Jackie Cohen scoots around L.A., Wild Mercury start in Orange County, Franklin Electric live in their heads and more in today’s Roundup. All of a sudden, I have a craving for Korean BBQ.
1 As we all know, today is tomorrow’s yesterday. But what becomes of Yesterday’s Baby? Just ask Los Angeles indie-popster Jackie Cohen — she’ll tell you as she scooters around the town in the video for the latest single from her debut Zagg. Try to keep up. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The San Fernando valley gets a bad rap for being this dull, suburban area outside of LA, but I love the val and think people have it so backwards. What we lack in Rick and Morty themed brunch spots, we make up for in Ventura Blvd realness, Pegasus Fashion Lounges & pure Cheesecake Factory culture. I wanted the Zagg videos to feel true to my home, the heart of the record, and for Yesterday’s Baby, Adrian captured and hyper-saturated all the long afternoon colors. It’s vibrant and breezy and hot and sweaty. Also Kev is a sick Limer. Legitimately talented if he ever wanted to make a second career out of it.” Right on, baby:
https://youtu.be/dzjbXtP8aYQ
2 You gotta start somewhere. And Montreal garage-rockers Wild Mercury apparently started off with a twangy, rangy nugget called Orange County — the first song they recorded together. As first efforts go, not too shabby. And their retro-kitschy lyric video doesn’t hurt either. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The lyrics that make up Orange County are a mix of field notes written during a vacation in Florida, and ideas that came as a consequence of turning 30-years-old – wanting simplicity, but realizing that you sowed intricacies all throughout your 20s. We composed the music by trying to picture ourselves on a trip where the sun is always shining. We wanted Orange County to be carried by hopefulness and empowerment, even if it has doubts about what life may bring.” It all starts here:
3 As the ever-droll Martin Mull made us realize years ago, the phrase “I thought to myself” is redundant — how else could you think? The same is true of the title to Montreal outfit The Franklin Electric’s new single and video Made It Up in Your Head, the sorta-title track from their Aug. 2 EP In Your Head. Where else could you make up something? Your lungs? Thankfully, it doesn’t stop this spry, chiming little pop-rocker chugger from sticking in your head. Just don’t, you know, overthink it. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The theme of the EP is the balance between vulnerability and holding on,” says Jon Matte. “You can’t be so open-minded you never stand up for anything. This theme sets the stage for a beautiful realization to happen. I just make honest music for everyday ordinary people. This is what I’m feeling and going through. This is how I explore universal truths we all go through. I always want the art to reflect what’s going on with me.” That’s what you think:
4 Remember that gang-fight dance scene in Michael Jackson’s immortal video for Beat It? Sure you do. I don’t know if that was the inspiration behind the flamenco-infused video for Vancouver singer-songwriter Piper Cole’s new single Bones — but I will tell you that I wouldn’t want to run into those dancers in a back alley on a dark night. Then again, I’m kind of a wimp. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “I am drawn to flamenco as an intensely expressive art that boldly confronts raw emotionality and uses it to create beautiful authentic art,” says Cole. “I felt it was the perfect fit to visually represent ‘Bones’ as the song explores inner oppression and resistance and the fight to be heard and seen. The flamenco dancer translates emotions into movements and makes the powerful statement through percussive sounds to ‘claim your space’.” Or beat it, presumably:
5 Carmen Villain sounds like the on-the-nose name of a cartoon character. It is in fact the name of a U.S.-born, Norwegian-Mexican musician and composer. And her sound is far more soothing than her handle suggests. Take a spin through her track Type and hear for yourself. If you dig it, you’ll find more where that came from when her album Both Lines Will Be Blue comes out July 12. And if you really enjoy the colour orangey-red, you’ll love the accompanying video by Norwegian artist Solveig Lønseth. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “I was very inspired by Ana Mendieta’s art (still am!), and was especially moved by her video performance art at the time. For example her Silueta series, or her powerful Blood Sign/Body Tracks. The films were spinning around my mind while making this song.”
6 According to a poll, the average American claims to have nine friends. I don’t know where that puts Katherine Paul, the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of Black Belt Eagle Scout. I only know that she apparently has enough chums to throw a shindig, based on the title of her Aug. 30 sophomore album At the Party With My Brown Friends. Scope out the scene with the dreamy first single and sorta-title cut At The Party. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “At the Party is a reflection on self-navigation and the comfort that comes from a close-knit group of friends. It starts off with quintessential Black Belt Eagle Scout guitar licks before heading into booming drums and vocals. The track was written while she was in her bedroom. “Within my conscious self, there is always a sense of questioning the legitimacy of the world when you grow up on an Indian reservation,” says Paul. “We are all at the party (the world), trying to navigate ourselves within a good or bad situation. I happen to be at the party with my brown friends- Indigenous, Black, POC who always have my back while we walk throughout this event called life.” Can anyone come?
7 I don’t know why, but listening to EDM on a Tuesday always seems kind of strange. For me, dance music always seems far more suited to the weekend. Of course, my Tuesday might be your Friday. In which case, Scottish artist Watgood’s ominously skittery (and incongruously titled) track Porcelain might be right up your alley. It’s all a matter of timing. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “Cutting between rhythmic breakbeats and piercing trap drops, Scottish artist Watgood whips up an impressive New Noise debut on Porcelain.” To the floor!
8 Man does not live by country-rock alone. Not if that man is Mike Boguski, at least. The longtime Blue Rodeo keyboardist heads into uncharted musical waters on December, his experimental new electric-piano instrumental improvisation that features the original BR rhythm section of bassist Bazil Donovan and drummer Cleave Anderson, with producer Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies sitting in on guitar. Settle back and enjoy the ride. SAYS THE PRESS RELEASE: “The seven-minute December offers brooding minimalism reminiscent of Miles Davis’s groundbreaking early forays into electric music in the late 1960s … Just don’t call it jazz.” OK, I won’t:
