Friday Freebie: Oh Pep! and The Mountain Goats - We Who Walk Behind the Rows: 2016 Tour Sampler

I know, I know. It's Monday, not Friday. But sometimes life gets in the way of us letting you know about great free music. The Mountain Goats are bringing Oh Pep! out on the road with them next month and they've teamed to bring us the free We Who Walk Behind the Rows: 2016 Tour Sampler. It features four songs from each band, including Oh Pep!'s fantastic "Doctor Doctor" and The Mountain Goats' odes to wrestling "The Legend of Chavo Guerrero" and "Foreign Object." Oh Pep! and The Mountain Goats are a great pairing for a sampler and a tour. Oh Pep!'s dreamy take on folk pop is just different and similar to The Mountain Goats' more standard mainstream Americana to keep things interesting.

You can get your copy of We Who Walk Behind the Rows: 2016 Tour Sampler for free via Noisetrade. For more information on Oh Pep!, check out their website. The Mountain Goats also have a website you should check out. We've also included their current joint tour dates below (even though there aren't any New England shows).

  

Sunday September 18th -- Baltimore, MD, Rams Head Live
Monday September 19th -- Richmond, VA, The National
Tuesday September 20th -- Charlottesville, VA, Jefferson Theater
Thursday September 22nd -- Bloomington, IN, Buskirk-Chumley Theatre
Friday September 23rd -- Bloomington, IL, The Castle Theatre
Monday September 26th -- Iowa City, IA, The Englert Theatre
Tuesday September 27th -- Milwaukee, WI, Pabst Theatre
Wednesday September 28th -- Madison, WI, Majestic Theater
Friday September 30th -- Omaha, NE, The Waiting Room
Saturday October 1st -- Kansas City, MO, Madrid Theatre
Sunday October 2nd -- Columbia, MO, The Blue Note
Monday October 3rd -- Maquoketa, IA, Codfish Hollow Barnstormers

Jonny Fritz - "Are You Thirsty"

Jonny Fritz feels like he should be a household name. The artist formerly known as Jonny Corndawg (I've typed Corndawg instead of Fritz at least three times already) has played Newport, recorded with Dawes as his backing band, and sang on Middle Brother's "Middle Brother." While he's known, he's not your aunt knows his name famous yet. 

Fritz takes another shot at superstardom with his upcoming album Sweet Creep. It was produced by Jim James of My Morning Jacket and he once again enlists Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith of Dawes to record the album, which they did in three days. The first song, "Are You Thirsty," is just about as laid back and spacey as current country and folk gets. Fritz has this unique ability to sound both retro and futuristic at the same time. 

Sweet Creep will be out October 14 on ATO Records. You can watch the video for "Are You Thirsty" below. For more information on Jonny Fritz, check out his website. 

Nots - "Inherently Low"

Photo by Don Perry

If my only complaint about "Entertain Me," the previous song from Nots' upcoming album Cosmetic, was that it was too short at seven minutes, imagine how I feel about their new under three minute song. But "Inherently Low" works at 2:52. It's a little more straightforward post-punk than "Entertain Me" was, while it still has some of the more spectacular Sonic Youth style noise that I've heard in over ten years. It's a pretty spectacular second song from what is shaping up to be an album of the year contender. 

The second album from Memphis' Nots, Cosmetic, is due out on September 9 on Goner in the US and Heavenly Recordings in the UK. You can listen to "Inherently Low" below. For more information on Nots, check them out on Facebook. You can also pre-order Cosmetic on iTunes.

First Listen: New Releases for August 5

Another slowish week, but with one highly anticipated release and one awesome surprise.

Album of the Week:

Artist: Field Mouse
Album: Episodic
Quick Description: New album from an indie/dream-rock blog favorite.
Why You Should Listen: Field Mouse's debut album was my favorite album of 2014.
Overall Thoughts: Episodic is not Hold Still Life. It's a little more raw, a little more mature, and a lot of the reverb/dreamlike status of it has been put aside. The changes are really solid, though, and the result is an album that, on first listen, I am really into. The slow trickle of songs over the course of the last few months acted as a solid preparation of what came, and the result is just a great album across the board and one that might be a favorite of this year again. If the first Field Mouse album didn't quite do it for you, definitely give this a shot as it has a little more polish. But if you're already a fan, you're going to find a lot to like here as well. Just a great listen.
Recommendation: A must-listen this week.

