This is fine.
The ATH team is taking advantage of the holiday week and shutting down for vacation, rest and relaxation. Not to fret, we’ll be back next week with more fresh tunes and musical guidance. While you anxiously await our return, check out the Friday album streams post or top songs from the week prior. Or maybe give a listen to the latest single from Montreal based Private Lives cause ya know, ‘Merica and whatnot. Be safe and smart.
Sometimes I think to myself that they just don’t ever make pop music like they used to, and then I’m hit with a song like this new one from Honey Cutt. The song jangles in all the right spots, with spot on bounce provided by the rhythm section. I love how there are two guitar lines, seemingly giving you two different approaches…one jangling and giving energy, while the other seems far more intent on wandering off, much like the song’s theme. It doesn’t hurt that Kaley Honeycutt has the most mesmerizing voice, the sort that sets indiepop hearts a flutter, sort of rising and falling in between notes. This is going to be one hell of a debut LP; Coasting is out March 13th via Kanine Records.
Earlier in the year I wrote a lot about Outerhope‘s newest album Vacation; it was this sublimely rewarding piece of ethereal pop music best absorbed in solitude. For me, that meant the minimal notes crept under my skin, and the melodies often created these out of body experiences that made the Lp perfect for escapism. Today the band share the video for “Airways”; the video features beautiful natural footage juxtaposed with a pre-apocalyptic setting. The song itself is one of the more subtle tracks on the record, always building and moving beneath the speakers. If you love it, go grab a copy from Shelflife.
You might recall a short period of time ago where we shared with you the wonderful lead single from the forthcoming Outerhope LP; today we’re following that up with another excellent number from the Filipino duo. I like the trickling of the electronics that jump the song forward; it’s like your falling in slow motion. It works well with the atmospheric wash and the dense sound of bells that float in behind just as Micaela enters the fray with her softened vocal touch. This is how the dreamier side of pop should sound, interesting in the manufacturing of beats, and hazy in the emotive qualities; look for Vacation to drop this Friday via Shelflife Records.
Summer presses along this week with no more soccer to watch but plenty of rocking tunes to add to your playlist. On this lovely Monday morning we have this new track called “Deflector Head” from Cincinnati based rock group Vacation. The song has a very nice, gritty, driving pop/rock sound to it perfect for your next pool party or adventure.
Vacation will release new album Mouth Sounds #2699 on July 27th via Let’s Pretend Records.
What better way to head into the weekend than to receive new music from Shelflife Records; this time they’ll be working with Filipino group Outerhope for their first ever US release. The project is comprised of siblings Michael and Micaela Benedicto, who’ve turned to dreamy electronica to capture hearts. The opening moments have this twinkling keyboard line working over atmospheric washes, then the percussive element picks joins in to up the speed just a bit. Already, you’re captivated by the energetic number before Micaela entered the picture to layer warmth atop the track with her voice; she’s got a soft approach to deliver, allowing notes to sort of drift off her tongue and into the ether. Shelflife never has a miss when they release albums, and it looks like they’ve got a spot-on winner with Vacation; it drops on August 10th (with several limited color editions!).
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Don Giovanni Records has had a good go of things lately, especially with the work of Screaming Females on their roster. But, new boys Vacation aim to make their own mark with Candy Waves. It provides listeners with sharp guitar lines and catchy hooks, while managing to sound appropriately unpolished.
Feedback opens the doors to Candy Waves with “Pyro Hippies” opening moments before the furiously quick drumming assaults your ears. Here you’ll find the guitar chords knifing their way through the song, and the vocals border on angst, yet still retain a bit of melody. Yet moments later, the bubbly bass work on “Make a Mess” is what grabs you by the ears and pulls you within the depths of the record. This tune has less detail oriented guitar work, but the rhythm section surely offers enough to get your toes tapping and your body jumping about. I want to attach myself to the vocals on this tune, yet they’re just a bit too far below the mix.
For my two cents, the band excels when they offer their pop affinity in their music. “SFA” jumps right into your meat and potatoes punk rock, though spun through a sludgy blender. The vocals offer a glimpse at anthemic moments, while the apparent allegiance to Vacation‘s metal influence is also visible. It opens the way for the hook-laden “Candy Waves,” which might be the record’s standout tune. Again, I think the lyrics could break through if they had just a hint more clarity in the mastering, but you can tell that this is a tune built for fans to join in during live performances. You don’t think the band can share pop sensibility with their metal/punk pedigree? Just start listening at 1.36. They make it three brilliant songs in a row with “Everyone Loves the Sun,” again establishing a gritty beach party feel. This song excels due to the fact that every instrument, including voice, seems to be pulling in an opposite direction, while still maintaining a healthy balance that unites the tune.
Concluding Candy Waves is another of the record’s standouts, “Horny Politicians.” Yes, the killer rhythm section comes through again to give a good push on the final tune, but I think it’s the vocal that allows this number to rise above the rest. There’s clarity throughout the entirety of the song; this allows listeners to really partake in the joy of the song. It’s the perfect closing moment, allowing us to glimpse Vacation at their very best, and perhaps a possible look into their future. And in the end, the record ends with a bang, but you’ll go right back to the beginning to play it all over again. You’ll get the feeling we all had when bands like Wavves felt dangerous, and you’ll be thankful bands like this are still doing it right.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/11-Horny-Politicians.mp3]
We’ve gotta keep Friday going with a banger, and I think this new tune from Vacation is just the right fit. Underneath it all lays a very earnest pop song, verging on power-pop, but the song is filled with discordant noises and a furious rhythm that moves it to an entirely new place. It doesn’t take too long to find this song repeating in your daily playlist, especially if you jam it outside on this beautiful Austin day (hope the rest of the world has such rad weather). You can pick up the group’s new album, Candy Waves, on June 18th courtesy of Don Giovanni Records.
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