Following a feature from The Washington Post, the fast-ascending Priests have dropped another track from their upcoming Don Giovanni debut, Bodies and Control and Money and Power. This follows the incendiary “Right Wing” and is just as off-the-rails as its predecessor. Sharp and serrated, it’s a thrillingly jagged manifest of frustration. In other words, it’s vintage Priests. Catchy beyond reason, the refrain “you put your fingers in other people’s mouths all day” teems with as much condescension as it does ambiguous sensuality. It’s a little abrasive, a little disconcerting, a little uncomfortable, and completely thrilling. Priests have always sounded best when they sounded like they’re diving towards a collision instead of away from it and “Doctor” may be the purest distillation of that to date. At this point, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Bodies and Control and Money and Power is going to be getting a lot of year-end press. Only two songs in and it’s already hard to argue against that. Get on board or get out of the way, this is happening.
Listen to “Doctor” below and hum it during virtually every future check-up.
Technical difficulties have struck again, forcing another late entry into the Watch This series. While it’s sincerely doubtful anyone’s growing frustrated by the lack of the regular Sunday posts for this, the schedule should be resuming soon. This is partly in thanks to the astounding influx of great material that’s been happening lately. There were enough videos to have been released in the past week and a half to warrant a double-header of Watch This, which means that Vol. 25 will be coming soon after this goes live. This installment’s fairly heavy on bands that this place has a well-documented love for. From two of the bands to make the very first 5 to See at NXNE to the very first band to ever be covered here, it feels a little bit like a family affair. It’d be next to impossible to ask for better company. So, as always, sit back, eat a pizza to drive away any lingering hangovers, relax, and Watch This.
1. Audacity – Counting the Days (Jam in the Van)
As mentioned above, Audacity were the very first band to ever be written about here at Heartbreaking Bravery. They haven’t lost a step since that feature and their songs have only grown catchier with time. More good news? Jam in the Van is back at Burgerama which means there’ll be a handful of videos that are likely going to wind up being featured here. There’s something about that combination that just works- and this is a perfect example of that.
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2. Greys – Guy Picciotto (Chart Attack)
At this point, over 100 videos have been covered in Watch This. None of them have featured a performance as fiery as the one Greys turned in at Toronto’s Sonic Boom Records of this song. There really isn’t a reason not to hit play on this one. Have at it.
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3. Ovlov – Moth Rock (Little Elephant)
Yes, an Ovlov song from these same sessions was just featured in the last Watch This– but “Moth Rock” was only uploaded a few days ago. It’s also impressive enough to earn itself a spot on this list. “Moth Rock” sees Ovlov operating at the absolute top of both their songwriting and live talents, making this must-watch (and must-listen) material.
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4. PS I Love You – Sentimental Dishes (Chart Attack)
Judging from this video and the Greys one occupying the two slot this week, it’s fair to be jealous of just about anyone that was lucky enough to spend their Record Store Day at Toronto’s Sonic Boom Records. For the rest of us, an eternal debt of gratitude is owed to Chart Attack for being on hand to capture some of it in extraordinarily high quality. This performance of “Sentimental Dishes” only reaffirms the fact that PS I Love You need to be mentioned way more often in the “best musical duos” conversation. This is some seriously inspired work; don’t let it go unnoticed.
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5. The Men – Going Down (Radio K)
The Men’s discography is remarkably consistent for how frequently the band changes their sound. There are already several arguing their most recent effort, Tomorrow’s Hits, is their high water mark. There are also several that argue it’s impossible to judge the band from the studio alone and that the songs need to be put into a live context for a more accurate test. Occasionally, those arguments crossover. It’d be difficult to find someone from either party who was disappointed with this- and it’s also a perfect way to bring the 24th installment of Watch This to a close. Enjoy!
There was a lot of great material that was released last month that was difficult to post about while dealing with recurring technical issues. It’s a gap of space that still needs amending and that will be made up for. To start doing that with a song that’s not even 30 seconds might feel a little counterproductive but virtually nothing in the past year has stood out as much. It’s a visceral blast of punishing hardcore shrapnel; a true blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair. It’s a complete left field turn for a band previously most noted for a searing post-punk slow-burner that ran for nearly six-and-a-half minutes. Frenetic bug-eyed insanity looks as good on this Dublin trio as no-wave that broods as expertly as it pierces. This is a band worth paying attention to.
