Comprised of Eric Freda (Wigwams), Michael Friedrich (Rahim), and Phil Sutton (Rahim, Wigwams), post-punk trio Heatmap recently released its debut EP Pulses, which was recorded by Uniform Recording’s Jeff Zeigler. Standout, “Again,” flows with a bass-pulsating thump. And with that pulse identified, devious, yearning vocals and jaggedly measured guitar licks produce a danceable air of mystery.
NYC
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Goodfight drops new LP, “Florida Room”
Goodfight’s Florida Room packs all the sunshine-y goodness you’d imagine for an album with that title. The indie pop group’s latest effort is 8 tracks of upbeat tunes that manage to be fun, sweet, and earnest, but never saccharine. Listen to the title track off the new LP streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni
Austin
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The Bishops Release Chilled Single “Say My Grace”
Austin can’t get enough of the hip-hop trio, The Bishops, who are rolling out their latest track "Say My Grace". An ode to family, which is of obvious importance to the siblings, "Say My Grace" also preaches humility as the group’s profile grows larger and larger. The spacey, dripped-up beats by Troy Bishop, and silky vocals by Cara Bishop coalesce into an earworm of a track. The Bishops are young, ambitious and looking to tear down the barriers of music genres while shirking the expected. Keep an eye on these trailblazers, who are definitely just getting started.
Philadelphia
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New Razor Boomarang EP Available for Streaming & Download
Commemorating the 2-year anniversary of Back To School, the hip-hop duo of Razor Boomarang recently issued the Hall Pass Edition. Omitting the transitional skit elements alters the overall tone, but at the same time, it offers a more playlist-friendly slate. The eclectic tracklist hovers showcasing a playful intensity. Sit back, let it spin, and learn a lesson.
NYC
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Human People become vampires in new video
Human People’s Haley Livingston has a growl to her voice, something a little sinister. In the band’s latest video for new single “Radiator Water” the truth is revealed: she’s a vampire. In less than two and a half minutes she sucks the life out of two of her bandmates, turning them from goth to prep before a final brunchtime faceoff. Following two strong EPs introducing the band, “Radiator Water” marks Human People’s return with a quick cut of spirited garage punk. It’s the first track from the group’s upcoming album, though no title or release date has been announced yet. Check out the video below. – Cameron Carr
L.A.
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Runnner take their intricate folk rock to The Satellite on 12/8
Runnner, the project of Noah Weinman and Nate Lichtenburger, serves up sharp, intricately layered indie rock with inventively syncopated polyphonic textures. The luscious harmonies and varied weaving guitar lines they produce, which come from varied string instruments, have the musical force and sound of a full band despite coming only from a duo, though the essence of their debut full-length effort, Awash, lies in folk-rock songs with a pinch of electronic influence.
Check out the band at The Satellite on December 8, where they will split the bill with Goodnight, Texas and Lucy Arnell. Awash is currently available via their official bandcamp page. Juan Rodríguez
New England
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Hartford Rockers Queen Moo Play Great Scott 12.21
Taking their name from the ruler of a mythical city and filling their songs with as much inventive songwriting sorcery as we can handle, Hartford rockers Queen Moo are a rare rock n roll force. The band’s latest album, Mean Well, is an instant classic, with blisteringly dirty guitars, relentlessly catchy hooks, and pitch perfect, understated vocal performances. Combining the blunt emotional punch of emo/punk with elements of classic rock and jazz, Queen Moo is a band you will want to catch on their current tour. Check them out when they hit Great Scott on 12/21 with Prawn, People Like You, and Slingshot Dakota. -Brian Varneke
Portland
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Mo Troper’s ‘Exposure & Response’ is an ode to older sounds and newer attitudes
Mo Troper has got a voice unlike most others. Not solely with his vocal timbre, but also with the way he chooses to convey his thoughts lyrically. With slight cynicism and a sarcastic wit, Troper has become one of the modern maestros of power pop. On his third solo effort Exposure & Response, Troper is definitely exposing and responding to certain facets of the modern music scene, biting commentary a recurring element.
From the first choral "ahhs" that open up the record, "Rock and Roll Will Change the World" is supple and attention grabbing in its Beach Boys qualities, before leading into some of the more sharp tongued tracks on the record. "Your Brand," one of the first songs to come off the record, calls out participation for the sake maintaining aesthetic. "Turn a tragedy into something you can work with/Keep your finger on the pulse that’s in your pocket/Think about your brand" the lyrics go on, truthful of so many players in the scene. As is "The Poet Laureate of Neverland," which tells of elder hipsters that just don’t know how to let it go.
At points, Exposure and Response trades its snarkiness for cheekiness. "Freebin" and "Clear Frames" describe millennial Portland romance perfectly, the former relating the receptacle of choice for old love and old clothes alike being the freebin, and the latter a nod at the bad familiarity of similar looks between current and bygone relatioship partners.
Exposure and Response is a fetching ode to the nostalgic finesse of rock and power pop’s past. Its charm and sass packed into short bursts of songs
Philadelphia
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Debut Tact EP Available for Streaming & Download
Cat Park (Amanda X, Eight, All Bad, Bandname) consistently contributes new material to the local music scene. Tact pairs Park with drummer Jarret Nathan (Pears, All Bad, Ghost Light), and they recently shared their debut EP Interim, which barrels forward in a grunge/post-punk spectrum. The rhythm section churns following an aggressive track in steamroller fashion. However, that compact force of nature can step back in contemplative awareness, sorting through the overflow. The album was recorded by Evan Bernard and Chris Baglivo at Big Mama’s, and you can stream and download it for free below.
NYC
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Cale and the Gravity Well release EP “Creation Myths”, play PIANOS on 12.11
Hearken back to the already long-gone days of mid-2000s alt-rock with the new EP from Cale and the Gravity Well, Creation Myths. With eclectic instrumentation that sounds like the synth-tinged soft jams of Yeasayer or the Magnetic Fields, the five tracks of the EP showcase the production of Modest Mouse’s Jim Fairchild, as well as the knowledge of Sun Kil Moon engineer Mike Cresswell. Cale and the Gravity Well strike a balance between thunderous rock and soothing indie dream pop, especially on the track "Zambia", which you can stream below. The band’s toured throughout the fall to promote Creation Myths; they’ll play their final show of the tour on December 11th at PIANOS in the Lower East Side. – Will Sisskind
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Untitled.” – Teef x Lex Mason
“Untitled.,” the latest single from Teef, incorporates a sense of focus and urgency over a soul-sampled beat. Produced by Lex Mason, the track is set in the dim chill of the present/winter. There’s a duality of hustle and composure taking the immediate steps, without looking too far into the future. The artist sees past the dreariness, with a "won’t stop" determination.
NYC
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Alt-folker Seldomo drops new release, “Probably Cool”
"When things seem hard Seldomo is there to remind you that things are probably cool and you’ll be alright." So reads the blurb from Seldomo’s Bandcamp page, and man, if there’s something that we need to hear at the end of 2017, it’s that even when it seems like the world is crashing down, in all likelihood, in the end, we can still find a way to make (most) things work. Alt-folk artist, Seldomo, aims to express just that sentiment in his latest album, Probably Cool. The release is no-fuss folk-inspired music that at times can feel lax in its execution, but perhaps that’s one of the things that makes it so charming. Check out "Probably Cool" streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni