by Meredith Schneider | Oct 22, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Toronto-based indie synth rock outfit Zinnia may be comprised of Rachael Cardiello, James Burrows, Chris Pruden, Connor Walsh and Mackenzie Longpre, but it feels as though their new track “Requiem” is made up of stardust. With that classic ethereal, synth-infused soundscape that we have come to expect from this act, Cardiello’s vocals serve as an anthemic reminder to the song’s listener. Add this one for a fun, psychedelic boost at your next autumn party, or sink deep into it surrounded by candles as Halloween approaches!
Keep up with Zinnia here.
by Kira Cappello | Oct 21, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
California indie-pop duo Ruby Red have dropped a sultry smooth single that can be described as deeeply vibey. New track “Superbloom” is boiling over with chunky beats and thick bass, suavely melded with nostalgic synth that invites a contemporary indie spin.
Like waking up to an electro-pop disco dream, the first few seconds of “Superbloom” are washed out, before bursting forth into stunning clarity. Wavy, texturizing synths envelop echoing vocals into a hazy vacuum, their syncopation weaving as glittery guitar riffs pepper the remaining space. For all its pleasantries, the song is also lyrically hyperconscious, featuring lines like “I can’t help but feel the heat of the moment controls me / I can’t help but feel like my shoulders are weighed down by truth.”
Not to submit to cliché, but “Superbloom” truly does deftly blend many current musical styles; including chillwave, electro-pop, indie rock, hip hop, and disco. This track is what happens when Toro Y Moi meets Tame Impala – with just a dash of Post Malone-reminiscent vocals – yet it still feels innovative and brand new.
Multi-instrumentalists Daniel Laner and Fernando Fine of Ruby Red have been longtime friends since elementary school, officially forming the band in early 2018. The group released a 5-track EP in 2018 titled “LOVELOCK”, with “Superbloom” as their second single of 2019 following previous release “How It Should Feel”.
Keep up with Ruby Red here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 21, 2019 | albums, review
Alright, we are way overdue for stepping back in time with a killer soundscape to aid us. Packed to the brim with disco-era synth flare, Delores Galore‘s new album New Growth sounds a little more old school than one might assume when dissecting the album title, though it has a fresh spin with relatable lyrics and a fun, carefree feeling. (Truly, this is exactly what we needed to help us along through these slightly-more-serious months as we all meet year-end goals and continue to kick ass to end this decade right.)
“One Touch” gets us in the mood with husky vocals, glittering reverb and a vocal spoken breakdown that is equal parts honest and soulful. “Corpse Inside” has more of a psychedelic tone to it, a track that brings the tempo down, and the feelings out. “Still We Stay” follows it, much more 80s in nature, and just as magical as its predecessors. This one has an instrumental tempo that is slightly off-kilter when lined up with the vocals. This slight difference creates an otherworldly atmosphere for the duration of this dance track.
“Don’t Stop Me Now” has a very techy opening, with a soundscape that makes us feel as though we have been dropped inside an original Nintendo console to fend for our lives. The frantic feeling the instrumentals create is only slightly offset by the smoothness of the vocals, creating a balance similar to the song before it. Delores Galore rounds out the release well, with the slower tempo’d “Circles”. It feels epic, and should we find it placed in a Stranger Things-esque period piece, we wouldn’t think it out of place.
Get a sneak peek of New Growth below with “One Touch”, and keep your eyes peeled for more!
Keep up with Delores Galore here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 18, 2019 | albums, review
Rock collective Teleportal – comprised of Johnny Rossa (Vocals), Beth Liebling (Vocals and Bass), James Bourland (Guitar), and Ric Peterson (Drums) – just released a theatrical, 11-track album titled Devour that does – if not specifically that – really provide an attitude all its own. While the instrumentals of “Space Bone” introduce the collection with a dark soundscape, it lightens with the layering of new instrumentals and lighter vocals. Eventually a wailing note makes this song into what it is, and we’re transported back in time while also being pushed significantly into the future. “The Plague” has an undeniably frantic feel to its sound, energizing in its disposition, while “Disaster” evens out the tempo a bit for a more traditional rock sound. “Mansions” slows it down to that psych rock soundscape, giving us whirring guitar parts we didn’t even realize we were craving until now.
