The weather is finally breaking with the humidity, but summer lovers may be sad to see the season hastily on its way. I am fully in the camp of Fall and Winter weather... and, by Winter, I mean, deep pounds of snow so you can make 'snow people and have cocoa,' -Winter. I absolutely love the colors and feels of both of these seasons, so I'm looking forward to the chillier weather and non-extreme middle season--!
We have some great new additions landing this Fall--I'm especially looking forward to live shows with our friends Good Grief when they are over in late August, as well as seeing The Garment District, Claud, and the Digable Planets live, and the E6 documentary. I'm currently reading Why Sinéad Matters by Allyson McCabe--we were lucky to catch the author along with a question and answer dialogue with Sadie Dupuis at Head House Books this past month. Sadie also read aloud some of her poems, from recent release, Cry Perfume, selected by Allyson, and our friend and artist Joe Castro brought along some fantastic prints of a recent Sinéad collage he had created.
Recent releases include the fabulous pop-preview to The Smashing Times who are releasing an album with K, plus the new DINERS release, Julee Cruise's post-humous reissue of Floating Into the Night! Plus, can't get over the new Claud album, Chastity Belt's 10-year treatment from Suicide Squeeze (has it been this long since it's debut?!), the latest Khruangbin live release featuring Men I Trust, Locate S,1, Holy Wave, HHBTM releases from The Wedding Present --24 Songs on triple vinyl(!), The Garment District, and so much more!
I have another pop-up coming up this August where I'll be posted up outside of International Groove Records in Newark, Delaware, on Sunday, August 20th (please come out and say Hello), and also happening at the end of August are the live dates to see Good Grief--see the tour poster, above (please also come out to support).
Have a listen to our newest releases and additions playlist, below, on Spotify:
1. Claud, "Supermodels," Cloud or Black LP (2023, Saddest Factory Records/Dead Oceans). Comes pressed on Cloud or Black vinyl variants.
Press: "Follow-up ‘Supermodels’ marks a noticeable maturing in Claud’s music. Here they maintain their signature stylistic simplicity while reaching new heights of refinement with more expansive production.
The heavier sounds of bass, guitar and drums compliment Claud’s smooth harmonies and sprinkle a good dose of catharsis amongst the heartbreak. The LP moves through songs like journal entries, articulating new challenges of love, loss and identity defining one’s early twenties. ‘Crumbs’ begins the record with it’s palpable intimacy and soft vocals, transitioning into the synth pop of ‘Wet’, to ‘Glass Wall’s’ uneasy groaning vocals and screeching guitar, and the Weezer-adjacent 90’s surf rock of ‘Paul Rudd’.
In a way Claud becomes a character, someone you would root for in an offbeat coming-of-age film. In another way, we know their sentiments are all too real. Claud’s ability to create earnest, anecdotal songs ensures ‘Supermodels’ is not just a queer-pop triumph but a universal one."--Clash Magazine
Listen--
A Good Thing: https://youtu.be/Oyz4Aodr8T4
Every F*cking Time: https://youtu.be/-b-_lnCBhC8
2. Night Beats, "RAJAN," Red Clay LP (2023, Suicide Squeeze).
Purchase: https://modernsoulrecordsco.com/collections/new-items/products/night-beats-rajan-red-clay-lp-2023
Press: "The world of Rajan may exist beneath a haze of mystique, but it's clear as ever that Blackwell has skillfully narrowed the focus of his artistic vision, bending and twisting it to new heights. Such large and lush production is an impressive feat from a one-man band, and it gives space for each song to meander freely: between styles, between eras, and along a thin line between sweet and sinister. Rajan successfully bridges vintage influences into the best of modern psychedelia, resulting in the most precise and mature Night Beats album to date. Perhaps the secret ingredient is just a little hot ghee."--Exclaim
"Rajan is the sound of an artist who delights in the purest sense of freedom. It’s an album to soundtrack hazy sunsets and star-lined night skies, to drift away on the mysterious and hypnotic sounds and rhythms. Blackwell has drawn on a multitude of influences to craft an album that immediately connects, a personal journey that we are given the pleasure of experiencing."--Louder Than War
