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.
Sweeping Promises – Good Living Is Coming for You
For all the talk of indie sleaze and post-punk, Sweeping Promises’ Good Living Is Coming for You seems to have flown under the radar. The Lawrence, KS, duo’s second album is a unique album in that context, drawing as much from the danceable new wave of Devo or B-52’s as Joy Division.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Move – “Summer Trend (ft. Kayla Philips, River Elliott)”
With “Summer Trend,” Move take aim at slacktivists who only care about social issues when it benefits them: “Black lives aren’t a trend.” It’s one of the best and most powerful hardcore songs of the year.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Vagabonds – The Pasture & the Willow
The Pasture & the Willow, the sophomore album from Grand Rapids’ Vagabonds, is a moving half hour of dark, brooding indie rock that pulls from any number of big-name artists from the past couple decades without feeling stale. Luke Dean’s voice is smoky and raw, perfectly complementing both the spacious, muted moments on the record as well as the soaring and crunchy crescendos. There are hints of bands from Foxing to The Antlers–it’s an impressively varied album, and whatever mode Vagabonds is operating in, there’s beauty to be found in it.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Afloat – “Mouth Shut”
Maybe it’s just because I’ve been re-listening to them this week, but when I press play on Afloat’s new single “Mouth Shut,” I’m reminded of the perpetually-underappreciated Philly punks Cayetana. The Jersey duo is a little cleaner, a little catchier–it’s not a one-to-one, but it’s enough to keep my attention, and I’m excited to see what comes next.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Hazing Over – Tunnel Vision
Tunnel Vision, the second EP from Pittsburgh hardcore band Hazing Over, is a tremendous leap from their enjoyable debut Pestilence. The band shows far more range throughout Tunnel Vision’s ten or so minutes, from metallic riffs sprinkled through to the melodic denouement of closer “Disavowed,” a breath of air after the five pummeling songs before.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Glixen – “Splendor”
“Splendor,” the latest single from Phoenix, AZ, shoegazer(s) Glixen, is a lovely cut, maybe their best yet. It’s faster than most shoegaze of this type, and a bit heftier, and it suits the project great.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
jeanines – Each Day
For the past five years NYC’s jeanines have been consistently pumping out short and sweet indie rock. The three-track Each Day keeps up their hot streak, seven minutes of warm, jangly riffs and airy harmonies.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Chase Petra – “Soapy Water”
Chase Petra’s new single “Soapy Water” is a kiss-off to an ex that feels built for virality. The lyrics walk the line between hyper-specificity and univerality, and the hook is immediately singable: “The party’s over / boo-fucking-hoo!”
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
LONGINGS – Dreams in Red
The members of LONGINGS are best known for their work in seminal screamo bands Orchid and Ampere, but don’t expect that from Dreams in Red. While the band hasn’t sacrificed the manic energy of those projects, LONGINGS exists firmly in the post-punk realm–think Wire or Mission of Burma more than their previous groups. These songs are knotty and dense, aggressive in their own way without barreling ahead at breakneck speeds or incorporating grindy shrieks.
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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