Mediocre - "To Know You're Screwed is to Know a Lot"

Photo by Ginger Port

Mediocre started out in Los Angeles but are now Boston based. The duo have a new single out, "To Know You're Screwed is to Know a Lot." The new song is this great mix of indie rock and pop. It's a fast paced and bounce filled song that might be just a wee bit too cheery to be punk, although there is more than a little punk attitude in this one. This one is reminding me a lot of a middle ground Veruca Salt that lands somewhere between their lo-fi roots and the stadium rocking songs they ended up doing. "To Know You're Screwed is to Know a Lot" is just a fun and fuzzed out indie rocker, and Mediocre could end up becoming one of your favorite Boston bands if they keep this up!

You can watch the video for "To Know You're Screwed is to Know a Lot" below. To Know You're Screwed is due out April 7 on Dangerbird Recordings. The EP can be pre-ordered here. For more on Mediocre, check out the band on Instagram and Twitter. If you're in the Boston area, they're playing April 17 at The Silhouette Lounge in Allston.

Screaming Females - "Mourning Dove"

Photo by Bob Sweeney

Screaming Females have their new album out tomorrow, but since we can't wait just one more day to hear it, they've released a new single from Desire Pathway. "Mourning Dove" is exactly what we want from the New Jersey trio in 2023. Sure, they've slowed down a little bit, and it's more poppy than we would have expected from the band back in 2009, but this is a band coming up on their twentieth year, so that is expected. "Mourning Dove" might sound a bit more radio friendly these days, but Screaming Females haven't lost a step or any of that edge. There is still Marissa Paternoster's biting guitar, and her solos just keep getting better and better. At a time where most of their peers are slowing down, Screaming Females are just getting better.

Marissa Paternoster says of the band's new song:

"It is seldom that any Screaming Females song is about just one thing. Mourning Dove is the only exception that I can really think of, a song about being profoundly in love while simultaneously being profoundly heartbroken."

You can watch the video for "Mourning Dove" below. Desire Pathway is due out February 17 on Don Giovanni Records, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Screaming Females, check out the band's website.

Ben Folds - "Winslow Gardens"

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

I've been a fan of Ben Folds for a long, long time. I first saw Ben Folds Five way back in 1996 at Mama Kin in Boston for the whopping ticket price of $5.00. I'm visible in the DVD that came with Live back in 2002. But, his more recent releases have been hit or miss with me. It's been eight years since he released an album, and now Folds is back with an upcoming album. The first single from that album, "Winslow Gardens," is exactly what I want from Folds in 2023. It may not have the same edge that his music did in 1996, but I certainly don't, either. This is a piano focused (obviously) pop track that is pure Adult Contemporary magic. It has just the right amount of Folds' humor while still being a serious song about isolating with a loved one. If you've fallen off the Ben Folds bandwagon, "Winslow Gardens" is a great jumping back on point.

Ben Folds says of his upcoming album:

“I come from the vinyl era, and this perhaps more than any record I’ve made is a true album. There’s a very specific sequence and arc to each side, all building up to this almost surreal positive finale, and that structure was really important to me. More than anything, I wanted to make an album that was generous, that was useful. I want you to finish this record with something you didn’t have when you started.” 

You can listen to "Winslow Gardens" below. What Matters Most is due out June 2 on New West Records. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Ben Folds, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

March 24 - Eau Claire, WI - The Pablo Center at The Confluence 

March 25 - Viroqua, WI - The Historic Temple Theatre 

March 26 - Dubuque, IA - Five Flags Theatre 

March 28 - Fort Wayne, IN - The Clyde Theatre 

March 29 - Urbana, IL - Krannert Center for the Performing Arts 

April 21 - Tallahassee, FL - Capital City Amphitheatre *

April 23 - Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Symphony Hall *

April 25 - Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati Music Hall *

April 26 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theatre 

April 28 - Greensboro, NC - Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts *

April 29 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre 

April 30 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Gaillard Center 

May 30 - Chicago, IL - Orchestra Hall*

June 13 - New London, CT - Garde Arts Center 

June 14 - Lowell, MA - Memorial Auditorium

June 16 - Lewiston, NY - ARTPARK Mainstage Theater

June 17 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center 

June 18 - Louisville, KY - Palace Theatre 

June 20 - Wilmington, DE - The Grand Opera House 

June 22 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre 

June 23 - Greensburg, PA - Palace Theatre 

June 24 - Indianapolis, IN - Rock the Ruins at Holiday Park 

June 25 - Detroit, MI - Motor City Casino 

June 27 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium 

June 28 - St. Louis, MO - Stifel Theatre 

June 30 - Onamia, MN - Grand Casino Mille Lacs 

July 1 - Fargo, ND - Outdoors at Fargo Brewing 

July 22 - Columbus, OH - Bicentennial Stage at the Columbus Commons *

August 2 - Bonner, MT - KettleHouse Amphitheatre *

August 4 - Park City, Utah - TBA *

August 8 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater 

August 9 - Cedar Rapids, IA - McGrath Amphitheatre 

August 10 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater 

August 11 - Salina, KS - The Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts 

