Every day I get hundreds of new singles, videos, EPs and albums from artists, publicists, managers and record labels around the world. And on Bandcamp Friday, they’re joined by several hundred more notifications and emails. But here’s the honest truth: Most of them are crap. You know it. I know it. Even the people pitching me know it, whether or not they’ll admit it. But within that avalanche of mediocrity, I sometimes find nuggets of awesomeness. And I compile them into this all-killer, no-filler rundown. You’re welcome. Let’s get to it:
Kid Kapichi | Tamagotchi
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Power punk sensations Kid Kapichi are set to elate us once again with their nod to the ‘90s with new single Tamagotchi, a buoyant and playful ode to those coming of age. “Tamagotchi is a song about turning 30 and feeling for the first time like your life is running away from you.” says frontman Jack Wilson. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself being more nostalgic about the past and the ‘good times’. This song is a homage to those times and fond memories whilst stubbornly clawing onto them.” The band wanted to capture that nostalgia in a bottle for this video, even filming it on a ’90s VHS camcorder and then digitizing it all. “Tamagotchi is probably one of the most fun videos we’ve ever shot. Videos like these write themselves, when the imagery of the lyrics is so strong, so we didn’t mess about. We tried our best to replicate those feelings and memories we had when growing up.”
Frankie & The Witch Fingers | Live on KEXP
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Frankie & The Witch Fingers performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded Aug. 31, 2023. Songs: Empire / Burn Me Down / Mild Davis / Futurephobic.”
The Beatles | Now And Then
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “When Apple asked me to make the music video, I was very reluctant,” says director Peter Jackson. “I thought my next few months would be a hell of a lot more fun if that tricky task was somebody else’s problem, and I could be like any other Beatles fan, enjoying the night-before-Christmas anticipation as the release of a new Beatles song and music video approached — in 1995, l loved the childlike excitement I felt as the release of Free As A Bird was inching closer. I could have that experience once again — all I had to do was say no to The Beatles.”
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard | Therapy (Live)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cardiff four-piece Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard return with their dark new single Therapy. The new single still carries the band’s the fast-paced energy and trademark ’70s references from their earlier releases, but fuses it with heavy fuzz-drenched guitars, a crushing rhythm section, and fevered vocals delivering inward-facing lyrics about Tom Rees’s views on therapy: “Not surprisingly, I wrote Therapy after I had my head squeezed like a giant cyst and years and years of backlogged pus just started oozing out (‘my father’ this and ‘my mother’ that). I was so impressed by how great I felt that I became a massive nuisance to everyone around me telling them they need to go to therapy… so this song was really an extension of that. More than anything it was a fun opportunity to be creative with imagery around feeling frustrated, and the freedom that came from getting the help to understand why.”
The Manikins | Rosita
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The garage-punk lieutenants of Sweden are back with a bang! The Manikins have joined Lövely Records for the release of their upcoming sixth album Swedish Woods. Formed in 1999, this high-energy garage-punk outfit is known for their intense live shows, having frequently toured Europe and even making it across the pond for a U.S. tour in 2009. Now they’re back and ready to unleash a raw and primitive explosion of Swedish rock. The album features 12 new tracks, clocking in at 31 minutes, where the band explore the more traditional sounds of rock ’n’ roll while keeping the energy and volume levels cranked to the max.”
https://youtu.be/_RGUSBOuBkw?feature=shared
Baits | Craves
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Baits’ new single Craves hits the nail on the head of the current state of affairs: Constant cravings for more money, more possessions, more fame, more food, more drink, more being. Interpersonal relationships quickly run aground in the captivity of end-time capitalism and you are left sitting alone in your pile of loneliness, feeling cut off from the outside world, even though we are more connected than ever before. You long for childhood, a simpler time, as in the chorus of this first quieter number, which gives us a little taste of what we can (also) expect from Baits in the future.”
MJ Lenderman | You Have Bought Yourself A Boat
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Asheville musician MJ Lenderman announces his new live album, And the Wind (Live and Loose!) is due Nov. 17, and presents a live video for You Have Bought Yourself A Boat. Lenderman writes songs that are amorphous and elastic, rising to fill the venue they’re in, generous to accommodate the numbers of players on stage (an often unpredictable affair), less concerned with replicating the studio version than they are with meeting the crowd where they’re at. With the help of guitarist Jon Samuels (Friendship, 2nd Grade), drummer Colin Miller, plus fellow Wednesday bandmates Xandy Chelmis (pedal steel) and Ethan Baechtold (bass), And the Wind (Live and Loose!) builds out a number of beloved MJ tracks into something else entirely.”
