Heartbreaking Bravery

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April 27, 2017

Cayetana – Bus Ticket (Stream)

A whole host of great songs were released the other week, providing some great moments soundtracked by the likes of The Broken Hearts, GunFight!, High Sunn, Cross Wires, Michigander, Anna Altman, Hush Machine, Doug Tuttle, Roya, Prins Obi, and Cock Sparrer. While each of those artists released a song worth hearing, it was Cayetana who ensured themselves a feature spot with the mesmerizing “Bus Ticket”.

Cayetana have proven, time and time again, that they’re fully capable of making energetic basement pop that incorporates some pop-punk trappings while remaining gritty enough to never truly fall squarely into that genre. It’s when they slow down that their range is revealed and of the tracks they’ve released with a slower tempo, “Bus Ticket” stands out. Easily one of the band’s most effective efforts to date, “Bus Ticket” is a powerful meditation on unsparing self-analysis shot through with enough self-deprecation to come across as brutally honest.

“Bus Ticket” is the sound of an artist coming to grips with personal limitations, a public self-flagellation that’s lent even more impact by wisely twisting the band’s status quo into something that cuts and bruises just as much as the narrative. It’s an astonishing and brave moment for a band that keeps growing, relentlessly, in the face of hardship and with “Bus Ticket” they’ve given that fight its own soundtrack.

Listen to “Bus Ticket” below and pre-order New Kind of Normal from the band here.

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April 27, 2017

Joyce Manor – NBTSA (Stream)

Continuing on with the posts that were lined up but didn’t get posted during a down time for the site, comes another strong list of recent songs by Dasher, AirLands, Mt. Doubt, Stella Donnelly, Dion Lunadon, Hoop, Delafye, Dump Him, GospelbeacH, turan, and Low Roar. One of the more unexpected new releases, however, came in the form of Joyce Manor’s bruising, hyper-minded “NBTSA”.

A sub-100 second blast of sheer basement pop that leans far closer to Radioactivity than anything the band’s ever put to tape, “NBTSA” — an acronym  for Never Be The Same Again — stands out as an unlikely lo-fi highlight from a band that made a serious change in tone for their last effort (the commendably clean Cody, which skewed to a more traditional pop-punk slant). Recorded for Polyvinyl’s always-excellent 4-Track Single Series, “NBTSA” finds the band with an extra dose of energy, looking to the past in an exhilarating victory lap that stands alongside “Comfortable Clothes” as the most adrenaline-inducing material they’ve ever released. It’s a remarkable work from a band that’s both constantly evolving and honoring its own history.

Listen to “NBTSA” below and subscribe to Polyvinyl’s 4-track series here.

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April 27, 2017

The Total Betty’s – Stay Here All Night (Stream)

Ending a short recess, the following quartet of posts will feature some of the best songs to emerge from a week to two weeks ago. Following those posts, there’ll be a series of posts featuring the best material that’s come out over the past few days. Kicking things off is a strong showing of tracks from the following: The Side Eyes, Meursalt, Bernice, Pole Siblings, Brainstory, Birdsworth, Fotocrime, Max Subar, Sleepy, and Pinky Pinky (covering Jeannie Piersol). As good as all of those were, it was The Total Betty’s “Stay Here All Night” that ensnared attention the most emphatically.

“Stay Here All Night” actually came out several weeks ago but somehow managed to evade detection, which is a shame and warrants remedying (both here and for whoever else missed this one on the first go-round). The first track to tease the band’s outstanding forthcoming record, Peach, “Stay Here All Night” boasts all sorts of small triumphs and congeals them into something utterly winsome. From the driving melody to the barbed witticisms to the intuitive production, there’s not a false note to be found. “Two guys walk into a bar and I strike out with them both” also might just wind up being the line of the summer.

A basement pop song with heaps of sneering punk attitude, “Stay Here All Night” is an invigorating shot to the system. The Total Betty’s aren’t messing around and when they are, they let us in on the joke. This is a deeply, ridiculously impressive look at what has the potential to be a sleeper hit. Get on board early and enjoy the ride.

Listen to “Stay Here All Night” below and pre-order Peach from the band here.

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April 13, 2017

Hazel English – More Like You (Stream)

Now that everything’s caught back up to the current release cycle, expect posts nearly every day to recap what’s been happening. Thursday brought in a small trove of treasures from great new tracks by the likes of Sharkmuffin, Christopher Paul Stelling, Walter Martin, Adult Mom, Gallery 47, The Bonnevilles, BNQT, So Many Wizards, Saudade Sisters, and Do Make Say Think to great music videos from John K. Samson, Tara Jane O’Neil, and JFDR to outstanding records by Workhorse, Lugaweight, and Mimi Raver.

