Justus Proffit & Jay Som "Nothing’s Changed (Polyvinyl)"
If you like getting in on the ground floor when it comes to music, then the new EP Nothing’s Changed (Polyvinyl) from the pairing of Jay Som and Justus Proffit should tickle your every fancy (or at least the one fancy that I just mentioned). Hot off the heels of Jay Som’s debut Everybody Works last year, she is back-here paired with “rising singer-songwriter” Justus Proffit. This really is a bit of a hodgepodge, with the new artists entertaining every kind of idea they have. Country. Stefon would love this EP, because it has everything: Garage rock. Country-tinged stuff. Art-pop. That thing where you get low-sodium soup because you are feeling healthy that week and it just tastes like hot laundry water. Ok, minus the last thing its all true. So get to know this duo and check out the title track “Nothing’s Changed.”
The Restorations "LP5000 (Tiny Engines)"
You know the Restorations right? Anthemic heartland rock-and-roll replete with mile-wide riffs, psychedelic chooglin’, and so, so many guitars. Got the picture? Well now you should hear the music – from LP500000 the Restorations are a band on a mission – to rock as the everything around you falls apart. Glance at your phone and you mumble, ‘I hope he dies’/Yeah, I hope he dies, too” they sing on “Eye” and you hope they get over their hate of Kermit the frog (that is who it is about, right?). On “Non-believer” they tackle the age ol’ aging and rocking with lines like “can’t be doing this stupid shit no more”, but for the love of god, restorations have a lot of stupid shit to do-like keeping the rock alive. Check out the awesome anti-generification “Remains.”
Human Touch "Promise Not To Fall (Barsuk)"
So you heard “Promise Not To Fall” in 13 Reasons Why and now you want more? You sure do. Mixing downtempo Phantogram with Beach House Portland’s Human Touch are the perfect band to listen to while lamenting your return to school (be it high school, college, or Hebrew). Album highlight is the almost uptempo “Swan Song” featuring the oh so catchy refrain of “I’ve Gone Too Far”. Well as long as long as you’re talking eating a box of cookies and nothing else we are good to go. Dig into the delicious “Living Young” and “Save You” and don’t worry Christmas break is just around the corner.
SUMAC "Love In Shadow (Thrill Jockey)"
Across the four songs (each one over 15 minutes long) on the new Sumac LP Love In Shadow (Thrill Jockey), the trio sings about spiritual love. At least, that’s what the press release says about it. SUMAC’s hardcore-esque vocals have never been the easiest to discern. But does that matter? No really. Not when their thrash metal interplay is this tight and this much fun. So get ready to bash your head and break some stuff, all in the name of love. Check out the brutal beauty of “Attis’ Blade.”