by Meredith Schneider | Nov 21, 2017 | wolf tracks
New York based trio Sunflower Bean – comprised of Jacob Faber (drums), Julia Cumming (vocals/bass), and Nick Kivlen (vocals/guitar) – released their latest track “I Was A Fool” to welcome November, and we haven’t stopped spinning it since. While, ideally, we’d tell you that the song has a nostalgic, 70s sound to it, we acknowledge after hearing almost a year of some of the most incredible vintage-sounding releases, there comes a time when you realize there is a pattern that makes it a modern sound trend again.
The thing is, that doesn’t happen with Sunflower Bean. Though it certainly begins in the 70s, “I Was A Fool” doesn’t belong in just one timeframe, not even in just a single decade. Instead there are many influences, an incandescent haze settling over all of it to bring a warmth to the sound that is both unique and inviting in its glow. Julia’s ethereal vocals again take front seat with those rose colored feelings, taking some of the most melancholic lyrics and making them feel carefree and light.
“I Was A Fool” is out now. Keep up with Sunflower Bean here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 21, 2017 | wolf tracks
Perhaps one of the only positive things people residing in the United States can glean from 2017 is the amount of inspired music that has been created over the past 16 months or so. Not one to be outdone, pop artist Darja has released a compelling and beautiful track titled “Rise Up”. Admits Darja of the track:
“Rise Up” is about shaking off the last remnants of past trauma, about shedding the old skin to be reborn into a new stronger, lighter, more confident and positive self. There are people out there who have gone through much tougher life experiences than I have and I want this song to be their song, I want it to give strength and inspiration to those who need it the most.
A song that utilizes its smooth production quality and effortless infectious vibe to inspire its listeners, “Rise Up” is an absolute pop dream. And if you’re already feeling confident and ready for whatever is to come, the dance club beat will keep you partying for a while, whether you intended to or not.
Keep up with Darja here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
Nordic indie pop artist Majken may now be based in Los Angeles, but she’s carried her whimsical, infectious musicianship over and lit up the soundscape with her debut album Dancing Mountains. Her quirky monotone is lightweight, and almost enhanced in the reverb that the album is bathed in. From first track “Dreaming of Franco” – which starts us off with summery, carefree instrumentals that house lyrics that meander from times of love to times of distrust in a past relationship – through moody, 80s trance track “Here And Now”, all the way until the end of “Dear You” – which brilliantly features Maxime Sokolinski – softness is magnified into this surreal musical journey.
While the album was conceptualized on a journey – and we can find elements of her surroundings of Paris, the Nordic Fjord, and Los Angeles in each song, really – the same unamused, delicate sound we have come to know and love of Majken’s voice ties all twelve tracks into this concise, wistful collection of fun. The good news for Majken newbies is that we can get a sense of how far she’s come with her music with just this first full-length, as a couple of the tracks featured – including “Where It All Begins” and “Dreaming Of Franco” – were originally included on her Deronda Hotel EP. With songs like “A Little More Time”, Majken’s sound takes on almost a She & Him vibe, while ultimately we find notes of inspiration from acts The Velvet Underground and The Kinks most endearing. “I Have A Dream” is a mixed bag of tricks, and quite possibly our favorite track off the album. So, if you’re looking to start on a positive note on this weeknight, that’s where it’s at.
Dancing Mountains is out now. Keep up with Majken here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
As if they’re not already beginning the narrative with a pretty intense band name, Sweden-based psych garage rock collective Baby Jesus – comprised of Fredrik Kristoffersson (guitar/vox), Elis Jäghammar (bass/vox),Svante Pålsson, and Rasmus Högdin – took it a step further earlier this year with the release of their full-length album titled Took Our Sons Away. Clearly developed with a different frame of mind than their 2015 self-titled debut, the guys of Baby Jesus have somehow managed to bottle their live show energy into their sound, something that many bands never have the knack – and perhaps not even the want- for.
