The Alt Weekly Roundup (9/9)
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.
Vantage Blue — A Lot Has Changed Since Then
Vantage Blue’s debut record echoes established emo groups like Pianos Become the Teeth and Manchester Orchestra. A track like“Gellar” closes with a steep, brisk instrumental passage, while “Tanner” is sedative and steady.
Bineet Kaur | @hellobineet
Billie Eilish— “all the good girls go to hell” music video
Billie Eilish’s artistic direction for her album WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO was haunting, and the music video for “all the good girls go to hell” is too. Establishing a twisted connection to previous releases, the popstar is breathing new life into an underappreciated and often overlooked form of conceptualizing and branding an album. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more highly stylized videos following suit from other big names soon, seeing as each of Eilish’s are pulling hundreds of millions of views within weeks.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
Danny Brown — “Dirty Laundry”
Danny Brown is one of the most original and creative figures in hip-hop today, as well as one of the genre’s most unique voices. His new single “Dirty Laundry” is a bit softer than his previous lead singles, but it’s just as promising, whether you’re into his older party bangers or his new experimental direction.
Zac Djamoos | @greatwhitebison
Surely Temple — Skeleton, Sharkjaw
Re-recorded, re-mastered, re-released. Skeleton, Sharkjaw by Surely Temple has long been one of my favorite Cali-based DIY releases, and it’s getting the justice it deserves with this revamp. Combining midwest-emo and upbeat surf-punk, each track shines in a different way and in a new light. “Cloud’s Strife” is a particular standout; the swing of the words, “despite what you’ve given me, it’s important that you know I’m not happy,” feels apologetic and cathartic all at once.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
M83 — “Temple of Sorrow”
When M83’s Anthony Gonzalez announced his project’s upcoming album DSVII, he said he wanted to move away from the pop sound that dominated his last few records. And if single “Temple of Sorrow” is any indication, he absolutely has. It’s the album’s sweeping closer, seven minutes of ambient electronics and unresolved tension.
Zac Djamoos | @greatwhitebison
Ultra Q — We’re Starting to Get Along
Diverging from their punk roots under the name Mt. Eddy, the Bay Area outfit Ultra Q are taking a spacier, more synth-driven direction on their first EP under the new moniker, We’re Starting to Get Along. Possibly my favorite of the bunch is “What D’you Call It, ”which is reminiscent of the punchy skram of fellow Cali act The Garden.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
Worn-Tin — “Something’s Coming”
The latest single from L.A. psych-crooner Worn-Tin is a hooky, nodding slice of dirtbag ennui. The track finds the midway between Mac DeMarco groove and Kurt Vile glaze, with flourishes of disorienting “oo-oo-oo-oo” harmonies that could’ve been cut from (Sandy) Alex G’s cloth. There’s an oversaturation of loosey-goosey psych-pop in the world right now, but Worn-Tin’s lines about puking in Five Guys and his ear for a slick guitar solo make him hard to turn off.
Eli Enis | @eli_enis
Hepburn — Hepburn EP
Richmond, VA is home to a thriving scene of alternative rock that’s only been made more lively by Hepburn’s debut EP. Subdued in a way that allows for explosive hooks and bridges, the vocals are pure & clear, and the songs are thoughtfully constructed with just the right amount of emo influence. Gang vocal favorite: “Better”.
Olivia Keasling | @residentkilljoy
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