On March 8th, Matt Shapiro released a 6-track EP that is absolutely thrilling from start to finish. You can see why, too, as Matt admits he approaches his music-making a lot like film. “I approach making a record like I’m making a movie,” he admits. “My last album Metaphysical was very layered and wide-angle and made to sound kind of epic. With this new EP FADE IN, I made the conscious decision to go the other way. This one’s more disciplined, and really stripped down to essentials…more like a scrappy little indie. And it has more bite.”
If you think for a moment that he doesn’t mean the phrase “scrappy little indie,” then you’re in for a treat. “Rockaway Girl” is very theatric, throwing you into this one-man performance that is equal parts modern indie rock and 80’s pop fury. “The Addict” darkens the soundscape a bit, but the collection doesn’t forget the attitude that came with the first track, as it weaves into the slow burner “Is There Something Going On”. “Johnny” is for the human who feels like walking on the wild side, while “Water’s Edge” is much slower, simple and soft in its disposition. Shapiro’s vocals feel like water as they glide amidst the instrumentals. This tranquil feeling is put to an abrupt halt with the first staccato notes of “Genievieve”. It seems as though the pace and volume change might have to do with the way a significant other disrupts your life, and makes things ten times louder. We’re fond of the impact it has on the EP’s trajectory, and couldn’t have placed a more defining last song.
Alt-pop artist Ships Have Sailed have a new single “Escape”, and it will make you feel what the title suggests. The LA based duo has been diligently working since their debut EP in 2013, releasing a slew of projects over the years. Indie rock, pop, and alternative sounds ring out in all of their works, and those genres are put on full display in their new single “Escape”.
“Escape” kicks off a series of singles coming from Ships Have sailed that “promise to express a deeper level of sentiment than ever before”. The single is accompanied by a video that is all about escaping ones problems, doubts, and struggles. Sometimes all you can do is scream out and try to escape your reality through other activities, and even this new single from Ships Have Sailed can help one do this.
You can keep up with Ships Have Sailed through their socials listed below. Don’t be surprised when this alt-pop collective has a massive 2019.
Hailing from Oakland, indie rock/experimental pop project We Is Shore Dedicated – the brainchild of Sam Tsitrin – has a bit of new magic to share with us this holiday season. New album No Ski Here Ogi Sap is here, boasting 9 instrumentally mellifluous tracks that will keep you dancing gracefully around your home all day. Though the lyrical edge to the album – politically and emotionally-driven – can be found outstandingly in tracks like “Sorok Sapogov”, it’s still a bit of a masterpiece, to be shared regardless of background or belief. Check it out in its entirety below!
Chattanooga, TN-based power pop/garage band Mythical Motors – comprised of Matt Addison, Mike Brown, Brad Smith, & Johnny Wingo – might be gearing up for the release of their new album, but we were a bit impatient. So we caught up with Matt briefly to chat about what’s to come, the mystery of Bigfoot, and so much more! Check out the fun interview below!
What was your first musical memory, and do you think it has any bearing on who you are as an artist now?
Matt Addison: I’m not sure if has an impact on me now, but I have a memory of being around 4 years old, and running around and trying to make up songs. I think I had been watching The Muppets on TV, and I wanted to make up a song about the characters I had seen. I didn’t attempt to write a proper song, however, until 10 years later or so.
Do you think being from Tennessee has any bearing on your sound?
Matt: Probably not. In high school, I discovered indie bands like Guided By Voices, Sebadoh, Superchunk, Pavement, etc. There wasn’t a lot of awareness in Tennessee of those types of bands, so that just meant I had to dig a little deeper to discover new music.
You have such an interesting blend of influence in your sound. We honestly feel transferred back in time when we listen to your work. What made you choose to go in this direction with your music, as a team?
Matt: I think it occurs somewhat naturally when you’re a fan of a wide range of music. We’ve all been huge fans of rock music for many years, and we celebrate what Robert Pollard (of Guided By Voices) calls the 4 P’s of rock – pop, punk, prog, and psychedelic.
Elevated Levels was released last month. What made you choose to include 22 songs?
Matt: Our last album, The Life Stage, had 26 songs, so I had originally planned for the follow-up to be much shorter. But, I ended up with around 30 songs or so. So, I chose songs from that group that flowed well together, and it seemed to work.
