Fascinations Grand Chorus "Presentations of Electrical Confectionary"
If you are in the mood for some vintage-leaning, throwback-y pop then you are in the mood for Jersey City’s own Fascinations Grand Chorus. Their latest, Presentations of Electrical Confectionary, is like a trip through early rock and roll, with some whimsy and modern flair thrown in for fun! Bouncy, harmonious, full of hooks and sing-a-long-able choruses, and shuffle-y Beatles-esque drums (anyone who doesn’t bow at the drum prowess of Ringo isn’t listening carefully enough if you ask me. That dude is a FANTASTIC drummer. Ok, I’ll step down from my Ringo soapbox). Check out the Beatlesque “Back Again.”
The Pop Group "Y (Mute)"
Even if you aren’t familiar with 1979’s album Y (Mute) from The Pop Group, you have been listening to is rebellious, experimental, discordant influence run through every aspect if independent music since its 1979 release (and chances are, you are familiar with at least the cover of the album). An auspicious debut album that received mixed reviews upon its release but grows in adulation with every passing year (kinda like The Gong Show Movie). So if you already love the album, then check out your favorite track at your leisure. If you are new to town. Welcome! The library is over there. The best market is over there. And the raucous, dangerous, dub-y “3 38” is this way!
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Mikal Cronin "Seeker (Merge)"
For his fourth full-length record, Mikal Cronin forwent the naming scheme of his last few releases and went with Seeker (Merge). Well, whatever he was seeking he found, as Seeker is the best thing Mikal has ever recorded. Joyous, slightly (and blissfully) ramshackle in the best possible way. With each release, he’s been pulling back the layers of garage-ness his earliest releases had, and Seeker is the most focus the always fantastic Mikal has ever had. Like a reborn jam-free, song forward Dead, or a Simple Songs era Jim O’Rourke-this is the sound of maturity and confidence without sacrificing fun or rock ’n’ roll. Look, dude’s got a bachelor’s degree in music and it shows. This is some fantastic songwriting. Ok, I’ll stop waxing poetically and let the songs do the rest of the talking. Check out the Tom Petty meets The Dead intro of the super-fun “Show Me.”
Great Grandpa "Four Of Arrows (Double Double Whammy)"
Look. We all know it. You want some rock in your life. Nay, you NEED some rock in your life. That’s why you are about to absolutely fall head over heels in love with the new Great Grandpa album. Four Of Arrows (Double Double Whammy) is everything you want it to be. Equal parts boisterous and emotional, loud and quiet. It’s like they took everything you love about ‘90s indie and mixed it up with everything you love about modern indie sounds-and threw in some choice sensitivity to really hit you in the feels. Then they mixed in just a hint of country music to leave the whole thing sounding fresh and unique. Check out the emotional ballad-esque vibes of “Mono no Aware