by Meredith Schneider | Dec 22, 2017 | wolf tracks
This year, Slovakian singer/songwriter Peter Aristone released his Happiest Accidents EP as his first official collection of songs in quite a while. His standout single “Eye of a Needle” incorporates 70s and 80s vibes into the instrumentals, inspirational lyrics set to the backdrop like a modern, guitar-driven version of a song that might be on the Rocky soundtrack. (And not just because the title is similar to “Eye of The Tiger”.) Check it out below, and let us know what you think in the comments!
(Full disclosure: Total holiday playlist track.)
Keep up with Peter Aristone here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 22, 2017 | wolf tracks
This year, while we were down at Bonnaroo 2017, we met some of the most incredible humans. The boys of Nashville-based Creature Comfort had won a slot to play the festival, and we did a little photo shoot with them. Well, we’ve kept up with them and their deliriously amazing affinity for music, and we’re pleased to announce the dudes released a little holiday special.
So, since it’s that time of year, you can put on those fuzzy, warm socks, pick up a hot beverage, and enjoy.
Keep up with Creature Comfort here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 21, 2017 | wolf tracks
This winter, New York singer/songwriter Girl As Wave released another piece of her thus far incredible introduction to the music world. Her latest single, “Houdini”, takes you to a world full of dreampop vibes and and stunning, ethereal vocals. With driving percussion and surf rock-meets-James Bond feels to the guitar, the song maintains an edge that would otherwise be astray if driven just by the lightweight vocals that almost envelope you in their delicacy.
“Houdini” is a must-listen, so check it out below!
Keep up with Girl As Wave here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 20, 2017 | albums, wolf tracks
Rounding out 2017 as best they can, NY-based Israeli transplant quintet Seasonal Beast released a particularly entrancing eleven-track album titled Muscle Memory in October. From first track “I Can Make You Disappear”, you feel like your whole being is melting into another world, steered bravely by a largely electronic – and intrinsically beautiful – soundscape. Second track “Making Shapes” is instrumental, and almost emotes an extra-terrestrial feeling, as though you’re being abducted by some of the most fabulous aliens in existence. “Dry Bones” takes a turn for the delicate, but it isn’t misplaced in any way.
“This Is Where” is comprised of vocals that really feel like a chant, mellowing out the album to this monotonous but curiously otherworldly tempo. While “Take Me Back” pumps a little more into the tempo and hosts more robust vocals, “Another Day” brings with it more reverb, and a slightly unamused, punk, almost theatrical feel. It’s a darker side to the band, but it’s just as ethereal as its predecessors. “Heading to a Wall” seems to mellow it all out again, driven by the acoustic guitar. “Ungovernable” might have the most alluring title, and the vibe of the track is very “take charge,” full of strength in every note. This one is a standout favorite, hands down.
“Don’t Disappear” is another instrumental beauty, while “Playing in the Dark” has more of a nostalgic feel to it, if not only because the instrumentals between choruses remind us of the carnivals of our youth. (That’s a thing, right? Other people also attended carnivals and fairs?) Of course, it ambles right into the last track, aptly titled “No One Can Open the Door (Only I from the Inside)”, which is a soft and beautiful – almost lounge-like – in its disposition. It brings the tempo down, and rounds the release out perfectly, repetitive in lyrics but allowing the instrumentals to build and take center stage.
Muscle Memory is available now. Keep up with Seasonal Beast here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
Just in time for the wintertime madness, Milwaukee’s electro soul pop collective No No Yeah Okay – comprised of Mark Gage, Christopher Quasius, Colin Plant, and Josh Paynter – has released a glittering single that is perfect for enjoying in a nightclub during winter break with your closest friends just as much as you can jam out to it at a bonfire or your family holiday party. Lightweight, the track reminds you that it’s time to let go of the past and really head into 2018 with more of a “dirt off your shoulders” mindset.
Trust us. You’ll feel that way too.
