by FTA Staff | Mar 10, 2023
Each week a ton of new music comes out, and between our weekly singles column that gets posted every Friday, and the full album reviews throughout the week, plus live show reviews and news announcements, we get to a lot! Here’s a quick fire list of even more great albums and EPs that came out this week(ish) that we dug and think you should get on your radar too.
Bard’s Flying Vessel– Nightfall Generator. The latest from the Brooklyn based group and like their eponymous 2021 debut, the music on this new album finds this five-piece band throwing various styles into the mix and producing a sound that’s all their own. Equal parts psych rock, lo-fi fuzzy garage rock, surf rock, 60’s folk vibes yet at times heavy as hell. “Scheming” is a big stand out for me and other highlights include “Barrows,” “Fortune Wheel,” and the title track. If I had a car I’d wanna blast this as I drive, windows down. Check out our recent coverage of their release show. [KM]
Ben Kweller– Sha Sha Deluxe. To celebrate its 20th anniversary (or 23rd or 21st depending on which version we’re talking about), Ben Kweller has released a deluxe edition of his debut album, Sha Sha. The album has been remastered and includes all of the original tracks you know and love plus an additional 22 demos, live cuts, B-sides and other rarities including the lo-fi “I Have the Power,” which was released as an early single. (As a fellow 1981 baby and nerd, I see and love the 80s reference in this title.) The album is available now on the standard formats—triple LP, triple CD and DSPs—plus, for those of us who like to combine our dental hygiene with our indie rock, a USB toothbrush you can scrub your plaque away with and then plug into your computer. Pretty convenient if you ask me! Here’s hoping the 1997 album, Restraining Bolt, by Kweller’s earlier band, Radish, gets the re-issue treatment sometime soon too. [KH]
Frankie Rose– Love As Projection. After four years Frankie Rose is back, and continuing to explore synthpop and new wave as she did on 2017’s Cage Tropical and 2019’s Cure cover project, Seventeen Seconds. It’s a big departure from her days in fuzzy guitar bands (as the leader of Frankie Rose and The Outs and as a member of Dum Dum Girls, Vivian Girls and others) but she’s hardly the first Slumberland artist to make the jump into more Tears For Fears-inspired territory. Rose has always been good at writing a hook, and delivering them through electronic means rather than a fuzz pedal allows the intricacies of her song writing to stand out. The album starts out very catchy with “Sixteen Ways” and “Anything.” Yet much of the record sees Rose taking a more subdued approach, slowing down the beat and moving the mood from dance party to nighttime neon drive. Love As Projection is out on Slumberland Records today, and she will be performing a release show the next night at Union Pool. [CW]
Glitter Wizard– Kiss The Boot. Do you like the Seventies? I sure fucking do, and thank god Glitter Wizard does as well. This glam tinged EP features more licks than you can shake a stick at, and a David Bowie cover to top it all off. There’s glitter here to be sure, but also swagger. Glitter Wizard are obviously inspired by the bluesy psychy rock of the past, but they hit all the good notes while avoiding being too derivative. Highlights on this EP are “Sequins and Leather” and “Sugar Beat,”’ while the video for “She’s a Star” sends it all up with leather and big hair. Kiss The Boot is out right now via Kitten Robot Records. [CW]
The Grasping Straws– Patterns. The latest from the BK indie art rockers have a brand new album out this week. Read our thoughts here. [MB]
H. Hawkline– Milk For Flowers. The project of Welsh song writer Huw Evans (and frequent Aldous Harding/Cate LeBon collaborator) has just released a new album, Milk For Flowers via Heavenly. The bouncy title track kicks off the album, piano driven indie pop finery, and the next song, “Plastic Man,” continues in this vein before the third, fourth and fifth tracks bring it down a bit. “Athens At Night” is a low-key synth pop jam and one of my favorites, anchoring the middle of the album well, before it slips down into the more gentle “Like You Do,” and the album concludes with a few more somber tunes. The pacing of the album feels very intentional and I enjoyed this about it too, you can tell a lot of thought went into this as a body of work and it is not just “some songs thrown together as a collection.”
