by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)

Welcome to FUZZY MEADOWS, our weekly recap of this week's new music. We're sharing our favorite releases of the week in the form of albums, singles, and music videos along with the "further listening" section of new and notable releases from around the web. It's generally written in the early hours of the morning and semi-unedited... but full of love and heart. The list is in alphabetical order and we sincerely recommend checking out all the music we've included. There's a lot of great new music being released. Support the bands you love. Spread the word and buy some new music.

*Disclaimer: We are making a conscious effort not to include any artist in our countdown on back-to-back weeks in order to diversify the feature, so be sure to check the "further listening" as well because it's often of top-notch quality too.

DISHEVELED CUSS | “Wanna Be My Friend”

Way back in 2010, Sacramento’s favorite sons Tera Melos’ released Patagonian Rats, one of our favorite albums of the decade, and the band’s first album to feature vocals from guitarist Nick Reinhart. The band never looked back, as his voice and melodic sensibilities fit into songs where few could, the legendary math rock band became more accessible without losing their tangled bliss. While Reinhart has released several excellent records apart from his main project (Bygones, Big Walnuts Yonder), next year he’s set to release a solo record under the name Disheveled Cuss. “Wanna Be My Friend,” the first single (released just ahead of a west coast tour together with Pinback) is smoother at the edges than Tera Melos, but haven’t been sanded away. It’s a simple and pop-leaning effort, but it’s still knotted and glistening in the warped melodic charm that Reinhart does best.

DUSTER | “Copernicus Crater“

Following the announcement of Duster’s highly anticipated self-titled album, their first in nearly twenty years, the band have shared that record’s first single, “Copernicus Crater.” Built on the same fuzzy and weary structures that made them lo-fi luminaries to the next generation of bands, the song works with layered textures to create something serene, spaced out, and insightful. It’s a lush landscape of staccato jabs and twinkling ambiance, the low-key fields of distortion fused together with a gluey experimentation (somewhat similar of drummer Jason Albertini’s own Helvetia). Clay Parton’s vocals sit ever so slightly buried in the mix, perfectly audible but never pushing through the blanket of outerspace squiggles and pinched harmonics. Providing a depressive melody that fits in exactly where it belongs, the vocals are merely another brilliant texture in the shimmering haze, from a band that has truly mastered layering dreamy textures upon textures.

MAMIFFER | “To Receive”

Depending on how you’re counting, Seattle’s Mamiffer released their sixth full length this past week, the stunning and ethereal The Brilliant Tabernacle. The record captures the brightness that comes after a long period of darkness, the ups and downs of life, but the beauty that blossoms despite the shifts. Led by Faith Coloccia (and joined by partner and frequent collaborator Aaron Turner), the record is built on piano, organ, and Coloccia’s wistful voice, offering something spiritual and meditative. The record’s third single “To Receive,” unfolds with a haunting piano introduction and vocals that float above with a heavenly glow, sitting still in the cold air as a tension washes in. Crashing down upon the low-end of the piano with sustained presence and an Eastern string accompaniment, it’s both warm and heavy. There’s a feeling of dread within the beauty, the elements of light and dark colliding upon each other in a gorgeous dream state.

STEF CHURA | “How To Rent A Room” (Silver Jews cover)

Following the release of her sophomore album Midnight earlier this Summer, Detroit’s Stef Chura has recorded a cover of Silver Jews’ “How To Rent A Room.” The Natural Bridge stand-out has become a staple of Chura’s live shows over the years and following the tragic passing of David Berman, Chura decided it was time to record her take on the alf/folk classic, donating a portion of the sales to MusiCares, a charity providing financial, health and rehabilitation resources to music people in times of need. Chura plays the cover fairly close to the original, her voice adding a bit more twang as it crackles with emotion. Of all the well deserved tributes Berman has received, Stef Chura’s is a stand-out, one that feels natural and at ease, her songwriting very much informed by Berman’s, picking up the poetic intelligence of the original with heartbreaking warmth.

STUCK | “People Pleaser”

The band released their debut, Three Songs, and have been honing their noise rock and punk chops with a steady stream of live shows ever since. Set to head out on a Midwest tour this month, the trio will release a tour cassette featuring their debut as well as a new song, “People Pleaser.” Recorded during the sessions for Stuck’s upcoming full length debut but ultimately relegated to a b-side, its a big time post-punk corker that recalls early Protomartyr meets Gang of Four. The song opens with Obis and Green locked tightly together in wonky groove just before Walsh’s guitars come spidering in. It’s delightfully angular, cutting and slashing at the skidding rhythm, the ground constantly swept out beneath us but the stuttering beat remains locked in, all the same. Intelligent shifts and hypnotic variations of guitar noise swirl all around in the harmonic riddled path toward brainy destruction. If this is what isn’t making the record, we can’t wait to hear what is.

Further Listening:

Fuzzy Meadows: The Week's Best New Music (October 28th - November 3rd)