What’s the most integral track on the album for each of you?
Johnny Wingo: “Exalt The Highway” Brad Smith: “Endless Distance of Belief” Mike Brown: “Endless Distance of Belief” Matt: “One Seventh Of A Shadow.”
“Shape Shifting Nightmare Celebration” is one of our favorites. What inspired that track, specifically?
Matt: “Shape Shifting Nightmare Celebration” is one of the most unusually structured songs on the album, and was probably inspired by Robert Pollard’s solo material. He has a penchant for writing songs that are inspired by progressive rock, with very unconventional song structures. So, I was attempting to write something in a similar vein, where the song does not follow a predictable verse/chorus structure. The song’s coda was even taken from a completely separate recording, and added in later.
What’s the recording process like for you guys? Does it start with a hook? Are the lyrics all written out first? Do you just play and sing until something makes sense?
Matt: I have several different methods for writing and recording. I’ll usually start with a riff or a finished guitar instrumental, and try to write a melody over that. Then, I’ll write lyrics that fit the melody. Other times, the lyrics come first, but I usually start the process with a song title in mind. I keep an ongoing list of titles, and I find them to be a constant source of inspiration for songs. Another method that I’ve developed recently is to attempt to write a melody for a complete set of lyrics. I’ll then record the song A Capella as a reference, and then complete the song by assigning a chord progression to it later. I find this method particularly exciting. It’s fun and easy.
Any fun anecdotes about the recording process for Elevated Levels?
Matt: Actually, the first thing that comes to mind was not fun at all. The hard drive on my 16 track recorder crashed during the recording of the most complex song on the album, “Over Caravan Park.” I probably spent more time on that song than anything else I’ve written, and once I purchased a replacement machine, it had to be re-recorded from scratch. Not fun. But, it worked out, and the version that appears on the album is the second attempt.
If you could choose any movie or TV series to have your music placed in, which would you choose and why?
Matt: The Man In The High Castle or The Handmaid’s Tale would be pretty incredible. I’m a big David Lynch fan, so it would be amazing to be included in one of his projects.
If you could have your dream rider list, what would be included on it?
Matt: Beer, maybe some tacos. We’d be happy to just have a rider.
Calzones or pizza? Substantiate your claim.
Matt: Pizza. I mean…it’s pizza!
Do you believe in Sasquatch? Why do you think we should or shouldn’t?
Matt: I don’t know much about Sasquatch, so I have to defer to the wisdom of the late Mitch Hedberg on this one. He said, “I think Bigfoot is blurry, that’s the problem. It’s not the photographer’s fault. Bigfoot is blurry, and that’s extra scary to me. There’s a large, out-of-focus monster roaming the countryside.”
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Keep up with Mythical Motors – and maybe Bigfoot – here.
The eleven-track compilation stunner just released by Dazzleships Records honestly serves as our life soundtrack at this very moment in time. Ever since we got our first listen, we’ve been running the tracks back through our minds, creating more with these songstresses as our inspiration. Dazzleships Records Presents: Raise By Women is both tantalizing and evocative of a generation – or more – in its entirety. Skull Diver‘s “Bad Star” sets the tone, giving us a grunge indie/pop soundscape to play with, absorbing itself into the quirky and lighthearted tone of Mini Blinds‘ “Happy” before Cat Hoch‘s “Say You Love Me” throws us into an 80’s-inspired bliss.
Natasha Kmeto‘s “Your Girl” blends synths in a similar way to its predecessor, but in a much more contemporary and soulful way. While Rilla‘s “Side Sleeper” is one to get your head bobbin’ to, your feet groovin’ a bit, Johanna Warren‘s “The Blessing The Curse” dunks you in an ethereal, mellifluous soundscape before DANDAN gets all experimental on us with “Broken Mirror”. Black Water Holy Light‘s “Sunrise” belongs on an episode of The O.C. (Seasons 1 or 2 exclusively, please?), and Laura Palmer’s Death Parade brings us to a slow, folk-tinged, melancholia with “Scrollin'”. Haste basically says it all within the instrumentals of “Let’s Touch Ourselves”, with gorgeous vocals and alluring lyrics to make it a powerhouse of a track. And the entire collection is rounded out quite nicley with Sheers‘ “An Osscasion”, which plays with dissonance and a more earthy, string-led sound that really feels delicate.
