Week in Pop
Her Harbour presented us with a listen to the new acoustic, piano tones of “Chime and Knell” featured off her forthcoming second album Go Gently Into The Night available February 3 from E-Tron Records. Aspects of absence & missed presences are mulled about in sparse tones that shimmer & shiver with luster of winter snow-ins. Gabrielle Giguere provided us with the following introduction to her introspective new single:
“Chime and Knell” is about the juxtaposition of life and death in the spring. I began writing it in the last stretches of the winter, when the snow was first melting and the dormant land was beginning to thaw. In a season that had always seemed abundant with life, I felt haunted by death; I saw it in the landscape and everything that surrounded me. I ultimately found peace in understanding the importance of loss to life renewing itself and hoped to convey that sentiment with “Chime and Knell”.
The Walters dropped the Kristina Pedersen directed video for their brand new single “She’s Gonna Leave You”, the first follow up listen since their debut Songs for Dads from 2014. Signaling great things further to follow on an upcoming album, the Phil Ek production & the band’s power pop hearts (worn proudly on their sleeves, but of course) are given the full after-school special visual treatment.
O.C. is readying Same Moon Same Sun for release January 30 from DITC Studios & we give you a listen to the single “Serious” produced by Gwop Sullivan that tackles matters of realness with some piano adorned beats. Complete with apprehensive words about today’s Inauguration Day, we are thankful to have O.C. preaching the his own self-stytled gospel for these uncertain times.
Comprised of members from Brooklyn bands Dinowalrus, Belle Mare, The Teen Age, Hiccup & lead by Amelia Bushell—it is our pleasure & privilege to introduce you all to Grim Streaker & their instantly addictive new single “Guts”. Having been recorded at Kutch 1 Studios with engineering & mixing by Mike Kutchman; Grim Streaker makes music for everyone who cannot get enough of that Brooklyn brand of skronk that keeps the entire world forever coming back for seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, etc.
DRUG BLVD, a new Istanbul imprint launched by Kubilay Yigit, known for the Turkish prog/trance label Blue Soho, just announced Drug Boulevard’s upcoming compilation available February 17 & shared the ACES single “Just Cut It Out”. Other artists on the compilation include Astronautica, FMLYBND, DAUNT, Leo Kalyan (from London), SRNO, MOONZz, Mammals (from Australia), GOSTO (from the Netherlands) & ACES here provide the feeling of a dawn that is constantly about to break.
Recorded in the early spring of 2015 in Springfield, Montana; introduce yourself to The Captain’s Son who present the free-wheeling wonder of their single “Waking Around Purposely” that sends up anthem for derelict strolls with no direction known. Featured off their upcoming self titled EP available March 10 via the imprint Ham N’ Dregs, the trio of Paige Byrd, Jarred Hayden and William Hopkins will appeal to your heart with every honest delivery & sentimental strum that will make you feel all fuzzy & cozy all over.
For those that fell in love with Thurst’s YSFC, we give you a listen to a handful of tracks off the LA group’s just released album Cut To The Chafe (who just took the honor of Bandcamp’s illustrious & coveted “Album of the Day”). Vintage slacker pop abounds as heard on “Forever Poser”, as posturing turns toward more isolating motifs on “Alienation”, to the too-real hand-to-mouth dynamics of “Struggling Artist” that will have you humming along to lyrics like “there’s not such thing as writer’s block if you’ve never come up with anything…”
Currently touring in support of Age of Uncertainty available now from Autumn Tone; we bring you the Benjamin Roberds for Muuy Biien’s “Moral Compass” that takes you to church for some aberrated nuptials. From the graveyard to the altar, matters go from sci-fi strange to out right macabre with a matter of mere moments.
Featured off her Naked EP, check out the video for Austin artist Tameca Jones’ “Sandman” about love, loss, heartbreak & what happens next after things fall apart. Carefree afternoons arrive full circle where all good things come to an end as Tameca’s voice will continue to shine some light into even the most hardened of hearts.
From LA’s own Greyface, we bring you the lovely pop of “Delilah” that will make you possibly wish that you had the muscular prowess of a Samson-like physique to impress proper.
