Pop-punk collective The Travoltas – comprised of Perry Leenhouts, Erik van Vugt, Jochem “Skokie” Weemaes, Wouter “Woody” Verhulst, Michel “Mikk” Meeuwissen, Daan van Hooff, Tim van Doorn – is coming at us hard this holiday season with their self-titled, 14-track full-length. With their quintessential pop/punk sound, the quintet has taken on a 60’s pop flare – much like that of The Oneders – that will get your toes tapping from the very first lines of “I Can’t Say No”, through to the very end of fourteenth track “Thing”. And though “Snowball” clearly nods at the cold weather of the days upon us, the soundscape feels very island-vibey, and we’re all for it. While “Work of Art” continues at a similar clip, “Ghost of Your Love” is slightly darker instrumentally, mirroring its name. They up the jazz factor with “Mail Ya To Australia”, and then get back to a pop/punk, Weezer-y vibe with “If You Could Be the Star”.
Seventh track “Making Out” once again occurs at a pretty quick pace, a notable love song, while “Blame My Baby” slows it down, and has a very Fountains of Wayne feel to it (in only the best ways). “Crying Shame” has a misleadingly upbeat instrumental piece, though the vocals tear through you and evoke the emotion fitting of its title. From the low lows to the very highest of highs, “Tower of Strength” comes next to bring the party levels back up. “I Was Dancing in a Lesbian Bar” and “Did I Lose You at I Love You?” have, perhaps, the most insightful titles, boasting catchy hooks that will easily get trapped in your head. “Hurry up!” has way less energy than you’d expect from its title, but that fact doesn’t detract from its endearing nature in the slightest. The Travoltas round out the album quite well with their quirky, hit single-worthy track “Thing”.
If you aren’t a fan of the band after reading our positive thoughts on their self-titled work, you might try giving it a spin. Actually, do that anyway. It’s quite the experience, and we’re big fans.
Tracklisting
01. I Can’t Say No
02. Snowball
03. Work of Art
04. Ghost of Your Love
05. Mail Ya To Australia
06. If You Could Be The Star
07. Making Out
08. Blame My Baby
09. Crying Shame
10. Tower of Strength
11. I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar
12. Did I Lose You At I Love You
13. Hurry Up!
14. Thing
Kansas City, Missouri-based garage rock psych pop band Eggs on Mars – comprised of Brad Smith (vocals, guitars, keys), Justin Longmeyer (bass), and Mason Potter (drums, percussion) – recently released a 10 track album titled Mama Pancake. As absurd and wonderful as the title is – and the name of the band – the album itself is so much more. First track “Sod is Good” is all types of amazing, from the realness of the track’s name to the calming mood that passes over us as we dwell in its slow, mellifluous glory. While “Placeholders” speeds up a bit and gives us a very 60s psych punk vibe, “Many Minds” brings more of a 90s feel to it. “Red Haired Darling” slows it all down a bit, a love song for all of the red headed beauties in our lives.
“Doing Fine” gives off a bit of a melancholic feeling sonically for the first half, and the title isn’t quite convincing if you ask us. It gains momentum, though, and leads pretty nicely into simplified instrumentals with “Not to Regain”. The sentiment given off in the lyrics of “A Song” makes it feel a little more than “just a song”, while “Don’t Listen” speeds it up, giving us something fun to move our hips to. “Prayer for a Troubled Son” continues in that vein, a fun guitar riff to keep us on our toes throughout.
Eggs on Mars rounds out the album with “Meet Me in Hannibal” – Hannibal is a small town in Missouri where Mark Twain grew up, for those of you wondering – and anyone who has been carried away by a long(er) distance relationship can relate. It’s a beautifully bittersweet love song, slowly and carefully concocted to give us starry eyes as the music fades.
Mama Pancake is available now. Keep up with Eggs on Mars here.