Listen--
Hot Ghee: https://youtu.be/SvYnkbwI-VI
Nightmare: https://youtu.be/SNlQbA_aU18
3. Veps, "Oslo Park," Magenta LP (2023, Kanine Records).
Purchase: https://modernsoulrecordsco.com/collections/new-items/products/veps-oslo-park-magenta-lp-2023
Press: "Short, sweet, and sprightly, Oslo Park is more than enough evidence to believe that VEPS have a bright future ahead of them. While it might not always hit all of its marks perfectly, Oslo Park will be essential fodder for legions of indie rock fans on the lookout for the newest acts to rise out of the woodwork. Why can’t Norway be the epicentre of a new indie explosion?"--Far Out Mag (UK)
Listen--
No. 2: https://youtu.be/5vXNsFAhcMM
UFO: https://youtu.be/FtNbyoyEBPs
4. Shintaro Sakamoto, "Like A Fable," Clear LP (2023, Zelone Records).
Purchase: https://modernsoulrecordsco.com/collections/new-items/products/shintaro-sakamoto-like-a-fable
Press: "Like A Fable feels like an after-hours record in the best way—what you put on when the dancefloor has cleared but there’s still plenty of groove to be had before the throes of wee-hours doldrums set in. There’s a melancholic resignation that runs in a steady current throughout Like A Fable, owing to the circumstance of its recording, and evident in the feel of the music, though the song titles speak plenty for themselves (“You Still OK?,” “You Have Time But I Don’t,” “Sad Errand,” “The Whereabouts of Romance”). Like A Fable captures the feeling of having to make sense in the aftermath of so much that does not, when the only thing to do is to gather the familiar bits of what we love fondly and carry them into all the spaces we’ve yet to discover and realize for ourselves." J Annis, Aquarium Drunkard
"...song for song Like a Fable is one of Sakamoto's strongest albums, and the pleasure his music offers is especially welcome this time around."--AllMusic
"Shintaro Sakamoto is well established within his craft and sound. While Like A Fable clutches tightly to its bigger brother Love If Possible, its enjoyability doesn’t suffer. There is still enough steel guitar, reggae and funk to make anyone crave a piña colada on a beach while adding some variation here and there."--mxdwn
Listen--
Like A Fable: https://youtu.be/NIXKvE_eMyI
5. Bile Sister, “Living On The Edge” LP (2023, We Are Time). New stock, comes in a clear poly sleeve. Limited to 100 pressed.
Press: "For her big situationist trip, Bile Sister elaborates a tidal wave of ideas, summoning post-punk straight inherited from the 80's to rub shoulders with a chaotic modernity with hypnotic melodies.
The sounds come together on the top of a roller coaster, above which come to be grafted arrangements that are intriguing to say the least, a mixture of tribality and explosive everyday life, of leaping rhythms and ramshackle discoveries.
Elaborating colorful atmospheres with slippery deviations, Bile Sister has fun drawing songs full of surprises, where fun and reflection come together in unison, the time to make us switch to the camp of an activism for survival, more existential than ever. Bright."--Roland Torres, silenceandsound
