At The Drive-In - Incurably Innocent
They're ba-ack! And Cedric's brought a killer coiling riff with him. While the near seventeen year break between albums - in•ter a•li•a is out May 5th - will never be the extraordinary firecracker of a band they were on Relationship Of Command this is a fair bash, firework guitars and immense nervous energy funnelled into a song Omar describes as being about "sexual abuse and being able to finally speak out".
The Mountain Goats - Andrew Eldritch Is Moving Back To Leeds
So, the new Mountain Goats album. It's called Goths, and is out 19th May. Yes, it does sound like another John Darnielle exploration into a subculture through the prism of personal connections, time passing and solidarity to those clinging on as everything else changes, this song sounding like a paen to returning to returning to where you started after a lifetime of dreaming and moving for better things. The album features no guitars, which is quite the change not just in general but the exact opposite of Darnielle's lo-fi approach of the early albums, so there's as much comfort zone breaking there as there is in the ideals of an Eldritch.
Spoon - Can I Sit Next To You
Hot Thoughts, out March 17th, so far sees Spoon carry on just adjacent to where they left off, but the new track sees the usual scratchy rhythm and Britt Daniel's crossword clue lyrics of devotion joined by a slippery, awkward staccato groove that pretty much qualifies, with its synthetic handclaps and filtered synth glissandos, as future funk.
Idles - Mother
It currently seems like every track from Brutalism, out 10th March, will get a uniquely irate video before it comes out, and Joe Talbot in a pastel coloured suit destroying several charity shops' worth of ornaments rates highly on that scale. Musically? Angry, dissonant, socio-politically charged, the usual.
Sondre Lerche - I Know Something That's Gonna Break Your Heart
The Norwegian singer-songwriter has gleefully dabbled across genres, from joyful beat pop to ornate orchestral, over the years. His tenth album, Pleasure, out next week, continues his adventures into how far a melody can be stretched and painted over while remaining intact, a gloriously melanchoic piece of pulsing, sweeping psych-pop with electronic undercurrents that eventually take over.
The New Pornographers - This Is The World Of The Theater
That seems like a title the Pornos were always going to use some time, and the second taste of Whiteout Conditions, out 7th April, matches it to peppy, reliably sunny (on the surface, anyway) overly harmonic power-pop given the lift Neko Case lead vocals usually gives their songs.
Yellow Creatures - Pressing Buttons
Taken from the Newcastle trio's new EP Spectrum, out today, an intro that sounds quite like it might turn into Tortoise evolves into a kind of pastoral post-rock, subtle electronic beats underpinning layers and washes of synth drones and breathy vocals that between themselves ebb and flow into a journey over a fractal landscape.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Monday, February 20, 2017
STN recommends: 20/2/17
Laura Marling - Next Time
Alright, who decided to leave as a footnote that Marling has called her own label More Alarming? Those are the auspices through which Semper Femina is released on March 10th, which is sounding like her most lucid and intimate work in at least a while, this track in both self-directed visual and lyrical thought dealing with self-entrapment.
Gallops - Pale Force
The second single plus video resembling a malfunctioning Spectrum loading screen from album Bronze Mystic, released 21st April, finds a crushing place between undulating glitchy electronic loops, sub-bass and power chords without falling into murky 'dance-rock' waters.
Maybe Don't - Lightbulbs
When we wrote about the Birmingham trio at the start of the year they were building towards an EP in March; they've just augmented that with a pay-what-you-like double A side, this half of which showcases their scrappy but rattlingly determined, surging sanded down punk-pop.
The Immediate - Light Dimensions
Our friend off the radio Adam Walton passed this one on, which is reasonable given he's in them. Reunited after an initial mid-90s spell of localised following (and supporting the Stereophonics at the gig that go them signed), their angular, harmonic power-pop/new wave/vaguely early 80s mod revival trio dynamics actually seem to fit in better these days. Mold EP, named after their home town and a set of considerations of their shared upbringing, is out 3rd March.
Alright, who decided to leave as a footnote that Marling has called her own label More Alarming? Those are the auspices through which Semper Femina is released on March 10th, which is sounding like her most lucid and intimate work in at least a while, this track in both self-directed visual and lyrical thought dealing with self-entrapment.
Gallops - Pale Force
The second single plus video resembling a malfunctioning Spectrum loading screen from album Bronze Mystic, released 21st April, finds a crushing place between undulating glitchy electronic loops, sub-bass and power chords without falling into murky 'dance-rock' waters.
