If this were March, I would say it’s coming in like a lion, based on the number of killer releases on the way. Since it’s February, I guess you have to say it’s coming in like a groundhog. Except a groundhog really seems closer to a lamb than a lion. So what preys on groundhogs? Well, according to Google, the list includes hawks, foxes, coyotes and bobcats. Those are all solid options, but clearly, bobcat is the coolest. So there you have it: February is officially coming in like a bobcat. See for yourself:
Michigander
Michigander
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The last decade has seen Michigander quietly emerge as a 21st century troubadour whose deft balance of rock energy, alternative adventurousness, and heart-on-his-sleeve songcraft has endeared him to audiences and critics alike. Born in Michigan and based in Nashville, singer, songwriter, and producer Jason Singer has steadily tallied over 100 million worldwide streams across a series of EPs, including 2018’s Midland, 2019’s Where Do We Go From Here, and 2021’s Everything Will Be OK Eventually, highlighted by such breakthrough tracks as Misery (17.5M streams) and Let Me Down (10.7M streams). Last year saw It Will Never Be The Same EP arrive to high profile praise from such outlets. Michigander further won over fans with live performances alongside Silversun Pickups and Pete Yorn as well as at such festivals as Lollapalooza. Now, with the long awaited release of his self-titled debut album, Michigander embraces an even greater sonic confidence on a collection sure to resonate for a long time to come. “The last 10 years were awesome,” Singer says. “Everything built up to this point though. To make an analogy, the EPs were like television episodes of my story, and the album is the movie version. It’s blown up on the big screen. I’m just getting started, but this is my introduction to the world.”
The Moles
Composition Book
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Australian mad scientist Richard Davies has long flown under the popular radar with his groups The Moles and Cardinal, but his 10 albums are loved and championed by indie rock royalty. The Flaming Lips, for example, have recorded a Davies song and backed him up on a Moles tour in 1995. A scholar of the songwriting of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan et al., Davies spins off subtle, catchy indie rock melodies, sometimes reassembled in bizarre Frankenstein arrangements and deconstructed sonic derangements. On Composition Book, The Moles have evolved with emphasis on acoustic guitar and divine female voices. Davies’ lyrical non sequiturs and caustic wit sting, surprise and delight.”
Neverland Ranch Davidians
Shout It On the Mountain
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Neverland Ranch Davidians aren’t shy about butting heads with the supposed gatekeepers of popular culture, their name being a mashup which references the King of Pop Michael Jackson, and notorious Waco cult leader David Koresh. Formed in Los Angeles in 2019, the group features vocalist/guitarist Tex Mosley, guitarist/vocalist Will Bentley and drummer Max Hagen. Working from a primal bedrock, the trio is free to expand its sonic template to include tense blues grooves, greasy hip-shaking R&B, scuzzy high-voltage riffage, and bristling punk rock. Through it all, Mosley’s voice cuts like a knife — upfront, in your face, and immediate. “I’ve always loved the minimalism of Suicide, and that less-is-more approach is hardwired into the Davidians’ DNA,” said Mosley. “That’s probably why we never bothered recruiting a bass player for our live shows. We’re huge fans of The Cramps and The Gories, neither of which had bass players, so we didn’t feel we needed one either.” For Shout It On The Mountain, the band has added a more pronounced rhythm and blues vibe to its sonic stew. “For me, R&B and punk rock are just two colors on the rock ’n’ roll palette,” said Mosley. “They’re what I’ve listened to all my life. Little Richard was the punk rocker of his day. The New York Dolls were labeled as glam, but if you listen closely, they were trying to be a more rock ’n’ roll version of The Shangri-La’s. The Davidians are all the things I love thrown into one pot, from Stax soul to cowpunk to N.Y.C. Lower East Side trash.”
New Orthodox
Bull Market On Corn
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On Bull Market On Corn, New Orthodox (Nicholas Merz) makes music that responds to the American expanse with plain-spoken thought. The pedal steel player’s songs paint pictures of the fractured ideologies that shape life in this country through the melodic haze of his instrument, the comedy of his lyrics, and the surreal choreography that accompanies his performances. The music is both intimate and grand, charged and claustrophobic, taking the tools of country and spinning them out of context. Bull Market On Corn marks the debut of the project New Orthodox, but represents a continuation of many of the themes that have colored Merz’s songwriting. The album was recorded with Steve Albini, whose musical output, principled ethic, and honest production served as an early inspiration for Merz. With Bull Market, he wanted to keep in extraneous sounds to provide perspective to the recording space; like the click of his foot as he plays, almost nod to some Shellac tracks. That attention to detail lends to the album’s intimacy, the close range from which it explores Merz’s playing and American life.”