Starting with “Feel For You Girl”, you’re looped into this false sense of nostalgia with the rough production and beautiful, lush ambiance to the instrumentals. It makes you just want to prep for a progressive/badass sock hop, and we’re pretty sure you’ll know what we mean when you hear those first chords. While “Over and Over Again” really goes wild, waning guitars and the mostly-yelled-but-sometimes-delivered-with-finesse-vocals that Baby Jesus has really become known for allow you to settle into the sound. “All Out” and “Down South” carry similar toe-tapping beats, while “That’s All Right” carries an album slow down that we were starting to need. Really, the track has the same freeing garage sound as its predecessors, though it feels more like a garage ballad if we were to categorize it.
But those first five tracks don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what there is to enjoy about Took Our Sons Away. A delectable collection of diverse and captivating moods, whirring instrumentals, and a pension for the spotlight drive these four men into our hearts as they take us on a fourteen-track journey through parts of the last two years of their lives. From the 50s doo-wop feels of “Hold My Hand” to the hint of 13th Floor Elevators in “Ain’t Got No Place To Go” (among others), to the eerie static sounds of “Baby Jesus – The Beat”, we’re floored by the band’s ability to keep us on our toes for this long.
But that’s not all. At the time of release, the masters for Baby Jesus’ 3rd full-length were being prepped, and we’re expecting new music in early 2018 already. So consider yourselves spoiled. We know we do.
Took Our Sons Away is out now on Yippee Ki Yay Records. Keep up with Baby Jesus here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
Recently, futuristic pop collective – and self-proclaimed “intergalactic archeologists” – Moviestar released their music video for hard-hitting, electrifying track “Stupid People”, which will be found on their upcoming 2018 release Stupid People/Happy Days. As the band recites the many reasons we avoid society at large as much as possible, a video game made of paper cutout puppets and a pretty intricate “level up”-type of backdrop commences. As the protagonists overcome obstacles to earn all of their instruments and to work together, the music keeps your feet tapping and your mood vibrant. Check it out, and you’ll see what we mean.
Stupid People/Happy Days is out February 9th. Keep up with Moviestar here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 19, 2017 | wolf tracks
This weekend, Gainesville-based alternative rock/indie collective The Forum – comprised of Michael Higgins, Nick Wheeler, Jacob Farrell, and Alex Klausner – dropped a surprise 6 track EP into our laps, and we cannot tell you how thrilling it’s been to dig into it. Illuminate initiates its journey with the undeniably upbeat track “Father Hunger” – despite its quirky, almost existential, lyrics – that lures you charmingly right into mid-tempo track “My Chest Is Your Dance Floor”. The title itself is captivating, the song following the narrative of giving someone permission to, for lack of a better term, stomp all over you.
“Neurons” is led by an intricate and fun percussion section, the sound swirling into a relatively upbeat song with more of a veil over it, which can be found in the twinge of darkness in the vocals. By “Stop Singing”, we’re enveloped in bewitching guitar chords as a jazzy feel to the instrumentals appears and continues right into fifth track “Aftertaste”. In fact, there is something about the vocals that keep us playing this one on repeat, so it might take a minute for you guys to catch up as well, but last track “Blue Jay” is this intricately concocted layered track, beginning delicately and then tumbling into a cacophony of crashing symbols and passion. It’s presented as though the song begins as a timid, introvert of a specimen and slowly develops its ability to speak up and completely annihilate the environment around it.
In a good way. Trust us. (But listen to it too.)
Illuminate is out now. Keep up with The Forum here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 17, 2017 | wolf tracks
Though his musical prowess spans years of experience in the Los Angeles music scene, Spencer Robinson’s latest indie/alternative folk project – Spencer Robinson and The Wolf Spiders – focuses on a darker sound. And they’re preparing to release a new eight track album on November 24th, so we sat down to listen to it so you can get a feel for what’s to come.
It’s a lot of darkness, but a lot of fun.
