Speelburg crashes and burns, Molly Tuttle goes rancid, Hockey Dad have the germ of an idea, Volcanova are truly super fly, Taylor and the Apes drive it like they stole it, King Youssef slices and dices and more in a relatively manageable Friday Roundup for a change. There are at least five cool covers sprinkled through today’s roster. See if you can find them all.
PICKS OF THE DAY
1 | Speelburg | Crash & Burn
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Rising electro-pop artist Speelburg has released his new single Crash & Burn, the latest track off his forthcoming debut album Porsche, due out Sept. 18. Crash & Burn is proof of Speelburg’s strong creativity and diverse influences, from early ’90s Dust Brothers and Cut Chemist to The Avalanches and Beck, with the briskly frenetic beats created by dipping into KPM’s seminal library for sampling. The ’90s-inspired video for Crash & Burn is stylistically an homage to Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry’s iconic music videos as well as Wes Anderson symmetry. Of the new visual, he adds, “I love taking seemingly macho things like football and showing the brutal and tender sides. There doesn’t seem to be enough football players making out in music videos, so I thought we’d try and fill this current sports-less void with a little reflection on the culture around it. When we were shooting the two football players sharing a kiss, and me as a cheerleader dancing around the park with a couple pom-poms, there was a group of 7 or 8 young boys taking a break from playing soccer to just sit on a bench and watch us. We overheard them talking about gender politics and were all pleasantly surprised at the kinds of conversations 12 year olds are having these days — makes you look forward to the future!”
2 | Molly Tuttle | Olympia, WA
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Molly Tuttle has released her cover of Rancid’s Olympia, WA. The new song is joined by a companion visual and will appear on Tuttle’s forthcoming covers record, …but i’d rather be with you, available Aug. 28. “I used to listen to Rancid and Operation Ivy all the time as an angsty 7th grader, and a couple of friends and I spent many hours learning their songs to perform at our school concerts,” says Tuttle. “Years later, I still love these songs!! When I played a show in Olympia, WA last fall this song was stuck in my head all day so we learned it at sound check and played it in the show. Then in December I showed it to Ketch Secor and we played it on our duo tour — he also sang harmony on this track and sounds terrific. This song is so good and just makes me super happy for unexplainable reasons.”
3 | Hockey Dad | Germaphobe
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Australian duo Hockey Dad have released their long-awaited new album Brain Candy, a refreshing blend of raw garage rock and dynamic, sun-drenched pop. To celebrate the album release, the band is sharing the early all too appropriate Germaphobe video. Best friends since early childhood, guitarist and lead vocalist Zach Stephenson and drummer Billy Fleming make music that has grown in step with their lifelong friendship and blossomed into a rapidly building phenomenon. As Stephenson speaks on Brain Candy, he becomes celebratory, yet calmly reflective. “[Our last album] Blend Inn dealt with problems in a less mature way through fighting and complaining,” he explains. “I think getting older, I have come to see these situations as learning experiences — using these songs to understand my surroundings and lessons I’ve been given.”
4 | Volcanova | Super Duper Van
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Volcanova have released Super Duper Van — the third and last single from their upcoming album Radical Waves, out Aug. 21. Alongside the catchy fuzz-rock anthem the Icelandic trio also released a new head-spinning, unforgettable music video! Super Duper Van tells the tale of a never-ending ride through outer space in a magic, flying camper, and has an epic chorus made possible by the band’s three singers. The Icelandic band, whose resumé includes two full U.K. tours and opening gigs for Elder and The Vintage Caravan to name a few, has written a true anthem. Super Duper Van offers everything one could expect in a well-written stoner rock song — fuzzy riffs, headbanging bass grooves and spaced out lyrics. Adding to that is a tasteful use of vocal harmonies, rarely found in this genre of music.”
