Category: Indie Rock

E.P. Review: Hotel Lux – Barstool Preaching

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Artist: Hotel Lux

EP: Barstool Preaching

Genre: Post-Punk/Indie Rock

Label: Nice Swan Records

Rating: 8/10

Barstool Preaching is an appropriate title for Hotel Lux’s new E.P. It’s hard not to picture yourself at the nearest pub as your vision begins to blur after beer after beer while you bullshit the night away with your pals. These songs are beer-soaked, but they’re more intelligent than belligerent, as the tales of cynicism, self-deprecation, and introspection are told with lyrical sharpness rich in wit, dark humor, and honesty. Lead singer Lewis Duffin’s gruff voice channels the raw spirit of early Post-Punk, and instrumentally these tracks are impeccably produced with the band perfecting the finest sounds Post-Punk and Britpop have to offer. It’s hard not to see yourself in these songs. Don’t we all at some point bend the truth just to get our point across or display ourselves as something we’re not? Duffin cleverly compares this reality to a tabloid newspaper on the opening track, and a similar subject appears on the track “Loneliness of the Stage Performer,” where the song is sung from the perspective of a singer who has created a fictional version of himself to appease the audience, only to come to the realization that he doesn’t know what the people want at the end of the day. It’s heavy subject matter, but it never loses its darkly comedic tone. The “Pub Rock” style is most present on the track “Eddie’s Gaff,” a song about the days of youth, the days of getting plastered, the days we’d waste our lives away, and like a drunken sing-along the band shouts “wasting our lives away!” in unison. I found myself singing along last night while I was getting drunk and wasting my day amid this social distancing. The track “Charades” sounds like a hangover but turns into a self-aware tune while female vocals beautifully back Duffin’s somber tone on the chorus. The closing track “Ballad of You & I” is a sweet tune with a hint of melancholy with an arrangement of trumpets and organs that wouldn’t sound out of place on a “Blur” record. Though a full album of tongue-in-cheek cynicism might get a little stale, this E.P. leaves you eager to hear a full-length album anyway, and the band most definitely has the talent to grow. Here’s to the future, cheers!

Written By: Steven Sandoval

Ganser Announce New Album “Just Look At That Sky,” Share New Song “Lucky”

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Chicago band “Ganser” have announced that their new album Just Look At That Sky will be released on July 31st via “Felte Records.” Today the band have also shared their new single “Lucky,” a song that member Nadia Garofalo describes as “A commentary on personal feelings of inadequacy and how these feelings can often result in unhealthy or extreme behaviors.” “Lucky” also has a music video to accompany it, and the video appropriately depicts these stir crazy times we’re living in at the moment as two roommates in the video drink, drink, and drink some more, because what the Hell else is there to do? This is a video that much of us need to see. Many of us self-sabotage and succumb to self-destructive behavior, and the band depict this in a way that’s more reflective and less D.A.R.E. commercial. You can watch the music video for “Lucky” below:

Album Review: Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

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Artist: Tame Impala

Album: The Slow Rush

Genre: Psychedelic Pop/Electronic/Disco

Label: Island Records

Rating: 7/10

It seems as if “Tame Impala” have had acclaim from the start. Lead by sole member Kevin Parker who composes and arranges the majority of the music, “Tame Impala” has been an inescapable name in both the “Indie Rock” world and the “Pop” world, but what “Tame Impala” once was is not entirely the same as what “Tame Impala” is now, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Kevin Parker we knew back during the time of the Psychedelic-heavy Innerspeaker, and the vulnerable Kevin Parker we knew on the introspective Lonerism, an album that was a voice for the lonely and those whom suffer from society’s misguided view on introversion is now a new Kevin Parker, but he hasn’t abandoned introspection and vulnerability. In fact, the majority of the tracks on his new album The Slow Rush are incredibly introspective with lyrical themes heavy on existentialism and nostalgia, but at this point in time it sounds like Parker is instrumentally more concerned with making us dance, trading in the LSD-soaked Psychedelia and fuzzy guitars of his early work for lush synths and Electro-Pop melodies drawing from Funk, Disco, and Synth-Pop. Very much like what he was doing on his previous album Currents, and there lies the good and bad of The Slow Rush. Not much has changed on this album, which prompts one to believe that Parker is either playing it safe, or truly isn’t finished experimenting with this sound but isn’t reaching anything that is breaking new ground. Though both albums are cut from the same cloth, The Slow Rush isn’t without it’s gems. The opening track “One More Year” is a message to the fear of life becoming stagnant, “Breathe Deeper” is a lush and sexy banger with a refrain that will stick in your head for days, and “It Might Be Time” features a surprising contrast of joyful instrumentation and existentialist lyrics. However, a lot of these tracks sound like Currents throwaways and don’t quite deliver anything memorable or anything that keeps them from being disposable. That isn’t to say this album isn’t a smooth listen though, because when this album shines, it SHINES, and much of it is cohesive, but I feel like the next “Tame Impala” album needs to be vastly different, or Parker needs to hone this style and create an album with consistent replay value.

