Romantic States | Heartbreaking Bravery

January 2, 2020

The Best of November & December 2019

For the past 5+ years, I’ve been dividing this site’s content between three main platforms: Soundcloud, YouTube, and bandcamp. A rare Spotify link appeared on occasion for truly exceptional releases but I tried my best to avoid that situation entirely. I chose those three for ease of access and general convenience, as they seemed to provide a more direct way to unlock off-the-radar artists and their work, while not engaging in the casual classicism that’s built into paid subscription services. The extent of how much I used those sites will be revealed in the ensuing post, which may or may not break this site entirely, but to warm up, I’ll divide the best offerings of the past two months between those triangular points. Songs, music videos, and records are all accounted for and will be mixed in together. Click on anything and reap the rewards of that decision.

SOUNDCLOUD

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YOUTUBE (1-8)

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BANDCAMP

May 11, 2017

The Last Dinosaur – Atoms (Music Video)

Last week’s front-half came loaded with solid material and the back stretch proved to be just as strong, if not stronger. Outstanding songs from High Sunn, Jason Loewentstein, Milk, Sharkmuffin, Romantic States, Midday Swim, Walrus, Chris Bathgate, Abram Shook, Sebastian Blanck, Hikes, Daudi Matsiko, Wavves, Tim Woulfe, and Mount Song all made their way to the surface and each one brought something exhilarating to the table. Today’s feature falls to a separate format, shifting the focus back towards music videos: The Last Dinosaur’s atmospheric “Atoms”.

Occasionally, a video will surface from an act that’s not known and wind up having the power to freeze blood. It’s not something that happens often but it’s something that happened with The Last Dinosaur’s muted, elegiac clip for “Atoms”. Comprised of a seamless compilation of other people’s discarded Super 8 footage, the clip takes a deeply personal angle as the song, a hushed meditation on mortality and other limitations, underscores each frame with devastating clarity. Ambient, folksy, and more than a little haunting, it’s an unforgettable clip from an artist proving to be fully capable of taking the next big step. Watch it before it fades away.

Watch “Atoms” below and download it here.

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April 11, 2017

Another Two Weeks Worth of Streams

Just a short while ago, a handful of pieces ran on Heartbreaking Bravery recapping some of the year’s finest first quarter releases. In the time it took to assemble those lists, a fresh slate of songs, music videos, records, and live videos emerged. Tonight’s posts will be dedicated to highlighting the most noteworthy releases of that selection. Starting off with the individual songs category, which was characteristically rich in terms of output over the course of the past two weeks. To that end, here are some of the finest titles to have surfaced in that time. Click around, there’s a little something for everyone. Enjoy.

Cayetana, Dan Misha Goldman, Big Thief, Major Leagues, Caddywhompus, Daddy Issues, Montrose Man, Tica Douglas, Michele Nox, Anna Altman (x2), (SANDY) Alex G, Thunder Dreamer, Ulrika Spacek, Tashaki Miyaki, WALL, Nana Grizol, Woods, Spencer Radcliffe & Everyone Else, The Bingers, Art School Jocks, Peeling, Harmony Woods, Stonefield, HotKid, The Presolar Sands, Gnarwhal, Gouge Away, The Black Angels, Kids and Chemicals, Alyeska, New Swears, Du Vide, Chemtrails, Dead Heavens, Sprinters

Hoop, PIPSY, Sheer, Emperor X, Pony, Duncan Lloyd, H.Grimace, Cuesta Loeb, INVSN, Monograms, Joan Shelley, Flasher, Ultraviolence (x2), Joey Agresta, Blessed, Mise en Scene, High Sunn, A Victim of Sobriety, Catch Pritchard, The Luyas, Trophy Dad, Julian Fulton, Broken Social Scene, Chastity Belt, Dama Scout, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Soft Fangs, Hiva Oa, Morning Teleportation, The Megaphonic Thrift, Marika Hackman, Shugo Tokumaru, Elf Power, Wet Dreams, WATERS, PAWNS, The Bad Signs, Abram Shook

Sean Rowe, Drug Sweat, Mad Denizen, Greater Sirens, Husky, Slow Dancer, Arthur Gee-Whizz Band, Gardener’s Bell, Odd Couple, Pale Grey, Los Angeles Police Department, Junior Astronomers, Mayflower Madame, The Spookfish, The Velveteins, Turtlenecked, Saint Etienne, The Dirty Nil, Sam Amidon, SOFTSPOT, Chloe Foy, Lulu Lewis, Wooing, Exhibition, Amber Arcades, Sundaes, Romantic States, Tinmouth, Pinky Pinky, Sleep Party People, Maxim Ludwig, Keeper Keeper, Sloan Peterson, Spotting, Grumpus

Storm the Palace, Walter Martin, Nick Hakim, The Moonlight Love, Dig Deeper, Two Inch Astronaut, Tony Peachka, Ora Cogan, The Peacers, San Mei, and Moon Duo.