August 13 - Arvada, CO - TBA 

August 15 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center 

August 16 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern 

August 17 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater 

August 19 - Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Amphitheater 

August 20 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre 

October 6 & 7 -  Minneapolis, MN - Orchestra Hall *

October 20 & 21 - Dallas, TX  - Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center *

November 8 - Bath, United Kingdom - The Forum 

November 9 - Brighton, United Kingdom - Brighton Dome  

November 10 - Birmingham, United Kingdom - Symphony Hall 

November 12 - Oxford, United Kingdom - New Theatre 

November 13 - London, United Kingdom - Royal Albert Hall 

November 15 - Gateshead, United Kingdom - Sage Gateshead 

November 16 - York, United Kingdom - Grand Opera House 

November 17 - Manchester, United Kingdom - O2 Apollo 

November 18 - Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Usher Hall 

November 20 - Dublin, Ireland - The Helix 

November 23 - Zurich, Switzerland - Kaufleuten 

November 25 - Berlin, Germany - Admiralspalast 

November 26 - Wiesbaden, Germany - Kurhaus 

November 27 - Utrecht, Netherlands - TrivoliVredenburg - Grote Zaal

November 30 - Paris, France - La Cigale 

December 1 - Antwerp, Belgium - De Roma 

December 2 - Dudelange, Luxembourg - Opderschmelz 

December 4 - Essen, Germany - Lichtburg 

 

* Orchestra dates

Caroline Rose - "The Doldrums"

Photo by Cristina Fisher

The Art of Forgetting is shaping up to be Caroline Rose's masterpiece. If last month's "Miami" didn't convince you of that, "The Doldrums" will. This new song is a synth heavy dreamlike meditation. The term hypnotic gets thrown a lot in regards to music, but "The Doldrums" encapsulates that term perfectly. Calling a song hypnotic usually implies a certain level of calm to describe the song, but Rose's latest is anything but calm. Quiet, yes, but there is an underlying sense of anxiety throughout this one. The song might be beautiful, but there is an unexpected anxiety in "The Doldrums."

Caroline Rose says of their new song:

“‘The Doldrums’ was the song I wrote when I was realizing I had basically no understanding of self-compassion. It’s about the voice inside my head that blames me for everything that’s ever gone wrong, mostly things out of my control. My idea of rebirth and reformation at the time was killing off my old self and finding a new one, rather than simply being kind to myself…Not because I didn’t want to be, but because I didn’t really know how.”

You can watch the video for "The Doldrums" below. The Art of Forgetting is due out March 24 on New West Records. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Caroline Rose, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Fri. March 31 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Arthur Zankel Music Center
Sat. April 1 - Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus
Tue. April 4 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Wed. April 5 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Thu. April 6 - Boston, MA @ Royale
Sat. April 8 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern - SOLD OUT
Sun. April 9 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
Tue. April 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Wed. April 12 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Fri. April 14 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Sat. April 15 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall
Sun. April 16 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Tue. April 18 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
Wed. April 19 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
Fri. April 21 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Sat. April 22 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Sun. April 23 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Tue. April 25 - Denver, CO @ The Gothic Theatre
Fri. April 28 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
Sat. April 29 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Wed. May 3 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Fri. May 5 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
Sat. May 6 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's
Sun. May 21 - Guadalajara, MX @ Corona Capital
Sat. May 27 - Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
Mon. May 29 - Cologne, DE @ Stadtgarten
Wed. 31 May - Manchester, UK @ Band on the Wall
Thu. 1 June - Dublin, IE @ Whelan's
Sat. 3 June - Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
Sun. 4 June - Bristol, UK @ Exchange
Mon, 5 June - London, UK @ HEAVEN
Wed. June 7 - Brighton, UK @ Patterns
Sat. June 10 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Bogen F
Tue. June 13 - Brussels, BE @ AB
Wed. June 14 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso (Upstairs)
Fri. June 16 - Paris, FR @ La Hasard Ludique
Sat. June 17 - Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby
Sun. June 18 - Duisburg, DE @ Traumzeit Festival

Dougie Poole - "Beth David Cemetery"

Photo by Bug Carrasco

There are a lot of artists doing the classic country thing these days, but Dougie Poole is doing it just a little differently. The Brooklyn artist's latest single, "Beth David Cemetey," has all of the twang required for an old time country sound, but Poole just sounds a little... different. The song has a little bit of Brooklyn indie rock in it. While most classic sounding country sounds Southern, "Beth David Cemetery" sounds more Northern. It might sound impossible for a country song to sound this Big City, but this one does. 

