The Alt Weekly Roundup (12/14)
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.
Pollyanna—Sugar Coat
I’m contractually obligated to plug New Jersey bands. Pollyanna’s more than earned it, though, with their sophomore EP Sugar Coat. Pollyanna’s brand of pop-punk’s got a bit more edge to it than most of their peers’, and it’s a great sound for them. Jill Beckett’s the star of the show here, one of the most charismatic and magnetic vocalists in the genre.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
No Momentum—seismic toss
New York emo/punk trio No Momentum become a quartet and release seismic toss, a companion EP to their other 2020 release, mach punch. The two new tracks vary in style from one another, with the titular track taking on a PUP-inspired intro lead and a Prawn-ish bridge. Definitely worth the listen if you dig dynamic vocalists and classic punk riffs.
Luciano Ferrara | @lucianorferrara
No Sleep Records—No Sleep till Christmas 8
Maybe Christmas comps are a little bit hack to include here, but whatever. No Sleep isn’t pulling punches with this one. It’s a great who’s who of the emo/pop-punk scene nowadays, and it’s a great way to get into the spirit.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Orson Wilds—”Mothers Daughters”
Orson Wilds sound like a lot of things. They have a playlist of their influences on Spotify that ranges from Big Thief and Alex G to Grouplove and Grouplove and ABBA, and you can pick out any of those sensibilities in the momentous “Mothers Daughters”, which channels the spirited charm of Neutral Milk Hotel or early Arcade Fire through thhe maximalist indie-pop of the late 2000s and early 2010s. It’s the kind of song that sounds like it’s trying to get a whole amphitheater’s worth of people on their feet, and their particular breed of triumphant indie feels good right about now.
Eli Enis | @eli_enis
Holy Fawn—”The Maze” (Manchester Orchestra cover)
Holy Fawn dropped a haunting whirlwind of post-rock, metal, and post-hardcore with Death Spells back in 2018, and now they’re back to put their touch on a cover of Manchester Orchestra’s “The Maze.” In the caption accompanying the song they say, “2020 has been heartbreaking. Please take the time to take care of yourselves…” It’s an eerily reflective cover as we await better days in 2021.
Tyler Holland | @InTyler_WeTrust
Bayside—Acoustic Volume 3
It’s hard to imagine if you’ve only listened to Bayside’s earliest releases, but Anthony Raneri enjoys trying on musical styles that extend far beyond the realm of rock. Pop, showtunes, and singer-songwriter music are just some of the genres that inspire Raneri, and in Bayside’s acoustic release series, he’s able to marry them with the band’s signature sound. Friday’s Acoustic Volume 3 sees Bayside reimagine “Poison in My Veins” from their very first album Sirens and Condolences, and “Prayers” from their very latest, Interrobang. It also sees Raneri at his best as a songwriter, feeling free to step outside the box of rock music.
Michelle Bruton | @MichelleBruton
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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