Artist: Powerslut
Album: The Second Coming
Quick Description: Boston rock band that feels like Steel Panther's bratty, witty little sister.
Why You Should Listen: You enjoy tongue-in-cheek rock music with fun, risque lyrics.
Overall Thoughts: This album opens with a song called "Leopard Print Butt Plug," and their most popular song on Spotify at the time of writing is from their first album, and that song is "Commuter Rail Me." So you kind of know what you're getting from the very start with Powerslut, which was absolutely the most fun I had listening to an album in a while. This is not a typical genre for me (the hard rock space), and I might have to consider playing it when my son isn't around, but you get equal parts absurdity and charm from songs like "Sad Waste (Of Your 20s)" and current favorite "Switch Hitter," so...
Recommendation: Definitely the fun release of the week, but it might not be for everyone.

Artist: Haley Bonar
Album: Impossible Dream
Quick Description: Latest album by the folk-tinged power popper.
Why You Should Listen: Haley Bonar always makes a solid album.
Overall Thoughts: Last War was a favorite of the week when it came out in 2014, so this follow-up was a pleasant surprise. The new album builds on some of the louder, rawer elements of the last album while still being a really solid listen. Worth it for anyone who likes a lot of our favorites here.
Recommendation: Another solid listen this week.

Artist: Dinosaur Jr
Album: Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
Quick Description: Latest album from the indie-grunge favorites.
Why You Should Listen: Dinosaur Jr have been around long enough to always at least give a listen.
Overall Thoughts: Ken is more the Dinosaur Jr guy here, but for me, this sounded like what I expected from a band that's been at this on and off for as long as they have. Nothing especially jumped out at me, but it's not a bad listen, either. In a slow week, though, it's especially dangerous to not really have much that's exciting in place, so that this is just fine is probably the biggest condemnation.
Recommendation: Not a mandatory listen, but you know if you'd like it.

Artist: Prinze George
Album: Illiterate Synth Pop
Quick Description: A debut Prinze George album that does what it says on the tin.
Why You Should Listen: Prinze George has been good for a while now and this debut album cements them in the conversation for solid indie pop.
Overall Thoughts: Prinze George does the synth pop thing well, and they know it well enough to be able to be a little self-deprecating in the album title. This is, however, a really good listen and one that has a slightly different and perhaps more mature feel to it than other albums in this space. Very enjoyable, but one I need to spend more time with.
Recommendation: A very good album, give it a try.

Artist: Jonah Tolchin
Album: Thousand Mile Night
Quick Description: Rootsy blues-tinged rock.
Why You Should Listen: Only album like it this week, sounds very sincere and authentic...
Overall Thoughts: ...which may be this album's sole downfall. The album is very good, with a classic, rustic sound that almost feels too pure in its formulation. The first two songs are both really well-crafted folk/blues tunes that feel out of place in a modern context. This is the point, but I do wonder how well it holds up on extra listens. Still, something I really liked and if you're here for the more roots/folk-type stuff, this one is for you this week.
Recommendation: Really excellent.

Artist: Minden
Album: Sweet, Simple Things
Quick Description: Fun indie pop.
Why You Should Listen: A nice, sweet palate cleanser musically.
Overall Thoughts: I don't have a ton to say about this except that I was utterly charmed by this Spotify find, and songs like "Never Spayed" might just charm you, too. What sets Minden apart in this case is how you can absolutely sense the fun within the music, and that can go a long way with me.
Recommendation: A fun, quick listen to end the week.