5 | Taylor and the Apes | Logan County
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Taylor and the Apes are a rock ’n’ roll band based in NYC who have gained a loyal following and reputation for their superb songwriting and dynamic, raw, exciting live shows. Led by singer/guitarist Taylor Anspaugh, The Apes have toured the East Coast and Canada multiple times, and released their debut album American Livin in 2018. While The Apes are all born and raised in Brooklyn, Taylor hails from Indiana. This combination gives The Apes their distinct, energetic sound: the anthemic, big chords of heartland rock with a slick, big city feel. The band’s songs swing with intimate, heartfelt lyrics that drip with four-part harmonies, melodic keys and jangling guitars; a sound reminiscent of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Bruce Springsteen.”
6 | King Yosef | The Dull Blade
THE PRESS RELEASE: “King Yosef is the project of musician, singer & producer Tayves Yosef Pelletier from Portland. Having started the King Yosef project in his teens, releases under the moniker are more extreme and closer to the bleeding edge than most of today’s internet-grown hip-hop. Currently in the midst of writing a new album, King Yosef releases a new video for the song The Dull Blade. “I wrote this song as I was reflecting on a lot of people in my life passing in the last few years. I always thought that was something that happened when you got older but, here I am in my 20s learning how to keep moving forward with all these people gone. Eventually you start to go numb from it all, in order to keep moving, but it keeps chipping away at you until you don’t realize how broken down you are cause you’ve neglected to look at those circumstances from the fog you’re in. You then get down to the point where you want to die, but when all is said and done, I think despite all those feelings, I want to live and if it was my time I’d be horrified to see I had wasted my life sitting in the fog I cast on myself.”
ALSO ON THE PLAYLIST
7 | Ost+Front | Geld Geld Geld
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Ost+Front have released their album Dein Helfer in der Not, along with a video for the song Geld Geld Geld. While other bands lose bite over time, Ost+Front show their teeth: Dein Helfer in der Not is pure adrenaline for the continuously growing fan base and a provocative piece of art. Between morbid tales and observance of society, the songs play with the listener’s expectations and are tough material while still being catchy. “If you want Ost+Front, you’ll get Ost+Front. Always on the highest level. Always at the limit!” singer Hermann Ostfront says. He sets the direction. The band delivers and shows full strength on Dein Helfer in der Not.”
8 | Mipso | Your Body
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Mipso will release their eponymous album on Oct. 16. Mipso, the highly anticipated follow-up to the North Carolina quartet’s acclaimed 2018 album Edges Run, furthers the band’s ever-growing reputation as a potent musical force. Mipso arrives as the group’s most communally realized work to date — a triumph that’s especially remarkable considering they discussed breaking up after Edges Run. But Mipso’s members — Wood Robinson, Libby Rodenbough, Jacob Sharp and Joseph Terrell, each a songwriter and lead singer in the band — doubled down on their commitment to each other. Your Body is available today. The song, written by Rodenbough, conveys a subtle, powerful message. As she explains, “It’s a song about something I struggle with, which is how I want to present my body to the world, especially as the only woman onstage most nights in our band.”
9 | Four Stroke Baron | Lungs
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Pop group Four Stroke Baron unveil their cover of Chvrches’ Lungs. Four Stroke Baron will release Monoqueen on Sept. 25. It’s a collection of cover songs and re-recordings from their album King Radio, never before available on LP. Artists being covered range from Post Malone, and Death Grips to Tones on Tail, along with Lungs.”
10 | Mines Falls | Hey Mother
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Mines Falls is the L.A. duo of Carson and Erik Lund, brothers who work in film and design by day and make luxurious, moody pop music by night. Their self-titled album will be released on Sept. 18, but the first single Hey Mother is premiering today. Says Carson Lund: “Hey Mother is the earliest song I wrote for the record, and therefore the one that’s most tied to the emotions that swirled around our previous album, Nepenthe. With that collection of songs, I was trying to write very honestly from a place of emotional turmoil, but this song is about landing in a state of acceptance after all of that. The “mother” here is less a reference to my own mother than to a stubborn omniscient spirit to whom I’m trying to communicate some kind of self-reckoning. You might say she’s my conscience as I try to will myself to concede the end of a relationship.”
