Articles

Brass Bed, I Am Just a Whisper
Soundcloud

One Song: Brass Bed - I Am Just a Whisper

Joel Frieders | October 29, 2015
Did you send me this? Where did I get this? I came into work this morning and the soundcloud page was open and I don't remember anyone sending me this, I can't find any hits in my gmail when I search for Brass Bed or "I Am Just a Whisper", I don't follow either the band or the label on any social media thing. Where the fuck did this come from? That blasted Obama must've sent this to my workstation overnight. Thanks Obama! Imagine the reverby and dull, yet shiny reverberations of a Cure song, but without the whispy hair or desire to punch the singer. Then imagine my beloved Solid Gold, with their gentle yet plodding rhythms. Now put those two things together, add about 15 to the bpm, turn the tone knob down 35%, and slam your chin into your chest repeatedly. THIS IS BRASS BED....
elephant stone, the devil's shelter
Soundcloud

One Song: Elephant Stone - The Devil's Shelter

Joel Frieders | October 28, 2015
I love songs that immediately make me feel like I'm being chased. Not that I actually enjoy being pursued, unless it's by all the paparazzi when I'm trying to get my kids into the car for school (I'm pretty popular in rural areas (I'm also lying)). But shit, Elephant Stone have crafted such a beautifully and oddly classical and intense chase-scene-tastic vibe with "The Devil's Shelter" that I'm now curious as to how the rest of their sound shapes up. I mean, after three listens I'm hearing so many fucking layers to this shit besides what's up front.  The sitar in the background takes the level of apprehension and douses it with this almost magical sheen, and those fucking strings, holy jesus balls on a holey ball of jesuses (jesusi?) this is a James Bond movie without the...
TOPS, Hollow Sounds Of The Morning Chimes, indie, shoegaze
Soundcloud

One Song: TOPS - Hollow Sounds Of The Morning Chimes

Tom Doz | October 27, 2015
TOPS put out one of my favorite songs last year, a track called 'Outside'.  Fuck, this song held me close to its breast and wouldn't let me go. Listening to the warm wave of sensh synth is like being buried in your comforter in the morning and not wanting to get up because it's fall and you accidentally left the windows open again.  I never ended up checking out their full LP, but just saw that they dropped a new single called 'Hollow Sounds Of The Morning Chimes'.  AND they got me again. TOPS pulled me back in.  This track is thick and dreary, and has a sultry chiming guitar. It almost sounds like Real Estate is playing inside of Joel's steamy pants when he's watching a video on the mating habits of the Carniolan Honey Bees. SO HUMID. And the song just gets better as it builds into a...
Transviolet, Schubas, Chicago, 10.14.15
No Words

Transviolet - Schubas - Chicago - 10.14.15

Tif Impson | October 23, 2015
Dilly Dally, The Promontory, Chicago, 10.21.15
Concert Review

Dilly Dally - The Promontory - Chicago - 10.21.15

Tom Doz | October 23, 2015
In Chicago most of the venues are on the North/Northwest side of the city. So when I heard that Dilly Dally was playing at The Promontory I was like 'I'm fucking going to that shit.....wait, where is The Promontory?'. For those of you from Chicago, it's in Hyde Park. For those of you not from Chicago, it's on the South side of the city where the Obamas live. I didn't know what to expect, I just plugged it into google maps, jumped in the car, listened to the Mets score 4 runs on the Cubs in the first inning, swore at and hit my steering wheel multiple times, and then arrived.  I walked into the venue and had to laugh to myself: a large empty room donned with chandeliers, a modern/luxe bar, and votive candles all over the place. I wasn't sure if it was a Las Vegas night club or a concert...
Child Actor - El 7 De Septiembre (Mecano Cover)
Soundcloud

One Song: Child Actor - El 7 De Septiembre (Mecano Cover)

Brandon Backhaus | October 23, 2015
If you know me, you know that after Matt and Kim I've written off synth pop duos for LIFE!  But then Child Actor. Holy shit is Max Heath is a synth god. His electro-sonic wave machine just fucking made me dance like premenopausal, middle-aged woman in the rain of her sexual reawakening.  I don't know if this was appropriate considering "El 7 De Septiembre (Mecano Cover)" is dedicated to Venezuela. But bros it's all in Español, so I just hugged myself hard, and swayed like you sway when you just need to sway the day away.  Singer Natalie Plaza lends a sweetness to the track. It's what made me smile as I hugged myself while I swayed rather than the normal way I do that.  I loved Child Actor's debut release on Fake Four, Inc. titled, Victory. But I think I just realized that in this...
No Words, Austin City Limits, festival, photos
No Words

ACL Music Festival - Austin, TX: Sept. 30 - Oct. 2

Tif Impson | October 21, 2015
eLLe beLLe, Failed Dreamz
Soundcloud

One Song: eLLe beLLe - Failed Dreamz

Joel Frieders | October 14, 2015
Three thoughts: 1. People who type liKE thIS are fucking aSShOleS. (EDIT: WHY AM I SAYING THIS? Because Elle Belle, before we published this, had his named spelled like eLLe beLLe and I wanted to fucking stab him for being l33t AND for not considering his environment when printing this document, but then this adorable chiseled calved asshole gets all studious and changes it to a much more respectable Elle Belle. See internet? That's how you change the world. Put your genitals on the internet and all of a sudden you've got pull in the music industry.) 2. This is Arcade Fire-y but with snapping fingers and being played at the end of The Breakfast Club, as opposed to being played unironically inside a cafe in Brooklyn.  3. I love it but hate it more than I love it but then why am I still...
Tiger Waves, In Retrograde (featuring Jana Horn), indie music, surf rock
Soundcloud

One Song: Tiger Waves - In Retrograde (featuring Jana Horn)

Tom Doz | October 13, 2015
This song is like going to a Halloween party and you decide to dress up as a cat. And then when you get there everybody else is dressed like a cat too. As everybody starts to take LSD the inner cat comes out and people start rubbing up against corners and doing that figure eight weaving around each other's legs.  Then you wake up in the morning because you fell off the arm of your friend's couch.  Hey Tiger Waves, CAN I DIRECT THE VIDEO FOR THIS SONG? 
FERN, It Comes Slow, indie music, shoe gaze
Soundcloud

One Song: FERN - It Comes Slow

Tom Doz | October 12, 2015
What. The. Fuck? I'm obsssed with this song. Who are you FERN? Why do you have one song on Soundcloud and a Facebook account with little to no information? 'It Comes Slow' is a dichatomy of opposing forces. It's sweet and soothing, but intense as fuck. It just builds and builds to the point you are like: 'Why am I crying while doing burpees in my foyer?"  I want more songs like this in my life. I want each one of my senses to experience it in some form or another. I love you FERN and I don't even know you. 

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