Faiyaz and the Wasted Chances - "Antisocial"

Toronto's Faiyaz and the Wasted Chances combine so many styles of music in their latest single that it's kind of a train wreck, but in the best possible way. "Antisocial" is a punk song, that much is definite. But, it's kind of both a noise punk and pop punk song. That already shouldn't work, but they also put some 60's style surf guitar and some early garage rock and roll pop harmonies. And I could be wrong but I feel like there may be some thrash metal riffs and hardcore in here? At times it sounds as if Faiyaz and the Wasted Chances are all playing separate songs in separate genres. Yeah, "Antisocial" should not work, and for a lot of people this won't. But for some of us it will be one of the most glorious clusterfucks of sound we've heard in years!

You can listen to "Antisocial" below. For more on Faiyaz and the Wasted Chances, check out the band's Facebook and Twitter.

Olive Vox Cover Ty Segall

Photo by Heidi Yowell

There's a short but pretty great list of artists I've discovered from cover songs. The latest is Olive Vox. Olive Vox are brothers Parker James and Caden Shea. The duo started out in Orange County, CA but moved to Texas when they were still kids. During last year's lockdown, the two started forming their sound, which is described as psychedelic grunge. Given that, obviously Ty Segall is a perfect influence for the band. Their cover of "Finger" is spot on, although, if anything, it's even louder than the original. It's more polished than Segall's, but it's somehow more discordant and in-your-face. We'll have to keep an eye on Olive Vox to see where their own sound goes from here.

You can listen to Olive Vox's take on "Finger" below. For more on Olive Vox, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates, including their very first ever live performance (which is somehow at Levitation Festival) are below the song.

 

OCT 28 / AUSTIN, TX @ Levitation Festival

(@ 8:30 pm Mohawk Austin 912 Red River St Austin, TX 78701)

OCT 29 / FORT WORTH, TX @ Tulips

NOV 12 / FAIRFIELD, CT @ Stage One

NOV 15 / NEW YORK, NY @ Mercury Lounge

NOV 17 / VIENNA, VA @ Jammin Java

NOV 18 / COLUMBUS, OH @ The Basement

NOV 19 / CHICAGO, IL @ Subterranean

DEC 1 / LOS ANGELES, CA @ The Mint

Laura-Mary Carter - "Town Called Nothing"

Laura-Mary Carter is best known as half of Blood Red Shoes, and is releasing a solo EP later this year. The first single from that EP, "Town Called Nothing," is a dark rocker that is just dripping with country. It's not a country song at all, but that kind of mid 90's alt-rock song that had country elements that we'd love despite hating country. It's filled with fuzzy and swirling guitars that have just the slightest twang despite all the fuzz. It sounds like a perfect melding of The Lemonheads and Cowboy Junkies, which is something I think we all could use.

Laura-Mary Carter talks about the song, which sounds like the perfect weekend to me:

"After writing this song I discovered that there was a real abandoned town in Arizona, named ’Nothing’, with a population of two people. I immediately decided that I had to go there. I packed up my bags, hired a car and drove to Arizona. I fell in love with it upon arrival and have since returned many times. The song was produced by Ed Harcourt, at RAK studios, UK. We recorded Town Called Nothing in one day, tracked live. Musicians featured on this song are: Jorma Vik (The Bronx, Eagles Of Death Metal) on drums, Ed Harcourt on bass / piano and myself doing everything else. I actually later tracked the vocals in a pitch black room in solitude."

You can watch the video for "Town Called Nothing" below. Town Called Nothing, the EP, is due out December 3. You can pre-order the EP here. For more on Laura-Mary Carter, check out the artist's website.

