Hey folks, it’s been a few weeks since we brought you a roundup of great new tracks we’ve heard lately, but we’re always finding new stuff, so of course we have some things to share with you.
Hey folks, it’s been a few weeks since we brought you a roundup of great new tracks we’ve heard lately, but we’re always finding new stuff, so of course we have some things to share with you. Here are some songs we heard and loved over the course of the hectic holiday season, which will provide the perfect soundtrack to your post-holiday weekend! Enjoy.
Pixies – Blue Eyed Hexe
Breaking news, y’all! A new Pixies EP was just released. The follow up to last year’s EP-1 is of course called EP-2. The first single from it is “Blue Eyed Hexe,” a grungy rocker that’s more of a straight-up heavy groove than I’d ever expect from the Pixies, but somehow totally works, cowbell and all! There’s even a super-crazy video for the track, directed by Mount Emult and full of the sort of mind-melting collage work you’d expect from a bunch of eruditely off-kilter dudes like the Pixies. There’s a limited edition 10 inch vinyl version of EP-2 available on the Pixies website, but with only 4,000 made, we’re betting it goes quick. Click HERE to grab yourself a copy for the rather expensive price of $18 (thank god it’s payday, right?). Or just grab a much more reasonable digital download for $4, and spend the rest of that cash on a burrito. That’s what I’d do.
Morning Parade – Shake The Cage
This alt-rock band from Essex, England put out their self-titled debut album back in 2012, but we didn’t hear about them until the release of their new EP, Alienation. That’s OK, though, because the EP is so great, it’s gotten us quite excited to dig into these guys’ back catalog. Combining loud guitars, swooping synth sounds, upbeat rhythms, and great melodic vocals–really the standout here–from frontman Steve Sparrow, Alienation‘s opening track, “Shake the Cage,” is a real knockout punch from a band that promises to give us a lot more great music in the new year! I for one am looking forward to it. You can grab the entire Alienation EP from Amazon MP3 right HERE, and we highly recommend that you do so.
Self Defense Family – Turn The Fan On
This unique post-hardcore band has been fascinating me with their outspoken online presence and unusual approach to the concept of band lineups for quite a while. Formerly known as End Of A Year, their mid-career name change was really a move to distinguish themselves from everything else out there, genre-related or not. Their intense new album, Try Me, will be officially released by Deathwish Inc. next week, and combines 40 minutes of music with nearly as many minutes of an interview with former porn star Jeanna Fine. The interview features some harrowing, traumatic moments, and the same could be said for the album’s musical half. On lead single “Turn The Fan On,” the pensive-sounding guitar melodies and midtempo riffing offers a foreboding undercurrent that is emphasized by singer Patrick Kindlon’s strained, almost grating voice, especially on the song’s chorus, as he repeats “Someone talked through the best part–you’ll have to start again.” Self Defense Family are an acquired taste, for sure, but their music offers significantly more depth than most bands present at any point in their career. You can expect their new album to be one of the most important releases of 2014. Order Try Me on vinyl, CD, or digital download from Deathwish Inc. by clicking HERE.
Nicki Minaj feat. PTAF – Boss Ass Bitch Remix
Oh wow. Apparently this is actually somebody else’s beat, but I’d never heard of PTAF before and I can’t imagine their original version of “Boss Ass Bitch” in any way holds up next to Nicki Minaj’s absolute slaughtering of this track on her “remix.” What the word remix actually means in this situation is that Nicki erased PTAF’s vocal track (other than the hook) and just dropped her own rhymes over the whole track. People are saying this is her version of Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Big Sean’s “Control,” and while I’m not sure about all that, one thing’s for sure–Nicki proves (if she hasn’t already) that she can rhyme alongside the hardest rappers in the game. Does Peter Rosenberg feel stupid right now? He should.
Lydia Loveless – To Love Somebody
We just discovered Ohio singer-guitarist Lydia Loveless, who is carving out a unique and pretty great niche for herself with an intriguing mix of the sort of post-emo punk-pop you can hear on Best Coast’s records and the alt-country stomp of early Wilco. Her new single, “To Love Somebody,” blew us away with its mix of catchy uptempo guitars and twangy but heartfelt singing. Country instrumentation sneaks in at points–pedal steel, mostly–but with a California-born singer and a little more guitar crunch, this might sound like something Philly alt-punkers Hop Along would do. Instead, Loveless gives the vocal a country-infused passion that is straight up Lucinda Williams. And I for one think it’s brilliant. “To Love Somebody” is the pre-release single from Loveless’s third album, Somewhere Else, due out February 18 on Bloodshot Records. Pre-order your own copy right HERE.
Email me your songs, and I’ll write about them! andrew@rvamag.com Have a great weekend, everyone!