Steady percussion begins first track “Drink Gasoline, Spit Fire”, splintering into a 70s rock feel. Once Spencer’s vocals hit, the tone of the song becomes more mysterious than before, as he sings with a jaded attitude – it is essentially a Sons of Anarchy drinking song – that would suggest a true old soul might live “beneath the surface.” While “Killer on The Farm Tonight” might have a title that seems a little off-kilter, it can be a very real fear for people who live in rural areas. (Especially after viewing particularly scary movies.) Still, the lyrics allow it to be a little bit more of a fun song. “Bleed Me” gets pretty vulnerable, as Spencer sings of pulling poison out of his body, a process that can get intimate. Really, if we’re looking for a widely translatable approach, he’s singing about ridding himself of demons and negativity of the past.
But don’t allow yourself to get enveloped by talks of blood, as you’ll soon have to come up for air just to “Enter the Void”. An introspective track, lines like “Are you lost inside your head?” and “What’s it all about?” allow you the distinct pleasure of pondering those thoughts as the song slowly meanders along. And though “September” is now long gone, we don’t have a substantial answer for Spencer’s question as to where it actually went. He goes on to sing about darkness – the coming of shorter days, it seems – and the loss of time, which he spins into having a lack of his own faculties before an abrupt end as he takes his “last breath.” And you won’t be finding any warm fuzzies in “Take Me To The Killing Floor”, but you will find yourself intrigued with the details as the track unfolds. Seventh track “10 Years of Fire” lightens the entire album up instrumentally, replete with chimes. He’s taken ten years of transgressions and thrown them on a contrasting backdrop, while simultaneously allowing even the most ethereal sounds to spin you wildly out of control. He rounds it all out with “Teenage Supernova”, a track that feels slower, like it retrieved more inspiration from California surf rock than a grunge or folk scene. The guitars match that feel, and almost gives off a positive – certainly less-than-jaded – feel of confidence.
If only we could all be Teenage Supernovas…
Beneath The Surface is out November 24th via Rusty Knuckles. Keep up with Spencer Robinson and The Wolf Spiders here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2017 | wolf tracks
Megan Bülow – the seventeen year old pop artist from the Netherlands that goes by Bülow – is just shy of graduating high school, but is breaking out of her shell with her recently released debut EP Damaged Vol 1. The glittering lead single – “Not A Love Song” – sets an upbeat tone to the introduction of this true talent, whose rasp-tinged vocals are the perfect ear candy for your weekend. Her lyrical honesty and ability to allow her vocals to float almost effortlessly over the production is a telltale sign of lasting power, and we can’t wait to see what’s to come from this smooth talker.
Admits Bülow of the track:
“Not A Love Song” is about the excitement of meeting someone for the first time. Initially it feels so new and overwhelmingly good, but eventually I decided I wasn’t ready for that commitment. Or at least that’s what I told myself. You can’t let lust fool you. Be honest with yourself, If it’s not meant to be it’s not meant to be, but doesn’t mean you can’t have fun!
Keep up with Bülow here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2017 | wolf tracks
A few weeks ago, Los Angeles based punk project ExSage (led by Kate Clover) released a three track EP titled Total Devotion. A work that seems to bring out the listener’s inner badass, it focuses on rough, dark guitar riffs and soul-infused vocals that ooze a mature and wide-reaching understanding of the music landscape of the last few decades. “Under Your Spell” is a track that vilifies the residual effects of a love interest’s pull on Clover’s heart strings. What Clover really does well is transports you with that vocal talent, bringing out the psychedelic, kaleidoscope-tinged feel of bluesy 70s rock, simultaneously worthy of modern play and beige leather fringe jackets. While “Come Alive” provides a truly toe-tapping beat that pulls from clear 80s rock with a little Madonna flare, “So Intertwined” really plays with synth and reverb to create a track that almost bounces from decade to decade with each new stanza, drawing the most party-ready sound into the fold just in time to amp you up for whatever life brings your way.
Total Devotion is out now. Keep up with ExSage here.
