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 we have Chantal [CW], Emily [EA], Kate B [KB], Kate H [KH] and Ray [RR] weighing in on a big list of killer songs and have the scoop on plenty of new tunes, give ’em a listen!
Be Your Own Pet– Worship The Whip. These Nashville punkers are back after 15 years, and while they sound polished they also still sound as frantic and vital as ever. This song may seem sexy at first (“lick it up baby, lick it clean / you eat it up baby / you worship the whip“) but frontwoman Jamina Pearl Abegg reveals the underlying meaning is “about the right-wing authoritarian personality.” Mommy will be out August 25th on Third Man Records; the band will be touring this fall and appearing at Elsewhere on October 21st. [CW]
Blonde Redhead– Snowman. The beloved NYC-based rock trio of Kazu Makino and twin brothers Amadeo and Simone Pace have created a floaty dream-pop track that feels like spinning in the first soft snow of winter. Sparse rhythm guitar echoes, as the drums hold a steady beat underneath, building in intensity and rhythmic complexity as the song goes on. The gorgeous layered vocals are front and center, with Amadeo Pace taking the lead. “I got inspired to write a song that only had two chords and a melody that would live and float between them,” Pace writes. “‘Snowman’ is about how it can be a blessing or a curse to be invisible and undetectable, and how it’s something we all feel and desire at times.” The track is the first lead single off of Sit Down for Dinner, Blonde Redhead’s first album in nine years, due for release on September 29 via Section 1. [KB]
Claud– Wet / Crumbs. Claud’s new single “Wet” is a dreamy, energetic, synthy pop tune, refreshingly polished but still very much “bedroom”. The lyrics are catchy, and the chorus in particular is achingly relatable for anyone who’s been forced to accept an insincere “I’m sorry” to preserve a relationship. “That’s not an apology,” Claud sings, “But I’ll take what I can get.” Meanwhile, B-side Crumbs is a subtler, more delicate piece that barely exceeds two minutes (perhaps fitting, a little song about “the little things”). Some more great, simple lyrics here, with clever juxtapositions between the cute and the dangerous: “The little wings on the little bugs / I’d kill for you.” You can catch Claud live at the Bowery Ballroom September 12th, and their new album, Supermodel releases July 14th on Saddest Factory Records. [EA]
The Clientele– Dying in May. The second track released off The Clientele’s upcoming album I Am Not There Anymore, “Dying in May” is an exhilarating, anxious dream. Listening to it, you feel like something is always about to happen: there’s a tension behind that cello, some inexplicable pressure, unease in that quick drum beat juxtaposed with a droning mellotron that just keeps building and building but never quite relieves you. Featuring repetitive vocals and no guitar, it’s something experimental for the 32-year indie pop veterans. Songwriter and vocalist Alasdair MacLean explains:
“There was no way in hell I could play guitar along with these rhythms, so I scored out a simple melody which would leave space for the drums, and be something the bass could latch on to. By the end, the words go over and over, like someone beside themselves with grief. Hence the title. It’s a harrowing subject, but I think it’s presented with love — the song hopefully opens it out and lets some air in. It feels like an exorcism for me.”
He also notes that the drums and instruments are in different time signatures, “I almost feel I could dance to this, but not quite.” This song falls into the uncanny valley of music, which seems to be exactly the point. Almost familiar, but something’s off: “The memory of childhood but at the same time the impossibility of truly remembering childhood…” MacLean says the album explores, “…or even knowing who or what you are.” I Am Not There Anymore is out July 28th on Merge Records, and The Clientele will be playing the Bowery Ballroom on August 10th. [EA]
Cut Worms– Ballad Of The Texas King. Brooklyn based singer songwriter Max Clarke goes by the name Cut Worms and his latest song, “Ballad Of The Texas King,” is the first single from his forthcoming eponymous release out in July. Recorded at Onlyness Analog in the Hudson Valley with the help of Rick Spataro (Florist), “Texas King” harkens back to quieter, more peaceful days both sonically as well as lyrically. Upon hearing the tune initially, my first thought was how much the tune reminded me of “Life In A Northern Town,” the 1983 hit that put Dream Acadamy on the map. As for the lyrical content, the song itself seems to be a letter of advice from grown up Max Clarke to a young Max. The combination of light breezy folk rock with the story Clarke tells works quite nicely.
