New Hooks from Nathan Oliver

Nathan Oliver enters the setting of this song in the most simplistic fashion, throwing out monosyllabic “bah bahs” in quick succession; it serves to immediately grab the listener’s ears, bringing in an immediate sense of joy. Oliver then moves to a steady pop croon, related to the realm of old indiepop; while it’s settling, it jumps into a more emphatic burst during the chorus as drums crash and vocals are hurled through your speaker. I love the balance between a slight heavy edge and the natural pop sensibility that Nathan’s using…particularly in the last minute of the tune. He’ll be releasing Head in the Sand, his new LP, via Potluck Foundation on June 9th.

The Districts Announce Album, Share New Music Video

Philly band The Districts shared this single a few months back, but this time around, they’ve got not only the news of their upcoming album, Popular Manipulations,and this spooky new music video to accompany the track. “Ordinary Day” was a great track to begin with, balancing an acoustic, folksy sound with harder alt rock, but now we’ve got a cult-ish music video to watch. It features lots of plain masks and banality– I suggest you take a few minutes and watch it below, and then try to forget about your own “Ordinary Day.”

Popular Manipulationswill be out August 11thvia Fat Possum Records.

 

 

The Cherries Drop New Album of Lo-Fi Pop

I can always count on Jigsaw to throw something my way that immediately lands in my listening rotation, and The Cherries are going to do just that. There’s a definitive lo-fi styling, but I think the band’s innate pop sensibility shines through more than anything. Harmonies unite to create infectious melodies throughout, often overlapping and trading places the way the best pop music does. Oh, and it sounds like the band’s having a helluva time bouncing through this number, so why not bounce along? Grab the band’s Self-Titled 2 right now!

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Brand New Bonzie Tune

I’m really fascinated by Bonzie, both for her accomplishments at such a young age and her craft. On this track, there’s atmospherics surrounding straight-forward guitar work. It adds a layer of depth to a simplistic formula, furthered by added strings as the song progresses. I really love the slight little vocal inflections she adds into this number, continuously accented by the strumming and the textured touches she included in the recording. She’ll be releasing her new album, Zone on Nine, on May 19th, which should leave listeners with a promise of great songwriting for years to come.

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Hear the Latest from Omega Vague

The music of Omega Vague has a special vibe to it; it’s in the vein of constructionist pop, though there is this atmospheric quality that allows the song’s emotional pull to pervade your listening room. You’ll hear these light little flourishes of guitar, gently stepping atop a cool wash of dreamy vocals; you can almost feel an innate bounce present, though its held back just slightly. They manage to stretch the song beyond the six minute mark, yet close listeners will find themselves wrapped up in the natural warmth of the tune. Look for their new album Aversion/Reversion in your local shops now!

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Jacob Schaffer Announces Debut

Jacob Schaffer has spend a great deal of time in bedroom, crafting songs that represent his interpretation of the world as he sees it. For the announcement of his debut album, Gold Chi, he’s dropped this tune, which does hold slightly onto the bedroom recording experience. He does push the envelope a bit just beyond the 2 minute mark, before settling back into the mellow vibe he’s pursued. It’s a pretty chilled out experience, but one that holds a great deal of promise as we near the release of his debut. Looking forward to what his songwriting holds when the record drops in May.

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Rips Are Right Up My Alley

I hadn’t heard of Rips prior to yesterday, but apparently they’re the next big thing out of the Brooklyn scene. This time around, I’ll buy a ticket for they hype train as they’re clearly doing something that’s right in my wheelhouse. It’s a little bit nostalgic, a little bit power-pop…and everything good. Despite this tune’s look towards old school NYC vibes, the dreamier quality of the guitar styling is perhaps what sticks out the most, providing a very modern notch of flair that has me excited to hear what comes next. They’ll be releasing their debut self-titled LP on June 16th…and looks to be a hit in my book.

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Permanent Vacation Change to Blue of Noon

Perhaps the allusion toAerosmith wore thin, or perhaps it was just time to change things up, but Chris McComas and Joel Blanken are at it again with fresh tunes, this time under the name of Blue of Noon…not Permanent Vacation. This time around find the Canadian duo offering up similarly dream vibes, filled in by masterful synth work and hazy vocals to bring you into their realm of dream pop. They’ve just uploaded a few tracks, which hopefully leads to the promise of a new release, but those of you seeking out atmospheric pop of the best sort will surely find yourselves thrilled at the tune below.

New Single from Katie Von Schleicher

Haven’t written about Katie Von Schleicher for a bit, so now that she’s announced a new album, seems like the perfect time to enjoy her work. She’s working her vocal magic over a pretty mellow vibe, which has a few occasions to get a little more emphatic with fuzzy noise and a slight bounce. For me, her voice is always the draw; she has this way to alter tones, even from syllable to syllable…and that’s on display here. I like how she takes deeper tones and stretches them into something more euphoric as the notes are drawn out. She’s just announced Shitty Hits for release on July 28th via Ba Da Bing, so stay tuned for more.

Shoegaze Vibes from Colour of Spring

I’m always going to fall in love with a song that has a sparkling shimmer on the back of a chord as it washes over the front of the mix, and this tune from Colour of Spring is no exception. While the song always seems on the verge of exploding, the band manage to hold that back until the back end of the tune, allowing for an increased bit of tension that draws listeners into the song. I appreciate that they never turn their back from the innate pop qualities that lurk within, and with that attitude, I have high hopes for their self-titled EP on June 23rd via House of Love.

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