New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
KAINA has released a third single and video called “Could Be A Curse”. The track is taken from her forthcoming debut album, Next To The Sun, and features Sen Morimoto, who also stars in the video.
Next To The Sun will be released on July 12th via Sooper Records and can be preorder here.
You can catch KAINA at Lincoln Hall on July 14th with Sen Morimoto, Luna Luna, Kara Jackson, and Kahekili.
Jon Worthy & The Bends have a busy summer ahead of them as they set out to promote their new album, Something’s Gotta Give, which will drop on June 28th. The record features some sounds new to the band, including the violin, cello, and accordion; it gives Worthy & The Bends more of a folk — if not a post-country — feel. But the instrumentation rounds out the tunes and balances well with Worthy’s powerful, emotional vocals. Worthy & The Bends will take Something’s Gotta Give around the southeast and Midwest before making a quick pit stop along the Northeast Corridor in August. The band will also play a plethora of music festivals this year including Musikfest 2019 in Bethlehem, PA, The Rhythm and Brews Fest in Newport, KY, and The River Rat Festival in Gallipolis, OH. Take a listen to the most recent single from Something’s Gotta Give, "Takin’ My Time", below. – Will Sisskind
We are proud to be able to premiere the debut single, “How Sad”, from Forever. This is a new project fronted by Jacob Rosenberg, and the single is taken from their forthcoming album, Ecstatics, which is due out September 1st.
The album was engineered by Dave Vettraino at Jamdek and Public House Recordings who has worked with Lala Lala, Deeper, Pool Holograph, and many others.
The Brooklyn-based dreamfolk band a.harlana has released this new video for their song, "Textile Workers" from their latest EP ada belle. The trio started their career making shoegaze-type textured music with a 2018 release of sparse, simple covers, titled adventure dog covers. In 2019, their changes are coming from within: realizing a creative process that nurtured original music, the band locked themselves away for approximately a month, churning out the three songs "Textile Workers," "Faces," and "The Thunderings Are Nearly Through."
The wistfulness, plus a penchant for fingerpicking makes for a thoughtful take on dream-pop, while the video streaming below adds a welcome element of evocative playfulness. – Susan Moon
Lil Nas X’s chart-topping success with "Old Town Road" reinvigorated the debate over how one approaches musical genres. Is it about sonic structure, lyrical setting, the overall lifestyle/culture it depicts, etc.? That being said, Joy Again have new single that they’ve titled “Country Song”. The recording melds the warmth of slide and acoustic guitar, with keys and backend, helping yopur mind meander down some backwoods road. The track morphs over the course of time, bring to mind Ween-esque musical terrain, shifting expectations. Is it a "country song"?
The music of Boston’s Modern Painters drips a syrupy sonic collage of influences that when looked at from afar create a harmonious portrait worth admiring. The various textures that range from honeyed pianoforte phrases to vibrantly colored electric guitar flourishes betray the group’s indie-folk label, transcending it, sketching slowly something far more complex. The group’s latest single “Hive” lingers beautifully, paced by an initially feather-light jazz drum beat that revs up to meet the arpeggiating guitar and thumping bass inspired by your favorite indie-rock record. The lead vocals of Gabe Goodman are entrancing enough to match today’s dream-pop stars and mist away in the single to make way for an irresistible sax solo that melts like butter under the summer sun. Modern Painters are gearing up for the release of City Folk, their first album in nearly two years. The release show will be at ONCE in Somerville on July 5th, and we are thrilled to preview the record for you by streaming “Hive” below. – Rene Cobar
Meat Sweats is a new project, featuring members of The Districts and Tate, and the band just dropped its debut single, “Who Shat On The Carpet? (My New Shag Carpet!)”. A buzz of feedback leads into a bristling combination of bass, drums, and guitar. Harkening back to Riot Grrrl days, a loose yet aggressive tone disperses in short order. The vocals capture an assertive self-confidence, reevaluating in the aftermath the dissolving of a relationship.
Bells Atlas just released their latest music video for song "The Mystic" and it’s full of mystical tones and trippy dance moves. It’s difficult to look away from what feels like a live painting jolting into action and feeling. The song starts out with a kick-kick drum snap like a call and a march, then eventually moves into that psyched out R&B vibe they’re known for. Enjoy this fascinating scene and wait for the shimmering dance plastic. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor
Oh, Rose is playing with Yeasayer at The Fillmore this June 28 a few weeks ahead of their official album release date. While My Father Sleeps (Park the Van Records) is dizzying, at times enigmatic, grungy rock with distorted guitars. Songs are fiery and emotional. Song "25 Alive" opens with "Am I strong enough to tell my truth/25 I am alive and I am angry." Sweet vocals pair with with perfect amount of chugging guitar. Come see them at The Fillmore June 28. – Lucille Faulkner
Slomo Sapiens recently shared the lead single off their forthcoming debut LP Cabin Fever Dreams. “Jeepers Creepers” brings in some grimy, night-sweats instrumentation, to make your skin crawl. Fuzzed-out guitar and a foreboding rhythm section create a bewitching, garage-psych groove. "Nothin’ sweeter than this."
Seemingly fitting for a morning drive around Round Rock, TX or a slow Saturday-night cruise down Red River Street in Austin, Welsh Avenue‘s latest single "Two-Door Coupe" has a universal feel-good vibe. The electro-pop single’s synthesized strains create a lush sonic atmosphere which nestles the groovy beat and enthusiastic vocals that give the song its vivid feel. "I wrote this song back when I drove a Mustang. I have since moved onto the SUV life, but I still enjoy open road adventures and the occasional putting the pedal to the metal; that’s what this song is about," is what Welsh Avenue project-founder Mark DiLillo had to say about the track. With the single’s rich amalgam of synth-pop and new wave, Welsh Avenue provides a sneak peek of the sonic kaleidoscope in store in its upcoming sophomore album New Ways. The record release show will be on July 5th at Butterfly Bar inside the VORTEX in Austin. Welsh Avenue is proving that electro-pop is as lively as ever, one sticky track at a time. We are premiering the Round Rock native’s single below. – Rene Cobar
