New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Three piece instrumental rock group Graphics is preparing to release their debut cassette, Meaninglessnessless, this weekend via Planted Tapes. Earlier this year the trio released a live recording called “Orotund” which can give you sense of the complex rhythms they manage to create on just guitar, bass, and drums.
You can help Graphics celebrate the release on December 12th at Cafe Mustache with Norman Long and Drosophila.
Nick Ferrio is a singer/songwriter based in Peterborough. Often compared to the likes of Blue Rodeo; Ferrio makes solid roots rock tunes but adds a modern indie twist. You can hear this on “Anxiety” from his 2018 album “Have A Nice Day”. It’s a mellow folk rock tune with jangly guitars and relatable lyrics in today’s world. Ferrio will be in Toronto at the Rivoli on December 14th with Lenny Bull and Side Hustle. – Kris Gies
Axons are preparing to release the first single from their forthcoming album, I Object to Everything. This is the trio’s first album since 2014 when this was just a solo project of Adele Nicholas. Axons is now the work of Adele Nicholas (songs and guitars), Neal Conrad (drums), and Princess Ojiaku (bass).
Below is a demo of a song called “Past, Present and Future” to give you sense of what can be expected from the new album.
You can catch Axons on December 14th at Tone Deaf Records (4356 N. Milwaukee) with Jessica Risker and Thomas Comerford Band.
Lindsay Kay produces thought-out and graceful musical art pieces tied to her multi-faceted personality. In her new video for "Clean & Fair", the single from Kay’s 2018 album For the Feminine, By the Feminine, the feminist singer-songwriter sings of reclaiming female personal space and identity. Much of the political turmoil and anger from women during the 2016 election influenced Kay’s songwriting, and as we go into a new decade, her words continue to ring relevant even today. But you would not know of the chaos that formed "Clean & Fair", for the song is nothing more than Kay’s crystalline voice over a somber piano. Nonetheless, that’s all the song really needs; it’s a beautiful piece of work. Take a look at the music video for "Clean & Fair" below. – Will Sisskind
The Darling Suns recently released a new single called “Afterglow”. This follows the release of the band’s 2019 album, Midnight Feelings.
You can catch The Darling Suns on January 18th at Emporium Arcade Bar with The Cordial and Tiny Kingdoms.
A defining characteristic of modern musicians today is that they do not only create tunes to jam to but entire worlds to immerse in, atmospheres rich with their personalities. Amy Beauregard and Corey Zwart, known to some as AB/CZ, have done just that with their December single “Yellow Into Blue,” which takes traditional Americana instrumentation and blends it slowly with lingering distorted guitar-chords for an ever-quaking track that is a feast of sonic delicacies. You have an assertive drum beat, distant guitar solos, mighty vocals, and the best part, which is how one can truly appreciate each thanks to the track’s length: bask in the composition. The debut single is a fine introduction to the duo’s psych-Americana vibe; the Lowell, Massachusetts duo gets extra points for blending New England’s folk history with a more modern feel. Stream “Yellow Into Blue” below for a much-deserved Monday pick-me-up treat. – Rene Cobar
V.V. Lightbody (aka Vivian McConnell) recently released a video for “Baby, Honestly”. This was one of the two single Lightbody released this year, and the video was directed by Alex Babbitt.
You can Vivan performing on December 20th at Sleeping Village as part of a new duo called Valeboi with Daniel Villarreal of Dos Santos. She will also be performing with V.V. Lightbody on January 17th at Lincoln Hall as an opening act for Stella Donnelly, and as a part of Tomorrow Never Knows.
Over the last two year Mending, Kate Adams and Joshua Dumas, has told a story that spans decades through their beautiful blend of folk and drone. This week they released the final installment in the nine part series, “Christopher at The End”.
Here is the brief overview of where the story is as it ends. In year 39-40, safe among family and friends in his home, six-year-old Christopher tries to make sense of his rapidly changing world. But unmitigated climate change with increasingly volatile weather, and a militarized authoritarian government threaten the sanctity of Wakerobin Hollow. This chapter, told entirely through the eyes of this young child, filtered and abstracted by his naïveté, joy, and fear, brings us to the conclusion of Book 001.
You can catch Mending opening for Dried Spiders at Middle Brow Bungalow on Dec 29 for free.
Power Pop trio El Gato Roboto has released a new single called “Merry, Merry Christmas”. This follows their 2019 debut album, Heavy Petting, which was released back in February.
This is the work of Brian Demski (drums, guitar, organ, percussion), Jennifer Thornbury (vocals), and Patrick Thornbury (bass).
You can join El Gato Roboto for a Christmas celebration on December 20th at Montrose Saloon with John San Juan and Band Black.
Winter‘s music has always sparkled with dream pop shimmer, but despite the title of the band’s new EP Hazy, the sound waves away the smoke and mirrors of production to introduce something more raw and unrefined. Samira Winter sings on five lo-fi tracks recorded in her Echo Park bedroom, all influenced by the likes of Sparklehorse and Elliot Smith. The stripped-down format creates a more vulnerable platform for Winter to share tracks full of unobscured emotion such as "I Feel" and "Bad News". But even with the more rough production value, the shimmer remains the same. Take a listen to Hazy below. – Will Sisskind
Andy Grozier recently released a new single called “Don’t Forget The Lights”. This is the songwriters first release since his 2018 album Close To Midnight. Grozier, originally from Scotland, has embraced Chicago and the Alt-Country sound.
New York alternative-R&B crooner Harrison Lipton returns with his latest slow jam, “2 Good 4 Me,” a song billed as the “world’s softest diss track.” Inspired by a less-than-positive public critique of Lipton’s 2018 single “Pool," Lipton, rather than going on the offensive, finds himself cooly turning inwards, examining facets of his persona, his personal journey with queerness, and his life as an artist in NYC. While the song’s primary narrative is rife with self-doubt and anger, its surface level vibe is as nonchalant as ever; easygoing 80s keyboards, Lipton’s distant vocal performance, and an Act 5 surprise sax solo layed down by Zach Berro exude radiant coolness. This combination of components both introspective and confident make “2 Good 4 Me” a resonating effort, a relatable tune for anyone who’s struggled to keep their composure in a world of constant criticism. Listen below, and catch Harrison Lipton at Mercury Lounge on December 12th. —Connor Beckett McInerney
