Salmone – “Swim”
This French act come on unexpected with the first listen. The way they craft a track – deliberately, with laid back flare, could almost be described as American. “Swim” is the first track the group wrote together and it showcases their easy going and jazzy style that blows past the expected genre. You could classify it as a little psych rock fused with bossa-nova, but it is more complex than that. We like it. We are not entirely sure why, but we do.
AVOID – “Father Centipede”
And now something completely different. We understand this one breaks from our normal covered styles, but man, listen to them. If you miss Linkin Park’s Chester at all, we think you will find some comfort in these young rockers. There is a lot to like about the act, regardless of genre preference. The guitars and metal drum fills are superb, while vocally it is undoubtedly hard rock, yet accessible to those who prefer to understand lyrics. This one hits on all the heavy rock cylinders.
Grizfolk – “Shaky in the Knees”
If you missed these guys the past few years as they rose to the public consciousness, then you are about to get another chance before they explode. Their sound is a definite next step in the new folk style, and treads ground similar to Edward Sharpe and the group. It is fun, catchy, and engaging. The piano flare has us tapping our work desks with magnificent fervor and abject joy. There are rare bands that are able to connect with a wide breath of audiences, but these guys make it look easy.
Tiny Deaths – “Always”
This dream pop duo are preparing to drop their second LP, which member Claire de Lune describes as a “youth anthem for the apocalypse.”The album explores adulthood and growing up in our peculiar culture we find ourselves. “It sounds like us, but we’ve grown. We’re comfortable enough with our identity and who we are that we could explore and take risks. I think we pushed ourselves out of our musical comfort zone a bit, and I also pulled lyrical inspiration from places I had never found it before. It’s 2018 and I think we’re all living in a different world in so many ways than we were when we made ‘Elegies.’ This record is a product of a time and place in a way that no record we’ve ever made has been. It’s very special to us.” It has a definite dreamy, yet grounded sound we dig and is hard to master within the crowded genre. The new album might just be a gem of an LP and the soundtrack for your summer.
