Further Listening:

5. The Return Of This Twilight Is Nothing To Be Sad About

It’s been four long years since we heard from Glasgow’s arch-miserablists, The Twilight Sad. The band’s 2014 album, Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave, drew a list of plaudits as long as its title and was, in our opinion, the most confident and ambitious record the band had put together to date. This week, the band have returned with a triple whammy of good news, with tour dates in the Autumn, accompanied by the announcement of their signing to Rock Action Records, as well as a brand new single, I/m Not Here [missing face].

In many ways, I/m Not Here [missing face] picks up where Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave left off. Beginning with a distant siren like squeal, the drums arrive with a tremendous, electric energy, all visceral snare hits and rumbling toms. The track is a masterclass in the slow build; there’s almost a minute of build before James Graham’s inimitable voice even enters with the typically, emotionally loaded lyrics, “you’re too close for comfort, you’re too close to comfort me.” Throughout it’s a track which bristles with undetailed tension, the smothering lyrical content matched in the engulfing intensity of the music. While there’s no confirmation when, or even if, we’ll hear a new album from the band but on the evidence of I/m Not Here [missing face], there’s every reason to be very excited about where their music is headed next.

The Twilight Sad’s new music will be out soon on Rock Action Records. Click HERE for tour dates and more information on The Twilight Sad.

4. Fauvely Moves With The Tides

Fauvely is the musical moniker of hugely promising Chicago based songwriter, Sophie Brochu. Describing her music as, “deeply personal dream-pop”, Sophie came to the attention of many with her 2017 offering, Watch Me Overcomplicate This. This week, Fauvely has shared the first new music since that record, in the shape of the title track of her upcoming album, Tides.

The title of the record is a reference to Sophie’s hometown of Savannah, Georgia, her attempt to transport the listener to the city’s, “salty coast.” From the get-go it’s obvious that Fauvely’s music has evolved; it’s more intense, more driving, more confident than her previous offerings. Swirling Dirty Three-like violins collide with distorted guitars and primal, pounding beats, before Sophie’s classically American-folk tinged vocals enter. Lyrically it’s as brooding and intense as the most stormy of seascapes, it reflects on the power of youth to distort emotions, how a city and a person can at one time feel like a safe place, a shelter from the world’s problems, yet down the line they can become a negative, a lead balloon around your creativity and passion. Fauvely has previously shared stages with established acts like Ryley Walker, Stella Donnelly and Ultimate Painting; on this evidence that’s company she’s more than worthy of keeping.

Tides is out now, will the album of the same name to follow later this year. Click HERE for more information on Fauvely.

3. Join Team Callahan – Sunny Days Guaranteed

Now based out of Denver, Colorado, although originally from the sunny world of St Petersburg in Florida, Team Callahan are the husband and wife duo of Nick and Kathleen Arnal. The pair released their debut album back in 2015, and have spent the subsequent three years having a child, and simultaneously working on the follow-up, Dog Days, which is due out this summer.

This week the pair have shared the video to their new single, Sunny Days. The track is a vital piece of sun-drenched garage-pop, all clattering guitar chords and tumbling, primal drum beats, as Kathleen’s, Anna Burch-like vocal floats out atop the mix. Despite the sunny sounds, and title, Sunny Day is actually lyrically a darker and more interesting beast, “I got a heart that won’t behave, got a mind going to make me insane”, it seems to grapple with coping with another person who you can neither bear to be with or apart from. While now mainly a recording project due to the necessities of day jobs and child care, Team Callahan seem to have stumbled upon a sound that deserves far greater attention, who knows, maybe one day the hobby could become the day job.

Sunny Days is out now. Click HERE for more information on Team Callahan.

2. A Primo New Band For You

Hailing from the musical hot-bed of Melbourne, Primo are a trio who rather modestly describe their music as, “up-tempo, terse chorus and verse.” The bands buoyant and angular approach to music has found a natural home on London-label, Upset The Rhythm, home to the likes of Sauna Youth and Terry, and today marks the release of Primo’s debut album, Amici.

Ahead of the record coming out, the band have this week shared not one, but two new tracks from it in the shape of Ticking Of A List and City Stair. Ticking Off A List has an almost Undertones like stomp to its perfectly simplistic guitar line, and the lyrical celebration of the urban landscapes and the “fogginess to some beauty”. A City Stair is the more urgent of the pair, the opening guitar line strummed so rapidly it’s in danger of tumbling over itself, the whole things clings on to the run-away drum beat, as the lyrics are presented as short sharp images, like a fantastic looking slide show presented with limited context. They might on the surface keep things simple and minimal, yet in doing so they tap into something honest, inviting the listener to see the detail in everyday living, to look more closely as the world and music around you and see the truth that lies within it.

Amici is out today via Upset The Rhythm. Click HERE for more information on Primo.

1. Quick Take A Ride On Crush’s Chairoplane

Hailing from Graz in Austria, Crush formed almost three years ago, although with their classic take on indie-pop, you could believe they’d formed at almost any point in the last twenty years. The band recently released their excellent debut album, Sugarcoat and have this week shared the video to their latest single, Quicksand (Chairoplane).

The track seems to meld the rich, shimmering beauty of Beach House with the energetic indie-pop thrills of Expert Alterations or The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. Lyrically it’s an ode to not letting the world drag you down, a declaration that just because life can feel like quicksand pulling you under, sometimes you have to pick yourself up, and rush out into the sunshine. Like the best indie-pop, Crush possess the ability to transport you back to the days of youthful romantic exploration, with all it’s beautiful, crushing drama. They might name themselves after the least committal of lusts, however just a few listens to Crush might have you falling head-over-heels in love.

Sugarcoat is out now via Numavi Records. Click HERE for more information on Crush.

Header photo is Crush, shot by Gabriel Hyden – https://www.gabrielhyden.net