Dougie Poole says of the new song:

"Beth David is the cemetery in Queens where my Mom’s side of the family is buried. I’ve lost a lot of people in the past 10 years or so - not just family, friends too. Maybe that’s just what getting older feels like. Adding names to a list that only gets longer. So I wanted to write a joyful, messy, kinda boozy, kinda hungover song about going to a funeral. I wanted to capture the way a homecoming brings into focus the passage of time, and draws us close to the idea of our own death, but not in an exclusively sorrowful way. Of course there can be a lot of joy in a funeral - in recollection of loved ones who are gone, in being close loved ones who are still around - but also scattered around in the rubble of grief you can occasionally catch a glimmer of how sweet it is to be alive, or how it might feel like to fully evaporate. Doesn’t seem so bad. Everybody’s doin it.”

You can watch the video for "Beth David Cemetery" below. The Rainbow Wheel of Death is due out February 24 on Wharf Cat Records. The album can be pre-ordered through Bandcamp. For more on Dougie Poole, check out the artist on Facebook and Instagram.

Trophy Wife Covers The Cranberries

Trophy Wife (formerly of Allston, now based in Brooklyn) have released a cover of The Cranberries' immortal song "Linger." The cover stays remarkably close to the original. It's a much more stripped down version with singer McKenzie Iazetta, an acoustic guitar, and Christian providing some backing vocals. The cover has a certain intensity to it that The Cranberries' didn't. Dolores O'Riordan always had a plaintive, melancholy sound to her voice on "Linger," while Iazetta sounds more forlorn and desperate. This is a great version of a great song.

You can listen to Trophy Wife's version of "Linger" below. The song is available as a download via Bandcamp. For more on Trophy Wife, check out the artist's website.

Cliff Notez - "Could Be Normal"

Photo via Facebook

Cliff Notez is one of the most unique hip hop artists in all of hip hop. The Boston based artist is the kind of hip hop artist that can be part of legendary folk club Club Passim's The Folk Collective and it just makes sense. Their latest single, "Could Be Normal," is one of the most inventive rap songs out there today. It incorporates a multitude of genres while still being pure hip hop. It's a laid back track with a quiet beat that has a sort of drum and bass feel to it. "Could Be Normal" keeps the same vibe throughout its three minute run time while cycling through genres and styles seemlessly. If you feel that hip hop has become stale, check this one out and get ready to have your mind blown.

You can listen to "Could Be Normal" below. For more on Cliff Notez, check out the artist's website.

First Listen: New Releases for 10 February 2023

Artist: Quasi
Album: Breaking the Balls of History
Quick Thoughts: The first Quasi record in some time, and the first since Janet Weiss's departure from Sleater-Kinney, feels like a Quasi record in all the right ways. It's a little profane, a little angular, but still incredibly compelling. If you're a fan, you'll find a lot to love here, especially in songs like "Doomscrollers" that somehow nail the current mood perfectly. Worth your time for sure.
Songs of Note: "Queen of Ears," "Shitty is Pretty," "Doomscrollers," "Nowheresville"

Artist: Pearla
Album: Oh Glistening Onion, the Nighttime is Coming
Quick Thoughts: I think I was midway through the second song of this one and texted Ken to let him know how outstanding this was. It's a super polished roots-laden record that doesn't take its foot off the pedal from the very start. "Strong" is an early song of the year candidate for me in particular, but this is just by far the best record out this week and will be one I'm very excited to get back to.
Songs of Note: "Strong," "Effort," "About Hunger, About Love," "Unglow The," "The Mysterious Bubble of the Turkey Swamp"

Artist: Rebecca Black
Album: Let Her Burn
Quick Thoughts: It's impossible to talk about Rebecca Black without talking about "Friday," but with that out of the way Let Her Burn is definitely an effort to try and forge a new path. While she was taken under the wing of the hyperpop community, and while many of the songs here have a firm hyperpop feel, this definitely feels like a more unique record in how it straddles the line. Most importantly, though, the record feels like a statement from Rebecca Black that she is going to do her own thing and I can't fault that at all. The good news, though? The album is actually really great. She knows her way around a melody, takes some chances, and the short runtime means nothing lingers longer than it should. Curiosity piece or legitimate, this is one you shouldn't miss.
Songs of Note: "Destroy Me," "Misery Loves Company," "Doe Eyed," "Look at You"

Artist: Someone
Album: Owls
Quick Thoughts: A Tessa Rose Jackson project, this album is a quiet and gorgeous singer-songwriter album with a little personality to go along with it. I was especially taken by how the songs felt whole and complete even as a new project. In a busy-ish week, and one without a lot of folkish stuff, this should make your rotation.
Songs of Note: "Suddenly," "I'm Only Brokenhearted," "I Guess I'm Changing"

