Ali McGuirk - "Exorcist"

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If you've considered Ali McGuirk to be a laid back soul and/or folk artist, buckle up for her latest single. "Exorcist" is a fiery blues rocker with nothing even remotely laid back. It's about as heavy as a mid-tempo song can be, with killer guitar solos almost throughout the entire song. It's not quite a headbanger, but it's pretty damn close. About halfway through, I had to check to make sure I was playing the right song, since "Exorcist" defies my expectations I have with McGuirk. The second thing I did was check out her current tour dates since I have an intense need to hear this song live. We've been fans of hers for a while now, and "Exorcist" shows off a side of Ali McGuirk we were unfamiliar with, and when it sounds like this, that's hardly a bad thing.

Ali McGuirk says of her latest single:

"In writing this song, I wrote myself an actual exorcism. Righteous anger. Trauma. Betrayal.  Feminine rage. Thought systems that oppress us. Catholic aesthetics, which I will likely always find resonant and complex. Every time I play this song with the band, it's a catharsis." 

You can listen to "Exorcist" below. Watertop is due out September 12 on Signature Sounds, and is available to pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Ali McGuirk, check out the artist's website.

On Repeat...

Brennan Leigh - "Dumpster Diving"

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Photo by Lyza Renee Brennan Leigh has quickly become a favorite of ours, with her take on a classic country sound with a slight sense of humor. Her latest single, "Dumpster Diving," which she describes as a "trashy little tune," is everything we love about the musician. It's a vintage style country song that comes in at a punk like one minute, forty-eight seconds. With a chorus of "Dumpster diving, this ain't gonna last / Dumpster diving, 'cause baby you like trash..." how can you possibly resist. Leigh's latest gives us a decades old sound with modern sensibilities and her fantastic voice that's tailor made for this genre of music. It's almost like a collaboration between Loretta Lynn and Shel Silverstein, and who doesn't want to hear that? You can hear "Dumpster Diving" below. Don't You Ever Give Up On Love  is due out October 3 on Signature Sounds, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Brennan Leigh,...
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First Listen: New Releases for 25 October 2024

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Artist : Rain on Fridays Album : Death to Affection Quick Thoughts : This came out of nowhere and blew my socks off. It's indie alt/punk, sometimes on the screamy side, but the angst and noise comes across so well and in such a great, fun way that I didn't expect. "Banshee" is a true highlight, but the whole album is not only one of the best of the week, but perhaps one of the best of the year. Songs of Note : "Phonophobia," "We Are So Alike," "Banshee," "Clusterfuck," "Knock Out" Artist : Tyler, The Creator Album : CHROMAKOPIA Quick Thoughts : Tyler, The Creator doesn't always work for me. The sort of doomy dark rap isn't always my thing, but people genuinely love this guy. CHROMAKOPIA makes it make sense for me - it has mood vibes similar to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy , but with some of the sonic stretches we've seen from more recent Childish Gambino records. I love this album, and if...
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Claire Morales - "YVB"

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Photo by Wesley Kirk I'm really struggling with how to describe the latest from Claire Morales. The Denton, TX based artist recently released "YVB," and it's a mind-blowing new song. It's a cosmically psychedelic song that lands somewhere between the light and flowy hippie psychedelia and the heavy psychedelic side. It's an intense single that incorporates 90's indie rock, alt-rock, Mexican guitar, folk, late 60's hard rock, and possibly more. "YVB" sounds like the desert, if that makes sense. This is one you simply need to listen to in order to fully get. The song is filled with swirling guitars and possibly violin to create a song that launches from pretty and poppy to giant, theatrical hard rock. Morales has crafted a truly breathtaking and mind altering song with "YVB," and she has us desperate to hear more.  Claire Morales says of her new single: “'YVB' is the score that plays as you enter the desert realm. The sun sets...
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