The Alt Weekly Roundup (10/25)
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.
Palomino Blond – “ontheinside”
“ontheinside,” the second single from Palomino Blond’s upcoming EP, is a gripping slow-burner that builds off of a greasy, driving guitar backed by a staccato palm-muted pattern and a dreamy 80s synth. The momentum builds for nearly four minutes before vocalist Carli Acosta sings “Here it comes / The chance you thought you’d never get / Take it now or just live in regret” backed by a bombastic drum fill that kicks the band into a chaotic eruption. It’s cinematic and huge and it gets better each time you listen to it.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Owel – “Play”
Owel’s always been a cinematic, showy band, but “Play” takes it to a whole new level. Jay Sakong’s voice is backed by choral harmonies that lend it an off-off-Broadway feel, not to mention buzzing electronics that give the song a newfound pop color.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Rookie Card – “The North”
Rookie Card is one of several bands pushing emo forward, creating what feels like an inversion of the emo revival. Instead of trying to create the pretty soundscapes of midwest emo, they reach for something decidedly rawer, using synths, lo-fi production, and screamo vocals to illustrate its point. “The North,” the newest track from the band, showcases all the band’s strengths in a bite-sized 68 seconds, teasing out the anticipated debut record for Rookie Card.
Hugo Reyes | @hvreyes5
Alex Stanilla – “Lizard”
Alex Stanilla’s latest track “Lizard” starts as a breezy pop tune that blows up into a candy-coated and cacophonous chorus. The sunny and psychedelic vibes contrast beautifully with the darker lyrics examining time stuck in a mental rut, as Stanilla sings “I’ve been trying hard to work my mind / I’ve been having a hell of a time / Figuring out what I want.” With insanely catchy music and lyrics that have something interesting to say, it’s everything you could want out of pop music.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Nonfiction – “No Shade”
“No Shade” takes the dark, moody alt-rock that marked Nonfiction’s debut Same Pain and twists and bends it into new shapes. After the song’s first hook, a splash of feedback interrupts the song before it kicks back into gear. It’s a foreshadowing of things to come on the band’s sophomore LP, and it reaffirms their place as one of the most exciting bands in a genre gone stagnant.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
The Alternative’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week our editor Lindsy Carrasquillo compiles a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We’ll post it on Fridays on Twitter and then include it in each edition of the ‘Weekly Roundup’ to make sure you don’t miss all of the great music we’re recommending.
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