The Kills raise some goosebumps, Christo Graham eyes the situation, Old Cross show some spine, Burning Pools serve up a double shot and more in your Monday Roundup. You like it loud and/or freaky? You’re in the right place.
ON REPEAT
1 | The Kills | Raise Me (Demo)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It’s been a long time coming: The Kills have finally compiled an extraordinary career-spanning B-sides and rarities album. It’s itled Little Bastards and arrives on Dec. 11. The songs date back from the band’s first 7-inch singles in 2002 through to 2009. The compilation includes the unreleased and never-before-heard demo Raise Me from the 2008-2009 Midnight Boom era. Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince produced and directed a striking new video for the recently excavated song. Little Bastard was the affectionate nickname that the pair gave to the drum machine which enabled their initial existence as a band of only two members for the first half of their career. “It was a Roland 880,” says Jamie, “which isn’t strictly a drum machine — it’s a sequencer, and an eight-track recorder, with its own drum machine built in, and that’s what we’d record all our beats on.”
2 | Christo Graham | Square Eyes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Christo Graham shares the second single and video, Square Eyes, from his forthcoming album Turnin’ set for release on Nov. 6. Three years after his November Baby LP, Graham’s followup is a musical u-turn, retracing his steps through the chronology of recording at home, of “moving out”, and coming around to it again. All 12 tracks individually reflect the closeness and the constraint of recording at home.”
3 | Old Cross | Vertebrae
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Old Cross is a three-piece melodic punk band from Portland, OR. Drawing influences ranging from the ’90s/’00s CA punk scene with fast single-kick punk beats and anthem choruses to dark, progressive riffs with a modern spin. Prior to COVID, Old Cross toured about three to four times a year and they plan to resume when the world returns to some sort of normalcy. Old Cross has one self-titled EP that came out in December of 2018 and plan to release their debut full-length Daggers on Nov. 13.”
4 | Burning Pools | Bang Bang
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Burning Pools, the new band led by former Smashing Pumpkins bassist Ginger Pooley, has been long in the making. She and husband Kristopher Pooley had been demoing songs showcasing Ginger’s penchant for empowering protest lyrics clothed in pop hooks, when they decided to reach out to guitarist Max Bernstein. He promptly added some tracks with a sub-octave fuzz permanently in the “on” position. Instantly, the three decided that Kris (a keyboard player by trade) would dust off his drum kit as this was not a synth operation — and a band was born. Ginger shares, “It’s nothing new for music to be a voice of criticism of our culture. That is the purpose of a lot of art. This is just my way of expressing my frustration with the priorities of modern society. Valuing money over everything, undervaluing women and people of color. Hopefully our songs make people who are of the same accord feel heard and supported. There is so much injustice in the world, we hope to be a part of the solution in some small way.”
5 | Science Man | Into The Rift
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Buffalo’s lab rat Science Man is back with a new LP Science Man II. SM II cranks the gas and doubles the dose on the maniac fronted, drum-machine driven, relentless guitar attack that was his 2019 self-titled debut. Cannibalizing one limb of rock ’n’ roll to augment the nasty, bashing ability of it’s other more punk appendages. Think if Hot Snakes started playing only basement gigs with weirdo hardcore bands after listening to Big Black and Judas Priest in the van all day. Science Man II takes shape while flowing seemlessly though a unique blend of punk/hardcore/garage/rock and roll in just under 20 mins.”
6 | Lupin | KO Kid
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “My new song KO Kid is out everywhere today. karla mellett crushed the animated video. KO Kid is the last single from my debut solo album Lupin, which is out this Friday.”
7 | Mr. Bison | I’m The Storm
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Italy’s psychedelic rock merchants Mr. Bison share a highly hallucinogenic new video for the track I’m The Storm, off their upcoming album Seaward, out Oct. 16. Kaleidoscopic and colorful images are melting while progressive sounds fuses the power of two guitars to produce unique wild patterns adorned by psychedelics and outrageous fuzz. Seaward is a concept album that draws inspiration from the legend of the seven pearls of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and an imaginary horizon.”
8 | Traams | Intercontinental Radio Waves
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Traams’ sound has always been part motorik drum beats, part discordant guitars, pop melodies and hypnotic bass lines. All are present in a collection of three new tracks being released before the end of the year. Today they return with the second of these: Intercontinental Radio Waves, clocking in at a digestible three minutes and showcasing the off-kilter pop smarts ever present in their writing. Accompanied again by a suitably warped visualiser directed by Stewart Armstrong, who said the following about the inspiration behind the video: “Inspired by one of my favourite books, The Last Days of New Paris by China Miéville, in which manifestations of surrealist artworks and texts stalk the streets of Paris in 1950’s occupied France, the video is an animated paean to the ideas that art can defeat fascism and that a broken heart can be healed.”
