Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of a some new things that we dug that came out in the last week(ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Chantal, Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!
And though we can’t possibly cover all the music that is released each week (we wish!), we do get to as many songs as we can. 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 and check back every Friday to see more:
Algiers– Irreversible Damage (feat. Zack de la Rocha). Algiers is a band that can’t be pinned down by any one sound, constantly pushing boundaries and making music that is bold and defiant. Last month they released single, “Bite Back” featuring billy woods (of Armand Hammer) and Backxwash, and at the time, it appeared that it was a standalone because no album announcement was made (though “so much more” was hinted at). Now they have revealed their new album, SHOOK (2/24/23 Matador), and released another single “Irreversible Damage.” Sonically the song recalls frantic electro clash with a gripping feature from Rage Against the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha before an instrumental break kicks in to close out the rest of the song. Frontman Franklin James Fisher explained that “The end of that song is the sound of joy. That’s what hope sounds like in 2022 when everything’s falling apart.” [KH]
Berwyn– Path To Satisfaction. A laid back infectious hip hop jam from the Trinidad born, UK based rapper who says the song “recognises the change that comes with growth. It acknowledges the path towards realising my identity and anticipates the future of Berwyn, that a man can have two homes and his body will know the difference.” I first became aware of his work when he guested on Ibeyi‘s stunning cover of Black Flag’s “Rise Above” and have slowly been making my way through his catalog. [KH]
Castle Rat– Feed The Dream. The Rat Queen herself and her medieval fantasy doom metal cohorts (The Count, The Plague Doctor, and The Druid) lead us into battle with this hazy and heavy lead single “Feed the Dream.” Full of triumphant harmonized stoner riffs and nightmare vocals, this track can be heard across the kingdom and echoed throughout all the darkest corners of the realm. Dawn breaks on the Great Rat Summoning today, and at dusk they celebrate the feast at the altar alongside Evolfo, Joudy, and Wine Lips and any other beasts and battle-babes who dare enter tonight at The Sultan Room. [MB]
Extra Special– I Can’t Say. The solo project of Amelia Bushell (Grim Streaker and Belle Mare) has released a haunting new single about love and loss. Read more about it here. [MB]
Fucked Up– One Day. The long running Canadian hardcore band are back with a brand new single, the title track from their upcoming album, One Day (1/27/23 Merge), so named because the songs were written and recorded by the band members in the span of 24 hours each. Read more here. [KH]
Horsegirl– History Lesson Part 2 (Minutemen cover). This Chicago based trio has had a big year with the release of their debut album, Versions of Modern Performance (Matador), and they have now made their Minutemen cover available digitally for the first time (it was previously only available on a 7inch). Their version is a pretty faithful note for note cover and they had this to say “‘History Lesson Part 2’ has always been a punk manifesto for us. It was an unusual pick to cover considering the lyrics are so specific to Minutemen, but we thought there was something appealing too about recording a ‘History Lesson’ that doesn’t actually give you any history on us.” [KH]
HOST– Tomorrow’s Sky. Old goths and metalheads alike rejoice: Nick Holmes and Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost have a new project. Inspired by the Paradise Lost album of the same name, HOST finds the two band members in more modern territory. This first single from their debut album IX (2/24/23 via Nuclear Blast) is a dark, punchy synthpop song laced with sharp guitar, and is perfect for your spooky playlist this Halloween weekend. If mannequins creep you out, avoid the music video! [CW]
Interlay– Androgynous. I’m not shy about the fact that I was a big fan of grunge/alt rock in the 90s. That love never left me, so I have also a big fan of the new crop of bands that have recently been bringing the style back and I have welcomed hearing fresh takes on a genre/style that shaped a lot of who I am as a person. In a press release the band tells us they draw influence from 90s shoegaze and grunge bands from Nirvana to Drop Nineteens, and while those influences do make their presence known, they don’t overpower the band’s music and it stands on its own. The heavy riffs and catchy lead guitar lick warrant repeated listens and while this single appears to be a stand alone at the moment, I certainly am looking forward to whatever comes next from the Madison, WI based group. [KH]
John (Times Two)– Theme New Bond Junior. Is this the usually abrasive (in a good way) band showing their softer side? It’s not a “soft” song by any means but for this rip roaring two piece punk band, it does show off a bit of a more subdued sound and a more nuanced approach to the studio. No complaints here though, it’s an exciting prospect and a growth in their song writing. I love everything this band does and have been anxiously awaiting them playing US dates for some time now. Perhaps the release of this new music, part of a 7inch due out in January 2023, is a prelude to the NYC show of my dreams. Here’s hoping! Pre-orders for the record are up now. [KH]