I admittedly was not familiar with his work at all before I met him at Webster Hall when I worked Aldous Harding‘s show there last year (he is a member of her backing band and also opened the show), so this is the first time I’ve sat down with his music more in depth. I should definitely remedy that as he has four more solo albums and numerous collaborations to dig into. I was surprised none of the songs here were sung in Welsh (as he told me that is actually his native tongue and he didn’t learn to speak English until he was primary school aged) but perhaps there may be more in his back catalog I’m not yet aware of; I look forward to taking some time to do that. He is also a graphic designer and gifted me a beautiful hand printed linocut at that show and you can see more of his visual art on his website and albums. [KH]
Jeerleader– I’m Fine Until I’m Not. A brand new four song EP from Brooklyn’s own dream pop quartet, Jeerleader. This follows up 2020’s But It’s Fine and I think maybe they’re trying to tell us something…everything is not fine…but I also think we all already knew that. This is a fun one and shows off the groups pop sensibilities nicely. “Keanu Reeves Saves The Planet” is a particular stand out with really cool bass and lead guitar work and “Ghost World” is a bouncy jam that will stick in your head like glue. [KH]
Meet Me @ The Altar– Past // Present // Future. I famously am not much of a fan of pop punk or emo, but there are, as they say, exceptions to every rule. Meet Me @ The Altar definitely thawed a bit of my long standing iciness towards these genres ever since I saw some early videos of them (though I can still take a hard pass on just about 99.5% of the rest of those genres as a whole) and I have always been impressed with their exceptional musicianship and the prowess they bring to their songs, even when they were starting out as teens. And never mind the fact of how absolutely refreshing it is to see a band making pop punk without yet another boring white man or his “feelings” in sight.
They have released a series of singles and EPs over the years and this week hit the world with their full length debut, Past // Present // Future, now mature masters of their craft. The production here is huge, more pop than punk really, but their strong chops as musicians is still very much the glue that holds this band together, big budget recording or not. Songs like “Try,” “Same Language,” and “It’s Over For Me” are super fun that will keep you bouncing while “King of Everything” is a relatable anthem I really dug, with lyrics about just wanting to catch a damn break for once—been there, felt that. While I’m not likely to be found at Emo Nite or a pop punk show any time soon, this is a fun one that definitely had lots to sink my teeth into. [KH]
Snayx– Weaponized Youth: Part 1. This band has been one of my biggest surprises of 2023. I saw their name on a flyer for UK snark punk band Panic Shack‘s recent tour and decided to look them up. (Truth be told, I find lots of great bands this way, just looking at show flyers for bands I already like and doing a little digging.) Their song “Work” was my first intro and I was immediately hooked on the snotty ode to fucking off and telling your boss to shove it. I love bass and drums rock bands and I love fast paced irreverent songs, so I really took a shine to that one. “Deranged” is in a similar spirit of being wild and out of control, and that was most of what I knew of this band before the full EP came out. (Other than “Buck” which felt like a little bit of a departure for them and I said as much in my review here.)
But all, as it turns out, is not as it seems and this band has a lot of nuance beyond the brashness presented in the two songs I initially got to know them through. On the full EP, we get to see their depth with the soulful and political “Weaponized,” which also showcases the full range of their musicianship beyond just the driving romps that initially drew me to this band (though there is certainly nothing wrong with plenty of those types of songs either, I bloody love them). As I said, “Buck” is a bit more on the subdued side, and “Body Language (She Could Read My)” splits the difference and also features some super cool, slick bass work.
Every song on this five song debut is a winner and it’s been a while since I’ve heard an EP that nails it all the way through with nothing that can be called “filler” in the bunch. l also really love the cover art here, courtesy of artist Georgie Ramsay, it pairs very nicely with the title of the EP and I just love collages in general. This is a band I definitely have very high up on my list to see live and really hope they either get over to the States soon, or my next trip to the UK will coincide with one of their shows. Even better, I hope both happen! [KH]
Tired Radio– Lousy, thanks. The melodic mid-tempo hard rock band made up of “1 big guy, 1 small guy and 2 medium guys,” have just released their latest EP, Lousy, thanks, which is the follow up to their 2020 album, Patterns. The EP builds off the strength of lead single “Old Keys,” which has been making the rounds following a European tour last year where they opened for The Get Up Kids in Germany. For fans of band like The Menzingers, Hot Water Music, and Jawbreaker (alternatively Sharkswimmer or Heavy Lag for local Brooklyn comparison). Other highlights are “Down In Flames” and the title track. These are six catchy songs you’re going to want in your ears as the winter thaw beings to set in. [MB]
Check out these other recent reviews for even more new music:
Release Roundup 3/3
Single Serve 033
Single Serve 034
Black Belt Eagle Scout- The Land, The Water, The Sky
Cat Clyde- Down Rounder
Death Valley Girls- Islands In The Sky
El Ten Eleven- Valley of Fire
Gina Birch- I Play My Bass Loud
Lily Mao & the Resonaters- Human Being Animal
M(h)aol- Attachement Styles
Miss Grit- Follow The Cyborg
Pigs x 7- Land of Sleeper
Screaming Females- Desire Pathway
Quasi- Breaking The Balls of History
Yo La Tengo- This Stupid World
by FTA Staff | Feb 17, 2023
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 Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer new songs— give ’em a listen!
