Shoegaze heroes Slowdive continue to prove why they're worthy of their legendary status by releasing amazing new songs. They're latest, "the slab," is both pure, classic shoegaze while adding a new element to their longstanding sound. "the slab" opens with an extended instrumental portion that sounds almost like if The Cure decided to give shoegaze a try. It's more cinematic than we're used to from the British band, but it's a version of them that's quite welcome. Not many bands that formed in 1989 sound like both a classic version of themselves as well as a progressive version, but most bands aren't Slowdive.
Vocalist/guitarist Neil Halstead says of the new single:
“This is the heaviest track on the record and as the name suggests we wanted it to feel like a big slab of music. We wanted it to feel very dense.”
You can watch the video for "the slab" below. everything is alive is due out September 1 on Dead Oceans, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Slowdive, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.
Fri. Aug. 11 - Sicily, IT @ Ypsigrock Festival Fri. Aug. 18 - Brecon Beacon, GB @ Green Man Festival Sat. Sep. 23 - Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre [SOLD OUT] Mon. Sep. 25 - Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues Boston [SOLD OUT] Wed. Sep. 27 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall [SOLD OUT] Thu. Sep. 28 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall [SOLD OUT] Fri. Sep. 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer [SOLD OUT] Sat. Sep. 30 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club [SOLD OUT] Mon. Oct. 2 - Cleveland, OH @ The Roxy @ Mahall’s [SOLD OUT] Tue. Oct. 3 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre [SOLD OUT] Wed. Oct. 4 - St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre Fri. Oct. 6 - Denver, CO @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom [SOLD OUT] Sat. Oct. 7 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union Mon. Oct. 9 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom [SOLD OUT] Tue. Oct. 10 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo [SOLD OUT] Thu. Oct. 12 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield [SOLD OUT] Sat. Oct. 14 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether [SOLD OUT] Sun. Oct. 15 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether [SOLD OUT] Mon. Oct. 16 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield Mon. Oct. 30 - Glasgow, UK @ QMU [SOLD OUT] Tue. Oct. 31 - Manchester, UK @ Ritz [SOLD OUT] Wed. Nov. 1 - Bristol, UK @ SWX [SOLD OUT] Fri. Nov. 3 - London, UK @ Troxy [SOLD OUT] Sun. Nov. 5 - Belfast, UK @ Mandela Hall Mon. Nov. 6 - Dublin, IR @ National Stadium Sat. Nov. 25 - Sun. Nov. 26 - Buenos Aires, AR @ Primavera Sound Mon. Dec. 4 - Santiago, CL @ Teatro Coliseo Thu. Dec. 7 - Asunción, PY @ Primavera Sound Sat. Dec. 9 - Sun. Dec. 10 - Bogotá, CO @ Primavera Sound
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 .
