of montreal just released a floral-forward video alongside new audioscape “yung hearts bleed free”

of montreal just released a floral-forward video alongside new audioscape “yung hearts bleed free”

It’s not difficult to hear the varying inspirations of Montreal (aka Kevin Barnes – he/she/they) so expertly pull together in what can only be called their new audioscape. “Yung Hearts Bleed Free” changes tempo – and complete feeling – a couple of times. This is a move that would otherwise feel disjointed but, in the context of the experimental nature of the musician and its unique video, feels to truly set a vibe instead.

Explains Barnes of the song: “[It was] influenced by the Leos Carax film “Boy Meets Girl”, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, and my recent purchase of a Yamaha TG33 and a Kawai K1M. I wanted to make a strutting, sexy little vamp of a song that just kind of chugged along and felt relaxed and playful and free.”

The lyrics could definitely be characterized as naughty, but they aren’t the standout facet in this track either. While the song is reminiscent of 80s greats, there is something still so psychedelic about the way it is presented, both audibly and in the music video. Director Madeline Babuka Black shares:

There’s a certain 60’s/ experimental spirit to Barnes’ songwriting that I love and by using analog techniques of paper cut out and direct on film animation I pay homage to that. The paper cut out animations and color palette of the film were deeply inspired by Larry Jordan’s experimental animations, most notably his 1968 film “Our Lady of the Sphere.”

The new album, due out in May, marks the last of Barnes’ recorded in Georgia, and perhaps you can feel that nostalgic sweetness in the remainder of the record as well. But “Yung Hearts Bleed Free” is a great treasure to have seen, and I hope you agree.

Directed and Animated by Madeline Babuka Black
Director of Photography Julie Orlick
Edited by Izzy Kross
Featuring Olivia Babuka Black and Scott Rosenthal
Scanned by Jack Tashdjian

Lady On The Cusp is available May 17, 2024.

“dreamspeak” by nisa is a relatable, sad yet comforting, audible treasure

“dreamspeak” by nisa is a relatable, sad yet comforting, audible treasure

Alongside its artful visual comes the new track “Dreamspeak” from genre-bending artist Nisa. The song itself comes across as hyper-aware, but of whom, you can only guess. Explains Nisa: “‘Dreamspeak’ is about the push-and-pull of wanting to fit in while growing tired of the artifice.”Most people can certainly identify with that idea. This song is easily relatable through Nisa’s lyrics.

Nisa sings as though comforting someone — is it her past or present self? Is it someone else? Either way, her vocal delivery makes this song feel both severely hopeless and carefully hopeful at the same time. (You have to hear it to understand it — or it’s maybe also just me. That’s fine.)

The video feels a touch 90s in its presentation, delivered with shots reminiscent of Paula Cole’s “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and other videos featured on TRL at the time. The cool tones to the video create the coldness associated with the exhaustion the song is undoubtedly dealing with.

Feeling like you have to fit in is associated with feelings of comparison and high standards for your own life. It paralyzes people every day, and singing about it can and does help people destigmatize these thoughts a little bit further.

Get your first look at the song and its accompanying video below!

Catch Nisa LIVE On Tour This Spring!
Tour + tickets here
5/7: Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
5/8: Washington, DC @ Pie Shop
5/11: Boston, MA @ Lilypad
5/12: Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy

matthew squires releases audible gem wrapped in satire, “poor men southeast of portland”

matthew squires releases audible gem wrapped in satire, “poor men southeast of portland”

Critically acclaimed Austin-based singer-songwriter Matthew Squires has been releasing thoughtful, meandering audible candy for over a decade now. While his work has taken on many forms, his vocal styling and talented lyricism have remained a constant over the years. His latest track “Poor Men Southeast of Portland” was released in January, a self-aware, modern commentary on the American dream.

For context, the song is complete satire, and was written in response to Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond.” From the perspective of “a parallel universe’s version of Oliver Anthony,” Squires takes us on a ride with tortured vocals and a sense of humor that humbly brings a smile to your face, even with how hard everything seems to be right now. Further explains Squires of the song:

This song was written and passionately performed by Anthony Oliver, a parallel universe’s version of Oliver Anthony.

Oliver Anthony told Joe Rogan that he chose ‘Oliver’ as his stage
name in honor of his grandfather. He was nostalgic for a more
innocent time, when hardworking, God-fearing white men got a little
respect (he forgot to mention how that respect was at the expense of
everyone else’s, or how it was largely enabled by unions).

Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, Anthony Oliver told Roe Jogan his
name was inspired by Casey Anthony. He was nostalgic for a more
innocent time, when Americans could still unite around our fleeting
spectacles, and weren’t yet confused as to which ones were astroturfed
by right wingers.

The lyrics seem like a poignant call for justice. And they are, but in jest regarding privileged white males (who victimize themselves in a world where they have largely benefitted from every oppressive system ever built).

Baby, I’ve been working
for too damn long for too little pay
Don’t know nothin’ bout Marx or Freud
but I know what it’s like to play
the role that someone else designed
to make someone else’s day
but the tree of justice blooms upon
the top of every grave

Love’s a lot like dyin’
Love’s a lot like a Pepsi inside a church
Love’s a lot like flyin’
Love’s a lot like a heaven encased in Earth
Love’s a lot like cryin’
Love’s a lot like the space ‘tween death and birth

Poor men southeast of Portland
awake from their American dreams,
they enlist into the culture wars
to distract them from their screams
about how they feel about their shame
to look their children in the eyes
I guess the tree of justice blooms
upon the question “why?”