Listen to the Sam Cooke-inspired (though virtually no one would guess it) “The Cha Cha Cha” below and get ready to hit repeat.
PAWS’ Cokefloat! was one of 2012’s most refreshing full-lengths and now, two years later, they’re following it up with the bolder, more aggressive, and more fully-formed Youth Culture Forever (a title taken from a line in Adventure Time). The band offered up a first glimpse at their incredible upcoming record with “Tongues“, a song good enough to land itself in this playlist. Youth Culture Forever‘s release is still just around the corner (May 6 via Fat Cat) and the band’s continuing to drum up anticipation with another preview, this time in the form of “Owls Talons Clenching My Heart”.
One of the driving forces in the creation of Youth Culture Forever was the band’s disgruntlement with the lo-fi tag that was strangely prevalent in the reviews for Cokefloat!. Both “Tongues” and “Owls Talons Clenching My Heart” have definitely proven the band’s succeeded in accomplishing a sound that’s both fuller and more clean without sacrificing an iota of their character or identity. “Owls Talons Clenching My Heart” is as scrappy and melodic as anything the band’s recorded while being just as clever (and indescribably catchy). It’s another ripper from the Glaswegian power trio that packs plenty of bite and another great example of how forceful Youth Culture Forever really is.
Listen to “Owls Talons Clenching My Heart” below and pre-order Youth Culture Forever from Fat Cat here.
Greys’ If Anything (due out June 17 via Carpark) is already one of the most anticipated full-lengths of the remaining year. This is thanks, in no small part, to lead-off preview track “Guy Picciotto”. Amanda Fotes has now provided that track with a video that rivals the songs sense of chaos and tension. Presented in a muted palette (incidentally- and possibly intentionally- it looks like it was tuned through a gray filter), the video revolves around the band throwing a Marshall cab off of the roof an ostensibly abandoned building in a desolate part of some unnamed city. There are a few moments where some footage of the band playing gets spliced in and Fotes disorients the linearity of the act by positioning the members on both the roof and the ground during the amp’s descent. It takes the amp the duration of the song to reach impact and there’s a sly bit of cleverness to that ultimate, climactic moment. It’s all over in well under two minutes and more than worth anyone’s time. Watch it below and keep an eye out for both If Anything and the band’s reportedly insane live show. Enjoy.
Well, it’s already been too long since the last one of these- the most personal installment of the series to ever have run– went live. This week’s all about making up for lost time which is why between this posting and Sunday, there will be three Watch This pieces posted. It’s been nearly a month since new material was posted so this volume will be dedicated to covering that space. There were more than a few videos to choose from due to the delay but the five below, whether they be a full set, short documentary, or just a single song, were five of the videos that most closely adhere to the spirit of this place. So kick off the new week in style, crank up the volume, and Watch This.
1. Tacocat (Full KEXP Session)
Tacocat’s recent self-titled record, NVM. is already shaping up to be one of the definitive 2014 summer records, filled to the brim with sunshine-inflected basement pop. In this recent KEXP session, the band plays four songs and enthusiastically responds to a fair few interview sections in an incredibly winning middle segment. All of the songs are played loose and with a sense of purpose. Never anything less than a delight, this round of songs for KEXP is just another notch in the band’s increasingly impressive belt.
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2. Speedy Ortiz – Silver Spring (Allston Pudding)
It didn’t take long for Speedy Ortiz to be thrown into the driver’s seat of the current 90’s revival crop. Major Arcana made it incredibly easy by distilling seemingly everything great from the alternative culture of that time period into something that was undeniably modern. This also allowed Sadie Dupuis a platform to tear down oppressive institutions and schools of thought, which is something that’s (dishearteningly) still sorely needed. Importantly, that also kept the band in the public eye and was likely one of the reasons for their continuously elevating success. Another reason? Their live show, which plays perfectly into their aesthetic- feeling over technicality had been lacking as of late, so praise be to Speedy Ortiz for trying their hand at restoring the balance. This version of “Silver Spring” should make just about anyone understand.
