Tag: self-titled album

XOR Share Final Single from Self-Titled Debut

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XOR is the solo project of Secret Shame bassist Matthew, and next week he’ll be releasing his debut solo record. For the last single before the release, it seems he’s aiming to hit right at the heart with the catchiest tune on the release. At times, the warmth of his vocals lines up with the synth work he’s crafted, melodically seducing the listener with these synthesized harmonies. If you’ve been caught up in the work of Black Marble or Soviet, or hey, maybe you like the last few New Order records, then you’re going to find yourself pressing repeat on this tune for a long time to come. Look for XOR next Friday!

The Umbrellas Share Near You Video

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Looks that we have a pop-centric focus this morning, bringing in another great tune from the Umbrellas and their forthcoming LP. This tune reminds me a lot of the band’s label mates, Jeanines, but perhaps that’s mostly revolving around the brevity and the sharp jangles hanging in the thick of the tune. But, where they make things their own is where they take the urgency and stretch it out, adding in this sort of 60s girl-group vocal harmonizing, ending up giving the song a dreamier feel. The rhythm section gives you the immediacy and bounce, but you can sit back and let it wash over you a bit more, calmed almost by the melodic nature. The band release their self-titled debut on August 6th via Slumberland.

Fortitude Valley Share Baby, I’m Afraid Video

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If Laura Kovic wanted to get our attention with her band line-up, it doesn’t hurt that she’s fleshed out the Fortitude Valley line-up with members of Martha and Night Flowers. It also bodes well that the band just keep releasing these pop rock jams that just get stuck up inside your head! The latest singles is almost as much fun to watch as it is to listen to, letting these grunge-y pop rock riffs rip and swirl all over the place as Kovic bounces her voice in and out of the song’s grooves. The video matches up with the song perfectly, giving the sense that the band are not only enjoying the songwriting, but each other as well, which is always a bonus for a fan. Fika Recordings will release the debut self-titled LP in October of this year!

The Umbrellas Drop Pictures Video

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Another day and another great pop tune from the current pop epicenter of San Francisco; today’s new track is the latest single from the Umbrellas. They waste no time jumping right into the twisting turn of jangling guitar sounds, steeped in the rich history of California. That would normally be more than enough to whether this critics meaningless opinions, but the dueling vocals craft this blossoming melody that I can’t get out of my head. It begins with Matt offering up some heavier tones, akin to Calvin Johnson, but as the track moves forward, Morgan jumps in; I love it because these aren’t mere backing vocals; they’re dueling lyrics, meeting in the end to unite for effect. Fine, okay, this band rules. They’re debut self-titled LP is out on August 6th via Slumberland Records.

Subtle Electro Pop from XOR

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Perhaps this is entirely due to growing up surrounded by Depeche Mode cassettes, but there’s something truly special about what XOR is doing in the realms of electronic pop. The majority of the scene features heavy hitting notes, dropped beats that just push and push, but not here. Instead, you get these twinkling synth notes and a steady drum loop; it’s got pace, but its not frantic, more like steadying the ship so as to allow the guitar lines to jump in and dance around. If you were a big fan of Soviet in the early 00s, then this new project from Matthew of Secret Shame should be right up your alley; XOR releases the self-titled debut LP on July 30th.

Simon Merle Drops Solo LP

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To be fair to Simon, he’s received tons of coverage on this site, though that’s been entirely due to his songwriting duties in the now defunct outfit, the Bankees. Simon’s voice has always been a strong pull for me, and it remains one of the central focal points on this album, as he’s working with pretty barebones construction here, mostly wrapping his voice around soft strumming (and the occasional backing vocal) throughout the LPs entirety. But, there are moments when little details creep in, like on my favorite “I Can’t Talk.” There’s even some Bolan-esque ballads here, like “Never Be Famous,” so you’ll likely spend a good amount of time immersing yourself in the entirety of this album. Give a listen and its a NYOP download!

 

Deuce Share Wildflower Video

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We’ve been following Deuce through their first few singles from their forthcoming self-titled debut LP, but this new video absolutely floored me. Kayleigh’s voice is just striking; I immediately thought of Angle Olsen, albeit with a little less smokiness; it just hangs heavily across the old track, dripping with weighted emotion. You can also kind of hear a little lineage between the duo’s sound and early Beach House, that dream pop sound driven by the video’s black and white tint. If you were looking for the band to make a musical statement, this might be the piece that solidifies the two as something to keep an eye upon. Deuce will be out on June 16th via Dinosaur City Records.

Dreamy Pop Number from Lucid Express

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Sort of stuck on those middle of the week vibes, so I’m being totally consumed by the latest track from Hong Kong’s Lucid Express. Don’t let the dreaminess of the song’s opening minute fool you, however, as you’ll soon be greeted with a wall of distortion that is likely to shake your speakers (there’s even distortion knifing through the distortion!). I just love how the song feels like this weird movement, like lava flowing over blackened igneous rock fields, just creeping along until it explodes into a mass of water. Pretty special way to work through this week if you ask me; look for the band’s debut album July 16th via Kanine Records.

 

Icarus Phoenix Shares New Video

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Last fall, Drew Danburry released a remarkable collection of songs under the Icarus Phoenix moniker; I raved about the release on these very pages here, though its possible you missed out on those. But, for me, the brand new video for album track “Cassie Knows, or How a Shy Person Says I Love You” is reason enough to re-celebrate that release…not to mention the joy at marveling in Danburry’s ability to craft great pop and illustrated his own videos! Drew’s got this natural kindness in his voice, the sort that I marveled at when I first heard Stuart Murdoch, so that should set the tone for you. Thematically, the tune revels in the present, appreciating the fact that we’re here today, so take a breath, listen to this and be grateful you were given today. This album’s available via Telos Tapes.

Blue Ocean Announce New Album for Paisley Shirt Records

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I think most people who buy records and tapes tend to have their go-to labels, and it’s great to have a reliable source for good tunes. The last few years, Paisley Shirt Records has been bringing us a pretty solid catalog of great pop tunes, and now they’re adding Oakland’s Blue Ocean to that mix. For me, listening through to the album’s opener, it’s like listening to DJ Screw, only if you were into really heavy shoegaze and indiepop. The song’s core is this bouncing rhythmic pop pulse, but its been chopped and screwed by this thunderous wall of feedback and noise; I get that that analogy does not work for everyone out there…but the tune speaks for itself! The whole self-titled album is out on April 16th (though you can find some of the tunes elsewhere!).

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