Flying “Three of Them/Shiver River” Single (flyyingg.bandcamp.com)
One of my favorite new bands are back with this impressive pair of cosmic psychedelic tracks. “Three Of Them” shows off the top notch musicianship that shined so bright on their previous E.P. and adds even more dynamics to their sound as the shimmering guitars and atmospheric vocals blend together perfectly. “Shiver River” has a similar feel but incorporates more of a prog-rock element to everything that offers up a welcoming and lulling effect. Overall another stellar release from this up and coming band from Ann Arbor MI.
Guide By Voices “Space Gun” Single
From their upcoming album of the same name “Space Gun” is classic GBV. Robert Pollard and crew show no signs of slowing down and it looks like there will be lots of shows and rock n roll madness throughout 2018. The 15 tracks album is due out on March 23rd.
MGMT “Hand It Over” Single
Another great single from the upcoming MGMT album “Little Dark Age” which is their first since 2013. This soothing number is full of mind numbing synths that move alongside a comforting beat and an “epic” yet “subtle” vocal delivery. There’s a presence of 60’s psych and 70’s singer songwriter styles mixed with a more modern feel that really makes for the perfect balance. Enjoy this beautiful lyric video directed by Old Man Future and Shively Humperdink.
Oh Sees “Dead Medic” & “A Few Days Of Reflection” 12″ (Castle Face Records)
Awesome little bonus 12″ from one of the most prolific bands in the game. “Dead Medic” is an outtake from their latest full length “ORC” and is essentially an extended jam backed by a frantic beat, plenty of flourishing piano sounds and experimental swells. Think Sun Ra meets Hawkwind. “A Few Days Of Reflection” is a cover of Swedish band Träd, Gräs & Stenar. It’s cavernous feel and jam style structure are both intriguing and introspective”. A really enjoyable release that documents the continuous expansion of John Dwyer’s musical vision well.
Plastic Farm “Hope Hypnotic” E.P. (plasticfarm.bandcamp.com)
Can’t say enough great things about this E.P. From the song arrangements and instrumentation to the production and experimental aspects everything is truly top notch. The title track builds and builds into a rich organic sounding wall of atmospheric bliss while “Eyes Closed” and “25” bring beautifully melodic hooks to the forefront. “Musk” is a bit more mysterious and moody as a sea of underlying nuances really push this track over the top. The perfect soundtrack to these unbelievably cold winter nights we’ve been having recently.
Tonals “Smog” E.P. (tonals.bandcamp.com)
So excited about this new E.P. from Canadian lo-fi project Tonals. “Fin” starts things off with an infectious beat and catchy hook that really gets things going out of the gate before giving way to the more laid back and somber “Good Times”. “Smog” brings you back to an upbeat, feel good spirit and features some really impressive melodic guitar work while “You Want Something More” closes things out in an almost cinematic/end credits kind of way which I really enjoy. There’s a warm, vibrant energy in all these tracks that I find really inspiring.
