Sick Sad World | Heartbreaking Bravery

Color TV – Anybody’s Girl (Music Video)

Now that the past month or so has been all but brought up to speed, it’s time to re-adjust the attention to the releases that have been surfacing in the more present release cycle. This post will focus on the music videos that have managed to impress over the past few days, while ensuing posts will tackle some of the excellent songs and full releases to have emerged in that time. Color TV, a new act out of Los Angeles, gets the feature here but it’s also worth noting that a handful of other acts released impressive works as well, among them: Sick Sad World, Frigs, Littlefoot, Moving Panoramas, Snow Roller, Susan, Little Wings, The Blank Tapes, Mrs. Magician, Young Mister, Chastity, and Karen Meat and the Computer.

All of those videos linked above are more than worthy of attention but it was the retro-styled clip for “Anybody’s Girl” that grabbed the feature spot. Utilizing a green screen effect to lightly comedic proportions, the clip’s galvanized by the commitment of Tipper Newton (the guitarist/vocalist and principal songwriter of Color TV) in an energized performance. The song itself is a sharp blast of powerpop, anchored by Newton’s convictions and scathing vocal delivery.

Both the clip (directed by Newton) and the song take a lot of inspiration from the alternative movements of the ’80s and ’90s and execute those cues with an exuberant glee. It’s an extremely charming clip that touches on relationship dynamics in unexpectedly amusing ways. Newton’s forthright with her message and the clip actually benefits from the directness, affording it some extra room for some pointed moments.

With just one screen and some light effects, Newton (and Color TV) have come charging in without warning. “Anybody’s Girl” is an exciting burst of powerpop, ushering in a promising new voice. In just two and a half minutes, Color TV create a winsome identity that’s as self-aware as it is hopeful. Perfect as a soundtrack for warm weather hangs or late night parties, it’s nothing short of a small triumph. The same can be said of the song’s colorful video, which underscores the band’s DIY ethos with a welcome dash of subtlety.

Color TV’s only made two of their songs public but they’ll be a name to watch and they’ll almost certainly be highlighted on this site again.

Watch “Anybody’s Girl” below and pick up the digital single from the band here.

Joanna Gruesome – Peanut Butter (Album Review, Stream)

Joanna Gruesome‘s a name that’s been appearing on this site consistently throughout its duration and Peanut Butter‘s ensured that trend’s been one that continued throughout 2015’s first stretch. Weird Sister was one of the best records of 2013 and it came out just before Heartbreaking Bravery started operating, which meant they likely factored into the decision to create (and sustain) this space. In 2014, their Astonishing Adventures split with Perfect Pussy nearly topped our best splits of 2014 list (where Peanut Butter standout “Psykcick Espionage” made its debut) and they’ve earned themselves several standalone features through their music videos as well as their recorded output. In short, the band had a lot to live up to with Peanut Butter– and they answered those expectations with a deafening roar.

Embracing the dynamics that made them such a compelling act out of the gate, they’ve managed to refine their approach and incorporate a much heavier emphasis on dissonance. Peanut Butter is Joanna Gruesome’s heaviest, noisiest, and most accomplished work to date, extending a narrative arc of continuous improvement. For a band that already packed a punch, throwing in stabbing noise freakouts that punctuate a large number of Peanut Butter‘s tracks might seem unnecessarily excessive. What sets Joanna Gruesome apart from some of their like-minded kin when it comes to this department is their unwavering understanding of restraint. “I Wanna Relax” starts with sheer white noise- but it’s cut off at the head almost as soon as it appears, effectively rendering it a jarring warning of the content that lies ahead.

Joanna Gruesome didn’t set out to pull punches on Peanut Butter and much of the record comes off like an assault. Impressively, even with the strengthened bent on atonality, the band hasn’t sacrificed any of their melody- they’ve enhanced it. “Last Year”, the record’s opening track, is one of the best examples of this duality and sets the tone for the nine tracks that follow. Never dipping under mid-tempo, the band keeps things at a sprint throughout the record, never allowing the listener a reprieve. The closest they come is the band’s surprisingly gentle closer, “Hey! I Wanna Be Yr Best Friend”, which feels like the transcendental calm that descends after a violent storm.

Part of what makes Joanna Gruesome’s storm so electric is the way vocalist Alanna McCardle weaves her ideologies into her narratives, subtly drawing the line to gender expectations through tales of difficult relationships and personal angst. Throughout Peanut Butter McCardle grapples with what and what isn’t good, torturing herself by questioning her own motivations. At times, the self-examination is brutal but it’s softened by the band’s pop sensibilities, which are continuing to produce some of the most gorgeous moments of any band currently making music. Terrifying, exhilarating, and unfailingly brilliant, Peanut Butter isn’t just Joanna Gruesome’s current crown jewel, it’s also one of the brightest spots of a year that’s already overflowing with greatness. To further illustrate that last point, a list of titles worth hearing will be included at the very bottom of this page (which also acts as an addendum to the preceding post).

Before you scan through those titles, though, make sure to listen to Peanut Butter over at NPR’s First Listen (the Spotify embed will take the place of that link once the record goes live).

Pre-order Peanut Butter from the always-great Slumberland here.

Now, as promised, an accompanying list of some other previously unlisted 2015 titles that are more than worth your attention.

Johanna Warren – nūmūn
Pfarmers – Gunnera
Sick Sad World – Fear and Lies
Glockabelle – Wolf BBQ
Fraternal Twin – Skin Gets Hot
Coliseum – Anxiety’s Kiss
DTCV – Uptime!
Clean Girls – Despite You
Turnover – Peripheral Vision
Battle Ave – Year of Nod
Tres Padres – Father’s Day / A Lot to Maintain
Vomitface – Another Bad Year
Eskimeaux – O.K.
Crocodiles – Boys
Novella – Land
Blanck Mess – Dumb Flesh
Miss June – Matriarchy
Art Is Hard – Family Portrait Pt. II

Heartbreaking Bravery

Tag: Sick Sad World

May 13, 2016

Color TV – Anybody’s Girl (Music Video)

May 7, 2015

Joanna Gruesome – Peanut Butter (Album Review, Stream)