At a very important time, Kansas City-based alt garage rock band The UK’s – comprised of Noah Bartelt (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Scott Combs (Guitar/Vocals), Katelyn Miles (Bass), and Tarquin Eugene Kellough (Drums) – has released a 5-track EP, affectionately and poignantly titled American Way of Death. From the very first, melancholic sounds of “Why Don’t You Go” – which hits a stride that makes you want to add it to your “walking the streets of the city like a badass” playlist – through the 60s punk-influenced soundscape of “Wake Up”, all the way through third track “AWOD” which follows suit, there is an electricity that makes you realize that incredibly underrated music comes from the midwest. (Hello, Holy White Hounds and Mess!)
Cut to “The Poison Squad” and you’ve got a track we could easily find ourselves barbecuing to on a chilly autumn day, dancing to at a sweaty basement party, or driving to down the Kansas City streets. It all comes to a head with fifth and final track “Other Team”, which brings in that fun, vintage, upbeat feel again. If you’re not careful, you just might find yourselves on the ceiling too…
One part June Carter sassing Johnny Cash along with two dashes of Itzhak Perlman on a midnight hayride, Mad Crush’s songs contain theatrical, back-and-forth performances between their singing protagonists Joanna Sattin and John Elderkin. Complete with humor and heartbreak, their songs are in fact bright little dramas about fussing, fighting, and occasionally making up—universal truths sprinkled with brand-new magic dust. Below, Elderkin discusses his first musical influences, which are readily apparent upon listening to Mad Crush’s recently-released debut LP.
I have a habit of dismissing great albums on my first listen. I had friends with an advanced copy of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” who freaked out when they heard it, but when I listened, I thought it sucked. Later, I gave it another try and realized I was way wrong. Like the rest of the world, I ate it up. I had a similar reaction to R.E.M.’s first EP, called “Chronic Town.” Friends I respected said that it sounded unlike anything they’d ever heard anywhere. I listened and shrugged. It was different, but what was it? But when I pulled the record out again a few months later, I was flabbergasted. Those guys were speaking my language!
The one time I got it right came before these albums, on my first listen to The Clash’s “London Calling.” I was a teenager but I’d never heard of The Clash, and I bought it because I liked the cover picture of the bass player smashing his guitar on stage. I turned on my record player and by the end of the first song I was jumping up and down on my bed like a maniac. When my younger brother came in to ask what the hell was going on, I pointed to the record player and sure enough, he jumped on the bed, too. The only time I got down was to turn over the sides. I didn’t own a lot of records yet, and afterward I probably assumed that most albums would knock me out this way, that life would be one “London Calling” after another. Maybe that’s why I wasn’t so impressed later with other records that were supposed to bowl me over. Or maybe it’s just that great…
Chicago-based shoegaze/pop collective Lightfoils releases new five track EP Chambers today, and we’ve got your first listen below! (Or fourth, or fifth, or twelfth… who’s counting?) The five-piece – comprised of Zeeshan Abbasi (guitar), Jane Zabeth (vocals), Cory Osborne (bass), John Rungger (drums), and Neil Yodnane (guitar) – wastes no time getting into the psych feels with the kaleidoscope intro to first track “The Bitter Over”, which layers into a cacophony of sound that seems to envelope your senses. “Duende” brings the same level of otherworldly vocals to it, a little more depth to the guitar parts than its predecessor. While “This Time Is Up” brings with it a punk garage band instrumental soundscape, we’re still left wondering how Zabeth can reach such insane places with her vocals. But I digress.
“Summer Nights” might, at first, make you feel a little bitter about the warm evenings being long behind us, but it also provides that whirring nostalgic feeling that makes it feel like summer might not ever end. (And it doesn’t have to if you don’t want it to!) Last track “Honeydew” brings with its title the same lust for warmer months, though we know we can relive those nights with this as the backdrop any time we damn well please.
The world has waited since 1997’s RAPT to hear a follow-up from folk singer-songwriter Rebecca Blasband. Having spent some time producing sound design and music for television and film, she clearly has a knack for what works with her audience, a fact evident within the tracks on Here. Rebecca wastes no time, jumping right into gorgeous ballad “Love Is”, getting a little more primal with the percussive instrumentals. The title track seems to slow the pace down a bit, a lot more introspective than its predecessors. While “Walking On Water” is a song you could see yourself singing around a fire with your closest friends, while “Who The Hell is Peter Brown?” might get a little more attention at a karaoke bar. (It’s got an edge to it a crowd can’t deny!)
