by Carly Schorman
Senior Editor
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El Sonida De Reposa
Ugh, if you aren’t already on the El Sonida De Reposa train, you might have really missed out. The band released Jupiter – Through Thorns, a limited edition lathe-cut 7″ single, at the end of January and it’s already completely sold-out! Thankfully, you still can get a hold of the digital version of this collection if you find yourself a little late to the game. “Jupiter” kicks off the 4-track single with some brooding, psychedelia-tinged, garage rock that will have you bouncing around in no time. Give “Jupiter” a listen, but you’re really going to want to delve the complete release (available here). This single is but a mere sample of the El Sonida De Reposa sound spectrum.
Dead Blonde Girlfriend
Joie Blaney of NYC’s Dead Blonde Girlfriend jumped coasts and reformatted DBG as a solo project. When “Letters Home” kicks off with a mellow (and somewhat melancholy) feel, don’t allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of peace. The energy gets turned up and then turned up again until you’re in a full on punk-rock rage of homesickness. Ambition is a good thing to have, but it can be a real trial to sacrifice some of one’s NOW for something as ambiguous as the future. Blaney, we feel you on this one. Give “Letters Home” from Dead Blonde Girlfriend a listen below.
French Girls
Back in 2016, French Girls offered up the single “Couples Skate” and now, almost exactly one year later, fans can get their grubby mitts on the newly released “G.F.” from the Phoenix 4-piece. The thing I like most about the French Girls’ sound is the DGAF attitude that comes through in the band’s often playful lyrics and the pop punk glaze French Girls smear over their rowdy garage rock sound. Both of those qualities come through in high shine on “G.F.” This track just might give you the extra bit of chutzpah you need close the door on that bad relationship. Or, if not, it will definitely add some kickass to your day. Give the single a spin below…
Knifey
Hey all my fellow desert dwellers, as it keeps getting hotter outside, let’s take a moment to remember that there are people who long for sunlight and the warmth it offers. The surf-punk rock of Knifey seems to have a little more angst than those sunny SoCal pop punk outfits. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that they reside in Toronto rather than, you know, Long Beach. “Tanlines” expresses a longing for sunshine, for cruising around in cars, and, ultimately, for winter’s end. The band describes the track as a “nostalgia-fueled chronicle of better, warmer – and more naked – times.” While many of us in Arizona might not really get this sentiment, we can follow it as a metaphor certainly. This single from Knifey dropped last week so it is freshy-fresh. Spin “Tanlines” below…
White Demons
White Demons recorded the songs for their latest LP back in 2015, but it was just this March that Bleed It Out hit audiences everywhere. “Humiliation” is an early favorite from the new album. The single packs a rocknroll punch: the kind that can rile up a packed house, whether bar- or arena-sized. White Demons continues the too-oft-overlooked musical tradition of rowdy rock bands like AC/DC and sound like they might set fire to the drums and spew whiskey at the audience. They won’t – they seem much too nice for such nonsense – but they have that sound down. Give “Humiliation” a listen below and then move on to the complete LP, Bleed It Out, available here.
Orange Drink
What to say about Orange Drink? Perhaps I should let him say it for himself: “Orange Drink is a one-man band created by Drew Fernando, who is a gay, vegetarian, straight edge, Sri Lankan-American in an intergenerational same-sex marriage, living in Wisconsin.” As Orange Drink, Fernando likes to experiment with different styles of music from punk to folk to dance and well beyond. “Horror” takes listeners through some primal screamo therapy for all our anxiety-driven aggression which plays over NYC-club-scene-style indie rock. It’s a fun combination for all that inner rage you might be carrying around with you. Orange Drink undertook a weekly-single-challenge so expect new music to keep coming from this Wisco artist. Check out “Horror” from Orange Drink below…
Girl in Synthesis
This London-based post punk trio released their debut single, “The Mound”, on March 17th and it looks like they’re coming out of the corner swinging. There’s a gritty dissonance that texturizes the aural landscape here, something a little apprehensive and very much NOW. And, from what I’ve heard, this band puts on quite the stellar live performance full of weird experimental noise permutations and plenty of feedback. If that sounds up your alley, Girl in Synthesis just might be for you. Give “The Mound” a listen below…
