Monthly Archives: February 2020
Best Coast – Always Tomorrow [Concord]
From promoter: “LA duo Best Coast put catchy melodies over sweet and spacey moods on their new record Always Tomorrow. After an explorative effort into children’s music with their last release Best Kids, Bethany and Bobby return to their signature sound implementing elements of indie and dream pop.” Label: Concord Start w/ 1, 2, 3, 7 FCC: 4 […]
Spinning Coin – Hyacinth [Domino]
From promoter: “The LP is a nostalgic ode to love-lost and a wistful commentary on our ability to love again. Drawing inspiration from 1980s jangle pop and the layered harmonies of 60s surf rock, Spinning Coin craft the perfect pastiche of a Polaroid summer.” Label: Domino Start w/ 2, 3, 6, 10, 13 FCC: Clean RIYL: Girl Ray, Real Estate
Kid Nobody – Discretion [Feltone]
From promoter: “Kid Nobody presents everything opposite of their sun-kissed So-Cal roots on their icy dreamscape EP, Discretion. The electronic duo comprised of Wildcat! Wildcat! alums Michael Wilson and Jesse Carmichael show off their collaborative synergy with Carmichael’s hypnotic production providing a perfect foil for Wilson’s flexible serpentine vocals.” Label: Feltone Start w/ 1, 3 FCC: Clean RIYL: M83, […]
Baseball Gregg – Calendar [Self-Released]
From promoter: “Baseball Gregg is a Pop duo from Stockton (California) by way of Italy. Founders Luca Lovisetto and Samuel Regan met in Bologna, the former a native of the city and the latter a math student studying abroad” Label: Self-Released Start w/ 2, 3, 4, 5 FCC: 9 RIYL: Frankie Cosmos, Wild Nothing, Soccer Mommy
Opus Orange – Miles From Nowhere [Emoto]
From promoter: “These songs mark the bands’ move into exuberant, heartfelt, full-band goodness. Like all Opus Orange material, they are “deliciously upbeat” (Indie Rock Cafe) and still “oft-kilter, brilliant. highly infectious, and just ear-popping sugar candy.” Label: Emoto Start w/ 2, 3, 4, 5 FCC: Clean RIYL: Passion Pit, Local Natives, Run River North, Royal Canoe
Purr – Like New [Anti]
From promoter: “Taking cues from a lineage of dual-lead-vocalist bands with sonic roots in the late 60s and 70s, the pair fluidly oscillates between singing in harmony and unison with their voices often blending to forge what at times can eerily sound like a singular voice.” Label: Anti Start w/ 1, 4, 10 FCC: Clean RIYL: Foxygen, Whitney, Beach […]
Shady Nasty – Bad Posture [Royal Mountain Records]
From promoter: “Bad Posture is Shady Nasty at their most brutal and cataclysmic, playing an energetic and weirdo breed of punk that skirts the boundaries of the genre” Label: Royal Mountain Records Start w/ 1, 2, 4 FCC: Clean RIYL: Show Me The Body, IDLES, Iceage
Banoffee – Look At Us Now Dad [Cascine]
From promoter: “Banoffee‘s shimmering, angelic vocals belie honest lyricism, over her trademark brand of propulsive pop hits fueled by blasts of jagged synths that dip into the demented underbelly of flouro-synths and twisted club sounds.” Label: Cascine Start w/ 5, 6, 7 FCC: 1, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12 RIYL: Empress of, Charli XCX, KLLO, Lorde
Guided By Voices – Surrender Your Poppy Field [GBV]
MEAWW: “Their timeless blend of lo-fi pop, post-grunge, garage, British Invasion, and punk sounds have earned the band a cult following in the United States and overseas as well, making them one of the most beloved indie groups of the past few decades.” Label: GBV Start w/ 2, 11, 14 FCC: Clean RIYL: Car Seat Headrest, […]
King Krule – Man Alive! [Matador]
From promoter: “The 25-year-old’s renowned versatility – his expansive soundscape often blending jazz, no wave, post-punk, hip-hop, and a whole host of other diverse sounds – is flexed throughout the album… Marshall’s creativity is shining for all the world to see.” Label: Matador Start w/ 1, 2, 7, 10 FCC: 3 RIYL: Connan Mockasin, Ariel Pink, DIIV
Frank and Allie Lee: Treat a Stranger Right {self released}
This is the sophomore release of this old timey, bluegrass duo from North Carolina. It features traditional and bluegrass songs. Great instrumentation with banjos, guitar, harmonica. Great harmonies. A message for the political reality of life in America in the title cut! Play: 1,4, 5,6 FCC: clean Similar to: Freight Hoppers,
Eliza Meyer: Hello Stranger {self released}
Eliza Meyer is a junior in high school and a native of Raleigh North Carolina and she nails it in her debut album. She is country, bluegrass and old time music. Great vocals, and song selection. Play: 1,3, 7, 11 Similar to: The Carter Family, Hazel Dickens FCC: clean
Breaking Waves–Music by Swedish Women Composers
These are overlooked composers of the Romantic era, gracious and lovely.