Shortly following a characteristically excellent clip, Hazel English has returned with another winsome piece of music just in time to soundtrack all of our warm weather parties. “More Like You”, the project’s latest, is teeming with a familiar carefree aesthetic, something played up in the wistful, nostalgia-inducing home movie leanings of its music video. As always, it’s a warm piece of music, buoyed by the same empathetic warmth that’s quietly made Hazel English one of our most consistent emerging songwriters.

“More Like You” is unassuming, unpretentious, and gently atmospheric, conjuring up a world that’s easy to get lost in and difficult to leave. While the vocals remain pensive, they also retain the sunny optimism that’s always provided Hazel English’s music with a sturdy core. It’s that paradigm that makes Hazel English such a fascinating artist and what makes “More Like You” so alluring. There’s a hint of mystery nestled into the familiarity, rendering the comfortably breezy “More Like You” yet another triumph.

Listen to “More Like You” below and pre-order Just Give In/Never Going Home from Polyvinyl here.

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April 12, 2017

Pinegrove – Size of the Moon (Music Video)

There were a small handful of great releases to make their way out into the world over the past 24 hours, including great new tracks from Ratboys, Cool American, Harmony Woods, Land of Talk, Bod, YAWN, Jimi Charles Moody, music videos by the likes of Kevin Morby, Hovvdy, Kamasi Washington, Hellrazor, Mt. Wolf, Bill Baird, Laser Background, and a pair of records from Oiseaux-Tempête and Entrail. Still, as good as all those titles were, it’s impossible to compete with the emotional heft generated by documenting a real-life affliction, especially when that documentation’s got the benefit of being set to one of last year’s finest songs: Pinegrove‘s “Size of the Moon”.

While this is, officially, an unofficial video, its also an unforgettable one. Chronicling the fight against Advanced Chronic Lyme’s Disease Monica Arbery — a sister of one of Pinegrove guitarist/vocalist Evan Stephen’s Hall’s friends — is currently waging, the video (directed by Arbery’s brother, Will) is a deeply human look at what it’s like to face down a debilitating disease.

In all of the laughter, all of the tears, all of the dancing, all of the resilience, and all of the strength present throughout “Size of the Moon”, the empathy driving this clip becomes readily apparent and, in turn, makes it an even more powerful document. Remarkable, compelling, and near impossible to shake, “Size of the Moon” gets at the heart of familial love in the face of struggle and makes its case with an abundance of conviction and feeling. Click play and then click over to the medical fund linked below to do something that will yield immediate productive good.

Watch “Size of the Moon” below, pick up Cardinal here, and donate to Monica Arbery’s medical fund here.

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April 12, 2017

Charly Bliss – Black Hole (Stream, Live Video)

Over the past few years, Charly Bliss has been featured on this site with alarming regularity. Of course, no one’s doing a punchy basement pop/bubblegum punk hybrid at anywhere close to their level. And they keep improving. So, if anything, it’s a little shocking they aren’t featured in these confines even more frequently. Their debut full-length, Guppy, is only a week away from release and it marks a moment that’s been more than two years in the making.

Guppy‘s gone through a lot of changes over that time, from track switches to production alterations, and one of the most notable changes occurred with the addition of “Black Hole” (formerly entitled “Bad Box”), a song that started off as a vocal warm-up that featured slightly dirtier lyrics (the opening line remained a constant through all of its mutations). Everything that’s transformed this band into one of the best acts on the market is brought to the forefront in “Black Hole”, from the black comedy of the lyrics to the scintillating guitar work (and razor-sharp composition) and seemingly infinite amount of energy.

“Black Hole”, like every Charly Bliss song, is an immensely thoughtful, characteristically clever beast of a song, ably showcasing each band member’s formidable talents. On top of all of that, though, it’s also endlessly replayable, holding up and revealing new depths several dozens of listens past the initial brush, rendering it the umpteenth song this band’s unloaded that’s both immediately satisfying and carries enough power to sustain a near-shocking longevity. With all of that in mind, it’ll be a genuine shock if Guppy doesn’t wind up delivering on its early promise as a legitimate Album of the Year candidate. Until it’s arrival, though, it’s enough just to keep “Black Hole” on repeat.

Listen to “Black Hole” (and watch the band performing the song live in Minneapolis last year) below and pre-order Guppy from Barsuk here.