11 | Suzi Ragsdale | Wildflowers
THE PRESS RELEASE: “If there were resumés for musicians, Suzi Ragsdale’s would certainly end up on the top of the stack. After taking part in her first recording session while in kindergarten, Ragsdale has been on a wild ride through the music industry where she’s written songs for the likes of Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert, sang background on recordings for everyone from Loretta Lynn to Hank Williams Jr., and toured in the bands of iconic songwriters Guy Clark and Darrell Scott; and that’s not even mentioning Ragsdale’s own albums. It’s been a decade since Ragsdale has released her own music, but that only magnifies the refreshing and reassuring wisdom, compassion, and humor of her new EP Ghost Town. Out Oct. 9th, Ghost Town is delivered in a wild-honey-coated voice that echoes Ragsdale’s Southern roots; an all-encompassing expression of the mind-body-spirit connection that speaks right to the heart.”
12 | Jen Janet | I Don’t Belong
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Alternative rock/metal vocalist Jen Janet has released her new single I Don’t Belong. Falling down a continuous rabbit hole of evolution, she finds herself in a natural pocket of power on I Don’t Belong. Jen states: “I Don’t Belong was originally written a long time ago when I felt very lost. I wasn’t quite sure where my future was musically because I felt that everything I was working on was a dead end. I also felt like I did not really belong anywhere socially. I was living in the town I grew up in — it is a very small town in Massachusetts. I just didn’t fit in with most of the people there and although I appreciated the people around me, it was time to leave and explore other places, people, and things. Socially, a lot of the people I was hanging out with at the time were different from me and although they were kind to me, we had many different interests. I’ve always been somewhat introverted but I wanted to branch out and spend more time with people who have similar interests and world-views to my own, and feel more like I fit in.”
13 | Killer Whale | Plenty Of Time
THE PRESS RELEASE: “New Orleans band Killer Whale have unveiled Plenty Of Time, the latest single and video from their forthcoming album Tastes Like Yesterday, out Sept. 18. “This song is about struggling with your lover on how to move on or move away, and trying to remind yourself there’s plenty of time to work it out,” frontman Thomas Johnson explains. Somewhere between the rustic Louisiana bayou and dreamy California shores lies Killer Whale. With their colorful rhythms and rock n’ roll daydreams, they create a space that invites you in, tells you to make yourself at home, and hugs you as you walk in the door. Killer Whale, much like its creator, wanders between New Orleans, Austin, and San Francisco, bearing the melodic scars all that travel brings him. A mixture of genres, Killer Whale doesn’t subscribe to any one camp. Instead, it exudes them all.”
14 | Alexei Orechin | Stranitsi
THE PRESS RELEASE: “A steadily growing voice that saturates the listener in lucid colour and shimmering melodies. Born in Pinsk, Belarus in 1984 before immigrating to Canada in 1992 with the collapse of the USSR, Alexei Orechin has been actively shaping the Toronto music scene as composer and guitarist for over 10 years. Orechin’s new single Stranitsi is a portal for momentary escape. A chance to listen inside oneself and experience what’s there. A mood ring of sorts.”
15 | Be No Rain | Media Luna
THE PRESS RELEASE: “London-based artist Be No Rain has announced the release of his debut album Strawberry Backstory, out Sept. 18. Along with the announcement, Be No Rain is also sharing new single Media Luna, a contemplative, stirring study of dread, in all of its various forms. Be No Rain said: “As the song developed it became more of a generalised study of dread, that kind of non-contingent fear that lives in the realm of dreams. Or even the dread that arises at 6 a.m., stumbling, cold onto an unfamiliar street, blinking in the dawn as a chemical shroud lifts and every passing thought feels altogether too tragic and terrible to comprehend. Nonetheless, what’s left resounding at the end of the song is a sense of hope. Dread is transient and so are we; with or without our misdeeds the world will keep spinning.”
