MX LONELY - "Shape of an Angel"

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Photo by Luke Ivanovitch

New York's MX LONELY have a new-ish single out off of their upcoming album. "Shape of an Angel" is one of these newfangled indie rock songs that is as much pop as it is rock. It's an epic that is somehow both quiet and loud at the same time. The way "Shape of an Angel" combines its abrasive and melodic sides ends up making the noisier and discordant parts more beautiful. This is am intense song, and the opening instrumental portion grabs you before the vocals even get started. Vocalist/synthesist Rae Haas has more than a little bit of that 90's slacker vocal thing going, but also adds plenty of emotion into the track. "Shape of an Angel" is making me think of a heavier rock based version of an artist like Blondshell.

Rae Haas says of her band's latest single:

“When I was first diagnosed with ADHD, I was prescribed a hefty script of adderall and I fell in love…I developed a heavy dependency on these creamsicle colored miracle pills and ended up craving more and more - until it began to consume me. I was constantly chasing that first dose of euphoria; refusing to look inward, continuously convincing myself “a higher dose will fix my problems, make me more lovable, guide me toward my goals- god dammit these drugs will make me a better person. You find yourself out of love with somebody but still needing them. Constantly chasing what used to be.”

You can watch the video for "Shape of an Angel" below. All Monsters is due out February 20 on Julia's War Recordings, and is available to pre-order here. For more on MX Lonely, check out the band's website.

On Repeat...

Minibeast - "High Sea"

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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.
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Monday Mix: Newport Folk Festival 2014 Must See Bands

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With this weekend's upcoming Newport Folk Festival, we thought we'd highlight some of this year's can't miss acts. We're focusing on the bands playing smaller stages and earlier in the day. I mean, you're obviously going to see Ryan Adams and Jack White. Instead, these are the acts worth getting there early for, and seeking out the smaller stages. Phox Friday, 1:50, Quad Stage Phox hails from Baraboo, WI, the winter home of the Ringling Brothers' Circus. I'm not sure if that is connected to their music or not, but Phox has an otherworldly charm and a magical feel. They come across as a more grounded St. Vincent or a less intense version of early Tori Amos. Their music is simply beautiful and uplifting.  Reignwolf Friday, 2:55, Quad Stage Truly pushing the boundaries of what can be considered "folk" are Reignwolf. Reignwolf is Jordan Cook, who sounds like a mixture of The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age, mixed with just a lit...
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There's a new Limp Bizkit video, because sure, why not?

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Earlier this week I was expressing sympathy for Limp Bizkit. Limp Bizkit just don't seem to be riding that surge of 90s nostalgia that all sorts of other terrible bands from that era are. Sure, they're terrible. But are they really  that much worse than Filter, Alien Ant Farm, and other bands on those 90s nostalgia packages. And then this video is released. The first lyrics to the song are literally "Go fuck yourself." It then features Fred Durst sitting on a toilet, bikini clad chicks pretending to fellate garden hoses and leaf blowers, and Fred Durst talking about fucking bitches, all while wearing a hoodie and a backwards red baseball hat. Then Lil Wayne comes out. Please keep in mind Fred Durst is a 42 year old man.
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