Albaster dePlume–To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1
Multi-genre pieces for wavering sax with a wide variety of instruments–varied rhythms. Play!
Sunleif Rasmussen–Andalag
Contemporary works. A fair amount of string tension, varying, with winds, or viola.
Itus – Primordial
Release date: March 13, 2020 Label: Self-Released Toronto’s ITUS is the latest in Canadian doom featuring heavy, brooding and psychedelic tones meshed with horror-inspired sounds. Primordial paints the mood like a classic horror creature reveal. It’s reminiscent of Celtic Frost. Abrasive and plodding, Primordial accentuates the brutality of man with dark riffage. Atmospheric and energetic, Cloud Reader contains clean vocals […]
Higher Power – 27 Miles Underwater
Release date: January 24, 2020 Label: Roadrunner Records You can tell that Higher Power grew up listening to alternative rock and grunge. 27 Miles Underwater sounds more like 1995 than anything else that’s been released in 2020. To say that this is a period-piece would be unkind but a lot of these riffs DO sound familiar. […]
Elder- Omens
Elder- Omens Release date: 2020Apr24 Label: Armageddon Label Rating: 5/5 I’ve been spinning a lot of Elder lately in anticipation for this new release. Omens starts off with a spacey intro before delving into a soft layered tapestry of calming grooves. The doomy In Procession showcases urgent drumbeats complimented by a touch of blues in […]
The Regular- Did Not know {self released}
New single from this indie folk band from Denver, Colorado. Catchy melody, nice harmonies. Play! FCC: clean Similar to: Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers
Death the Leveller- II
Death the Leveller– II Release date: 2020Mar13 Label: Cruz del Sur Rating: 3.5/5 Death the Leveller hail from Dublin, Ireland and play traditional doom metal. The Hunt Eternal plods with a vengeance, juxtaposed against pained vocals. The Golden Bough is rife with tender melody. I love this one. The Crossing is intertwined with layers of […]
Radian- Chapters
Radian– Chapters Release date: 2020Feb07 Label: Self-released Rating: 4.5/5 Radian hail from Akron, Ohio with a mix of sludge and doom elements. Stonier is a filthy, sinister burner. Nothing Gets Through bludgeons your skull with killer riffage. Beast crawls inside of you with infectious thumps. Hearts of Metropolis is an epic mass of crashing drums […]
Freeways- True Bearings
Freeways– True Bearings Release date: 2020April04 Label: Temple of Mystery Rating: 5/5 Freeways hail from Brampton, Ontario. Eternal Light, Eternal Night sets it off with a surefire guitar/bass attack. Sorrow (Was Her Name) stomps through the snow with pounding drums. The 1970s vibe is clearly alive here. True Bearings hits with an urgency, with a […]
King Tuff – I’m Free [Sub Pop] (LOCAL)
Brattleboro-born psych rocker King Tuff first penned the track “I’m Free” for the Ty Segall album Freedom’s Goblin. His own recording of the track features a breezy 60s folk-pop arrangement befitting the title and lyrics. Featuring genuine Vermont crickets on backing vocals! FCC: Clean RIYL: Ty Segall, The Byrds, CSNY, George Harrison
The Secret Sisters – Saturn Return [New West]
From promoter: “Their latest release, Saturn Return, carries these landmark events to term with a level of honesty, grace and reverence that only the Secret Sisters could conceive. Boasting production by Brandi Carlile, the sisters embellish the classic Nashville sound with their unique brand of harmony and raw lyricism, running the gambit from reflections on the wisdom of […]
Caroline Rose – Superstar [New West Records]
From promoter: “The follow up to 2018’s acclaimed LONER, Superstar (out March 6) is a bigger, badder, glitter-filled cinematic pop record” Label: New West Records Start w/ 1, 2, 3, 5 FCC: 9 RIYL: Jenny Lewis, Julia Jacklin, Natalie Prass
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