Our inbox is over flowing again so we are letting you good people know exactly what is new and available out there in the music world. This week is a good mix of Indie to Punk and some old favorites like Owen. Hope you enjoy these picks by our writing staff. If you want to see your band on one of these lists, send us streaming music and as short bio.
Band Name: States Of Nature
BMN Score: 8.9/10
What the band says: ’Papered News’ is a song about finding your people and making life changes. Everyone needs someone in your life who can validate where you are and encourage you to continue or take that risk that you hope will make things better. Just knowing someone’s in your corner can help you get out of a bad place. The song was one of the first written for the record and helped center the vibe of the whole album. We wanted to make the video bright, fun, and silly to go along with the playful nature of the song.
What we say they sound like: I like the clean angular guitars on this which makes it more post-punk. It has elements of new bands like Dead Tooth & Two-Man Giant Squid but it then has a rock n' roll vibe too which is almost grungy sometimes. It's almost a little Arctic Monkeys, Strokes, etc. I often find UK stuff relies heavily on 90's influence and here I think that's a good thing because it seems to do it without feeling dated.
Song to add to your playlist: Papered News
Band Name: Newmoon
BMN Score: 9.1/10
What the band says: Of the new single "Crazing," vocalist Bert Cannaerts says, I really like this track because it’s so chaotic and melodic at the same time. The heavy, fuzzed out tremolo guitars in the background fit so well with the melodic character of the song. When we finished “Crazing” we were all kind of stunned because it didn’t feel like a song that we wrote.
What we say they sound like: Classic Shoegaze tones from the start make this sound like it could be any mixture of Cocteau Twins to Bailter Space. The vocal is quite nice and ethereal. Overall it's not reinventing the wheel but it is exactly all of the elements that make Shoegaze good. The drone and atmosphere created is why people love this style of music and it's been around for 40 years. For me I judge my Shoegaze more by the live set and how many times I can listen to the track. What's nice about this genre is I feel like you get more listens because there's nothing syrupy sweet to get sick of.
Song to add to your playlist: Crazing
Band Name: FOX MEDICINE
BMN Score: 9.5/10
What the band says: "Rattlesnake Valentine Tour" comes perfectly timed to add excitement to your February, with a new single "Rattlesnake Valentine" (out 2/2) that is apparently so infectious, the band named their tour after it! The "Rattlesnake Valentine Tour" is centered around the band's love for west coast skateparks and rock'n'roll playgrounds, with dates in Oregon and California.
What we say they sound like: This reminds me at points of Karen O. but also of modern stuff like BK act Tetchy. It's got bite and balls but a sweet voice that turns to vicious bark. The juxtaposition of sweet next to brutal is what makes this great. At moments it's like Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and other times it's heavy metal churning like a buzzsaw. It's got so much genre melding that I think most heavy music enthusiasts can find something to like about it.
Song to add to your playlist: Rattlesnake Valentine
Band Name: The Disassociates
BMN Score: 8.5/10
What the band says: Vocalist Brie Marie says, “No Reason This Can’t Be Fun is a fun, wild, and completely open & honest look into coping with life and all the struggles that come with it. Whether you want to laugh, cry, or rage, No Reason This Can’t Be Fun has a song for you.”
What we say they sound like: At first I was thinking this is going to be very pop and not my thing, but then some chugging guitars kicked in. I would call this Bubble Grunge in the vein of Beach Bunny or Charly Bliss. It's not quite as cute as either of those but it's good and the hook is quite catchy. This is something that might catch the ear of the poppunk crowd as well with it's grim subject matter.
Song to add to your playlist: I Don't Wanna
Band Name: Owen
BMN Score: 9.4/10
What the band says: Kinsella’s ability to seamlessly stitch jagged emotional currents into crushingly beautiful songs has remained at the forefront of his art. This contrast has become more distinct as Owen expanded from unassuming acoustic beginnings into more ornate production, reaching new levels of complexity and clarity by the release of 2020’s The Avalanche. The Falls of Sioux, Kinsella’s newest Owen full-length, levels up even further. As much as these nine songs represent a type of reinvention, they also feel like the natural next step in Kinsella’s growth, both artistic and personal. The album perforates an established sound to explore unlikely musical ideas, while the songs document a time of moving through life-altering turmoil into brighter days. Heavy themes are turned over with a gentle hand, and Kinsella inhabits the deeper perspectives that come with hard-earned life experience.
What we say they sound like: Owen has been an indie staple for like 20 years and songs like this is why. Owen is known for soft vocal delivery and genuine heartfelt emotion. The track has a a tinge of emo feel but is far beyond his roots. The dark rhythmic pattern of the bass and acoustic guitar actually has this very 90's feel, like take away the vocal and it could almost be something from a grunge era band's acoustic performance. The lift at the end gives a more Smiths-ish feel as the vocal nonchalantly floats on top of it. It will be a treat for fans of the early 2000's mellow indie emo scene.
Song to add to your playlist: Beaucoup