Behold “Before the Rectangles Take Over” from Brooklyn’s Vaureen, featured off the upcoming Violence EP that provides harmonic resonances & the feeling of environmental ambiance galore. Vaureen combines a unique mix of reverberation & choral qualities that keep the entire event resonating in your ears & mind that make for a maudlin outing of solemn & dour mode of progression.
With the launch of their Johny hotline +1 866-HI-JOHNY or +1 866-445-6469 [should be noted that international fees will apply], as Sofi Tukker gifts us the echo-laden electric anthem “Johny” for your weekend soundtrack/playlist/mixtape.
Also be sure to check out Glassio’s cover of The Stooges’ “Search & Destroy” that re-works the iconic proto-punk masterpiece in ways you have never before imagined.
Blak Emoji dropped the Intro EP today, that showcases the electro-attitudes & styles of Kelsey Warren. The action begins with “Sapiosexual”, before charging forward on “Baby Making Heels”, making a bee line for the VIP booth on “Velvet Ropes & Dive Bars”, the viscuous pop banger “Honey”, to the closing “Poison to Medicine” paradox. Keep an ear out for more from Blak Emoji who is poised to be one of this year’s brightest stars.
Taffy presented a listen to the dream-machines of “dd” featured off the upcoming Club AC30 album Nyctophilia available April 7. The Japanese quartet crafts together the sort of brilliant international pop that translates in both emotion & feeling the world over.
Hippo Campus provided a little warmth to compliment the winter ennui with the video for “way it goes” featured off the album landmark available February 24 from Grand Jury Records. The live & let live sentiments is seen by the band as they travel about the snow-laden landscapes whilst singing a song devoted to the shoulder shrug acceptance of happenstance.
Jay Pray is all apologies on the glimmering & glistening new single “I’m Sorry” featured off the artist’s forthcoming March 3 self-titled from Think Thought Records. Those pangs of guilt & confession are expressed over a blaze of synths & acoustic piano notes.
Having recently played the Nasty Women Exhibition at the Knockdown Center in Queens, we bring you Harsh Crowd’s video for “Clowns” edited by Brad Gallant that takes on the apathy & invasion of dubious oddballs that are what we have to contend with in this day & age. Harsh Crowd digs up all the unrest internationally & at home in a call to all to make a change for the better.
A Valley Son provided us with a listen to the title track “Sunset Park” from the upcoming January 27 EP that offers up feelings of long afternoons, warm evenings & pangs of nostalgia that strike in the most vague manners.
New Zealand’s Space Above is fronted by The Naked and Famous’ own Aaron Short who presented us with a look at their Jordan Blady video for “Fall Through” featured off their debut album Still available February 17. Essences of evening & mysteries of the night play out in the video’s short film romp that takes you on a convertible cruise destined for the break of dawn.
Mexrrissey provided an unplugged listen & look at their new single “Entre Más Me Ignoras (The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get)” that offers up an intimate rendering that is sure to bring some melancholic warmth to your day.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s upcoming album The Tourist will be available February 24 along with a tour spanning March 2 through May 6 & we have the new single “Down (Is Where I Want To Be)”. Alec Ounsworth continues to create sounds that all of us can continuously relate to through all the ups & downs we collectively experience.
Samantha Ronson introduced the single “Good News” from her new band, Ocean Park Standoff who are readying their debut EP for March 3 with appearances also scheduled for SxSW & spirit that seeks inspiring epiphanies in a world that has gone crazy & inundated with all the band news you can barely handle.
Laucan brought the sound of a few day rising with the single “Up Tomorrow” featured off the EP of the same name available March 10 from Sunday Best. From here worlds of enchanted wonder will materialize before your ears & all available senses.
Portland’s Balto delivered a heart-baring track with “Lost on the Young” featured off the forthcoming Strangers album available February 24 from Total Reality Meltdown. The sound of whiskey soaked saloons & vintage, peanut shelled-floored honky-tonks can be heard in the age old wisdom that sometimes falls upon the deaf ears of the incoming generations.