“The Organizer” dips back into classic rock, a little more of a ballad. We’re pleased with the way it pulls Rossa’s vocals to the forefront, providing this heartbreaking feeling we wouldn’t otherwise get from a different set of pipes. “Slither on the Ceiling” brings with it a funky feeling, the vocals rough and enticing. “Velvet Math” definitely feels more technical, with computerized sounds throughout and an otherworldly vocal presentation. While “Pull the Trigger” has a title that might feel a little more morbid than its predecessors, the crashing cymbals and punk rock feel make it fit right on in with several genres, including garage, punk, and classic rock.
“Ruins” slows everything down as an instrumental track driven by a classic drumbeat, while “Eel” does seem to exist in a watery, psychedelic soundscape. (The intentionality behind the undertones of the songs and their title pairings is almost poetic in itself, don’t get us started here.) “Gamma Dust” is quite possibly the perfect ending to this collection, as from beginning to end you feel an eery connectedness to the scattered percussion, haunting vocals, and layers of sound. Soothing, chaotic, intense.
Keep up with Teleportal here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 11, 2019 | albums, review
Indie pop songstress OSTON recently released a new 6 track titled Sitting at the Kids Table, a highly relatable and intrinsically beautiful collection of songs that will leave you craving more. From the first lines of first track “bad” to the very last moments of “last time”, there is an energy to this work that is all her own. With raspy, well-balanced vocals, OSTON has created an entirely distinct sound to the entire album with just the presence of her vocals.
Songs like “give up” and “bad” employ earthy percussion and While “leading me on” is a smooth pop track with a subject matter that is absolutely exhausting, “way we say goodbye” brings us back to a good mood, in both lyrical content and a bass line that never quits. OSTON wraps the release up with “last time”, which is a future hit pop track if ever we’ve heard one. As we praised before, her vocals are more than enough to carry this song, with Mariah Carey-esque range, and the tempo makes this the perfect song to dance with your sweetie to. The bittersweet topic is something to sit with if you’re in a weird, introspective mood, but it’s presented in such a sultry way that you can enjoy this in an array of atmospheres.
Push this song to radio, guys. And as a whole, this release shows OSTON’s promise. We can’t wait to see what’s to come.
Keep up with OSTON here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 10, 2019 | snapshot, visual
I sometimes think back to how often I made my family listen to the Do You Feel and Hello, Good Friend albums on repeat during my teen years. I was angsty, and it made for good road trip music. And over the years, I’ve been nostalgic for those albums as The Rocket Summer has continue to release ace albums that inspire human connection on several unique levels. I was so happy to head out and support Bryce Avary during The Rocket Summer’s stop in Kansas City to play The Riot Room on October 8th.
I ended the most beautiful autumn evening belting out songs I sang twelve, thirteen years ago. Songs that made me feel like I was invincible, like I had to leave Kansas City to find myself. Like Kansas City had ever been a small town in any way. And here, I found myself singing this song in the same city, the city I have chosen to reside in during my adult years, the city that has brought me so much abundance and revelations about myself. Sure, I spent my time on both coasts, but I value this city. So I might not agree with the exact sentiment of the song, but the sense of adventure it invokes is a tale as old as time.
Between crowd pleasers like “Break It Out”, “Hold On”, “Do You Feel”, “So Much Love”, “Tell Me Something Good”, and more, Avary sprinkled his newer tracks, all of which boast the same, smart writing, intense percussion, and incredible amounts of emotion. “Morning Light”, “Shatter Us”, and “Wannalife” brought out some of Avary’s most recent art, an album we have been swimming in since August. Bryce Avary’s voice is all the instrument you need. Witness that in any number of his songs, his robust vocal ability truly captivating any audience, large or small. But his is some of the most elevated lyrical writing I have ever heard, and he consistently impresses with unique and vibrant instrumentals.
