English trio Muncie Girls are cooler than ever in their new video for “Picture of Health,” the lead single from their second album Fixed Ideals, which is set to come out on August 31. Lead vocalist/guitarist Lande Hekt, along with guitarist Dean McMullen and drummer Luke Ellis, create an anthem for friendship with a sound that is reminiscent of the early days of Paramore and 90s pop-punk. The video captures the song’s theme in a real and organic way, right down to the silver fidget spinner. This is a modern-day representation of what it’s like to maintain a friendship and how we tend to get in our own heads, worrying about problems that don’t even exist. “Picture of Health” is a song that everyone can relate to, with a poignant video that emphasizes the importance of platonic love that is very refreshing to see.
Keep up with the band here, and don’t forget to preorder their upcoming album.
Pop can sometimes feel like an afterthought in the rock and country-saturated musical landscape of Nashville, but Thursday night’s show at the East Room made it clear that Nashville’s pop scene is anything but marginal. POP MONSTER (a dual release party for local artists Whoa Dakota and Athena, hosted by Popsquad) showed that pop in Nashville is as varied and exciting as the people involved can imagine it to be. Four artists with unique takes on the different shapes pop can take proved what the Nashville pop scene is truly capable of: churning out emotionally nuanced and stylistically ambitious bangers.
Meaux opened the evening strong with her sensual electro-pop, a fusion of soulful and experimental sounds that provided an effortlessly changing landscape for her rich voice to traverse. Her powerful pipes and impressive dance moves energized the room as she stalked the stage in a split length red cape. Color-shifting gauzy lights set the tone in the room, a cozy dream cave that looked as if it had been styled by the collective efforts of Prince and the Little Prince. Between sets the alchemy in the room was maintained through a mixture of 90’s throwbacks and electro-pop, the dreamy vibes in the room conducted by the cotton candy stellariums (made by Athena) hovering moodily above the crowd.
Next was Soren Bryce, a Brooklyn local who’s no stranger to the Nashville music scene. Soren’s writing and performance seems to transform to keep up with the rapid pace of her own ever-expanding taste. It’s a testament to how talented Soren is that she can take a left turn away from the fantastic music on her last unreleased EP (largely synth-based) to the more guitar-centric rock we heard on Thursday—and accomplish it so effortlessly. Clearly there’s no genre of music that Soren can’t master, as demonstrated by her fantastic set: a grungy pop punk watercolor that borrowed from Kurt Cobain, Lorde, Joe Jackson, Elliot Smith and Fiona Apple without ever losing its own distinctive style. Soren’s varied influences find her a sound all her own, as well as a gravity at the mike that holds the center of any room she’s playing for. The thread that weaves through her stylistic choices is always her voice, melodic with an expansive range that she wielded precisely like a scalpel to cut through the colorful fog in the venue.
Soren Bryce by Rhea Foote
Athena played third in a powerhouse performance that you’d never know was her debut effort. She was right at home in front of an audience, prowling the stage in silver spandex like a modern day Xenon, an early 2000s fever dream kicking through pink fog clouds in Adidas stripes. Athena approached her performance with a fierce vulnerability, swinging from charm to rage to melancholy in a way that always felt authentic. She brought the crowd into her circle of trust and pulled them along for her journey—and despite (or because of) the emotional depth each song was catchier than the next, equal parts Paramore and Nelly Furtado, Athena bopping around the stage with her heart in her hands. If this was only her first show, I’d recommend showing up for Athena’s second show.
When Jesse Ott aka Whoa Dakota took the stage, she wasn’t afraid to own the space, immediately splaying herself out on the attached runway while the crowd encircled her. The show also served as a release party for the new single “Right Now” off of her upcoming album “Patterns,” but she saved that for the end of the show, satisfying the audience in the lead-up with her electrifying and adventurous performance. Her bold, anthemic sound imbued all of her songs with an epic energy, getting the crowd dancing and hollering along with her as she navigated the room in her floral bodysuit. It had the feel of a good block party—the raucous happiness, variety, community energy. Whoa Dakota delivered with their surprise guests, hauling Alanna Royalle and Jung Youth out of the crowd to sing and rap respectively alongside her, with Robert Gay joining on trumpet and Anthony Jorissen on sax. During “Patterns,” the hit for which a music video recently came out, it seemed like the whole room was bellowing all the words alongside her. The show’s joyful climax was a surprise birthday celebration for Ott’s 28th birthday, including a rendition of the birthday song led by friends from Pet Envy and Molly Rocket, and punctuated by an amazing display of cupcakes this reviewer found to be delicious.