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April 12, 2017

Blessed – Headache (Stream)

There has been no shortage of scrappy, wiry post-punk in the opening quarter of 2017 but few have been as scrappy, as wiry, or as vicious as Blessed’s “Headache”, a track that brings to mind both forebears like Les Savy Fav and contemporaries like Ought. There’s an unbelievable amount of tension and nervous energy running through the five minutes of “Headache”, which keeps the track compelling, energetic, and surprisingly thoughtful. It’s an intense, insistent song that easily ranks as the band’s finest work. Hit play and hold on tight, “Headache” is a fearsome ride.

Listen to “Headache” below and pre-order the 12″ from Cointoss here.

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April 12, 2017

PWR BTTM – LOL (Stream)

Over the years, PWR BTTM have earned themselves a novella’s worth of praise from this site. Throughout that time, like every great band tends to, they’ve grown considerably better and have managed to fearlessly push themselves in new, unexpected directions. Pageant, by all accounts, is the band’s boldest statement yet and it’s anchored by songs like “LOL”, which may just be their career highlight. While all of PWR BTTM’s songs have a considerable amount of merit, it’s when they’re at their most vulnerable and frail that the impact deepens.

As great and as necessary as their triumphant songs are, the wounded honesty in songs like “LOL” have the kind of vitality that can legitimately save lives. Judging from a handful of stories, reactions, and confessions that the band’s music has prompted from their listeners, that sentiment’s not as hyperbolic as one might think. In this particular case, Ben Hopkins turns the knife inward and offers up an exacting, incisive take on their own identity and the self-discovery that defined that path.

The composition itself ranks among the most audacious of the band’s career, making room for everything from a tasteful horn chart to operatic backing vocals, while Hopkins delivers a deeply felt vocal. “LOL” culminates in a cathartic final sequence that may be the heaviest thing the band’s ever recorded, lending an already-powerful moment even more weight. “LOL” proves the band’s ready and willing to keep moving forward and at the end of the day, there’s not a lot that’s more important than the kind of commitment that requires. It’s difficult to imagine that there won’t be a devoted army of people offering encouragement at every step, with band and audience locked into a cycle of the kind of compassion, empathy, and understanding that the world desperately needs.

Listen to “LOL” below and pre-orded Pageant from Polyvinyl here.

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April 12, 2017

Cende – Bed (Stream, Live Video)

Back when Cende was just starting out, I was fortunate enough to hear some of the early mixes of what would become the band’s first EP, an astonishing work that still only hinted at the depths of the band’s talents. Comprised of members of Porches, LVL UP, Normal Person, and a whole host of others, the quartet’s built up a staggering pedigree over the years. Now, over three years into starting the project, the band’s finally gearing up for the release of their forthcoming full-length, #1 Hit Song, and have selected “Bed” to lead the charge.

A staple of their live set for several years, “Bed” is a startlingly sharp, concise basement pop triumph. Over several conversations with the various band members, Radioactiviy always came up as a big influence and a similar sense of urgency runs through “Bed”, even while it boasts a surprisingly clean aesthetic (both in terms of instrumentation and production). In terms of lyrics, narratives don’t get much more unapologetic in their self-deprecation than the alternating resolutions of the verses, “You’ll be better off when I’m not around” and “You’ll be better off when I’m all alone,” respectively. It’s a deeply human sentiment that grounds the affair and reveals a few bruises in the process. All in all, “Bed” is a powerful opening salvo for what should prove to be one of the year’s best records.

Listen to “Bed” below (and watch the band performing it in the venue where they started) and pre-order #1 Hit Song from Double Double Whammy here.

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March 28, 2017

The Best Records of 2017’s First Quarter

Just about three full months into 2017 and there have been a litany of great records. In that massively overcrowded field, there were still several records — full-lengths, compilations, EP’s, or otherwise — that managed to stand out. Below are 10 of the most gripping releases to have emerged in 2017’s first quarter, each making an impression that was felt, intensely, for one reason or another. Read about some of those reasons below and listen to each record in the selected embed (just make sure they’re all at the beginning of the record when you hit play). Enjoy.

MO TROPER – GOLD

Last year, Mo Troper put out a proper solo debut full-length, Beloved, which was one of five to receive this site’s Album of the Year designation. In February, Troper unleashed a new collection of songs that’d been written over the past several years and further solidified a status as one of this generation’s premier powerpop songwriters. Not a note’s out of place, the atmospherics serve the song, the melodies are earworms that last for days, and there’s an abundance of feeling driving another outstanding collection.

