Anna Agosta may be one of the most underrated musician in the city today. Last Fall she released her debut Ep, “Greenhouse”, which featured the standout single, “Never Fall” (video below). Through out the five songs on the EP, Agosta demonstrated powerful, soulful vocals and an ear for talented production partners. We are eagerly awaiting her next release and strongly feel that more of the city should be as well.
You can catch Anna Agosta on June 21st at Beat Kitchen opening for Emily Blue and LA’s Tim Atlas.
One of the most unique sets I have listened to in a while, Cabin Fever is the shoegazing band I have been looking for. The band’s latest music video for "The Brown Bunny" is a studio recording that eccentrically highlights every affliction and consolation of the group. Band members Sean Moriarty, Joel Bedolla and Tripp Beam team up with Alvaro Vela, Jon Joseph, and Patrick Taylor to release their forthcoming EP, Exercise The Demon. An epic collage of soft grunge, experiential sounds, and shoegazing melancholy will light up your speakers and melt your subconscious. The music video focuses solely on the musicians, their performance, and the instruments, something that’s not typically a focal point in videos, but is a pure high for the viewer. That we don’t see the faces of the band members aids the audience to focus on the actual music and the messages they are itching to portray. The video for "The Brown Bunny" gives solidarity to the band member’s unique individual talents and adds a je ne sais quoi to their already alluring arrangements. As they’ve described via their instagram page, it’s “Simple songs for complicated people.” Kayla Hay
Boston singer-songwriter Will Dailey makes the type of introspective, feel-good folk that sticks in your thoughts. The single “It Already Would Have Not Worked Out By Now” (streaming below) off of his most recent album Golden Walker, released June 1, only further proves his ability to stay relevant as a songwriter. The melodic track is reminiscent of Vance Joy in style, but with a baroque build that is undeniably that of Will Dailey. Fresh off a string of local Boston shows, Dailey is now on his way to play the Bath Heritage Festival in Bath, Maine on June 30. After that, he will be hitting Nextival in Crownsville, Maryland on July 14. – Lilly Milman
Joseph Chilliams released the video for the first single, “Karen’s Song”, from his forthcoming EP, "The Plastics” late last week.The video was beautifully directed by Zoe Rain and features Kaina and Sen Morimoto. "The Plastics" will be released in full tomorrow, June 19th.
Joseph Chilliams is hosting a listening event for “The Plastics” on Wednesday, June 20th at 1875 N Milwaukee Ave and you can RSVP here.
On first listen, the songs and sounds of Renata Zeiguer’s debut album Old Ghost are deceivingly simple. Indie rock influences clash with her delicate voice in interesting if not straightforward ways. Yet there’s an appealing aspect of Old Ghost that continues to draw the listener in as she paints an image of the world that is filled with naturally occurring voids that are at once brutal and beautiful. Her voice feels equally morose and triumphant as she explores themes of identity and loss. Nature also plays a large role in Zeiguer’s lyrics; cosmic elements of our world like the moon and the mundane creatures who inhabit it both haunt and captivate the singer. These poetic lyrics burrow themselves in her ethereal voice and unfold in expansive and cathartic moments as the production swerves from angular to harmonious. Old Ghost is an album that burns softly if heard in the background but illuminates brightly when it is lived with. The entire record can be streamed below and you can hear Zeiguer perform at Elsewhere on June 20. – Tucker Pennington
Krust Toons: "Assume" by Tedd Hazard – please feel free to drop him a line at teddandthehazards@gmail.com if you dig or have any funny ideas. You can also check out more of his illustrations and animation shorts HERE.
Circuit des Yeux has released a Veronica Crockford-Pound direct video for her song “Falling Blonde”. The track is taken from her 2017 Drag City release, Reaching for Indigo.
You can catch Circuit des Yeux at Pitchfork Music Festival on July 21st at 4pm on the Blue Stage.
After teasing us with a few lo-fi demo cassettes, containing songs featured on their new studio release, Dark Thoughts‘s sophomore album, At Work, is now available via Stupid Bag Records/Drunken Sailor Records. The band continues to build on their catalogue of Ramones-inspired pop-punk that has carried their tunes from the DIY spaces of Philly to a wider national/international audience. The punk trio is scheduled to head out on the road next month, and will be coming home to a gig at Boot & Saddle, opening for Iron Chic. You can stream and download At Work below.
SoloSam has been preparing to release his first self-produced EP, “ITIS", for several months. The EP’s first single, “Fast”, came out back in December and really started to build the hype.
SoloSam is hosting an EP listening party on June 21st at Traditions Barber Parlor 3 (1111 N. Ashland), and you can RSVP here.
The title of Kahiem Rivera’s breakout release, Be Quiet, Pt. 1 EP, isn’t so much of a command of silence as it is the mode in which he conveys his thoughts. His voice, slightly nasal and assured, slithers in between of whisper and a confession. The production is hushed, and many of the introspective lines can breeze past the listener as the muted psychedelic beats offer a dreamy hideaway. This isn’t a soft, pleasant listen though. Many of Rivera’s lines, while seemingly straightforward, hide rage and melancholy for his generation and the younger kids who will follow their footsteps. Guest vocals from artists like Rosehardt and snake eyes push the ethereal vibes of this release into hypnotic territories. Be Quiet, Pt. 1 EP is a release that is crystalline and fragile, as if at any moment the production or lyrics could cause the songs to collapse, yet it’s this vulnerable and delicate balance that makes Rivera such a compelling artist. To create with an emphasis on subdued feelings makes every verse and every beat feel vital. You can hear the full EP below and see Rivera live at Elsewhere on June 22. – Tucker Pennington
When listening to Gillian Frances’ debut EP Born Yesterday, the soft, ambient acoustics wash over you gently like waves. It’s not hard to be lulled to sleep by Frances’ gentle vocals, as she plaintively croons her poetic lyrics. Her voice is ethereal and tinged with a uniquely biting sweetness and her lyrics display a distinct worldview. Born Yesterday gives the audience a glimpse into a motionless world filled with the sort of nostalgia associated with forgotten memories and lost things. The EP is both mournful for the past and hopeful for the future. At times her music sounds eerily familiar, hinting at inspiration from acts such as Neutral Milk Hotel. It’s an impressive first release which was recently reissued on Good Cherry Records.
Clearance released a new video for their latest single, “Destination Wedding”, from the forthcoming LP, At Your Leisure, late last week. As we mentioned earlier, their new LP will be released via Topshelf Records on July 27th.
You can help Clearance celebrate the released of their new LP at The Hideout on August 3rd with Deeper.
