The Dream Syndicate dream big, The No Ones play bridge, Dirty Projectors hail the overlord, Cathedrale make a bet, Jaime Wyatt gets cross and more in today’s Roundup. What did the the drummer call his twin daughters? Anna 1 and Anna 2! Ba-da-Boom!
SONGS OF THE DAY
1 | The Dream Syndicate | The Regulator
THE PRESS RELEASE: “LA indie-rock forbearers The Dream Syndicate announced that their mind-bending new album The Universe Inside will be released on April 10. First single The Regulator kicks in instantly; at 20 minutes long, the video is a psychedelic journey through New York City, equal parts panoramic, psychedelic, somnambulistic and political in all the best ways. George Harrison once said, “arrive without traveling.” This is your ticket to The Universe Inside. “The Regulator is a microcosm of the entire record,” Steve Wynn explains. “It was just a formless, trippy mass as we all started playing together. There was an early 70’s drum machine — a Maestro Rhythm King, the same model used on There’s A Riot Goin’ On — with Dennis locking in and setting the pace. Stephen grabbed an electric sitar because it was the first thing he saw. Jason and I were kicking pedals on like lab monkeys in a laboratory and Mark was a lightning rod, uniting all of those elements into one tough groove. I collected a list of random, unconnected lyric ideas that I kept on my phone. I tried them all out in random order in my home studio just to see how they would feel and that one-take test run is the vocal you hear!. There’s just so much lightning-in-a-jar, first take excitement on this record.”
2 | The No Ones | Straight Into The Bridge
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The No Ones share the official video for their new single Straight Into The Bridge, the second from their forthcoming debut album, The Great Lost No Ones Album, out March 27. The first visuals from the band is a B-movie-ette without a plot, but the song is typically direct and transparent — Peter Buck’s guitar leads the charge and Scott McCaughey’s vocal is perilously intelligible. Stretching from Norway through Athens, Georgia to the northwest corner of the United States, and consisting of members from R.E.M., I Was A King, The Minus 5, The Baseball Project, etc., The No Ones are classic two guitars, bass, and drums, sounding like what you might expect, only different, more so, and better. The album is about the usual: abduction, interstellar mysteries, witchcraft, climate change, gentrification, and the desolation of the soul, their vocal harmonies and psychedelic flourishes fuse the sunny turbulent sounds of the ‘60s with the darkness and decay of present day. It’s like Portland and Norway in a blender.”
3 | Dirty Projectors | Overlord
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Scarcely 18 months after the release of the Lamp Lit Prose LP, and three months after the live-in-studio album Sing The Melody, Dirty Projectors return with new single Overlord. Tongue-in-cheek ode to surveillance capitalism? Critique of our primal confusion of charisma for actual leadership? Cautionary tale about blind faith in technology? Anti-fascist manifesto? Who knows, but Overlord feels like a Both Sides Now for our brave new Amazon Prime world. The lyrics are belied by a rootsy, organic arrangement — capo’ed acoustics, upright bass, congas, drum kit & three-part harmony — that must be Dirty Projectors’ loosest and warmest production since Swing Lo Magellan. Overlord is the first Dirty Projectors song to feature the new lineup that lead Projector Dave Longstreth put together around the Lamp Lit Prose tour in 2018/19. Guitarist Maia Friedman handles lead vocals and co-wrote the lyrics with Dave, who wrote and produced the music. Felicia Douglass and Kristin Slipp contribute additional vocals. Nat Baldwin plays upright bass; Mike Johnson is behind the kit. Mauro Refosco plays congas.”
ALSO ON THE PLAYLIST
4 | Cathedrale | The Bet
THE PRESS RELEASE: “After a small sit-down deliberation on the stairs, they decide on the name Cathedrale, like the St Etienne in Toulouse that toward behind them. A simplicity that reflects itself in the band’s clean formula, jangling guitars, nervous rhythm section and a touch of pop in the vocals. The Toulousain gang deliver a music labeled post-something, influenced by British punk, American power pop, notably Wire, Parquet Courts, Buzzcocks and even Protomartyr. Touring Europe with a plethora of different groups: Thee Oh Sees, Frustration, Rendez-Vous, Uranium Club, Useless Eaters … Following their two premier LP’s, recorded in Toulouse with Lo Spider, the quarter decide to pull up their sleeves and record their 3rd album Houses are Built the Same in London at Haha Sounds Studio. Produced by Syd Kemp, their sound bulks out and is enriched with textual arrangements, gaining amplification and limpidity without loosing the flare of their first two albums. With the 13 tracks on Houses Are Built The Same, Cathedrale assumes their status of value in the French music scene.”
5 | Jaime Wyatt | Neon Cross
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Jaime Wyatt will release Neon Cross on May 2. The 11-song set was produced by the two-time Grammy Award-winning producer Shooter Jennings (Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker). Today, she premiered the video for the album’s title track. Wyatt and Jennings boldly color outside the country lines on Neon Cross, taking a wide-lens sonic and stylistic approach to the songs. Though that sonic backdrop is all in service to Wyatt’s incisive lyrics and expressive vocals, which can be achingly sensitive and sincere one minute, and unflinchingly cocksure and dispassionate the next. Wyatt said, “What really sold me on Shooter is that he understands grooves — he gets how to instruct a band to build a groove that is so powerful underneath a song. And it’s crazy because that’s what Waylon (Jennings, Shooter’s father) did. He always had these rad country songs with these super-weird, funky rock ‘n’ roll grooves under them. He would take things to interesting and unexpected places. Shooter has that same instinct.”
6 | The Drew Thomson Foundation | Karma
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The Drew Thomson Foundation has released an official music video for Karma, the latest single to be taken off of their self-titled debut album (released September 2019). “Karma is a song about a person being so blissfully unaware that they float through life, with things easily falling in their lap – and in turn that ease and confidence then pushes people close away. It’s kind of about some people I know and kind of not. This should be easy, you just want to love me!,” says Drew Thomson. The Foundation’s self-titled debut album follows a period of self-reflection and rectification to reveal surprising new sides of its songwriter. Produced by Alex Newport (At the Drive-In, City and Colour, Frank Turner) in his Los Angeles studio, its recording sessions found the Single Mothers frontman joined by bandmates and longtime collaborators to cultivate a collection of vulnerable lyrics into vivid, hook-laden anthems.”
7 | On Sight | Expired
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Rising out of the New Jersey hardcore and metal scene, On Sight have announced the release of their debut full-length Cause of Pain, due out April 24. To celebrate, the band has debuted their blistering new track Expired with an accompanying video. Across their debut, as proven by the lead single, On Sight deliver a masterclass in hardcore perfection with a hint of classic thrash influences. On Sight have been steadily building a name for themselves in New Jersey’s prolific hardcore scene since 2016. The quintet melds their deeply-rooted metal influences with their brand of gritty hardcore that bucks the current trend towards metalcore in favor of incorporating mid-tempo thrash riffs, blazing solos, mosh-ready drumming, and in-your-face vocals. The resulting sound feels refreshing while still holding true to the tenants of classic, unapologetically aggressive hardcore — leaving no doubt as to why they’ve been able to share the stage with a diverse array of acts ranging from Death Threat and Extinction AD to Judiciary and Xibalba.”
8 | Dave Monks | On A Wave
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian songwriter and long-time Tokyo Police Club frontman Dave Monks has premiered his video for On A Wave, the title track from his debut solo album, which he released late 2019. Here’s what Monks had to say about the music video, which was directed by Anne Douris: “There is something about On A Wave that I can always relate to in a new way. The video adds to that for me, sparking my imagination by tying different metaphors together in my mind: the lyrics about the water cycle, the skeleton in the video, the car diving into the lake, the woman waving, the ambiguous ‘you’ in the song. Even though I was on set all day making it, watching it now it feels like one of those dreams packed with meaning and clarity that lives with you for months.”
9 | Hendrix Harris | Aftermath
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Rising singer and rapper Hendrix Harris wastes no time as he releases his fiery new single Aftermath. A solid display of Hendrix’s talent, Aftermath is a barrage of assertive bars and tightly knit wordplay blended with the very same slick vocals we had a taste of on his previous single, served on a platter of eerie, bass-heavy production. Partnered by new visuals with Kevin Froly in the director’s chair, the latest from the Harris camp creatively plays on the split personality concept, in similar vein to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The frantic black and white clip takes further inspiration from the 1940’s with a serving of insight into the artist’s psyche – the duality between Hendrix and his alter-ego Tommy.”
10 | Dante Palminteri | I Don’t Even Know You
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Growing up between the East and West coasts, American singer-songwriter and actor Dante Palminteri matured his musical styling at an early age, drawing inspiration from John Mayer’s poetic mastery of the human psyche and Ed Sheeran’s genre-defying melodies. His lyrics narrate complex compilations about unrequited love, soul mates lost and found, and the growing pains of adulthood. Struck by the lyrical prowess of Americana muses Jason Isbell and The Tallest Man On Earth, Palminteri explores his own roots, weaving personal narratives on the intricacies of falling in love with whimsical acoustic melodies. I Don’t Even Need You highlights Palminteri’s use of fun infectious melodies, upbeat rhythms and quirky lyrics which burst with personality.”
