Iceage share the lockdown blues, Corb Lund just needs 90 seconds of your time, Kilo are still here (in case you were wondering), Kult Of The Skull God give it one more try and more in today’s Roundup. And away we go:
1 | Iceage | Lockdown Blues
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Copenhagen-based band Iceage release a rousing new single, Lockdown Blues. The track, which addresses the troubled new reality during COVID-19, was written in the wake of the lockdown on gatherings, borders, schools, and life as we know it. Over percussive, bluesy instrumentation, singer Elias Rønnenfelt bluntly describes “Empty shelves in barren streets // Confined domestic quarantine // How the itching for lost touch is deafening.” All profits from Bandcamp will directly benefit Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), an independent, global organization providing medical aid. Say the band: “We’ve felt the urge to touch base now that the physical touch has been suspended and contribute an effort to raise spirit In the face of adversity. Our thoughts are with all those in jeopardy to the many various horrors in relation to the crisis, those situated on the front lines and those who are direly compromised. Stay safe, take care and keep up the good fight.”
2 | Corb Lund | 90 Seconds Of Your Time
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Corb Lund’s new studio album Agricultural Tragic, out June 26, is his first album of original material in five years. Today brings the video for the first single, 90 Seconds of Your Time. The song is a punchy, real-life tale of Lund expressing concerns to a militant mountain guide bent on murder after three mules and a horse mysteriously disappeared from his camp during a hunting trip. Of the new music, Lund says “I worked really hard on this album — harder than I’ve ever worked before. This time around I took my time and wrote more songs, rehearsed more with the band, and explored sounds much more deeply. It took some time, but I’m really proud of this one and I’m excited to finally be able to share it.”
3 | Kllo | Still Here
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Kllo — the electronic pop collaboration of Melbourne cousins Chloe Kaul and Simon Lam — announce their new album, Maybe We Could, out July 17, and share lead single Still Here, with an accompanying video. An experiment in tempo, the track began as a piano ballad before they added ‘90s rave-style drums underneath. The track explores an emotionally suffocating relationship and a deep desire for understanding. The accompanying, directed by Matt Sav and shot in Perth, was shot entirely on 16mm film. “The video uses visual metaphors to symbolise the struggle and perseverance through relationships by being trapped in plastic, sinking in water etc.”
4 | Kult Of The Skull God | One More Try
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Kult Of The Skull God unveil their next single and video One More Try off their forthcoming debut album The Great Magini due out May 8. Taking inspiration from the titans of rock including Danzig, The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath, they have combined slick heavy riffs with smooth yet haunting vocals that are perfectly demonstrated on the track. The band add: “Every day life keeps pushing us to be better, more performing, over-doing. Failure means to be ignored, to disappear. This is the era we’re living in. Internet social likes, media coverage, the paranoia of being forgotten or even being a “nobody” is a devouring circus of perfect strangers. If you don’t understand who you are, you’re gonna be your worst enemy.”
5 | On Sight | Cause of Pain
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The New Jersey metallic hardcore outfit On Sight debuted the title track from their upcoming record Cause of Pain. On Sight waste no time on the pit-ready track in showing off their unyielding aggressiveness and thrash tendencies. Cause of Pain further proves the expert songwriting and timeless feel of their brand of hardcore seen throughout their debut full-length. 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.”
6 | Foes | American Violence
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Oregon-based metallic hardcore outfit Foes will release their latest material in the form of the American Violence 10″ EP. A new video for the record’s namesake track premiered today. American Violence was recorded and produced by Foes’ Sonny Daniels and Garrett Judkins at their own Doom Room Studios in Sunriver, Oregon. The material was edited and mixed by Derek Leisy and mastered by Brad Boatright. The cover art was created by Judkins and Daniels with editing and digital design by Taylor Bates at New Melody Art Design. The video for American Violence was created by Daydream Collective.”
