Cymbals Eat Guitars are gearing up towards the release of something special. This has been evident since the band unveiled “Jackson“, an absolutely stunning manifestation of personal loss and anguish so sincere that it’s still difficult to listen to. Since that first look at the band’s upcoming record, LOSE, the band’s released another miniature triumph by way of the decidedly more laid-back 80’s-indebted “Chambers” and, most recently, the absolutely incendiary “Warning”. Foregoing their usual restraint for something much more visceral, Joseph D’Agostino leads his band through a spiky post-punk blitz that eschews a lot of their past psychedelic influence in favor of a previously unheard immediacy. It’s a new look for the band and it suits them extraordinarily well. “Warning” is, far and away, the most direct song the band’s released and stands alongside “Jackson” as one of their very best. A million and a half things would need to go wrong to change what seems to be inevitable; LOSE being not only the band’s personal best- but one of the very best of 2014.
Listen to “Warning” below and pre-order LOSE from Barsuk Records here.
It’s been three years since Cymbals Eat Guitars released their stunning sophomore effort, Lenses Alien. In that time, the various members have been through a lot; not least of which is the death of a close friend, an even that informs much of their forthcoming record LOSE (that’s the incredible artwork up above). Yesterday the band offered up the first look at that record with the unbelievably stunning album opener, “Jackson”, which is already being widely regarded as a strong candidate for song of the year- and it’s not hard to see why. While Lenses Alien proved to be a considerable improvement over their debut, Why There Are Mountains, “Jackson” takes all of the aspects of improvement from that transition and perfect them. “Jackson” isn’t just the sound of a band finding its footing; it’s the sound of a band that fully understands the implications of their work. Frankly, this is one of the fullest and most gorgeously devastating songs to have appeared since The Antlers opened Burst Apart with “I Don’t Want Love“. Grappling with immensely difficult themes (necessary medication, depression, loss, and the correlation of all the connecting threads) in an incredible manner, this is not only one of the best songs to have emerged in the past year but the past few. If all of LOSE lives up to these six jaw-dropping minutes, Cymbals Eat Guitars may actually wind up with a contender for record of the decade on their hands.
Listen to “Jackson” below and remember to love the ones that deserve it as much as possible while they’re around.
Once again, an apology is in order; due to extensive travel (more on that in a minute) a regular Sunday Watch This posting proved impossible. This 15th installment is a more low-key affair than usual. Apart from two very, very electric full sets, the emphasis falls squarely on wistful moments. From a powerpop staple to Appalachian-infused up-and-comers with a serious punk pedigree to Katie Crutchfield’s signature defiant vulnerability, open wounds wind up being this week’s focal point. As each video proves in some small way, sometimes the best way to deal with open wounds is to address them.
While Saintseneca has earned multiple mentions on this site before, they’ve never wound up in Watch This. It’s a drastic oversight and this is a necessary correction. Their run-through of “Happy Alone” for BadRacket Recording is nothing short of outstanding. Saintseneca continues to find new ways to impress and up the respective anticipation for their ANTI- debut, Dark Arc.
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2. Matthew Caws – Inside of Love (KEXP)
When Nada Surf was still in the early stages of their career they were often written off as Weezer knockoffs. Many suspected they’d be unsustainable- and then they did the miraculous- they reinvented themselves and found themselves at the forefront of powerpop. Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws plays Let Go standout “Inside of Love” for KEXP here, as a part of the 15th anniversary celebration of Barsuk Records. It’s as winning now as it ever was.
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3. Great Thunder – It Takes So Much (Live at Saint Vitus)
Katie Crutchfield has one of the most arresting voices in all of music, writes emotionally crippling lyrics, and Great Thunder just made a fucking incredible record. A live performance showcasing all of those things? What more could anyone possibly want?
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4. Hop Along (Live at Saint Vitus)
While any lineup that includes both Crutchfield twins is can’t-miss material, it’ll take something genuinely special to make an impression in the face of that. Luckily, for everyone, beloved Philadelphia act Hop Along proved more than up to the task and unARTigNYC was on hand to film all of it. While Get Disowned is (still) incredible on its own merits, the band comes into their own in a live setting. This is an impassioned 46-minute masterclass on how to do things right. Absolutely necessary viewing (and listening) material.
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5. Priests (Live at The Pinch)
There have been recent claims that seeing Priests for the first time is akin to a religious experience and the live footage that continues to surface of the band goes a long way in supporting that theory. It doesn’t seem to matter when the footage is from, either. From the get-go this band’s been channeling the brooding intensity of Swans and deftly combining it with the politics of Sleater-Kinney and the discordant aesthetics of Sonic Youth at their most fearlessly minimal. All of that is why Priests are this week’s band to know. Extra note: shout-out to vocalist Katie Alice Greer for her outstanding interview work over at Fvck the Media. Be sure to go read that- but be sure to watch this.
Heartbreaking Bravery 