Maybe Don't - Lightbulbs
When we wrote about the Birmingham trio at the start of the year they were building towards an EP in March; they've just augmented that with a pay-what-you-like double A side, this half of which showcases their scrappy but rattlingly determined, surging sanded down punk-pop.
The Immediate - Light Dimensions
Our friend off the radio Adam Walton passed this one on, which is reasonable given he's in them. Reunited after an initial mid-90s spell of localised following (and supporting the Stereophonics at the gig that go them signed), their angular, harmonic power-pop/new wave/vaguely early 80s mod revival trio dynamics actually seem to fit in better these days. Mold EP, named after their home town and a set of considerations of their shared upbringing, is out 3rd March.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
STN recommends: 16/2/17
Los Campesinos! - The Fall Of Home
A graceful twinkling ballad on dislocation and personal progress, the third track we've heard from Sick Scenes, out February 24th, is described as "an elegy to the home towns left behind". Notably, though, the band's description also states "the lyrics for this song were written at 4am on the 24th June, 2016." So that's a song about feeling out of place in the area where you grew up, written while the album was being recorded in Portugal, at about the time the Brexit vote was being confirmed.
FEWS - La Guardia
It's two minutes of pumping dark shoegaze swirl before the vocals start, and they're not around for long either. That's because everything else in FEWS' first new song since last year's debut album is busy racing for the heart of the sun, taking no prisoners in its wake.
PWR BTTM - Big Beautiful Day
We've never written before about the glam exuberance of the New York queer-punk duo before, but the announcement of a new album, Pageant out May 12th, and its scorching introductory message of exuberant empowerment seems as good a place as any to start.
Deep Throat Choir - Hunter
Their debut album is finally out on Friday, so here's a track that's not on it. Based on a Gertrude Stein poem, it features all the mass harmonising and weaving in and out of each other you've hopefully already come to expect.
Sodastream - Saturday's Ash
They're in London on February 24th as part of Fortuna Pop!'s long farewell, Little By Little is out March 3rd, and before both comes a Simon & Garfunkel-like meditation with what sounds like theremin in the background on the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires, a series of fires in February 2009 that destroyed large parts of the state of Victoria.
The Physics House Band - Calypso
The Brighton trio's senses-screwing mathcore spiralling has been around for a while now - mini-album Mercury Fountain, out April 21st, is their first release in four years and finds them in classic form, never keeping still, ping-ponging all round an ascending centrepiece to sci-fi rush effect.
Beach Beach - Scrolling Down
Shame it's so cold and bedraggled at the moment, because had the Barcelona-based band waited until the summer months they'd have been all over the place with something this gorgeously sun-dappled, all Teenage Fanclub (who they've played with) interplay and wistful, secretly wracked lyrics.
A graceful twinkling ballad on dislocation and personal progress, the third track we've heard from Sick Scenes, out February 24th, is described as "an elegy to the home towns left behind". Notably, though, the band's description also states "the lyrics for this song were written at 4am on the 24th June, 2016." So that's a song about feeling out of place in the area where you grew up, written while the album was being recorded in Portugal, at about the time the Brexit vote was being confirmed.
FEWS - La Guardia
It's two minutes of pumping dark shoegaze swirl before the vocals start, and they're not around for long either. That's because everything else in FEWS' first new song since last year's debut album is busy racing for the heart of the sun, taking no prisoners in its wake.
PWR BTTM - Big Beautiful Day
We've never written before about the glam exuberance of the New York queer-punk duo before, but the announcement of a new album, Pageant out May 12th, and its scorching introductory message of exuberant empowerment seems as good a place as any to start.
Deep Throat Choir - Hunter
Their debut album is finally out on Friday, so here's a track that's not on it. Based on a Gertrude Stein poem, it features all the mass harmonising and weaving in and out of each other you've hopefully already come to expect.
Sodastream - Saturday's Ash
They're in London on February 24th as part of Fortuna Pop!'s long farewell, Little By Little is out March 3rd, and before both comes a Simon & Garfunkel-like meditation with what sounds like theremin in the background on the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires, a series of fires in February 2009 that destroyed large parts of the state of Victoria.
The Physics House Band - Calypso
The Brighton trio's senses-screwing mathcore spiralling has been around for a while now - mini-album Mercury Fountain, out April 21st, is their first release in four years and finds them in classic form, never keeping still, ping-ponging all round an ascending centrepiece to sci-fi rush effect.