11 | Fleshgod Apocalypse | Monnalisa
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Italian orchestral-death metal giants Fleshgod Apocalypse have unveiled a stunningly beautiful new cinematic masterpiece video for the band’s latest single. Monnalisa is featured on the band’s critically praised 2019 album Veleno. The video was produced by Void n’ Disorder, directed by Giovanni Bucci and shot by Francesco Pennica. Francesco Paoli says: “Monnalisa is truly experimental but, at the same time, one of the best songs we’ve ever written. It stood up amongst the other Veleno tracks right from its release, becoming an instant classic for our fans. I believe what makes this one so special for everyone is that the idea of “poisoning”, which is at the very center of our album Veleno, is connected to love. Even the most noble of feelings can become toxic if we suddenly lose our identity, letting our mind and soul become enslaved to someone else. In the end, we can truly love someone only if we find a way to love ourselves first. This is one of the most meaningful messages hidden inside our album. That’s why we felt the need to emphasize it even more through this video.”
12 | Dizzy | Sunflower
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sunflower, the new single from emerging Canadian band Dizzy, is out now. Sunflower was produced by Dizzy and mixed by Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire, Florence + The Machine), marking the first new music since the release of their 2018 debut album, Baby Teeth. Of the song, front woman Katie Munshaw explains, “Sunflower is a three and a half minute ‘snap out of it!’ to myself when I’m feeling low, unconfident or not myself.” Joined by the trio of brothers who make up the rest of Dizzy — drummer Charlie Spencer and his siblings Alex (guitar) and Mackenzie (bass) — Munshaw is soon to release new music exploring an even more tangled landscape of feelings.”
13 | Rose Cousins | The Lullaby (My Oldest Love)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Grammy-nominated and Juno-winning songwriter Rose Cousins’ new video The Lullaby (My Oldest Love) debuts today. The song is featured on Cousins’ new album Bravado, out now. Cousins describes Bravado as a record for those who struggle with loneliness and those wishing they had more time alone — for those who struggle to connect with others, or even to connect with their true selves. “I think about how we’re so disconnected,” says Cousins. “I get sucked into my phone and forget to go for a walk because of this sense of obligation I have that convinces me to get as much work done as possible. We’re missing what’s actually happening. I’ve been thinking about how we must be getting close to a breaking point.”
14 | Jess Williamson | Wind On Tin
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Folk musician Jess Williamson will release her new album Sorceress on May 15. Today, she presents a video for its lush, introspective, and quietly anthemic lead single Wind On Tin. In the song, the narrator travels to a remote desert town to attend the memorial service for a friend who passed away. She thinks she hears the voice of God, and she’s either tuned in, crazy, or both. The accompanying video, directed by Williamson and Eli Welbourne, features her dancing in iconic locations around Los Angeles, all awash in a dreamy filter. “Grief has a way of making the veil between worlds very thin,” says Williamson. “Prior to the memorial service, I was sitting on a porch passing around a guitar and drinking beers with a few very dear people in my life who I look up to greatly and who were very close to the person who had passed. We heard an unexplainable sound in the wind that made us all pause. Like a flute, but more angelic. It kept going. We tried, unsuccessfully, to record it. The sound was indescribably beautiful and heavenly. ‘Were the angels singing just for us, or is that what the wind out here does on tin?’ Regardless of the answer, I know that for that brief moment we were lucky initiates into the mystery realm, and I’m deeply grateful.”
15 | Riz La Vie | Feed
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Lebanese-American rapper/singer Riz La Vie has announced his new EP Feed., slated to arrive on May 7. Today, Riz shared the video for the EP’s first single Tesla. Discussing the inspiration for Tesla, Riz states, “I’ve always been a fan of the scientist/inventor Nikola Tesla, best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current AC electric supply system. What he did was the most perplexing and beautiful thing. The song Tesla is the current. The song is the charge. Charging your life force. Speaking out and bringing thoughts, dreams, and visions into existence. I’m inspired by the desire to create, and the things that have charged me with the ability to do that. When I started seeing the Tesla Roadster around, I, of course, became a fan, and I told my mom I would get her one, one day.”
