Stella Donnelly is the latest indie/folk musician who has veered into a more pop territory, but with her it doesn't feel as out of left field. "Tricks" off of 2019's Beware of the Dogs almost edged into dance territory, but didn't quite make it. "Lungs" is a dance song, but it's still worlds away from the world of Top 40. This is more of an experimental and indie side of dance with at least one foot still planted firmly in the world of indie rock. It's oddly reminding me of when Radiohead first started playing in the world of electronic music, but if that was meant to be fun and not chin stroking music.
Stella Donnelly says of the new song:
“I do love observing human dynamics. Dynamics between old best friends, or dynamics between housemates, or a relationship where the two people are broken up and haven’t spoken in years. I like getting into the mind of someone who we’ve all been at some point.”
You can watch the video for "Lungs" below. Flood is due out on August 26 via Secretly Canadian, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Stella Donnelly, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.
Sun. Sept. 11 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah Mon. Sept. 12 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Tue. Sept. 13 - San Francisco, CA @ Independent Thu. Sept. 15 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios Fri. Sept. 16 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret Sat. Sept. 17 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos Wed. Sept. 21 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe Thu. Sept. 22 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall Fri. Sept. 23 - Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary Sat. Sept. 24 - Toronto, ON @ Longboat Hall Mon. Sept. 26 - Boston, MA @ Crystal Ballroom Wed. Sept. 28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Fri. Sept. 30 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live Sat. Oct. 1 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd Tue. Nov. 1 - Leeds, UK @ Wardrobe Wed. Nov. 2 - Glasgow @ Mono Thu. Nov. 3 - Manchester @ Band On The Wall Fri. Nov. 4 - Dublin, IE @ Whelan's Sun. Nov. 6 - Liverpool, UK @ Zanzibar Tue. Nov. 8 Nottingham, UK @ Metronome Wed. Nov. 9 - Bristol, UK @ Thekla Thu. Nov. 10 - London, UK @ Electric Brixton Sat. Nov. 12 - Cardiff, UK @ The Gate Sun. Nov. 13 - Birmingham, UK @ Hare and Hounds Mon. Nov. 14 - Brighton, UK @ Komedia Wed. Nov. 16 - Paris, FR @ FMR Thu. Nov. 17 - Cologne, DE @ Artheatre Fri. Nov. 18 - Brussels, BE @ Rotonde - Botanique Sat. Nov. 19 - Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet Mon. Nov. 21 - Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Skybar Tue. Nov. 22 - Copenhagen, DK @ Hotel Cecil Thu. Nov. 24 - Berlin, DE @ Badehaus Fri. Nov. 25 - Munich, DE @ Strom w/ Julia Jacklin
Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
Photo by Annabel Kean For their latest single, New Zealand's The Beths have released "Mother, Pray for Me." This is a heartbreaking ballad consisting of Elizabeth Stokes' vocals and guitar with just the slightest hint of organ. It's a deeply personal song for Stokes, made obvious with how intimately the song comes across. It truly feels almost confessional, and it's quite simply beautiful. The Beths are most known for huge little indie rock gems perfect for bopping along to, but "Mother, Pray for Me" is quite the opposite. Stokes' vocals and lyrics are right up front on this one, and I can't imagine it any other way. Elizabeth Stokes says of her latest single: “I cried the whole time writing it. It's not really about my mother, it's about me — what I hope our relationship is, what I think it is, what it maybe actually is, and what I can or can't expect out of it. “My mother is a first gen Indonesian immigrant, and very Catholic....
Photo by Cecil Sykes Midnight Peg are an Edmonton, AB based band that are referred to as "madhouse punk." Their latest single, "Thirstland," is a just barely under control two minute burst of punk. You have guitar riffs that will make you think of At the Drive In, and somewhat spoken and yelled vocals which create a feeling of chaos throughout. This is a loud and angry track that is completely in your face. But, unlike most tracks this loud and punk based, "Thirstland" still keeps a sense of art in their music. Midnight Peg feel like a higher class of loud, angry punk rock. This one is great, with just enough of an emo undercurrent to make the song kind of melodic and almost palatable to a mainstream audience. You can listen to "Thirstland" below. Skinning is due out in October on Thousand Island Records. For more on Midnight Peg, check out the artist's website .
