A Short Walk To Pluto - Wild Giants - Desert Liminal - U.S. Girls x Glenn Gould

A Short Walk To Pluto - Harder to Breathe.

Love can mean taking a leap of faith without really knowing where you're going to land – exposing yourself to the uncertainties that lay outside your comfort zone.

Earth and Venus are two planets whose orbits result in a stunning flower pattern centred around the Sun. This is a dance that is so beautiful, but impossible without both moving parts.

Along the way, one may find Winter, used here to personify a beautiful and delicate being whose appeal is suppressed by their cold, unwelcoming touch.

One can only hope that they are not stifled by their Winter, and continue the search for their Venus.

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Wild Giants - Why Aren’t We Freaking Out?

Rock band, Wild Giants, dropped their new single, “Why Aren’t We Freaking Out?” a thought-provoking anthem that makes listeners stop and think about the acknowledgment of aliens. With constantly changing news cycles, some major news events do not get the attention they may deserve. “Why Aren’t We Freaking Out?” brings attention to a topic that we may need to be freaking out about. The indie-rock single is now available to download and stream on digital music platforms worldwide.

With heavy guitars and strong vocals, “Why Aren’t We Freaking Out?” brings the listener on a musical journey that blends between science fiction and current news. Lead singer Austin Walashek took inspiration for this song from his own interest in sci-fi and conspiracy-related events. He calls this single his “best piece of work” so far. As the song transitions from a single guitar to a frenzy of instruments captivated by a controlled yet chaotic guitar solo, listeners get a taste of what the band was freaking out about in music form. “The day the Pentagon opened the lid on UFOs by publicly confirming their existence and alien origins, I assumed the world as we knew it would be changed forever,” says Walashek. 

Wild Giants reminds us that it is okay to take some time to “freak out” about some things that deserve more headlines. The combination of Walashek on vocals and guitar, Lyman Lipke on bass, Todd Flaming on guitar, and Corey Batorski on drums, meshes perfectly. Their synchronicity allows listeners an experience to absorb the music itself along with the unique content in the lyrics as well. “The revelation was seemingly swept under the rug by the general public, but I couldn’t keep my mind off of it… I kept asking myself, ‘why aren’t we freaking out,’” he explained, “I channeled my inner Tom Delonge for this track in hopes of bringing the spotlight back on the subject.” Produced by Dan Parker, “Why Aren’t We Freaking Out?” is the third single off of the group's forthcoming EP, Hey There, Slow Down, Help Me.

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Desert Liminal - Watercolor.

We are really excited to share the third single and video from the Chicago D.I.Y stalwarts Desert Liminal's upcoming LP Glass Fate out this fall. "Watercolor" opens the album and it was the first song to ever catch my ear. 

It's a brooding and meditative composition led with a strong melodic lead with eliding keys. A song that's downcast with a sweet core. The subverted power-trio of Desert Liminal offer a simmering and soaring composition featuring Sarah Quillin's fluid vocals, Mallory Linehan's violin and Rob Logan's understated and deep percussion. It's a bold volley from a Chicago Indie Rock band that takes its cues from Tony Conrad and Haley Fohr. We hope you enjoy it.

A pretty unprecedented vinyl manufacturing disruption have caused us to switch up our release strategy a bit. We will be releasing a new single each month from 3 LP's out in November from Whited Sepulchre Records artists Zvrra, Desert Liminal and Allison Lorenzen.

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U.S. Girls x Glenn Gould - Good Kinda High.

In 2020 Meg Remy's long-running project U.S. Girls released the album Heavy Light, the latest in a run of critically-beloved releases from the acclaimed artist, and with its line up of 20 plus session musicians, perhaps the most collaborative of Remy's career to date. Remy is returning with a truly unlikely collaboration, a track called "Good Kinda High" that is a collaboration with the Classical Music icon Glenn Gould (1932-1982).

The track arrives nearly forty years after the death of renowned pianist, and is being released as part of a project from producer Billy Wild called Uninvited Guests, in which he uses samples of Gould performances to build new works in collaboration with contemporary artists in a wide range of genres.

The project was initially incubated with Wild’s Division 88, a Toronto-based collective, who dug deep into the Gould catalog with the goal of retaining the musical integrity of the original recordings, while making new songs that could resonate in modern context. The pianist was himself shunned by the Classical community in his day for his views on the future role of technology in music, and Wild contends that the project is a fitting tribute to Gould's adventurous artistic spirit, and something Gould would have approved of.

"This started 7 years ago as a challenge on whether or not Glenn Gould could be made to sound current," says Wild. "The main thing I learned on Gould is that he truly belonged in this generation."

