Tracklisting:

Restorations – Nonbeliever
Goshen Electric Co. – The Grey Tower
Horse Culture – Follow
Yowler – Where Is My Light?
Desert Liminal – Gauze Cave
Anamon – In 3
Adeline Hotel – Lightning
Lea Thomas – Upstream
Scott Orr – No Phone
Advance Base – Christmas in Nightmare City
Blue Wilson – Golden Eyes
The Sofas – Nothing Major
Lazy Legs – Nosebleed
All Boy/All Girl – Bomb
Strange Ranger – New Hair
Elly Swope – Idea
Dweller – Running
Will Henriksen – Halo
Knuckle Pups – Bottom Baby
Ian Wayne – Guessing
Massage – Crying Out Loud
Recluse Raccoon – Mother America
Interbellum – Ink
Marc Ferrino – Like a Spark
Katie Kuffel – As the Crow Flies
Emily Brown – Sometimes
KASHKA – Holding Steady
Philippe Bronchtein – Me and the Moon
Spencer Segelov – Sacred Songs
Annie Dressner – Fades Away
Belaver – Grave Robber
Of The Valley – Ride Alone
Hour – Give thanks in a special way

The post October 2018 Roundup appeared first on Various Small Flames.

This is clear on previous releases Slagroom and Trophy, an album and EP respectively that aimed to realise the potential of seven musicians. Both records utilised a whole manner of instruments to support Lovier’s soaring vocals, providing near orchestral arrangements that could veer into pop or drone at any moment. all boy/all girl were not here to fit into your neat brackets—they were more focused on building worlds.

However, such a maximalist approach does come with its own downsides. With the array of elements and instrumental flourishes, the emotional intimacy of the songs can be lost, at least on a personal level. Indeed, on previous albums Lovier sounded less like a person communicating than some otherworldly force, an energy drawn from the soundscapes all boy/all girl conjure. Which might go some way to explaining the new look all boy/all girl, the band slashing their membership back to the original two members for a new EP, Crisps.

The three-song release, out this week on Grind Select, makes this newly concise line-up apparent from the off, offering a more condensed, potent version of the all boy/all girl sound. As displayed by opener ‘Phloem’, the sprawling orchestral style has been replaced by a cacophonous rock aesthetic, Lovier’s vocals possessing a newfound grit and blunt immediacy. Driven by sloppy drums, the guitars tend toward lopsided crescendos, the atmosphere swirling in raucous noise, as though a bell jar has been placed over the band, their previously diffuse sound forced to gather into thick black thunderheads.

Though maintaining a more clear-eyed attitude, ‘Bomb’ is equally forthright, Lovier’s lyrics lurching with a brash, almost dangerous vibe, sparking the rousing chorus through their own energy. ‘The Party Song’ sees Rahn pick up the vocal duties, though the style is much the same. Despite the title, the track is more an ode to disregarding organised fun, funnelling the awkwardness and discomfort of parties into a rallying cry to show that introspection need not necessarily equal timidity.

We’re grateful to be able to share the release a few days ahead of schedule, so take advantage below:

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