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3. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Blameless (KEXP)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah have remained an anomaly by virtue of the band’s undeniably erratic trajectory. When they were introduced to the world at large, they were at the forefront of a newly-emphasized class of buzz bands that were supported by hype and high expectations. After their debut record won them a vastly expanded following, they disappeared for a while before returning with what many thought was a lackluster sophomore effort. Retreating again after that, the band went through same changes, Alec Ounsworth started making solo music, and seemed fated to fade into a distant memory or relative obscurity. Now, Ounsworth is back, playing songs out solo under the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah moniker- and if this utterly gorgeous performance of new song “Blameless” is any indication, it looks like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah just might be coming up a whole lot more in conversation again.
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4. Pookie & the Poodlez (Jam in the Van)
Another year, another Burgerama, and another of what will hopefully be one of many more Jam in the Vans from that festival. Pookie & the Poodlez (which is essentially just the Nobunny touring band switched around) rip through three gleefully obnoxious basement pop rippers. It’s all in the spirit of fun and fits perfectly into the Burger aesthetic, serving up a near-definitive representation of what kind of weirdness the label’s all about. Insanely catchy and absolutely carefree, it’s enough to spark hope for many more Burgerama Jam in the Van’s.
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5. RIP 285 Kent (Pitchfork)
Definitely coming in as an outlier for the Watch This series, this Pitchfork documentary’s earned itself an inclusion on the basis of necessity; this is one of the most important short-form discourses on what a DIY space can mean to a community and what it can become. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a major area or the smallest town, there are valid points littered throughout RIP 285 Kent. Yes, there may be some esoteric language in terms of location and development pace but the underlying messages are ones worth noting. Additionally, it’s a close examination of a DIY space that was important to a scene that was important. Everyone from Deafheaven to Lodro to DIIV to Fucked Up get featured via live clips and a great deal of insight is offered from everyone who’s directly involved/responsible (like Ric Leichtung) and anyone who was tangentially involved (like Dan Deacon). It’s also a reminder to celebrate the things worth celebrating while they’re around. It’s worth several watches and bookmarking for future reference. All of those reasons are why it’s earned its spot as the closer for this 21st installment of Watch This.
One of the first few pieces this place conjured up was a glowing review for PUP, which had only been released in Canada at the time of posting. As the US release date for the record approached, more people started taking notice of the band. Rave reviews for the live show spilled in from the various corners of the wider-reaching music community and anticipation for the record shot up in accordance. Now, PUP is a great record, which has been covered but the music video the band crafted for “Reservoir” was in a different stratosphere of greatness. That music video was one of the best of the past several years so when the band announced a follow-up effort, this time for “Lionheart”, the expectations were off the charts. Fortunately, for everyone, the band delivered.
The premise of “Lionheart” is incredibly basic but it manages to exist in a similar realm to its predecessor thanks to the flawless execution. Once again, the band has tapped into the DIY ethos, only this time they’ve moved it from the stage to the afterparty. It’s a single shot emphasizing the action that takes place in the kind of basement most punks would be proud to call home. From taping bottles of some unidentifiable liquid to whoever’s crashing on the couch right through to the guy eating pizza in a Green Bay Packers beanie, this is the kind of scene that should be familiar to anyone who’s showed up early or stayed late at any house show. All of the details feel lived-in and authentic giving the whole thing a loose classic vibe. All of this, of course, is propelled by the actual song itself which elevates it into something resembling nostalgia. Simply put: it’s another great video from a band that’s worth knowing about. Honesty and humility are difficult things to play up in the format but the band pulls it off with ease, keeping their track record just about perfect.
Watch “Lionheart” below and then live it this summer. Support local music. Support great music. Play this video.
Not too far removed from Reigning Sound on the very-particular-brand-of-timelessness is Shannon & the Clams, the doo-wop-leaning throwback outfit. Led by the powerhouse vocals of Shannon Shaw, the band’s earned their place on many specialists year-end lists over the past several years for their distinct take on the basement pop aesthetic, seamlessly blending in specific influences from the last 60 years into their core sound.
