The Bay Area’s Sour Widows have been trickling out singles since last August but the wait for their upcoming self-titled EP is nearly over. Due out on February 28th, the young band show a great deal of promise as they mix bedroom pop, post-hardcore, and a penchant for big melodies and wayward structures.
Indy500 part 1, the first (obviously) of the four releases planned for 2020, is preceded by single “Trackstar,” a driving track filled with subtle electronics that accentuate The Human Fly’s already eclectic sound. Mathis’ pop vocal chops are in full swing here, but there are also plenty of instrumental sections.
Hudkins and Segedy have again combined their forces to craft the sequel to Dreamboats, to which they’ve given the appropriate name of Dreamboats 2. Right off the first few chugging bass notes and vocal oohs in “Absolutely,” Dreamboats 2 announces itself as a celebration of friendship, of collaborative artistry, and of honing a craft.
Mary Vision make that shimmery, humid, taking-a-break-from-roofing-inside-the-barn kind of psych. It's slow burning and crunchy as it mixes it's blues rock tones with the drawn out proselytizing of the psych jams of yore. The vocals are always a little behind in the mix, with the three guitars really putting in work to keep things sonically wacky.
Old Table can sometimes be reminiscent of the music of Daniel Johnston or Guided by Voices in that the pop brilliance seems completely uncalculated- Will’s craft could better be described as song-channeling than songwriting. Where Old Table differs from the aforementioned acts, though, is the lyrical content.
His music tends to take a more somber and subdued look into introspection, searching for meaning from his childhood and all that has resulted since. Set to release his latest album, Youth Pastoral, on February 28th via Whatever’s Clever, the album is a reflection on growing up a Christian teenager and the rebellion that emerged.
The sub-30 excursion is colorful and bustling. Fusing hip-hop and salsa with elements of pop and bachata, Pero is teeming with Pedazo De Carne’s originality and uninhibited creativity. The artist keeps the music of his youth in mind, combining traditional Dominican styles with the contemporary sensibilities of footwork, rap and R&B.
Brooklyn’s Tetchy are carrying their own combustible energy on “Quitter,” the band’s second single and the first to come from their upcoming debut EP, Hounds. The record follows months spent playing live throughout Brooklyn, and their energy is ever apparent on “Quitter,” a perfect introduction to their creeping and blistering grunge inspired sound.
The band put out a handful of well-loved albums and EPs throughout the late-90s before calling it quits in 2000. Since then, their lo-fi, fuzzed-out songs have gained them a legendary status amongst fans in the know. Duster sounds like no time has passed, delivering twelve new songs that feel nostalgic yet fresh.
Compare and Despair is the first album under the name of Youbet, the alias of NY musician Nick Llobet and introduces the audience to an aural playland that carries so much within it. This musical world is one that lives in a unique space that balances a sort of playful naivety with an unsettledness in all it undertakes.
Control Top have made a vital, impressive punk record, dripping with social, political and personal commentary. Despite its brevity, Covert Contracts also does present a lot of variety, and the musicianship on display is impressive and eclectic. The most striking thing about this record is its directness.
