Category: Single Of The Week

Single Of The Week: SNIPERS by blackgirlsaremagic

This week’s Single of the Week is an intense one. It comes from Oakland’s very own blackgirlsaregood. The nom de plume of local multimedia artist and author Nick Lovett. The song is a dark, sweeping piece about police activity during the recent wave of Black Lives Matter protests. This one is specifically calling out the presence of snipers during peaceful marches. It’s a chilling, vital piece.

You can download this track from blackgirlsaregood’s Bandcamp page. And, since today is Juneteenth, Bandcamp is donating 100% of their portion of the proceeds to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. So buy a bunch of blackgirldaregood music, or any indie music you have been thinking of picking up. 

Single Of The Week: Back For More by Kat Meoz

This week’s single of the week comes from Venezuelan-American Singer/Songwriter Kat Meoz. “Back For More” is an exhilarating blend pop beats with heavy as fuck guitars, calling to mind Sleigh Bells in many ways. Only she has more than a hint of dirty, bluesy swagger. Imagine if Jon Spencer Blues Explosion worked with an 808, and then upped the dirty/sexy thing by like 100 degrees. That’s what Kat Meoz is giving with this track, and it’s EXACTLY what I needed to hear this week. 

“Back For More” can be found in all the usual places. Expect to hear a lot more from her later this year!

Single of the Week: Someone’s Lost Their Goddamn Wallet by MAITA

MAITA is a band from Portland, Oregon that’s fronted by singer/songwriter Maria Maita-Keppeler. “Someone’s Lost Their Goddam Wallet” is the second single to drop off their debut record, Best Wishes. It’s a fun little number that’s great for dancing around to, but also reminds you that parties and such might not be as fun as you recall. Especially when throwing a party is suddenly the deadliest thing on Earth, next to going to work in an office or choir practice at church. It’s exactly what I needed to help deal with the norms of now. 

Best Wishes is out NOW on Kill Rock Stars, and it’s FANTASTIC. You should buy it TODAY on Bandcamp, because not only is Bandcamp not taking a commission on sales today, but Kill Rock Stars is donating 20% of all sales to community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizations through ActBlue. So buy a few records today, actually. Pick up the Elliot Smith, Marnie Stern, Deerhoof, and many other great Kill Rock Stars releases that you should already own but don’t. 

Oh, and if you either forget to buy stuff today, or you want to split your purchases, on Juneteenth (June 19th), Bandcamp is donating their proceeds to NAACP Action Fund. 

Single of the Week: New Mood / LPX

I’m desperate for exhilarating music these days. Every bit of information out there is draining the soul, and some days it feels like we will never have good news. One of the few things that has turned that around for me lately is the latest single from LPX, “New Mood.” This song is ferocious. This song is angry. This song is also optimistic and perky has hell. This is one of those songs that forces you to take whatever is hurting your reality (which is the pandemic that’s hurting EVERYONE IN THE WORLD), and forces you to squash that and take your life back over. This song is vital listening for anyone that needs to escape the hell of now and get motivated to live. 

God bless you, LPX. 

“New Mood” is the first single off LPX’s upcoming, as yet untitled EP, due out this Summer. You can listen / buy this track here, and don’t forget to follow her on Twitter and Instagram to get up to do info on preordering what may be the soundtrack to your Summer. 

Single of the Week: Is The Season For New Incarnations by Brigid Dawson at The Mothers Network

Brigid Dawson spent years as part of San Francisco’s Thee Oh Sees, providing additional percussion and haunting harmonies to counter the psychedelic assault going on in the foreground. When Thee Oh Sees frontman John Dwyer relocated to Los Angeles, he broke up the original band, leaving Dawson out of the mix, and kind of changing the color of the band a bit. Dawson and Dwyer reunited in 2017 to record a record under the name OCS called Memory Of A Cut Off Head, which, in my humble opinion, is the best Dwyer work since Coachwhips’ Bangers vs Fuckers. This record also brought Dawson’s voice into the foreground, really showing off her stunning chops. I’ve been waiting for Dawson to finally take the limelight, and we get to enjoy that today with our single of the week, “Is The Season For New Incarnations.” It’s a stunning, slow burning, psych number that spins around the brain in beautiful ways. I’ve listened to it at least 10 times today. 

