Priests raise hell, Justin Townes Earle sounds off, Leanne Hoffman takes a turn and more in today’s Roundup. Time for walkies!
1 Who better to sing the praises of Jesus’ Son than a band called Priests? But be warned: If you’re expecting heavenly gospel music, you’re in for a surprise. Though to be fair, D.C. rock outfit — who previously shared Good Time Charlie and The Seduction of Kansas (the title cut of their forthcoming album) with us — do raise a holy racket on this staged performance of their wiry post-punk track. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “We are of course nodding to Lou Reed’s declaration that he felt ‘just like Jesus’ Son’ way back when, a statement that launched a thousand others who perhaps too have felt like the son of god at one point or another. Many inquiring minds have already said they’d like to know who the song is about, it is certainly an apocalyptic sci-fi tale of epic proportions… perhaps it is about more than just a person? We hope you enjoy it.” Amen to that:
2 Justin Townes Earle is far from a lost cause. He’s the Saint of Lost Causes. Or at least that’s the title of the Nashville singer-songwriter’s latest album, out May 24. He’s already graced this space with the roots-rock Ain’t Got No Money. Now he turns down the volume (and the colour) with the black-and-white video for Frightened By the Sound, a taut, dark-cloud folk-rock strummer anchored by his scuffed vocals and topped with haunting pedal steel. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “That song is not necessarily about one thing. It’s about this world we’re living in, and what could happen to us at any point. We’re probably in one of the more tense times on Earth since the Cuban Missile Crisis — in this country, anyway. So it’s about the relationships and the way we relate to one another and life and every day with all that going on.” Nothing to fear here:
3 Plenty of people know how to get creative with the truth. But few know how to do it as charmingly as Halifax singer-songwriter Leanne Hoffman does on her pop-rock single Turning the Truth, which sounds like it could have come straight from California in the ’70s. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Turning the Truth was written about a liar,” shares Hoffman. “The kind that lies so well, you wonder if they even know they are lying. It’s about the disbelief that comes with witnessing someone tangle themselves up in untruths, and still manage to get away with it.” True dat:
4 They say the chase is better than the catch. They might be right — though in the case of Toronto noir-rock outfit Run Coyote’s spaghetti-western twangfest The Chase, both sides of the equation are pretty satisfying. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Here lies the fatal affairs of late night lovers, the adventures of downtown cowboys, and the chase and foil of private eyes. The Chase is one of our favourite songs to play live. It features the antihero of our forthcoming new album, In Shadowlands. Feeling betrayed, she tries to take justice into her own hands and is pursued by a private eye across city and desert, under the night sky.” Catch it here:
5 I’ve said it before. I’m saying it again: When you name your band Racket Man, you basically have two choices: You can be a Spandex-clad hair-metal outfit, or you can be a soft-rocking throwback to the ’70s. These Cleveland cats know which side they’re on — and after one listen to their latest swirly single Burt Stevens, you’ll be on their side too. Even if you don’t know who he is. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Crafting upbeat and cruisy arrangements contrasted by darker lyrical themes, Racket Man pulls from influences like Prefab Sprout, Toro y Moi and Sade to create their own brand of Indie Pop.” Hi, Burt!