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Megan Nash & the Best of Intentions - Jonny Woolnough - Seneko - French for Rabbits

Megan Nash & the Best of Intentions - Coffee.

Recently, Megan Nash shared the new single “Coffee” from their upcoming LP, Soft Focus Futures, arriving November 3 via acronym. Now the Saskatchewan songwriter is revealing the video for the track.

“Once again, I am collaborating with the wonderful Andrew Friesen (‘My Own Heart’, ‘Artifact’, ‘Wait’) on a music video,” says Nash. “My friends and I filmed footage during the Summer of 2021. We had all these little snippets of friendship and I wanted to tie them all together with some footage of me singing the song.

This song is so vulnerable for me. And sometimes being open and vulnerable can just make you feel silly and uncomfortable. I wanted to look like how I feel singing this song. So here it is - a video of a hotdog singing lyrics about being worried that someone will leave them once they find out they have anxiety. Hope you enjoy this video. It's a snapshot into my life and who I am - equal parts serious songwriter and total goofball.” 

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Jonny Woolnough - A Fish Upon A Line.

Following on from the enormous success and praise for his recently shared efforts ‘A.A. Gill’, ‘2666 (Love Is On Its Way)’, ‘You’ve Got That Look’ and ‘Mayurqa’ in recent months, fast-rising singer and songwriter Jonny Woolnough continues the support for his highly-anticipated debut album, also called ‘Mayurqa’, with the soaring new effort ‘A Fish Upon A Line’.

Channelling a sweet and atmospheric direction on this new offering, ‘A Fish On A Line’ showcases more of the new record’s more tranquil and endearing moments. With its light and euphoric production, subtle piano-led composition, and his own powerfully distinctive voice leading the charge, his newest gem marks a rich and powerful addition to his forthcoming full-length, and delivers one truly magical experience throughout.

Speaking about ‘A Fish On A Line’, Jonny said, “It was an attempt to write a classic Gershwin-esque ballad. It’s metaphorical, choosing between giving up or carrying on, life and death. The chords are beautiful.”

Originally written and conceived whilst living between mainland Spain and Palma De Mallorca during 2018/19, his new album ‘Mayurqa’ documents a self discovery and emotional rebuilding of sorts. Jonny took an indefinite break from making music after forming the critically acclaimed bands Tomartyrs and The Bazaars, and as touring guitarist for Finley Quaye. ‘Mayurqa’ constantly hints at its place of conception, yet draws its deft, classic beauty from Woolnoughs obvious deep pallet of influence.

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Seneko - '69 Camaro.

Alt Country/Alternative Rock Artist Seneko has announced the release of his 4th EP entitled "'69 Camaro", out now via Torrez Music Group. This new release finds Seneko plugged in with a guitar-focused rock sound, likely inspired by some of his own favorite bands, Wilco and The Jayhawks, the latter whom he's seen live over 20 times. Expect strong song craftsmanship, jangly guitar melodies and impeccable production from this inspired 5-track collection recorded at Nashville's County Q Studio.

Stan "Seneko" Olshefski's music been described as "Think country meets Radiohead" by Wail Music Magazine and featured in the Huffington Post, who wrote "Seneko brings to mind the whimsey of the Gin Blossoms".

From the Artist: I really wanted to make something fresh and have always wanted to do a guitar driven Rock record - So I did. The down time during the pandemic gave me an opportunity to write a lot so there was plenty to choose from. I also helped produce it along with Mike Purcell and Paul Scholten which was a first for me and a total blast. I went back to the the studio (County Q, Nashville) where I made my first record ("Seneko") mainly because co-producer Paul Scholten is also a drummer and I really wanted his powerful driving beat. Plus Paul works with Luis Espillat, a terrific bass player who layered in very cool bass lines and provided the BGVs. Jon Conley, the guitar BEAST, lead the charge and cranked it up - I'm really thrilled with the result. At the same time beyond of delivering a big rock vibe, I wanted my vocals to not get lost because the songs tell five little stories so they're right up front.

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French for Rabbits - Walk the Desert.

New Zealand's French for Rabbits are in a constant state of creation with their warm and nuanced music. Their songs and accompanying videos are the result of the masterful storytelling that we've come to expect from the group, and the dynamic they've built together over nearly a decade. Today, the band have shared "Walk the Desert," the fourth and final taste of their stellar new record, The Overflow, out November 12th via AAARecords (NZ/AUS), Reckless Yes (UK) and A Modest Proposal (Italy). The album will be released digitally, on CD and limited edition vinyl (with two unique colour variants out of New Zealand and the UK).

"'Walk the Desert' is another song that fits into the canon of this album – it’s about big feelings, and trying to keep them contained. That feeling that if someone asks if you’re alright, you know you’d burst into tears," front-woman Brooke Singer explains of the emotive lyrics.

The Overflow was recorded with NZ producer/musician Jol Mulholland (Tami Neilson, Neil Finn, Delaney Davidson, Troy Kingi) in Wellington at The Surgery and in Auckland at The Lab, with mastering by Carl Saff in Chicago. The result on "Walk the Desert" is premium indie-pop, that Singer has proclaimed her pride in, "I think we’ve managed to create our biggest, most solid pop song, and I’m really proud of that."

On the new album, the group sweeps forward with their most dazzling body of work to date. Written and recorded mostly in 2020, the songs on The Overflow cover a wide range of relevant topics, with the common threads of introversion and anxiety woven throughout. "The Overflow is our album for introverts and deep thinkers - it is sort of a constellation of all the different ways in which someone can be anxious.

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Taxiway - Rebecca McCartney - Joel Jerome - Zach Churchill - Big Little Lions

Taxiway - Four Star.

Taxiway releases “Four Star,” a song for late-night lonely hotel rooms, October 21 on Seven Plates Records. It is off the album, Absence, due out November 5. The single partially inspired by the film “Up in the Air” depicts a drunken conversation with a hotel’s front desk and the broader message that everything is temporary.

The song tells the story of a man who travels frequently for his job and learns that his company plans to lay him off and replace him with the overseas workers he’s been training. He runs up an enormous hotel room service tab and charges it to his company credit card out of spite. The song’s rolling snare gives a marching undercurrent of war waged on the soon-to-be-former employer. It serves as a reminder that a comfortable way of life can be one phone call away from completely falling apart. And corporate America will cut you loose without a second thought if it results in a temporary boost in their stock price.

The album is bookended by songs where the narrators feel unseen, unnoticed, and unappreciated. The characters in these songs aren’t just looking to leave; They want other people to *feel* their absence. The songs and atmospheric music that accompanies them, invoke the lonely, unfamiliar world of airports, hotels, offices, and empty city streets, centered by narrators whose lives are in a state of transit.

taxiway · Four Star

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Rebecca McCartney - Just Air.

Rebecca McCartney returns to the city where she was raised by a family of musicians and nerds, now with her own sound and much to say. She grew up immersed in NYC’s classical music world and her early songwriting eventually led to the release of an indie-folk record under the duo name Garden Party (2020) with her close friend, Jakob Leventhal. 

Now, after a college career studying jazz and playing in an R&B band, McCartney is preparing to release her genre-bending debut EP, How You Feel. Calling on her eclectic musical influences and experiences, the upcoming record generates an edgy, ethereal sound that celebrates McCartney’s buttery vocals and absorbing lyrical insights.

Rebecca is stoked to share her new single out on October 22nd. Here's what she had to say about it: "I wrote this song about a relationship that was softly suffocating. It was the feeling of, I love this person, but being with them takes up more of myself than I'm able to give, and I need to figure things out with a little more space. Like most of my songs, it started with me processing my emotions with my guitar and my voice, then turned into a more ambient soundscape when we produced it in the studio, something that was more evocative of the mellow sorrow of the song".

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Joel Jerome - When You Land (Porta One Demo).

LA’s “Behind-the-Scenes Indie King” (LA Weekly) Joel Jerome has released the demo version of his new single “When You Land” as a stripped down, solitary performance. An off-the-cuff take, the “Porta One Demo” leans in close with its heartbreaking narrative, and without the orchestral flourishes of the polished studio version manages to find its own delicate wings to soar.

An artist who is no stranger to the other side of the board, Joel has a long history of recording himself and others, adding, “My life in recording music began with a simple four track and I still believe there is magic that it imparts on any sound, an intimacy and almost private one on one conversation with the listener. It’s like listening to someone singing to you over an answering machine message.”

Joel Jerome first gained acclaim with his pioneering South Bay indie band dios (malos), founded with his brother Kevin in Hawthorne, CA, also the hometown of The Beach Boys and Redd Kross. The release of their self-titled debut album in 2004 led to the placement of their music in the Fox series and early-aughts cultural juggernaut The O.C. Jerome has since established himself as a producer, engineer, mentor and champion for scores of up and coming LA bands such as Cherry Glazerr, while continuing to write, produce and release his own music.

“‘When You Land’ is about waiting for someone to come back from a dark place” Jerome commented. “Questioning your stamina in doing so. Hanging on to hope even though you know it may be pointless. Ultimately it's about the tender torture of unconditional love.”