“Is The Season For New Incarnations” is the lead track off Brigid Dawson & The Mothers Network’s debut record Ballet of Apes. This record can be streamed in all the usual places, and can be purchased at your local record store. Which, I might add, is likely to be open for curbside pickup, so please give them a call so you can grab this and other records today! 

Single Of The Week: Something by Avataria

Avataria is the alias of Niki Avataria, a musician from Philadelphia, PA. She’s been putting out excellent singles for a number of years now, but she’s been on a roll lately with fine EPs. “Something” is the first single off her forthcoming EP, Inside Out, due out June 5th. This is an anxious number that helps encapsulate that feeling of wanting all of this to be over and for us to make it through the chaos of today safe and sound. Is that the writer’s intent? I have no idea, but this song feels like a warm hug that both say, “I totally get what you are going through, and I want the same. And, you know what? I think we are actually going to be fine. It’s just tough right now, and it’s really hard to stay patient.” 

Inside Out can be preordered through Bandcamp, or if you are more of the “streaming” type, you can get your resave situated right here. 

Single Of The Week: crawling in my skin by Soccer Mommy

This week’s single of the week comes from Soccer Mommy! “crawling in my skin” is the most recent release from her stunning sophomore record, color theory. It’s a wonderful, mid tempo bouncer that’s a lovely antidote for our current times. As a companion video, instead of doing just one video, she’s released five videos as a “virtual tour” of five cities, featuring a performance at a landmark in each town, generated using 8-bit animation. I selected the “Austin” video for this post because I dearly miss getting to visit Austin. In the video, we see Soccer Mommy performing on the Congress Bridge, crossing the Colorado River looking onto Lady Bird Lake. The last time I crossed this bridge was leaving a Garth Brooks concert in 2017, and it always leaves me feeling warm inside. Sadly, I’ve never gotten to enjoy the bats that are featured in this clip. 

color theory is available for purchase or streaming in all the usual places. Might I recommend calling your local record store to see if they have curbside pick up or local, no contact delivery? Also, once touring is safe again, please make sure Soccer Mommy (or any of your favorite bands) have a place to play by signing National Independent Venue Associations’ petition to Congress to help give financial support to help our performance spaces be able to afford to reopen. 

Single Of The Week: Take Back The Radio by Katy J Pearson

I have an obsession with songs about music. I also have an obsession with big, bright songs that build into a crescendo of pure joy. “Take Back The Radio” by Katy J Pearson gives you both of these things. This is the song I most needed to hear today, the song I needed to motivate myself to make things, to get productive and make the best out of the situation that is the here and now. Pearson has the perfect Stevie Nicks quiver, backed by a wall of sound reminiscent of 00’s Flaming Lips, AIR, or Mellow. This song will be on repeat over your headphones as it is mine, too. 

“Take Back The Radio” is a stand alone single and can be streamed in all the usual places. You can also head over to Bandcamp to purchase any of her singles, or some Merch! Also, remember that Bandcamp is waiving their fees for all purchases today, as well as the first Friday of June and July this month, so every penny you spend goes straight to the performer. 

Single Of The Week: Hasta La Vista by Dream Wife

Dancing is super hard right now. I, personally, have had a hard time moving at all for the last six weeks. I’d never thought I’d be jealous of running errands, but I am. This track, “Hasta La Vista” by Dream Wife popped up in my inbox, and I put it on, and it helped me feel like I can remove myself from all the pain and suffering of the world right now, and just feel a warm, steady groove. This light and bouncy, bass driven groove calls to mind the brightest cuts from Erase Errata, with just enough of a pop sheen to feel like you can put it on for anyone, at anytime. 

“Hasta La Vista” is the second single off their forthcoming release So When You Gonna… which is coming out July 3rd. Preordering / Presaving can be done here. Also, since touring is out of the cards for a bit, Dream Wife have launched a podcast centering around amplifying womxn in music. You can stream the first episode of that here!

Singles Of The Week: forever by Charli XCX / Phenom by Thao and The Get Down Stay Down

 

I wanted to avoid any Singles Of The Week that were connected to the pandemic currently devastating the world. However, two singles dropped this week that bring the quarantine front and center. Those are “forever” by Charli XCX and “Phenom” by Thao and The Get Down Stay Down. Both songs are great, and both relevant for different reasons. Continue reading “Singles Of The Week: forever by Charli XCX / Phenom by Thao and The Get Down Stay Down”