Bee Appleseed will release his new psych folk album Starflower’s Cosmic Soul on February 21st, but he has already shared a small part of his ethereal sound in the single "I Was Dreaming". The jangle pop of Bee Appleseed takes from Devendra Banhart and Beirut and tacks on the powerful wail of a saxophone, which matched with Appleseed’s voice creates a sound that embodies the meaning of spirit. Backed by a 15-piece band and a cloud of incense, Appleseed uses every facet of his musical ability to craft tracks that seek to help listeners find their own cosmic soul. Take a listen to "I Was Dreaming" below, and look out for Starflower’s Cosmic Soul in February. – Will Sisskind
Chicago
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Ratboys “I Go Out At Night”
Ratboys have released visual for the latest single, “I Go Out At Night”, from their forthcoming album Printer’s Devil. The album is set for release on February 28th via Topself.
You can help Ratboys celebrate the release of their album on February 28th at Lincoln Hall with Slow Mass.
Chicago
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Mick Jenkins “The Circus”
Mick Jenkins has released a new EP called “The Circus” today, January 10th. The EP’s first single is called “Carefree”, which is accompanied by the video below, and was produced by Black Milk.
You can catch Mick at House of Blues on January 31st with Earthgang.
Chicago
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Leland Philpot “Jesus Take It All (IWannaSee)”
Producer/Emcee Leland Philpot is back with a new single called “Jesus Take It All (IWannaSee)”. The track pulls no punches in stating Philpot’s faith and accompany video demonstrates his love for our city.
Philpot has a lot planned for 2020 and if this beat is any indication it is going to be great. He recently told us that "THIS is the time to go hard as you can for your destiny, alright?”, and it is clear that this is exactly what he is doing.
NYC
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Get haunted with Ghost Piss at Berlin 1.16
Imagining the haunted machinations of a drum machine is a good way to begin to understand Ghost Piss’s sound. Songwriter and purveyor of 808s River Allen excels at creating spacey electro-pop with off-kilter subject matter, from her ode to Stranger Things’s Nancy Kerrigan (“Nancy, Oh Nancy”) to her celebration of shiny teeth enthusiasts (“I’m Chip Skylark”). Underscored by echoing beats, atmospheric vocals, and a minimalist mindset, Allen’s tracks bring an experimental, dance-friendly soundtrack for nights out on the town or a private disco in your own bedroom; give it a listen below, and see Ghost Piss at Berlin on January 16th, alongside Den-Mate, The Spookfish, and Loren Beri.
NYC
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Keep calm with Dropper’s garage rock, see them at Rough Trade 1.15
Garage rock four piece Dropper’s debut EP is a sun-drenched, nonchalant release, marching forward at an easygoing pace, bright guitar work and a muted-yet-emotional vocal performances in hand. Even during the release’s most heated moments, such as the shredding breakdowns on “$2 Beer,” Dropper manages to keep their sound centered and energetic, endowing their self-titled effort with an atmosphere that is engaging, never cacophonous. It’s a difficult task to produce guitar-driven rock that spirals outwards as a means of creating a compelling listen, but Dropper are confident keeping things calmly focused; listen to it below, and see the band perform at Rough Trade on January 15th, opening for THICK. —Connor Beckett McInerney
New England
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Desmo opens up in new album “F*cked Up Kid”
Maine’s Desmo seems to have compiled years of reflection, anger, and hope into his latest effort, F*cked Up Kid: the record is filled with life stories, told to the beat of his tracks, exquisitely-produced to contrast against his somewhat crude vocals. The title track, like most in the EP, opens up with atmospheric instrumentation that plunges into an abyss of memories where a sustained bass rumbles on. Echoes, warm piano notes, heavy reverb, and more burst out of each track. From upbeat-yet-ominous songs like “Phantom” to a refreshing take on Puddle of Mudd’s “Blurry,” the record is a delicious alternative rap cocktail, prepped in Portland for all to savor. If the new record is something of a life story for Duncan Cook, the man known as Desmo, then it is well-executed poetry because from one track to the next, there is a feeling of genuineness, both tragic and uplifting. The vulnerable track “Come Home” from the new record is streaming below. – Rene Cobar
Chicago
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Post Animal “Fitness”
Post Animal have kicked off 2020 by sharing the third single, “Fitness”, from their forthcoming sophomore album, Forward Motion Godyssey. The album, the band’s first since 2018’s debut When I Think Of You In A Castle, is set to be released via Polyvinyl on February 14th.
This is Psych Pop of Dalton Allison, Jake Hirshland, Javi Reyes, Wesley Toledo, and Matt Williams.
You can catch Post Animal on April 23rd at Thalia Hall.
L.A.
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01.11: Maria Blues supports ska-tinged debut LP at The Concert Lounge
A fourth wave of ska has emerged in full force, and LA is the epicenter from which its waves originate. Among the talented artists creating new music of this style is Maria Blues, who released her debut album Look Who It Is last month. The singer-songwriter fuses reggae, ska, cumbia, and soul together to create tracks that are catchy and emotions. Blues’s lyrics switch between English and Spanish and seek to uplift those who don’t often feel that they have a voice, especially women. Many of the tracks on Look Who It Is came from the last few years of Blues’s career, especially "Rude Monkey", which saw its music video released in 2018. To celebrate Look Who It Is, Blues and her band will play The Concert Lounge in Riverside on January 11th. Go check her out, and take a look now at the music video for "Rude Monkey". – Will Sisskind
Chicago
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The Band Royale
The Band Royale has released their latest album, their first since 2017’s Delusions of Grandeur EP.
This is the anthemic rock of brothers Joel Bauman (Guitars, Vocals), Nate Bauman (Drums), and Zach Bauman (Rhythm Guitars, Keys).
The group released two singles from this album in 2019, “Loose Lips Sink Ships” and “Surf Kings”.
You can help the brothers celebrate the release of their album at Lincoln Hall on January 22nd with The Tomblands.
Chicago
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The Side-Bets
Garage Rock trio The Side-Bets have released their first two single, “No Way!” and "Feel’n Bad”. The nearly formed group features members that have played with bands like TV Slime, The Lucks, and other well-respected local DIY bands.
You can catch The Side-Bets at Empty Bottle on February 3rd with Masonic Wave, DEN, and Salvation.