Category: New Music Picks

Ben Harper – “Uneven Days” [single] – singer-songwriter

On his latest single, Ben Harper’s skill as a singer-songwriter is undeniable. “Uneven Days” is a masterpiece that shows Harper’s artistry through his ability to open up and be vulnerable with his audience. It begins with ethereal ambient noise, but quickly grows into a more tangible and real sound when Harper comes in with piano. Harper shines with this simple instrumentation as his melodies in the chorus work to highlight the word “uneven” in a way that makes listeners feel, well, uneven. Adding new layers each section, “Uneven Days” tells a musical story that gives listeners something new at every turn. Give it a listen below!

Continue reading “Kelsey’s Prime Slices of the Week (7/22-7/26): Ben Harper, Malou Beauvoir”

Palace – “Running Wild” [single] – indie rock

Palace’s new single “Running Wild” has everything a fan of indie rock could want in a song and more. Ambient electric guitars, the bright tones of a snare drum, and vivd lyrics create an introspective and thoughtful atmosphere. The best part of the song, however, isn’t any individual part – it’s the combination of all of the parts. It’s easy to hear the musicians playing off of one another, and it’s easy to tell they’re all having a great time while doing so. You feel like you’re a member of the band listening to it, and their musicianship creates such a fun listening experience. There’s so much to be said about Palace’s artistry and “Running Wild,” but there’s nothing like hearing it for yourself. Check it out below!

Continue reading “Kelsey’s Prime Slices of the Week (7/15-7/19): Palace, Wildlife”

Sweet Crisis – “Black Magic” [single] – rock

Sweet Crisis’ new single “Black Magic” is a hit-in-waiting that pays homage to the good old days of classic rock. It’s hard not to nod along to the multiple layers of electric guitar (including a layer of slide!) and the strong drum beat. Lead vocalist Leo Robarts’ voice ties the group’s sound together perfectly as he sings about love being like black magic. On top of all of this wonderful music, Sweet Crisis treats us to not one, but two solos! There’s not much else to say about this rock masterpiece. Give “Black Magic” a listen below to experience Sweet Crisis’ classic rock vibes for yourself!

Continue reading “Kelsey’s Prime Slices of the Week (7/8-7/12): Sweet Crisis, Leif Vollebekk”

Surf Curse – “Disco” [single] – (indie pop)

With the new single “Disco,” musical duo Surf Curse manages to put a modern spin on the idea of disco, while still maintaining the original upbeat aspects of the disco era. “Disco” is a wonderfully dance-worthy song that draws on the lighthearted aspects of the indie pop genre – clean guitars and energizing drumbeats. Light music and simple lyrics come together to create a track that one can easily sing along with or dance to. Why not both though?  Listen to “Disco” below!

Continue reading “Kelsey’s Prime Slices of the Week (7/1-7/5): Surf Curse, Run River North”

Aron Blom “King Kong” [single] – indie pop

Aron Blom is an artist with a distinct and beautiful voice that you’ll want to sit and listen to all day long. His new single “King Kong” shows off his smooth voice, as well as some great production. The song takes listeners on a musical journey as multiple layers come together seamlessly to give them exactly what they want, without being predictable. It starts with simple instrumentation that focuses on a guitar line and Blom’s voice, and quickly grows into a musical masterpiece that’ll make you want to dance. It even has a brass-y surprise for you at the end! I cannot recommend this single enough – check it out below!

Continue reading “Kelsey’s Prime Slices of the Week (6/17-6/21): Aron Blom, Esther Rose”

Boy & Bear – “Hold Your Nerve” [single] – indie folk rock

Boy & Bear was a new find for me this week, and I am so happy to have found them! Their single “Hold Your Nerve” creates a wonderfully refreshing and lovable sound within the indie folk genre. From clean guitar lines and relatable lyrics to a catchy chorus, you’ll play their new single on repeat. Boy & Bear is easy listening for whatever mood you’re in – check out “Hold Your Nerve” below!

