Years ago, I had a business idea that seemed pretty solid at the time — and still does, if I’m being honest. It was called the Guy Store. Basically, it would be a shop that stocked all the stuff desperate men wait until the last minute to buy for dates, holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. You’d have flowers and balloons, chocolates and candy, wines and liqueurs, cards and ribbons, stuffed animals and trinkets, and maybe even a few (ahem) adult items. Based on the number of frantic men you see spending ridiculous amounts of money on random junk at the mall every Christmas Eve, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, I’m pretty sure it would do just fine. If anybody out there wants to give it a shot, go for it: Just cut me in for a slice. All of which is a long way of saying that I’m old enough to be smart enough to plan ahead. So I’m off to spend the rest of the day with someone who’s crazy enough to be crazy about me. As a result, today’s Roundup doesn’t include my usual snappy patter — just a bouquet of new songs (including a few timely tunes). Enjoy them with your special whoever and see you again tomorrow.
1Broken Social Scene | Boyfriends
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Broken Social Scene have a new EP out tomorrow called Let’s Try The After, Vol 1. One of the EP’s most awesome songs – a classic BSS tune called Boyfriends – is out today care of an all-gif video by @WhatGIFs. And yes, we definitely put this out for Valentine’s Day, because in many ways, that’s also what the song is about.”
2Beast in Black | From Hell With Love
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Up and coming metallers Beast in Black recently unleashed their sophomore record titled From Hell With Love. Today, the group has launched a brand new music video for the album’s title track, which was once again directed by Ville Lipiäinen. The band comments, “We thought we should prepare something special for our fans for Valentine’s Day. So please welcome our new music video delivered with Love from the deepest pits of Hell.”
3y(A)pex | Sounds Like Love
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “In the spirit of Valentine’s Day I made a music video of an unreleased song. Hope you guys enjoy.”
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day I made a music video of an unreleased song. Hope you guys enjoy 💕 pic.twitter.com/9tlZtB9s2q
— yApex (@AddisonParrish1) February 14, 2019
4Leo Bud Welch | Don’t Let The Devil Ride
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “According to Austrian director Wolfgang Pfoser-Almer, “We shot the footage of Don’t Let the Devil Ride at Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival in New Orleans 2014. It was the third stop of a little tour Leo did. The next day, he’d play in his church in Sabougla in the morning and another show in the evening, so all together five shows in four days in three states — just the usual regimen for an 80-year-old man like him. It was his first show in New Orleans, and [manager] Vencie Vernado was really eager to get everything right — and he did. Leo was the sensation of the festival, people couldn’t believe what they saw, they were all cheering and dancing. I remember one guy constantly shaking his head in disbelief, smiling and sending photos of Leo to all his friends over his phone.”
5The Dirty Nil | Pain of Infinity
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The Dirty Nil debut their brand new music video, Pain of Infinity today. The video, directed by Mitch Barnes and Victor Malang, shows the band acting as reapers that are very, very bad at their job of collecting souls. In fact, the band does pretty much everything else (including a performance of the song throughout the video) besides collecting souls, despite being given plenty of opportunities. Expanding on the video, frontman Luke Bentham shares “I genuinely thought the police would be called as we rampaged through our town that day. Smoking cars, trespassing and general mischief are all bound to raise the attention of the police. But hey, is it really a music video if there’s no threat of law enforcement?”
6Drugdealer | Fools
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Drugdealer, the project led by Los Angeles-based Michael Collins, is pleased to announce their new album, Raw Honey, due for release April 19. Raw Honey continues where Drugdealer’s debut album, The End of Comedy, left off, with Collins once again leading an ace crew of collaborators to coalesce the spirit of Drugdealer’s classically modern pop.”