“Those Happy Days” picks the pace back up of course, quirky and fun in its existence, while “Ghost Song” slows it all down a bit more, getting very real with lines like “Sometimes I think I’m just gonna disappear / Waste away / In thin air.” If you feel a little out of control of your life right now, this track will resonate in its entirety. “Way Of The World” is a slap of reality, while “Gotta Work It Out” reintroduces that edge we fell for earlier. “Target” is soulful, psychedelic and perfection in most situations, though you might want to be careful about playing the beginning of it while driving. “Long Distance Love Affair” rounds it all out in a bittersweet and beautiful way, as mention of a long distance love affair brings a level of melancholy to an already meandering and blues-y song. It’s the perfect end to the album, as it makes us all feel a little detached by the end of it.
Here is available now. Keep up with Rebecca Blasband here.
Everyone’s favorite roots rock n’ roll duo Larkin Poe recently released a 10-track stunner, packed to the brim with badassery paired with subtle delicacy that only these ladies could pull off. Starting with the military-like drum line first track “Sometimes”, Rebecca and Megan Lovell bring every ounce of soul that they can to each and every track. As evidenced in “Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues”, “Honey Honey”, “Mississippi” (ft. Tyler Bryant), and “California King”, as well as what follows, lead vocalist Rebecca makes us swoon with a gorgeous, far-ranging, robust set of vocals, that comes with a bit of smoke here and there that makes us feel like everything about this album is a mystery. (I mean, check out those instrumentals in “California King”!
“Blue Ridge Mountains” is very much a country track, following suit of the other upbeat, “proud of my hometown” tracks that we’ve become partial to over the years. And if you think “Fly Like an Eagle” is going to be a remake of the Steve Miller Band classic (mad respect to Space Jam), you would be incorrect. This track is far more stunning, though you probably wouldn’t find it in a cartoon-riddled movie starring LeBron James anytime soon. (Or will you?) “Ain’t Gonna Cry” is one of those “knock your heart right out of your chest” songs, as it’s highly relatable and such a raw, matter-of-fact anthem. “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” is far more classic blues than many of its predecessors, with a boot-stompin’ beat you may just find yourself repeating. The ladies round out this album with 10th track “Good and Gone”. Clearly placed for its title, we were curious to see if we thought it actually belonged as the wrapping on this new gift of an album. That answer is yes. It sounds like something you could play at a funeral or celebration of life, with a little of that quintessential Larkin Poe edge oozing out of the edges.
California-based duo Quietwater might not be releasing their debut self-titled EP until the 16th, but – not to brag or anything – we’ve got the exclusive streaming premiere. This 4-track stunner is filled to the brim with percussive intensity, gorgeous, full strings, and boasts a mood mysterious, frantic, and calming, somehow, all at once. Admits the duo:”This EP is very dear to my heart and I’m delighted to finally get it out to the world. Stay tuned for more to come.”
So, if you’re jonesing for some new music for your earholes, check out the magic of Quietwater.
Birmingham-based duo Timber – comprised of Janet Simpson-Templin and Will Stewart – releases their brand new 8-track full-length today, and we’ve got all the details. A lush, enigmatic soundscape takes you on an interesting journey, twang-tinged and versatile in its existence. “Burying Ground” is very much a literal track, a melancholic beginning that carries through second track “As a Kill”. “Colors” is a bit spooky and intense, while “Downtown” has a true ballad sense to it and seems to play with dissonance instrumentally quite a bit.
“Sunstroke” is lyrically bittersweet, calling to mind a love – or really amazing situation, at the very least – difficult to shake. As a Kansas City native, “Shuttlecock” made my ears perk up, and the song sings of flying through the sky like one of those intricate sport accessories. It occurs in such a pleasant soundscape that we’re feeling like turning it up and going for a drive this weekend. And perhaps “Errant Oblivion” will inspire another side of us, slow dancing in the moonlight as the instrumentals take over our souls as they seem to already have done. Simpson-Templin and Stewart remind us of their brilliance up until the last lines of final track “Move”, a simplified yet freeing track.
If you’re looking for a soundtrack to a relaxing and thoughtful weekend, this is it.