Beach Beach - Scrolling Down
Shame it's so cold and bedraggled at the moment, because had the Barcelona-based band waited until the summer months they'd have been all over the place with something this gorgeously sun-dappled, all Teenage Fanclub (who they've played with) interplay and wistful, secretly wracked lyrics.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
STN recommends: 12/2/17
Kiran Leonard - Cracked Globe
Because Leonard has too many songs, he follows up last year's typically ambitious Grapefruit album with a cassette-only mini-album, Monarchs Of The Crescent Pail, out next month. And because Leonard has too many ideas, this track was achieved by "lining four (acoustic guitars) up against a wall and tuning each to a big chord. I played the guitars like a big harp and they were awesome and resonant". Conversely, the heartfelt rawness his vocal and the spareness of the sound might be the most straightforward and accessible he's been.
Waking Aida - Shoal
When the Southampton outfit first crossed our path two or three years ago they were a fascinating arrival in the slow burning post-rock picture; now, with new material produced by Matt Calvert of Three Trapped Tigers, they've taken on intially a more hurried math hue before gracefully devolving into floating layered electronic ambience and... vocals! Sparkling and fascinating, we've no idea if this is leading anywhere of greater volume soon but it's a good signpost if they are.
Bill Botting & The Two Drink Minimums - Treating You Right
Allo Darlin' are no more, having come to a triumphant live climax towards the end of 2016 as both frontwoman Elizabeth Morris and excitable bassist Botting are leaving the country. Before he goes, Botting put together an indiepop all-star band (Darren Hayman, Wave Pictures, Tigercats, Owl & Mouse) and releases Better Friends on 10th March, a country flavoured charmer via the classic sunshine Australian indiepop sound that like his old band is ramshackle in a good way and joyful for the love of music.
Spiral Stairs - Dundee Man
Former guitarist with apparent Fall obsessives releases track called (City In Scotland) Man - the first line is even "going to Edinburgh". The second track from Scott Kannberg's upcoming album Dolly & The Daggers is fairly straightforward guitar pop with an echoey riff and an abnormal underside actually not dissimilar to Stephen Malkmus' earliest solo work.
Wolf Girl - Moody
In about four weeks' time Wolf Girl will be amongst those playing STN's stacked sixth annual Leicester Indiepop Alldayer. After that in May they'll be putting out a 7" via the mighty Odd Box Records, a fizzing fuzzpop confection with an infectious hook and typical lyrical sharpness.
Johnny Flynn - Heart Sunk Hank
A more trad singer-songwriter cut from Flynn's upcoming fourth album Sillion, bluesy warpy crackle delivered authentically by being recorded in a 1940s Voice-o-Graph recording booth when one of the only two in the world visited London last year.
Because Leonard has too many songs, he follows up last year's typically ambitious Grapefruit album with a cassette-only mini-album, Monarchs Of The Crescent Pail, out next month. And because Leonard has too many ideas, this track was achieved by "lining four (acoustic guitars) up against a wall and tuning each to a big chord. I played the guitars like a big harp and they were awesome and resonant". Conversely, the heartfelt rawness his vocal and the spareness of the sound might be the most straightforward and accessible he's been.
Waking Aida - Shoal
When the Southampton outfit first crossed our path two or three years ago they were a fascinating arrival in the slow burning post-rock picture; now, with new material produced by Matt Calvert of Three Trapped Tigers, they've taken on intially a more hurried math hue before gracefully devolving into floating layered electronic ambience and... vocals! Sparkling and fascinating, we've no idea if this is leading anywhere of greater volume soon but it's a good signpost if they are.
Bill Botting & The Two Drink Minimums - Treating You Right
Allo Darlin' are no more, having come to a triumphant live climax towards the end of 2016 as both frontwoman Elizabeth Morris and excitable bassist Botting are leaving the country. Before he goes, Botting put together an indiepop all-star band (Darren Hayman, Wave Pictures, Tigercats, Owl & Mouse) and releases Better Friends on 10th March, a country flavoured charmer via the classic sunshine Australian indiepop sound that like his old band is ramshackle in a good way and joyful for the love of music.
Spiral Stairs - Dundee Man
Former guitarist with apparent Fall obsessives releases track called (City In Scotland) Man - the first line is even "going to Edinburgh". The second track from Scott Kannberg's upcoming album Dolly & The Daggers is fairly straightforward guitar pop with an echoey riff and an abnormal underside actually not dissimilar to Stephen Malkmus' earliest solo work.
