Friday Freebie: Five Feet - The Algorithmic Circumstance of the Misguided Traveler

Based in Manchester, NH, Five Feet are making epic indie rock. Their latest album, The Algorithmic Circumstance of the Misguided Traveler, is filled with songs that are completely unique and stop just shy of being quirky. The closest comparison I can make is that it's a less folk based version of Neutral Milk Hotel, but that could just be their use of horns and the album title that are giving me that vibe. Take the album opener, "Think it Over." It's a plodding, hypnotic song focused on vocals. All instruments seem to swirl around the lead singer (unfortunately I'm not seeing her name anywhere online), meandering off until they are needed again. It's a beautiful song that will completely suck you in, with the only question being how many more times you listen to it before diving into the rest of the album.

You can listen to "Think it Over" below. The Algorithmic Circumstance of the Misguided Traveler is available now for the "name your price" option on Bandcamp. If you do choose the free option, be sure to at least give Five Feet a follow on Facebook.

M Ross Perkins - "Wrong Wrong Wrong"

The latest single from Dayton, Ohio's M Ross Perkins is being called indie pop, but that's only if The Beach Boys would be considered indie pop. "Wrong Wrong Wrong" has a very distinct 60's pop vibe, back when rock and pop occupied the same universe. While "Wrong Wrong Wrong" has more than a few elements of Americana and indie rock, this is an almost pure 60's style California inspired pop song. It's a modern, darker take on classic psychedelia.

You can listen to "Wrong Wrong Wrong" below. The song is currently available as a single via Colemine Records/Karma Chief Records on M Ross Perkins's Bandcamp. For more on M Ross Perkins, check out the artist's website.

Juanita Stein - "L.O.T.F"

You're going to want to join us in our newfound obsession with Brighton-based, Australian borh Juanita Stein. Her latest single, "L.O.T.F" is going to hit most of our readers right in their sweet spot. "L.O.T.F" (aka Land of the Free) chugs right along in that Americana way, complete with twangy guitars. But this is a straight up alt-rocker. It combines the drums of The White Stripes with the mainstream art rock noise of mid-career Wilco. It's an intense combination paired with an intense song that is going to be virtually impossible not to love.

The songs on Juanita Stein's upcoming album were inspired by the 2019 death of her father. Stein explains: 

"It feels fundamental to understanding the devastation and eerie silence thrust upon us after his sudden death. It was a daunting task to sum up the life of one man such as my father. He was endlessly inspiring, charming, deeply talented and passionately spiritual. He admirably, and at times frustratingly, carried the torch for his own musical career until the very end.”

You can listen to "L.O.T.F" below. Snapshot, the upcoming album from Juanita Stein, will be out October 23 on Nude Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Juanita Stein, check out the artist's website.

Homeboy Sandman - "Trauma"

The latest from Homeboy Sandman is far more confessional and raw than anything I've ever heard in hip hop before. "Trauma" is about exactly that. It details Homeboy Sandman's childhood of abuse and how it has impacted his entire life. While most rappers are focused on sounding tough and is filled with bragging, "Trauma" shows an intense vulnerability that gets deeper and deeper as the song goes on. The Quelle Chris produced song provides a perfect backing track, allowing the listening to focus on the lyrics while matching the tone of the song expertly.

You can listen to "Trauma" below. Don't Feed the Monster, the upcoming album from Homeboy Sandman, will be out October 9 on Mello Music Group. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Homeboy Sandman, check out his website.

Red Ribbon - "Document (Alternate Version)"

Photo by Matthew James-Wilson

Red Ribbon is the project of Seattle based musician Emma Danner. Utilizing a revolving group of musicians, Red Ribbon has released a new single. "Document (Alternate Version)," has some serious 90's vibes. You'll hear a lot of what is now called dream pop in the song, but the guitars have too much of a 90's crunch to them for that. It's a slow plod of a song that burns into a sludge fest at times without ever crossing into discordance.

Emma Danner explains the meaning behind the song: 

“So much of history is erased and what we're left with is the veneration of figures who purchased their historical memory through acts of power, money and violence. It's strange then that as individuals we still privately record our own experiences through photographs or written accounts. What is the purpose of documenting oneself in a world where history is distorted? Why do we create these records when in all likelihood they will evaporate into nothingness? What is recorded is rarely what happened."

You can listen to "Document (Alternate Version)" below. The single is now available on Danger Collective Records and is available via Bandcamp. For more on Red Ribbon, check out the artist's Facebook.