Jerome’s first full-length album with Dangerbird is due out next year and is a stunning showcase for his vast gifts as a singer, songwriter and lyricist. Recorded and produced by Jerome and mixed by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck, Kurt Vile), the album shines a light on his creative journey as well as the unique mix of influences that shape his work: the timeless melodic pop (Beatles, Kinks, Beach Boys) and classic 70’s-era Mexican singer-songwriters that surrounded him growing up.

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Zach Churchill - Bartender.

Emerging singer-songwriter, Zach Churchill, has just released his debut single, “Bartender.” The California native opens up about a near-death experience in a powerful ballad. The song is written out of gratitude for the bar manager who saved his life after finding him dying of an overdose on the bathroom floor. “Bartender” is available to download and stream on all digital platforms worldwide.

Zach Churchill balances raw, honest lyrics with moving instrumentals, resulting in a gut-wrenching portrayal of his battle with addiction. The swelling guitar alongside a driving drumline will captivate his audience as they are engulfed in the emotional undertones that vibrate through each verse. “In 2014, I overdosed on heroin at a bar after performing there,” Churchill explains his inspiration for the single. “Everyone left, and the bar closed. The bar manager was getting ready to leave when he saw the lights still on in the bathroom. He went to turn them off, but the door was locked. He got a key from the back office and returned to find me on the bathroom floor, dying.” The release coincides with National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and “Sober October”; two causes that hit home for Churchill. “If [the bartender] had just gone home that night without checking the bathroom, I wouldn’t be here today,” he states. “I have been sober from all drugs and alcohol ever since that event and it has completely changed my life. He gave me a second chance.” The song was written by Zach Churchill and Julian Coryell, who also produced and played on the track. Churchill also recruited Stevie Blacke on strings and Eva B. Ross on backing vocals to complete the sound.

With an expressively vulnerable voice, singer-songwriter Zach Churchill breathes life, love, and gratitude into absorbing narratives. His folk-rock style is influenced by legendary alternative and rock artists such as Elton John, Radiohead, and David Bowie. He attributes his vocal inspiration to jazz musician Chet Baker and Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant. Churchill began singing as a child, learned how to play the acoustic guitar at age 13, and began writing songs a few years later. He earned a degree in Music Industry Studies from CSUN after studying vocal performance at Saddleback College and CSUF. "Bartender" is the first single off of his debut collection, Heartbreak and Hope.

“Bartender” is a folk-rock ballad that embodies the pain of living with addiction and the hope that recovery provides.

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Big Little Lions - Beat You Up.

Big Little Lions continue their monthly releases with 'Beat You Up' (not in that way!).

"Beat You Up" is a calming song written as advice to ourselves, our loved ones and anyone else who beats themselves up over even the smallest things. A song telling us all to be kind to ourselves.

Beat You Up was written, recorded and produced by Big Little Lions who are Helen Austin and Paul Otten.

Hey, you don't have to worry
it’s only human to get it wrong
Hey I know that you're sorry
I want you to know that you’ll always belong
You let it beat you up again
Beat you up again
I wanna wake you up again
Wake you up again
So forgive yourself
Like I forgive you
You know, it’s so far behind us
and it’s time to walk with grace
I know you try to be flawless
But it’s such an impossible weight
You let it beat you up again
Beat you up again
I wanna wake you up again
You let it beat you up again
Beat you up again
I wanna wake you up again
So hey, let go of the worry
Look for the better days ahead
we’re all on a difficult journey
so take care of the words in your head
You let it beat you up again
I wanna wake you up again
You let it beat you up again
Beat you up  again
I wanna wake you up again
Wake you up again
So forgive yourself
Like I forgive you

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Pieta Brown & JT Bates - Beauty Pill - Log Across The Washer - Ovlov

Pieta Brown & JT Bates - Is/Was.

Beloved singer/songwriter Pieta Brown has teamed up with acclaimed percussionist/producer JT Bates (Bonny Light Horseman, Big Red Machine, Taylor Swift) for two new singles to be released through Righteous Babe Records. Today they shared the first single “Is / Was,” a slow-burning experimental ballad anchored by Brown’s stirring guitars and dreamy vocals and Bates’ innovative beats and ethereal instrumentation.

“We made ‘Is / Was’ out of musical fragments, across space and time,” said Brown. “For me, music, memory and dreams make the world more coherent. One day when I was feeling extra isolated during the heart of the pandemic I sent some fragmented guitar recordings to one of my all time favorite drummers, JT Bates. We played some musical ping pong with the fragments: adding, taking away, exchanging…and then all of a sudden we had a coherent piece. It had a beginning and an end. When I heard the instrumental track I flashed on a song I had written one night in Paris in an apartment that had a blue door and was 59 stairs up. Why did I count the stairs? Why did I flash on this song when I heard our track? I sang what I could remember of the momentary Paris song about hope, and somehow it all connected and became ‘Is / Was.’”