Cut Worms will be playing a Friday night residency at Union Pool in July and if “Texas King” is any indication, these sets ought to be quite special. [RR]
Grrrl Gang– Spunky. If—like me—you’re a fan of Bratmobile, LeTigre and the seminal riot grrrl sound of the 90s, then this one is going to tick a lot of boxes for you. The title track from the Indonesian groups upcoming full length (due out this fall via Green Island Music and licensed to Kill Rock Stars in the US) is indeed spunky, living up to its name and packing a snarky (and inspiring) punch with lyrics like “I was born in the pit / I gave birth in the pit / I never shave my pits / let me swallow your spit.” The song relates the experience lead singer Angeeta Sentana had during a manic episode.
She shares:
“I feel like I’m on top of the world, untouchable. I do things without thinking, always chasing after that feeling of instant gratification. I feel extra confident in myself—to a point of grandiose thinking—and that I could do anything,”
The song comes paired with a fun video that sees Sentana inspiring the protagonist of the video. This first taste of Spunky was bratty and tart, I can’t wait for more. [KH]
Jess Kallen– Exotherm. The title track from Jess Kallen’s new album is both laid back and catchy, while Kallen spins a tale of their pet turtle (“my pet turtle likes the space between the flower pot and wall / feels like a hug without really being held at all).” By the end it’s clear the song is really a metaphor for closeness (“we’re all the same / just digging holes and trying to run / and nobody knows / but you understand / all the exothermic / parts I am.“) The fun music video features a cameo from the turtle as well. Exotherm will be out June 21st on New Professor Music. [CW]
Kristin Hersh– Dandelion. On this brand new track, Hersh’s one-of-a-kind vulnerable voice sparkles over lush cello lines, sparkly glockenspiel chimes, and thoughtful acoustic guitar strums. The slow and reflective “Dandelion” pulses sultry like a summer daydream, and is the first single off of Hersh’s new solo album Clear Pond Road (her first full-length solo release since 2018’s Possible Dust Clouds). She described the inspiration for the song: “Dandelion’s main image is climbing a fire escape up to my dressing room in an alley outside a club I was playing (I’ve never needed to invent metaphors; they’re everywhere)…Anybody in love is always climbing to those eyes, you know? We’re voyeurs because we can’t ever know the beloved as completely as we want to.” Clear Pond Road releases on September 8 via Fire Records. [KB]
The Mary Onettes– Forever Before Love / Future Grief. Two brand new singles from the Swedish quartet, the former starts off with a twinkly, gothic jangle straight out of a 70s horror movie (it reminds of Suspiria, for some reason). And I suppose it makes a lot of sense that the track combines elements of yesteryear with today’s indie pop staples, since songwriter Philip Ekström says the song “is about finding the way back to yourself after a very long relationship. The process of trying to connect with the person you were before that.” The second track, “Future Grief” features guest vocals by Agnes Aldén, who also wrote the song’s verses while Ekström wrote the choruses. It doesn’t sound disjointed at all, though, and in fact their voices and words work together in a wonderful medley of airy guitars and entrancing harmonies. [EA]
Middle Aged Queers– This Song is Sponsored By Absolute Vodka. This California punk band is known for their sarcastic and cheeky takes on many things and here, they pull no punches as they let you know exactly how they feel about the corporatization of Pride month and “multinational corporations…clean[ing] eleven months’ worth of dust off of their rainbow logos” A true Bay Area classic pop punk ripper, it’s rough around the edges in all the right ways and the snark oozes out in sardonic glory with lyrics like You’ve got a gay boss man / at your startup so you’ll be marching / At this years pride parade / they’ll put a rainbow on your logo / You’ll walk your city blocks / Marking the anniversary of / When a fearless leader named Tim Cook / Threw the first brick at Stonewall.