Felix Hatfield featuring Jolie Holland - "Nobody for Me"

No one is making music quite like Felix Hatfield. He started out in Vermont, and then moved out to Eugene, OR and is now in Portland, OR. His music is described as surrealist, and his latest single reflects that. "Nobody for Me" is based in fairly traditional folk, but through Hatfield's own unique lens. There's not one thing that makes "Nobody for Me" unique. It's not Hatfield's non-traditional voice or vocal delivery. It's not the interesting use of Jolie Holland for backing vocals, or the occasional horns that kick in. Or the barely there instruments than seem to meander in at will. It's how everything seems to blend together in such an interesting way, even though it sounds like it could all devolve into chaos at any moment. 

You can watch the video for "Nobody for Me" below. False God, the upcoming album from Felix Hatfield, will be out October 23. For more on Felix Hatfield, check out his website.

Little Hag - "Tetris"

Photo by Benjamin Lieber

Every so often I'll see an update from a musician I'm following on Facebook and I'll no recollection of who they are or why I'm following them. That happened recently with Little Hag. Surely I'd remember following an artist with that name, but it didn't sound familiar at all. After a little digging, I realized that Little Hag is the new moniker of New Jersey musician Avery Mandeville. She's just released a new single from her upcoming album, and it's a must listen. "Tetris" is like the kind of folk-ish, indie rock, and indie pop music we love from artists like Lucy Dacus and Julia Jacklin, but through this bizarro lens that is somehow both more dancey and punk. "Tetris" is dripping with an attitude not usually associated with this style of music, with lines like "Everyone wants to fuck me / No one wants to see me cry" and "Text bitches til your eyes fall out," you'll be dying to see what Mandeville is going to do with this new musical project.

You can watch the video for "Tetris" below. "Tetris" will be included on a full length album due out in 2021 via Bar/None Records. For more Little Hag, check out the artist's website.

Mint Green Covers Katy Perry

I'm admittedly not a Katy Perry fan. Nothing personal against her, it's just not my style. In fact, when I started playing Mint Green's cover of her hit "Teenage Dream," I wasn't sure I had ever heard it before. Of course, once the chorus hit, I realized that I have heard this song literally countless times. That could be at least partially that while the Boston band's cover is poppy as hell, it's not exactly Katy Perry poppy. Their Bandcamp profile describes their music as "Summery, angsty, alt-rock with punk influence and catchy choruses," and this cover captures that description perfectly. It's on the pop end of alt-rock, but it has an attitude and edge that Perry didn't have hers, while still having all the fun of the original.

You can listen to Mint Green's take on "Teenage Dream" below. The song is available for free on the band's Bandcamp. For more on Mint Green, check out their Facebook and Twitter.

Hallelujah the Hills - "Popular Anti​-​Depressants of the 21st Century"

Boston's Hallelujah the Hills have released a few Bandcamp Friday specials, but no real new music since 2019's I'm You. For this month's Bandcamp Friday, Ryan H. Walsh had inspiration. According to an email sent out to fans:

"I haven't written any songs in about a year and a half. I remember sitting at Nick's living room table in March of 2019 finishing 'The Memory Tree' and thinking, 'I think this is the start of a long break.'

Yesterday, though, I woke up and felt like I had one. Now, as you may have noticed, things seem pretty fucking dark right now. We all feel and live that, and some of us way more than others. I wanted to acknowledge that but find some small tiny way to place some hope in there as well. If we're still inside the prequel, that means the story hasn't even really begun yet, and that big changes are forward momentum are right around the corner. I hope that's true.

The idea for the song was accompanied by another instinct, too: what if this song was written and recorded in one day? Really capture the moment in every way. I finished it up, sent it to Nick, and by 3PM we were at our rehearsal space ('Puritan Garage') laying down the tracks. We sent a rough mix of the basics to the rest of the band and through out the day we received their overdubs remotely. We were all working on it at once in different locations. Pretty futuristic!

We finished mixing it at 1AM, which is technically Sep 4, today, but you get the idea.

The resulting song is "Popular Anti-Depressants of the 21st Century." It's on the mellower, nearly folky side of Hallelujah the Hills. For a song that was completely written and recorded remotely in less than a day, it's an incredibly organic, insanely well put together song. Nothing feels lo-fi or home recorded here. Even the vocal harmonies work together perfectly, especially for six people that were never in the same room at the same time.

