One of the best/worst things about the whole blogging game is the abundance of great music. Unfortunately there are (still!) only twenty-four hours in a day, most of which are consumed with non-WTD things, so even if we get sent ten great albums then chances are we will only be able to cover three or four. While trying to avoid falling into the listicle trap, we thought the best way to remedy this problem would be a semi-regular round-up, ‘Best of the Rest’, where we include all the songs we think you should hear but don’t quite have the time to tell you why. Inclusion here is no comment on quality – this isn’t a runner-up prize!
Balto – CA LUV / Born Astray
Portland, Oregon’s Balto are nothing if not busy. Returning from a solo tour of Russia, lead Daniel Sheron has announced the band’s new album will be released next February, and provided two singles to show why we should be excited. ‘CA LUV’ is a peppy folk-pop number with delightfully fluent lyrics, the words following around the fluid bends of the instrumentation with a pleasing trip that will no doubt soundtrack your days once the warmer months return.
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If ‘CA LUV’ is made for summer days, then second single ‘Born Astray’ is made for timeless nights, those late hours when regret and alcohol blend into a curious form of joy. Luke Beckel’s vocals capture this perfectly, his soulful croon transitioning to impassioned yells every so often, as though emotions become too urgent to hold in. Get both singles from the Balto Bandcamp page!
Matt Townsend – Came Down From The Mountain
While Matt Townsend has so far peddled solo acoustic music, his forthcoming two-part EP series sees him expand into a wider, more varied sound. Taken from the first EP, The Drifter and the Dream, ‘Come Down From The Mountain’ is folk music that draws upon a number of other elements, with 60s pop, indie rock and orchestral ambient influences all clear and present. You can pre-order the EP now via Bandcamp, and Townsend is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for the release, which you can support here.
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Tape Deck Mountain – I Will Break U
Tape Deck Mountain is a recording project led by San Diego’s Travis Trevisan, and ‘I Will Break U’ is the title track of their latest EP. With its harsh sound and ominous vocals, the track lurches forwards like some creeping gas-powered giant, various sharp and jagged noises swirling and combining into a dense, monolithic juggernaut that simply demands your attention. I Will Break U is out now on Semi-Pro Records and is available via Bandcamp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqY1L6-4Pq4
Swim Team – Are You Forgetting Something?
Swim Team are here to remind you 1) it’s summer somewhere in the world, and 2) Melbourne is a hotbed of garage rock talent. As if to drive home the latter fact, the lineup consists of members of other bands, with Krystal Maynard of Bad Vision, Sammy Wass of The Pink Tiles and Esther Sandler of PAPPY joined by TJ Day on drums to create something of a crunchy pop super group. With debut EP, Holiday, due for release on the 6th January, first single ‘Are You Forgetting Something?’ is our appetite whetter, a warm slice of 90s-style pop-rock that’s simultaneously bright and a little sad.
For those of you lucky enough to live in/near Melbourne, Swim Team have a release show pencilled in for the 14th January at The Old Bar.
Andrew Younker – Pink Slip
Taken from his latest EP, Brainchild, new single ‘Pink Slip’ finds Michigan’s Andrew Younker creating dreamy, nostalgic vibes, his vocals peeking through the lush instrumentation with a cool sense of calm. The lyrics themselves are less magical, painting an indistinct, almost surreal scene involving a businessman on the front lawn and hopes of the titular pink slip. Brainchild is available now via Bandcamp on a pay-what-you-can basis.
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Neurotic Fiction – Mediator
Following their snap debut EP earlier this year, Bristol/Cardiff/Exeter band Neurotic Fiction are back with new single, ‘Mediator’. Toeing the line between Buzzcocks-style punk and Brit jangle pop the track races along with an insistent yet upbeat energy, making for an urgent and moreish two minutes that place the band firmly on your radar.
The song is half of an AA single (along with ‘Generals’), being released as part of Art Is Hard Records’ Pin Pal Club. Pre-order yours here.
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Happyness – Falling Down
This coming Spring will see Happyness follow-up their excellent debut, Weird Little Birthday, with a new record on Moshi Moshi Records. While the album doesn’t yet have a name, it does have a single. ‘Falling Down’ is a slow-building track mixing retro rock and shoegaze, the opening sequence stretching out over the two minute mark before soft-edged vocals complete the atmosphere of gentle melancholic fondness. Keep an eye on Moshi Moshi Records for pre-order info.
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