Orchestra Gold - "Keleya (Jealousy)"

Photo by Ginger Fierstein

Orchestra Gold are an Oakland, CA based ensemble that combine traditional Malian music with African psychedelic rock. Their latest single, "Keleya (Jealousy)," combines brass horns along with cosmic guitar licks to a hypnotic effect. The entire song is this swirling whirlwind of a song that takes time to truly let the horns, guitar, and Mariam Diakite's vocals all take the spotlight at various times. The drums tend to stay in the background, holding the entire song together throughout. This is the kind of music you can truly get lost in. Even if you try to let it play out in the background, you'll soon find yourself completely sucked in and focusing on nothing but the song.

You can listen to "Keleya (Jealousy)" below. Medicine is due out January 20. For more on Orchestra Gold, check out the band's website.

Momma - "Medicine"

Photo by Cooper Winterson

New York's Momma recently signed to Polyvinyl Record Co. and released their first single on their new label. "Medicine" has a great mid-90's alternative rock vibe. It's the kind of sound that was edgy at the time and would never have been considered pop, but by 2021 standards is poppy as hell. "Medicine" is fuzzy guitars mixed with vocal harmonies like the early releases of bands like Veruca Salt or that dog. This is the kind of song that is going to make you completely nostalgic for your college days, until you realize that Momma probably considers their sound "retro."

In a press release, Momma says of their new song:

“The two guitar riffs were written by Etta and Allegra about a year before we actually brought it to the full band. When we wrote the first verse, we realized it was one of the first times we couldn’t write about heartbreak - we were both in very loving relationships. We wanted to write about that feeling of just being addicted to someone, and how someone else’s company can really feel like a drug.” 

You can watch the video for "Medicine" below. The song is available now as a single via Polyvinyl Record Co. in the North America and Lucky Number Music everywhere else. You can get a copy of the song here. For more on Momma, check out the band's Twitter and Facebook. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

12/16 - Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon %

2/24 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground $

2/25 - Portsmouth, NH - 3S Artspace $ 

2/26 - Hamden, CT - Space Ballroom $

% w/ Model/Actriz

$ w/ Sunflower Bean

Medicine Covers Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac doesn't sound like it would lend itself to shoegaze very well, but Los Angeles's Medicine do an amazing job with "Sentimental Lady." Medicine originally formed in 1991, and are belt known for their role in the film The Crow (and the inclusion of "Time Baby 3" on the soundtrack. The band broke up in 1995, reuniting as a duo in 2003, and are now back with an album of covers and rejoining with original singer Annette Zilinskas. 

While it might initially seem like a strange pairing, a shoegaze Fleetwood Mac cover works surprisingly well. Both Fleetwood Mac and shoegaze have a certain dreamlike feel, although they both use different methods to get there. I've personally never been much of a fan of the classic rock band, and I enjoy this purely as a shoegaze song.

You can listen to Medicine's take on "Sentimental Lady" below. Scarred for Life, the upcoming covers album from Medicine, will be out October 4 on Drawing Room Records. You can pre-order your copy here. For more on Medicine, check them out on Facebook.