Charlotte, NC’s own Flagship presented us with the south of the border allure of “Mexican Jackpot” featured off the duo’s upcoming album The Electric Man available March 10 from Bright Antenna. Drake Margolnick & Michael Finster provides a taste of festival fare pop tones that are set to sail off into the great future of fancies that 2017 has to offer us.
Take in the Adam Goldhammer video for “Galaxies” from Jenn Grant’s forthcoming album Paradise available March 3 from Ba Da Bing Records. Filmed in Toronto at Earl Bales Park; mystical light shows & natural settings provides fantastical occurrences of the supernatural & intriguing like doppelgangers & other events that feel as if they were ordained from another galaxy or dimension.
D.A. Stern presents the Albert Brooks inspired video for the power-pop jam “Miami” featured off the upcoming Aloha Hola available January 27 from Twosyllable Records, with a US tour beginning on January 30.
Mo Troper is readying the album Mo Troper Gold for release February 10 from Good Cheer Records that offers up all kinds of ecstatic pop skronk that will keep you coming back for more. Witness this on the single “Cooler” that is sure to provide a welcomed winter chill to make the cold feel a little colder and…well…cooler.
Saw Black along with an assist from some puppets toast everyone’s favorite green plant in the Pete Curry video for “Criminal Cigarettes”. Found off the forthcoming Azalea Days available February 10 from Crystal Pistol Records; the Richmond, Virginia artist James River creates a holistic anthem for holistic indulgences that make our world a little more comfortable & ultimately worthwhile.
New York collective Analog Candle dropped the track “Trier” found off the upcoming Winter ’15 EP available February 3 that features dreamy textures woven by Callum Plews & company. “Trier” finds a melodic mode of progression that rises from lo-fi textures that provided an at home feel that is sure to help keep away the sting of winter at least for a few minutes.
Indulge in the evening feels found on Asha’s “Medicine” that delivers sensual rhythms & blues fit for those after-hours long after the sun & the world has gone to bed.
Rodes Rollins gifted the world with the welcomed return of “Wes Come Back” that provides a space chamber ballad to make the dark, days of winter a little warmer & brighter.
Hot on the heels of their single “Bury Me” featuring D.R.A.M., The Skins presented us with the Adrian Grenier video for “Runaway” (LightBox Sessions) found off the the Still Sleep EP. The live performance factor provides a look at the energy behind The Skins’ sound that provides sentiments of escapism with a bit of futuristic flair.
Splashh delivered us a listen to the title track featured off their upcoming April 14 slated album Waiting A Lifetime for Cinematic Music Group that provides all kinds of scuzzy sense of exhilaration. This is the track that you may have waited an entire lifetime for.
Surfer Blood provided some winter chill with “Frozen” off their fourth album Snowdonia available February 3 from Joyful Noise. Lindsey Mills & Michael McCleary keep the group’s trademark harmonies & catchy progression intact while approaching life’s challenges with a strong sense of honesty & genuine sincerity.
In more Joyful Noise news, WHY? shared a look & listen at the lyric video for “Proactive Evolution” featured off the new album Moh Lhean available March 3. The first from Yoni Wolf & the gang since 2012’s Mumps, etc, WHY? continues to ask the grant aesthetic & existential questions that never seem to have any clear cut or immediate answers.
Check out the restrained acoustic strums of “Sweetest Thing” featured off Allman Brown’s 1000 Years album available February 10 that reflects on the dearest & sweetest sights imaginable in harmonic & melodic textures.
Lowly delivered the earthy visuals for the yard-work inspiring single “Prepare The Lake”, featured off the group’s upcoming album Heba available February 10 from Bella Union.
Going on tour in February, we bring you a listen to Busty and the Bass’s “Up Top” that offers production from Neal Pogue that makes for a timeless Americana sound that will bring a smile to your face during this world-weary week.
Hear the single “Hospitals” from Shiny Wet Machine courtesy of Diet Punk that dreams of the high life while living on the dole. This is the anthem for all that are down, but not yet out.
Live with no shame & embrace the extremely satisfying & freeing sound of “Breakout” from MALKA’s forthcoming album from Tantrum Records. This is a song for everyone that has been waiting for a moment to bust out of whatever situation or circumstance they might be in with some fun acoustic percussion arrangements.
