Last Week’s Jams (8.28 – 9.1)

It was definitely a busy week on my end, but we pushed through and still managed to crank out some really great music for you all. RayRay got to run the sweet new album stream for Grimson‘s new LP, and I was just hopping all over the place like musical ADHD music junkie I am. Had some good power-pop from the Slow Summits and Colored Lights, to give you some energy. Some great ballad work by Austin artists Feeling Small and Daily Worker to warm and make you cry at once. Plus, I got to bump that new jam from Pachyman, not to mention our weekly dose of all the goods from Australia like Lower Plenty, Screensaver, and Vintage Crop. Stream on below, amigo!

Two New Singles from Woods

Just a couple of weeks now until the new Woods album drops, thus why we’re getting two fresh new singles from the record today. On “Little Black Flowers,” the tune opens up with this weird little spacey warble, carrying the song into the dreamier regions of folk; this one feels like its all about the accompaniment, and for some reason the vocal pitch rise after the 2 minute mark had me rushing to pull the one Pink Floyd LP from my collection and put it on. “Day Moving On” switches the gears completely, almost opening with this jazzy little introductory shuffle; the track moves into some feathered vocal notes, but you can still feel this joyous bit of swing to the tune, like a slow dance with your favorite person is just awaiting you. Perennial is out on September 15th via Woodsist.

Last Week’s Jams (7.24 – 7.28)

We may have gone a bit overboard last week, as I see that we covered over 25 different tunes last week. But, that being said, we also ran some gosh-darned freaking hits. I loved that new jam from Split System, and have played it well over 50 times at this point. That, and that new track from Prewn pretty much made my week. I mean, there’s new stuff from Woods, Night Drive and all sorts bonus EP coverage for Death Bells and Bedroom Eyes. Plenty of stuff to dig into, so why not get on it, eh?

Woods Drop Double Single

As a new Woods record hangs in the balance, it’s getting near for the band to go full promotion mode, so what better way than to touch down with a double single release? The first of the tracks, “Another Side,” started off just twisting into this groovy bit of exploration, filling in a heavy beat with horns on the horizon; it sets up the song really well for the center, dropping in just after the 2.5 minute mark. When those vocals drop in they’ve got this sort of pastoral nature, blending the track into this heavy groove that makes it pretty tasty. Flip that towards “Weep” and you get a little dose of the band at their best, twinkling guitar pieces tied nicely into a rolling bit of understated percussion. I love the absolute burst of ethereal joy that arrives with the chorus on this tune; they’re trying to one up the Clientele on this one! Both tracks have Perennial high upon my list of anticipated Fall records; it drops on September 15th via Woodsist.

John Andrews and the Yawns Share River of Doubt

I’m really enjoying the latest stuff from John Andrews & the Yawns; there’s something about his songwriting this go round that just feels so timeless and comforting, like he’s running on a relay team and he just grabbed the baton from M. Ward. It’s the sort of pop music you can share with a friend, or talk about with your grandfather over a cup of coffee…or maybe its the background to telling a great story. That seems to be the route Andrews went with the video, compiling footage of both his life on the road and his life in New Hampshire, celebrating both the contrasts and the harmony; it’s an homage to his friends, and perhaps a reminder of what a lasting impression a musical community can make. The band release Cookbook on May 14th via Woodsist.

Playful Summer Pop from Crepes

Australia is home to the great bands, and added to the mix recently is the work of Crepes. They’ve been relatively quiet since 2015, but here they are bouncing their way with this playful sun pop that recalls the hook-laden singles of Woods; it’s nostalgic, yet rooted in the present with the various layers of tinkering synths and vocals. This is the best sort of pop in the summer time, both warm and groovy, which continues to build my expectations for the band…they promise to have a full length LP coming our way real real soon.

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New Woods Album!!!

We’ve all been talking about how music can provide us solace in the next four years, hoping that someone writes great tunes to provide us some escapism. Woods, one of our favorites, have just announced a brand new six song album that aims to just that…though they’re doing so with a vibe of positivity. They acknowledge that many of us feel helpless in our surroundings, but ultimately we’ll turn to friends and artists to provide positivity and love in our lives. They’ve titled the album Love is Love, and it’s slated for an April release via Woodsist…sample the album’s title track below.

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Another New Black Marble Song

blackI’m gearing up to really enjoy this new Black Marble record, which is being released on September 30th. Hearing this new single, there’s a sensation of solitude that’s incorporated through the echo-effect on the vocals. The electronic progression is pretty restrained, it’s not forcing beats into your ears, allowing the song to slowly settle within the caverns of your brain. For a bedroom electronic project, this is precisely what one would come to expect. This LP is titled It’s Immaterial, and it’s going to be handled/released by Ghostly.

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More from Cool Ghouls

coolzYou know how we love Cool Ghouls around these parts? Well, here’s just another song to sell you on it, as if you need that. Listening to this track from Animal Races, it really reminds me of a lot of Bend Beyond-era Woods, which is enough for me to fork out my money to pick it up. There’s clearly a nod to California, and perhaps even the Grateful Dead (pre-jam band era of course!); I love how that piano almost seems like the group decided to rock this song out in some old Western bar. You’ll be happy to know you can get your very own copy from Empty Cellar Records on August 19th.

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Woods Continue to Mix It Up

woods2_630x300I’m really interested to hear the entirety of the new Woods LP. There are definitely some things working beneath the usual mix of Cali psych pop that make me curious as to what other little touches will flourish within the confines of the whole listen. On this latest single, there’s still the vocal performance, but rather than the psych touches, it tends to have more of an R&B/funk based rhythm working below; it’s a nice twist I wasn’t expecting.City Sun Eater in the River of Light is the title of the new effort, so we’ll get to hear it all on April 8th via Woodsist.

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