Keep up with the latest from Dazzleships Records and all their new projects here.
Los Angeles based funk-infused soul-pop creator Spencer Ludwig has had quite the year with new music releases. Today, we’ve got the exclusive streaming premiere of the LEFTI remix of his track “Just Wanna Dance”. Though the original track is pure bliss, the updated version gives us all the good vibes, staccato instrumentals and all. Though the track is largely electronic, there is an ethereal feeling to it all, induced by Ludwig’s smooth as honey vocals. The best part about it? It came about due to a sense of community, which is everything and more for a dance track!
I feel a kindred spirit to my friend LEFTI since we both shared the experience of being in a popular indie-pop band (LEFTI was the bass player in Cobra Starship) around the same time and also for deciding to break off and do our own thing around the same time. We’re also neighbors in Brooklyn! The NY music scene is small and I’m a big fan of LEFTI and of collaborating with NY artists in general. This remix foreshadows a collaboration between LEFTI and me called “Every Time”, which comes out in early 2019. It’s really just to give you a taste of what’s to come!
Get yourself in the mood for a spectacular weekend below!
Are you into quirky, emotional, indie rock music? Because Active Bird Community – and their brand new album Amends, out today – could really do the trick for you. The Brooklyn-based collective has been creating their brand of alternative music together since 2005 when the guys were in middle school, and the evolution has been impeccable, as they hone their sound into something 90’s babies will cherish, perhaps, more than anyone else. Amends is direct evidence of that.
Beginning with the title track, Amends establishes that slacker sound to a T while it meanders through with rough guitars, perfectly sometimes-whiny vocals, and a robust, head-bobbing energy. This carries well into second track “Holier”, though third track “Sweaty Lake” – as memorable as that name is – picks up the pace immensely, and understandably so. (See: the title “Sweaty Lake”.) Things slow again in “Unwind With Me”, which is, again, a direct reflection of the song title.
Once we get to “Baby It’s You”, I don’t think anyone is expecting a horns section. But there it is, an intro that wakes you back up with its differentiation from its predecessors. The pace takes that of a Weezer track, and we’re on board with the energy again. .”Virginia” feels more 90s grunge than others thus far, ragging on people for being “just a cliche” and challenging the object of their attention. “Blame” slows down to a ballad-like crawl, emotional in its disposition, while “Downstairs” adds some more quirk back into the feel of the album with light percussion and a rough, beautiful bass line.
“Metrics” starts with a toe-tapping, pop-like feel, and then delves back into the whirring guitars, hard percussion, and upbeat attitude of the majority of Amends. “Silver Screen” begins slow, simple, and then bursts into this kaleidoscope of sound that we didn’t necessarily see coming. “Lighthouse” rounds it all out quite beautifully, performed on acoustic guitar to really enhance the lovely, soft feeling of the lyrics.
You know, until it gets a little rowdy toward the end. But we really couldn’t have hoped for anything different.
Starting September 10th, Los Angeles-based indie duo Swimsuit Issue – beautifully executed by model Miles Garber and David Gagliardi – is hitting the road with alt-pop musician Julietta for a couple of enthralling dates on the east coast. Seeing as their work has been touted by some quintessential names in music – their first show was playing to over 1,200 Catpower fans when Chan fell in love with their first single – Catch them in Brooklyn at Elsewhere (Zone One) on the 10th, and in Philadelphia at Kung Fu Necktie on the 17th. We’re thrilled to see their live performance magic captivate more audiences and expand the fanbase. Start your research below before heading out to one of the shows in a few days!
Keep up with Swimsuit Issue’s new work here, and keep tabs on Julietta and her upcoming music here.
Looking for a soundscape to give you a break from sticky sweet pop records for a hot second? Craving a voice that is far-reaching, robust, and has just a hint of a scratch to it? Queens-based indie artist Skela is giving us just enough of that uptempo, catchy beat underneath her gorgeous, tranquil vocals with her track “What’s Wrong With Me” and its corresponding, brilliant lyric video. Her vibrant personality comes alive in the visual, the accompanying artistic aspects give it the quirk and rebellion we were hoping for.
So “What’s Wrong With Me”? We’re struggling to figure that out as well (Nothing. There’s nothing wrong with any of this.)
