A good Friday for new music

 

Clutter is a Stockholm-based quartet that just released its first EP, Love You (PNKSLM). 

The above video is for "Jesus," a nice showcase for their 1990s-style shoegaze-y indie pop stylings.

'Rent' control

 

The London-based Snapped Ankles recently released its fourth record, the appropriately titled Hard Times Furious Dancing.

The video here is for "Pay the Rent." 

'Swamp' thing

 

Everything Is Recorded (aka Richard Russell, owner of XL Recordings in the UK) is back with his third studio release (on XL Recordings!). 

The above video is for "Swamp Dream #3," featuring Mary and The Junkyard's Clari Freeman-Taylor on vocals.

A night like this

 

The Cure's A Song From the Lost World" (the band's first album since 2008) made plenty of year-end top-10 lists. (It would make the EVG top 10 as well.)

On Dec. 18, the band released a live version of the single "A Fragile Thing," recorded at the Troxy London show last month.

A 'Sad' state

 

Fans of shoegaze-dream pop can check out the recently released debut record by the Los Angeles-based Mo Dotti.

The video here is for "Whirling Sad," a track the band says was inspired by "vintage Lush, the sweeter side of My Bloody Valentine, and SST-era Dinosaur Jr."

Home 'room'

 

Madrid-based indie rockers Hinds (now a duo) are back with a new album, Viva Hinds, which is out today. 

The video here is for a single off the release titled "The Bed, The Room, The Rain and You." 

Hinds will play Warsaw in Brooklyn this Oct. 29.

'Vision' quest

 

The London-based Crows have a new record coming out on Sept. 27. 

Ahead of that, here's the Interpol-ish track "Vision of Me."

Over 'Easy'

 

This week, Cocteau Twins launched a new YouTube channel (and online store!) featuring high-res versions of all of their official music videos for the first time... such as "Love's Easy Tears" above from their 1986 EP of the same name.

They look and sound as relevant as ever.

A fifth of 'baethoven'

 

D.C.'s Ekko Astral recently released its debut record, pink balloons. 

The above video is for an earlier single this year titled "baethoven." 

Read more about the pioneers of "mascara moshpit" music here.

And catch them live at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn on July 19.

A new 'Frontier'

 

Ride returns with its seventh album, Interplay, a solid mix of 1960s psych-pop and 1990s shoegaze. 

The (visualizer) video here is for the track "Last Frontier."

And Ride is playing out at the Warsaw on Dec. 6. Tix here. 

At 'Seafoam' level

 

Austin, Texas-based dream-pop quartet Blushing has released a single (and video!) ahead of a new album due on May 3. 

The track here is for "Seafoam"

And you can see them live at Baby's All Right in Williamsburg on June 20.

In the 'Mood'

 

The Chicago-based Dehd has a new record due out May 10 on Fat Possum. 

Ahead of that, they released this video-single "Mood Ring." (If you want to skip the setup, the song starts at the 2:25 mark. And this Dehd video is still my fave.)

Catch the Drift

 

London-based trio Night Tapes has released several singles of late... the video here is for a track from December titled "Drifting," which the band describes as an "existentialist pop song."

Just like 'Honey'

 

The Toronto-based PACKS has released its third release, Melt the Honey, one of the best records so far in 1994 2024! 

The video here features the indie-rock goodness of "Honey." 

Catch PACKS out at Baby's All Right this May 3.

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.

'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."