Pohgoh– Over/Under. The Florida based veteran emo band is set to release a new full length du und ich (11/4 Spartan Records) and have just released the deeply personal third single “Over/Under.” Singer/guitarist Susie Ulrey explains the meaning behind the song saying, “‘Over/Under’ is about the random uncertainty of odds while living through a traumatic experience. In the fall of 2018 I spent 3 terrifying weeks in the hospital (including a stint in the ICU) due to a very rare reaction to an MS (Mulitple Sclerosis) treatment I had taken years prior. The odds eventually tilted in my favor when I was finally sent home, though in a pretty fragile state with a slow, months-long recovery ahead of me.” She continued, “Part of the healing process was writing about it. We wanted to reflect some light out of the tunnel through the upbeat ending and my self-assuring, if not tentative declaration of, ‘I’m happy to be here.’” [KH]
Quasi– Queen of Ears. Though they released some demos over the pandemic and the stand alone song “Last Days of the Thin Blue Line,” it’s been almost a full ten years since the long running Portland duo have released an album—years that saw drummer Janet Weiss shockingly leave her other longtime project, Sleater-Kinney, and suffer severe injuries in a car accident—but now they have made their triumphant return with Weiss back on the kit and better than ever. They have announced a new album, Breaking the Balls of History, which will also be their debut for Sub Pop, along with the first single “Queen of Ears.” This first single hits every thing I love about this band—the quirky organ, the harmonies, the cool drum fills—and I can’t wait to hear what else they have in store for the rest of the album. Along with the album announcement comes a tour that will see the duo hit NYC at TV Eye on 3/16/23. [KH]
Quicksand– Felíz. The NYC post hardcore greats are back with another stand alone single (so it appears) after the recent release of “Giving The Past Away,” which was a leftover track from the Distant Populations sessions. This one is a rager that showcases everything this band does so well and why they have had the staying/returning power that they do. Available now on streamers via Epitaph. [KH]
Sour Widows– I-90. The Bay Area group is back with an emotional new single that deals with the death of Maia Sinaiko’s partner in 2017. Sinaiko said “I wrote “I-90” at a time when all I could do was make music alone in my room. Day to day life was a constant cycling through memories of places, feelings and experiences of which I was now the sole keeper. I found that the most mundane memories—driving in my partner’s car, the rural midwest landscapes of my college town—felt priceless, acting as vivid portals into what was now an irrevocable part of my life. The endlessness of grief supersedes the normal passage of time and the people we lose remain in places we can never go back to. It’s magic and terrible all at once; that is what this song is about.”
Musically the song ebbs and flows through quiet and loud dynamics, perfectly emphasizing the emotional weight of the subject matter. There is no word yet if this song (and the preceeding single “Witness”) are part of an album to come or are stand alone works. [KH]
The Tubs– Sniveller. This Welsh four-piece are finally releasing their debut album after forming in 2018, and the first single is a slice of angular post-punk tinged with jangle and crisp drumbeats. Singer Owen Williams notes “I wanted to write about how love can turn anyone into a Sniveller.” Dead Meat will be out January 27th. Hopefully they make it stateside for a show soon. [CW]
Toebow– Kitchen. This is the first new music from this eclectic/genre defying group since 2019. On their Bandcamp and Instagram the band shares “Kitchen” is a triumphant groover about getting through your worst times and coming out on top. The song touches on issues surrounding over-indulgence, substance consumption, and getting past unhealthy and toxic periods of one’s life. “Kitchen” was initially tracked in 2018, then overdubbed, mixed & mastered in 2021-2022. It is a stand-alone single, also featured on the limited edition (100 copies) Toebow cassette Resting Joy Selects.” We were recently wowed by their performance at Lincoln Center, see pics here. [KH]
T.S. Tadin– Killin’ Rock ‘n’ Roll. A fun little romp with an old school feel which serves as the third single from the upcoming album by crafty pop songster T.S. Tadin who said “This one is a bit of a departure from my other stuff sonically. It’s got a variation on the Bo Diddley beat. [I] was trying to go for something sounded like early Lou Reed. Do the Ostrich!” [KH]
TVOD– Mantis. The explosive party punx are at it again with an infectious new single “Mantis.” This crunchy synth pop freak out party track has a bit of a classic retro sci-fi vibe that would feel quite at home on The Lillingtons’ Death by Television. Read more about it here. [MB]