We were big fans of Dry Cleaning's New Long Leg last year. It was a post-rock masterpiece with spoken word over Sonic Youth and Velvet Underground style riffs that worked for us. Now the London band is back with a new single and a new upcoming album. "Don't Press Me" almost feels like Dry Cleaning decided to try to write a big mainstream hit in the vein of Wet Leg and failed spectacularly. First, there is some actual singing on "Don't Press Me." Plus, the song a certain groovy quality that is almost poppy and almost dance-friendly. But, this is still Dry Cleaning so it's the most oddball way of trying to make that kind of song possible. As always with these folks it won't be for everyone, but I think we all kind of like it that way.
You can watch the video for "Don't Press Me" below. Stumpwork is due out October 21 via 4AD, and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. For more on Dry Cleaning, check out the band's Facebook and Instagram. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.
Thu. June 16 - Edinburgh, UK @ Hidden Door Festival Fri. June 17 - York, UK @ Castle Howard w/ Duran Duran Sat. June 18 - Helsinki, FI @ Sideways Festival Tue. June 21 - Zagreb, HR @ INmusic Festival Fri. June 24 - Pilton, UK @ Glastonbury Festival Sat. July 2 - Ewijk, NL @ Down The Rabbit Hole Sun. July 3 - Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter Sat. July 9 - Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest Sun. July 10 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Mon. July 11 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East Tue. July 12 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups Thu. July 14 - Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop Fri. July 15 - Detroit, MI @ El Club Sat. July 16 - Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival Sat. July 23 - Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade (in-store) Sun. July 24 - Hertfordshire, UK @ Standon Calling Fri. July 29 - Co Waterford, IE @ All Together Now Sun. July 31 - Thirsk, UK @ Deer Shed Festival Sat. Aug. 6 - Katowic, PL @ OFF Festival Thu. Aug. 11 - Haldern, DE @ Haldern Pop Festival Fri. Aug. 19 - Crickhowell, UK @ Green Man Festival Thu. Aug. 25 - London, UK @ All Points East Sat. Aug. 27 - Manchester, UK @ Dept Mayfield w/ The National Sun. Sept. 18 - Los Angeles, US @ Primavera Sound LA Fri. Nov. 11 - Utrecht, NL @ Le Guess Who? Festival
Photo by Tonje Thilesen Ezra Furman has to be one of the most unique and yet all encompassing artists out today. Her latest single, "Forever In Sunset," combines elements of singer/songwriter fare, electronic music, and indie rock. It's an intense song that is almost a power ballad but is a little too heavy at times for that. It's a mish-mash of glam, adult contemporary, and post punk. That should not work at all, but most artists aren't Furman who apparently can do literally anything musically and make it masterful. Ezra Furman says of her new song: “The biggest influence on the lyrics of this song is a conversation I had with a friend of mine. When Covid was first hitting, she was talking to me a lot about how ready she felt. She was like, ‘people who have been comfortable in life are freaking out right now. But queer people like me have been in crisis before. I grew up poor and my family kicked me out when I was a teenager. My world has already ended plenty of ...
Photo by Gia Smith There's prolific, and then there's Derek Smith. The Boston musician's latest single with the Cosmic Vultures, "Hollow Choir," is his eightieth song in the past eight years. It also helps explain the genre psychedelic folk-rock. The song is a little over three minutes, but the genre makes it feel much more epic. It's smooth sounding with trippy little flourishes, particularly in the guitar. At times, it sounds almost Adult Contemporary, but it's far too psychedelic for that. It's the play between the mainstream and the alternative side of folk that makes "Hollow Choir" work so well. Derek Smith and the Cosmic Vultures have long had this ability to provide a little something for everyone, and their latest proves that more than previous ones have. Derek Smith says of his latest single: “This song sums up the feelings I have had towards my music career for the last few years. I am always being told what I should do or what I sh...
Photo by Ebru Yildiz Somehow TORRES keeps surprising us with her music. The musical project of Mackenzie Scott has released a new single that features her vocals and acoustic guitar that would feel at home in a neo-folk song over a pre-programmed drum beat with sounds that at times are either a light squall of guitar feedback and electronic noises. The song has this haunting and unsettling feeling to it, despite sounding like it's trying to be upbeat. I'd say art doesn't always have to be a pleasant experience, but "I got the fear" can be a pleasant listening experience, except for the times it's not. Mackenzie Scott says of her latest single: “A collective dread has been mounting. Everyone I know is having a brawl with the universe, with themselves…wars, climate catastrophe, a pandemic, the worldwide regression on human rights, the political hellscape — it affects everybody, and I know we’re all feeling it in waves of varying degree all the time. I think it’s...
