The Alt Weekly Roundup (9/26)
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.
Brave You – Lifer
Lifer represents a bit of a break from Brave You’s previous work. It’s far more polished, and keys take the forefront here, a charming pop-punk record that feels akin to early Motion City Soundtrack or Save Ends.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Holy Pinto – “us, married”
Holy Pinto’s new single “us, married” is a jangly, sparkly indie rock track that recalls in its best moments the jubilance of early Death Cab.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Yellow Bellies – “Frankie”
A desperate power pop jam characterized by its chugging, scuzzed-out riffs and use of the quiet-loud dynamic, “Frankie” is the first single from Brighton-formed rockers Yellow Bellies since 2020. “Frankie” addresses problematic self-sacrifice within relationships: the titular Frankie is “impatiently waiting for nothing at all,” clinging to an idea of how things should be that can never see fruition, and “living her life in rewind,” unable to move beyond the hell she’s slipped into. One part ‘90s Weezer, one part Pixies, it depressively slinks through its verses and cathartically erupts at its choruses: embodying the tide of emotions one experiences in a relationship that is simultaneously turbulent and stuck in time.
Travis Shosa | @counterzine
Glass Mask – “Glimmer”
There’s shades of other artists in Glass Mask’s “Glimmer”—The 1975, Metric, Death Cab, Mitski—but taken in aggregate the song is wholly Glass Mask’s own. It’s a sterling mix of electronics and soft hooks all coming together to make an instantly memorable indie pop gem. It’s only Glass Mask’s second-ever single, but on the strength of “Glimmer” alone it’s clear they’ve got a bright future.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Posture & the Grizzly – Self-titled B-sides
Posture & the Grizzly flew under the radar last December when it dropped, but here’s a perfect reminder that the band is possibly the best group in pop-punk today: they’ve just dropped three b-sides from that record, and they’re killer. The first two err on the heavier side than most of what ended up on the album, so it’s easy to see why they might not have fit, but packaged together with the celebratory ballad “Tracing the Stars,” they make for a raucous, throat-shredding collection.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Wild Pink – “See You Better Now”
Much of Wild Pink’s upcoming ILYSM carries the warmth and intimacy of a singer-songwriter project. Perhaps this is due to the way John Ross holds back vocally throughout, hardly ever singing above a whisper, as demonstrated on previous singles. The band behind him matched his energy on the restrained “Hold My Hand,” and the title track set his soft spoken delivery against lively, pastoral folk rock. But “See You Better Now” contrasts this with a tuneful hook and a solo ripped straight from a ‘70s heartland rock standard. His hushed performance actually gives its chorus an extra weight, and the brushy acoustic guitars give the track a lived-in feel, like a song you grew up with but only recently rediscovered.
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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