Let’s get this out of the way at the top: Playlounge are a London-based guitar/drums/vocals duo. They play scrappy scuzzed-out pop music that recalls a lot of bands that operate within the confines of that format. There are traces of Japandroids, No Age, and PS I Love You (among others) to be found all over their music. What differentiates them from the pack is the sheer velocity they conjure up. Where Japandroids are almost consumed by a desire to sound huge, it comes off as a byproduct here rather than a focal point. PS I Love You are willfully off-kilter and Playlounge don’t really seem to will anything; they just fucking go for it. No Age have their arthouse tendencies as well- chiefly, their obsession with damaged lo-fi. Playlounge just hint at an interest in those kinds of things, while actually sounding damaged- not in terms of recording quality, but their actual physical state of being. It makes for a strangely cathartic listening experience. “Waves and Waves and Waves”, yet another preview of their upcoming LP Pilot, showcases all of these qualities and more. It’s available for both streaming and download below. Take advantage of it.
Green Dreams is a name that’s been coming up in all of the right places. This isn’t a mistake. Their last LP, Sweats (artwork above), was a feverishly gnarled slab of the kind of punk that flirts with sludge as much as it does with basement pop. Perfect Pussy’s Meredith Graves has been pushing them in just about every interview she’s done lately and it looks like the appreciation is mutual- Green Dreams is currently prepping for an upcoming tour with Perfect Pussy and “noh-wave” weirdo-poppers Yamatanka // Sonic Titan. Green Dreams continues to make a considerable impression today, with the recent unveiling of the Mike Turzanski-directed music video for “Bug Sex”.
“Bug Sex”, as a song, features many of the band’s most prominent features: impassioned vocals, aggressive guitar work, power drumming, an ominous bassline, a fairly dark atmosphere, scattershot riffing, and hard-hitting breakdowns. As a video? It’s got one foot firmly planted in film noir, while the other navigates what’s ostensibly a procedural thriller With some subtle visual assistance from Dr. Hamburger, what really winds up pushing this video to the next level is some absolutely gorgeous cinematography work. Nearly everything’s shot in the shadows, with the final blanketed live performance shots being among both the year’s cleverest and outright best. Both the loose FBI detective murder-mystery story and the song’s propulsive forcefulness combine to make “Bug Sex” a very gripping and immediate experience. Watch it below and be on the lookout for the band’s upcoming RICH MAN/POOR MAN 7″.
Well, the stars didn’t quite align and this is, once again, a few days past-due. That’s the bad news. The good news? A bout with poor health (while admittedly not producing much content) did prompt a few brainstorming sessions. As a compromise for this edition’s lateness, it’ll be another spotlight piece (in the way of Vol. 9). Except this time, instead of BNTYK, the attention’s been turned to the Pink Couch Sessions series ([PCS] for short). While this site’s already praised IYMI for a myriad of reasons, and included a few [PCS] pieces here and there, giving them their own Watch This just felt necessary. While there were a few pretty extraordinary videos that were left out, Saintseneca, Big Eyes, Hop Along, and Waxahatchee, have all been covered recently- or covered enough- that it felt justifiable to spread the focus elsewhere. After all, Heartbreaking Bravery would be nothing if it wasn’t constantly looking for new music to showcase. All that’s left is to find a drink, sit back, and watch this.
1. P.S. Eliot – We’d Never Agree
Before Katie Crutchfield started Waxahatchee and Allison Crutchfield was at the center of Swearin’, they were both in P.S. Eliot. This version of “We’d Never Agree” served as an introduction to the band for a fair few people and was a very early indicator of the extent of their respective talents. Katie’s front and center here, as arresting as she’s ever been.
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2. Teenage Cool Kids – Landlocked State
Making their second straight appearance in a Watch This features edition, Teenage Cool Kids run though “Landlocked State”. The acoustic format allows the emphasis to be placed on the band’s extraordinary lyrical ability, always one of their strongest elements. They’ve rarely sounded better.
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3. Sundials – Crosby Sucks
Midwestern winters can exacerbate already considerable levels of discontentment. There are four things that help pass the time when this happens: music, friends, drinking, and hockey. “Crosby Sucks”, in addition to being a showcase for Sundials’ great left-field basement pop, is a perfect distillation of all four.
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4. The Sidekicks – 1940’s Fighter Jet
Steve Clolek has been making quite a name for himself lately. As a member of Saintseneca, his profile’s rising- and as a residual effect of that, The Sidekicks are also getting a fair amount of attention. They deserve it, too. Awkward Breeds was one of 2012’s best records and “1940’s Fighter Jet” was one of its most stunning moments. Clolek delivers an even more powerful solo version here.
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5. Busman’s Holiday – Mr. Spaceman
There are few things that would’ve been more appropriate for a [PCS] grand finale than this rousing take on “Mr. Spaceman” courtesy of Busman’s Holiday. Hitting all the sweet spots of a variety of genres spanning from chamber pop to twee to folk-punk, this is the kind of performance that can make a convert out of just about anyone. The melody, the strings, and the snare work all come together to create something magical.
Heartbreaking Bravery 