16 | Twin Peaks | Unfamiliar Sun
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Chicago-based band Twin Peaks release a new single/video for Unfamiliar Sun, a track from their album Lookout Low. Unfamiliar Sun is about navigating life while struggling with depression. Its accompanying video, directed and illustrated by Wyatt Grant, pairs the band with colorful images displayed via a low-tech projector. “It’s about trying to find beauty and love in the day to day, week to week, season to season in an otherwise ugly world,” says Jack Dolan. “Still, it’s meant to be hopeful. Nobody is or should ever feel truly alone. I want to thank Wyatt Grant for helping me visualize this song with his wonderful artwork and his genuine understanding of the messages this song attempts to convey. I would also like to thank the entire Weird Life Films Crew for once again delivering a beautiful finished product and for helping us organize and execute this little project. The world could always use more empathy, don’t be afraid to reach out to somebody you love.”
17 | Emilie Zoe & Christian Garcia-Gaucher | The Grand Scheme
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Emilie Zoe & Christian Garcia-Gaucher’s albom Pigeons – Soundtrack for the Birds on the Treetops Watching the Movie of our Lives comes out April 3. It is an alternative soundtrack for Roy Andersson’s movie A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence. The Grand Scheme is the second single. Says Emilie about the song and the video: “Watching Roy Andersson’s movie gave me a good reason to write songs: it observes human beings like pigeons do, from afar on the treetops. I had this old organ-synth whose sound and drum machines particularly fitted the film’s mood. The Grand Scheme is the first song I wrote for that project. It says, maybe to convince ourselves or eventry to create reality, that in the grand scheme of things, we’re doing fine. This video is just like a home-made pie, the one you end up doing on a late Sunday evening with whatever’s left in your fridge. Random elements joyfully put together, a strange and cheap cake that has THIS special taste that makes you feel at home. Yes, it is badly shot by myself and roughly cut. Yes, it looks like a holiday video, a bunch of friends hanging out in underwear in a messy attic studio. But yes, my life will never feel as good as when I’m surrounded with talented friends casually doing what they do best : writing, recording and sharing music for the sole pleasure of spending time together.”
18 | Nowhere Fast | Dark Towns
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Nowhere Fast create dark, energized, and passionate rock that flourishes from their beloved and unmistakable roots in melodic punk rock. For more than a decade, the band has toured North America with indelible fervor and a restless spirit. Their album Aeonian was recorded in Michigan with producer Nick Diener (The Swellers/The Apology Tour) at his Onder Studios. It’s the band’s second release with Diener. The album was mixed by Nick and the band. With influences such as Nada Surf, Menzingers, Samiam, Benchmarks, Cabana Wear, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Jimmy Eat World and Gaslight Anthem, frontman Seth Robinson says, “I like to write a record as if you’re reading a chapter in a book. It’s cohesive and tells a story.”
19 | Hand of Fate | Temptation
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hand of Fate recently released their debut titled Messengers of Hope. Mainly influenced by epic symphonic rock and metal, they have a melodic sound, while respecting their needs and adjusting it to their desires. The band’s main goal is to express themselves through each member’s own character, style and inspiration. Messengers of Hope includes eight songs. One of them is the song Temptation, presented here in an official lyric video.”
https://youtu.be/NKtx4oJ1hY0
20 | Margaret Glaspy | Stay with Me
THE PRESS RELEASE: “New York singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy is releasing her anticipated second full-length Devotion on March 27, and today she shares the record’s new single Stay With Me. The track finds Glaspy exploring the emotional push and pull of a relationship, pleading, “Won’t you stay with me? I’ll be on my best behavior.” “I’m learning that life is painful but you take the bad with the good,” says Glaspy of her songwriting process for Devotion, “that love is hard but if you love someone, you make yourself available; that life is short and it’s okay to be sincere.”
21 | Oath Of Damnation | The Abortuary
THE PRESS RELEASE: “As the storm clouds continue to gather and the release of Oath Of Damnation’s second album, Fury And Malevolence, grows ever closer, the Australian devils have released a second single from their new tome of destruction. The Abortuary is a monstrous outpouring of malice, riffs falling from the blackened skies in a torrential rain of razors. It perfectly encapsulates Fury And Malevolence’s blend of furious power, epic grandeur and dark atmosphere and will intensify the frenzied anticipation for the Oath Of Damnation’s stunning new record.”
22 | Busty and the Bass | Baggy Eyed Dopeman
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian eight-piece collective Busty and the Bass share their new single Baggy Eyed Dopeman, featuring legendary founder of Parliament/Funkadelic George Clinton. Clinton blesses the track with unfettered interstellar psychedelic funkiness like only he can. Producer Neal Pogue, who has recently worked on numerous iterations of modern funk and jazz, took the band under his wing and helped draw a line from the explosive Parliament-esque chorus to the genre-bending soul and R&B of OutKast’s The Love Below (which earned Pogue a Grammy Award for his mixing and engineering). The result is a joyous, bouncy single that carries the torch of its forebears.”