The Kundalini Genie - "Half In, Half Out"

Photo by Louis Martin

Hailing from Glasgow, The Kundalini Genie are a psychedelic band. By psychedelic, I don't mean 60's psychedelic, although there is a strong 60's vibe here. Their latest single, "Half In, Half Out" is more 90's psychedelic. Of course, 90's psychedelia was riding heavily on the coattails of the 60's. But this song has some heavy 90's guitar fuzz that wasn't quite as strong in the mid 1900's. "Half In, Half Out" sounds like My Bloody Valentine decided to be a jam band in their prime, or like J Mascis spent a little too much time snowboarding in Vermont. This is a great song that smashes a bunch of nostalgia buttons all at once.

You can watch the video for "Half In, Half Out" below. Half In, Half Out, the album, is due out November 12. You can pre-order a copy over at Bandcamp. For more on The Kundalini Genie, check out the band's Facebook and Twitter.

Erin Rae - "Modern Woman"

Photo by Bridgette Aikens

The latest from Erin Rae may perfectly personify the label of "Americana." "Modern Woman" has just enough twang to be a little country, but not enough to be just country. It's a little folk, but it's far too pop to be just folk. And it's poppy, but there is way too much country and folk in here to be a pop song. It's a song that encompasses all of these sounds into a perfectly crafted song. It's a fun, upbeat, and breezy song that is going to suck virtually everyone in with its spell. It reminds me of if Tristen's recent music had a little more roots to it. 

You can watch the video for "Modern Woman" below. Lighten Up is due out February 4 on Thirty Tigers. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Erin Rae, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

October 24 - Nashville, TN - Girls Write Nashville at 3rd & Lindsley
Oct 26 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre+
Oct 27 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts+
Oct 28 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre+
Nov 2 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room at Old National Centre+
Nov 3 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
Nov 12 - Highlands, NC - Highlands Food & Wine Festival - SOLD OUT
Nov 17 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre+
Nov 18 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox+
Nov 19 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom+
Nov 21 - San Louis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theatre+
Nov 22-23 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern+
Nov 26-27 - Los Angeles - The Fonda Theatre+
Nov 28 - San Francisco - The Fillmore+
Nov 30 - Salt Lake City - The Commonwealth Room+
Dec 1 - Fort Collins, CO - Washington's+
Dec 2 - Omaha, NE - Reverb Lounge
Dec 3 - Minneapolis - First Avenue+
Dec 4 - Chicago - The Vic Theatre+
Dec 5 - Milwaukee - Turner Hall Ballroom+
Dec 7 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall+
Dec 8 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant+
Dec 9 - Little Rock, AR - Schlitzy's Rock 'n' Roll Chicken
Dec 10 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory+
Dec 11 - Austin, TX - Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheatre+
Dec 12 - Houston, TX - The Heights Theatre+ 

+supporting Dawes

Marissa Paternoster - "White Dove"

While Screaming Females' Marissa Paternoster has released music under the name Noun, the indie rock legend has yet to release music under her name. December will see her first solo album, and "White Dove" is the first Marissa Paternoster single! "White Dove" starts off like how you'd expect a solo album from a long time punk/indie rocker. It's a fairly mellow acoustic song that highlights Paternoster's vocals. It's easy to forget that she has a pretty great singing voice outside of her normal punk scream. Of course, this is Marissa Paternoster, so there is some unexpected instrumentation and some guitar noise that creeps in from time to time. But this is a great way to see an artist we've been fans of for well over a decade branch out, especially when it's this compelling of a sound.

You can listen to "White Dove" below. Peace Meter is due out December 3. You can pre-order a copy via Bandcamp. For more on Marissa Paternoster, check out the artist's website.

First Listen: New Releases for 8 October

Artist: Destroy Boys
Album: Open Mouth, Open Heart
Quick Thoughts: We're big fans of Destroy Boys here even if we are far too old to really be this into them. This album is more of the punk goodness they're so great at, and is accessible enough where I could see a lot of this taking off. There's a lot of solid stuff in here, and if you're into the punk stuff you owe it to yourself to check this one out.
Songs of Note: "Drink," "Cherry Garcia"

Artist: Nightwatchers
Album: Common Crusades
Quick Thoughts: It takes a lot for me to get down with the heavier stuff, and Nightwatchers is certainly heavy, but there's a sensibility to this that makes this one stand out. The musicality, the offbeat song titles, the overall presentation of this record, it's all pretty great. This won't be for everyone, but boy am I glad I heard it.
Songs of Note: "For the Sake of the People and the Nation," "A Not-so-Secular State Culturalism," "Dismissed," "Their Turn Trying to Rule the World," "No Matter Who 'Osei Kofi Tutu I' Is."