You can listen to "Popular Anti-Depressants of the 21st Century" below. The song is currently available on Hallelujah the Hills's Bandcamp. Proceeds from the single are going to the Mainvest campaign to reopen Great Scott in a new location. For more on Hallelujah the Hills, check out their website.

First Listen: New Releases for 4 September

Artist: Annie Taylor
Album: Sweet Mortality
Quick Description: A fun pop rock debut.
Why You Should Listen: It's like all your favorite classic bands of the 1980s and 1990s got thrown into a blender and out came this.
Overall Thoughts: Look at the cover and you think you're getting another 70s rock pastiche, either of the country or garage variety. What we ended up with was, instead, one of the more fun listens in recent memory. There's a lot to love about this band (not an individual, I've learned), and the clear love of the music and joy over what they're doing shines through. Very excited to spend more time with this one.
Recommendation: A must-listen this week.

Artist: Hannah Georgas
Album: All That Emotion
Quick Description: New album from the indie pop favorite.
Why You Should Listen: Hannah Georgas always seems to pull together some good stuff.
Overall Thoughts: This album is definitely quieter and more introspective (which isn't surprising given the production from Aaron Dessner), but it's still what we've come to love from Hannah Georgas: well-crafted songs that stick with you for a while. This is a very pretty album, and one I truly loved this week, and it's perfect for both longtime fans and those who might be dipping their toes in for the first time.
Recommendation: A solid record this week.

Artist: Throwing Muses
Album: Sun Racket
Quick Description: First proper album from the indie legends in decades.
Why You Should Listen: Anything Kristin Hersh touches should get your attention anyway.
Overall Thoughts: I don't think I need to explain Throwing Muses to anyone who found their way to this blog. As it stands, Sun Racket feels like a Throwing Muses record in all its swirling, manic glory. On first listen, yeah, there's no "Not Too Soon," but was anyone expecting that? It's instead a pretty mature, challenging record from a band with members that haven't been quiet since the last effort, and there's something to be said for that. Go in without expectations, and you'll come out surprised and happy.
Recommendation: A welcome return.

Artist: Chloe Lilac
Album: Douchebag
Quick Description: Debut album from an indie popster.
Why You Should Listen: This has a lot of qualities of the independent pop stuff without a lot of the fluff.
Overall Thoughts: Wanted to quickly highlight this as a pretty solid listen. At only seven tracks, it's a quick hit, but there's a sort of bratty/punk rock edge to it that works along with it being an interesting record musically. It's not going to go full PC Music on you, but if you've liked a lot of recent indie pop...
Recommendation: ...check this one out.

Artist: Oceanator
Album: Things I Never Said
Quick Description: Debut alt/indie record that works from beginning to end.
Why You Should Listen: This act stays in its lane, but excels.
Overall Thoughts: We missed this one last week, and it's a shame because it's great. How it's only the debut for this solo artist, I have no idea, because the vision feels so fully formed and so fresh in spite of its existence alongside so many other like-sounding acts. But I kept listening and kept loving each song that came along the line, and that says something. Really, this is an album I wish I highlighted last week, as it would have been a favorite then. In a week like this with a few great albums already, this one still finds a way to stand out.
Recommendation: Mandatory listening.

Of note:

* Various Artists - Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan (Compilation tribute for T. Rex, some solid stuff here.)
* Various Artists - Exquisite Corpse (Polyvinyl comp where a bunch of artists collaborate on songs.)
* Hop Along, Queen Ansleis - Freshman Year (Reissue of Frances Quinlan's first record.)
* Laura Stevenson - Sit Resist (10th Anniversary Edition)
* Mix Master Mike and Steve Jordan - Beat Odyssey 2020
* Grant-Lee Phillips - Lightning, Show Us Your Stuff
* Hayes Carll - Alone Together Sessions
* Lomelda - Hannah
* Elysian Fields - Transience of Life
* Tricky - Fall to Pieces
* House of Harm - Vicious Pastimes
* Emily Barker - A Dark Murmuration of Words
* Hologram Teen - Pizza Conspiracy
* John Craigie - Asterisk the Universe
* Yelle - L'Ere du Verseau

EPs:

* Bumper - pop songs 2020
* The Phenominal Handclap Band - PHB Remix EP
* Dirty Projectors - Super Joao
* Dallas Acid - Dallas Acid's Bubble Club, Vol. 1

Also out:

* Soundwalk Collective - Peradam
* Godcaster - Long Haired Locusts
* New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers - Volume 1
* All Them Witches - Nothing as the Ideal