Sonic Youth
Hold That Tiger
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In October 1987, four months after the release of their critically acclaimed Sister LP, Sonic Youth showcased their latest work in a blistering set at Cabaret Metro in Chicago. The concert was introduced by Big Black’s Steve Albini (who at the time was banned from the venue) and subsequently released as a semi-official bootleg under the title Hold That Tiger on writer/provocateur Byron Coley’s impishly Geffen-baiting label Goofin’ (years later the band would use this nom de guerre for their own imprint). Hold That Tiger’s sterling reputation among the Sonic Youth faithful is well deserved. In fact, it isn’t a stretch to suggest that the album is to the first handful of SY releases what It’s Alive is to the first three Ramones LPs — a feral and liberatory public snapshot of a band’s blossoming imperial phase. Indeed, HTT is the sound of a group at the peak of their powers, presenting new songs alongside a handful of older ones with the kind of wild, cathartic enthusiasm common to rock ’n’ roll’s most revered live albums.”
Squid
Cowards
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Squid’s new album Cowards is about evil. Nine stories whose protagonists reckon with cults, charisma and apathy. Real and imagined characters wading into the dark ocean between right and wrong. Cowards is Squid’s most courageous LP, simultaneously growing in scope and returning to basics. The band recorded Cowards at Church Studios in Crouch End with Mercury Prize-winning producers Marta Salogni and Grace Banks. On additional production is longtime shifu and collaborator Dan Carey, who recorded the band’s first two albums. The record was mixed in Seattle by John McEntire, before being compressed by the rich analogue chain of Heba Kadry’s mastering in Brooklyn, New York.”
Sean Thompson’s Weird Ears
Head In The Sand
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In May of 2022, my dog got diagnosed with cancer,” shares Sean Thompson. “I found out right before I had to leave for a six-week-long tour. It was a devastating realization on its own, but my back was against the wall to make a decision about what to do for my old buddy. I made the difficult decision to put him down before any of the effects of the doggy cancer began to take hold. My house threw a big party with people that loved him and all of his doggy buddies. I grilled hot dogs and veggies and people brought him treats. The next morning, I took him to his favorite park for a very long walk. A couple of days later, I found myself in Marfa, Texas. Something about the wide open space of the West Texas desert brought the chords and the idea for Roll On Buddy to my ears. Maybe, it was my old pup’s way of helping me through that difficult time.” Head In The Sand was written as a direct reaction to a series of challenges Thompson faced in succession, including the loss of his dog, the death of his mother and a life-altering breakup. Over 10 rollicking and undeniable tracks, the LP is a potent wakeup call to let go when things get tough. It’s about being present and embracing life’s towering highs and brutal lows head-on.”
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory are sonically different from Van Etten’s previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go — letting go of her normal modus operandi or the need for control or attachment to the outcome. No safety net. It’s somewhat terrifying, but also liberating. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon — life and living, love and being loved — but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. This new approach — releasing music under this new moniker–began with inviting her bandmates into the creative process. Rehearsing in the desert for an upcoming tour, Van Etten describes an epiphany: “For the first time in my life I asked the band if we could just jam. Words that have never come out of my mouth — ever! But I loved all the sounds we were getting. I was curious — what would happen?” Magic, apparently. “In an hour,” she says, “we wrote two songs.”
The Vices
Before It Might Be Gone
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Vices blend Britpop, indie, psychedelic blues and surf rock, evoking The Strokes and Cage the Elephant with the live energy of early Red Hot Chili Peppers. Known for their childlike playfulness and serious riffs, they deliver explosive performances and danceable tunes. After sold-out Dutch tours, major festivals like Pinkpop and Sziget, and a European tour with Nothing But Thieves, The Vices shine through their unique friendship and diverse influences, showcased in the genre-spanning Before It Might Be Gone. Their different backgrounds inspire and motivate each other. You can hear that in the sound of Before It Might Be Gone. Nothing is too crazy for them.”
Wilder Woods
Curioso
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Wilder Woods is the moniker of singer-songwriter and guitarist Bear Rinehart of Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling group NEEDTOBREATHE. His new album Curioso unapologetically explores all the curious corners of Rinehart’s sound, powered by his genre-bending approach to anthemic American music. Years before he learned to transfix a crowd, Rinehart spent hours at his grandmother’s house, captivated by her curio cabinet. “It was a china cabinet where she’d store her keepsakes, like her first Bible, some porcelain dolls, and football memorabilia,” he remembers. “As a kid, I always thought it was a strange thing to keep around… but now, I think a curio cabinet can tell you a lot about a person. I love the idea of collecting the pieces of your past, creating a little assortment of things that you really enjoy.” That same spirit fuels Curioso, his third solo release. Rinehart chases the muse into uncharted territory. It’s a wide mix of texture, tone, and razor-sharp songwriting, held together not by some lyrical thread or overarching story, but simply by the enthusiasm of a longtime musician who’s still eager to stretch his legs and cover new ground.”