Written By: Steven Sandoval 

 

 

The Strokes Share New Song “Bad Decisions”

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It’s really happening! “The Strokes” are back. Set to release their new album The New Abnormal on April 10th, the band have released another track off the upcoming album titled “Bad Decisions,” and it’s sure to satisfy fans and those who weren’t the biggest fans of their previous single “At the Door.” The track has an 80’s influence, even so much that Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” comes to mind upon hearing it. You can watch the 70’s inspired music video for “Bad Decisions” below:

 

CMON Announce New Album, Share New Song “Zoo”

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Formed in New York, and now based in Los Angeles, duo CMON (Confusing Mix of Nations) have been making a name for themselves with their undeniably infectious music that is both dance floor ready and guitar-driven with shades of the finest elements of Shoegaze and Post-Punk. The band have recently signed to “Mexican Summer,” and are now set to release their debut self-titled album on April 3rd. Following their single “Coo,” which will appear on the upcoming album, the band have shared another new track off the album titled “Zoo.” You can listen to it below:

Sorry Share New Single “More,” Unveil Release Date for New Album “925”

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After much anticipation and patience patience patience, we now have a release date to look forward to for “Sorry’s” upcoming debut album 925. The album will be released on March 27th via “Domino Records.” Today the band have shared a new single titled “More,” and just like their previous singles it’s a catchy tune that finds the band refusing to compromise their lyrically honest and inward looking sound that frequently genre bends. You can watch the music video for “More” below:

Tame Impala Share New Single “Lost In Yesterday”

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Tame Impala are set to release their long-awaited album The Slow Rush on February 14th. Today the band released another new track off the upcoming album titled “Lost In Yesterday,” and much like their previous singles the track is a groovy laid-back jam that doesn’t exactly break new ground, but is easy on the ears and is as moody as it is danceable. You can listen to “Lost In Yesterday” below:

Sorry Share New Song “Right Round the Clock,” Announce New Album “925”

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The wait will end next Spring. In Spring 2020 we’ll finally get a full-length album from U.K. band “Sorry,” a band that have been making waves in the music world for the past few years with their sharp Rock? Pop? Post-Punk? Honestly they’re their own genre, and many have been itching for a full-length album, well… today we’ve been blessed with great news. The band will release their debut album 925 in Spring 2020. Today the band released the album’s lead single “Right Round the Clock,” and it’s a fun track with an interpolation of a song that will be recognizable for “Tears for Fears” fans. You can watch the video for “Right Round the Clock” below:

Album Review: Socks and Ballerinas – Soap!

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Artist: Socks and Ballerinas

Album: Soap!

Genre: Math Rock/Instrumental/Progressive Rock

Rating: 7/10

In a music world where artists emphasize sentiment and critics praise only those who strive to innovate, people have forgotten how to have fun once in awhile, but Helsinki, Finland based band “Socks and Ballerinas” haven’t forgotten what it means to make fun music to dance to. However, dancing to their music can be a difficult task, because their knack for creating odd “Math Rock” inspired instrumentation is far from the norm. Not much is known about the band. Their “Bandcamp” and social media profiles feature brief descriptions and very little background, which is odd because their music is technically skilled and quite impressive. What we do have is their new album Soap! The music definitely reflects the absurd nature of their name with wacky and zany melodies and irregular time signatures that can be frustrating for those who want consistent rhythmic structure. The drums are sharp and fast-paced, and the constant use of loop pedals gives the illusion that you’re hearing a five-member band, and there’s only two members! Soap! is an album that gives you a live experience without having to leave your house. It’s fun instrumental music that is as complex as it is accessibly catchy.

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https://socksandballerinas.bandcamp.com/releases

Written By: Steven Sandoval

Date: 09/24/19