Dommengang "No Keys (Thrill Jockey)"
Oh man, do I like this new Dommengang record! No Keys (Thrill Jockey) is full of some jammy, throwback psych rock that wouldn’t be out of place on a comp of unknown psych bands from the ‘70s (if it wasn’t for the sonic fidelity that the future can afford a band). Recorded live in studio with minimal overdubs, this is the one baby. Groovy! Right on! Peace, man! Um… you get the idea. So dust off your love beads (how did they get so dirty anyway?) and polish your mood ring, because you are gonna need it. Bliss out to the righteous jam that is “Kudzu.”
Charly Bliss "Young Enough (Barsuk)"
I’m gonna assume that you, like a lot of people, fell under the Charly Bliss spell after their debut Guppy was released. Their ‘90s-esque candy-coated college radio sound was a breath of fresh air. Well, get ready to fall in love with their follow-up, Young Enough (Barsuk). Mixed into the Veruca Salt-esque sound of their original vibe is an unabashed pop slant. Are their still guitars? Yes. But are there synths? Yup. New wave-ish production? Uh huh. But what about Eva Hendrick’s singular vocal delivery? Front and center here. It’s like a combo of New Order, The Eurythmics, and The Breeders. Like the kids say, this record “slaps” (I’m so, so sorry. I feel so dirty now.) Check out the vibey “Capacity.”
Maps "Colours. Reflect. Time. Loss. (Mute)"
Wow. I’m not being colorful here or anything when I say this new Maps record is GORGEOUS! Lush, emotive, full of builds and drop-offs. Its got big moments and intimate moments, beautiful melodies, big orchestral production mixed with Maps’ electronic sounds he’s known for. Seriously. This one is a big winner. Its a little like Spirituality meets M83 mixed with Van Dyke Parks. Check out “Just Reflecting” and get ready to fall in with the whole damn thing.
She Keeps Bees "Kinship (Ba Da Bing!)"
Meditative. Contemplative. Hypnotic. These are all words that came to mind when listening to the new LP from She Keeps Bees (they are also words that come to mind when I watch a baseball game, but that is a story for another blurb). Kinship (Ba Da Bing!) leaves behind the distorted guitars of past albums and replaces them with oodles of strings, synths, organs, and groovy drum beats. Obviously, in touch with the surroundings of their upstate New York home, the band sings about nature, animals, love, loss, and everything in between. Howl along with “Coyote.”