dry cleaning
Dry Cleaning Stretches Out On ‘No Decent Shoes for Rain’
Dry Cleaning stretches out on the nearly six-minute new single “No Decent Shoes for Rain,” the latest track to be previewed from its upcoming album, Stumpwork (Oct. 21). The song “is inspired by grief, grief over past relationships, grief for loved ones who have died, and all the things that come with that; loneliness, numbness, yearning, ruminating about the past,” according to vocalist Florence Shaw, whose narrative talent shines on the undulating, largely spoken-word “No Decent Shoes for Rain.” [embedded content][embedded content] “No Decent Shoes for Rain” follows previous singles “Gary Ashby,” “Don’t Press Me” and “Anna Calls From the Arctic.” Dry Cleaning played a few shows in the U.S. ahead of the release of Stumpwork, and will be back on tour in Europe beginning Nov. 8 in Paris. A ...
Dry Cleaning Ponders Missing Tortoise ‘Gary Ashby’ in New Song
Ahead of their October sophomore release, London-based post-punkers Dry Cleaning have unveiled Stumpwork‘s third single, “Gary Ashby.” The two-minute ode for a runaway tortoise swings like a Wet Leg track, while singer Florence Shaw’s melodies ooze like Nico’s. The quartet wrote “Gary Ashby” back in December 2020, making it one of the first new tracks written after Dry Cleaning recorded their debut. The song is “a lament about a pet tortoise, escaped as a result of family chaos,” according to a press release. As previously reported, Stumpwork is out Oct. 21. Dry Cleaning began writing material for it before their debut, New Long Leg, had even been released. The band is gearing up for a headlining world tour, which will begin on Sept. 17. Tickets go on sale at 10 am local on ...
Dry Cleaning ‘Press’ on With New Single, Album
Buzzy U.K. band Dry Cleaning is quickly following up its acclaimed 2021 4AD debut New Long Leg with the new album Stumpwork, due Oct. 21. The first single is “Don’t Press Me,” a 1:53-slice of jangly, jagged indie rock accompanied by a highly amusing animated video directed by Peter Millard. Vocalist Florence Shaw says, “The words in the chorus came about because I was trying to write a song to sing to my own brain: ‘You are always fighting me / You are always stressing me out.’” [embedded content][embedded content] Stumpwork was recorded in rural Wales with the same team behind New Long Leg, including producer John Parish. According to a release, “imposter syndrome and anxiety was replaced by a fresh freedom and openness to explore beyond an already rangy sonic palette … a newfound confide...
The 30 Best Songs of 2021
A pair of rappers pulling off the best Tom Tom Club sample since Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” (G Perico & Rucci), an iconic New Wave band trafficking in tongue-in-cheek nostalgia (Duran Duran), a blackgaze act embracing their love of vocal harmony (Deafheaven), and psych-rockers using the shopping mall as a metaphor for capitalist greed (My Morning Jacket) — SPIN‘s 30 Best Songs of 2021 offer something for everyone. For our latest year-end track recap, we kept our overall sorting process the same as 2020: For a cut to be eligible, it needed to be one of two things: 1) a stand-alone single released in 2021 or 2) part of an album issued in 2021. 30. Beatrice Deer – “The Storm” The sound is so simple that, at first, it feels almost formless: a primal drum groove, shards of metallic elect...
The 30 Best Albums of 2021
Back in June, SPIN published The 30 Best Albums of 2021 (So Far), rounding up everything from mainstream rock to experimental hip-hop. Six months later, we’re back with our year-end recap — and it’s interesting how, even though the stylistic balance has stayed consistent, the picks themselves haven’t. While this list also covers a lot of ground, only six of those earlier records wound up in our final tally. Below, you’ll find massive R&B collaborations (Silk Sonic), trendy pop breakouts (Olivia Rodrigo), big-ticket indie-rock (The War on Drugs), prog-metal giants (Mastodon), and acclaimed indie-rap (Benny the Butcher & Harry Fraud). Looking back at Pandemic Year Number Two, when the music industry forecast seemed to shift on a daily basis, perhaps these changes are only fittin...
The 50 Best Rock Bands Right Now
First, let’s take care of the obvious. Despite the still-persistent narrative that such music is “dead,” there are way more than 50 excellent rock bands out there. And there’s no exact science to scooping the cream of the crop. Our list includes arena-packing veterans but also semi-obscure indie acts who’ve barely escaped their basements. There are no hard rules here. Our methodology was simple: ask our writers and staff which rock bands feel worthy of recognition right now. But we did aim for a wide scope — throughout, you’ll find flavors of psych, post-punk, hardcore, metal, even country. If it feels like rock, it’s on the table. Consider SPIN‘s 2021 roundup — just like last year’s — a thermometer, taking the temperature of modern rock in all its various mutations. Altın Gün Ho...
The 30 Best Songs of 2021 (So Far)
Best Album lists tend to earn all the internet hype — it always feels like a somewhat serious, academic endeavor, adding to the pantheon of OK Computers and To Pimp a Butterflys. But Best Songs lists are weirder, messier, even more challenging on a nuts and bolts level. (When was this song released? When was the album released? Does it need to be singles only?) While LP lists tend to follow the critical consensus, songs lists are harder to predict. And that makes them fun to explore. Below, we gathered our 30 favorite tracks of 2021 so far. (In this case, we decided songs from any 2021 albums were on the table.) And as you’ll notice, we swerved all over the map — from Bieber to Black Country, New Road. Let’s meet back here in six months and see how things shake out. Bachelor – “Anything At...
The 30 Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)
Despite what some “best of” blurb intros may tell you, there is no exact science to list-making. And constructing one so methodically just might ruin the joy altogether — for both us, the curators, and you, the readers. Even though debate is a natural reaction, anger is not. These stories are supposed to be fun! And hopefully unique — who wants to read the exact same list at every publication? Sure, SPIN’s Best Albums of 2021 (So Far) does feature some of the year’s biggest buzz bands. But we hope you’ll also discover some records that slipped through the cracks — and maybe, just maybe, reconsider some LPs you previously dismissed. Let’s meet back here in six months and see how things shake out. Adjective Animal – America’s Got Talons CREDIT: Adjective Animal For over a decade, Jon Bi...
