Friday Album Streams: Lower Plenty, Class, Open Hands + More

It’s Friday, and while Austin is focused on ACL Weekend One, I’m here to turn your ears towards some great albums that you’ll benefit from if you’re into the whole streaming process. Several of these we’ve talked about quite a bit, so it’s good that now you can get your hands on them in their entirety. Going to start with what’s quickly becoming one of my favorite LPs of the year, then let you pick and choose what’s your flavor.

Lower PlentyNo Poets (Bedroom Suck Records)

ClassIf You’ve Got Nothing (Feel It Records)

Open CityHands in the Honey Jar (Get Better Records)

The SuncharmsThings Lost (Sunday Records)

Half StackSitting Pretty (Forged Artifacts)

Last Week’s Jams, Today (1.17 – 1.20)

We got some great music last week, either in single form, or in album form, so we’re grateful for last week. We collected all the jams from last week and put them on your doorstep in this light little playlist. We start off with the great new Say Eyed Beatniks tune, which incidentally is not called Hysterial Roosters, but rather “Hysterical Rooters.” Plus, our friends in Good Looks announced an LP with our other friends, Keeled Scales, so double win there. And, there’s a few jams from great records from Artsick, Good Good Blood and Jana Horn, so sit back and enjoy the day. P.S…I thought I was clever bookending it with Bay Area hits.

Some Albums to Stream and Such

Didn’t really find a lot of stuff that I wanted to run up on the site today, so here I am to let you find some albums you can stream and enjoy today. With bandcamp links, because the band’s deserve the money!

Good Good BloodThe Dizzying Parade

The album title is apt here, as the construction throughout these ten songs take light guitar pop and filter it through this dizzying blend of atmospherics that help you to escape the classic feel of a Friday.

ArtsickFingers Crossed

We’ve written about this record quite a bit, and watching my kid dance around our playroom while it spins in the background has been a real joy. She only has one move, but its sweet. This record, on the other hand, has 11 rambunctious pop jams to enjoy.

Jana HornOptimism

Our friend Jana has the most spectacular voice for your Friday, or your every day. We’ve been fans of her work for some time, and now you can all join in the joys by streaming the release of her latest batch of tunes. It’s such a striking listen.

Kids on a Crime SpreeFall In Love Not in Line

This is the second album dropped by Slumberland Record today that’s just full of pogo-power; you can blend dreaminess with infectious hooks and smash the pop charts! Plus, if you grab the album, it comes on a cool LP format. Bop on my friends!

The SuncharmsDistant Lights EP

After releasing their debut LP, the Suncharms follow that up with this quick little collection of tunes that give you a new glimpse at one of the tune’s from said record. Plus, that “Telescope” ditty should get you through the day.

 

Cool Album Streams: Flowertown, BRNDA, The Suncharms and The Arctic Flow

Friday’s are great days to just get lost in an album, because let’s face it, none of us are really focused on work right now anyways. We’ve got some stellar ways to spend your day here; feel free to just press play and check back in to the world in a few days. You deserve it!

FlowertownTime Trials (Paisley Shirt Records)

1 part Cindy + 1 part Tony Jay = Genius. Seriously, the first LP this band put together was great. But, they were like, you know what? We can totally do better. And they did. Not a bad track here. Just imagine yourself loving pop music but getting stuck in your best dreams. That’s this record!

BRNDADo You Like Salt? (Crafted Sounds)

Why yes, I do like Salt. I also like this record from BRNDA a whole lot. All of you kids that are super into that Dry Cleaning LP, but secretly hoping for a little bit more of a groove have come the right place. This band takes that post-punk/no-punk brand and gives it a swift kick in the ass. Your Friday needs it!

The SuncharmsDistant Lights (Sunday Records)

Having mostly been quiet for the last 30 some-odd years, legendary act The Suncharms recently started to pop back up in 2018, with a couple of tunes for the heralded Slumberland 30 Series. Today, you get treated to an entire record of delightful pop tunes, perhaps a little softer around the edges, but I promise you’re all the better for it!

The Arctic FlowLost You Long Ago (Sunday Records)

Sunday Records thought releasing one great was fine, but releasing two in one day is even better, so here we are with the follow-up to Umbrella (2017). Brian Hancheck’s songwriting has always had this incredibly strong emotional pull to it, and it doesn’t seem like he’s holding anything back on this record. It’s like a softcore jangle pop record, certainly built to woo you as your drift into a Friday afternoon.

Sunday Records Shares Something Beautiful

Being one of the heralded indiepop labels gives you responsibilities, and for Sunday Records, it seems that responsibility is to organize a collection of great acts to contribute some tunes for a compilation, aptly titled Something Beautiful. Obviously reading our site, you’re aware of the acts, like Letting Up Despite Great Faults or the Suncharms. Personally, this Suncharms tune here is pretty special, like a slow-burning jangler; it feels like something Pete Astor might write, which I don’t mind one bit. Plus, you get other ATH faves like Alpaca Sports and Arctic Flow, along with some bonus tunes from Mariana in Our Heads and the aforementioned Suncharms. If you want to stream, you can do so below, but CD copies are out this Friday, with a vinyl version to follow in September! Grab it HERE.

The Suncharms Get Video Treatment

If you’re not part of Slumberland Subscritption Series, you’re in luck, as the label ran a few extra copies of the new 7″ from The Suncharms (and Rat Columns too). Today I want you to give about 5 minutes of your time to the video version of that B-side, which, personally, is probably my favorite of the two tunes. The video is shot in black and white, and mostly comes across as a performance video. But, you ask why I love it? For starters, I adore the scuzzy guitar vibe, heavy yet brimming with these pop melodies through the crackling of my speakers. Take that sound and the video imagery, and things look glum, until you give into the seductive powers of Marcus Palmer’s voice; though deep, it carries this natural kindness. Get a copy over HERE.

Slumberland Announce Single Series

As Slumberland Records enters into its 30th year with a wave of fantastic releases, there’s only one way they could could up the ante…they could release a remarkable Singles Series! That’s just what’s happening, with two new songs leaked out for you all to sample in order to make a wise consumer decision. The first single is from Rat Columns, who’ve been featured in these meaningless pages many a times; I love the understated beauty in this song…it seems reserved and wistful. Then the other bit of great news is that the label has finally gotten The Suncharms pinned down for a release that will be included in the series. Sample the songs below, and, if like me, you would probably buy whatever the label released anyways, get a head start by Subscribing HERE.

Stream The Suncharms Retrospective

suncharmsIt’s Friday, and everyone is hustling for those new releases, so I figured I’d bring a release that’s “new.” The Suncharms retrospective has just been put out by Cloudberry Records, and in a digital format by the band themselves. If you listen closely, and you adore indiepop, then you’ll surely hear the beginnings of everything you hold dear…from the guitars, the distortion and a need for it all to be held together by great melodies. Rumor has it that the band has also gotten around together and started writing brand new tracks for the future…we should be so lucky. Go ahead and enjoy the jams below; it’ll make your Friday a better place.