16 | Zella Day | Only A Dream
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Zella Day has released her mesmerizing new ballad Only A Dream. The track marks the latest single from her upcoming five-song EP Where Does The Devil Hide, produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and due out Aug. 28. Driven by Zella’s spell-binding vocals, the song reflects on all-consuming love and conquering the darkness that can come from within such an exploration. “There are times we must bury our broken hearts in the garden so that spring can do the work we cannot do ourselves,” said Zella. “Living in the memory of what was eventually becomes a memory in itself. The years grow like flowers and the faint scent of love hangs low so that we may remember all of those we wish not to forget.”
17 | Eyeball | Delirium
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Eyeball is a collective of beings from Raleigh, N.C., who combine their music with effects, noise, and feedback to venture beyond the astral realm of psychedelic neo-space rock. Their latest video for Delirium is a completely insane three-minute music video directed by Ryan Flamini. Say Eyeball: “This is like nothing we have ever done before; please be seated when watching.”
18 | Bobby Rush | Down in Mississippi
THE PRESS RELEASE: “A new, raw, acoustic album by 86-year-old Mississippi blues legend Bobby Rush titled Rawer Than Raw is due out on Aug. 28. This is a stripped-to-the-basics, down-home blues album from this Louisiana native currently based in Jackson, Miss. He went up town to Chicago in the ’70s, but he’s returned to his Delta roots. “I really wrote this song about 10-15 years ago, but I just recorded for this album a few years back. Out of all the places that people try to have a different approach with the blues, Mississippi is the one who stayed true to the blues line. When you hear a guy from Mississippi sing the blues, it sounds like it’s 1919. Down in Mississippi, where they still play the blues.”
19 | Lost in Static | Jordan
THE PRESS RELEASE: “In Calgary, metalcore is alive and rowdy thanks to Lost In Static. They have made a name for themselves locally and with the new single Jordan, the band is continuing to entice listeners at home and abroad. This single is going to be on Lost In Static’s self-titled debut album later this year. The heartfelt and personal song has special meaning to the band, which they explain in their own words: “Our new single Jordan is our second track to be released from our upcoming debut record. Jordan was a childhood friend who unfortunately lost his life from drinking and driving. This song was written in his honour. It’s heavy, it’s beautiful and we hope everyone is going to love it as much as we do!”
20 | Lexxicon | Paradise
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto artist Lexxicon continues to bring the summer vibes to audiences worldwide — this time, embracing an element of Paradise on the second single from his forthcoming EP Tropical R&B, out Aug. 14. Paradise highlights Lexxicon’s search for a place where he no longer has to feel shame, pain or manipulation, unveiling some of the layered themes within the project. “I don’t know if paradise really exists, but I know it would look and feel like a place where I wasn’t judged wasn’t mistreated due to difference but celebrated and loved,” Lexxicon says. “Everyone wants a place to belong, a place to call home, a place that will feel like their own personal paradise.”
21 | GG Magree | Nervous Habits ft. Joey Fleming
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Australian powerhouse GG Magree teams up with In Her Own Words singer Joey Fleming on Nervous Habits. Magree’s sonic ambition is on full display, as she duets tight hooks over melodic dubstep instrumentation. Although GG Magree has made a name for herself through her raucous bass music, Nervous Habits showcases a vulnerable side through personal, refined lyrics. Says Magree: “Everyone has that one love that they can’t break away from … Nervous Habits is a story about mine.”
22 | Black Magnet | Punishment Map
THE PRESS RELEASE: “With Hallucination Scene, the debut LP from industrial metal outfit Black Magnet, arriving in September, today brings a new single, Punishment Map. The sonic magnitude of industrial metal and post-punk muscularity, heavy synth textures and rhythmic militance imbue Black Magnet’s Hallucination Scene with a frenetic pulse acutely attuned to the head on collision of alternate dystopian timelines that is 2020. With all vocals, guitars, synthesizers, drum programming, and samples written and performed by James Hammontree, Hallucination Scene was recorded at Decade Studio in Chicago by Sanford Parker (Eyehategod, Darkthrone, Spirit Adrift), mixed by Parker at the Hypercube, mastered by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room, and completed with cover imagery by James Ventura.”