Also out this week:

* Arkells - Morning Report (straightforward mainstream alt-rock)
* The Dead Daisies - Make Some Noise (hair metal supergroup)
* Nels Cline - Lovers

Drive-By Truckers - "What It Means"

Photo by Danny Clinch

American Band is either going to propel the Drive-By Truckers into superstardom or push them even further into cult band status. They've never shied away from airing their politics, but there's a big difference from "... goddamn Reagan's in the White House..." and their latest song, the Patterson Hood written and sung "What It Means." "What It Means" is about possibly the most sensitive subject in America today: The shootings of unarmed black men. It was written in the wake of the Ferguson decision and the death of Trayvon Martin, but it could be about any of the recent deaths. The most specific it gets is about Trayvon Martin: "And that guy who killed that kid down in Florida standing ground / Is free to beat up on his girlfriend and wave his brand new gun around." The Drive-By Truckers aren't fucking around on this album.

American Band is due out September 30 on ATO Records, and make sure you pre-order the album. You can watch the lyric video for "What It Means" below. For more information on the Drive-By Truckers, check out their website. And make sure you go see them live. I don't think anyone has ever regretted it. 

Evening Bell - "Tail Light"

Photo by Hilary Harris

You don't usually think of Seattle and country music going together. Seattle is typically loud, and even when grunge was considered groundbreaking it was still grounded in classic psychedelic rock. And it's dark. Seattle bands just sound dark as hell. Well, Evening Bell are a country band from Seattle. And, since they're a country band in Seattle, it's dark country grounded in psychedelic classic rock. Also, Caitlin Sherman, one of Evening Bell's main singer/songwriters, brings her fascination of film composition to the songs, giving them this grand and majestic cinematic quality. Most country in 2016 either falls into the mainstream bro country or a complete throwback to classic country. Evening Bell are the increasingly rare blend of country that sounds completely fresh and unique. 

Evening Bell's debut album, Dying Stars, will be released August 12. You can watch the video for "Tail Light" below.  For more information on the band, check out their website and Facebook.

Doe - "Last Ditch"

Photo by Emma Garland

Much like their earlier song "Sincere," the latest from Doe, "Last Ditch," is pure 90s influenced punk tinged indie rock. Musically, "Last Ditch" is pretty straightforward noisy but poppy indie rock. Nicola Leel's vocals are what truly set this song apart. While the verses are quite mellow and almost spoken, the chorus is shout-singed at the top of her lungs with almost no respect for melody. But it works beautifully in its abrasiveness. 

Doe's debut full length, Some Things Last Longer Than You, is due out September 9 on Old Flame. You can watch the video for "Last Ditch" below. For more information on Doe, check them out on Facebook and on their website. You can also pre-order Some Things Last Longer Than You here.

First Listen Plus: New and Missed Releases

Seeing as we're still in the slow summer weeks new release-wise and I've been given the heads-up on a lot of recent releases we've missed, this will be a bit of a compendium week.

First, new releases for July 29:

Dyan - Looking for Knives: Probably my favorite album of this week, it's the sort of synth-heavy indie pop that I tend to gravitate to a lot. Evocative of Au Revoir Simone in a lot of ways, if "Days Upon Days" doesn't grab you this might not do it for you, but it's a solid release that I really loved.

Cotton Mather - Death of the Cool: This is a really good album, with a lot of roots and power pop elements mixed in with some solid songwriting. I still had a lot of resistance to this, though, as there's just something that kept me from completely breaking through on this one. It might be that the sound is not fully formed here or that it can't quite decide what kind of band they're looking to be, but my critique is mostly nitpicky. There's a lot here to love, and it comes across as a classic grower.

Snowglobe - Snowglobe: This is a really solid, really fun indie rock effort out of Memphis. Reminiscent of a lot of the psych-rock Elephant Six bands, this is a solid indie rock listen that I've been itching to get back to since I first heard it. Might not be for everyone, but I really, really enjoyed this.







