Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of some new things that we dug this week, quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!

 

As always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so:

 

Dentist– Check the Calendar. Forgot to check the calendar? Better late than never. End of Summer track by Asbury Park, NJ’s jangle fuzz darlings, Dentist, reminds us of all the possibilities that await us when Summer first begins. With a big satisfying fuzz pop chorus laid over delicate and deliberate musical interplay between Emily Bornemann (bass,vocals), Justin Bornemann (guitar), and Matt Hockenjos (drums), “Check the Calendar” has enough sugar to keep us bouncing off the walls well into next Summer. [MB]

 

Faderdaze– Break! The latest from Amelia Murray’s Faderdaze and the title track from her first release in five years, a new EP due out October 14th via section1. The song is a grungey alt jam that would have fit wonderfully in 1994 but still feels fresh in the moment of 2022. On the subject matter Murray says “I wish I had broken earlier because it was one of the truest things I ever did for myself. This EP is about finally allowing myself to give up. It’s about severing from the false parts of myself that were conditioned and not authentic to me. It’s everything I wasn’t allowing myself to feel over the past few years; angry, disappointed, cynical, exhausted and over it.” Very relatable indeed and very anticipated by us here at FTA. [KH]

 

Ghost Funk Orchestra– Scatter.  Ahead of their upcoming October 28th release A New Kind of Love, a teaser single “Scatter” dropped this week along with a slick music video that gives nod to the classic bygone age from which it draws influence. Think sparkles and spotlights surrounded by cigar smoke and thick curtains, this new track grooves along the funky beat that’s become almost signature inside the mind of multi-instrumentalist/composer/producer, Seth Applebaum.

 

The former Mad Doctors guitarist/singer never completely abandons his 60s garage/psych influence when writing, composing, and performing over a dozen different complex musical components, blending it all with the big band orchestras of parallel era. Applebaum has once again enlisted his junkyard gang of mostly current and former King Pizza Records musicians to round out Ghost Funk’s spectacularly talented live band, currently on tour across the U.S. And if the occasionally frantic oft lazy stride of “Scatter” is any indicator of what’s to come, we are all in for a crisp and hazy ride through space and time. [MB]

 

Gloin– Shoot To Kill. Brand new music from the Canadian noise rock quartet who have also just announced their debut album, We Found This (due out 10/21 via Mothland). I discovered this band when I saw them opening for the wonderfully weird Snapped Ankles (see pics) back in March and they were the perfect pairing, also making for one of my favorite discoveries of the year thus far. They’ve drawn comparisons to Sonic Youth meets Lightning Bolt which I’d say is spot on and I hear some distinct goth influence in there as well.

 

This song is a fun dancey groove, showing off their post punk sensibilities quite nicely with a driving, dirty bassline and plenty of noise to spare. Accompanying the song is a music video directed by Chris McCluskey who says it was intended to “support the energetic style and sound of Gloin,” a goal they definitely achieved. The band told me they aim to return to the States and New York specifically in March 2023, wonderful news and something I’m definitely very much looking forward to. [KH]

 

Goat– Under No Nation. The return of the masked Swedish band that effortlessly blends funk, psych and jazz. The song will be on their first album in six years, Oh Death, and hits all the hallmarks of their signature sound. Also accompanying the song is a trippy animated video which was producted/animated by John-Mark Lapham. The album is due out on 10/21 via Rocket Recordings. [KH]

 

Gorillaz– New Gold (feat. Tame Impala & Bootie Brown). For lots of 90s kids, Blur is the be all end all as far as Damon Albarn is concerned, but not for me. I’ve always loved his work in Gorillaz the most which usually comes as a surprise to people who know me. But it’s the truth, I do love laid back electro music in this vein and have loved Gorillaz since their very first album. This latest track is the second from their just announced 8th album, Cracker Island, which is due out in early 2023. The song doesn’t break a lot of new ground from previous releases, rather it has a comfortably familiar feel, but honestly that’s what I love about it. Bootie Brown (of The Pharcyde) and Kevin Parker (of Tame Impala) provide guest vocals alongside misty vocals from 2-D (the alter ego of Albarn) accompanying a bouncy beat, lithe bassline, and fun synthy production which all coalesce in a nice late summer heading-into-fall jam. [KH]

 

Native Sun– There’s Revolution. The lead off single from the just announced a brand new EP Off With Our Heads, due out 10/14 via Grand Jury. Big big riffs, sexy guitar leads and loads of fuzz make up the core of this fuzzy psych jam from Brooklyn’s Native Sun. [KH]

 

