Sunny War - "Lucid Lucy"

Sunny War was born in Nashville but has been in Los Angeles for a while now. Those two cities truly flavor her music. Her latest single, "Lucid Lucy," has all of the Americana/folk that you would expect from Nashville, but covered in LA sheen. What's amazing about the sheen on the track is how minimal it is. The song is just Sunny War's vocals, guitar, and cello. Even with such minimal instrumentation, the song is lush and full sounding. The song is about someone who lives such a dull life that they master the art of lucid dreaming and begin enjoying their dream life more. It's a beautiful and compelling song, and a perfect introduction to Sunny War (if this is your first listen to her music).

You can watch the video for "Lucid Lucy" below. Simple Syrup is due out on March 26 via Hen House Studios. You can pre-order a copy on Bandcamp. For more on Sunny War, check out the artist's website.

Youth Code x King Yosef - "Burner"

Portland's King Yosef has teamed up with LA's Youth Code on a forthcoming collaborative album. The first single from that album is not going to be for everybody. "Burner" is intense. The group of artists have created a truly unique sound that blends industrial and metal with hip hop. Think of if "Jesus Built My Hotrod" was a collaboration between Ministry and Ice T instead of Gibby Haynes. Based on that description, you already know if you want to hear it or not. Lots of you will have no interest in this one, and that's perfectly fine. For others, "Burner" will be a revelation.

Sara Tyler of Youth Code explains the song and video:

"The video for 'Burner' puts into perspective the duality of our everyday personas dissected into light and shadow. The constant state of monotony and struggle can lead us to a breaking point within ourselves, and to a path where we might not realize that the actual problem needing to be addressed is us as humans instead of what surrounds us. Is it nature or nurture? What if we are simply being challenged by something we can't actually see? This song's lyrics and visuals are a testament of challenge, and we hope you enjoy them."

You can watch the video for "Burner" below. A Skeleton Key in the Doors of Depression will be out March 9. You can find more about Youth Code on their Twitter. For more on King Yosef, check out the artist's Twitter.

Tysk Tysk Task - "I Want a Holiday"

At this point in the winter, we can all agree with the latest song from Tysk Tysk Task. The Lowell, MA band has released a demo of the new song "I Want a Holiday." Recorded with Samantha Hartsel on drums and stream of consciousness vocals and Kyle Cuneo on guitar, this is a very stripped down song. It still has the bizarro indie rock goes blues feel of their previous songs, with Harsel all the places she wants to go and things she wants to do on vacation. At this point of the year, warmth and holidays feel especially far away, and in 2021 they seem completely impossible. Knowing their previous songs, a band that taps into emotional turmoil as well as Tysk Tysk Task does singing a song about a vacation may seem strange, but... you know... everything going on right now.

You can listen to "I Want a Holiday" below. The song is available now via Tysk Tysk Task's Bandcamp. For more on Tysk Tysk Task, check out the band's Facebook.

The Natvral - "Why Don't You Come Out Anymore?"

Photo by Remy Holwick

It's been four years since The Pains of Being Pure at Heart released their final album. In that time, singer Kip Berman left Brooklyn for Princeton, NJ and had two kids. His new musical project, The Natvral, reflects that change. The first single off of the upcoming album, "Why Don't You Come Out Anymore?," is about all the life changes that come with getting older and staying in a lot more. It's a more standard folk rock song, more along the lines of an alt-rock Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. It's also a much bigger sound than his previous band. It shows a level of happiness despite being about losing a lot of the things that make you you, while morphing into a new version of yourself without even realizing it.

You can watch the video for "Why Don't You Come Out Anymore?" below. Tethers is due out April 2 on Dirty Bingo Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on The Natvral, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter.

The Weather Station - "Parking Lot"

Photo by Daniel Dorsa

We should all be past the whole disco sucks nonsense at this point. If you're not, you're going to miss out on the sheer beauty of the latest from The Weather Station. Tamara Lineman's project has released "Parking Lot," and it's a quiet and soft disco song. Quiet and disco don't normally go together, but "Parking Lot" fits that description. It's a gorgeous, string heavy song that could have been a lovely little ballad, but it has these soft disco beats underneath the song that propel it. It might not be a party or a club anthem, but you can still dance to it, although it's more of a song that you'd dance to by yourself in your bedroom. (Which makes it the perfect quarantine disco song.)