Wolf Girl - Moody
In about four weeks' time Wolf Girl will be amongst those playing STN's stacked sixth annual Leicester Indiepop Alldayer. After that in May they'll be putting out a 7" via the mighty Odd Box Records, a fizzing fuzzpop confection with an infectious hook and typical lyrical sharpness.
Johnny Flynn - Heart Sunk Hank
A more trad singer-songwriter cut from Flynn's upcoming fourth album Sillion, bluesy warpy crackle delivered authentically by being recorded in a 1940s Voice-o-Graph recording booth when one of the only two in the world visited London last year.
Wednesday, February 08, 2017
STN recommends: 8/2/17
Amber Arcades - It Changes
Decidedly more straightforwardly melodic, sounding more mid-90s in a very good way, a new standalone track ahead of Grandaddy support dates.
Warm Digits - End Times
Machine tooled nervy Kraut-disco with Field Music's Peter Brewis on vocals from Newcastle duo newly signed to Memphis Industries.
Jens Lekman - Evening Prayer
It's a fun, lightly funky song about making a 3D print of a tumour. Obviously. (Well, not just about that, this being Lekman, but that makes for the better standfirst)
Unqualified Nurse Band - Death Surf A52
Evil sounding guitars always get us. The driving evil of UNB are from Derby, released an album last year and this is next up on the Too Pure Singles Club. The bit where it appears to turn into a John Lennon song is quite a jolt.
Decidedly more straightforwardly melodic, sounding more mid-90s in a very good way, a new standalone track ahead of Grandaddy support dates.
Warm Digits - End Times
Machine tooled nervy Kraut-disco with Field Music's Peter Brewis on vocals from Newcastle duo newly signed to Memphis Industries.
Jens Lekman - Evening Prayer
It's a fun, lightly funky song about making a 3D print of a tumour. Obviously. (Well, not just about that, this being Lekman, but that makes for the better standfirst)
Unqualified Nurse Band - Death Surf A52
Evil sounding guitars always get us. The driving evil of UNB are from Derby, released an album last year and this is next up on the Too Pure Singles Club. The bit where it appears to turn into a John Lennon song is quite a jolt.
Thursday, February 02, 2017
STN recommends: 3/2/17
Post War Glamour Girls - Chipper
Leeds' existential doom merchants are back with a third album, Swan Songs released 21st April, with something that almost seems like it could have post-punk commercial potential were James Smith not intent on bringing everything to account, his backing almost seeming progressively more monolithic in sympathy.
Sean Rowe - Gas Station Rose
We've been supporters over the last few years of the baritone bittersweet singer-songwriter's output, a run that continues with this first taste of new album New Lore, released 7th April. It doesn't need more than spare guitar, odd strident piano chords, late blooming strings and studio atmospherics to bring an emotional heaviness to Rowe's search for connections and hope for destiny.
H. Grimace - Land/Body
Takes a few moments, this, but there's something of the Savages (and not just in the last words being "I am here") about the way it takes post-punk tropes/Siouxsisms and makes them sound urgent, social critique on standardisation against jarring, surging, frankly vital guitar rushes. What can we tell you about the band? They're based in that London, singer Hannah Gledhill is from Melbourne, and they have an album recorded by Rory Attwell, Self Architecht, out in April.
Leeds' existential doom merchants are back with a third album, Swan Songs released 21st April, with something that almost seems like it could have post-punk commercial potential were James Smith not intent on bringing everything to account, his backing almost seeming progressively more monolithic in sympathy.
Sean Rowe - Gas Station Rose
We've been supporters over the last few years of the baritone bittersweet singer-songwriter's output, a run that continues with this first taste of new album New Lore, released 7th April. It doesn't need more than spare guitar, odd strident piano chords, late blooming strings and studio atmospherics to bring an emotional heaviness to Rowe's search for connections and hope for destiny.
H. Grimace - Land/Body
Takes a few moments, this, but there's something of the Savages (and not just in the last words being "I am here") about the way it takes post-punk tropes/Siouxsisms and makes them sound urgent, social critique on standardisation against jarring, surging, frankly vital guitar rushes. What can we tell you about the band? They're based in that London, singer Hannah Gledhill is from Melbourne, and they have an album recorded by Rory Attwell, Self Architecht, out in April.
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