[SONG OF THE DAY] KINGSWOOD - "Messed It Up"

So fun true story, on Tuesday night at the opening night party of Mondo.NYC I was on the rooftop of The Delancey and I caught the eye of a tall gentleman who I could tell was trying to place how he knew my face. Suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Below is the hilarious recreation of the moments that transpired after:

Me: “I KNOW YOU! I’VE INTERVIEWED YOU!”

Him: *heavy Australian accent* “YES!”

Me: *brain goes into overdrive* “YOU’RE IN KINGSWOOD OH MY GOD MOTHER FUCKING KINGSWOOD IS BACK IN NYC HOLY SHIT”

Him aka Alex Laska (guitarist, Kingswood): “YES! AHHHH!”

*hugs all around to Fergus and Braiden and briefly catch up*

For those just tuning in, during CMJ 2015 I chatted with these awesome Aussies about the singles that were the beginning stages of releasing their debut album, Microscopic Wars, in the US. Since then the four-piece released their follow up last year, After Hours, Close To Dawn, and are now gearing up for album number three(!). The band is kicking things off for the forthcoming album with a new single, “Messed It Up”, a song that centers around the story of a relationship fracturing following a series of avoidable mistakes that seemed necessary at the time and where to go when it seems as though there's no way back. This is a different kind of vibe for the band, self-described by Laska as, “fucking Thriller vibes”. We love. 💖

I won’t be able to make it out to their set tonight (10/4) at Pianos (who now charges 10 DOLLARS for their margs when it’s not happy hour what the actual fuck), but I was informed that tomorrow (10/5) the dope ass dudes will be playing at a free show at Freehold in Williamsburg so I will be at that one plotting my inevitable move to Australia muahahaha.

Okay I just ignored an entire panel I g2g ttyl!

KINGSWOOD NYC SHOWS

10/4 @ 7pm - Pianos

10/5 @ 10pm - Freehold

[SONG OF THE DAY] Methyl Ethel - "Scream Whole"

It feels only fitting that I get to excited share during music + tech conference MondoNYC (which is supposed to replace the void in my chest that CMJ left) that Methyl Ethel is working on more new music! Singer Jake Webb is not one to stop writing and apparently the second that their last record, Everything Is Forgotten, was out across the interwebs that he took almost no time to start writing again. As he told ABC Australia, "It helps with the album anxiety, because it's like, 'that's not it'. I've got a few demos that I can be really excited about."

This latest song, “Scream Whole”, is another hypnotic number from the group, although this time they incorporate more synths than the usual guitar stylings. The song will be on their upcoming third album that will be out early next year. As of today Webb isn’t allowed to reveal a name of the album either, but you can rest assured knowing I will of course report back when I have an update on that.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Art Brut - "Hospital!"

omfg Art Brut is back 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I really wish I had recorded my reaction when I saw the email that started with “ART BRUT ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM” because I’m pretty sure I looked like I was having a seizure, which is fitting because the newest single from the forthcoming album, Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out!, is called “Hospital!”. The song details singer Eddie Argos’ reaction to being in a German hospital for almost a full month after having a surgery that had a few complications.

"The only thing that kept me sane was the mantra that eventually became this song,” Argos said. “Every single lyric was written and repeated over and over again as I suffered numerous indignities. Songwriting is something I've always used to alleviate stress and on this occasion I really tested it to its limits. What I am most impressed by is that even when I'm at death’s door and pumped full of morphine, staggering around and collapsing all the time, I can still write a comical call-and-response backing vocal to amuse myself.”

As a longtime fan since the Bang Bang Rock & Roll days I am very glad to hear that said ordeal is three years behind Argos, although I’m not sure to what extent we should be concerned that he playfully added, “I've broken all the promises I make to myself in this song.”

It’s been 7 YEARS since the London rockers released their last studio full length, Brilliant! Tragic! so my near seizure-like reaction was the appropriate response. Fortunately we don’t have to wait too terribly long for Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out!. It drops on November 23rd.

In addition to the album announcement, you lucky folks across the pond get to see the band live as early as November 7th. No word on US/North American dates yet but I’m sure those are coming, too.

Oh oh and there’s a music video for the song starring “Eggy Argos” (lol) that’s super cute and worth a watch too!

