I’ve read a LOT about Andrew St James over the past few years… He generated a bit of a following over the pandemic through his “delivery” shows, doing socially distanced, outdoor concerts in front of people’s homes, parks, and any place else he could. Now that life has returned, so has his semi-regular local music showcase/part, Fast Times. He’s also got a new record coming 11/12 called light after darkness. That record will be the home of our Single Of The Week, “Golden State.” It is a classic, Dylan-inspired country number. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a lazy weekend indoors during what will hopefully be a damp weekend in California. So fix yourself a hot toddy and watch the rain come down while streaming “Golden State” on whatever service you choose.
Category: Single Of The Week
Single Of The Week: “Las Panteras: by Los Bitchos
London’s Los Bitchos is an instrumental quartet that blends together surf, psych, funk along with the music of Uruguay and Turkey, creating a deliciously groovy sound reminiscent of Khruangbin. Only if Khruangbin decided not to take themselves quite so seriously… “Las Panteras” is their latest single, and not only is the song quite the jam, but the video is the best movie I’ve seen all year.
“Las Panteras” can be streamed in all the usual places. Their debut album, Let The Festivities Begin!, is heading your way on February 4th, 2022 and you can do that preorder/presave thing starting, well, now!
Single Of The Week: “Midnight Snacks” by Kelis
Did you know that Kelis’ “Milkshake” is 20 years old? It made me feel pretty ancient. Luckily Kelis isn’t very interested in wallowing in the demise of youth and instead embracing maturity. That’s where “Midnight Snacks” comes into play… It’s the spiritual sequel to “Milkshake,” still embracing the food metaphor, but a song that’s much more intimate, much more profound, much sexier than “Milkshake.” The groove is solid and sticks with you, right down to the intense, processed guitar solo that either winds you down or hypes you up, depending on what you need it to do.
You can enjoy “Midnight Snacks” in all the usual places. And if you want to take the song literally or need something to eat after taking the track for its symbolic meaning, Kelis is partnering with Bounty & Full to send you your own box of Midnight Snacks. And for those of you heading to Outside Lands, Kelis was *just* added, and she’s playing The House by Heineken on Saturday, October 30th. Yes, the same day as Lizzo.
Single Of The Week: “Somewhere They Cant Find Us” by Habibi
The literally ONLY good this to happen this decade so far is that New York’s Habibi has become one of the most prolific bands in rock. Just last week they gifted us with a covers EP, and this week they dropped a brand new original song, “Somewhere They Cant Find Us.” This one is a full-on booty shaker with some of the best skittering drums I’ve heard in a long time. This one is perfect for house parties, or when you need something to perk you up to get things done. It’s another piece of solid joy from one of the best-kept secrets in rock.
“Somewhere They Cant Find Us” is available now in all the usual spots. A physical 7″ is coming your way on October 29th, and you can preorder from Kill Rock Stars your choice of a pink (limited to 91 copies) or gold (limited to 500 copies) 7″ record!
Single Of The Week: “disappearing girl” by the aquadolls
I spend hours listening to tracks trying to find the perfect Single Of The Week for you. Sometimes I don’t make it more than 10-15 seconds. Other times I find myself repeating the song 10-15 times in a row. “disappearing girl” definitely falls into the latter. With every listen, I pick up on some other element that makes my heart do that bubbly warm thing when a song is just great. And this song has it all: a catchy chorus, disjointed rhythms and time changes, potent, emotive vocals that *almost* crack at the right moment, a fun video, a Sonic Youth reference. Jesus. It’s just SO GOOD!
“disappearing girl” can be enjoyed now in all of the usual places. I’ve since gone down a YouTube rabbit hole with the band. You should, too!
Single of the Week: “You Was Born To Die” by Adia Victoria (featuring Kyshona, Margo Price, & Jason Isbell)
You know your gonna get a real burner of a track when the video opens up with T-Bone Burnett riding in a vintage car. This song, off Adia Victoria’s latest full-length LP A Southern Gothic, which lands in stores and DSPs TODAY, is fierce and fiery. It’s classic southern blues, with that signature T-Bone Burnett spooky reverb and Adia Victoria’s potent vocal. If you are looking for a classic murder ballad when you need that hit of catharsis, this one is for you.
“You Was Born To Die” can be enjoyed in all the usual places, and don’t forget to grab A Southern Gothic!
Single Of The Week: “Party Anthem” by Sloppy Jane
I feel a tad guilty here… The name of this artist was the main reason I even sampled this track. (Yup. I don’t listen to every song people send me. I’m sorry.) Sloppy Jane is such a fun, clever name, and that means either it’s going to be terrible or brilliant. It turns out this track is brilliant, but not in the way I expected. “Party Anthem” is a fun, quirky song that definitely feels like it was written for a delightfully weird musical. It made my inner theater kid feel happy and alive and ready for rehearsal.
“Party Anthem” can be enjoyed in all of the usual places. Sloppy Jane, aka Haley Dahl’s debut full-length Madison is coming out on November 5th and can be pre-ordered / pre-saved here !
Single of the Week: “All This Love” by Destroy Boys
Destroy Boys are one of the great Oakland punk bands. A group whose pure, unadulterated energy consumes you and forces you into a manic dance. So, when I heard the first few notes of “All This Love,” I was initially put off. Why? Because it was a ballad. A BALLAD!!! You can’t mosh to a ballad! However, within about 15 seconds, Alexia Roditis’ voice creeps into your veins and grabs your heart, and squeezes it with a tender intensity. This ballad may be more ferocious than any of their more aggressive works. That’s why this is the single of the week. It may end up being the single of the year.
“All This Love” is the third single off Destroy Boys’ upcoming release Open Mouth, Open Heart, which is coming your way on October 8th. You can preorder / presave here.
Single Of The Week: “Money Honey” by Zelma Stone
There is something lovely about a song that takes a subtly builds up over a tight four minutes. “Money Honey” by Zelma Stone is one of those songs… It starts gentle, sparse, delicate. By the end, you find yourself bathed in the ferocity of layers of electric guitar. It’s a stunner of a track. One that sort of tricks you into a journey that you don’t know you’re taking, and I love it.
“Money Honey” can be found in all the usual places, depending on how you prefer to take in music. Stone’s latest full record, The Best, can be picked up at Bandcamp. And for those of you that feel good about indoor shows, our good friends at The Chapel (who have been killing it in the COVID safety department) will be presenting her alongside Andrew St James, French Cassettes, and more on Thursday, September 9th, as part of the first “in-person” Fast Times since February 2020. Tickets are available here!
Single Of The Week: “Quiet On Set” by Remi Wolf
There aren’t a lot of pure expressions of silliness these days. Remi Wolf gifted us with this enjoyable track that takes a throwback “new jack swing” groove over stream of consciousness musings making for the perfect antidote for the shitstorm that is this modern world. I kinda love fun for the sake of fun sometimes.
“Quiet On Set” is out now in all of the usual places. Remi’s debut album, Juno, is coming your way on October 15th and can be presaved/preordered here. Also she’s got a handful of fall tour dates that you still have time to vaxx up for so you can go!