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.

ATRÆ BILIS | “To Entomb The Ætherworld“

Regardless of how you feel about technical death metal, Atræ Bilis have unleashed a ripper for the damn ages with their upcoming album, Apexapien. Due out in October via none other than 20 Buck Spin (Tomb Mold, Cerebral Rot, Witch Vomit), it takes less than a second to drop jaws on the band’s latest single, “To Entomb The Ætherworld,” with complex blast beats moving in lightspeed with the winding riffs. It’s so damn heavy and so damn brutal, with a technicality that’s sure to please the nerdiest of prog metal nerds (in a good way). This is pure sonic annihilation.

CHERUBS | “A Pair of Pear Tarts”

Our favorite sludge trio Cherubs recently announced Slo Blo 4 Frnz & Sxy, an odd titled EP with its own odd intentions, namely that half of it is “skrewed” (as in Houston hip-hop fame’s screwed-n-chopped records) and the band encourage the record to be played at both 33 1/3 and 45 RPM, dealer’s choice. The second single “A Pair of Pear Tarts” is an immediate reminder of how Cherubs have remainder as vital to the noise rock world as they were nearly thirty years ago. The track is a cacophony of slurred melodies, enormous rhythms, and guitars that sound like an avalanche… one that happens to not be in any particular rush. It’s an immersive song that ends abruptly, leaving you anxious to hear it in the album’s context.

CHRISTIAN FITNESS | “Male Guitarist”

Until last year there was a new Christian Fitness album every year since the inception of Andrew “Falco” Falkous’ (mclusky, Future of the Left) “one man band but not a solo project”. While we did get a few jabs at morons like Ian Brown and a great live mclusky* record, we are eagerly awaiting the next album from Falco. Thankfully, it appears to be coming soon, evidence by a new single, “Male Guitarist”. The song howls in a way that sounds like Falco is being shaken by King Kong himself, and it’s a great disorienting effect. The lyrics are as sharp as even, skewering whiny men in bands everywhere.

JULIE DOIRON | “You Gave Me The Key”

While Julie Doiron has stayed active contributing to other’s music (Mount Eerie, Astral Swans, etc), I Thought Of You is her first solo album in nearly a decade, and it was worth the wait. Due out in November via You’ve Changed Records, the Montreal based musician sounds full of life and renewed energy. Lead single “You Gave Me The Key” is full of indie rock swagger (seriously, listen and tell me there’s not an overload of “swagger”) as she rocks her way through a ballad dedicated to “starting over again”. It’s bright an immersive, an alternative pop song as only a veteran songwriter could deliver.

MAXSHH | “Bonus Flowers” LP

There’s a wide world of wonder contained within Maxshh’s latest album, Bonus Flowers. Created by circumstance when Max Goldstein was literally confined to his bedroom due to a roommate coming down with Covid, he embraced the isolation and limited resources and made his “acoustic” album. Comprised primarily of vocals and acoustic guitars, there’s a baroque elegance and classic complexity to most of the record. The gorgeous music and vocal melodies are juxtaposed by fractured lyrics taken from poetry books, leaving an ocean of “choose-your-own” interpretations. The acoustic songs are balanced by moments of sonic freak-outs, the way only Maxshh is capable of, creating a wide range of dynamics when you least expect them.

OVLOV | “Land of Steve-O”

Ovlov just make it look so easy. The band have consistently made fuzzy sludge-pop hits since their very first EP, released over a decade ago, and they’ve yet to released anything less than impeccable. Set to release their third full length, Buds, in mid November, the record finds the quartet (with Jon Hartlett returning on bass) embracing their version of pop, with massive hooks and sweltering riffs. “Land of Steve-O” is indefinitely catchy, a song that puts as much emphasis on the enormous chorus as it does the blistering guitar solos, each big enough to crush us all, but warm enough to sound like a massive embrace instead.

PEARL & THE OYSTERS | “Flowerland”

With Flowerland, Los Angeles’ Pearl & The Oysters fully embrace the technicolor blend of psych, noise pop, and Tropicália, creating a record with a thick pop sheen and all the heat of the summer. The band’s music video for the title track does much of the same, inviting us into the sunshine with fluorescent filters and VHS tape-esque warbling effects. The glitchy charm matches the song’s stuttered groove, full of AM gold melodies and drum breaks worthy of lo-fi hip-hop. There’s a welcome escapism to it that feels removed from our times, it’s all good vibes and dreamy compositions without a worry in the world.

RENÉE REED | “Tonnerre Mes Chiens”

Earlier this year Renée Reed released her self-titled full length debut, an album that stands among our favorites of 2021. With an upcoming US tour supporting Whitney (as well as a few solo shows), Reed is set to release J’ai rêvé, a new EP due out in early November via Keeled Scales (Lunar Vacation, Katy Kirby, Buck Meek). With a pair of songs in English and a pair in French, it’s another gorgeous reminder of the mystic beauty that permeates her songs. Lead single “Tonnerre Mes Chiens” is actually one of the songs sung in English, a gorgeous, haunting, folk song swirling with Reed’s own Louisiana Bayou charm and poetic grace. The song mirrors the best of Reed’s music, sparse and emotional, unapologetic in its resolve.

RICHARD DAWSON & CIRCLE | “Lily”

The combination of Richard Dawson and Circle was not one we saw coming, but the musicians have come together to create Henki, a collaborative record due out in November via Domino. So what does the pairing of the English experimental folk bard and Finnish krautrock explorers sound like? Kind of what you might expect… and we’re hear for it. Lead single “Lily” is a strange mix of everything that makes both the visionaries they are, a limitless mix or baroque songwriting with a hypnotic rhythm and all the progressive swells and medieval accented folk touches you can hope might come from this unnaturally natural union.

UPCHUCK | “Upchuck”

Atlanta punks Upchuck are much more than a great name, they’re also a great band, evidenced on last year’s self-titled EP. Built on aggression and disdain for social injustice, the quartet take aim at racism, misogyny, and trauma in their music, creating lo-fi punk that dips into sludge and elements of hardcore for a slow and evocative carnage. On their eponymous single (due out next month via Famous Class), the band crawl with a steel eyed intensity and sonic density, all purposefully pummeling beneath KT’s commanding vocals. It’s a great introduction to anyone unfamiliar with Upchuck’s punk fusion.

Further Listening:

September 13 - September 19:

SEPTEMBER 20 - SEPTEMBER 26:

Fuzzy Meadows: The Week's Best New Music (September 13th - September 26th)