It would also be lax not to mention these two releases this week. While I don't have enough history with them to give any sort of proper attention, these are both noteworthy releases that were good listens:

* The Bouncing Souls - Simplicity
* Descendants - Hypercaffium Spazzinate

There were also a bunch of albums we missed along the way. Here are some highlights:

The Avalanches - Wildflower: It's been 15 years since Since I Left You released, and this album has been in the works for ages. The end result? Ehhhhh... I keep listening to it, but I don't love it the way Since I Left You. Part of it is that the debut album was so groundbreaking and relevatory, it would be hard to trump it, but I think it's really ultimately more difficult to make something like this work in an era where EDM is ruling the airwaves and technology has made mashups and such so much easier. Overall, it's a good listen, but it's not as great as I had hoped.

GFOTY - VIPOTY: A project from the lead singer of PC Music that stands for "Girlfriend of the Year," this is great because of its stark minimalism combined with some hooky pop elements. "All the Love I Had" is a definite highlight, but this is a fun ten minute EP that's worth your time.

Erin Tobey - Middlemaze: This is a very straightforward indie rock album, but that's not a criticism as Erin Tobey knows how to put together an indie song. This album, her first in a number of years, flirts with some off-center structures but ends up making something that's weird enough to be outside of the mainstream while still having wide appeal. Check out "Medicine Garden" for a good taste, but this is a solid album that shouldn't be missed.

Tancred - Out of the Garden: This is a possible album of the year candidate for me, as a friend turned me onto "Bed Case" a few weeks back and it just hit all my right nostalgia buttons as well as what I'm typically looking for from indie rock. Tancred wears their influences on their sleeves - this is mid-1990s female-fronted alt-rock, but it's done in a really solid way that has made me repeat this album over and over and over again. I can't say enough good things about this album, as there's not a weak point in its 30 minute runtime and I can't figure out if I have a favorite song beyond "Bed Case." Make this a listen this week, it's the best album I've heard in a while.

Oh Pep! - Stadium Cake: Ken has written about this duo a few times, and I can't say more than he already has. Upbeat folk rock with some electronic elements, this is an album that can't help but put a smile on your face while you listen to it. I've enjoyed it up to now and I can honestly say it's one to keep an eye on.

Holly Miranda - Party Trick: A short EP of cover songs that was a bit of a surprise to me given that Miranda had such a gap between her previous recordings, this is what I expect from Miranda - solid indie music with a folk bent. If you haven't given her a shot yet, this is not a bad place to start.

Erin McKeown - According to Us: While I still miss the weirder Erin McKeown from nearly a decade ago, this EP encapsulates what she does best these days: politically-charged folk music. A quick EP with a lot to say, it's great for fans and is accessible enough to be a worthy entrypoint for new listeners.

Girl Meets Bear - Flight Path: A recent Discover Weekly find, Girl Meets Bear reminds me a lot of Metric if Metric was heavier on the electronic elements. The opening track of this EP, "Ignore," got stuck in my head almost immediately, and I'm hoping for a full length from this act sooner rather than later. Absolutely worth some of your time.







Also out recently:

* The Robert Besnick Band - French Pictures in London (album finally released after 40 years)
* Cait Brennan - Debutante
* Metronomy - Summer 08
* Seth Bogart - Seth Bogart
* Flume - Skin
* Big Black Delta - Tragame Tierra
* Nite Jewel - Liquid Cool ("Kissing the Screen" is a great song)
* Verite - Living
* Empty Houses - Daydream (check out the title track!)
*

Sheer - "Room"

It's only been nine months since Sheer released their debut album Uneasy, and they are already changing up their sound in a very subtle way. While Uneasy was filled with dreamy fuzzed out guitar based power pop, their new single "Room" feels like more of an arrangement and less of a pop song. The dreamy fuzzed out guitars are still there, but instead of the typical verse/chorus/verse of a pop song, "Room" is more rambling, like Bob Dylan doing shoegaze. There are verses and a chorus, of course, but it all blends together, and even that structure evaporates as the song progresses.

"Room" is available as a hand-numbered made to order 7" that will only be sold until August 4 via The Native Sound, so you'll want to act now to get yours. There is also a $1.00 download version. Both are available at Sheer's Bandcamp. For more information on Sheer, check them out on Facebook.