Artist: Church Girls
Album: Still Blooms
Quick Thoughts: On first listen, this gave me a real "Field Mouse, but heavier" vibe. As I heard somme songs again, this ends up being more a darkish punk effort that just works. It's got an angular feel to it and a lot of really catchy tunes throughout. I really enjoyed this.
Songs of Note: "Dissolve," "Surface," "Vacation"

Artist: Atmosphere
Album: WORD?
Quick Thoughts: Probably my favorite rap album of the last few weeks, Atmosphere definitely has a classic flow that is sure to get a lot of listeners excited. I don't have a ton to say about this one in particular, but I did want to make sure it didn't get overlooked. It's a good time, and don't miss out on the Aesop Rock and MF Doom guest spot!
Songs of Note: "Something," "Vanish," "Barcade"

Artist: Moaning Lisa
Album: Something Like This But Not This
Quick Thoughts: Between this and Church Girls and Destroy Boys, you'd think there's a bit of a theme here in terms of female-fronted rock acts. Moaning Lisa is great, and this album has a lot of really interesting songs throughout. It's a busy week, but worth the time for a lot of these songs.
Songs of Note: "Cold Water," "Waste," "Bike Riding," "Working Still"

Artist: Magdalena Bay
Album: Mercurial World
Quick Thoughts: My favorite album this week is this debut full-length from Magdalena Bay. I don't quite remember how I tripped up on this duo, but the sort of synthy pop they peddle hits all the right notes for me. The album is somehow more accessible and more interesting than their earlier stuff, and I was shocked at how it felt like the album was just banger after banger after banger. If you have a bit of a sweet tooth for the poppy stuff, you need to make some time for this one.
Songs of Note: "Halfway," "You Lose!" "Dawning of the Season," "Mercurial World"

Artist: The Wild Feathers
Album: Alvarado
Quick Thoughts: This record came to me late, and I'm glad I made some time for it. The title track alone makes this record, but the fact that I kept being impressed by this roots-informed record is a testament to how great this really was. You won't regret giving this a spin.
Songs of Note: "Alvarado," "Ain't Lookin'," "Over the Edge," "Side Street Shakedown," "Off Your Shoulders," "Long Shot"

Of note:

* Lala Lala - I Want the Door to Open (A lot of really great moments here.)
* I Was a King - Grand Hotel
* Lunice - 180 Deluxe
* Jax Anderson - Songs for Every Condition
* Oh Wonder - 22 Break
* Anna Leone - I've Felt All These Things
* Natalie Hemby - Pins and Needles

EPs:

* Mentu Baru - Skalloween (It's ska, but for Halloween. And it's super fun.)
* Matt Pond PA - This is Not The State of Gold (Demos from their last effort.)
* Jenny Moore's Mystic Business - He Earns Enough EP
* MVW - CLASSIC$
* Lunar Vacation - Where is Everyone
* Lake Haze - Atomic Level
* Habibi - Nice Try
* Nothing - The Great Dismal B-Sides
* UNIIQU3 - Heartbeats
* Billy Bragg - Mid-Century Modern
* Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Local H - Local H's Awesome Quarantine Mixtape #3 (Covers galore!)

