Bonner Kramer and Thurston Moore Cover Joy Division

By -

This might seem like a surprising choice, but it's also one that makes perfect sense and worlds wonderfully well. Experimental music legends Bonner Kramer (fka Kramer) and Thurston Moore have released the latest single off their upcoming collaborative album, and it's a cover of Joy Division's "Insight." Based on the instruments involved, it's obviously going to be a reimagining of the song. Gone are the synths of the original, and in its place are more traditional rock instruments. It keeps the quiet and more laid back vibe of Joy Division's classic, just with some extra feedback and noise. That being said, Kramer and Moore's "Insight" is still a laid back version of the song, and is pretty close to Sonic Youth's later, more jammy albums. If you think you're going to enjoy this cover, you definitely will.

Bonner Kramer says of the new single:

"I clearly remember what I felt when I first heard track four of Unknown Pleasures. It was a masterpiece. A stroke of pure artistic genius. 'Insight' is a criminally under-appreciated tone poem; a benediction of loss, longing, and regret that still touches every cell in my body. It also features Hook's finest bass guitar invention, singing to me like the sirens of Titan. I'd waited decades to 'cover' this trembling ode to the curse of being human, waiting until I finally had the perfect partner to help me re-imagine it and make it new again. Thurston gave the music the gentle magic and unhurried cries Ian Curtis' words had always been screaming for, and singing it with him put me right back into that place, that feeling, that time when I first heard the sad pageantry of this tragic man's exquisite warning: 'Time won't stop for you, or for anyone or anything. It owns us. Accept it, or be consumed by it.'"

You can listen to Bonner Kramer and Thurston Moore's version of "Insight" below. They Came Like Swallows is due out May 1 on Silver Current Records, and is available to pre-order here. For more on the project, follow Silver Current Records on Instagram and Facebook.

On Repeat...

Liam Kazar - "Shoes Too Tight"

By -
Image
Photo by Alexa Viscius This may be Liam Kazar's debut single, but the Chicago based musician already has an impressive resume, having worked with Jeff Tweedy, Chance the Rapper, Steve Gunn, Daniel Johnston, and others. "Shoes Too Tight" features childhood friend Spencer Tweedy on drums, Lane Beckstrom on bass, and Ohmme on vocals. It's an absurdly fun and groovy little song that is a party waiting to happen. What he gives us here is a timeless song that could truly have been released any time since the 1960's (ok... maybe not the 80's...) There are elements of classic rock, 60's crooners and R&B, indie rock, modern Americana... it's really just packed with everything in a cohesive song that maintains the vibe the entire way through. You can watch the video for "Shoes Too Tight" below. For more on Liam Kazar, check him out on Instagram and Twitter . He's also raising money on his Bandcamp for Constellation and The Hungry Brain. ...
Read more

Izzy Heltai - "Father"

By -
Image
Photo by Joanna Chattman I've been referring to Northampton, MA based Izzy Heltai's music as mainstream modern folk with just enough of a unique spin to keep it appealing to music snobs, too. His latest single, "Father," might be the perfect example of that. It's a quiet, deeply personal song that starts off painfully sparse but ever so slowly builds and builds as it goes on. It walks that line between accessible/mainstream and indie expertly.  You can watch the video for "Father" below. Father , the upcoming debut album from Izzy Heltai, will be out October 9. You can pre-order a copy here . For more on Izzy Heltai, check out the artist's website .
Read more

Lex Leosis - "Mind Your Business"

By -
Image
Lex Leosis might be Toronto based, but she spent a lot of time in California's Bay Area working on her hip hop sound. She's also traveled all over the United States to collaborate with other artists. Her latest single, "Mind Your Business," has a strong 90's hip hop feel to it. It's dripping with attitude, and Leosis's flow is in full on attack mode. The 90's vibe could be because of the fact that there is no R&B chorus, keeping the song pure hip hop, which is rare these days. This reminds me a lot of Oompa's songs, which is a huge compliment coming from us. You can listen to "Mind Your Business" below. Mythologies , the upcoming album from Lex Leosis, will be out later this year. For more on Lex Leosis, check out her Facebook . Mind Your Business by Lex Leosis
Read more