,” or groovier rockers like “Starlight City.” It’s an album that’s all over the map, but in the best of ways, turning and exploring within the confines of these ten tracks; it sounds like a best of rock n’ roll soundtrack. You can get your hands on the self-titled LP from Soliti this Friday.
I always like the collective vibe; a bunch of different minds working to flesh out something unique together. This seems to be the story of Adam Hilton, who has rounded out his lineup, both live and in the studio, with some of our favorite musicians to bring his Linen Closet to life. Yesterday, the band dropped the lead single, and it’s quite remarkable, if you ask me. Hilton has these fragile vocals that sound a bit like early Wolf Parade, almost as if they could break apart at the fall of each syllable. The precision drumming helps keep the pace, allowing for some meandering through experimentalism by the rest of the band. I love the artful ring throughout the track, reminiscent of some Dirty Projectors vibes. All things point towards a collective piece of brilliant indie rock, but you’ll have to wait until October 19th to hear the band’s self-titled album for yourself.
I can always count on Bedroom Suck Records to keep me in the know when it comes to the Aussie music scene (among other labels of course). What I’ve grown to appreciate about the label, and come to think of it, most of the Australian labels is that they don’t seem too intent on always operating with the same musical styles. Take this brand new Cyanide Thornton tune that they just released; it spends almost two minutes exploring various sonic textures, building you a world where its safe for the lyrics to come into play. Once Sienna enters the fray, she controls the listener with ups and down in pitch, smoothed out notes follow. Musically, the landscape of the track has these folk motifs, but the latter half has the faintest hint of post-punk laying in wait. The self-titled album will drop on November 9th.