The unique way Squires expresses his rage is entertaining, and honestly an earworm. Check out the track below.

walking away from the workweek with the vaccines’ “love to walk away” on full blast

walking away from the workweek with the vaccines’ “love to walk away” on full blast

English indie rock outfit The Vaccines – made up of Árni Árnason (bass, vocals), Yoann Intonti (drums), Justin Young (lead vocals, guitars) and Timothy Lanham (guitars, keys, vocals) – dropped a track today that, at first look, could be considered misleading. The title “Love To Walk Away” gives off the impression that the song will be a positive one, perhaps one about finding empowerment in walking away. However, the lyrics come from the perspective of an outsider – an assumed lover – who is experiencing grief as the result of a crumbling relationship. They watch the runner prepare to run. With lyrics like “How come you’re always leaving?” it is implied that this is patterned behavior.

Sonically, there is a sunny disposition that just does not align with the lyrics, almost making the contemplative message more palatable. (Hey, who really loves confrontation or existentialism THAT MUCH?)

Says Young of the release, co-written with Andrew Wells: “This is the song responsible for the album’s direction sonically and thematically. Given the record’s central theme is not knowing what direction you’re headed in, it feels poignant that the music was so sure of itself so quickly.”

Check it out below.

The Vaccines 2024 US Tour Dates with The Kooks
Feb 29 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
Mar 1 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
Mar 2 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Mar 4 – Toronto, ON @ QET History
Mar 5 – Montreal, QB @ Mtelus
Mar 6 – Albany, NY @ Empire
Mar 8 – Boston, MA @ MGM Fenway
Mar 9 – Philadelphia, PA @ Fillmore
Mar 11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
Mar 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
Mar 13 – Washington DC @ Anthem
Mar 15 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera
Mar 16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Filmore
Mar 18 – Denver, CO @ The Fillmore
Mar 19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Union
Mar 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Palladium
Mar 22 – San Francisco, CA @ Fox Theatre

mouths of babes celebrates life in the sunshine with “world brand new”

mouths of babes celebrates life in the sunshine with “world brand new”

If you’re looking for a warm hug in the middle of this frigid (in some places, trust us) day, look no further than the latest masterpiece from queer folk-Americana duo Mouths of Babes. The duo – comprised of Ty Greenstein (of Girlyman) and Ingrid Elizabeth (of Coyote Grace) – recently released their sophomore full-length, World Brand New.

Today, they launch the title track’s music video – a gorgeous day in the life, really – and we are thrilled to be the premiere spot. Explains Greenstein of the album as a whole:

I wrote World Brand New in 2020 during lockdown. After years of touring constantly, we were trapped in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Berkeley. To our surprise, being forced to stay home was a relief. For the first time, the whole world prioritized rest and safety. We found ourselves delighting in simple activities: listening to records, hanging out with dogs, taking walks, playing guitars.

While we aren’t exactly ready to celebrate the new year quite yet, this song lifts the expectations for the slow, quiet respite of the holiday season. The sunshine in the music video – which features the duo and a dog, making the world their happy place – really drives home the idea that life can be simple and fun.

The slower pace of life made total sense to us both and reminded us of parts of ourselves and of life that we missed. With this video, we wanted to capture that feeling of just being humans without a lot of expectations and enjoying the analog joys of the world. Fortunately, we had a complete blast making the video with Skyler (Jenkins), so all the shots of us cracking up and making googly eyes at each other are 100% authentic.

Further expands the duo: “We felt like this video needed a dog to be complete, but sadly our dog Kali passed away last November. So we borrowed our videographer Skyler’s sweet senior pup July and she did a bangup job! Her slow, chill energy was perfect for the vibe of ‘World Brand New’ and we were fine with her stealing the show.”

Beauty can be found in the small moments, and this season we are truly ready to experience it all. (With the help of Mouths of Babes, of course.)

cold weather never felt so good until our “cold weather calling” soundtrack

cold weather never felt so good until our “cold weather calling” soundtrack

Well, it seems as though the cold weather is calling. And honestly, it’s been a minute since we curated a soundtrack for your everyday life that pulls in a multitude of brand-new tracks from a variety of genres. We’ve been plotting and scheming for 2024 and, in the meantime, want to ensure we are continuing to bring the best new music finds directly to you. Thank you for your continued friendship and inspiration as a part of this artistic, joyful community.

Well, since we are well overdue, let’s get to it. We scraped around several of our (incredibly full) inboxes. Then we sifted through an abundance of music groups and Google updates. Admittedly, we found some pretty incredible new audible art. The tone of each track brings with it a sense of appreciation. Be it a celebration, an examination of the soul, or a story of love — for anything, really. Some of the most impactful work we have heard lately has included vocal-free tracks. These have allowed us to embrace the magic of man-made instrument, and, often, to indulge in the way said instruments engage with silence.

A fun selection of new work from artists like Byland, André 3000, Kid Cudi, Semisonic, Kalia Vandever, and more await you, in our playlist suited for cold weather below.

Check back in for the latest additions to this fun, genre-hopping soundtrack. And send us your recs! Our Instagram and Facebook DMs are open!