The Alt Weekly Roundup (8/15)
Posted: by The Editor
The Popdosemagazine 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.
Talker – “IRL”
Talker’s In Awe of Insignificance was a great taste of the pop singer’s talent, and “IRL” might’ve been the best song on the whole thing. She’s just unveiled its video, which finds her frolicking on a beach and eating on a park bench. It’s an appropriately summer-ready video for a summer-ready single.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
NNAMDÏ – “Anti”
NNAMDÏ’s new track “Anti” contains so much of what makes his music so great, combining heartfelt lyrics (the song ends on “I can’t take much more of this,” a line repeated throughout) with production that ranges from beautifully reflective to smooth and danceable. The song grows with layers adding tension to the calming key line the beat blossoms out of. Taken alongside the more musically upbeat “I Don’t Wanna Be Famous,” the track should certainly get you pumped to hear NNAMDÏ’s upcoming record Please Have a Seat.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Fusilier – Treason
Fusilier’s latest EP Treason is a haunting, hypnotic slice of indie rock that establishes the singer as one to watch for fans of any sort of moody, genre-fluid soundscapes.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Birthday Dad – “TV Dinner”
The press for Birthday Dad’s upcoming record The Hermit lists Bright Eyes as a reference point for fans and it’s pretty apparent why on “TV Dinner.” Accented by some somber horns, the piano-led waltz wouldn’t feel out of place on Lifted, but Birthday Dad also adds a more theatrical feel that keeps things from staying too stuck in the soil. That theatrical feel is especially felt in the way Alex Periera sneers in the delivery of lines like “don’t act like you knew me / even I don’t know who I am / they all see right through me / don’t wanna start this thought loop again.” Out in September, The Hermit is shaping up to be one hell of a debut.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Whispers – “Slaves to the Darkness”
Whispers make other metallic hardcore bands seem safe. Taking a swinging arm to your face seems like a certainty during one of their sets. Their newest song, “Slaves to the Darkness,” which is paired with a music video, is proof of it and shows why this genre is so appealing in the first place.
Hugo Reyes | @hvreyes5
No Better – “It’s All Coming Down”
No Better beefs up their pop-punk on “It’s All Coming Down.” It’s a fuller, harder-hitting take than most of the material on It Felt Like Glass, a great sign for their upcoming second record The Colors and All.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Catbite – “Spiral”
Catbite’s Nice One is a standout in the recent glut of great ska records, and they carry that same energy over to their new track “Spiral.” The tune kicks off with a gnarly guitar riff sets reflects the manic feel of the tune matched in the chorus of “I spiral one last time.” With the band sounding tight as ever—including a few chances in the bridge and coda for Brittany Luna to really let her vocals soar—it seems that Catbite’s sound gets a little sharper and more refined with each release. “Spiral” will appear on WAVEBREAKER #2, a Bad Time Records split with ska legend Mike Park.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Broken Head – A Wishful Thing
A Wishful Thing finds Broken Head perfecting their ‘90s-tinged alt rock. They double down on everything that worked on 2020’s Sungazer, and they throw in a helping of shoegaze to boot. The a-side of the EP shows the band diving into that aspect of their sound, swirling riffs giving way to hardly-intelligible vocal hooks, and the b-side is the more straightforward, driving portion, still just as dreamy, but with more bite and crunch to it.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Meyhem Lauren and Daringer feat. Westside Gunn – “Trigger Point Therapy”
Meyhem Lauren and Westide Gunn both sound comfortable on “Trigger Point Therapy,” spitting out rhymes at a rate that makes the most of the space created by the hypnotic Daringer beat. The rappers’ styles bring a nice contrast to the track, as does the turn in the beat at the third verse with a sprinkly piano line taking over. It’s the third—and maybe best yet—track from Black Vladimir, the collaborative album between Meyhem Lauren and Daringer out in a few weeks.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Pohgoh – “Weeds”
Pohgoh has almost put out more music since their reformation than during their original three-year run, and “Weeds” is one of their best songs yet. It’s a pristine, bubbly pop rock song that feels both classic and like the start of a new era for the Florida four-piece.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Open Mike Eagle – “I’ll Fight You”
Open Mike Eagle’s new track “I’ll Fight You” highlights his smooth vocal style, as he delivers lines like “fly with my devices charged / as I eat a edible and write some bars” in a laid-back style overtop Diamond D’s chill beat built around an ascending horn riff. He flips things into a slightly higher register on the second verse, adding more punch to lines like “who among us is mega sus? / I’m writin’ raps on the Megabus / imagine flight like a pegasus.” The tune is the third out off his upcoming record a tape called component system with the auto reverse, which is likely to be a must-listen.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
The Popdosemagazine’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week our editor Lindsy Carrasquillo compiles a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We’ll post it on Fridays on Twitter and then include it in each edition of the ‘Weekly Roundup’ to make sure you don’t miss all of the great music we’re recommending.
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