Ben Folds– Winslow Gardens. After not releasing an album in eight years, the alt rock piano man is back with “Winslow Gardens,” the first single from the upcoming What Matters Most and it’s a slice of classic Ben Folds. [KH]
Bully– Lose You (feat. Soccer Mommy). Two of the most vital songwriters/voices in indie rock—Bully’s Alicia Bognanno and Soccer Mommy‘s Sophie Allison—have come together for a cool collab and made a song that would have felt right at home in 1994 next to Veruca Salt or Belly. It’s a mid tempo rocker full of low-key grit in the verses, making way for big grungy swagger in the choruses and a ripping guitar lead that hits at the 3/4 mark to mark the crescendo before the loud gives way to quiet introspection and acoustic guitar to bring the song home. The song appears to be a one off for now, but could perhaps be the first exciting taste of the follow up to 2020’s SUGAREGG.
Of the collaboration Bognanno shares “When ‘Lose You’ came about it was the first time I’ve considered having someone else sing on a Bully song. I love Sophie’s voice and have always admired everything she does so to me it was a no brainer. Watching her soar out of the Nashville scene and dominate indie music world wide has been a joy. Writing ‘Lose You’ was a way for me to work through the pain and reality of impermanence. It doesn’t make it any easier but reflection is often followed by growth and to me that’s what life is all about.” [KH]
Death Goals– Faux Macho. The London based mathy, noise punky queercore two piece are poised to release their second album, A Garden Of Dead Flowers, this spring (via Prosthetic) and have released the first single “Faux Macho,” a choatic rager of a tune that sees the band building upon the power of their first full length, 2021’s The Horrible And The Miserable. The duo shares that “‘Faux Macho’ is one of our favourite tracks we wrote for this record, wearing our love and appreciation for queer culture with pride on our sleeves for the world to see.” And if this is the first taste of what is to come, then I’m already anticipating this one is going to be a serious contender for one of my favorite releases of the year. The album releases in full 5/5. Read more about it here. [KH]
Deerhoof- Wedding, March, Flower. Showing off a much softer side, Deerhoof has released a very tender piano ballad which sees a role reversal of drummer Greg Saunier on lead vocals and piano while singer Satomi Matsuzaki helms drum duties. On the song Saunier shares: “I was flirting with my partner Sophie and sent her a video of me humming and playing the piano. Deerhoof was starting to get songs together for our next record. No one had suggested we needed any tender piano ballads, but Sophie convinced me to show it to my bandmates anyway. I was so touched when they were into it. The real kicker came when Satomi wrote lyrics. They were in Japanese, so when we first rehearsed it, I wasn’t even sure what I was singing. But Satomi had written a love song about a wedding. Satomi and I ended our marriage over 10 years ago, and it hasn’t always been easy for any of us to keep the band going. Our songs have always been one way that we all process our feelings with each other. Co-writing and performing ‘Wedding March Flower’ with her was really intense.” [KH]
Dry Cleaning– Swampy/Sombre Two. The UK post punk band just wrapped their North American tour (see our coverage) and just announced a new EP, Swampy, which will include bonus tracks, remixes and a demo from their second album, Stumpwork. They have released two songs from the EP this week and said via a press release: “These two songs were recorded in the Stumpwork sessions and they feel like good companions to us. They share a dusty, desolate and spacey atmosphere. On the eve of this release we have been touring through the southwest US, where these songs feel at home in the arid, Mars-like landscape of the Arizona desert.” Swampy releases in full on 3/1 via 4AD. [KH]
Elliott Fullam– A Hopeful Ending. When I hit play on this track, mind was immediately transported to hearing Elliott Smith’s stirring self titled album for the first time (which for the record was definitely before Elliott Fullam was born) or more recently, finding myself lost in the depths of Julien Baker’s debut, Sprained Ankle. It’s hard not to make the comparison with Baker or Smith, Fullam definitely draws influence from the somber realness of both of those artists, and here the 18 year old singer-songwriter from NJ creates a beautiful song built around finger picked acoustic guitar work that he says “expresses the experience of finding beauty in someone while fearing the inevitable vulnerability that comes with it.” This is his first release for Kill Rock Stars, having signed with the label (who also released Smith’s iconic first three albums in the 90s) after self releasing his first full length, What’s Wrong, in 2022 along with a handful of singles and EPs. Fullam will make his NYC debut at Mercury Lounge on 2/22 (the site of one of Baker’s early NYC performances, too) along with Screenager and Joe Allocco. [KH]
