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 and Kate 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:
A Place To Bury Strangers– Love Reaches Out (Xiu Xiu Remix). Angela Seo and Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu fame lend their talents to remixing this track, taking the New Order-tinged original (from See Through You, released earlier this year) and turning it into a punchier, stripped down version of itself with swirling vocals. Find this one out on APTBS Oliver Ackermann’s own label Dedstrange. [CW]
Bob Vylan– The Delicate Nature (feat. Laurie Vincent). After releasing their stellar album Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life earlier this year, the London based electro/punk/hip hop duo are back with a new single which features Laurie Vincent of Slaves who also produced the track. The song starts out on the subdued side, a lower key smokey vibe persisting until around the 2:40 mark when the song blows up and turns into an all out shredder.
Vocalist Bobby Vylan says the song was inspired by “This idea of life being a fleeting moment that can end or change at any moment is something that I have attempted to dissect so often in my life,” continuing “Watching people make split-second decisions that impact their lives forever is something I’ve always found incredibly fascinating. When I look back at my life I realise how some of the decisions I made could have landed me in places that would have taken away my freedom, my autonomy or my health but I’m also able to see how some of those same decisions equipped me with skills that allowed me to better myself, my life and help me grow as an individual.” Read more on the creative process behind the track, here. And check out our recent coverage from their incredible show at Terminal 5. [KH]
Buffalo Nichols– Meet Me In The Bottom / Friends. Buffalo Nichols’ modern take on the blues will burrow through your ears and straight into your soul. On the heels of last year’s self-titled release comes a new double single on Fat Possum, produced by Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio. Held together by Nichols’ rich voice and carried along by a fuzzy bassline and soaring guitar, “Meet Me In The Bottom,” a re-working of a traditional song made famous by Howlin’ Wolf, is honestly a headbanger. The more delicate “Friends” is a showcase of Nichols’ songwriting talents, “a plea for understanding from a highly anxious and isolated person” according to the artist. [CW]
fanclubwallet– Roadkill. Following up her excellent debut album, You Have Got To Be Kidding Me, the Ottawa based indie/bedroom pop songwriter fanclubwallet aka Hannah Judge has released a brand new single, “Roadkill,” a song that starts out subtle before blossoming into a mesmerizing and epic instrumental build up and fade out, perfectly emphasizing the emotions of the lyrics. On the subject matter, Judge says the song is “basically about the way men put female musicians or just women in general up on strange pedestals. Idolizing and viewing them as an object or prize to be won.”
She directed and edited the accompanying music video “It’s a simple video reflecting my love of horror movies while utilizing my experience with practical visual effects and horror makeup,” she says. “When I was younger I would fake sick and stay home from school. I would watch horror makeup tutorials and my mom would always come home to me with some wacky horror makeup on. The video’s series of slow zoom-out shots that reveal that I’ve been wounded reflect the lyrical theme on ‘Roadkill’ and feeling hunted.” [KH]
The HIRS Collective– We’re Still Here (feat. Shirley Manson). The dynamic and influential Philly queer grind/hardcore collective have announced a new album, We’re Still Here, due out 3/24 (Get Better Records) and released the title track which features Shirley Manson of Garbage. There are over a dozen other guests who make appearances on the record, members of Soul Glo, My Chemical Romance, Thursday, Gouge Away, Screaming Females and many more. The collective said in a statement “We always want to go the pessimistic route and be like ‘We’re only here out of spite’ but really, we are spite. And we’re going to do the work and to be as happy as possible for as long as we can. We’re here to say ‘Fuck you, what we want to do is go on tour with our friends and hang out with them. We want to have all the positive, wild experiences. We want to contribute to the actual community of people around us. We want to connect with everyone who comes into our world.” And any marginalized person knows the power in saying the words “We’re Still Here.” Read more about the album and place pre-orders here. [KH]
Horrible Timing– Inconceivable. Brooklyn’s very own “anxious pop punk” outfit, Horrible Timing, have released their second single, “Inconceivable,” a supremely catchy new track that hits all the right spots and high points of the genre—big riffs, catchy leads, and soaring vocals from singer Melissa Licciardello with some killer harmonies to top it all off. Licciardello tells us the song is about avoiding saying “I Love You” to someone and shying away from commitment: “‘Inconceivable’ is our softest tune about me being a little bitch, essentially. It’s about knowing in your heart somewhere that you want to commit, but not having the words to express it,” and calls it an “I really really capital L Like you a lot” song. Slick production from prolific NYC engineer Jerry Farley makes the song sound larger than life and it, along with their previously released song “Ballroom Fitz,” will be part of their upcoming debut EP due out in early 2023. [KH]
Ladytron– City of Angels. This track is just what you’d expect from Ladytron, and that’s a compliment. After over 20 years they continue to execute their signature sound well: a beat that gets under your skin, dark, droning synths, and sultry vocals on top of everything else. The newest LP Time’s Arrow will be out in January 2023—hope you haven’t put your dancing shoes away quite yet. [CW]
Laura Veirs– New Arms (Demo). The prolific singer songwriter Laura Veirs has announced an expanded edition of her most recent album, Found Light, which will feature five demo recordings from songs on the album including “New Arms.” Via a press release she said “Musicians have told me over the years how much they enjoy hearing my demos. There’s something about sitting around in my living room and hitting ‘record’ on my phone that allows me to capture very relaxed performances of songs as they are just forming. It’s gratifying to share for the first time these intimate, raw versions of some of my new songs.” I wholeheartedly agree and always love hearing a demo of a song; this one in particular, stripped down and bare bones—just Veirs and an electric guitar—it shows off what I’ve always loved about her work, the raw vulnerability of her songwriting and voice. The expanded album releases in full today. [KH]
Miss Grit– Follow the Cyborg. The electronic project of New York based Korean-American artist Margaret Sohn has announced their debut album, Follow the Cyborg, and released the title track, a song that is bright and effusive before dialing it back to a contemplative instrumental fade out. We described their previous single “Like You,” as “having a good beat without being clubby” and I’d say this song feels similar, the beat moves you, but never overwhelms, keeping it in your mind and your head bobbing while you contemplate the implications of the lyrics which the artist says via a press release “pursues the path of a non-human machine, as it moves from its helpless origin to awareness and liberation.” They also add that the album is “At times gentle and sparse, at times volatile and explosive, it occupies a sonic world of electronic experimentation and stirring electric guitars.” We are looking forward to hearing what else Sohn has in store for us upon the full release.