ALSO ON THE PLAYLIST
9 | One Thousand Dead | One Thousand Dead
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brazilian metal band One Thousand Dead release the music video for the song One Thousand Dead, which presents the band’s work for international media, showing the theme addressed in the lyrics and the ideology of the members and all the energy of the band. One Thousand Dead presents an original sound, addressing themes that fit like a glove in Thrash Metal, talking about war, politics and corruption. With influences from Sepultura, Korzus and Dorsal Atlântica, the band has released the EPs Infernizando (2015), and Nightwalk (2019), which yielded good reviews in the specialized media. The band is already working on their debut album.”
10 | July 7 | Waistline
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Waistline is the brand-new video from Manchester-hailing R&B maverick July 7. Waistline draws you in with its infectious bounce, deep pulsing rhythms and dancehall influences, with July 7 incorporating strong doses of patois and raw, sensual energy which he uses to entice his lady of interest. The video only double downs on the sentiment, focused on-set on his female co-star’s waistline. A musical polymath, July’s production skills have seen him collaborate with the likes of Young Thug and Travis Scott, but he is more than a producer-turned-artist.”
11 | Nathalie Miranda | Catch-22
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nathalie Miranda is a fully-fledged soul belter; a power-house vocalist with a stunning four-octave range. This emerging artist is a force to be reckoned with, notable for her unique, soulful voice and high energy performances. The new single Catch-22 is a completely different sound for Nathalie, and one that she feels reflects her love of soul and blues music, while still being, without doubt, a relatable, catchy, pop song. Musically, she wanted it to sound huge and quite sparse at the same time. She says “I wanted to create a song that reflected my love for blues and soul, while still being a pop track. I came up with the melody and the initial lyric one day during lockdown, and it really inspired me to create this retro sound, while still being relatable.”
12 | Shemekia Copeland | Clotilda’s On Fire (ft. Jason Isbell)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Multiple Grammy-nominee Shemekia Copeland premieres her video for Clotilda’s On Fire. The true, torn-from-history song — the lead track from her highly anticipated new album, Uncivil War, set for Oct. 23 — tells of the very last slave ship to arrive in America (in Mobile Bay, AL) in 1859, 50 years after the slave trade was banned. The ship —burned and sunk by the captain to destroy the evidence — was finally discovered in 2019. The song — featuring Alabama native Jason Isbell playing ferocious blues guitar — is a hair-raising look at living American history delivered with power, tenderness, and jaw-dropping intensity. The video, put together by Copeland and her team, underlines the undying legacy of racism that has sparked protests around the world.”
13 | The Mystic Underground | The Fixer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Synthpop/new wave upstarts The Mystic Underground announce their new album Wrapped in Riddles, due Nov. 13. Inheriting a love of classic alternative bands such as The Smiths, David Bowie and New Order fused with a love of Britpop, dance and industrial, The Mystic Underground are the eclectic duo of singer/songwriter Vladimir Valette and keyboardist/producer Benedetto Socci. A glimpse of their unconventional approach can be readily heard on lead single The Fixer, a song that touches on decisions and the risk of taking action and the perils of inaction. A pulsing anthem for the smoke-filled dance-floor replete with Valette’s deadpan vocal backed by a motorik backbeat and Socci’s menacing synth palette offers a taste of what is to come.”
14 | Oginalii | Pendulum
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nashville sludge-rock band Oginalii share the lyric video for Pendulum, from their upcoming EP of the same name, due Oct. 23. In discussing the title track, Oginalii explains, “Pendulum is the namesake of the record for a reason. It’s the idea and song that was the jumping point for the vision behind the themes represented lyrically. The original thoughts behind the song are represented best in the chorus. It’s the swing that happens as you grow and understand who you are/who you want to become, however, we can’t ever quite leave behind the nature of the people who have helped us sculpt our origin.”
15 | Vera Hotsauce | Ricochet
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With no room for compromise, Vera Hotsauce channels the sexual autonomy of Tove Lo, the fierce attitude of Rihanna and the futuristic otherworldliness of Charli XCX. The record Hot & Saucy documents Vera’s misadventures on the journey to self-actualisation. She tells us “This album tells a story about an era. I’ve made so many stupid decisions that got me so many crazy memories and took me on so many f-d up adventures.” Vera will not be held back from speaking out against injustice. Ricochet is a diss aimed squarely at 6ix9ine and his treatment of young girls.”
