Posted: by The Editor
The Alternative Weekly Roundup is a column where our staff plugs a variety of new releases in a concise, streamlined format. Albums, singles, videos, and live sets. Check back each Monday to see what we were jamming the week prior.
Weatherless – “Watching You”
“Watching You,” the first cut off Weatherless’ In the Way EP out next month, has the sway and jangle of a long-lost classic single out of Champaign-Urbana in ’96. Equally delicate and fierce, it’s a great taste of the Boston band’s potential.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Lauren Early – “Tomorrow”
LA’s very own Lauren Early has just delivered her new single “Tomorrow” off her debut album, Don’t Take My Dream Away, out May 19th via Danger Collective Records. Whether you’re just listening to the song or watching the music video, you feel the energy being built that will make you say, “rock on, kid.” And if you’re a fan of The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Today,” you may just hear a bit of their influence on this track.
Jazmin Lemus | @_Jazmin
Autumn Rhythm – Joy for Tomorrow
Autumn Rhythm is Long Island DIY’s brightest hidden gem. The one-man band’s sophomore LP, Joy for Tomorrow, seamlessly merges 5th wave emo with ‘90s alt-rock revivalism, resulting in a sonic chemical reaction that’s refreshingly greater than the sum of its parts. The upbeat tappiness of “Dragonfly,” the slow-burning crush of “Secondhand,” and the absolute star-trip of a duet, “You Were Alone” (featuring frequent collaborator Summer Arachnid) all earn Autumn Rhythm a much-deserved spot among the ranks of Long Island emo cult favorites like Koyo and Oolong. This record is a joy for today, tomorrow, and forever.
Grace Robins-Somerville | @grace_roso
Run into the Sun – Try / Hope
Run into the Sun has been releasing killer double singles since last year, and Try / Hope might be their best yet. “Try” is a punishing metallic hardcore track, and “Hope” tacks a more melodic hardcore tack, the first Run into the Sun song with a real hook. They’re great.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Jeromes Dream – “AAEEAA”
San Francisco based (by way of Connecticut) screamo legends Jeromes Dream released their third single “AAEEAA.” It’s by far one of their most powerfully dissonant and harrowing songs yet–which is saying something, considering the previously released singles “Stretched Invisible from London” and “South by Isolation.” It’s an assault on your senses with angular melodies, spaced out bass lines, and agonized vocals that are incredibly striking, and it sounds like the most passionate the late ’90s band has ever been. Their upcoming album The Gray in Between will be available May 5th through Iodine Recordings and is quite honestly one of my top favorite releases of the year.
Loan Pham | @senseofexile
Balance & Composure – “Savior Mode”
For a time there, when I was in early high school, Balance and Composure was probably my favorite band. Their two new songs—their first music since their surprise reunion—capture the sound of the band at their peak, as though they never left. “Savior Mode” is the highlight, a melodic alt rock cut that feels akin to the three tracks on their Slow Heart EP. Like their best work, “Savior Mode” taps into the aggression that marked their earlier material without boiling over.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
The Alternative’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week our editor Lindsy Carrasquillo compiles a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We post it on Fridays on Twitter and then include it in each edition of the Weekly Roundup to make sure you don’t miss any of the great music we’re recommending.
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