New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Desert Rock group Cloud Cruiser has released a 4 minute and 20 second song today, 4/20, called "King Couch". The track is set to be included on a new compilation from Shuga Records called Highly Recommended Chicago: Vol. 1: G6, The Legalization.
Cloud Cruiser is currently scheduled to perform at Beat Kitchen on May 30th with Boatman’s Toll and Trouble.
Joshua Virtue (of Free Snacks) has released his sophomore album, Jackie’s House. The album was written with the first two weeks of the shelter-in-place order and Virtue’s effort to help support his mother, Jacqueline (Jackie), his sister, and his grandmother. Growing up Jackie’s house was the hub of his community and this album will hopefully be a way for him to give back to woman that raised him.
Musically, the album is top notch LoFi hip hop with fantastic, laid back, beats and an appearance from Rahim Salaam and Ruby Watson.
Hop on, Connecticut’s Similar Kind is taking us on a ride towards the weekend, and it is magical. The beautiful ambiance created by lingering guitar chords, a twisting bassline, and lead singer Julia Breen’s exquisite vocals in the band’s latest single “Maria” engulfs you and transports you to your place of choice. The music has that blend of fierce modern rhythm and ‘80s dream pop that is catapulting acts like Tennis to the top of the charts, it is tasteful, and so cool-retro you cannot help get lost in it. In a time when any dose of endorphins will do, this Norwalk quintet is delivering a heavy dose to the masses. Stream the new single below, and see you on the other side of the weekend, New England. – Rene Cobar
Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood recently released a video for their take on AC/DC’s "If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)". The song is taken from their debut album Gigantosaur which will be released on vinyl May 22nd.
This is the Rock of Tony Rogers (vocals, keyboards, percussion, horns), John Scholvin (guitars, piano, vocals), Jackie Schimmel (bass guitar, vocals), and Larry Beers (drums, vocals).
In these trying times wherein every club and bar this side of the Hudson is shuttered indefinitely, we need a bop, a slapper, a two-step inducing jam to keep the party-in-place going. Thankfully, a champion emerges in the form of producer-songwriter-multihpyhenate Tatum Gale, whose new track “Joanna” provides the necessary downtempo vibe for a socially responsible indoor kickback. Vocalist Laura Jinn takes centerstage, with a sultry performance unraveling an indoor tale of unrequited love, soft-spoken both in its narrative and supporting production; shimmering keys and a chilled percussive beat make for a hazy instrumental that evokes feelings past, consistently minimalist yet always present and grooving. Reminiscent of the scaled-back atmospheric instrumentals heard on Yaeji’s EP2 and the progressive, dance-forward chillstep of Toro y Moi, it’s required listening for those among us with restless feet, seeking some necessary motion-inducing music — stream our premiere below, and keep an eye out for Gale’s sophomore EP Both dropping May 1st.
Liam Kazar has released his debut single, "Shoes Too Tight", and it’s accompanying video directed by Austin Vesely. The single highlights Kazar’s ability to be a modern day crooner while recruiting Lane Beckstom (bass), Spencer Tweedy (drums), and Ohmme (backing vocals) in support.
Jersey City songwriter and producer Amy Rage debuts her maximalist sound on new anthem “Doin’ It Right,” a dazzling showcase of synth-driven indie pop with nods to 80s femme forerunners such as Madonna and Blondie. A singular product of the artist’s existential crisis earlier this year, induced by the slog of the 9-5 and feelings of office-bound inertia, Rage turned to a small MIDI controller and a makeshift home studio to craft a vibrant sonic escape from the malaise. Hammering synthesizers and a strong emphasis on larger-the-life vocals, alongside emotional lyricism stressing how the right person can render the world’s sanity inane, propel this saturated electronic bop forward, delivering a single evocative of pop’s past and present stylings. Recommended for fans Charli XCX and Perfume Genius, stream our premiere below, and keep an eye out for Amy Rage’s forthcoming debut EP out later this year.
Indie Vets The Addisons have released a new EP called "100% Familiar". This is the group’s third EP and follow-up to 2019’s "Fake It".
The Addisons are Dave Lysien (vocals, guitar), Tom Counihan (vocals, guitar), Rick Uncapher (bass), and Jesse Carmona (drums, percussion).
Cloudtone recently released a live recording of their debut single, "Poinsettia", from a show that took place at Subt back in late January. The quartet released three singles in 2019 and have more new music planned for 2020.
This recording should help hold fans over until the next time we are able to see them live. However, if you need more, Noiseless Inc has also released footage of Cloudtone’s full performance that night.
Lower Automation has released a new single called "Father’s Shirt is a Dress on Me". This is the first new music from the Math Rock trio of Derek Allen, Brian Sutton, and Matt Walen since 2019’s "These Didn’t Fit" EP. The EP contained three outtakes from their 2018 album, Shoebox Companion.
