New York – Our Mixtape column has hit the big 4-0! Dang, we gettin’ on. And the great tunes keep on coming. Our newest L.A. writer Katie reviewed The Last Internationale, a band who, when people ask why there isn’t more revolutionary music like Woody Guthrie, are starting to fill that gap. They are socially responsible, and as Katie notes, “It felt like witnessing history.” I’m also pretty jealous that Ian got to witness the “magnetic presence and on stage earnestness” of Kathleen Hanna with her new band, The Julie Ruin. We also had a new featured artist, Vance Joy, an Australian singer/songwriter who is seemingly emerging out of nowhere, with a good but short track record that we’ll no doubt see some expounding upon throughout his five-album record deal with Atlantic Records.
In other music news…
Son Lux shared the second single from his forthcoming album Lanterns, and this is some tension-filled shit with that jarring bari sax, minimal piano, and creepy claps. It sounds anything but easy, but it’s pretty hypnotic.
Toronto heavy art rockers Weaves got a mention and a tune put on Mixtape 34, and they’re back on for their latest release “Take a Dip.” They also played CMJ, so there will probably be even more words on them to come.
The Slims are a soul duo from Gainesville, FL (which has sadly been off my radar for years), and that’s about all I know. There isn’t much to go on with these guys, except they have many other names they go by for other projects, but this song caught me so I had to stop and throw them on the mix in the face of their mystery.
Tape Deck Mountain has a new single “Half Life” and it’s on-point shoegaze.
Coastal Cities’ new single “Summer Reign” is a little after the season, but a nice twilight reflection.
The four members of Absolutely Free are 4/5 of MM/DD/YYY from Toronto, and their new endeavor is like an extension of their old project but with a more hypnotic groove that integrates analog electronics, African polyrhythms, psychedelia, Bollywood and Krautrock.
Brooklyn’s Swear and Shake is kind of nailing the indie folk sound right now that makes people happy – think the jangly fun of Edward Sharp, etc. They recently premiered their video for “Brother,” and they have a sophomore album to look out for.
Nashville is feeling like it lives more and more up to it’s name of being the city of music, now that so many good bands of all different genres are breaking out. Now when people say,’ oh it’s just country,’ nuh uh it ain’t – take a listen to Sol Cat’s new jam “Keep Your Heat” and then come talk to me.
Atlanta garage rockers The Coathangers have a name that is admittedly quite crude (for an all girl band), but they have nothing to apologize about musically. New single “Adderall” is off their 7 inch split with Audacity, and they’ve also announced a tour with Guitar Wolf.
Finally, The Dig have a new single off a new EP. They just always hit me in a good spot. Their real life wooziness goes down so easy.
Tracklist:
The Julie Ruin – “Oh Come On”
The Coathangers – “Adderall”
Weaves – “Take a Dip”
The Last Internationale – “Gypsy Woman”
Swear and Shake – “Brother”
Coastal Cities – “Summer Reign”
The Dig – “You and I Lost Control”
Vance Joy – “Riptide”
Sol Cat – ““Keep Your Heat”
The Slims – “Tastemaker”
Son Lux – “Easy”
Tape Deck Mountain – “Half Life”
Absolutely Free – “Clothed Woman, Sitting”
