by Meredith Schneider | Jan 17, 2018 | premieres, singles, wolf tracks
Los Angeles-based indie pop duo Grad Party – expertly comprised of Carlo Ladd (keys, vocals) and Ian Bowers (guitars, vocals) – are hitting 2018 hard after the success of their 2017 EP Speak. Though university brought them together – they met when they attended Brown in Rhode Island – it is clearly the music that has kept them thriving together creatively. “Pretty Boy” is calculated in its sound, timid but beautiful from the beginning. The track is vulnerable, yet quirky with its staccato instrumentals, though the message holds true, the lyrics giving light to the meaning of it all. Love who you love. “Pretty boy, don’t you care what they think.”
Be sure to give this track some love in the comments!
Keep up with Grad Party via Facebook or at gradpartyduo.com.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 16, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Oakland-based indie pop collective Felsen – expertly comprised of guitarist Dylan Brock, singer/guitarist Andrew Griffin, bassist Christian Hernandez, and drummer Art McConnell – is preparing for their fifth release, a full-length titled Blood Orange Moon set to drop on January 26th. The album – comprised of eleven insanely intricate and mesmerizing tracks – was written entirely in the fall of 2014 leading into the winter of 2015, inspired by Andrew Griffin’s experiences as an 11-year-old cancer survivor. The album has a lot of heart, but the soul of the group had already spoken for itself before this one came along, to be sure.
Our first impression? Easy-going. The tempo is slow, but purposeful. The lyrics are introspective, built into the song coated in reverb. The combination of vocals and instrumentals actually makes the listener feel as though they are floating in a nostalgic kaleidoscope, with peeks into prior decades, tickled slightly by modern references. It’s beautiful, and something you can’t exactly describe. (And that heart-melting guitar toward the end. WOW!)
“Vultures On Your Bones” is available now. Keep up with Felsen here.
by Kayla Hutton | Jan 16, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Frigs. A dirty, grungy, punk sounding band from Toronto Canada that has applied the perfect amount of monotone “don’t care” attitude with catchy choral melodies. The music itself is a little hard to define or pigeonhole into a specific genre. So those of you who when asked, “What kind of music do you listen to?” and refrain from spewing out genre after sub-genre after made-up genre, and respond by saying, “everything”, this is for you.
The subtle amount of heated amplifier tubes follows suit with my description of sounding dirty and grungy, however, there is a subtle aspect of experimental musicianship that demands respect. I doubt it’s accidental talent that there are overtones applied to this track that isn’t taught in music theory but should be. Leonard Bernstein stated that a single pitch contains an infinite number of pitches. Within those pitches lay a hidden key that allows music to convey emotion.
Frigs has hit that key allowing them to not only capture a distinct sound but create an atmosphere for the listener. “Talking pictures” starts dark and dreary yet the chorus has that steady hi-hat tapping that you will find your head bobbing in sync with.
For those of us who were waiting for Courtney Love to learn how to sing (still waiting), we can now give up and turn our focus to Bria. She goes right where Love fell flat. The best part is when you think this girl just sings, you get a guttural scream, “Do you see it?” It doesn’t make this track heavy, it is what is, a boldly stated question. Here Frigshas laid out a soundscape and painted a mental picture. I saw it. “Do you see it?”
Side Note – According to their website Frigs will be on tour starting March 2018 in Canada and some states in the U.S. My only complaint is this, there is no stop in Phoenix, Arizona.
However their album
Basic Behaviour comes out
Feb 23, 2018. Keep up with Frigs
here.
by Kayla Hutton | Jan 16, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Missing that “spark” in your playlist?
Mankind Is Obsolete, often referred to as “MKIO,” is a female-fronted electro-rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2002 by drummer Jon Siren and vocalist Natasha Cox. Our focus is on the track “On fire again” from the bands’ 5th release titled Mobius Loop. “On Fire Again” begins with music that could be the perfect theme song for those who have ever felt beaten down by life, love, or any other element, and have reached that point where the light begins to shine through the crack in the wall and you feel strength return to every muscle in your body. The chorus acts as the first verse and with good reason. With such a powerful start, it’s amazing that the song stays just as strong when the verse begins and the only sound is provided by the bass and drums. Natasha’s voice comes through and it seems as though the words and intent would still be the same even if she were humming along. You not only hear the words and comprehend their meaning, you feel it in the way she is singing.