Folly Group | I’ll Do What I Can
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Folly Group’s new single I’ll Do What I Can is taken from their upcoming debut album Down There!, due Jan. 12. It’s a darker, heavier track which leans more into the rock-oriented spectrum of the bands sound with angular guitar work, an adrenaline-fuelled rhythm section, and hook-driven vocals that touch on the topic of turbulent friendships. Vocalist / drummer Sean Harper says: “I’ll Do What I Can is about forgiving in a situation when forgiveness doesn’t come naturally. We’ve all been wronged by a friend at some point… I suppose, it attempts to encapsulate a battle between comfort in the short term and peace in the long term. It tries to force itself through the moral hoops we all occasionally force ourselves through to wilfully let go of a grudge, because sooner or later we realise that holding a grudge means its target is winning.”
ELO | Livin’ Thing (Live on The Midnight Special)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “ELO performed Feb. 18, 1977.”
Our Man In The Field | Feel Good
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Our Man In The Field, the musical pseudonym of British singer-songwriter Alex Ellis, has released his sophomore album Gold On The Horizon, which finds him musing on life and all its nuances. Feel Good finds Ellis reflecting on his time before music, when he was an actor in London. After leaving his agent to join a prestigious firm, Ellis quickly learned the downsides of being swept up by a big name. Long after shifting from acting to music, Ellis is still waiting for the promises from their arrangement to come to fruition.”
Sun Room | Cut My Hair
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The ringleaders and havoc seekers of SoCal’s surf-rock scene, Sun Room, have released the second single from their upcoming EP Cut My Hair. Quickly waltzing into overdrive, the cult-followed band’s latest offering is a rebellious, modern spin on the endless summer vibes of the ’50s, all while knowing all good things come to an end. Frontman Luke Asgian says, “Cut My Hair is a song we’ve been jamming in the garage and at shows forever but it never felt done ‘til we recorded it this past time. We’ve played it at so many gigs and we were always changing it, but we finally landed on a version we were stoked on. We took one of the classic chord progressions you’d hear in all the 1950s hits and then just played it faster and louder.”
Polar Son | Wax
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brighton atmospheric rock five-piece Polar Son (FKA Porshyne) have shared the new single Wax. The track follows the recent announcement of their new album Wax/Wane, due Dec. 8. Wax perfectly exemplifies the band’s foray into more adventurous songwriting, combining off-kilter synth with industrial beats, and groove-heavy riffing which blends into more prog-driven verses before accelerating back into the hook-heavy chorus. Whereas the incendiary instrumentation nails the tight line between tension and release, frontman Fergal Lyden’s boundless, wide-ranging vocals are a lesson in dynamic range.”
The Helltones | Don’t Waste My Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Oakland garage-rockers The Helltones bring a beachy, modern doo-wop vibe to their new album Medusa (out Nov. 17), drawing inspiration from psychedelic surf, soulful Americana and retro rhythm and blues. Its harmonized backing vocals, sun-kissed hand claps, grooving organ and overdriven guitar create a cinematic album about love, addiction, picking fights, making up and navigating adulthood while maintaining your sanity.Don’t Waste My Time was co-written with singer Victoria Sepe, who takes the lead vocals on this one. This retro party banger delves into themes of possessiveness between lovers, to the point of sabotaging the relationship.”
Guided By Voices | The Race Is On, The King Is Dead
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Guided By Voices’ third album of 2023 (and 39th overall) is a sprawling, wild masterpiece. In stores / streaming on Nov. 24.”
Asger Techau | Somebody Else
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With his new song, Asger Techau proves that he is one of the most eloquent songwriters there is. Somebody Else, the first single from the Danish musician’s upcoming album, is imbued with an intimate presence. The song is a convincing testimony to how powerful “less is more” can be when perfectly realised. Acoustic strumming, a trembling violin, piano and beautiful vocal harmonies — this is music with qualities that are recognisable to everyone.”