While last year’s Dreams in the Rat House wasn’t their best record, it was close to their best record. Maintaining a standard of excellence as high as they’ve been over the years isn’t an easy feat but it looks as if they’re barreling along anyway. The most recent piece of evidence working in their favor is “Mama” taking from an upcoming split 7″ with Portland punk rippers Guantanamo Baywatch (both acts share common ground via both Suicide Squeeze, the label releasing the split, and Burger). “Mama” comes off as breezy and effortless as the bulk of the band’s very best material. There’s an elusive looseness as well as a hint of perfectionism running through “Mama”, making it a somewhat paradoxical and completely enthralling listen.
If Guantanamo Baywatch’s side proves to be even half as good as this, then 2014 will have one of its first contenders for split of the year. Listen to “Mama” below and pick up the split when it comes out on April 29.
There are times when I’ve broken one of Heartbreaking Bravery’s most defining tenets (no self-identifiers: the music is more important than the reviewer) in an effort to illuminate something. This will be one of those times for several reasons: 1) This post may mark the last time a point n’ shoot is used for content on Heartbreaking Bravery. 2) This is the first time, and certainly not the last time, a (new) self-shot full set will be appearing on this site. 3) Perfect Pussy have already qualified as exempt from this rule for reasons explained here (and then again here). 4) By posting this, I’m hoping to stabilize a bridge between a focus on music and a focus on film (look for more on that later). 5) It’s the only way I could think of delivering these points as honestly as possible. 6) I firmly believe in a support structure between DIY publications and fully intend on this being the first part of a collaboration piece.
With all of that out of the way, there’s only a few things left to say before the video(s) themselves: Yes, this is a severely blown out recording with some seriously damaged audio quality. Yes, there is an unexpected break that results in a twenty second delay between the monstrous second half of “Interference Fits”. Yes, there are times where the band goes completely out of frame. Yes, that was because I kept getting hit hard enough by the wildly enthusiastic crowd around me to be literally upended into the stage multiple times over (and, yes, I loved every second of it, bloodied up leg, beer-soaked jacket, bruised hips and all). Yes, this isn’t the greatest live presentation in the world- far from it, in fact- and yes, this is primarily being posted because it’s something I fiercely love (and has people that I love dearly in it). No, that doesn’t affect my judgment at all- these were all instances of friendships born out of love for their art and through mutual understanding/support. Yes, there will be a review of this entire show (along with more photographs)- but not on Heartbreaking Bravery (more to come on that later). Yes, I really am posting this right after the Minneapolis review– and yes, all of this can be seen in two parts below.
Well, Heartbreaking Bravery’s another 50 posts in, which means that it’s time for another mixtape- and the timing couldn’t be any better. As April springs forth, a new quarter begins and leaves the first part of the year behind, opening it up for examination. First Quarter Finish is a testament to the the startling strength of 2014’s first three months and is largely composed of music that’s been featured on this site. Perfect Pussy‘s “Driver” kicks things off in a typically frenzied fashion, reflecting the purpose of this collection as acutely as possible. Make no mistake, this is a batch of songs that traffic in very high intensity even in their quietest moments.
1. Perfect Pussy – Driver
2. La Sera – Losing to the Dark
3. Cheap Girls – Knock Me Down
4. Archie Powell & the Exports – Everything’s Fucked
5. Crow Bait – 83
6. Big Air – Cemetery With A View
7. PAWS – Tongues
8. Brain F≠ – Sicks
9. Antarctigo Vespucci – I’m Giving Up On U2
10. Playlounge – Waves and Waves and Waves
11. Vertical Scratchers – Memory Shards
12. Angel Olsen – Forgiven/Forgotten
13. Silence Dogood – Chairman of the Bored
14. Priests – Right Wing
15. Green Dreams – Eye Contact
16. Fucked Up – Paper the House
17. Creepoid – Baptism
18. La Dispute – Woman (in Mirror)
19. Sleep Party People – In Another World
20. Odonis Odonis – Order in the Court
21. PILE – Special Snowflakes
22. Young Widows – King Sol
23. Protomartyr – Scum, Rise!
24. Technicolor Teeth – Tomb
25. Cloud Nothings – I’m Not Part of Me
Heartbreaking Bravery 