by brandon de la cruz
Whoa Dakota’s ambitious, ecstatic performance was the perfect series of exclamation points on which to end the evening. Each performer showcased a different side of pop music and played to the infinite potential within Nashville’s nuanced pop scene. It was especially heartening to see a fantastic, well-executed show that just happened to be led both in front of and behind the scenes by female talent. Without billing itself as a girl power show, POP MONSTER reminded us that there’s a surplus of talented women with vision leaving their marks on the Nashville music scene—and with shows this collaborative and joyful, we should definitely be supporting that.
Formerly known as The Reign of Kindo, Kindo has resurfaced after 4 years with a new single “Return to me” from their latest album “Happy However After” set to be released in April of 2018.
This 6 piece from New York has shown that you don’t need a major label and their money to gain an audience.
Giving the fans a new spin of alternative jazz that is fused with R & B, pop and soul shows that just like topping off your drink, combining old and new, can create something truly refreshing. Not only have they innovated a successful sound, Kindo has also proudly been at the helm of all their recordings.
“Return to me” begins with a rainy day stay in bed piano line. The vocals give a strange appeal to the jazz-ish backing music. Imagine Lenny Kravitz being backed by a piano at a dim lit jazz club applying his pop-rock vocal style and later adding a high gain guitar riff. I am amazed at how Kindoimplements all these musical elements and how they compliment each other. “Return to me” at first listen is calming. Once it sinks in what the lyrics are about it is hard to believe this song is depicting heartbreak. Especially when some of the rhythmic grooves wake you up and influence your body to take the hand of the beat and swing. The atmosphere of musical freedom and exploration is definitely a spark lighting a flame rich with creativity.
Kindo will be touring the Eastern U.S. in March and is surely not a band you want to miss. If they aren’t hitting up your hometown be sure to head over and check out their prior albums which should tide you over until “Happy However After” is released in April.
North Carolina-based musical collective The Collection really hit a beautiful stride with their latest release, a call to action called “Loud.” The indie-alt pop group has created a string of gorgeous tracks together, each with underlying tones of hope. “Loud” follows this pattern, with an expansive and freeing nature.
Lead singer Wimbish was inspired to write the track after protesting last summer following the George Floyd murder.
I watched as peaceful, angry protesters were cornered and attacked by the police. I was one of those maced in the face, alongside many. Over the next many months, I grew angrier and angrier watching white moderates and even “liberal” friends of mine argue over the validity of the protests – how they were being carried out, etc.. and it was astonishing to me – their refusal to lend their voice, to this very necessary movement.
The song serves as an anthem for protest, unity, and a sense of empathy for the times ahead. You can check out the beautiful melody and intrinsically catchy lyrics below.
Eryn Martin has paired with Brazilian funk aficionado R2 to produce her new boundary breaking track “Namesez.” Martin’s personal brand of asymmetrical alt pop is known for using dusky instrumentals to create music that is poignant, contemplative, and softly menacing. A self-taught singer and songwriter, Martin shows off her capricious vocal style that moves through haunting melodies and smooth textures atop glitchy beats that are infused with elements of hip hop and electronic music. The impulsivity of her music keeps her listeners on their feet, and she certainly brings that energy to her new single as well.
Straight away the listener is struck by the unique music box/xylophone sounds that gently crash into one another at the beginning of the track. These sounds and the other beats that transpire have that kaleidoscopic nature that Martin’s music is known for, but they also have a great bounce and drive to them. The character that Martin’s voice assumes in this track sounds suave and relaxed, effortlessly gliding on top of the erratic music. The touches of harmony and textures that surround Martin’s voice and the beat do an excellent job of catching and holding the listener’s attention. Going forward, Martin is preparing to release new visuals and refining her live show, captivating her audience and inspiring them to stay true to themselves.