You can watch the video for "Parking Lot" below. Ignorance is due out February 5 on Fat Possum Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on The Weather Station, check out the artist's website.

First Listen: New Releases for 29 January

Artist: Arlo Parks
Album: Collapsed in Sunbeams
Quick Description: Beautiful, R&B-tinged folk music.
Why You Should Listen: You quickly realize how good this is from the word go...
Overall Thoughts: ...and then you learn she's only 20. Wow, this is such a good album and is likely to end up on a few best of lists this year. I was on board when "Green Eyes" dropped last year, but this album shows that she's not a single song flash-in-the-pan. There's folky, singer-songriter elements throughout, but sort of modern soul/R&B flavor to go along with it in many cases means a record that's something special.
Recommendation: You owe it to yourself to listen to this one.

Artist: Goat Girl
Album: On All Fours
Quick Description: Off-kilter post-punk.
Why You Should Listen: Goat Girl is a little strange, and it works a lot.
Overall Thoughts: There's a lot to unpack for this one, but I did enjoy it. There's plenty of accessible stuff here, but it's different enough where it's likely to convert some folks looking for a challenge, too. This has some interesting songs, and a lot of buzz, so give it some time.
Recommendation: Worth the effort.

Artist: Lia Ices
Album: Family Album
Quick Description: Gorgeous, retro folk.
Why You Should Listen: Lia Ices is a voice you'll remember.
Overall Thoughts: I don't have a ton to say about this one, but I found this gorgeous and compelling in a few ways. It's definitely the folk highlight of the week for me on a whole, and one that's worth the time.
Recommendation: Give it a spin.

Artist: The Sonder Bombs
Album: Clothbound
Quick Description: Indie rock with a uke?
Why You Should Listen: It's indie rock, but with a uke!
Overall Thoughts: I've been into The Sonder Bombs for some time, maybe after discovering their debut album that we missed around these parts. An EP and some songs later, and here is Clothbound ready to deliver. "What Are Friends For" is wonderful, but the whole album has a fun lightness to it that set the songs apart, especially with such great vocals throughout. A truly great effort, and one that deserves a lot of attention.
Recommendation: A favorite this week.

Artist: Still Corners
Album: The Last Exit
Quick Description: Latest from the dreamy duo.
Why You Should Listen: Still Corners repeatedly blows me away.
Overall Thoughts: I think I tripped up on "Black Lagoon" from Slow Air a few years back, and I'm still not tired of it. The new album doesn't break any new ground, but it doesn't really have to, as Still Corners have a unique sound that feels incredibly tight and feels like a journey. This is a great entry point, and is just as good for longtime fans.
Recommendation: Check this one out.

Artist: Crystal Canyon
Album: Yours With Affection and Sorrow
Quick Description: Hazy, dreamy indie rock.
Why You Should Listen: It's sort of shoegaze, sort of noise?
Overall Thoughts: About 30 seconds into this one, I told Ken that I was really into this, and he simply replied "that checks out." In that Crystal Canyon ticks any number of my musical boxes is one thing, but this is both an early favorite of 2021 and my favorite listen by far this week. It's raw while striking taht delicate "quiet, but loud" balance that too often gets ignored. I love this album, and you might too.
Recommendation: One of the best of 2021 so far.

Of note:

* The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings (This is an excellent listen.)
* Storm Seeker - Guns Don't Cry (If the Dropkick Murphys and Gogol Bordello had a baby and left it on a pirate ship, it would probably end up making this album.)
* Steven Wilson - THE FUTURE BITES (Don't sleep on "12 Things I Forgot" or "Personal Shopper")
* PJ Harvey - Is This Desire? - Demos
* Katie Dey - Urdata
* YACHT - Sub Versions
* Buzzy Lee - Spoiled Love
* LNZNDRF - II
* Beautify Junkyard - Cosmorama
* Madlib - Sound Ancestors
* Rosier - Legerement
* Tamar Aphek - All Bets Are Off
* Langhorne Slim - Strawberry Mansion
* Waltzer - Time Traveler
* Venus Ex Machina - Lux