16 | Red | Dirty Talk
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “R&B pop singer-songwriter Red (Nicole Simpson) is pleased to share a feel-good iPhone-shot visual for Dirty Talk, a rapturous, compelling pop number, peppered with emotive nu-soul influences and effervescent melodies, offering us the perfect respite we all need right now. Red says: “Dirty Talk’s official video was shot entirely on the iPhone. It was a spontaneous idea while vacationing in Greece to take full advantage of our surroundings, the gorgeous scenery/beaches right at our doorstep and get creative. Truly a vision brought to life not by budget but by nature.”
17 | CNJR | Drunk On The Venom
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Drunk On The Venom by CNJR is an unreleased track from the upcoming album I Can See the Church Burning Through the Binoculars, which releases this Friday. The new album sees CNJR depart from a deeper synth-driven electronic feel to embrace an indie aesthetic throughout the album. A stronger presence of guitars, acoustic drums, and vocals can be heard interwoven with retro synthesizers and electronic elements recognized from prior releases. A starkly dark album, I Can See The Church Burning Through The Binoculars explores themes of repression, emotional turmoil, and identity.”
18+19 | King Creosote | Susie Mullen + Walter de la Nightmare
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Fife, Scotland singer-songwriter Kenny Anderson, also known as King Creosote, has released more than 50 albums over a 25-year career, including 2011’s Diamond Mine, a collaborative album with Jon Hopkins that was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Today, he resurfaces for the first time since 2016’s Astronaut Meets Appleman to share two new singles. Anderson reveals, “To find the source of inspiration for the music of Susie Mullen you need only squeeze the belly of a souvenir camel toy from Egypt to unleash a rather urgent and tinny sounding nursery rhyme in Arabic, jam along in the key of Bb.” On Walter de la Nightmare, Anderson adds, “The lyrics reference a song by Billy Pilgrim RIP from Fence Sampler #3 in which Walter recounts a lightning strike on a large old tree. Nota bene, I am fully aware that ‘lymph nodes’ and ‘emphatic’ do not conflate to ‘node lymphatic’, but it sounds good to my ear, and it provides a much-needed rhyme. Both Susie and Walter have taken over two decades to make their pilgrimage from Egypt to Ullapool.”
20 | Grafvitnir | Helvetesnatt
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Harbingers of the Serpent Fire, carriers of the emerald of Urkaos and torchbearers of the Luciferian Flame: With their seventh album, legendary Occult Black Metal band Grafvitnir unleash stormwinds of the Otherworld. Ten tempestuous anthems of pitch-black malevolence sounding the alarm of the Apocalypse. Cold and icy tones of the Realm Beyond carried on a freezing blizzard of haunting riffs and spine-tinglingly sinister guitar melodies. Death’s Wings Widespread comes Oct. 30.”
21 | Åskog | Varg
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Swedish black metal duo Åskog present their first offering, a demo release Varg, scheduled for Oct. 16. Åskog is thematically based on the cold and harsh brutality of nature. While most black metal bands typically glorify a romantic vision of hell, prance about in cloaks chanting magical spells, or sing about war, Åskog believe the darkness is much closer to home. The chaotic nature the world has been in during the Covid-19 pandemic gave Adam and Lars a renewed opportunity to work closely together on new material. “It’s always best to write about what an individual knows,” the band informs, “so Åskog was born.”
22 | IIKings | Blue
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto-based artists Slater Manzo and Red Farrow team up as a duo under IIKings — an artistic project that can best be described as an experimental dance phenomenon, drawing from various realms of electronic music to create emotion through contrast. Their new single Blue is meant to get lost in. Take your break up, your bad day, your grey weather and get nasty with an impromptu drum & bass dance party like it’s 1990s in the U.K. underground.”
23 | Leahy | Good Water
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian band Leahy’s forthcoming new album Good Water brings the five women members of the group — Leahy sisters Julie, Erin, Maria, Siobheann and Denise — freshly to the fore, in singing and especially songwriting, along with brother Frank on drums. “Good Water is inspired by the idea of our shared common bond, what unites us as human beings, as persons living in the world right now. Presently our planet is rife with division where, in reality, we have more in common as fellow human beings than the differences that “divide” us; we all desire to be loved, to belong somewhere, to be happy, to make good on today and hope there is a tomorrow; we’re all thirsting for good water.”
24 | Raquel Lily | Heartstrings
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Born in the Philippines, raised in New York and currently residing in Atlanta, GA, Raquel Lily is an independent singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist and online personality. Heartstrings is “a song I wrote about a mushroom trip I went on, and the introspection that occured on how much love and appreciation I have for someone; it was all so damn gushy and cute that I found it to be kind of disgusting and embarrassing. It was also on the heels of exploring concepts of polyamory in a long time relationship, realizing this love wasn’t just something that could go away with some other side fling.”