Also out:

* Guilty Simpson and Gensu Dean - EGO
* Laurel Premo - Golden Loam
* Taraka - Paradise Lost
* JOHN (TIMESTWO) - Nocturnal Manoeuvres
* Merzbow - Flare Blues
* Eddie Spaghetti and Frank Meyer - Motherfuckin' Rock 'n' Roll

Silverbacks - "Archive Material"

Photo by Roisin Murphy O'Sullivan

Hailing from Dublin, Silverbacks have a unique take on the whole indie rock sound. "Archive Material" has kind of a post punk vibe, albeit an unusually sunny and groovy one. Plus, vocalist and guitarist Daniel O'Kelly has a very Stephen Malkmus sound to his delivery, giving this a Pavement goes post punk feel. And they even throw in some gang vocals, so it has a very cheery and friendly punk thing going on that mixes oddly with some 70's AM radio melodies. It's all an interesting and unique mix that is well worth your two and a half minute listen.

Daniel O'Kelly says of the new song:

“The initial demo version started from a drum sample taken from the opening of Jean-Pierre Massiera’s “Bonne Annee”. When we fleshed it out as a full band and Gary gave the track his usual kick up the arse, the song went full Les Baxter exotica mode.

"When writing the lyrics, I imagined a bunch of government officials in the deep underground of their building digging into archives. As the night continues, they get unusually aroused by the access they have to top secret information that the common folk never see.”

You can watch the video for "Archive Material" below. Archive Material, the album, is due out January 21 on Full Time Hobby. You can pre-order/pre-save the album here. For more on Silverbacks, check out the band's website.

Abby Huston featuring Not Kevin - "Unrequited"

Photo by Ryan Gary

As the indie R&B genre seems to be heating up, you're going to want to check out Richmond, VA's Abby Huston. Their latest song, "Unrequited," is an almost painfully chill track that skirts the ground between indie folk/rock and R&B, which is a line I didn't even know existed. As someone who grew up on late 80's/early 90's R&B and hip hop before moving to indie rock, "Unrequited" kind of presses some buttons I had forgotten about. It reminds me a lot of a less polished (in a good way!) Faye Webster. Huston brings a decidedly bedroom feel to this song, which comes across like a secret Janet Jackson project.

Abby Huston explains their new song in a press release:

"This song is about the end of a relationship when you're not really sure how you feel about each other anymore. You're trying to settle in the new territory of separation lovingly while dealing with a lot of mixed emotions. I think it was easy for me to write about accommodations through changes because I often ask for them or like for them to be asked for. A good friend emphasized the importance of understanding each other's "wants, needs, and boundaries" so that's something I try to remember to prioritize centering. Unrequited kinda covers the difficulties of checking in. Having Not Kevin as a feature on this song meant a lot to me because something consistent that I love about the music Cameron writes is its inspiring honesty. I don't have much more to say about this song except that I am ISO a friend to help diagnose a BMW 325es from 1986. I have very little experience other than my middle name being Danger which I think will better suit the situation post repair."

You can listen to "Unrequited" below. AH HA is due out October 22 on Egghunt Records. You can pre-order the album via Bandcamp. For more on Abby Huston, check out the artist's Instagram and Facebook.

Yarraman - "Ghost"

Personally, I'm going to listen to any song called "Ghost" in October, so it's a huge plus when the song is great. Yarraman's new song is a classic early indie/punk rock track that could double as a Masterclass in the whole loud/quiet/loud dynamic. It's a slow burn that is festering in intensity. At times it's truly discordant, and at others it has the subtle beauty of an Explosions in the Sky song. Mostly, it's reminiscent of bands like Rites of Spring and Fugazi but with a strong British feel. 

Vocalist Lucian Huxley Smith explains the meaning of the song:

‘“Ghost” is about the imbalance in gendered discourses and the perceived need of toxic men to centre themselves in the discussion. It posits questions of ‘masculine’ behaviour and asks to what extent it is possible for well-meaning men to disentangle themselves from the toxic cultures in which they were brought up."

You can listen to "Ghost" below. The song is available now as a single via Venn Records. You can download a copy at Bandcamp. For more on Yarraman, check out the band's Facebook.