Seven Songs From April So Far
It’s hard to believe we’re almost a quarter of the way through 2021. While I’m always obsessively listening to new music, April is historically one of my favorite months for discovering new stuff, as great tunes and the onset of nice weather are a perfect, mood-enhancing pair. I tend to lean towards the warm and radiant sounds of psych-pop in the spring, but this year, I found myself enjoying a range of genres including folk, post-punk, power pop, shoegaze, and more. Here are seven songs that caught my attention since the start of April:
The Natvral - “Runaway Jane”
Kip Berman of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart dropped his debut solo album Tethers earlier this month and it’s a nice mix of stripped-down intimate folk songs and more fleshed out, vibrant Dylan-goes-electric sounding tunes. “Runaway Jane” falls into the latter category, as it features some big and raw-sounding guitars, Kyle Forrester’s gorgeous organ tapestries, and Berman’s radiant vocals. His voice is definitely Dylan-esque on this track, particularly in the twangy way he enunciates “Jane,” which will almost certainly get you thinking about Highway 61 Revisited.
Tethers is out now and you can grab a copy via The Natvral’s site or Bandcamp.
Anastasia Coope - “Norma Ray”
The remarkable debut single from New York songwriter Anastasia Coope wound up in our inbox earlier this month and her eclectic brand of textured freak-folk really stood out from the pack. Think David Berman meets Animal Collective, but with the more classic folk stylings of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell lurking beneath the surface. Her voice and guitars are surrounded by layered, off-kilter harmonies, wails and howls, and a bit of harpsichord. It’s very reminiscent of Sung Tongs-era Animal Collective, so if you love the freaky, experimental folk of that record, then you’ll definitely fall for “Norma Ray.”
You can purchase the track on Bandcamp.
Kira Metcalf - “Hoax”
Kira Metcalf is a real musical force to be reckoned with, so I’m thrilled to see that she’s releasing new music in 2021. I still remember her full band set at Our Wicked Lady’s Winter Madness tournament last year, as Metcalf commanded the room (well, roof) with her infectious energy and presence. “Hoax” is her first new music since 2019’s “Cheap Kind,” and in hearing it, I’m reminded of that powerful performance. It showcases her dynamic and captivating brand of songwriting, as it ebbs and flows in intensity, but remains rather potent throughout. Its peaks will absolutely blow you out of the water and its sonic valleys of more muted riffs and thick bass tones only serve to make those high-energy moments all the more devastating.
You can purchase “Hoax” via Bandcamp. Metcalf’s next single, “Don’t Bite,” is out on April 30th.
Marjorine - “Salton Sea”
The debut single from the new project of New York’s Nicholas Comaratta combines the songwriter’s love of psychedelia, krautrock, and shoegaze. Comaratta started Marjorine with just that intention, and he absolutely nails a real sweet spot amongst all three on the project’s first effort. The song is immediately hypnotic and inviting, focusing on an oscillating guitar riff that eventually explodes at the end. The addition of synths give it a spacey feel and the track’s motorik beat introduces a dash of Krautrock without overpowering the other elements.
You can purchase “Salton Sea” via Bandcamp.
…Obviously - “Cake”
Though the latest track from London bedroom pop artist ...Obviously is called “Cake,” it’s not as sugary as its title suggests. In fact, it’s quite dark. Abigail de Haro, the songwriter behind the project, displays a strong grasp of some of the darker sides of lo-fi pop, as the swirl of electronics in the intro, the heavy guitars in the chorus, and her biting vocal delivery set an ominous tone. de Haro is a skilled lyricist, as she ties cake to manipulative and disingenuous behavior, and the song thrives on the resulting tension. Case in point, a clean solitary riff eventually takes complete control and leads the way to a dramatic conclusion, which is punctuated by the epic line “put the cake in the oven and fucking bake it.” Yeah.
You can purchase “Cake” via Bandcamp.
LAPÊCHE - “Night Witches”
“Night Witches”: Brooklyn post-punk outfit LAPÊCHE released their excellent second album, Blood In The Water, earlier this month and it's full of rivetingly melodic punk tunes. One of my favorite album cuts is the dark and brooding “Night Witches,” which turns the dial on the energy levels down a bit in order to wade in some murky waters. Amongst some chilling guitars, front person Krista Diem sings about the heroic World Word II female fighter pilots who bombed Nazis under the cover of night. They were known as Night Witches, hence the title. It’s in the early running for the official Look At My Records! anti-Nazi anthem of 2021. Fuck Nazis!
You can purchase a copy of Blood In The Water on vinyl via Bandcamp.
Ruby Bones - “Drink All Night”
I’m currently putting together a New Jersey-specific power pop playlist. So far, it has some legit Garden State legends on it like The Smithereens, Fountains of Wayne, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, and even though it’s a brand new tune, “Drink All Night” by Ruby Bones has definitely earned a spot amongst these big timers. This track has just the right amount of sugar in its guitar hooks, which are further sweetened by some shout-along-inducing, gang-styled harmonies. And while its lyrics are a bit on the sadder side, this song will definitely make you wanna put your arm around the closest fully vaccinated person and sing along while swigging some beers. Do it responsibly!
“Drink All Night” will appear on the band’s forthcoming album, Laser Tooth Tiger, which you can pre-order via Bandcamp.
