New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Retirement Party have released a second single, “Should It”, from their forthcoming LP, Somewhat Literate, which is due out May 25th via Counter Intuitive. This is the follow-up to their 2017 self-released debut EP, "Strictly Speaking". The first single form this LP was the terrific “Passion Fruit Tea” which received a ton of well-deserved attention.
You can help Retirement Party celebrate the release of their LP on June 15th at Beat Kitchen with What Gives, Dead Sun, and Lettering.
Ecstatic Vision pay tribute to their musical table-setters on the group’s latest EP Under The Influence, which is now available via Heavy Psych Sounds. Enter into cosmic overdrive as this hypnotic brand of heavy takes command. Raunchy riffs and howling, demonic vocals blaze a trail that one will intuitively follow. The band will be holding its release celebration on Friday June 8 at Kung Fu Necktie, supported by Narcos Family Band and High Reeper.
The Muse Maker, Enoch Kim (formerly of The Hudson Branch), released two tracks, “Follow Soul” (below) and “Therefore I Am”, from the forthcoming soundtrack to the documentary "app: the human story" this week. Kim composed all of the music for this Jake Schumaker film which focuses on the world of app creation and the human stories we don’t often consider.
The film is available now and the soundtrack will be released on May 22nd.
Joni Fatora enjoyed a fruitful career writing for other pop stars. During that time, the singer-songwriter, who goes by Joni, built the courage and confidence to put the credit into her own songs. And "Omens" is a satisfying first trial – the subtly layered midtempo track has a shimmering hook which progresses with a quietly haunting effect, where she exorcises the fears that plague her mind over an echoey production.
Listen to "Omens" below. Juan Rodríguez
Umbra & The Volcan Siege have released a new video for their song “Ark". The video was directed by Alex Sokol, and the song is taken from their recently released fourth LP, Someone Will Love You But Its Just Not Me, via TMB Limited.
The band, which formed back in 2006, is fronted by Jim Licka (The Luck of Eden Hall) and have been making ambitious Psych Rock ever since.
The quartet of Blushed is scheduled to release a split EP, So Cool, with Secret Nudists Friends on June 22 via Good How Are You Records. Its first single, “Weak,” gradually wades outward. A persistent backend rumbles and pushes forward, as angst-anchored vocals softly swell within the surf sound. You can catch the band on Thursday, May 10 at Kobol, as part of the 3-day Good How Are You Fest.
Beginning with the stream of bubbling, delayed guitar that opens “Don’t Look, Don’t Stare” it’s immediately clear that Oh Malô has a taste for ambience. Complete with generously textural guitar work—ranging from endlessly looped arpeggios to atmospheric swells—and an airy vocal delivery, the band’s follow-up to its 2016 debut LP aims for expansive, spacious compositions. At the same time, Oh Malô plays with a bright and, at times, almost lilting feel that keeps the group’s post-rock tendencies in a clear frame of reference. Fans of other experimental-leaning alt-rock acts will feel right at home with “Young Orchard” as vocal harmonies and syncopated drums abound. “Young Orchard” is out May 4, but you can stream it in advance of its release below. Don’t miss the band’s release party at Elsewhere on May 8th. – Cameron Carr
Thomas Comerford has completed his 3rd LP, Blood Moon, and is preparing for a June 22nd release. Comerford continues to hon his troubadour meets Americana sound on this album to beautiful results. He is joined this time by an array of local talent including Amalea Tshilds (Tallulah and Uptighty), Crystal Hartford (Dust Bunnies), John Lennox (Panoramic & True), and Azita Youssefi (Azita).
The album’s lead single is “Lull” and features acoustic bass from the talented Tatsu Aoki and percussion from Seth Vanek (Roommate).
You can help Comerford celebrate the new album on June 22nd at Hungry Brain with Quarter Mile Thunder.
No strangers to our blog and mag, Brooklyn punky garage rockers Thick have been building a steady following since their inception back in 2016. Emerging from the splinters of other local favorites, the three piece has harnessed an appealing mix of wild abandon and serious determination. Recent release “Bleeding” (streaming below) is a pedal down chugger that details how difficult life in the city can sometimes be. While the verses lay all this down with amusing lo-fi “oooh wah” background vocals, melodic riffs and sharp rhythmic accents come fast and hard. The chorus hits like a Hey-Ho Ramones fist pumping shout-along – “don’t touch me – I’m bleeding!” Having recently completed a mini-tour of prominent ivy league colleges, the band scheduled a hometown EP release show at Elsewhere on 5/24 appearing with Gymshorts, Chorizo and Lost Boy. The band is also scheduled to appear during the Northside Festival on 6/7. – Dave Cromwell
Ganser has released their debut full-length album, Odd Talk, via the local label No Trend Records. Below is the video for the album’s latest single “Satsuma”.
You can catch Ganser at Sleeping Village on May 17th with American Cosmonaut and The Bombats. They will also be performing Empty Bottle on June 26th and at Metro on Sept. 23rd.
District 97 launched a kickstarter this week to help fund their fourth studio album. The band, fronted by Leslie Hunt, has gone through a few line-up changes over the last 10 years, but sound great on their new song “Forest Fire".
The band is currently on their 10th anniversary tour, but plan to hit the studio first time with the revamped line-up when they return to Chicago.
San Francisco four-piece The Silhouette Era serves garage rock on a silver platter. Their surfy summer anthem for punks, “Waste Me” (streaming below), combines fun, gritty, guitar-driven rock with a notable level of musicianship (two out of four members study music composition at San Francisco State.) Their music is reckless yet clean, rowdy but with a purpose, and perfect for streaming all summer long. The rest of their self-titled EP will be out on June 22nd, and they will be celebrating with a show at the East Village Coffee Lounge in their hometown of Monterey the next day. – Lilly Milman