Fat Heaven– Doomsday Clock. Hanging on the corner of Rancid and Social Distortion, counting down from their “Quarter Life Crisis,” Brooklyn trio Fat Heaven dropped another bit of crunchy pop-punk goodness right into our laps just ahead of their latest release Trash Life out Feb 24th. It’s everything you love about the lovable scamps and like everything else in their catalog will have you singing along for days. [MB]
Iguana Death Cult– Sensory Overload. A slice of jittery sax fueled no-wave post punk from the Rotterdam quintet, try not to let this one get stuck in your head. The song deals with the anxiety of *gestures around at the world* and the reality of living in a semi-dystopian present that we can’t ever seem to get away from (a theme I’m coming across in more and more of the new music I listen to and review each week). It is the first single from their upcoming album Echo Palace (5/12 via Innovative Leisure). The band self produced the album which was then mixed by (Sasami’s brother) Joo-Joo Ashworth (Sasami, Dummy) at Studio 22 in Los Angeles and mastered by Dave Cooley (Tame Impala, Yves Tumor). [KH]
Mediocre– To Know You’re Screwed is to Know A lot. A sharp slice of gritty indie pop from this self deprecating duo who are rocking out as if everything is fine even as the Dumpster fire of life rages around them, a feeling we can all relate to. They share “We wanted to capture the chaotic and futile experience of running away from your own mess—literally and figuratively. Sometimes the awareness of being screwed is comforting, but sometimes ignorance is bliss.” This is the first taste of their latest EP, To Know You’re Screwed, which arrives on 4/7 via Dangerbird. [KH]
Not- Anxiety. If you hadn’t told me this wasn’t ALL, I wouldn’t have believed you that this at least didn’t contain some members of ALL or the Descendents, most notably bassist Karl Alvarez, who in particular has made a very clear influential mark on this band who is in fact, not ALL (or any of the members of it). While it flies a little closer to the sun influence wise than I probably would go for in one of my own musical projects, and at times feels indistinguishable from the source material, it is a project that was born out of deep love and true DIY fashion. As their Instagram reads “What do you do when ALL stop making records? You form a band with your friends and make your own.” Indeed, you do. Read an interview with the band where they talk about how they are in fact NOT ALL. [KH]
Omat– Daisy. I caught this band opening for L7 a few months back (see coverage) and really enjoyed their set. At the time the band had no recordings to dig into after the show which was a bummer but fortunately that has changed as they have just released their debut single, the infectious “Daisy.” It’s a fun upbeat romp that meets right at the intersection of post-punk, indie and gritty shoegaze and the studio definitely captures their essence well. I’m definitely ready to hear what else lies in store for this exciting new band. [KH]
Phantom Signals– Slow Burn. Straight from inside the mind of Melody Henry comes a brand new solo project, Phantom Signals, who just released a beautiful whisper lullaby of a second single. With a lovely drifting melody (pun intended) that feels somehow almost familiar but a touch askew, its soaring chorus sweeps you up into crescendo and then drags you across the delicate framework of tin drum piano percussion like a ballerina music box exploded into a pile of crunchy distortion and broken springs. In a twist of cosmic fortune, Melody won the recent BandNada band lotto jackpot by being paired up with Joey Russo (Castle Black) and Mike Petzinger (Pocket Protector) who Mel quickly recruited to round this project out to a quartet. Inspired by the old Car Seat Headrest recordings and bands like Hop Along, we here at FTA are excited to see what’s next from Brooklyn’s newest indie band. [MB]
