This is fine.
We’re in the midst of the fest, but still have time to check out some stuff that we really love, like Honey I’m Home. The Dutch outfit are playing our Welcome to the Jangle Party this Sunday at 29th Street Ballroom/Tweedys, so they were kind enough to answer some questions to get some extra info about the band and their work. You can track more of their SXSW shows HERE.
Back in my early 20s, we spent a lot of time listening to Unwed Sailor, driven by Johnathon Ford’s role in bands like Roadside Monument (and Pedro the Lion). He’s kept at it throughout the years, with an uptick the last five or so years in his output. This week the band announced their newest LP, High Remembrance, and it brings with it this really incredible dose of kind of post-punk-post-rock. The visual is the perfect accompaniment, the waves of the song matching the waves lapping the shore; both vide and songs are all about great vibes, which bodes well for the new LP. High Remembrance is out May 8th via Current Taste.
We get caught up in trends, admittedly, and so every once in a long while I will circle back to my roots and just good old fashioned solid indie rock songwriting, like The Level. I’ll admit, there’s no tricks or gimmicks, but this new single is just a solidly written tune. It rides this crest of a light strum into a powerful groove where the lyrics ride with this great bit of confidence; there’s a hint of swagger too, though presented with a steadiness that sets up the chorus that drops in at 1:16. When that moment hits, I hope you’ll realize just how great this tune is in both its simplicity and style. There’s even some moments where the track boogies down the line too, which I love. Just jam it out and be looking for a new EP real soon!
My wife and I are super excited about the return of Broken Social Scene, and in fact, we’ve already bought tickets to their Austin return this summer. On my end, I’m definitely appreciative of their sonic return, particularly as their new single pulls from their old-school strategy of songwriting. It kicks off nice and gentle, sort of a trickling bit of folk-pop, punctuated by some little bits of horn work in the background. Then, as it crosses the one minute mark the track erupts into a joyous explosion, employing trademark harmonizing to the maximum effect. We’ve heard two track from Remember the Humans, and I’ll admit this one is my favorites thus far; the record drops via Arts and Crafts on May 8th.
Thomas Savage has quite a storied career, traveling all of the world, starting bands like Kins or Oh Mercy, then after years of being abroad, has come back to his home in Melbourne to craft elegant pop music under his Vilde moniker. His latest record almost seems like a bedroom pop project, albeit one with these delicate production pieces that take the genre and elevate it. On “Sunblush,” I lov the weary sound of the piano coming through, carefully surrounded by light percussive beats. Savage’s voice has this sincere fragility to it, adding to to the sort of stark contrast that courses through the whole of the track. If you’re into it, Vilde just dropped Qualia at Odds!
When I got this new Wendy Eisenberg tune in, I really loved the way there was this sort of saw of ambience sweeping across while a percussive note kept a metronomic beat beneath, letting the guitars bend and break between the vocal lines. Brief moments display the improvisational movements Eisenberg is known for, but it’s not until after the 2 minute mark that her voice begins to play its part in the track’s ever expanding sound; it rises up and down with little crumbs of whimsy, then it all pulls away to let the accompaniment have a little light and joy from within the song’s confines. A light marvel, and one you’ll surely enjoy when you grab her new self-titled album, out April 3rd!
For as much as I like folks pushing boundaries and taking risks, I’ve always got a spot for acts like The Lemon Twigs who seem to have perfected a classic pop rock sound. It’ll be hard not to catch the feels of great pop acts when you check the video here and immediately think of great acts like the Oneders or that other scouser four-piece that got really popular. Still, the execution doesn’t feel cliche, and frankly, flirts with taking the classic formula and turning it into power-pop. And, while nostalgia’s great, the respect for this band comes from their own mouths where they claim they are always “adding an element which comes out of left field,” dropping in little pop wrinkles along the way. Look For Your Mind is out May 8th via Captured Tracks.
The Swedish scene is always a studious one, looking back through the annals of rock n’ roll history, then repurposing sounds as they see fit, which is the case with Sylvie’s Head. The group embrace a bit of nostalgic 90s alternative, but in doing so, they’ve also embraced the techno culture that was simultaneously working in the underground. Those beats are infused in a heavier fashion than most, leaving the listener with sort of a club version of Jesus and the Mary Chain; it’s a fun trip, and one that comes with lots of tension and release, so you’ll want to be aware of the group when they release Everything is Free via Welfare Sounds later this year!
Before the announcement of the Bloom Again EP, RayRay and I already had Runo Plum on our artist to watch list for SXSW, and while there are a handful of sets on the schedule, I’m thinking a quiet room in the sunny afternoon might be the best way to soak up the newest track. The dominating force, aside from the vocals, is the heavy-handed strum on the guitar, allowing for this sort of billowing loneliness to embrace a natural beauty. As the tune trickles, I think the slightest bit of arrangement is what allows the weight of the music to really sit with the listener; it’s careful and minimalist, only rising for support when necessary. Looking forward to a few sets, as well as the Bloom Again EP, which is out on May 8th via Winspear.
We’ve had nothing but praise for Austin janglers Touch Girl Apple Blossom, and it seems like the world is set up to welcome the group with open arms. A quick guitar shuffle swings you right into the tune; the dueling guitars offer a sunshine brightness while the jangling riffs share a dancefloor ready groove for listeners. It’s quite a mood, and you’re likely ready for the sun to shine right through your living room, but then Olivia’s vocals have this lushness that both works for and against the track’s sharpness. This is the way they magically build tension in their work, dangling slight bits of contrast while allowing their pop sensibilities to take hold. Look for Graceful on May 15th via K Records/Perennial Death.
