by Benji Heywood, Dan Goldin, and Louis Pelingen
Welcome to FUZZY MEADOWS, our 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. 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.
MCKINLEY DIXON
“Recitatif” (feat. Teller Bank$)
Each song that McKinley Dixon has unveiled leading-up to his next record, Magic, Alive!, has been different in both tone and scale. “Recitatif” is the most expansive single thus far, dividing the tune into a softer, harp-accompanied first half before eventually transitioning to the buzzy rap-rock section on the back half. It’s a melodic shift that McKinley Dixon and Teller Bank$ can handle well, all with sharply-knit flows and pointed bars. - Louis Pelingen
PACO CATHCART
“Ella Vive Sola"
Think of your favorite artist who you feel deserves more attention. For many in the NY underground scene, Paco Cathcart is that artist. Over the last fifteen years, Cathcart has championed a sizable chunk of New York’s DIY bands, from Water from Your Eyes to Palberta to Open Head. Now they’re back with a new album Down On Them out on Wharf Cat. If you’re new to the Cathcart catalogue, who also releases music as The Cradle, “Ella Viva Sola” is a delicate, gorgeous introduction. Just as stunning as the album’s previous singles “Bottleneck Blues” and “Invasive Species,” “Ella” adds a rich poignancy. Accompanied by acoustic guitar, atmospherics, horns and light percussion, Cathcart sings a tale of solitude and longing. It’s a must-listen. - Benji Heywood
RETIREMENT
“You Will Be Forgotten”
Portland hardcore maniacs Retirement are set to return later this month with their new album, Attention Economy, a decidedly crushing look at these modern times. Due out on Iron Lung Records (Iron Lung, Gaoled, The Vacant Lot), there’s a feeling that everything won’t be okay, but a shared catharsis is available. With a blown out density and a mid-fi production aesthetic, their new album sounds great, violent hardcore with plenty of detail and metallic rust peeling buzzsaw riffs. “You Will Be Forgotten” hits like a filthy avalanche, a cascade of debris and trash. From the stampeding drum fill introduction to the thudding d-beat terror, Retirement grind out a sinister riff and absolutely bludgeon all senses as they dig and thrash into the corrosive disdain. - DG
SPECIAL WORLD
“Big Apple, 3am”
Special World, the anything goes solo project of Andy Molholt (Speedy Ortiz, Laser Background), is a kaleidoscopic wonder, gloriously refracting its sound into ever warped shapes. The ability to chase ideas into strange rabbit holes of sonic manipulation while retaining an otherwise psychedelic art pop core is what gives the project its magic, and Special World happen to have that ability in spades. Following the release of last year’s majestic self-titled EP, Molholt and co. return with “Big Apple, 3am,” a brand new single that captures the heart of the band. Together with Izzy Reidy (bass) and Eric Slick (drums), the band have delivered much more than a fantastic noir tinged title, but a delightfully askew song with a Grant Bouvier video to match. - DG
STEREOLAB
“Melodie Is A Wound”
Stereolab can do whatever they want. It would seem that with Instant Holograms On Metal Film, their first album in fifteen years, they simply want to remind us all they are capable of. The record’s second single, “Melodie Is A Wound,” is peak Stereolab, a sprawling journey into psychedelic art pop that has inspired an entire generation of musicians. With jazzy lounge pop rhythms and space age synths, the trip is long and strange, yet built around a resonating warmth and an infectious exploration of krautrock grooves. The London based band have always been pioneers, and it’s nice to see them embrace their legendary status as they continue to bend the aural blueprint with a sense that finds clarity within disorientation. - DG
ULRIKA SPACEK
"Interesting Corners"
There may have been a six year gap between Ulrika Spacek’s brilliant second album and their also brilliant third album, but it would seem the wait for their next one won’t be nearly as long. The London based quintet return with new single “Interesting Corners,” a song formed on tour, capturing a shared sentiment of their life on the road. The band continue to weave together fragments of art rock, post-punk, and psychedelic experimentation to create something that’s as immersive as it is dynamic. Textured in a way that feels infinitely repeatable, Ulrika Spacek glide on silky grooves and blurred realities, laying into mesmerizing yet restrained rhythms, the soft sting of their dreamy detached melodies, and the band’s knack for delightfully winding structures. - DG
WATER MACHINE
“River”
There’s an energetic rush that swirls upon “River,” Water Machine’s second taste of their forthcoming debut album, God Park. It immediately starts off with the bouncy grooves that lay the groundwork for the rabid guitar flourishes and cheery vocal chops to slide in freely, completely creating a flow that thoroughly collides jittery chaos and peppy glee pretty effectively. - Louis Pelingen
Further Listening:
AAA GRIPPER "Wasp Women" | ARSE "Complete Arse" LP | BENNY THE BUTCHER "Duffel Bag Hottie's Revenge" (feat. Boldy James) | BÉTON ARMÉ “Chemin De Croix” | BIG BREAK "The Goon" | FRUIT LOOOPS "Appendicitis" | FUGAZI "Live at The Forum London UK 11/04/02_FLS1045" LP | FUGAZI "Live at Wilson Center Washington DC USA 09/03/87_FLS0001" LP | FUNGAS "Knife 2 You" | HARRY THE NIGHTGOWN "Falling Down That Hill" | IMMORTAL BIRD "Audiotree Live" | JOLIE LAIDE "Cheyenne" | LLOYD BANKS "Endangered Innocence" (feat. Ghostface Killah) | MIKE & TONY SELTZER “WYC4” | NEIL YOUNG & THE CHROME HEARTS “Lets Roll Again” | NILÜFER YANYA "Cold Heart" | NOLAN POTTER'S NIGHTMARE EGG "Nightmare Egg" LP | THE POND "Into The Room" | POOLBLOOD "Bobby" (Alex G cover) | POWERPLANT "Crashing Cars" | PRIMUS "Little Lord Fentanyl” (feat. Maynard James Keenan) | PUFFER "Jimmy" | RIP VAN WINKLE "By The Water" | ROC MARCIANO "Period Blood" | SCIENCE MAN "How The Butcher Gets Paid" | SHARK? "Won't Be Bad" | SUPREME JOY "Into The Mirror" | TY SEGALL "Possession" | WESTSIDE GUNN “Egypt (Remix)” (feat. Doechii) | WIPES “Stone Eater” | WISHBONE ZOE "Happy Loud"