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. Wow, we're back in a whole new year and this week we have everything from grindy metal to angelic folk to lofi indie rock. 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: House Of Harm
BMN Score: 7.5/10
What the band says: “Something must have gone wrong in the developmental stages of our youth” cracks Rocheford of their chosen obsession. The band members have been drawn to music for as long as any of them can remember, and the drive to be around like minded artists and make their own noise drew them all to Boston after high school. There they all quickly enmeshed themselves, playing in other bands before meeting each other. Ever since, House of Harm have been quietly making a name for themselves among music fans with darker pop persuasions via a steady stream of releases in single, ep and album form. “We try to keep our heads down and focus on the art and what’s directly in front of us,” shares Rocheford. That attention to detail and workmanlike approach at the expense of chasing instant gratification seems to be paying dividends after years of steady effort. “It’s amazing when we head to a city like LA, where we’re thousands of miles from home, and there are hundreds of people singing along to every word. It’s a wonderful feeling to say the least.”
What we say they sound like: Emo tinged indie pop, I'd really enjoy it more if some of that typical voice inflection melancholy emo has was not part of this. Just sing stuff normal, don't pronounce shit in a weird way, the voice is good and the music is good but this is what I'm obsessing over instead, a few whiny syllables. Seems to not be as noticeable as the song kicks in. The melody is infectious and the shoegaze dreampop instrumentation is enough to grab a broad audience.
Song to add to your playlist: Two Kinds
Band Name: WE ARE JOINERS
BMN Score: 9.1/10
What the band says: WE ARE JOINERS are one of the core bands on the NY-based label Totally Real Records' eclectic roster. What that means is that whatever random releases the band's mastermind Joep Van Son comes up with, they'll support. Ever since the release of Clients + Carriers, a limited edition tape repackaging of the band's two EPs, Van Son has been promising a studio recorded full length. Instead, we've gotten several digital EPs, collaborations, and singles. He even launched his own record label (Wilbur + Moore), but we're still waiting for the shiny debut full length album.
What we say they sound like: If you dig Mike Krol, Jay Reatard and stuff like that you might really enjoy this. It has that lo-fi recorded in a basement warmth to it and a shouty catchy chorus. Musically it's in line with that perfect mix of 60's garage rock and 90's indie rock. The back beat makes it hard to not want to sing and dance along.
Song to add to your playlist: Got Jelly?
Band Name: Bipolar Architecture
BMN Score: 9.5/10
What the band says: The four-piece have also released an introspective video to accompany the single, echoing the track’s exploration of internalised isolation and the loneliness that can be felt even when surrounded by the hustle and bustle of modern life. Simultaneously abrasive and intimate, ‘Alienated’ is an uncompromising rush of existential angst from the international outfit who, currently based across Istanbul and Berlin, are consistently pushing at the boundaries of contemporary metal.
What we say they sound like: The video really helps to make this all the more metal insanity, kind of gave me an Aphex Twin “Come To Daddy” vibe with the visuals but with no special effects just a creepy sped up high frame rate. Musically it goes from grindy screaming metal to a mellow Incubus-ish jam, which is a nice transition and sonic juxtaposition. Mid-way it kicks back in to speedy metal and I'm not particularly a new school metal head but good stuff is good stuff. It accomplishes it's mission of not being predictable and being kick ass the whole time.
Song to add to your playlist: Alienated
Band Name: The BV's
BMN Score: 9.6/10
What the band says: their bittersweet, looping, disintegrating mix of indie pop, shoegaze and krautrock came together by chance in the cascading granite greys of a wet english winter in 2016, when fred moved from augsburg in germany to cornwall in the UK for a university exchange programme and moved in with josh. after living together for four months, they decided to record some demos for fun, which later became their first album, speaking from a distance, released in 2017 on german label kleine untergrund schallplatten.
What we say they sound like: This has a vibe to me of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah meets The Cure with vocals more on par with the non-chalant delivery of Stephen Malkmus but with a British accent. Maybe even a little bit Lucksmiths or something of that ilk, early 2000's twee pop. Really enjoyable, the kind of thing that innocuously infects your brain with a catchy Cure riff and circling vocal melody you'll find yourself humming along to later. Really a nice sound all encompassing of everything most indie rockers will love.
Song to add to your playlist: Clipping
Band Name: Cherry Fez
BMN Score: 9.4/10
What the band says: Cherry Fez is a celebration of melodic songwriting, harmony and orchestrated music from former Impossible Years singer/guitarist, Todd Shuster. The Impossible Years were at the forefront of the Philadelphia 1980’s music scene. Honored to be included on Bomp Records’ Battle of the Garages V.II, the band embarked on a subsequent east coast tour, which led to being the first signing of TV Personalities’ Dan Treacy’s U.K. Dreamworld label: Scenes We’d Like To See (Dreamworld 001). After a 30 year break to pursue a highly successful career as a first grade teacher, Todd retired from education and un-retired from creating music. From the energized pop of his former band to eloquent ballads with vibrant jangle in between, Cherry Fez offers a hook in every bite and a colorful variety of sounds for your listening treasure.
What we say they sound like: This starts out as something I normally wouldn't be very interested in but then the melody and harmony kick in and it takes a turn from bluesey country tinged folk to being almost Belle & Sebastin -ish. The songwriting here takes something you've heard probably a million times genre wise and makes it something special. The harmonies really are nice, it's also so angelic that this is one that you can listen to on repeat for hours. Stick it out for the first few seconds where you think you can guess where it's going, because you won't guess, it's really nice and just continues to twist and turn with melodic hook after hook.
Song to add to your playlist: The Prisoner of Gamala Stan