Welcome back to Top8 where we talk about music because talking about how doomed we are is kind of killing the vibe, tbh. Luckily there is a ton of great music we will get into this week.
I have had a surprisingly good week. I've always said that the best thing about Charleston is that you're allowed to leave. If you haven't done so in a while, I highly recommend it. I headed out to Huntington and hit the museum. There's a printmaking exhibition and I got to see a ton of amazing pieces. My friend and I were also able to eat and play games at The Peddler and go to a bookstore. Back when I had a car, I would go to Huntington at least once a month. I miss it.
Send your favorite places to flee Charleston for to wtsq.org/contact
Lung - The Mattress
Starting things off with new music from my dear friends in Lung. Their new album "The Swankeeper" drops on May 30th and I CANNOT WAIT. "The Mattress" is the lead single, and it absolutely rips. It never ceases to amaze me how diverse Lung's sound manages to be. You'd be forgiven for wondering if the well of imagination could begin to dry up for a duo who really only use three instruments – cello, vox, and drums. Nothing could be further from the case. This new track possesses all the things we all have always loved about Lung, while finding new depths and texture in the specific ways they are expressed. There's a metallic scream from the cello hook that begins and ends the track that is both catchy and jarring. Along the way, Kate and Daisy beat the absolute shit out of each and every one of us. One of the amazing things about Lung is that they can be as heavy as this but still find ways to be subtle and delicate. Lung just might be the best band left in the world and this is the only citation needed.
Heavy Lungs - Into The Fire
I wrote about Heavy Lungs a few editions back, but I decided that I had to again. The new album is called Caviar and it's awesome. Heavy Lungs can work up quite a frenzy of post-punk fury, but "Into The Fire" is my favorite from the new one because it goes a different direction. This is a slow, brooding menace of a track that would feel right at home played in a Twin Peaks episode. The whole album is great. Do not miss this.
Chime Oblivion - Neighborhood Dog
The dude from the Osees (John Dwyer) and the drummer from Bow Wow Wow and Adam and the Ants (David Barbarossa) made a new band and got a bunch of badasses to play on it. I don't know what I expected from this, but it wasn't for it to be a scorching No Wave revival. Think of Teenage Jesus and the Jerks or The Slits. There's actually a lot of influences here. You will definitely clock the Bow Wow Wow DNA, but there's also a fair bit of Roxy Music. Vocalist H.L. Nelly also sounds so much like Karen O that I mistook her for the YYY's singer. Comparisons aside, "Neighborhood Dog" just plain rocks.
Josephine Odhil - Lovers Lane
Josephine Odhil cribs a bit of Can's classic "Vitamin C" to create "Lovers Lane". I say that with love though. Odhil's new record "Monstera" is filled with the sort of crazy Krautrock beats and basslines that exist because of Can. The world needs more of this.
Turnstile - Never Enough
I missed this when it came out a couple weeks ago. I have no idea why. The Turnstile bit is to spin up some pretty, glossy vibe and then drop and kind of Kidz Bop hardcore guitar crunch on it. That's what they are doing on "Never Enough", and I love it.
Gloom East - Buzzkill
I loved this song from the moment the vocal started. "Buzzkill" is gloriously lo-fi emo/indie/punk/whatever. As far as I can tell, this is a duo. They are certainly making the most of it. This isn't crowded or overly complicated. It's just right.
Ezra Furman - Power of the Moon
New stuff coming from Ezra Furman is on its way and the lead single is "Power of the Moon." You'll think of The Velvet Underground's classic "Rock n' Roll" when you hear this. Furman is probably having more fun here than Lou Reed ever did. Furman is one of the best people in indie rock and really never gets the respect that she deserves. This album will be her tenth. To be honest, ten is probably too many albums for anyone to make. But if the album is as good as this single, it will be hard to complain about.
Greet Death - Country Girl
We almost made it through a Top8 without saying the S-word. Ah, yes, shoegaze, you gauzy, gossamer son of a bitch. We meet again. Anyway, this song is called "Country Girl" and it crunches when it should crunch, feeds back when it should feed back, and gets very hazy. Praise the lord.
And this week's extra innings, just a few other things I have been listening to.
Artie Shaw - Stardust
Aphex Twin - Rhubarb Orc. 19.53 Rev
The Karl Hendricks Trio - Orange Nehi
And a playlist with everything.
Thank you for reading and listening.
-emily