23 | Front Country | Amerikan Dream
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Front Country is a band on the precipice of a metamorphosis. As multi-instrumentalists, songwriters and composers, the instrumentation and setting have always been secondary to the musical vision that comes through no matter what stage they take. For a band with a genre in their name, genre has always been elusive for Front Country, as they refuse to pick sides or be constrained by any expectations outside their own singular aesthetic. Front Country’s Amerikan Dream is a meditation on the mythos versus reality of America. Singer Melody shares, “From our racist colonial roots to our economically divided present, the American Dream has never really been accessible to all. Since it is a belief more than a fact, the first step in changing it is to dismantle the dogma within ourselves so we can be free to imagine a better country together.”
24 | Draemora | Minerva
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Every band is influenced by another, and today, Seattle’s Draemora is excited to share a cover version of a group that they have admired very much over the years: Deftones and their infamous song Minerva from the 2003 self-titled album. When asked why they chose this Deftones track to cover, Draemora guitarist Terry Jenkins explained: “Deftones has been the single most important band to me as an artist from childhood to adulthood. It’s been there throughout my ups and downs and shaped me as a human for better or worse. The quarantine has given me a lot of time to reflect and think, this led to creating material. I revisited this song recently and it gave me chills listening to it, just like the first time I heard it. … I thought it would be best to just cover some of our very favorite songs that we felt were important to us, this is the first one. We hope you enjoy it, it was a labor of love making it.”
25 | Close Talker | Second Best
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Close Talker are thrilled to announce their deluxe version of How Do We Stay Here?, to be released Aug. 28. It will feature five new songs and as a preview they have released the first new song Second Best. The song is about “realizing what is most important in our lives, that the most meaningful things in life come from sharing time with the people closest to us,” the band says. “As a touring band, life on the road can be grinding, and it can wear you down fast if you’re not careful. A night in Paris can turn into just another night in the basement of a bar, and the only thing you start to crave is home; being around the people that our songs are about, and realizing that at that moment, the band can feel like its second best. It’s about the late night calls when you know no one on the other end is gonna answer, or driving into a city knowing you won’t experience any of it. It’s about missing people deeply because you realize that you need them more than anything.”
26 | Kendra Morris | This Life
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Kendra Morris recalls singers who straddled soul and rock during the early ’70s, such as Ruth Copeland and Chaka Khan. After touring with Dennis Coffey and releasing singles that she did with collaborator Jeremy Page (including Concrete Waves), Morris returned in 2013 with the covers album Mockingbird. Morris also worked on a project band with friends Scarlett Johansson, Julia Haltigan and Holly Miranda. With Este Haim joining on drums, they released one single, Candy, and a cover of Bizarre Love Triangle. With her new single This Life, Kendra is once again stepping into the contemporary R&B scene and bringing her vintage vibes while still facing forward!”
27+28 | AshenMoon | Dustbowl + Mosquito
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The latest double A side from rock powerhouse AshenMoon consists of acoustic versions of smash singles Dustbowl and Mosquito. Stripped back but oozing talent and musicianship. We see an amazing band organic and in their element as they deliver a stunning performance of two soon to be classic rock tunes. Dustbowl is a kaleidoscopic view into a world of confusion and division. A message for individuals to trust in their path and journey into their inner-self to separate from an unbalanced climate. It is an escape, “Close your eyes, our only hope is sound.’’ Mosquito begins as a reflective monologue of self-destruction and procrastination. Enter the mosquito; a creative entity, welcomed wakeup call to step into action. A reminder to live in the moment and inspire to be inspired.”
29 | Micky James | Kings
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Taking influence from Brit rock legends David Bowie, The Clash and The Rolling Stones, Micky James creates gritty glam-rock with pop sensibilities. After touring the States with his previous band, the group eventually dissolved and James decided to focus on the formation of his solo project. The time spent performing in the band essentially helped sculpt the identity of his new project and developed the right ecstatic to correspond with the music he wanted to create. James’ ideology for this new project was to craft something that felt spontaneous and true. Capturing a raw essence and breathing life into the recordings, James’ priority was to make music filled with honesty, passion and love. Inspired by the authentic energy of ’60s and ’70s iconic rock bands, James is successful in crafting a modern and fresh approach to a timeless genre, “I wanted to take pieces of nostalgia and give it a contemporary twist,” explains James. Successfully taking his vision and turning it into a reality, James’ music has been resonating with listeners.”
