Indie Rock
Deb Never Surprise Releases New Benefit EP Intermission: Stream
It’s the era of the quarantine album, and Deb Never has added her voice to the chorus. The Spokane native has shared a surprise new benefit EP, Intermission, recorded entirely during isolation. The eight-track effort features sparse instrumentations — largely just Never herself on guitar — though production assistance from Michael Percy, Shlohmo, Nedarb, Hoskins, D33J, and Clayjay give the songs a rich bedroom feel. Lyrically, the collection captures much of the milieu of these strange times, touching on “solitude, post-apocalyptic metaphors, and an overall longing for simplicity.” Available for purchase via Bandcamp, proceeds from Intermission will go to Direct Relief, an organization providing PPE and other essential supplies to workers on the frontlines of the pandemic. The choice of ch...
Woods Return with New Album Strange to Explain: Stream
Indie folk rockers Woods are back with a new album called Strange to Explain. Hear the entire effort below via Apple Music or Spotify. Due out via their own Woodsist label, Strange to Explain marks the group’s 11th (!) full-length to date. In the time since their last LP, 2017’s Love is Love, Woods frontman Jeremy Earl became a father, and guitarist Jarvis Taveniere relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, turning the group bicoastal. The two bandmates also helped produce David Berman’s first and only album as Purple Mountains. Editors’ Picks According to a statement, the new record’s 11 tracks — including lead single “Where Do You When You Dream?” — serve a “sweet reflection for the 15-year-old band, bouncing back to earth as something hopeful and weird and resolute.” Stran...
The 1975’s Notes on a Conditional Form Marks a Definitive Moment in Time: Review
The Lowdown: The 1975 are undeniably divisive. From the start of their roughly 18 years together, frontman and lyricist Matty Healy has generated mass deliberation on whether or not The 1975 are a “serious” band. But that’s typically the case, right? Once something becomes “mainstream,” critics have to re-evaluate, for whatever reason. Can the cult curtains be pulled back to reveal a more substantiated, dynamic legacy? Are fans unanimously delusional to admire a band that talks a lot about crying, erections, and Internet love. I mean, how many times will “she say” something? Spoiler alert: she says a great deal on their latest record, Notes on a Conditional Form. Matty also still cries a lot, too, so don’t worry about that. But to be fair, the skepticism surrounding the band isn’t unwarran...
The 1975 Finally Release New Album Notes on a Conditional Form: Stream
By this point, our calendars are filled with crossed reminders of the release date for The 1975’s new album. After two years and multiple delays, the circle finally takes the square: The 1975 have today released Notes on a Conditional Form. The follow-up to the truly excellent 2018 effort A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships was formally announced last summer with an expected due date of February 21st, 2020. Work didn’t progress as anticipated, however, and a month before the release it was pushed to April 24th. Then the full-length faced another hitch along with the rest of the world when the pandemic hit, forcing The 1975 to delay it once again until today, May 22nd. In her review of the album, Consequence of Sound contributor Samantha Small said that the diverse record is...
HAIM Drop Groovy New Song “Don’t Wanna”: Stream
HAIM have dropped a new bop for summer playlists everywhere. “Don’t Wanna” is the latest single from their upcoming third album, Women In Music Pt. III. Listen in below. While today’s offering has a groovy bit of sun and pep in its step, ultimately it’s about trying to save a failing relationship. “Well we both had nights/ Waking up in strangers’ beds/ But I don’t wanna, don’t wanna/ I don’t want to give up yet,” sings Danielle Haim. The HAIM frontwoman also produced the track with assistance from Rostam Batmanglij and Ariel Rechtshaid. The highly-anticipated Women In Music Pt. III was initially slated for release in April, but was pushed back to June 26th due to the coronavirus pandemic. Still, the three-piece band has been busy promoting the record, having previously shared “I Know Alone...
Local Natives Team with Sylvan Esso for New Version of “Dark Days”: Stream
Local Natives (photo by Jonathan Chu) and Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath (photo by Shervin Lainez) Way back in March — when bands were still able to perform for live audiences — Local Natives debuted a new version of their song “Dark Days” featuring Sylvan Esso’s Amealia Meath on Kimmel. Today, they’ve shared the studio version of the indie collaboration. The update of the track from 2016’s Sunlit Youth finds Meath adding a brand new verse that, as Local Natives puts it, “taps into the nostalgia and the longing we all feel for a different time.” The new take was mixed by Spike Stent, known for his work with Madonna and Björk. “It was a joy to dip into summertime with Local Natives,” Meath said of working with the band. “‘Dark Days’ is a beautiful illustration of being youn...
