'Heavy' mettle

 

The debut record from the Dublin-based Sprints came out a few weeks back (more info here). 

The video is for "Heavy." 

And you can catch them live out at Zone One at Elsewhere in Brooklyn on March 21-22. (Oh wait — that March 21 date is sold out.)

'Temple' rocks

 

Great triple bill this evening at the Knitting Factory at Baker Falls on Avenue A... headliners the Veldt (who we've been listening to a lot lately) with openers Iceblynk from Queens and Dead Leaf Echo, an underrated group from Brooklyn. 

The video here is for Dead Leaf Echo's "Temple" from 2017.  

Ringing in the New Year

 

Lower East Side-based band Rebounder started 2024 by releasing this cover version of "In the New Year" by The Walkmen ... it's gonna be a good year.

'Anyway' you want it

 

In this season of the listicle, we'll put La Sécurité's album Stay Safe from June on the under-rated list.

The video here from the Montreal band is for "Anyway." 

Headline H/T

Have yourself an etc., etc.

 

A version of a holiday song that maybe you aren't tired of yet (and isn't by, say, Wham, the Waitresses, Paul McCartney & Wings ... all fine classics, but.)

This is a cover of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by the Beths... (The Cat Power cover is great too.)

Happily 'Everlasting'

 

You might think a recently released song called "Everlasting Gobstopper" might have something to do with the new"Wonka" film.

The track by The Veldt is actually 34 years old... the Raleigh, N.C.-based soul-shoegaze-alternative rock band has finally seen the release of what was to be their debut record, produced by the Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie. Capitol Records shelved the recording in 1989, and reportedly sent the band back into the studio to do another record, which turned out to be Marigold.

Anyway! Always thought they were very under-appreciated... 

Always be my Baby

 

Here with "Eddie My Love" is the Chicago-based Brigitte Calls Me Baby ... from the band's debut EP, This House is Made of Corners.

And see them live at Baby's All Right in Williamsburg on Feb. 13.

My 'City' was gone

RIP Shane MacGowan. 

From the Pogues in 1989... "White City."

'Bang' it up

 

Melenas, an indie quartet from Pamplona, Spain, released its fourth record earlier this fall... the video here is for "Bang." 

RIYL: Stereolab.

Hold the 'Phone'

 

The UK trio HotWax has a new EP out... the video is for "Phone Machine." 

Catch them live at the Mercury Lounge this Nov. 30.

'Round' trip

 

Emma Anderson, songwriter, guitarist and singer in the shoegazing/Britpop band Lush, recently (Oct 20!) released her debut solo record, Sonic Cathedral. 

The track here is for "Bend The Round."

Beast of 'Unburden'

 

Another Halloween-ish music video...  this is Mode Moderne with "Unburden Yourself."

While there's a gloomy 1980s new wave sound, the song by the Vancouver-based band is from 2014. 

'Vapor' trail

 

Been looking for some new Halloween-seasonal music videos (something other than the EVG standby by Siouxsie and the Banshees!).

The above video is for the recently released single "Vaporized" by the Seattle-based Sea Lemon. (And yes — she does look like Wednesday Addams-Christina Ricci here.)

This is 'Elvis in the Army'

 

A. Savage, frontman of NYC's Parquet Courts, just released his second solo album, Several Songs About Fire (Rough Trade Records). 

The video here is for "Elvis in the Army."

The 'Kiss' of life

 

Blonde Redhead returns with Sit Down for Dinner, their first record in nine years (worth the wait!). The new songs are said to be inspired by a passage from Joan Didion's 2005 memoir, "The Year Of Magical Thinking" — "Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends."

The audio track here is for "Kiss Her Kiss Her." You can watch the band's epic video for "Sit Down For Dinner (Pts. 1 & 2)" only on YouTube. (There's an age restriction on it that prevents the embed function.) 

The NYC trio that formed in 1993 plays at Brooklyn Steel on Nov. 10. 

P.S. 

Today is Bandcamp Friday.

'Paving' the way

 

A song in EVG's heavy rotation since its release last month — "The World's Biggest Paving Slab" by the UK (Leeds!) band English Teacher.

Subsonic Youth

 

Subsonic Eye, an indie band from Singapore, recently released its fourth LP, All Around You. 

The video here is for "Yearning." 

And you can check out the band's brand of jangle pop on tour out at Baby's All Right on Oct. 22.

'Thursday' on my mind

 

Seattle supergroup Who Is She? recently released a new LP, Goddess Energy (Father/Daughter Records).

The catchy track here is for "Thursday," a top-3 day of the week. 

Modern love

 

Tomorrow (Saturday!) night, Modern English plays at the Knitting Factory at Baker Falls, 101 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. 

And ahead of this, we've had several conversations with people about Modern English, known to many simply as the English band that made the iconic 1980s new-wave smasheroo, "I Melt With You." 

The band's first record, Mesh & Lace from 1981, is a moody, post-punk gem. Subsequent releases saw Modern English taking a more commercial-friendly tone... featuring some excellent tracks, like "Someone's Calling" (above) from 1983 and "Ink and Paper" from 1986... a rare two-for-Friday-at-5 combo!

 

Let the 'Goodtime!' roll

 

After two buzzy records, the Nashville-based Be Your Own Pet called it quits in 2008. 

Here then, 15 years later, the band is back with Mommy, which shows BYOP staying true to their garage punk roots. 

The video here is for "Goodtime!"