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JOHN ROSSITER – NEVERENDING CATALOG OF TOTAL GARBAGE HEARTBREAK AGGREGATE

Young Jesus‘ name has appeared on this site several times over and John Rossiter‘s been a valuable contributor to the A Year’s Worth of Memories series. Last year, small batches of collections were being released under the Young Jesus name before being pulled because they weren’t full band efforts; all of those songs were Rossiter solo efforts. Thankfully, they recently re-emerged in a gorgeous compilation that ably, compellingly, and movingly demonstrates Rossiter’s formidable songwriting talents.

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YUCKY DUSTER – DUSTER’S LAMENT

Easily one of the best releases of 2017’s first three months came in the form of an EP from Yucky Duster, a basement pop band that, seemingly impossibly, keeps finding ways to improve on each successive release. Duster’s Lament is the band’s finest work yet and continues drawing them even closer to attaining outright perfection. All five of the songs the band has on display here manage to be simultaneously carefree and incredibly memorable, entwining two aesthetics that are too frequently at odds. It’s masterful.

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FRED THOMAS – CHANGER

A very early Album of the Year candidate, Fred Thomas‘ Changer saw the acclaimed songwriter continuing to elevate his craft in astonishing fashion. Easily Thomas’ sharpest lyrical effort to date, there’s also an urgency to these songs that push them forward with sincerity, feeling, and an irrepressible need to get these statements out into the world. Musically, it’s Thomas’ most ambitious work to date by a considerable stretch and, overall, a triumph bearing a magnitude and scope that’s impossible to ignore.

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CLOUD NOTHINGS – LIFE WITHOUT SOUND

Cloud Nothings‘ discography, up to this point, has been littered with superlative releases. When a band achieves that kind of consistency, it’s fair to have high expectations for their new releases. Still, Life Without Sound, the band’s latest, manages to transcend its anticipation and wind up as not only the band’s most ambitious and inventive release but, somehow, its most representative as well. All of the bands eras are fused together here to create a spellbinding work that’s proven to be difficult to forget.

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MEAT WAVE – THE INCESSANT

There are a handful of concept records that are widely regarded as some of the greatest releases of all time, despite some hamfisted tendencies. Meat Wave‘s The Incessant side-steps both the trappings of concept records and their characteristically overbearing nature by releasing a collection of acutely pointed missives dealing with one specific topic: the swirling vortex of incoming emotions after a life-altering event. The result is a record that serves as the band’s most abrasive, ambitious, and intense effort to date.

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BEACHHEADS – BEACHHEADS

Upon learning at least one member of Kvelertak was in Beachheads, the band’s debut full-length came as a joyous-yet-jarring left turn. Trafficking in sunny powerpop that takes most of its cues from the genres forebears, Beachheads wound up being a deeply unexpected delight. Every song on Beachheads boasts sublime moments and evokes the sort of open-road-and-sunshine aesthetic that’s been so vital to the genres most enduring classics. Beachheads give that aesthetic a slightly modern spin and wind up with a summery gem.

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MIDDLE CHILDREN – EARTH ANGEL

Patrick Jennings has been directly responsible for a lot of the music that’s hit me the hardest over the past seven years so news of a solo project was very welcome. Unsurprisingly, given Jennings’ track record (and what he’d accomplished with both Hot New Mexicans and PURPLE 7), Earth Angel is an incredible work. One of the best records likely to be released in 2017, Earth Angel is a quiet, brilliant, and unassuming encapsulation of what’s made Jennings such an essential (if woefully overlooked) voice in today’s music landscape.

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STEF CHURA – MESSES

Ever since 2010’s self-titled effort, Stef Chura has been steadily improving, perfecting a strand of punk-tinged basement pop that’s immensely appealing. Messes, Stef Chura’s latest, is the most perfect distillation of this brand of music the act’s offered up yet, thanks in part to the contributions of Fred Thomas (who, as this list indicates, is on a white-hot streak of great releases). Still, Thomas’ contributions wouldn’t mean nearly as much if the source material wasn’t so involving. Messes is the sound of an artist coming into their own and, as a result, the work present on the record winds up being antithetical to the record’s title.

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RICK RUDE – MAKE MINE TUESDAY

One of the most intriguing releases of 2017’s earliest stretch came in the form of Rick Rude‘s sprawling, shape-shifting Make Mine Tuesday. Easily the band’s boldest — and best — release in a very strong discography that was uniformly unafraid to take risks, Make Mine Tuesday succeeds as both a masterclass in forward-thinking composition and as a record with immense replay value; these are intricate songs that never seem to get old or become any less engaging. A scintillating mixture of wiry post-punk and basement pop, Make Mine Tuesday finds Rick Rude reaching unprecedented heights. One can’t help but wonder, especially after a release like this one, if they’ll ever return to earth.

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