Follow the Cyborg is due out on 2/24/22 via Mute and will feature collaborations with Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint), Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma) and Pearla. [KH]
Panic Shack– Meal Deal. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a catchy/snarky punk rock song. And if there’s another thing I love, it’s snacking and in particular, a good UK meal deal (which is something we really need to get on in the States btw). The Cardiff based band has combined these two great things into a brand new single with the delightful refrain “Feed me I’m skint and hungry! Just want a sammy, nothing fancy” I don’t know about any other punx out there, but I can definitely relate to that sentiment. I had previously been unaware of the band before I happened to catch them live by chance in Bristol (England) last month and was thoroughly impressed. I quickly dug right into their recorded catalog which right now only includes their fantastic EP, Baby Shack, and now this single. They’ve been getting a lot of well deserved attention in the UK and will be making their US debut at SXSW in March 2023. Here’s hoping a tour including NYC is built into those plans.
(PS:This review coming to you from the person who makes her very first stop on every trip to the UK the M&S outside of baggage claim at Heathrow to get two prawn mayos, a Fanta and a bag of crisps—I don’t mess around. And for just barely £5, it’s a mighty bargain.) [KH]
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs– Mr. Medicine. The UK based stoner/psych/doom noise kings have announced a new album, Land of Sleeper, and released the first studio track from it, “Mr. Medicine.” Clocking in at a spartan (for this band) two and a half minutes, it’s a pretty hard driving and catchy affair, less doom and more in the psych, almost bordering on garage territory. This follows the recent release of a live video for “Terror’s Pillow,” which will also appear on the record. Read more about the full album and place pre-orders here. NYC audiences can catch the band on 3/11/23 at Saint Vitus. [KH]
Pozi– Slightly Shaking Cells. An infectious new, head bopping groove from the London based violin/bass/drums post punk trio which the band says “acknowledges the disappointment that comes with the realisation you are ageing, but counters this with the argument that time brings knowledge of your own mind was” continuing that it was inspired by figures such as Boudica, Cleopatra and Xena the Warrior Princess, and the kind of immortality you can create through believing in your own strength. The song then switches to someone admiring another person from afar, zooming into everyday existence away from matters of life and death.” [KH]
Sarchasm– Crazy. The long running Bay Area band have announced their final album, Conditional Love (12/2 Asian Man), and with it comes this catchy first song, “Crazy,” a song about a classic subject matter, human relationships (both with others and ourselves) and how they shift and change. Tempting to call it a break up song, the refrain belies that it is in fact about more and about self reflection too: “I’m not jealous, I’m just crazy about the way you say you’re over me, guess what I’m over me too so let’s get together and talk it through.” The band will release the album and play their final shows soon after, wrapping up their run at the legendary venue 924 Gilman on 12/30 and 12/31. [KH]
We Are Scientists– Less From You. Long running NYC indie group We Are Scientists first captured my heart years ago with their catchy songs about being damaged and the excesses of youth/young adulthood. They’re still going strong and are set to release their eighth album, Lobes, in early 2023 and released the disco infused new single “Less From You,” keeping the bass grooving and the party moving. [KH]
White Lung– “If You’re Gone.” According to the band, their newest LP Premonition (12/2 Domino) is “the last album we’ll be getting from one of the best bands to ever do it.” I’ve been a fan since their last record, 2016’s Paradise, so that’s unwelcome news. “If You’re Gone” finds them indeed doing what they do best, pumping out mosh-worthy, punky-hardcore-rock songs with thrashing drums, sharp guitars, and Mish Barber-Way’s melodic, punchy vocals, while lyrically wading in deep waters: according to Barber-Way, the song is about children dealing with the loss of a parent who took their own life. [CW]