Carpark Records | Heartbreaking Bravery

March 27, 2014

Priests – Right Wing (Stream)

Unless Tenement officially confirms a 2014 release date, the Don Giovanni LP to get most excited about definitely goes to another Heartbreaking Bravery favorite: Priests. Bodies and Control and Money and Power (due out June 3rd) will be the band’s first release for the label and they’ve already released the first taste by way of “Right Wing”. Anyone familiar with the band shouldn’t be surprised by that title, as they’re one of the more fiercely political bands on their respective circuit right now. A lot of those politics are fairly apparent in vocalist Katie Alice Greer’s commendable work as The Media‘s interviews contributor. Another thing that won’t come as a surprise to those lucky enough to already be on board with the band: “Right Wing” is an aggressive piece of post-punk minimalism.

What does come of a bit as a surprise is how clean “Right Wing” sounds. Previously, the band’s penchant for the most blown-out lo-fi recording was one of their calling cards, so to make the jump to something as immaculately produced as “Right Wing” without losing any of their reckless abandon is a considerable feat. Make no mistake, this is still very much a Priests song- it feels as dangerous and barely-stable as anything the quartet’s committed to tape, carving out the same exhilarating territory despite existing in a completely different sonic realm (not too unlike Tweens’ Frenchkiss debut). A completely fuzzed out bass helps retain some of the band’s lo-fi aesthetic and the clean guitars go to work on cutting everything apart, drums urging them both forward as Greer acts as the vessel to provide the maelstrom with some sense of direction, even when completely consumed by it. It’s thrilling, vital, and maybe even necessary. Here’s hoping the band winds up with the attention they deserve.

Hear the catchy, infectious “Right Wing” below and make sure to give Popstrangers’ first taste of their upcoming album Fortuna (due out May 27th via Carpark Records), “Country Kills“, a listen as well- it was nearly the focus of this piece but Priests haven’t been covered as extensively here. Their was also no way in hell “Right Wing” wasn’t going to get a write-up, one listen and the understanding of that should be immediate. Listen to one, listen to the other, it doesn’t matter- but really, listening to both is the best-case scenario and the one that should definitely be chosen. Make the right choice. Enjoy.

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December 15, 2013

Watch This: Vol. 4

As the year winds down it can be fun to look back. Especially for places like this that only came into existence recently and didn’t have the chance to share some noteworthy items due to their time-sensitive nature. That’s to say; today’s Watch This is going to differ a little from the first three. This round will be focused on and dedicated to some really impressive solo performances that happened in 2013. From Katie Crutchfield to Amos Pitsch, this Sunday round-up features some of this site’s favorite songwriting talents. Take some time out this Sunday to relax and review some of the year’s best moments.

1. Waxahatchee (NPR Tiny Desk Session)

There haven’t been very many things in recent memory that have been satisfying to watch progress as the ascension of the Crutchfield’s. Arguably, it was Katie’s Waxahatchee project that gave them their biggest early push towards their current notoriety. This session, courtesy of NPR, feels a little bit like validation. Then again, it’s hard to feel anything that doesn’t directly correlate with what Katie pours into these songs. One of the most arresting songwriters of our generation.

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2. Tenement – Hard to Say (Live at Nicey’s)

How Heartbreaking Bravery feels about this band is no secret (seriously, best band in existence, 2014 can’t get hear fast enough) so anytime something like this happens it’s worth featuring. The “this” in question being a solo set from frontman Amos Pitsch, an endlessly gifted and absurdly talented songwriter/all-around musician. This video finds Pitsch playing this Blind Wink standout at an after-show that, incidentally, also featured Waxahatchee. Both artists deserve all the acclaim that’s sure to follow them.

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3. Mikal Cronin – Don’t Let Me Go (Off the Record Session)

Mikal Cronin’s MCII absolutely dominated this summer- and for good reason. Nearly every track on his recent masterpiece evoked very specific feelings that felt most appropriate in a summer setting. One of MCII‘s most stunning moments was also one of the collection’s most vulnerable; the bare-bones “Don’t Let Me Go.” Here, given a live hue, the song becomes an even more personal (and gorgeous) paean to quietly determined resolve.

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4. Noun – Misery (Live at Golden Tea House)

Screaming Females have been riding a wave of deserved success following last year’s astonishing Ugly, which would account for much of why Paternoster’s solo project has been a little more quiet than usual. While Noun certainly has been a less productive cabinet for Paternoster recently, it’s something deserving of just as much attention as her main vehicle. No new material has been released since Noun’s inspired Holy Hell LP, apart from a very limited reissue of the massive Forgotten Grin tape. Luckily for everyone, Don Giovanni Records was on hand to film a Noun set last month and footage surfaced yesterday of a new song called “Misery”, providing room for hope that Noun’s not quite done yet.

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5. Cloud Nothings – Psychic Trauma (They Shoot Music)

There are very few 2014 LP’s that will be more heavily anticipated than Cloud Nothings’ purportedly noisier, weirder, and more atonal follow-up to their 2011 best-of-decade contender Attack On Memory. Dylan Baldi & co. haven’t allowed much insight to this new record, apart from a few surprise showings at festivals and a mysterious teaser. Oh, there was also the time Baldi showed up to deliver an extraordinarily promising solo acoustic performance of the record’s likely lead-off single, tentatively titled “Pyschic Trauma”. Between this and the two upcoming Tenement collections alone, 2014 should be one hell of a year for music.

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November 29, 2013

Popstrangers – Rats in the Palm Trees (Music Video)

Popstrangers’ Antipodes was the first record since Technicolor Teeth’s Teenage Pagans to perfectly blend shoegaze with aggressive post-punk. Antipodes was also one of the first truly great records of 2013, strongly recalling labelmates Cloud Nothings’ Attack On Memory in tone, scope, and production. With a breakthrough record on their plate, it would’ve been understandable for the band to settle down and continue to play up the record for all its intrinsic worth. Instead, the band’s opting for the hyper-production route and has now revealed both an A and B side for a non-album single.

“Fortuna” was a serviceable B-side that showcased the band’s dream-punk underpinnings. The A-side, “Rats in the Palm Trees” is a different beast entirely. On “Rats” the band settles back into their deepest strength; melody. “Rats in the Palm Trees” boasts a catchy chorus, several memorable moments of guitar work, some controlled frenetic drumming, and a driving bass line. It’s one of their best and suggests a long future. To accompany the song’s aesthetic the band released a music video earlier this week. In the clip, the band mostly incorporates low-grade footage of themselves playing their instruments and exploring London, where they recently relocated to.

Moving looks to be a smart move for the band as their tendencies and London’s play very well into each other. There’s a certain sense of minor foreboding, small-scale industrialism, and an endless amount of opportunity. It’s easy to see them finding comfort in their new home, the video already seems to suggest they’re in the midst of a contented transition. Watch it all below.