30 | Lola Parks | Dreamer
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Vancouver musician Lola Parks is making her dreams a reality with the release of Dreamer, the first official single from her new album No Apologies, set for release on Sept. 25. “Dreamer is about standing up, speaking up, being bold, daring to be yourself, and standing strong in your roots,” says Parks. “I’ve always been a seeker, a traveler, an idealist, and a dreamer. There’s always a realism to my dreams, however, because I know how to work my ass off and I’m always learning and trying to improve myself, what I know, what I do and who I have around me.”
31 | 3409 | Small Talk
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto-based urban pop band 3409 effortlessly moves between dance, hip-hop, and world music to create a blend of rhythm and blues wrapped in youthful enthusiasm. Using laid back atmospheric production, the four-piece create anthemic memoirs for those pursuing self-discovery and happiness, despite the trials life may throw their way. The group’s newest single Small Talk was inspired by Latin salsa, bringing a modern spin to a classic genre, bringing it further into the pop realm with a catchy hook and suave verses.”
32 | Margø | Hazy
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hazy is about reflecting back on your youth. This song is about missing the simplicity of your younger days, summer nights surrounded by the people you love, and most of all — missing your friends. It is also an anthem for individuals whose memories include negative relationships, but don’t regret them — as they made you the person you are today.”
33 | Tanya Donelly and the Parkington Sisters | You Will Be Loved Again
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Tanya Donelly and the Parkington Sisters release the second single from their forthcoming album of covers, You Will Be Loved Again. Written by Mary Margaret O’Hara, the song was featured on her full-length album Miss America in 1988. “I first heard Mary Margaret O’Hara on the Throwing Muses tour bus in 1988,” recalls Donelly. “When Ivo from 4AD gave us a cassette of her album Miss America, we instantly fell in love, and it’s my favorite to this day. You Will Be Loved Again is one of the purest and most loving messages in song, and The Parkington Sisters and I wanted to end our album with it for this reason.”
34 | Izzy Heltai | The Stranger You’ve Become
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Izzy Heltai has announced his forthcoming debut full-length album Father, due out Oct. 9, with the release of single The Stranger You’ve Become. “An honest, kind, genuine person generally believes their interpretation of a world at face value,” Heltai explains. “The majority of us choose to engage in the realities of other people with the best of intentions, not wanting to deceive. We aren’t faced day to day with the reality of how malleable our words and truths can actually be. Our realities are just collectively agreed-upon terms, rules, and conditions.”
35 | Peaches | Solid Gold, Easy Action
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Peaches has released her interpretation of the T. Rex hit Solid Gold, Easy Action, from the Hal Willner-produced collection AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, out Sept. 4. Of all the Bolan versions uncovered so far from this treasure trove, Peaches’ is perhaps the most radical, but a perfect example of how Bolan’s influence spreads across the musical world. Says Peaches, “Hal and I always wanted to work on music together and when this came up, Hal was hellbound on getting me involved. He came to Berlin and set me up with Budgie (Siouxsie and the Banshees) and Knox Chandler. Then I went to NYC to mix with Hal and Mark (Urselli). I’m grateful to have had this time with Hal and that’s mainly why this track means so much to me.”
36 | Purple Decades | Kyoto
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Kyoto, the second single from my new ambient project Purple Decades, is out today!”
37 | Summer Banton | Go Away
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Gifted singer-songwriter Summer Banton unveils the Afrobeats-fuelled single Go Away. Coming through with the sound of Summer with addictive Afrobeats in tow, but still remaining true to her R&B and Soul roots, it’s a refreshing offering from the South-East London artist, as she solidifies her presence as an emerging talent in today’s scene. Summer’s entrance onto the scene is not one to be slept on.