Continue reading “Kelsey’s Prime Slices of the Week (6/10-6/14): Boy & Bear, Hatchie”

The Psychotic Monks – Private Meaning First – post-punk

Starting my prime slices with one of my all-time favorite bands: The Psychotic Monks. A French post-punk noise band with aspects of ambiance and ethereal moods, quartet Psychotic Monks have released their record Private Meaning First. The record that cradles you with hypnotic rhythms and sounds from an ethereal place. Private Meaning First, their second record, following Silence Slowly And Madly Shines, takes you through a journey that rattles you in your seat, with high quality guitar tones and production. It’s very hard to stray away from this band once you experience their art; it grabs you by the neck and pulls you in.

What I love most about this band is that they have mastered the art of “taming the chaos.” With sounds that are only created with psychotic minds, this group of four has mixed the perfect amount of structure with madness to pull even the average Joe into their cryptic sound. I hope to see them live in the future, but for now they are only playing shows in their homeland, France.

Continue reading “Liv’s Prime Slices of the Week (5/4-5/10): The Psychotic Monks, Nots”

A. Swayze & The Ghosts – “Reciprocation” [single] – (indie punk rock)

I actually heard this song a few weeks ago but didn’t fall in love with it until now. This song plays for a whopping ten minutes but in no way does it feel like it. Even though the song is fairly simple in structure, it really feels necessary that it goes on as long as it does. The vocals and words over the beginning feel so perfect and natural that I’m begging to know where this band has been before now. Over the span of the song the singer starts out as calm and seems to be driven further and further into insanity by a dead relationship. The recording is very raw and it more sounds like they’re playing a show than anything. The ending really gets me with the repetition of “Why am I Waiting for you?” and I think it sums up the song perfectly. Please check this band out.

Continue reading “Curtis’ Prime Slices Of The Week (5/4-5/10): A. Swayze & the Ghosts, Mavis Staples”

Nate Mercereau – “Joy Techniques” [single] – (acid synth jazz)

“Joy Techniques” is first release by multi-instrumentalist and producer Nate Mercereau. Nate has been involved in dozens of projects in the past few years, including Logic’s The Incredible True Story, Kesha’s Rainbow, and even Lizzo’s CUZ I LOVE YOU. For the amount of work he’s done in the past couple of years it’s strange it took him this long to release something of his own. The song is so hyper, it’s hard to keep track of what’s going on sometimes. The ongoing synth at the start gives me strong Once In A Lifetime vibes but the whole thing is like a pumped up BadBadNotGood. It seems more like a jam than a coherent song but he makes a point of having distinct sections using dynamics. The musicianship is absolutely stunning and I’m sure Nate knew exactly who to call. Check this out!

Continue reading “Curtis’ Prime Slices of the Week (4/28 – 5/3): Nate Mercereau, Odonis Odonis”

Wand – Laughing Matter – psych rock

The band Wand releases their album Laughing Matter and it is a haunting collection of songs that is marked by the confidence and fervor of a band that has grown together throughout the years of dedicated jamming, recording, and touring across the world. Having already released four records, Laughing Matter takes an obvious turn with the more ambient and synthetic songs. Yet it’s still keen to their hand-crafted rock ‘n’ roll sound they have so meticulously crafted, creating a different atmosphere that highlights the changes this band has gone through. My favorite tracks off the album are “Scarecrow” and “Wonder.” “Scarecrow” starts the album with their classic psych rock feel, but infused with sounds of Radiohead, giving it an unworldly sound. “Wonder” starts out with a heavy distorted guitar, giving it that gritty rock texture, with a powerful melody, reminds me I’m listening to true rock stars. Wand says, “Laughing Matter is a record about love in a time of terror; it calls you down from panic room labyrinths, to work the deep tissue of unraveling trauma we all carry so dear.”

Continue reading “Liv’s Prime Slices (4/20 – 4/26): Wand, Amyl and The Sniffers”