Artist: Power Plush
Album: Coping Fantasies
Quick Thoughts: A shout-out to Power Plush, who is definitely one of the many feminist rock acts we've seen hit the scene as of late. What sets this band apart is their ability and desire not only to flip the script a bit (like with "Leave Me Alone" and "Girl, He Toxic"), but to wear its message on its sleeve with a deceptively peppy package. Make time.
Songs of Note: "Butterfly," "Heavenly," "Leave Me Alone," "Girl, He Toxic"

Of note:

* Maps - Counter Melodies (Feels like an early 1990s Orbital record.)
* Mary Elizabeth Remington - In Embudo (Gorgeous effort.)
* Paramore - This is Why (15 years ago I felt too old to like Paramore, and today I feel like Paramore is old enough for me to like them. Does that make sense? Great album btw.)
* Little Fuss - Girls at Parties
* Lisa O'Neill - All Of This Is Chance
* Kelela - Raven
* The Notwist - Vertigo Days
* Marlene Ribeiro - Toquei no Sol
* The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Future is Your Past
* Feral Five - Truth is the New Gold
* Spacey Jane - Here Comes Everybody
* Bailey Miller - love is a dying
* Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, The Water, The Sky
* Liv.e - Girl in the Half Pearl
* Amber Arcades - Barefoot on Diamond Road
* OAA - Source and Origin
* Andy Shauf - Norm
* MARBLES - Humour
* Maelstrom and Louisahhh - Sustained Resistance
* ONBC - Dark Matter
* Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
* Ditch Days - Blossom
* Tennis - Pollen
* Hollie Kenniff - We All Have Places That We Miss
* Baby Cool - Earthling on the Road to Self Love
* El Ten Eleven - Valley of Fire

* EPs:

* Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins, and Leo Abrahams - Small Craft
* Kelly Lee Owens - LP.8.2
* M83 - Fantasy - Chapter 1
* The Last Dinosaur and Lila Tristram - Black and White Melodies Ignited by the Scent of Springtime Explode in Color
* Two Shell - lol spirits
*/ iyla - APPETITE FOR DISASTER
* Lily Mao and The Resonaters
* crushed - extra life

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Wombo - Fairy Rust and Selected Demos

Also out:

* eMolecule - The Architect

Goodnight, Texas - "To Hurry Things Along"

Photo by Stephen Lovekin

Goodnight, Texas is going to remind you of a lot of the mainstream folk/rock bands out there today. Their latest single, "To Hurry Things Along," could easily have just been another song you listen to once or twice and then move along with your day. But "To Hurry Things Along" just has that special factor that sucks you in. There are a lot of bands doing the folk/rock thing in 2023, so you know a band is special when it can stand out above the crowd to grab your attention the way Goodnight, Texas does on this song. They could very well be the next Bonny Light Horseman or Delta Spirit. "To Hurry Things Along" is just that good.

Singer/songwriter Avi Vinocur says of the band's new song:

"I wrote a poem in 2017 called 'To Hurry Things Along' about this spry old man who would walk his dog by my house when I was a kid. I never spoke to him, but I imagined his tobacco pipe and occasional smile concealing a deep and unshared sadness, perhaps because I too was dealing with the loss of my father a few years prior. I adapted my poem into a song about what I imagined his life to be, speaking from his perspective."

You can watch the video for "To Hurry Things Along" below. For more on Goodnight, Texas, check out the band's website.

Boogey the Beat featuring Snotty Nose Rez Kids - "Run for Cover"

I'm typically more of a fan of hip hop that sounds more like classic hip hop from the 80's and 90's than more modern takes on the genre, but Snotty Nose Rez Kids are the rare exception to that. The First Nations duo always sounds like they're pushing hip hop forward instead of just staying with what's comfortable. Anishinaabe producer and DJ Boogey the Beat has enlisted Snotty Nose Rez Kids for his new single. "Run for Cover" is decidedly current hip hop, and that is on of the charms of "Run for Cover." Snotty Nose Rez Kids are just such a captivating and unique sounding hip hop group that even if you're typically set in your glory days of hip hop, you owe it to yourself to give them a shot.

Boogey the Beat talks about his new single:

“I imagined being in an old-time western movie where the Indigenous people were often represented as the ‘bad guys’, ‘Run For Cover’” portrays a reversal of that trope, with our oppressors and enemies ‘running for cover’ as we explore what it means to be truly unapologetic with our sounds, words, and spirits.”

You can listen to the video for "Run for Cover" below. For more on Boogey the Beat, check out the artist's website. For more on Snotty Nose Rez Kids, check out theirs here.