Keep up with No No Yeah Okay here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
New Jersey-based indie psych rock band Speed The Plough – comprised of John, Toni and Mike Baumgartner and Ed Seifert, joined by former STP bassist Dan Francia and drummer Ken Meyer – released their latest full length on December 8th. The album, titled …And Then, is comprised of ten tracks that dare to drag you into a soundscape that doesn’t altogether make sense in one grouping. From one track to the next, the group displays their musical prowess and keeps the listener on their toes with the variety of sounds they are able to create together.
Take “Crossing the Tizsa” for example. The lyrics are almost like a fairy tale or a beautiful children’s story, set over dark instrumentals that eventually lighten into a Renaissance-like tranquility. This makes sense, as it was found in a songbook of Hungarian folk songs. (John’s mom is the one who can be heard in the spoken word section, by the way. Props to her!) “Take Me” allows the album to take on a whole different persona, introducing itself with bass that would rival the best oughts’ pop/punk tracks. And while “Azimuth” has an unmistakable 70s vibe, perhaps driven by the keys that make up the melody, “The Bitter End” feels abrupt and intense in its disposition. By the time we reach fifth track “Marina”, we’re not sure what to expect, as Speed The Plough tends to switch up the sound on us from one track to the next. For example, “Marina” brings back that beautiful renaissance-meets-rock feel to it, almost as though it should be on an A/B Side with “Crossing the Tizsa”.
“By This River” is light as a feather, largely driven by simple and delicate piano chords. Its sound is slightly different from its predecessors as well, if not only for the fact that it is a cover originally done by Brian Eno. While we might expect “Why We Fall in Love” to be some sort of intense love ballad, it’s more of a quirky indie track with percussion that feels primal, and perhaps groups it back in that “far-off places, daring sword fights, magic spells” territory. (Guess that reference in the comments and you’ve got a new bets friend!) “The Bird Has Flown” is almost theatrical in its presence, notable for its robust piano chords and delicate guitar.
Last two tracks “Running On” and “Dark Continents” happen to have been originals from an earlier iteration of the band called The Trypes. These tracks hadn’t gotten the studio attention the band thought they needed to thrive, so these tracks happen to have a different, low-key, “vibing out” feel to them that really tends to invigorate as the last track fades out beautifully.
…And Then is available now. Keep up with Speed The Plough here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 15, 2017 | wolf tracks
With Bohnes‘ new music video comes a new sense of badassery to alt-pop. The musical project mastered by Alexander DeLeon (The Cab) continues to impress, maintaining the same versatile, soulful vocals he’s been dazzling us with for years, while putting a new spin on the way they are delivered. His most recent release – a music video for his track “My Friends” – is dark and brooding, yet somehow incredibly inspiring in that it prompts you to evaluate your own “demons.” While DeLeon really draws that raw, rock feel into the track with hard guitar riffs and solid, impactful percussion, we find ourselves drawn to the subject matter with brilliant visuals of a life in the dark, DeLeon’s skeletal makeup at the forefront.
Keep up with Bohnes here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 14, 2017 | wolf tracks
New York-based musician Aaron Taos just released his last single of 2017, and boy is it a doozy. Existing at mid-tempo, the song has that “strutting like a badass” feel to it instrumentally, though the subject matter is a little less suave at its core.
Admits Aaron of the track: “‘Twisted’ is about how stupid we can get when we’re interested in someone. It’s not a revolutionary concept, but it’s the idea of feeling high when you’re in the presence of that person and not being able to think clearly/act normally. I.e. bumbling, rambling, tripping, and fumbling when you see them and start to get that young love head rush”.
So check out your new favorite “puppy love” track below, and dance your way into the holidays.
Keep up with Aaron Taos here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 14, 2017 | wolf tracks
Brooklyn-based rock collective Lovehoney – comprised of Alysia Quinones (vocals), Tommy White (guitar), Tom Gehlhaus (drums), and Matt Saleh (bass) – might just be getting their start together, but they have already melted faces at some prominent venues on the east coast. Their recent single “Try to Get Rid of Me” really flourishes in that aggressive rock soundscape, a nostalgic 70s twinge to the vocal recordings throwing us back to a time where leather vests, fringe, and long, flowing locks dominated. Whirring guitars keep the energy consistently badass as Quinones belts out honest and compelling lyrics anyone could relate to.
Keep up with Lovehoney here.