Julianna Barwick Announces New Album Healing Is a Miracle, Shares “Inspirit”: Stream
Julianna Barwick has announced a new album called Healing Is a Miracle just in time to help soothe our global anxiety. It’s her first record in four years and is due out on July 10th via Ninja Tune. To celebrate, she’s shared the lead single, “Inspirit”, along with a scenic music video that captures the mood. Healing Is a Miracle was built on improvisation, reflection, and collaboration. In particular, the latter takes shape in the form of some very notable guest features by Jónsi of Sigur Rós, Nosaj Thing, and Mary Lattimore. While this may appear like a departure from her past work, the press release assures that Healing Is a Miracle is a natural evolution from her previous albums, including 2016’s Will and 2013’s Nepenthe. Barwick began drafting ideas for Healing Is a Miracle last sprin...
Posthumous Jason Molina Album Eight Gates Due Out This Summer
Secretly Canadian has announced Eight Gates, a new posthumous album from Jason Molina. Due for release on August 7th, it’s believed to the final collection of solo material the lo-fi songwriter recorded before his death in 2013. The upcoming effort was recorded in 2008 while Molina was residing in London. According to a statement, the musician said he penned the album’s nine songs as he recovered from a “debilitating” spider bite. “I was in the hospital here in London,” the Songs: Ohia mastermind noted in a letter. “Saw six doctors and a Dr. House-type guy. They are all mystified by it, but I am allowed to be at home, where I am taking a dozen scary Hantavirus type pills a day that are all to supposedly help — but they make me feel like shit.” The same letter also saw Molina claim tha...
Country Westerns Share the Origins of New Single “I’m Not Ready”: Stream
In our new music feature Origins, bands give their listeners some insight into the inspirations behind their latest track. Today, Country Westerns explain why “I’m Not Ready”. For a full year, few had heard the music of Country Westerns besides the late David Berman. After all, Silver Jews drummer Brian Kotzur had started the project with The Weight/Gentleman Jesse’s Joey Plunkett as a way to play music pressure-free; performing for the indie icon was enough of an outlet. They’d tested the waters of Nashville’s DIY party scene, but otherwise kept things close to the garage. Once State Champion’s Sabrina Rush picked up bass for the first time and started playing with Country Westerns, however, it was Berman who encouraged them to take their sound wider. So off the trio went to New York, spe...
Madeline Kenney Announces New Album, Shares “Sucker” Featuring Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner: Stream
Madeline Kenney has announced her third studio album, Sucker’s Lunch. Set to arrive July 31st through Carpark Records, it’s being teased with a lead single titled “Sucker” featuring Lambchop frontman Kurt Wagner. For her first two full-lengths, Kenney enlisted the help of two special musicians; Toro y Moi produced 2017’s Night Night at the First Landing, while Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak handled production on the 2018 follow-up, Perfect Shapes. Kenney has again brought in outside talent for Sucker’s Lunch, this time turning to all of Wye Oak — both Wasner and Andy Stack. All three artists co-produced and pieced together the new album during quick studio sessions held in Durham, San Francisco, and Kenney’s hometown of Oakland. Musically, the forthcoming LP is said to lean more int...
Phoebe Bridgers Reveals New Single “I See You”: Stream
Phoebe Bridgers has broken off another single from her forthcoming Punisher album. It’s dubbed “I See You” and streaming below. The indie songwriter has also announced a series of upcoming virtual “tour dates”. Today’s track was originally named “ICU”, but tweaked recently in light of the ongoing health crisis. (Or as Bridgers succinctly put it in a statement, “*gestures at entire world*”.) Per the indie songwriter, “I See You” is about her breakup with her drummer. “We dated for a few years, made music every day, and were extremely codependent,” explained our former Artist of the Month. “We became like family to each other, so our breakup was extremely tough. But if this tells you anything about our relationship, we wrote this song together, just like everything else.” Editors&#...
Remo Drive Belt Their Hearts Out on New Song “Ode to Joy 2”: Stream
It looks like A Portrait of an Ugly Man will be quite a musical leveling up for Remo Drive. The Midwest indie rockers have shared another new song from the album, a tongue-in-cheek number called “Ode to Joy 2”, as well as a music video to go with it. From the sound of it, they’re ready to start wooing new fans over the radio with the track. “Ode to Joy 2” is the second single we’ve heard from Remo Drive’s upcoming full-length, following “Star Worship”. Whereas that track was an uptempo primer for a return to the sound of their breakout debut, 2017’s Greatest Hits, this new song leans back cooly, taking its time with a slow-burning funk bass line and suave vocals. Come to think of it, “Ode to Joy 2” almost sounds like an Arctic Monkeys ballad. In a statement, vocalist Erik Paulson explained...
