Brooklyn indie rock trio Valentin Marx is premiering here a brand new single, titled “Made Up.”. This band has certainly reemerged with an enlightened new perspective on this track, exposing more than just their collaborative talent. “Made Up” offers a bold look at the modern social landscape (and all zombifying apps that come with it), voicing the afflictions of forming relationships in the digital age—and it does it with style. Starting with an airy dream-pop feel, the song’s smooth jangly guitars in the opening are met by lead singer Andrew Kissel’s slacker-ish vocals, forming a tension that is all too fitting for this track’s lyrical context. Being just the first taste of this band’s upcoming releases, “Made Up” gives a relatable, jam-worthy preview of the new material that can be expected in the new year. Check out Valentin Marx’s newest single below and stream their earlier music on Bandcamp. – Rebecca Carroll
New Orion Sun Mixtape Available for Streaming
Versatile musician, producer, singer Tiffany Majette, a.k.a. Orion Sun, recently shared a side-long sonic quilt, entitled “Test:Experimental Tape”. Fusing familiar hip-hop fragments from such staples as Redman’s “Can’t Wait,” A Tribe Called Quest’s “1nce Again,” Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” the mix weaves unreleased songs, and remixes ones left off next year’s forthcoming album, serving as a teaser of sorts. There’s a delicate singer-songwriter/R&B vibe as subtle keys and beats intermingle. That ability to intertwine fabric from the past with ones own originality as both an acknowledgement/tribute and origin story is a difficult needle to thread.
Protovulcan
The futuristic Post-Industrial trio Protovulcan has announced a new double EP, “Life Is Twigs” b/w “Psychic Pinball” which is due out January 25th. The album’s first single is called “The Force Remains The Same”, and is accompanied by a wild Evan Tyler directed video.
You can help Protovulcan celebrate the new album on January 10th at The Emporium with The Velco Lewis Group and Spiral Galaxy.
Sean McVerry plays with consumerism in his new video “Burning Out”
You’d be hard pressed to find a music video that’s as anxiety-driven as Sean McVerry’s recently released “Burning Out,” a narrative short film of sorts that explores what happens when everything goes completely wrong. Shot as a side-by-side comparison over the course of a day, “Burning” shows several key moments, contrasting positive outcomes with negative ones, with the latter sequence of events coalescing with McVerry driving away in a Hyundai from an angry mob. The final moments frame the music video as a tongue-in-cheek commercial for Hyundai itself, a parody of the solutions offered by consumer goods to life’s problems. Against the humor of these video, the track itself is bombastic synth pop jam, complete with percussive electronic beats and ’80s influenced textures; these elements all heighten the drama of McVerry’s lyrics and vocal performance, contributing to a final output that is as explosive as it is perfectly weird.
McVerry will perform at Rockwood Music Hall on December 12th. Watch the video for "Burning Out" below. -Connor Beckett McInerney (@b_ck_tt), Photo by Jesse McFadden
Todd Kessler “One More Note”
Todd Kessler has released beautifully cinematic video for song “One More Note”. The song is taken from his 2017 LP, About Memory.
You can catch Todd at Montrose Saloon on December 22nd with Jared Rabin and Donnie Biggins.
New Music Video: “Sink” – Buddie
The quartet of Buddie has a new single, “Sink,” and its accompanying video. The song exhibits a relatable sense of isolation and awkwardness, even when surrounded by friendly faces. That self-aware nature of seeing yourself from the outside looking in amid social settings flips the track into an anthem. Depicting the characters mentioned in the songs chorus, while sitting around a fire and relaxing, the video, directed by Andrew Silverman (Bigmouth Philly), is a humorous take on those moments when one becomes entrenched in their own insecurities. Buddie is set to perform this Saturday, December 8 at No Face Studios, with Twiin, LunchBox President, and Reaux Freeman.
Deeper’s West Coast Tour
Deeper has announced that their first ever West Coast tour will kick off in early 2019 in support of their most recent self-titled album and featuring The Districts. The band recently performed their latest single from the album, “Pink Showers”, for BreakThruRadio, and you can watch that performance below.
