DOWNLOAD: Royal Headache - Girls
Sydney rockers Royal Headache harken back to some sort of teenage AM radio love-song-through-the-static moment that I don't think any of us actually experienced. A song like "Girls" will make you believe, though. Sure, it's dirty, sloppy and haphazard, but the hooks really cut in a way that split the difference between '60s garage and unabashed '70s pop-rock. Hear more on their What's Your Rupture?-released self-titled debut, which comes May 8.
DOWNLOAD: Woods - Wind Was The Wine
Woods was the first band I wrote about on this site nearly three years ago and I’m happy to report with “Wind Was The Wine,” not a damn thang's changed. Still that gentle swoon, that afternoon rock glow, that commanding twang which encapsulates an entire summer in a droplet. Below, two minutes of sweet lo-fi, and presumably more on Woods’ split LP with Amps for Christ through Shrimper this April.
DOWNLOAD: Grimes - Oblivion
Halloween pop. It could be a genre? And if it was, this new Grimes track "Oblivion" would be a primary track. With its girl-pop bass, spooky synth presets and sing-song vocals caked in sonic cobwebs, the song practically begs you to dance around in a stupid costume and get way more into bobbing for apples than any reasonable adult should. The next Grimes album, Visions, is out January 31 on Arbutus.
DOWNLOAD: Rangers - Conversations On The Jet Stream
Fidelity. It's a funny thing. "Conversations On The Jet Stream," an instrumental from Rangers, could fall somewhere between The Who, Rolling Stones and Thin Lizzy if it weren't for the wobbled hiss destroying all semblance of crispness. It also makes for a hypnotic journey of smeared rock 'n' roll garbage. Feel free to get weird with this and more on Rangers' new LP, Pan Am Stories, which is available now on Not Not Fun.
PREMIERE: Brilliant Colors - Value Lines
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The latest track from Brilliant Colors continues in the same direction as previous single "How Much Younger," slightly polishing singer Jess Scott's melodic mumble into charming pop. "Value Lines" follows the formula of short-and-sweet lo-fi that the San Fran trio has seemed to perfect, keeping things tight while managing to test the range of those parameters. Layers of guitar flirt with noise and punk roots to add a satisfying anchor, negating any claims of bubblegum. Catch the rest on Again and Again, out next week on Slumberland.
Brilliant Colors - Value Lines
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DOWNLOAD: Tomorrows Tulips - Casual Hopelessness
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Tomorrows Tulips guitarist Alex Knost lists Calvin Johnson as the inspiration for upcoming album title Eternally Teenage, and the lo-fi legend is a fitting reference for the band's sound as well. The Costa Mesa boyfriend-girlfriend duo combines SoCal scuzz with songs alternating from punk to shoegaze to psych-pop vibes and always under a nice, thick layer of reverb. "Casual Hopelessness" lays bare the surf sensibility with duel vocals dotting the fuzz-laden terrain. Eternally Teenage is out July 19 on Galaxia.
Tomorrows Tulips - Casual Hopelessness
PREMIERE: Nucular Animals - Gay & Gay
Nucular Animals is three Portlanders by way of San Francisco and a native son on the drums. I mention this move because it also seems relevant to the sound of the band, neatly wrapped indie with a lo-fi feel and freewheeling finish. Think The Doors' finer points with that signature K recs rub. "Gay & Gay" is a spirited psych-jaunt from the group's self-titled LP, which drops today.
PREMIERE: Bobby Birdman - Don't Walk Away
(Photo: Sarah Meadows)
Bobby Birdman is busy. Former Portland resident, frequent K-conspirator, YACHT backing band member and current LA man about town, Rob Kieswetter has spread his wings in a big way. Tomorrow sees the release of a 7-inch of his own, and A-side "Don't Walk Away" proves why the singer is so in-demand. With a voice as at home doing folk songs as surf rock gems, this track seems to nicely blend the two, showcasing Birdman's signature croon over an upbeat bass. The B-side features a remix by Selector Dub Narcotic himself, one Calvin Johnson, and you can grab the disc tomorrow from K.
Bobby Birdman - Don't Walk Away
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