by Meredith Schneider | Sep 19, 2018 | albums, review
Toronto-based trio The Trews – comprised of Colin MacDonald, John-Angus MacDonald, and Jack Syperek – continue to enthrall their fan base with a rotating bevy of new material. Their new album Civilianaires – which dropped on September 14th – hits with lighthearted energy in “Vintage Love”, throwing you into that puppy love that only this band can re-instill with every new record release. And while “Leave It Alone” is a little more hard-hitting, “The New US” continues at that pace, with a bit more of a commentary on civilization as we know it. I think we can all get on board with the sentiment in fourth track “Time’s Speeding Up”, while “Bar Star” throws itself into an introspective atmosphere, allowing the listener to question what they think about during last call.
“Harder To Love” feels incredibly primal in its disposition, “Is It Too Late” mirrors the title’s sentiment, a question plaguing anyone who isn’t sure about the choices they’ve made in life, and “Up sweet Baby” implores the object of the singer’s affection to stay awake until he gets home to be with them. The title track and its follow-up “No More Saying Goodbye” are filled to the brim with nostalgia, influences from past decades palpable. “Amen”, “Let The Great World Spin”, and “Jericho” are perhaps the best ways to round out the album, discussing forgiveness and elevating the world.
As a piece of artwork, this album really shows up for the introspective crowd. While the instrumentals stay energetic, layered, and freeing, the lyrics bounce from topic to topic, often with the melancholy glazed over by the gorgeous melodies provided. We’re big fans, and we think you will be too!
Keep up with The Trews here.
by Gemma Harewood | Sep 18, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
KIDDO makes her musical debut this week with the stunning single “Drunk And I Miss You.” With the only glimpses into the artist’s identity via her hand-drawn computer images of herself, the Swedish singer and songwriter tells a story with this instantly memorable single.
Sitting alongside a captivating official lyric video that again features her own incredible animation, this guitar-driven single infuses moments of pop and retro grunge – making KIDDO an act we want to hear more from right away.
Listen to “Drunk And I Miss You” here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 18, 2018 | premieres, singles, wolf tracks
San Luis Obispo-based indie pop duo Soft People – comprised of married couple Caleb Nichols and John Metz – are following up their 2017 debut American Man with quirky, upbeat new track “I Saw the Moon!” Soaked in reverb that makes the song feel a bit more ethereal than its pop sound would otherwise express, we’re in love with the energy “I Saw The Moon!” provides. Check it out below!
Keep up with Soft People here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 18, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
London-based alt musician Charlene Soraia produced her new single “Where’s My Tribe” in its entirety in her London flat. The song – which is the title track from her upcoming EP – sets the tone for what’s to come by establishing a wide-ranging, ballad-like feel within her vocals. The instrumentals are simple, peaceful, and raw, and realizing that all of the layers that comprise this piece were delivered by a single human is heart-wrenching in the most beautiful way. Check out “Where’s My Tribe” below!
Keep up with Charlene Soraia here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 17, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Los Angeles-based electro-soul duo Smoke Season – comprised of Gabrielle Wortman and Jason Rosen – is at it again with their new single “Hot Damn”, a hard-hitting, sultry dream of a song. Filled to the brim with pop culture references, the song tracks an infatuation – and perhaps a blooming romance – in a way that you can feel deep in your bones. The percussion brings a real badass sensation to it all, heightened only by Gabrielle’s raspy, gorgeous vocals. Check it out below!
Keep up with Smoke Season here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 17, 2018 | premieres, videos, wolf tracks
Seattle-based musical duo Glass Heart String Choir – expertly comprised of Katie Mosehaur and Ian Williams – is ready and revving to release the brand new visual for their single “Wildfires”. Filled with twinkling lights and a magical feeling induced by Williams’ ethereal, wide-ranging vocals, the music video was shot in low light that adds a lustrous, beautiful quality to it all. We’ve got the exclusive premiere of this gorgeous video, and we’d love to share it with you below!
Tour Dates
September 20th // Seattle, WA // Columbia City Theater
September 22nd // Tacoma, WA // Alma Mater
October 5th // Bellingham, WA // Alternative Library
October 25th // Eugene, OR // Sam Bond’s Garage
November 17th // Seattle, WA // Gallery 1412
November 18th // Seattle, WA // Gallery 1412
November 30th // Portland, OR // Artichoke Music
Keep up with Glass Heart String Choir here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 14, 2018 | albums, review
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.
Keep up with Active Bird Community here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 14, 2018 | premieres, videos, wolf tracks
Really into that smooth jazz feel to the 90s? Well, Ryder Havdale has taken some of that and blended it with a more modern dance vibe in new track “Partners In Crime”. A song that boasts perfection in any nightclub setting, the video doesn’t stray from that feeling one bit, as bright colors, ambient lights, and fun moves keep the dance party going. We’ve got the exclusive premiere of that visual, so check it out below!
Keep up with Ryder Havdale here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 14, 2018 | premieres, videos, wolf tracks
Tel Aviv-based indie folk collective theAngelcy – comprised of Maya Lee Roman, Maayan Zimry, Uri Marom, Rotem Bar Or, and Udi Naor – is a jam band if ever we saw one. This is further proven in the brand new music video for their track “Mona Lisa (the song)”. Filled to the brim with a modern take on that 90s nostalgia – we can’t necessarily help it that fashion is going back in that direction now, but we CAN help an all-white background and group dancing – “Mona Lisa (the song)” will inspire you to move this weekend, and we’ve got the exclusive premiere.
Keep up with theAngelcy here.