Art Brut Live Dates:

11/7/18 LONDON, U.K. BOSTON MUSIC ROOMS *SOLD OUT*

1/17/19 LONDON, U.K. GARAGE

2/15/19 BIRMINGHAM, U.K. HARE AND HOUNDS

2/16/19 BRISTOL, U.K. THE EXCHANGE

2/17/19 CARDIFF, U.K. THE GLOBE

2/18/19 OXFORD, U.K. THE BULLINGDON

2/19/19 LIVERPOOL, U.K. PHASE ONE

2/20/19 EDINBURGH, U.K. SNEAKY PETE’S

2/21/19 GLASGOW, U.K. STEREO

2/22/19 MANCHESTER, U.K. YES

2/23/19 BRIGHTON, U.K. THE HAUNT

3/2/19 SOUTHAMPTON, U.K. THE JOINERS

3/3/19 GUILDFORD, U.K. BOILEROOM

[SONG OF THE DAY] Whethan (feat. Honne) - "Radar"

As if Chicago’s Whethan couldn’t be any more of one of my new favorites, he goes and collabs with my HONNE hunnies for his latest track, “Radar”, resulting in vibes that make you feel like you’re getting serenaded to at a rave in the best possible way. HONNE already has what it takes to keep your hips constantly shaking, but then you factor in Whethan’s signature wonky wobbles and heavy bass into the mix, resulting in your body suddenly being unable to sit still for 3 minutes and change. It’s a shame this came out literally at the end of the summer because this song was built for dancing on rooftops until the sun goes down.

“Radar” comes from Whethan’s forthcoming project Life Of A Wallflower Vol. 1. In the spirit of celebrating this project, Whethan has hit the road making the rounds in the US through the end of October. Dates and more info below!

“LIFE OF A WALLFLOWER” TOUR DATES

For more information: http://lifeofawallflower.whethan.com/

Sept 25 – Boston, MA @ Royale

Sept 26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel

Sept 27 – New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place

Sept 28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall

Sept 29 – Columbus, OH @ Skully's

Oct 2 – Urbana, IL @ Canopy Club

Oct 3 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre

Oct 4 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee

Oct 5 – Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall

Oct 6 – Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall

Oct 7 – Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theatre

Oct 9 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre

Oct 12 – Seattle, WI @ Showbox SoDo

Oct 13 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom

Oct 14 – Portland, ME @ Wonder Ballroom

Oct 16 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ Fremont Theater

Oct 17 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst Club

Oct 18 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre

Oct 19 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory

Oct 20 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo

Oct 21 – San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park

Oct 27 – Honolulu, HI @ The Republik

[SONG OF THE DAY] NAO - "Drive & Disconnect"

After recently dropping songs like “Another Lifetime”, Mura Masa collab “Complicated”, and “Make It Out Alive” (featuring SiR), London songstress NAO has unveiled the name of her upcoming sophomore album, Saturn, along with with a new track, “Drive And Disconnect”.

Per Dork, NAO released a statement (that clearly I didn’t get lol) with an explanation behind the name of the album,

“My friends kept telling me about the term ‘Saturn Returns’. It’s this idea that Saturn takes 29 years to orbit from when you’re born and it is the planet of blessings and growth. So by the time you’re around 29, between 27 and 32, something big happens in your life. It’s like waking up and coming of age, like: ‘I’ve been going through my twenties and what have I been doing in this relationship?’ What have I been doing in this job?’ You start to rethink everything - old stuff that your parents taught you or ideas that you believed in. It’s like a complete shedding of skin and it can be painful.”

Following Saturn dropping on October 26th, NAO will be hitting the road in North America starting in January alongside Xavier Omär. Tickets are available now over on her website.

tickets available over on her website.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Roosevelt - "Shadows"

Earlier today Cologne based synth-pop artist Roosevelt unveiled the video for his latest single, “Shadows”, a song about past love. “A long-lost companion; someone that you were close to in the past, someone that still haunts you, that you can't get out of your head,” says Marius Lauber of the song’s inspiration. The song comes from his forthcoming sophomore album, Young Romance, which is out on September 28th courtesy of City Slang / Greco-Roman.

