The Alt Weekly Roundup (2/1)
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.
April Rain—Mirror of Ether
Russian post-rock stalwarts April Rain are nothing if not reliable. Their seventh LP, Mirror of Ether, is another stellar entry that perfectly demonstrates their penchant for writing massive songs that seem to breathe and blossom into climactic showstoppers.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Benny Sings—”Nobody’s Fault”
Dutch artist Benny Sings’ latest single “Nobody’s Fault” is a smooth and uplifting foot-tapping track that comes along with a music video that’s just as joyous (although Sings’ face may read otherwise). The song, which ends with a guitar solo by English musician and producer Tom Misch, is about the mutual end of a relationship where neither party walks away with their heart broken.
Jordan Snowden | @snowden_jordan
Pictures of Wild Life—”Seabright”
Pictures of Wild Life is the work of one man, but you wouldn’t know it from “Seabright.” JJ Powell’s latest single has the energy of a cascading waterfall; pretty enough to get your attention, driving enough to keep it.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Nervous Dater—”Middle Child”
Brooklyn’s Nervous Dater kick off their upcoming album, Call in the Mess, with the single “Middle Child”. The song starts off gently, begging you to lean in. Then it switches its sound and tempo up 20 notches with “middle child, only girl/ mom says I can’t take off my shirt” (a fight I also had with my mom). The album is about Rachel Lightner’s coming out as nonbinary, and “Middle Child” is a perfect opener to start that story’s journey.
Jami Fowler | @audiocurio
Lacrima—”Lineweight”
Lacrima are a screamo fan’s dream. The band comprises members of You and I, Coma Regalia, Massa Nera, and Funeral Diner, and their debut single “Lineweight” could only be the work of veterans of the craft.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Young Winona—”LA Waste”
Los Angeles-based band Young Winona frankly depicted where they live in “LA Waste,” insisting it’s “swimming in waste in pity.” The track has an eerie, smoky sound to it.
Bineet Kaur | @hellobineet
Dollar Signs—”BAD NEWS”
If you’re not yet familiar with Dollar Signs’ particular take on punk, the lyric “bad news goes down better with a beer” should give you a pretty good idea of what you’re in store for. “BAD NEWS,” the latest single from the North Carolinians, starts with a piano that adds to the barroom feel of the song and comes with a wacky and creative video featuring the group accompanied by a myriad of cardboard cutouts. It’s the second song off their new record, Hearts of Gold, out on March 12 via Pure Noise Records.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Andra Day—”Tigress and Tweed”
Get a peek into the upcoming biographical drama, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, with Andra Day’s “Tigress and Tweed.” Almost like a follow up to Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” Day’s voice in “Tigress and Tweed” is emotionally raw and cutting that shows why she was clearly the cast to star in the forthcoming film, which debuts Feb. 26 on Hulu.
Jordan Snowden | @snowden_jordan
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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