New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Sugary pop has never ranked high up in our genre preferences, but some bands are indeed able to take it to a whole new level, mostly by using infallible weapons like songwriting talent and charming voices. The Housemartins and Belle and Sebastian were two of those bands, and Swimclub seems to have learned their indie pop lesson by heart. The NYC band’s debut EP "Funhouse for Friends" showcases 5 cristalline pop gems, hummable but never banal melodies, and vocals that sound compassionate and sincere. This music has the potential to resonate with a lot of people. – Swimhouse submitted their music for review digitally here.
Work Drugs have a new album Aurora Lies coming out on Monday, November 7. You can check out a recent interview that they did and preview the upcoming release that is currently streaming via Grooveshark. Enjoy!
Thomas Comerford has released a great video for his track "Dear Stephen Hauser". The track comes from his new album "Archive + Spiral" which was released on October 25th. The video was directed by Colin Palombi.
The release show the album is tonight @ The Hideout with Panoramic and True and Eiren Caffal. Tickets are just $8.
Baltimore’s Future Islands have reached another level of experimentation in their sophomore LP On The Water; the Atlantic. As heard from the studios they eagerly worked in on the coast of North Carolina, they’ve implemented the sound of the ocean throughout the tracks (clearly on "Typee Island"), creating a lush 80’s pop soundtrack fit for the broken hearted (or a sequel to Neverending Story. Well, the way Hollywood’s been lately, we’re due for a remake and Future Islands should effing score that; frrr sure.) Vocalist Samuel T. Herring, bassist William Cashion, and keyboardist Gerrit Welmers seriously tug at the heartstrings in ten beautiful tracks that blend catchy hooks with moving rhythms.
"Before the Bridge" is emotionally powerful with a depressing chord struck in the keys, and a bit of latin flair incorporated before colliding into an intense rhythm, all the while Herring crooning lyrics of heartbreak,"I can’t forget, somehow, for, to forget a love, is to regret."
"The Great Fire" featuring vocals from Wye Oak‘s Jenn Wasner, follows in the trail of heartbreak that "Bridge" had laid out beforehand, urging for another chance with that love you lost. "If you let me be there, again, I’ll be still, won’t say a word." Keys swell, and Siouxsee-ish bells chime in to add that goth glimmer to a ballad already oozing with true feeling.
"Close To None" is a soothing blend of trippy keys leading into Twin Peaks territory, only to snap swiftly into a fun dance beat and a slight turnaround on the road of heartbreak as the lyrics change direction to anticipation. "And now that I’ve found you, you’re not alone." So it’s a happy ending. Overall, it’s a journey I’m ready to take again. -Dawn
Check out this serene video for the first single off On the Water, "Before the Bridge."
The Soft White Sixties are rockin’ and rollin’ through the West Coast beginning in Seaside, California on Dec. 1. The soul tinged five-piece, formed in 2008 by singer-songwriter Octavio Genera and now including bassist Ryan Noble, rhythm section Joey Bustos, guitarist Aaron Eisenberg and guitarist Josh Cook, make music that is a throwback to another time (say, the 1960s), when rock n’ roll was badass and groovy and simple.
The band has started making its mark in California, selling out shows in Bay Area venues such as Café du Nord, Bottom of the Hill and The New Parish, performing at SF’s Summerfest, opening San Francisco’s NoisePop festival and SXSW. As if they weren’t busy enough, the band recorded a five song EP and has begun prepping for three new singles, all set for release later this year.
Check out the band’s tour dates below, running from Dec. 1-18 and find out more here.
–Amanda Dissinger
12/1 Seaside, CA – The Alternative Cafe
12/2 San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop*
12/9 Sacramento, CA – Blue Lamp ^
12/10 Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater ^
12/11 San Diego, CA – Casbah ^
12/12 Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room
12/13 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
12/15 Seattle, WA – The High Dive
12/16 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
12/17 Eugene, OR –
12/18 Caspar, CA – Caspar Inn
^ support for Jesse Sykes and The Sweet Hereafter
* support for The Mumlers
Great show, great cause, sad circumstances. This Friday, four Nashville bands are playing the Belcourt Theatre to benefit the Oasis Center Bike Workshop and pay tribute to their friend, Schuyler Vassen. A former Belcourt employee, Vassen died from a tragic bike accident Sept. 14.
Colorfeels, Buffalo Clover, The Grayces and Jessica Breanne & The Electric Hearts are on the bill and hope to raise awareness about the importance of wearing a helmet (Vassen, sadly, was not).
All proceeds from the show will go toward buying helmets, toolkits, etc. for the Oasis Center Bike Workshop. Created by the Oasis Center and Halcyon Bike Shop, the workshop is a free, six-week program that provides bikes and education on safe bike riding to underprivileged Nashville kids.
Prizes include a Halcyon bike, helmets designed by local artists and much more donated from Nashville stores, bars and restaurants. The show is at 9:30, and tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Learn more about the event and purchase tickets here.
The Loom has been active in the NYC scene for quite a few years already, so it was kind of unexpected to find out that "Teeth", the album they released on 11.01, is actually their first full length. The band got (deserved) write ups in most music blogs, and was also covered by The New Yorker – which is actually not too surprising, since they can sound kind of highbrow at times. They play a very original brand of alt folk somewhat reminiscent of a more rustic version of early Gomez (see streaming track "Helen"). Their darker and tenser songs (which represent a good share of their output) bring to mind the powerfully moving spoken word singing style of Tindersticks, a phenomenal British band from the aughts not many Americans fell in love with. The Loom has already embarked on an east coast tour – there’s not a NYC date scheduled yet though.
On November 12th, Aktar Aktar will celebrate the release of their new album Mothership at Subt with The Noise FM, The Noise FM, Harrison Hudson, and Into Arcadia. The band recently stopped by Small Chicago to record a live session.
Born in the Rio Grande Valley at the southern tip of Texas, Salina Sias fell in love with the stage as a young girl, and, like many of her peers with artistic ambitions, moved to Brooklyn in her 20s to pursue her passion. Salina has the voice, the confidence and the songs to impress at first listen. Her music is also very well produced, as you can hear for yourself in the embedded, track "Sugar Song".
The Onion’s AV Club is running an exclusive stream of Crystal Stilts "Radiant Door EP" a week before release date. Head over to their website to listen. The band was featured on the cover of The Deli back in 2008 – you can find the cover feature here.