The song as a whole will give you that motivating feeling of wanting the excitable exhilaration you get when your crush becomes love, or when you take your favorite drive and there is no other obstacle stopping you from just punching the gas. “On Fire Again” is definitely a driving force that needs to be added to your playlist.
Keep up with the band at MKIO.com.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 15, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Recently, the forces of Kid Moxie and Chrysanthe Tan teamed up to feature on ash.ØK’s latest single, “Chained Rebellion”. Los Angeles based indietronica talent Kid Moxie (Elena Charbila) led up to this release with her most recent dance track, the ethereal “No Island“, that dropped in December. “Chained Rebellion” exists in a completely different soundscape, a very robotic nature to the instrumentals. As futuristic as it all seems, the automation sounds mimic how many feel about what’s going on in today’s society as well. Since the song itself is about breaking free from societal and cultural expectations, we can see how the robotic approach to the track is so key. Not only that, but all three artists have achieved an introspective, highly danceable, track experience, and it speaks to our hearts on so many levels.
Keep up with Kid Moxie here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 15, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
NYC-based Acid Dad is revving up to release their debut LP in March, so of course we’re getting bits and pieces of what to expect. We’re thrilled, to say the least. The quartet really brought their A game with “2Ci”, a hip shaker of a track that really lures you in from the very first, quick, energetic notes. With this track comes the now quintessential, reverb-filled, nostalgic Brit-pop Acid Dad sound, blended perfectly with modern elements and guitar riffs that could shatter your soul. something we honestly can’t get enough of. “2Ci” will put all the bounce in your step necessary to survive the week, and then it will get you through the weekend in fine form.
We guarantee it.
Acid Dad’s debut LP is expected March 9th via Greenway Records. Keep up with them here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 12, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Norway-bred duo The Other End – comprised of Ida Knoph-Solholm and Alexander Breidvik – is taking their musical prowess and vast talents from prior successful projects and throwing everything they have into their new project, which is due to release an EP in March. But until then, we’ve got one of your first listens to their brand new single “Far from Home”. The song exists at a slower tempo, focusing little on the instrumentals and allowing the beautiful, robust vocals and intense lyrics to take center stage. Fitting, since the song is actually about a real life struggle through almost losing a loved one when you’re not quite ready for it and have no way of reversing it. It’s a feeling of hopelessness, but the song itself is much more uplifting than that feeling.
Give it a spin, and let us know what you think in the comments.
Their EP is expected out in mid-March. Keep up with The Other End here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 11, 2018 | premieres, singles, wolf tracks
New Jersey-based alt-rock collective Red Black Red is revving up to release their new album Resettlement on March 2nd. But while we’re twiddling our thumbs waiting for that beast of a record, we’ve actually got a taste of what’s to come with their new track “Kindness”. The song itself is intriguing as all get out, as it feels subtly off-kilter where the instrumentals line up with the vocals. That quirk happens to make it that more enjoyable, as the listener explores the intense and experimental soundscape before them.
Resettlement is out March 2nd. Keep up with Red Black Red here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 10, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Helsinki-based lo-fi psych pop trio Lake Jons is about to release their self-titled debut. But before that, they gave us the last taste of it all with their track “Lake Family”, a light and airy experience that gives us just a hint of that particular brand of nostalgia Lake Jons has become known for. (Any song with clapping or snapping in it feels intrinsically positive, no matter the topic. Am I right?) The vocals hit you raspy, beautiful and intense, while the percussion gives you an insatiable desire to dance.
Let us know how much Lake Jons makes you want to dance in the comments below!
Their self-titled debut is out January 19th via AntiFragle Music. It is available for pre-order here. Keep up with Lake Jons here.