I’m not normally into music videos very much, but it’s been a long time since I watched one and thought, “oh no it me”. Basically the premise of the video is a woman is at a pool party and the entire time she’s distracted from her date because she’s staring down Marius Lauber behind a Wurlizter the entire time. While I’m not exclusively into crushing on musicians, being really creative just makes crushes cuter for some reason, right? Back me up here!

Anyway, as can be expected given how fuckin smooove Roosevelt jams are, he’s added a 2nd show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 3rd by popular demand. Best know I’ll be there but I don’t like dancing by myself so you better come out! If you’re not in NYC, his headlining tour kicks off on October 21st in Copenhagen before making his way to North America in December.

Roosevelt 2018 Tour Dates:

10/21 - Copenhagen, DE @ Pumpehuset

10/22 - Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefährlich

10/23 - Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall

10/24 - Berlin, DE @ Astra

10/25 - Munich, DE @ Muffathalle

10/27 - Vienna, AU @ Flex

10/28 - Zurich, SWI @ Mascotte

10/30 - Milan, IT @ Ohibo

11/02 - Aimens, FR @ La Lune Des Pirates

11/03 - Bordeaux, FR @ Iboat

11/04 - Brussels, BE @ AB Club

11/06 - Paris, FR @ Gaîté Lyrique

11/08 - London, UK @ Oval Space

11/09 - Manchester, UK @ YES

11/16 - Madrid, ES @ Sala Gotham

11/17 - Barcelona, ES @ Razzmatazz 2

11/21 - Nijmengen, NL @ Doornroosje

11/22 - Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg

12/03 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

12/04 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

12/05 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry

12/06 - Washington, DC @ U Hall

12/07 - Boston, MA @ Middle East

12/09 - Montreal, QC @ Belmont

12/10 - Toronto, ON @ Mod Club

12/12 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge

12/14 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teregram Ballroom

12/15 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room

12/16 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar

12/18 - San Francisco, CA @ August Hall

12/20 - Portland, OR @ Holocene

12/21 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos

[SONG OF THE DAY] SAKIMA - "Holy Water"

photo credit: Anna Partington

Our first taste of SAKIMA’s upcoming full length, Project Peach, dropped yesterday, which means your Saturday is about to get hella sexy. In true SAKIMA fashion, “Holy Water” is a come-to-Jesus (heh) moment between lovers. It’s a beautiful moment of vulnerability all the while maintaining a sense of self-worth. You can’t be more up front with someone than saying, “So if you make me love you like I think you are then boy, I’m fucking sacred, better treat me like I’m holy water”. Even though I’m of the opinion that SAKIMA could sing the phonebook and I’d be on board with it, if this level of intimacy is what we’ll be getting for this upcoming album, it’s going to be just peachy.  🍑

[SONG OF THE DAY] St. Lucia - "Bigger"

Even though I’m in bed battling what feels like it could be a cold my heart is so full today.

You guys, last night I finally got to see St. Lucia live! 😍🙏🏻💖✨

Unbeknownst to me, I am apparently amongst the top listeners of St. Lucia on Spotify. Jokes on them, because I’m just now looking at my #data on Last.fm and based on the time period that I listened to them most I probably listened to them the most on Rdio (RIP) than I have on Spotify. At any rate, I got invited to a #SpotifyFansFirst event last night where they played their upcoming album, Hyperion, in the background while we snacked and drank for a bit and then played a set full of old favorites and newer nuggets we will be obsessing over in the coming weeks.

Of all the new tracks they played, “Bigger” (which dropped last week) by far encompasses everything that I have grown to love about this band in the past 7 years. There’s something so undeniably heartwarming about Jean Grobler’s voice on it’s own, but the music itself is always ethereal and expansive, as if it were impossible to contain the notes because they just dissipate into the atmosphere. When you factor in the genuinely heartfelt lyrics on this song, well, “Bigger” is just one of those songs that when you hear it you’re briefly concerned that your heart might float out of your chest.

It was truly a magical night and playful streaming-related shade aside I’m very grateful that Spotify facilitated me being able to see one of my favorite bands.

Hyperion drops next Friday (September 21st) as does their extensive tour starting at the Pier 17 rooftop here in NYC. You can see the full routing for their tour over on their website.