You can listen to “Namesez” here, and make sure to keep your eye on this groundbreaking rising artist in the future.
It’s time to get some smooth, easy listening in those ears of yours. Perfect timing, since London-based alt pop duo Vōs just released new track “Serious”, which wreaks of 90s R&B influence. As the strong, intense vocals, implore, “Do you wanna get serious?… Are you gonna treat me right?” part of you wants to challenge someone, and the other part of you just wants to dress up and go dancing.
So go. Get ready to this. And challenge someone on the dance floor. (Yeah, we said it. So do it!)
From the beginning of their formation, Fond of Rudy – a four piece indie alt pop band out of Brighton – has planned on creating pop music that brings your emotions to the forefront with catchy lyrics and great production sound. Their latest single, “Next”, is a song that dives into the serious issues in life. This song captures people fighting a battle with themselves and life. The song may seem like a pop track but if you listen closely, you will find a deeper meaning. “Next” shows that as humans we do not have to be perfect all the time and when we fall apart it is not our fault.
The song is perfection from start to finish with its great vocals and smooth beat behind it.
Quickly rising indie pop/rock artist Michigander just put out a new single entitled “Giving Up”, attached with a music video and a B-side called “Breaker Box”. Michigander, led by singer-songwriter Jason Singer, has been releasing music since 2016 and has been gaining traction through singles like “Misery” and engagement from popular playlists by Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. As of now, Singer is the face of Spotify’s “The New Alt” playlist, which promotes new and popular alternative music, placing him alongside artists like The Killers and Hozier. Before the release of “Giving Up”, Singer had put out 2023’s It Will Never Be The Same EP and a live performance and EP for Vevo’s online DSCVR series.
“Giving Up” absolutely appeals to fans of Michigander’s previous songs and features his trademark sound. His alternative pop sound with hazy synths and electronics that still capture honest emotions, all sung with Singer’s distinctive Midwestern twang. It’s cutesy and very likable, and Singer has a charm and earnestness to him that makes him appealing. The backing band assembled for this single is also very good, composed of Jake LeMond on guitar, Connor Robertson on bass, Chris Koo on keys, and Aaron Senor on drums. Lyrically, it’s about desperately trying to make someone happy to have minimal success and having to be assertive about getting nothing in return. It’s a relatable sentiment and very genuine. The music video, directed by Tyler Appel, is shot well with beautiful cinematography. It features multiple scenes of Singer playing with his band, as well as aimlessly driving his truck amongst other things. It’s fun and matches the song well enough, and Singer has a good presence in music videos.
The B-side, “Breaker Box”, matches the A-side in its similar sentiments and seems to be from the same narrator and addressed to the same person as before. It’s another song about a crumbling relationship and wanting the other person to put forth more effort into maintaining it. The song has a wonderfully lush production, with a more piano-driven melody and some wonderful-sounding horns. Like “Giving Up”, it balances being catchy as well as intimate and personal.
Michigander continues to be an inspired presence in modern alternative music, and “Giving Up” is an excellent example of why. As for the future, Singer and his band have a headlining tour beginning Oct 10 in Cincinnati, Ohio, going into 2025 with support from multiple artists including Cece Coakley and Sydney Sprague, as well as solo acoustic performances with Band of Horses.
On the night of August 15th, I went to The Anthem in DC to see the band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. If you’re unfamiliar with them, they’re an incredibly popular Australian rock band made up of talented multi-instrumentalists Stu Mackenzie, Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Cook Craig, Joey Walker, Lucas Harwood, and Michael Cavanagh. One of their main appeals is their approach to genre and exploring as many sounds in their work as they can. Since forming in 2010, they’ve put out 26 studio albums (not to mention 16 live albums) that have ranged from psychedelia, various kinds of metal, progressive rock, synth-pop, sunshine pop, folk, and many more. Despite this, they still have a consistent “King Gizzard” sound that’s rooted in vintage psychedelic rock. Flight b741, which was released on August 9th, is another new musical avenue for them: an early 70s-inspired blues rock album with obvious references to The Rolling Stones and T. Rex. My brief review is that it captures the sound perfectly, with heaps of nostalgia to boot, but still provides plenty of hooks and fuzzy guitar riffs to keep it a consistently entertaining listen. Give it a whirl when on a road trip. You won’t regret it.