EPs:

* Kynsy - Things That Don't Exist (Definitely check out "Elephant in the Room.")
* Eliza McLamb - Memos (We missed this one last year, but "Porn Star Tits" is great.)
* NO YEAR - So Long
* Sebastian Reynolds - Nihilism is Pointless EP
* The Vaughns - rom-coms + take out
* Buke and Gase/So Percussion - A Record Of
* Ralph Heidel - Relief
* Tiffany Day - The Recovery Project
* Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - CYHSY, 2005
* Lynks - Smash Hits, Vol. 2
* DEAR-GOD - 1-844-4DEAR-GOD
* Martin Gore - The Third Chimpanzee EP

Live albums/Compilations:

* J. Mascis - Fed Up and Feeling Strange
* Save Ferris - Live at the Belly Up
* Dr. Dog - Live 2
* ionnalee, iamamiwhoami, Barbelle - KONSERT

Also out:

* Weezer - OK Human
* Lucero - When You Found Me
* The Body - I've Seen All I Need to See
* Ani DiFranco - Revolutionary Love

The Martha's Vineyard Ferries - "Jail Material"

The Martha's Vineyard Ferries are the indie rock supergroup consisting of Chris Brokaw (Come, The Lemonheads, Thurston Moore, Consonant), Bob Weston (Mission of Burma, Shellac, Volcano Suns), and Elisha Weisner (Kahoots). Their previous single, "Betty Ford James," was a less than a minute long sprint of the best pop based indie rock has to offer. Their latest single, "Jail Material" (the title of which is also a line in "Betty Ford James"), is an epic in comparison. At just under three minutes, it starts off like an indie power ballad until the drums and guitar fully kick in like a sledgehammer inside of your brain. It's a huge rock song, and has us even more excited for the upcoming album!

You can watch the video for "Jail Material" below. Suns Out Guns Out will be out February 26. You can pre-order a copy via Bandcamp. 

Kid Gulliver - "Beauty School Dropout"

While New England is in the midst of a multi-day snow storm, a new song from Boston's Kid Gulliver is just what we need. "Beauty School Dropout" is exactly what we want from Kid Gulliver. It's outrageously poppy power pop. At times it threatens to cross over into being a little too poppy for my own personal taste, but every time the guitars get a little extra crunchy just to keep this firmly into the rock category. "Beauty School Dropout" is the kind of catchy, fun, summery kind of song we need right now to remind us that warmer weather (and better times) will be back someday, even if it's not as soon as we'd like.

You can watch the video for "Beauty School Dropout" below. The single is available now now Red on Red Records via Bandcamp. For more on Kid Gulliver, check out their website.

Trinary System - "Just Like That"

Trinary System is Roger Miller's current musical project, started just as Mission of Burma was winding back down. Their latest release, "Just Like That," was originally intended to be included on the band's Amplify the Amplifiers EP, but was deemed too "straight-forward." Only a band like Trinary System could decide "Just Like That" is too straight-forward. "Just Like That" is a weird little song, but in the world of Trinary System, it's practically a top 40 song. It's a groovy kind of song that sounds almost like a post punk legend decided to make a jam band song that a college crowd could enjoy and came out with this instead.

You can listen to "Just Like That" below. The song is currently available via Trinary System's Bandcamp. For more on Trinary System, check out the band's website.

The Cavemen - "Am I a Monster?"

Photo via Facebook

New Zealand's The Cavemen are an amped up punk rock band that puts the emphasis on rock. Their latest single, "Am I a Monster?," is loud, noisy, and impossibly fast. It's glammed up garage protopunk played as loud and thrashy as possible. It will remind you of bands like The Stooges and The Hives, but if those two bands were in a contest to see who could play a song the fastest and loudest. It's rock stripped down to its barest forms, and then blasted out at you at Motorhead levels.

You can listen to "Am I a Monster?" below. The song is available now as a single with the B-side "Schizophrenia" via Bandcamp. For more on The Cavemen, check out the band's Facebook.