You can find all of the dates below, and help them kick off the tour on January 11th at Sleeping Village with The Hecks.
Mon. Jan. 14 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Tue. Jan. 15 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda
Thu. Jan. 17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Fri. Jan. 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
Sat. Jan. 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
Mon. Jan. 21 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
Tue. Jan. 22 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
Wed. Jan. 23 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Velvet Jones
Fri. Jan. 25 – Fresno, CA @ Strummers
Sat. Jan. 26 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent
Mon. Jan. 28 – Eugene, OR @ Hifi Music Hall
Tue. Jan. 29 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Wed. Jan. 30 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe
Fri. Feb. 1 – Missoula, MT @ Top Hat
Sat. Feb. 2 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Mon. Feb. 4 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
Fri. Feb. 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
Sat. Feb. 9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
New Music Video: “Nothing Is Real” – Eric Slick
“A song cycle about the first Jewish American matador, Sidney Franklin,” Bullfighter, the forthcoming EP from Eric Slick, was co-produced by Michael Johnson (Ape School), and is slated for release via Boiled Records on January 18. Strings, piano, and percussion collide in an ominous illusion, breaking reality on its lead single, “Nothing Is Real”. Those menacing tones are realized in the song’s video, which was animated and directed by Slick. There’s a dramatic grace to the imagery, with its impending implications hanging in the balance, seen from various angles. You can catch Eric Slick at Johnny Brenda’s on Sunday, January 6, as part of a lineup that also includes Mdou Moctar and Skyler Skjelset.
Whoa Dakota performs at LunaSea Holiday bash at East Room on 12.09
Celebrate the holidays early with Whoa Dakota and a whole slate of her fellow LunaSea Media artists on December 9th at The East Room! It’s the second anniversary of the Nashville indie record label, and its artists are turning out for a night of music in which they’ll cover some Christmas classics as well as each others songs. For example, Whoa Dakota will cover the songs of Tayls, her indie-psych pop tour-de-force label mate; in return, Tayls will perform some of Whoa Dakota’s latest NPR-approved tracks. Among the other artists joining them are Kelly Hoppenjans, Molly Rocket, Athena, Pet Envy, and more! Plus, you can enjoy the music while shopping at a holiday market filled with local vendors. Get festive with your favorite local artists! For a taste of what you’ll hear, take a listen to Whoa Dakota’s "Patterns" from her NPR Tiny Desk Contest submission below. – Will Sisskind
Huck blends hazy slacker rock with bedroom pop + plays Mercury on NYE
Huck’s music is a product of the internet era. Brooklyn musician John Wolfe blends woozy slacker rock with the bedroom beats of SoundCloud in a way once unexpected but increasingly popular among DIY producers. His latest track “Scrimmage” sees Mac Demarco-style synths with tight production and the syrupy soft rap of Sophie Meiers. Elsewhere Huck leans into melodic guitar (“Summer Lovin’”) and stuttering electronica (“Without You”). A sort of slight eclecticism that merges styles moving with parallels. You can catch Huck live opening for Blac Rabbit at Mercury Lounge on December 30 or joining Goth Babe, B.Miles, and Pom Pom Squad at Baby’s All Right on January 30. Listen to "Scrimmage" below. – Cameron Carr
New Track: “Endless Serpent” – R. Sims Hardin
R. Sims Hardin (Dark Web, JUICE) recently shared a new single. “Endless Serpent” advances in an urgent, krautrock march. A psych spin and pulsating bass create a hypnotic composition. Dispensed from high above, the muted vocals play into the sonic mystery.
Grimey Palace
Grimey Palace is the experimental hip hop duo of Lucid Thomas and Dr. Vic Vex. They are preparing to release their debut album, Tales From The Sick, on December 12th via the Arts Collective Promise You.
The album’s lead single is called "Steve Kerr” and can be streamed below.