7 | Borza | Guérir les hommes
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Borza’s main interest & goal with music is to have the listener experience the natural synergie that music has with spirituality. He has helped on many records throughout the years by either playing, writing, producing or engineering with artists such as the McGarrigle sisters, Emmylou Harris, and Lauryn Hill. Eventually, he noticed his musical endeavours did not feel complete if he himself didn’t put out his own records as well. In 2016, Borza released his debut EP and in 2019, he released his full length record, Cocoon, produced by his dear friend Malcolm Burn. Earlier this year, Borza released the single Guérir les hommes, and is following with a video. The song has elements of folk and alt-pop and talks about healing, being there for one another, to trust ourselves and think with our hearts while the accompanying visuals reflect the idea of wanting to feel close to people.”
8 | Plain White T’s | Hey There Delilah
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Plain White T’s’ acclaimed 2005 album All That We Needed will be reissued in a 15th-anniversary digital version that includes five previously unreleased live acoustic renditions of songs from the album, including Hey There Delilah, Revenge, Breakdown, Take Me Away and All That We Needed. As an early treat, the band have dropped an all-new lyric video for their No.1 hit single, Hey There Delila. In recent weeks, the Grammy-nominated single has been embraced by a new generation of listeners, who have been putting their own, timely twist on the song, and offering some much-needed smiles, amid the coronavirus pandemic.”
9 | Hendrix Harris | Sweat Drops
THE PRESS RELEASE: “With two sensational releases down already in Should I and Aftermath, Hendrix Harris looks set to impress again with his latest single Sweat Drops — the accompaniment to his new EP Falcon. Sweat Drops sees Hendrix dynamically switch between luxurious vocals and rapid-fire lyrical finesse as he speaks candidly about his lover with skill lost on many artists. Teaming up with once again with Kevin Froly, the new single comes with a simplistic performance visual that’s a natural accompaniment to a high paced release. An introduction for many to the world of Hendrix, Falcon merges dark and brooding trap-soul production, with soulfully sincere crooning and lyrical flex, all while navigating the innermost thoughts and feelings of our Parisian maverick.”
10 | Colpocleisis | Slovakian Traffic Cone
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The descent into degradation is complete! Slam death monsters Colpocleisis release Slovakian Traffic Cone, the final part of their trilogy of singles. Everything began on Feb. 2 with Third Degree Gurns before slipping further into an inescapable mire of filth with Masturbational Burnout on March 2. Now the final day has arrived and it’s time for Colpocleisis to serve up the ‘climax’ of this trip into the darkness. If you’re wondering what the meaning of that term might be we would suggest a trip to Urban Dictionary — but definitely, definitely not while at work.”
11 | Jenny Hval | Bonus Material
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Norwegian multidisciplinary artist Jenny Hval presents a new single, Bonus Material. It follows the widely acclaimed The Practice of Love, which was released last year. Bonus Material is sparse and celestial, floating with Hval’s light vocals and twinkling keys. It features saxophone by Espen Reinertsen, who appeared on The Practice of Love. “It is an unfinished track about unfinished substances leaking into one another,” says Hval. “Trash practicing love.”
12 | Grid | Cold Seep
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Grid — the Brooklyn, NY noise-jazz trio comprised of Matt Nelson (Tune-Yards, Battle Trance, Elder Ones), Tim Dahl (Child Abuse), and Nick Podgurski (New Firmament, Feast of Epiphany) — are sharing Cold Seep, the second single from their upcoming sophomore LP Decomposing Force, out April 24. The band describe the disquieting 12+ minute track: “In Cold Seep we have a bottom giving out at the moment of orientation. The fundament, all that has come before, is undone. Free-falling into dark new age we must face the terror of our nothingness.” Recorded live in one room with no overdubs and mixed to 1/2-inch tape, Decomposing Force relies on the composite sound of Nelson, Dahl, and Podgurski interacting and reacting to each individual as well as their combined output — the continual flowing-in of individual and agglomeration serves to add dimension to the blackness and possibility of Grid’s musical ecosystem.”