Okay, now back to the concert. This was the first show for their tour to support Flight b741, with the opener at this show being Brooklyn-based indie-punk band Geese. They proved to be a fitting match for King Gizzard, as their newest LP 3D Country features a classic rock sound similar to Flight b741, albeit with more country influence. I enjoyed their performance, though, with only the core members of the band, their sound was more alternative rock that doesn’t capture the roots-based atmosphere of the album. Still, they were fun despite the more stripped-back aesthetic. There were occasional unique touches like hand drums and smooth keyboard playing, and I gotta give props to their frontman Cameron Winter. He’s a very interesting and captivating presence, with an oddball southern yodel-ish twang in his vocals that stood out to me.
After Geese’s set, there was a 30-minute break so King Gizzard’s crew could set up. Right before their performance started, a message appeared on screen reminding the audience to have fun in the mosh pit but to look after each other and report anyone dangerous to security. I didn’t get close enough to mosh, but I’ve heard enough horror stories of audience injuries to know that the message was responsible on the band’s part. I should also note the atmosphere and the crowd of the show. There were lots of young people at the show, (more men than women, though still a decent mixture) around their 20s and early 30s. With the band’s decade-spanning influences, it also made sense that there were also some middle-aged and older people that were likely fans of similar bands such as Phish or The Grateful Dead. All the concert tickets sold out quickly, so the general audience pit on the main floor had to be packed tightly to accommodate everyone. From my firsthand experience, it smelled of sweat, pot, and alcohol the entire time. Still, that was to be expected from a crowd made up mainly of stoners wanting to mosh or get zonked out on hallucinogens.
King Gizzard’s main ethos seems to be that not only do they never repeat an album, they also never repeat a show. The band’s live performances feature lots of extensive jamming, allowing for the musicians to ride a groove and riff off one another with improvisations, giving the songs a different feel from their studio counterparts. While the jams of earlier shows may have focused more on heavier metal riffs (according to my friend, anyway. Shoutout Nayeli!), the ones this one had fit more with the influences on the new album and are more bluesy (featuring harmonicas!) with some fuzzy psychedelia and touches of funk. I’m a fan of extended performances of songs to ride out a groove to its fullest, but admittedly some improvisations could be too aimless and lengthy. They were fun, but it got to a point where I nodded off before things kicked back into gear. However, these jams are a staple of their concerts, and it may not entirely matter to you if you enjoy watching talented performers work their craft (or if you’re super high). I’ll also give the band jams credit for being more inviting to new fans that may not have listened to all of King Gizzard’s albums and giving them something entirely distinctive to their concert.
The band’s setlist was very diverse and featured 14 songs from their catalog within 2+ hours. This included three of the new songs from Flight b741, and songs from Omnium Gatherum, Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava, Nonagon Infinity, and others. Despite each album representing a new era and sound, they all fit well together and never appeared too different from each other while still being distinctive. The funk grooves of “Iron Lung”, the raw acid flavoring of “The Dripping Tap”, and the last 30 minutes of the show with back-to-back metal songs (featuring fan favorites “Mars for the Rich” and “Supercell”) all shine brightly. What I admire about the band is their democratic approach to playing, with no member seeming more important than the other. Sure, Stu Mackenzie is their designated “frontman”, but each member gets time to solo, time to speak to the crowd, and opportunities to do what they’re good at. The concert closes on an intense and completely hypnotic drum solo by Michael Cavanagh at the end of “Gaia”.
King Gizzard provided and continues to provide wonderful concerts that rock out, all the while showcasing the band’s chemistry and never-ending talents as they continue being one of the best live acts around. I can’t recommend seeing them enough, whether it’s once or multiple times.