"Pieta and I have made a lot of music together, so it felt very natural to proceed remotely,” stated Bates. “I got to dig through a folder of her ‘fragments,’ select a couple of things, and build on top of them. Very fun way to work! I'm very proud of this music and excited to share it.”

About the video, Pieta added, “To connect even further out, I sent ‘Is / Was’ to choreographer/dancer Veronica Tundis (Rome, Italy) and she responded with a mesmerizing dance that she said was about ‘a person lost in memories in a place that doesn’t fit the memories she’s lost in.’”

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Photo - Morgan Klein

Beauty Pill - You Need A Better Mind.

Washington, D.C.-based band Beauty Pill today announced their new EP Instant Night out December 3, releasing on limited edition vinyl, CD and digitally via Northern Spy Records and available to preorder here.

Alongside the announcement the band is sharing the official video for "You Need A Better Mind". On the track, Beauty Pill's Chad Clark says:

"The Roland TB-303 is an old Japanese synthesizer that was designed to convincingly mimic the sound of a bass guitar.  It was introduced in 1981, it sounded like a toy and failed miserably, and it was ultimately discontinued in 1984. It makes freaky, wiggly, cartoony sounds.  It sounds fuck-all like a bass guitar. Why am I telling you this?  One ended up in my hands for a week. I did a lot of silly stuff with it.  I did come up with this one worthwhile riff, which I built a song around.  The song is called "You Need A Better Mind."

"It was recorded with my band in a single take at the end of a recording session for another song. We were tired. None of us cared that much if we failed. The fun spirit you hear in this song is mostly exhaustion… that kind of punchy exhaustion you get late at night when you’ll laugh at anything. The lyrics were inspired by the spooky/funny 10-minute movie “Rachel”. "The song is about the scourge of American loneliness. It is by far the fastest, easiest song Beauty Pill has ever created. We hope you like it."

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Log Across The Washer - Listen to Xasthur.

Log Across The Washer Shares "Listen to Xasthur" off Upcoming Album It's Funny How The Colors, out 11/12/21 on Crash Symbols With a titular nod to the black metal band Xasthur, this bent pop nugget is about time as the most precious commodity.

About It's Funny How The Colors: Music being made with an absolute indifference to commercial viability has been a feature of the cultural landscape for decades. But there’s still an undeniable thrill that bubbles up whenever the algorithm or the universe serves up art that is idiosyncratic, deeply personal, and uncompromising.

That’s the dominant feeling drawn out through each listen to It’s Funny How The Colors, the latest effort from Tyler Keene’s Log Across The Washer project. Self-produced and self-recorded in the humble practice space that Keene rents in Bushwick and in his South Orange, New Jersey basement, the album is a woozy and melodic collection of unbound pop that drifts from clattering blues to sunburst synths. It’s the rare album that feels both thoughtfully considered and entirely ad-libbed. “I find it really fun to create without the guardrails that exist if you think too hard,” Keene says. “I’m definitely more of a ‘first idea’ kind of writer. Just run with it and don’t question too much. It’s more about the excitement in the process than the finished product. I get so much joy out of creating something new.”

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Ovlov - The Wishing Well.

Last month, Ovlov emerged from a long layoff following their beloved 2018 LP TRU to announce their 3rd full length Buds, with a track called "Land of Steve-O." Described by NPR as a "track that transcends into an unhinged, euphoric catharsis before fading and forcing us back into reality," the single was warmly received by outlets like Stereogum, FADER, Uproxx, Paste, MTV and BrooklynVegan, and set the stage for the Connecticut band to release one of the more anticipated full lengths of the fall on November 19th via longtime label home Exploding In Sound. 

Today, Ovlov are sharing their second single from the LP, a track called "The Wishing Well," alongside a Stereogum feature that dives into the band's history, and speaks to some of their peers about their enduring influence.

Combining the band's signature squall with singer/guitarist Steve Hartlett's engaging sense of melody and backing vocals provided by Erin McGrath of Exploding In Sound label mates Dig Nitty, the track explores the way society treats people who are experiencing mental health issues.

"'The Wishing Well' is about how much I dislike and disagree with certain ways cops and some people of the DIY indie rock scene respond to a situation involving a person with mental health issues," explains Hartlett. ""Ideally, only people who are well educated in mental health should be dealing with these situations, with methods that attempt to avoid harm on anyone involed, rather than these blanket procedures that are only designed to punish and seem emotionless."

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