Majeure "Apex"
Drums? Check! Synths? Check! Promo spiel from the band that sums this record up best? Check! Majeure combines the dark Moog-driven film scores of Vangelis with the relentless drive of Can and the transcendent minimalism of Steve Reich and Philip Glass. The brilliant mix of live and electronic rhythms is the heart and soul of Majeure’s music, which has a funny way of making time either speed up or stop entirely. So if you ever wondered what Phil Collins would sound like if he drummed for early Hawkwind, have i got a record for you! Check out “A Few More Pieces Of Eight.”
OUT "Swim Buddies"
Swim Buddies (Comedy Minus One) is the rocking, anthemic full-length debut from Kalamazoo, MI’s OUT. Shifting from pop-punk to ‘90s college radio seemingly on a dime, it’s pretty obvious that the mates part of bandmates comes first. OUT had a BLAST making this record, and you can hear it in every tune. Thick, Built To Spill-esque chunky guitars, a Teenage Fanclub ear for melodies, and a coat of flaxen gold. Ok, I made the last one up. At least I think I did? I haven’t seen them live yet, so I can’t say for sure anything about their coat. But I do know that hot damn, I love this record. Vital and modern with a touch of throwback indie? Yeah, that’s for me. Check out the Perfect From Now On vibes of “Dance, Like.”
The New Up "Tiny Mirrors"
If edgy electro-pop is you favorite thing, then make room in your t-shirt drawer for a series of shirts featuring your new favorite band, The New Up. Tiny Mirrors, their newest album, finds the duo of Noah Reid and ES Pitcher teaming up with producer Jack Fronst, who encouraged the band to bring more electronic elements into their garage vibe. The result is a combination of new wave, stadium sized rock, jangly power-pop, and vibe-y garage rock. Check out the driving fury of “Black Swan.”
Black Joe Lewis "Backlash"
The good stuff. That’s what Black Joe Lewis plays (it’s also most likely all he listens to). His guitar-centric potpourri of garage rock, blues, soul, and funk is a music-lovers mishmash of all things rock and roll. From his evocative vocals to his blistering axe mastery, BJL knows how to get a party started. Songs are rounded out with vintage organs, horn hits, and bouncy beats. Backlash finds him sounding like a combination of Wilson Picket and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Like I said. The good stuff. Check out “PTP.”