7Pop Evil | Be Legendary
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “When we were first writing this song, it started with this addictive yet hypnotic guitar riff,” says frontman Leigh Kakaty. “Suddenly I could see our fans coming together as one. I just felt like this was going to be a great opportunity to write an anthemic type of lyrical song that could positively motivate people. Now we see all our fans posting on social media how this song motivates them in their daily lives. Plus, to see how passionate they are whenever they hear us perform it live. Time will tell just how big this song can become.”
8Hælos | Boy / Girl
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The London-based band comprised of Lotti Benardout, Arthur Delaney, Dom Goldsmith, and Daniel Vildósola share Boy / Girl from their sophomore album, Any Random Kindness, out May 10. Boy / Girl is a brooding examination of technology’s role in modern relationships, featuring undulated beats and dark synths. “Boy / Girl was one of the first songs we finished writing for Any Random Kindness. It’s about the breakdown of a relationship in the digital age and a retreat into the comforts of technology. A conversation between a boy and a girl filled with all the feelings of sadness and frustration at their inability to connect.”
9Lydia Ainsworth | Can You Find Her Place
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Lydia Ainsworth, the acclaimed singer/songwriter/producer, announced her third album Phantom Forest today, due out May 10. Ainsworth shares the video for Can You Find Her Place and describes the track as “a song about Mother Nature’s elusive yet powerful strength in the face of adversity. I’m singing a number of the songs on Phantom Forest from the perspective of Mother Nature and her views on humanity’s hubris, however on Can You Find Her Place I am using my voice as a kind of Greek chorus singing about where you can find her strength, setting the scene for Phantom Forest.”
10Rising Appalachia | Harmonize
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sisters Leah and Chloe Smith, known musically as Rising Appalachia, are proud to announce their new full-length album Leylines, releasing May 3, and the album’s first single Harmonize. Leylines, the band’s seventh studio album, was produced by Joe Henry — the album title alluding to the concept of invisible lines believed to stretch around the world between sacred spaces, bonded by a spiritual and magnetic presence. “We wrote Harmonize as a love song and a rite of passage into a higher form of that love,” Rising Appalachia note. “It’s about the calling forth of truth, inspiration, fantasy, and honesty from the depths of a person.”
11Tacocat | Grains of Salt
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Seattle band Tacocat are set to release This Mess Is a Place, their new full-length album on May 3. The sparkly new album heralds a more pop-driven and ebullient direction in their sound. The official music video for lead-off single Grains of Salt features a variety of Seattle’s finest drag performers. Of the track, lead singer Emily Nokes explains, “This song is for roller skating, friendship, self friendship, yes and no doubt, turning it off, running up and down that hill, leaving gross stuff behind, landing the backflip, imposter syndrome, being your own genie, and remembering who the fuck you are.”
12Hey Satan | Golgotha Beach
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Two fierce guitars and one drums, pure rock ‘n’ roll pleasure, body and soul: Hey Satan is back in town and ready to rumble! About two years after its acclaimed debut and self-titled album, Swiss power-trio Hey Satan just premiered a first excerpt from its second full-length effort with a music video for the single Golgotha Beach. Be sure that the loveable boys know how to rock this shit live.”
13Goo Munday | Start a Fire
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Following up on her self-titled debut EP, Goo Munday presents her full length debut album 9 Lives. In 9 Lives, Munday has evolved from her prior down-tempo Dark Pop sound to a more in your face Punk dance party that will make you want to smash something. 9 Lives still visits the dark and Witch House tones Munday has explored previously. The video for the first single Start A Fire was shot by Christian K. Reed.”
14iskwē | Little Star
SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Little Star, my new song, serves as both a reminder and a starting point. Set to the drumbeat of an Anishinaabe honour song, Little Star reminds listeners that we still need to act on the lessons learned from the Tina Fontaine and Colten Boushie tragedies. It also gives birth to a new direction for me, as I’ll be digging deeper into the astrology teachings of my Cree ancestors and amplifying the work of thought leaders like Wilfred Buck. Bridging cross-cultural aesthetics while exploring my own struggle to both fit into and breakaway from modern Western archetypes has always played an important part in my artistic vision.”
