The Alt Weekly Roundup (8/19)
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.
Big Thief—”Not”
Big Thief’s latest LP, UFOF, only came out three months ago, but the Brooklyn four-piece is already gearing up to release a follow-up. Two Hands is due out in October, but the album’s six-minute lead single “Not” is out now, and it’s an absolute beast. The first three minutes are classic Big Thief, tense and melodic folk rock pulled taut. But halfway through the song the band lets all that pressure explode into a bluesy jam session.
Zac Djamoos | @greatwhitebison
Arlen Gun Club—Clearance Bin
Arlen Gun Club’s first two track EP, Clearance Bin, is a charming first-streaming-service release for the Cincinnati act. “I’m the Idiot” leans more towards bouncy emo that echoes the sound of other DIY acts like Guitar Fight From Fooly Cooly, while “Just to Be Clear” feels like the usual stream-of-consciousness acoustic track—until the violin kicks in.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
Sonic Sea Turtles—”Captain Spacey”
Sonic Sea Turtles’ latest track “Captain Spacey” is crisp and threadlike, comparable to Oso Oso. The riffs and the drums fire briskly, removing any potential for sluggish moments.
Bineet Kaur | @hellobineet
Uh Oh—”Time Zones”
“Time Zones” has been on repeat all week for me. Omaha’s Uh Oh have struck this idyllic chord between catchy and energetic rock that I’ve been loving jamming out to this summer. From expert rhythmic layering to ecstatic group vocals, I can’t get enough of how fun this song is.
Kayla Carmicheal | @carmikeall
The Sonder Bombs—”Twinkle Lights” (Little Elephant Live Session)
Dedicated to those who have survived sexual assault and their own mental illness, The Sonder Bombs’ song “Twinkle Lights” carries an even more goose-bump-inducing tone played live. For those of you that haven’t had the luck of seeing this powerhouse group in person, Little Elephant just released their live session and they’re as visceral and compelling through the screen as they are on stage.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
Ceres—”A Thousand Miles” live cover
Ceres appeared on Triple J this week to play a few cuts off their new record We Are a Team. But what really stole the show was their rendition of Vanessa Carlton’s classic “A Thousand Miles,” refitted into a string-laden alt rock ballad that would’ve felt right at home on We Are a Team.
Zac Djamoos | @greatwhitebison
Bitter Calm—Good Grief
A band “whose beginning is marked by endings,” Bitter Calm’s debut album is a haunting and melodic heavy (kinda) shoegaze exploration of the processing of loss. Good Grief feels like a pressure on your chest, urging you to confront what’s making your heart ache. It’s dreamy and relentless, and with a real violin threaded throughout its tracks, it strings you along the soothing and contemplative narrative of what it feels like to be forced through a transition that no one could ever prepare you for.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
Lisa Prank—”Rodeo”
Meandering and swooning while still being a bit gravelly, Lisa Prank’s “Rodeo” is about making a conscious effort to approach romance level-headedly. It’s the first taste of their new record that will be out in October.
Bineet Kaur | @hellobineet
.Sugar—.Sugar
The long-awaited EP from Birmingham, AL outfit .Sugar. is out and it’s seven minutes and 43 seconds of hold-your-breath hardcore. No moments of peace exist other than the sample of speech at the beginning of the last track, and even then it’s blood-pumping and rousing. ACAB.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
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