Throughout the extended set — Avary stayed for a proper encore, stretching his performance past the official curfew and reveling in the way the crowd had made him feel that evening — the energy and events that inspired each specific song were so ridiculously palpable. A night like this, surrounded by an intimate crowd in a small venue in the heart of America, that’s the kind of night that lives on. His music impacted my life majorly, and I’d be a fool to think I was the only one.
via GIPHY
Keep up with The Rocket Summer here.
by Kira Cappello | Oct 7, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Berlin indie rock group The Usual Boys have released what will be a bar venue classic: The meandering bassline of “I’m Not the Asshole” stumbles through the back of dive bars, down drunken alleyways, and around the street corners of a chaotic night out. Though The Usual Boys supply influences of established Britpop, the sarcastic tone of this track is peppered with garage grit and topped off with a smoky-cool smoothness that goes down like one last shot – maintaining its freshness even after many listens.
“I’m Note the Asshole” paints a muddled scene of friendly banter between friends gone sour, giving way to drunken conflict and frustrated dialogue. Vocals from Aleksi Oksanen wind, warble and drag in all the right ways; slurring slightly at the end of each note for a healthy dose of theatricality. With dusty snares and sweeping cymbals, drummer Patrick Pevsner pulls The Usual Boys behind a curtain of cool, filling the room with smoke that contrasts the gritty forwardness of lead and rhythm guitar trills from Ethan Dalziel and Oksanen, respectively. The resounding bass, via Rasmus Schmidt, drives this track the whole way, temporally unwinding any starting point of logic and illustrating the narrator’s descent into resentment.
The Usual Boys formed in Berlin in 2017 and have been haunting the scene since, wielding a fervent mania into the fabric of their punk-spirited shows. They’ve just finished a tour through their native Germany preceding the release of anticipated single “I’m Not the Asshole”, released October 4, 2019.
Follow The Usual Boys here.
by Kira Cappello | Oct 4, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
The newest single from one of the freshest names rising in pop is titled “Long Game” – an apt expression of 22-year-old singer/songwriter Gavin Haley’s dedication to making it work. “Long Game” simmers and twinkles, finger snaps and pop-anthem beats clicking along reliably. Haley’s smooth, breathy vocals sweep through his profession to a significant other that despite difficulties, they can count on his loyalty.
That loyalty is reflected in the mono-tempo, mono-mood of this track, which feels chill and reassuring, yet perhaps overly cautious. Parsing through Haley’s other reveals that he has the vocal prowess to produce interesting melodies in both pop songs and acoustic ballads alike, so while “Long Game” definitely fits on a late-night drive playlist, we’re looking forward to seeing both his influences and willingness to push boundaries expand going forward.
Keep up with Gavin Haley here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 2, 2019 | show review, snapshot, visual
On Monday, September 30th, we were thrilled by the crowd packed into Kansas City’s recordBar to enjoy an evening of music by Noah Gundersen. Quite honestly, weeknights in Kansas City are difficult to draw fans out for, especially with our weather being so unpredictable. But the night was beautiful, and the music was absolutely enthralling.
Packed to the brim, there was an excitement in the air as we pushed through the doors on that beautiful autumn night. Couples in droves, though largely we noticed how wide Gundersen’s audience is, as there was no obvious demographic. Young, old(er), couples, single people rocking out, people in all types of outfits and moods. It was probably the most intense melting pot we have been a part of in a while, and it was thrilling.
As soon as the first chords of “Robin Williams” came from the speakers, the entire crowd was captivated. As you can view in some of the following photographs, the audience was respectful of the ambience of each song, making sure to slow down and engage on a different level with songs such as “Heavy Metals”, “Watermelon”, and “Bad Desire”. And we truly can’t blame them. Noah does an amazing job at making each person feel as though they are the only one in the room, both with the emotion in his vocals, his intense gazes into the audience, and his inventive and beautiful musicianship. But he didn’t stop there, and the setup’s light display was actually mesmerizing as well. We can only imagine how intricate a show in a less intimate venue would be, and we can’t wait to see him come back through town.
Setlist
Robin Williams
Crystal Creek
Heavy Metals
Lose You
Watermelon
Out of Time
Older
Ledges
Jesus, Jesus
Annie
So What
Bad Desire
Send the Rain (To Everyone)
Wild Horses
Kamikaze (with Lemolo)
Lover
All My Friends
Keep up with Noah Gundersen here.
