Today we have new music and just a pinch of words about it from Channel 3, Teren, Shylde, Chief Ghoul and OWTLASS.
Continue readingMay 14, 2021
Friday 5×5
May 14, 2021
Play Listy For Me – Indie Pop Vol. 6
Sure, a large portion of the country is stranded due to hackers shutting down a fuel pipeline / our continued dependence on fossil fuels despite ample technology available to make us not be, but at least we still got great pop music to keep us sane / distracted.
May 14, 2021
The B-Side: Cody Uhler
Whether you call it 8-Bit Rock, Glitchpop or Super Nintendo Shredding (no one calls it that, but they should) you know it when you hear it. The instantly recognizable bleeps and bloops of our youth re-contextualized into classic pop, rock, punk, metal or hip hop song structures. It’s usually at least a little silly and always a lot of fun, but seldom is it as sophisticated as “Fairy Tech” from Cody Uhler is. This is less of an appropriation of video game culture for pop exploitation than it is an original composition that could serve as the coolest soundtrack to the coolest level on the coolest game. The power ups and extra lives are strong with this one.
May 13, 2021
The B-Side: 81355
Indianapolis super group 81355 (pronounced BLESS) brings together Oreo Jones, Sirius Blvck, and David “Moose” Adamson for a project that can be best described as adventurous hip hop. Jones and Blvck’s flow and lyricism are as good as it gets, and Adamson’s hook is haunting and hypnotic. The production keeps things interesting, combining a tinkly music box vibe with the occasional tuneful but none the less trunk rattling boom progression. All in all it’s an incredibly inventive and musical approach that still checks all the boxes hip hop heads want.
May 13, 2021
Play Listy For Me – Hip Hop, R&B and Soul – Vol. 4
It’s not the weekend but with these jams we’re partying like it is.
May 12, 2021
The Midweekly – Kali Masi
Subtitles? Stage direction? What’s with the brackets? Doesn’t matter. Is there humor? Sure. Along with passion, frustration, vulnerability, and a lot of supercharged rock on this album. [laughs] is the second, and latest full length from the Chicago quartet, Kali Masi. Here we get ten tracks of songwriting that take the best parts of pop rock, punk, emo and serve them up with excitement. Clever dynamics and tasteful production take the listener from an epic slow-burner to open the record, to a sheer head-banger to close it out. The stops along the way treat us to themes of inspiration, nostalgia, and longing, with classic riffs, offbeat hooks, and vocals that croon as well as scream well-crafted lyrics. The subtitles under any fan of real, smart punk rock will definitely read [enjoys] while spinning this one.
May 12, 2021
The B-Side: New Candys
With “Zyko” the New Candys show that you can keep it simple and still be engaging and rocking. Most of the song is built on a repetitive 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 down beat that you would usually hear as an intro or build up to an explosive chorus, but here it’s the groundwork for the whole song. Sure they add and remove layers and guitars move in and out, but most of the band most of the time is playing that simple, driving rhythm. The overall effect is one of the same effortless cool of the 80’s shoegaze movement, just don’t try to dance along.
May 11, 2021
Play Listy For Me – Experimental, Instrumental & Ambient Vol. 4
Tune in and bliss out with this collection of compositions existing beyond the dimensions of your “pop” and “rock” or “roll.”
May 11, 2021
Tuesday Tip-Off: Keith Forde
As a music blog we get a lot of music sent our way. Like a lot, a lot, and after wading through our 20th Billie Eilish wannabe in a row nothing makes us love music again like a pure slice of power pop goodness. Enter Keith Forde to the rescue. “Sadie” is as perfect as can be and whether you need an auditory reset like we did or just an all around pick me up, it’ll get the job done.
May 11, 2021
The B-Side: The Red
From France we get singer-songwriter The Red and their unique take on Americana / indie folk with “Pretend.” As the song starts all the usual roots suspects are there – banjo, acoustic guitar, strings, a road weary voice…but quickly things start to shift and move into unexpected territory with a subtle parade march drum beat and some sort of fuzzed out lead instrument that is either a vintage Stevie synth or an oddly eq’d electric guitar. It’s at this point that you notice that even the more traditional instruments are put together in a different way and you realize this has more in common with the literary and sophisticated pop of Rufus Wainwright than it does with Rufus’s dad’s work.