Ok Cowgirl– Just Friends. The latest single “Just Friends” by Brooklyn indie-dreampop quartet, Ok Cowgirl, serves up a powerfully moody mix of almost Colatura style melody, dirtied with a touch of Dilly Dally, poured over a Flashdance backbeat that makes you wanna just dance it all out. The lyrics penned by vocalist/guitarist Leah Lavigne, confidently address when an ultimately unsatisfying relationship has run its course. “You ever try to be just friends with the devil
/You ever try to be just friends with an angel
/You ever try to be just friends/with a girl who breaks your heart/Over and over again”

 

The song’s unique approach to romantic misfire plays as genuine and organic in its execution as well. The group rounded out by Matt Birkenholz (drums), Jake Sabinsky (guitar), and John Miller (bass) sound like a band who have evolved together as writers and players completing each other’s musical sentences. The places where the guitar and vocals fill and create space feels just as confident as it’s lyrical content would suggest. Meanwhile the entire track drives and punches relentlessly with an underlying bass/drum rhythmic spine that hits like velvet hammer. I’ve always appreciated Ok Cowgirl’s ability to identify an emotional pressure point and proceed to assert strength in the complexities of ambivalence, and am really looking forward to hear what’s next from the band. [MB]

 

Quicksand– Giving The Past Away. The post hardcore greats are back with a new song, a track that is reminiscent of all the things this band does best and comes ahead of their tour with Clutch and Helmet which kicks off on 9/13 in Toronto. This song was left off of their 2021 album, Distant Populations, and on this the band said “The working title for this song was “Greatest Quicksand Song Ever” so you can imagine it was a very tough call leaving this song off Distant Populations. The only reason we could agree on to leave it off was that we wanted to have some really strong material in reserve for later in the year. Ultimately the title came from the most prominent line in the song which is an embrace of the present which is very in line with our thinking with Distant Populations, we’re super proud of this one and are very psyched to share it with the world.” [KH]

 

Rube– Disco Italo. The debut single from NJ’s, Rube. The instrumental quartet is made up of members of other bands (Keef Chamber, Fang Gang and more) and the title for this song is apt, it does hit quite the disco groove along with quieter proggy interludes. This is the first recorded output from the band and an EP will soon follow. [KH]

 

Upchuck– Facecard. A fun, bouncy alt rock meets garage punk bop from the Atlanta group and the second offering from their upcoming debut album Sense Yourself. The album is due out September 30th via Famous Class and if the first two songs are any indication, this is sure to find it’s way onto my Best of 2022 list. [KH]

 

Venus Twins– Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist. Jake and Matt Derting’s high octane twin blast/noise rock duo, Venus Twins, released this new single just in time for September to pull its dark cloak over Summer’s tail, and it’s a tension builder for sure. Every time you think it’s about to boil over into total madness, they pull back the heat and allow the beat to simmer.

 

The real prize however, if your ticker can handle it, shows in the perfect juxtaposition with the two previously released singles, “God’s Machines,” the ten minute opus that is just as powerful and thunderous as its title would suggest. Providing very little room to catch your breath, the twins frantically weave in and out of time signatures with monstrous force. Only in the moments where there’s a brief lull, do you remember that you’re listening to just bass and drums. The rest of the time you’re hanging on for dear life as everything devolves into a wall of noise. “Return to Dust,” is a quick but massive ripper, serving as a direct message to The Refused that Venus Twins are clearly the new Shape of Punk to Come. And more is coming soon in the form of an anticipated full length due out in October. [MB]

 

 

Weep Wave– My Desire (Tour Song). Hot on the heels of the bands 2022 EP “Join Our Cult”, Seattle’s Weep Wave drops their new single “My Desire (Tour Song)” as an end of Summer anthem for being on the road. “I need to stretch my legs/Gotta strut my stuff/ Leave it all behind if you think you got the guts.” Fitting for a band that seems to have been on an endless DIY tour of the US all Summer long. With its blend of electro and post-punk live instrumentation, it’s a bit of a shift for the rock band that almost feels like it was written and recorded in the backseat of the van after long hours on the road. Really excited for these guys to roll through Brooklyn on Saturday 9/24 at The Tubs. [MB]

 

Work Wife– Ride, Ride. If there was a soundtrack sitting passenger-side for a road trip across the US, “Ride, Ride,” the latest single by Work Wife is it. Feet up on the dashboard, window down, hair blowing in the wind. As the dusty gas station shrinks in the rear view mirror, this track can take you through the forests of Pennsylvania, the rolling foothills of The Ozarks, winding up the mountain passes of Wyoming, and cruising down the PCH at sunset. It’s a beautiful track with subtle strings behind layers of soaring vocals, and a super catchy guitar hook that begs for you to never come home. [MB]