Rebelmatic– Amnesia. Rebelmatic, the NYHC scene champions and tireless advocates for our music community, are one of most respected Black hardcore/punk groups in all of New York and have gained national attention with their relentless drive and work ethic. Now they have unleashed a killer new single ahead of their upcoming Southern US tour with Weedeater. And indeed it delivers on all fronts. In true Rebelmatic style, the song opens with a gang vocal chant “Shut Up! Shut Up! Shut Up!” (an homage to Little Richard playfully shushing his fans at shows) over Alkatraz’s heavy guitar work just as bassist Kreature and drummer Ramsey Jones immediately blitz with a thunderstorm of rhythmic onslaught. Vocalist Creature cues with his distinctive booming vibrato “I don’t need no therapist” and before you can say their oft heard call and response chant at shows, “REH-BULL-MA-TIC,” you’re swinging your arms and caught in a circle pit having the time of your life. [MB]
Snayx– Buck. I recently discovered this brash UK based duo and fell in love with their snotty ode to fucking off and telling your boss to shove it, the insanely infectious “Work” which features a video of the two chugging beer and being well, very British. Now they are back with “Buck,” which is still driven by their signature distorted, heavy bass sound but is decidedly more subdued and reserved to the more hyper affair of “Work” or their other recent single, “Deranged.” All three of these songs are part of the upcoming EP, Weaponized Youth:Part 1, which is due out on 3/10 and will include two more tracks. [KH]
Stimmerman– House Party. Chronically stuck between band and solo project, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Eva Lawitts, and their project Stimmerman, just released new single “House Party” (from their upcoming record Undertaking out 5/10) which really punctuates the nature of their split personality. Well known for absolutely abandoning all the rules of pop sensibility and conventional rock formula, the track for the most part stays stripped to the bones. Showcasing a dynamic vulnerability in Lawitts’s voice we don’t often get to hear, the lyrics are dark and visceral poetry stretched over the clicks and squeaks of a lonely acoustic guitar. And apart from some subtle atmospheric tension smoldering in the background, we are left with this delicate raw nerve exposed for almost three entire minutes. It isn’t until the final 45 seconds that the entire thing blows open into mayhem. The bottom drops out, and the sky rips open as the massive drums tear in under the weight of the bass blown out guitars raining down full Stimmerman! [MB]
Tired Radio– Dead and Gone. The melodic mid-tempo hard rock band made up of “1 big guy, 1 small guy and 2 medium guys,” just released another new single to follow up on their lead single “Old Keys” which has been making the rounds following a European tour last year where they opened for The Get Up Kids in Germany. For fans of band like The Menzingers, Hot Water Music, and Jawbreaker (alternatively Sharkswimmer or Heavy Lag for local Brooklyn comparison), this is definitely the song you want to bump in anticipation of their new EP Lousy, thanks. out everywhere March 10th. [MB]
Tits Dick Ass– Girlfriend From Hell. The Brooklyn based band has made quite the splash on the NYC scene in the last year with their live shows attracting bigger and bigger crowds and for good reason, they are unabashedly queer as fuck with a stage presence that is massive paired with a ferocious sound; they hit in all the best ways. Now they have released their debut single, the no-wave punk ripper, “Girlfriend From Hell,” which is also the first taste of their upcoming debut album, Burn A Bitch, due out this spring on House of Feelings. Despite not having synths, it reminded me a bit of the synth punk nightmare classics of Screamers and definitely is a kindred spirit to the freaky outsider no-wave and punk of the late 70s and early 80s. The song features a video that was filmed at local venue Rubulad and directed by filmmaker Dylan Mars Greenberg️️️. A companion remix was also released alongside the song for acidic and cool re-interpretation that feels downright dystopian. Read an interview with the band here. [KH]
The Tracys– Soviet Mistake. In true Tracys fashion, tongue-in-cheek Cold War era tropes throwback to a different age on their latest single which comes ahead of their upcoming record Welcome to the Land of Nothing due out later this year via Shotgun Nature. Delivered in the style of The Ramones with a twist of The Lillingtons, the pop-punk quartet (Dave Klym-vocals/guitar, John Payne- guitar/vocals, Larry Mancini- bass/vocals, Matt Ernst-drums) continue to deliver the big hooks and humor. Chock full of 1980s spy-era imagery and even more 80s guitar solos, you won’t even care whether or not The Tracys took your baby away. [MB]