March 10, 2015

First Quarter Full Streams, Pt. 1

Keeping the recent themes of the site going, this post will be dedicated to 75 of this year’s most fascinating records (along with an overlooked fourth quarter gem or two from last year getting their due). Covering a range of genres, as always, these records cover a lot of ground. A few find their niche in fierceness while others make a home in more tranquil realms. It’s impossible to stress how full of a year 2015’s already been for new music and if this crop of early offerings is any suggestion, we’re all in for one of the strongest stretches of new music in roughly a decade. As ever, don’t let the fact there’s no accompanying text with these releases detract from their value; a great deal of these have a good chance of ranking among 2015’s finest releases (NPR’s current roster of First Listen selections is an exhilarating reminder that we’re only just getting started). Click on the hyperlinks below (listed in no particular order) to hear the records and- if you find yourself drawn to any- make sure to pick one up from either the band or their label. Happy exploring.

1. California X – Nights in the Dark
2. Swings – Detergent Hymns
3. Ty Segall – Mr. Face
4. Mike Pace and the Child Actors – Best Boy
5. Little Brutes – Desire
6. Dazed Pilots – Drummers & Codies
7. The Sidekicks – Runners in the Nerved World
8. Menace Beach – Ratworld
9. Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass
10. Jack Name – Weird Moons
11. Sick Feeling – Suburban Myth
12. Bandit – Of Life
13. Culture Abuse – Spray Paint the Dog
14. The Rentiers – Here Is A List of Things That Exist
15. Kind of Like Spitting + Warren Franklin & the Foundations – It’s Always Nice to See You
16. Creative Adult + Wild Moth – Split
17. Sun Hotel – Rational Expectations
18. Clique/Loose Tooth/Ghost Gun/Mumblr – Split
19. Grand Vapids – Guarantees
20. Gal Pals – Velvet Rut
21. The King Khan & BBQ Show – Bad News Boys
22. Club K – Let M Shake
23. Astral Swans – All My Favorite Singers Are Willie Nelson
24. ylayali – ylayali
25. M.A.G.S. – Cellophane
26. Leapling – Vacant Page
27. Feature Films – Feature Films
28. Walleater – I
29. Will Butler – Policy
30. toyGuitar – In This Mess
31. Bloodbirds – Album 2
32. Pistachio – Tehuantepec
33. Yeesh – No Problem
34. Seagulls – Great Pine
35. Snow Roller/Sioux Falls – Split EP
36. Evans the Death – Expect Delays
37. RA – Scandinivia
38. Lucern Raze – Stockholm One
39. Never Young – Never Young
40. Love Cop – Dark Ones
41. Darlings – Feel Better
42. Romantic States – Romantic States
43. A Place to Bury Strangers – Transfixation
44. Sunflower Bean – Show Me Your Seven Secrets
45. Ghastly Menace – Songs of Ghastly Menace
46. Viet Cong – Viet Cong
47. Anomie – Anomie
48. Reservoir – Cicurina Vol. 1
49. River City Extension – Deliverance
50. Ty Segall Band – Live in San Francisco
51. Six Organs of Admittance – Hexadic
52. Big Dick – Disappointment
53. Treasure Fleet – The Sun Machines
54. Jeff Rosenstock – We Cool?
55. Husband – The Money
56. Divers – Hello Hello
57. Belle & Sebastian – Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance
58. We Can All Be Sorry – Again
59. Cal Folger Day – Adornament
60. Outside – Outside
61. Fragie Gang – For Esme
62. Moor Hound – Missin’ Out b/w Married
63. Pile – You’re Better Than This
64. Sonny & the Sunsets – Talent Night at the Ashram
65. Platinum Boys – Future Hits
66. Grooms – Comb The Feelings Through Your Hair
67. The Amazing – Picture You
68. Pops Staples – Don’t Lose This
69. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
70. Jack McKelvie & the Countertopss/Uh-Huh – Split
71. Young Buffalo – Split
72. Lieutenant – If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going To Eat For A Week
73. Sister Palace – Count Yr Blessings
74. Van Dammes – Better Than Sex
75. Sammy Kay – Fourth Street Singers

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