The song certainly may be funny, but it addresses a subject that is no laughing matter. Queers are having our rights stripped away on a daily basis, where are these corporations the rest of the year when they aren’t trying to shake us down for our money? Yeah, I don’t know either. Fortunately there are bands like MAQ to help us through when shit seems the bleakest and I don’t know about you, but I need that levity to keep on surviving in a world that wants me dead. And I need a good soundtrack to keep me laughing while I point my very gay middle aged middle fingers at the hollow Pride pandering. [KH]
Oceanator– Part Time. Brooklyn’s Oceanator just hit the road with Gladie and AJJ— after coming also just off the road for a brief run with Laura Stevenson. I mention this because, with all of the touring Oceanator does (and they seem to be on the road forever), it’s hard to imagine when they find the time to get to the studio to record new music. Yet this week we were blessed with a new single from Elise Okusami titled “Part Time” and much like my favorite track, “The Last Summer” from last year’s remarkable Nothing’s Ever Fine LP, “Part Time” is already sounding like a front runner for THAT song that’s just perfect for hanging with friends, chilling out and enjoying summer fun.
Opening with a bouncy bass and drum beat the song immediately makes you want to dance. The rhythm section is soon joined by a synthy keyboard riff which brings to mind a rollicking yet subtle farfisa feel. And when Elise’s distorted guitar takes over during the chorus, I dare anyone, be they standing or sitting not to be rocking back and forth to this one. Cowritten by Okusami and Cheekface’s Greg Katz, “Part Time” sure sounds and feels like a great summer of ’23 hit. [RR]
Onesie– What You Kill. A thoughtful mid-tempo pop song about trying to survive the hellscape of late-stage capitalism, “What You Kill” is the first single from Brooklyn-based band Onesie’s third LP Liminal Hiss, due out August 18. The track shows off songwriter/guitarist/singer Ben Haberland’s jangly guitar hooks, including a very cool 80s-esque outro that gets more expansive and dancey. Haberland teamed forces with the Turkish artist Ertugrul Yaka to create the song’s video. Haberland says, “I loved the animated video he did for Julia Shapiro a few years back. When it came time to bring this darker Onesie song to life, I DM-ed Ertugrual and we started corresponding on the concept over a couple months. It’s ironic how our language and distance barrier was transcended by the very technology that can make us so miserable. His work really captures what I was feeling when I wrote the song.” [KB]
Palehound– My Evil.Queer artist El Kempner aka Palehound recently announced a brand new album, Eye On The Bat (July 14, Polyvinyl) and shared the rocking first single “The Clutch,” (read our thoughts). Now they have released the second song, which incorporates a video that uses the interesting framework of The Sopranos to come to terms with, as Kempner tells it, “the extremely humbling experience of realizing that yes, you are the asshole.”
They continued:
“I found myself acting in ways I was ashamed of, and realizing how capable I was of hurting somebody when I was trying so hard not to. Sometimes when you try so hard to be a “good person” you’re actually swinging so far and recklessly that you make a full circle back to being a shithead. It can be very hard to forgive yourself, and this song is a portrait of that struggle for me.”
On the video:
“When I got the idea to make a video based on the intro credits of Tony driving through Jersey, I knew I had to do it with my friend Richard Orofino. He’s possibly even a bigger Sopranos fan than I am and he did an incredible job mapping out a lot of the original locations from the show, including Tony’s house that we see at the end of the video. This whole thing was super DIY, just me and Richard (and his camcorder) having the time of our lives and being embarrassing superfans. It’s not exactly shot for shot of the original but, to brag for a sec, I’m truly amazed at how close we were able to get it.”
They will also hit the road this fall in support of the album and play NYC on 10/19 at Bowery Ballroom. [KH]
Protomartyr– Polacrilex Kid. As an appetizer for their new album, Protomartyr have released a live performance of one of its tracks (and part of The Marty Singer Telethon), with the band surrounded by a chaotic complement of clownish characters. “Polacrilex Kid” features a rolling, unrelenting drumbeat punctuated by spiky guitar and singer Joe Casey’s half-yell as he states “I’m back” and asks “can you hate yourself and still deserve love?” Casey says the song was inspired by “the quit smoking/start smoking again tilt-a-whirl—the song title is a reference to the chemical name for nicotine gum. Formal Growth In The Desert will be out June 2nd on Domino, and Protomartyr will play two shows at the Bowery Ballroom on June 15th and 16th. [CW]