Listen--
Real Dreams: https://youtu.be/SKEzIlHzhMI
Generation Steam: https://youtu.be/tHXfQR-LUhY
6. Locate S,1, "Wicked Jaw," Sky Blue LP (2023, Captured Tracks).
Press: "Classic pop songwriting never goes out of fashion, but between The Lemon Twigs’ Everything Harmony, Rozi Plain’s Prize and now this handsome third album from Locate S1, it may be enjoying something of a renaissance in 2023. Wicked Jaw is a sprawling effort from Athens, Georgia-based Christina Schneider, one that tries on all manner of stylistic hats but is rooted at its core in hooks, melody and a breezy lightness of touch."--Loud and Quiet
"Though Schneider’s most recent studio effort doesn’t offer the deepest lyrical analyses on the nature of trauma, Wicked Jaw succeeds thanks to its deft balance of grace and anger. So few artists can successfully weave such frenetic and jaded songs with the sublime melodies on display throughout the concise 40-minute runtime, yet Schneider pulls it off with ease. The result is an album which will leave the listener combing through every track as they crave for more."--The Line of Best Fit
"Throughout the album, Schneider obscures personal horrors and trauma with gorgeous sonics, and the effect is both engrossing and disorienting. As ever, Locate S, 1 balances pop perfection with unpredictable artistry, and the always-shifting stylistic landscapes of Wicked Jaw find Schneider living out therapeutic catharsis while paradoxically crafting some of her most enjoyable and fun music to date."--AllMusic
Listen--
You Were Right About One Thing: https://youtu.be/046AMUTAucw
Go Back to Disnee: https://youtu.be/FbFwmkzDlgI
Heart Attack: https://youtu.be/Wjh_kKmm4Lw
7. Bush Tetras, "They Live In My Head," Red or Black LP (2023, Wharf Cat Records).
Press: "They Live In My Head commands attention from the first beats of charged punk-rock anthem ‘Bird On A Wire’. The song intriguingly balances an air of self-assurance with lyrics delving into doubt and insecurity – a captivating juxtaposition that holds a certain allure. Life’s inherent dichotomies can indeed be perplexing and frustrating, yet it is this very complexity that adds depth and resonance to the music, making it all the more captivating and relatable."--Far Out Mag (UK)
"They Live In My Head has glimpses of the Bush Tetras of the past, but it’s not that. It is, however, a new piece of history—a component of a body of work, a new layer exposed by time’s stalwart waves."--Bandcamp Daily
Listen--
They Live In My Head: https://youtu.be/PHhSoRcQf_Y
Bird On A Wire: https://youtu.be/ce2zCgOmz4E
8. The Garment District, "Flowers Telegraphed to All Parts Of The World" Orange LP (2023, HHBTM Records).
Press: "Jennifer Baron of Ladybug Transistor / Saturnine returns with her solo project / band The Garment District. with a new single “Left on Coast”, a psychedelic romp that blends the retro futurism of Broadcast with the tripped out bliss of Elephant 6 Collective." --Spill Magazine
Listen--
Left On Coast: https://youtu.be/QXCRv4XxgSA
9. The Wedding Present, "24 Songs," 3XLP Black or Blue (2023, HHBTM Records).
Press: "Given Gedge’s distinctive timbre and delivery, it’s hard to mistake these songs for anybody else’s, but it’s still laudable how the songwriting has resisted formula (Stewart’s input likely helps in this department). “We All Came From the Sea” is a prime example in its single version and especially in its bonus track Utah Saints remix (which vibes like a track on a CMJ New Music Monthly giveaway compilation CD circa 1994). The bottom line is that 24 Songs’ nearly 125 minutes are a maximal experience that pretty amazingly never wears thin. The Wedding Present’s continued significance is felt throughout."--The Vinyl District
Listen--
The Loneliest Time of Year: https://youtu.be/BmVGO3LZxkg
We Should Be Together featuring Louise Wener of Sleeper: https://youtu.be/Tatd1urUWUE
10. Son Lux, "Everything Everywhere All At Once," 2XLP Black/White Movie Soundtrack, (2023, A24 Music).
Press: "Everything Everywhere All at Once is a movie of rare beauty and immense magic, and the fact that this soundtrack doesn’t feel incomplete without the visual element is a testament to its quality. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already seen Everything Everywhere All at Once, and know how the music fits into the movie (and if you haven’t, give this a listen first and let us know how it works independent of the film). For those who have seen it, though, diving into this soundtrack is a fantastic way to stay inside the film’s expansive, hyperactive world for just a little longer. In the end, that’s what the best soundtracks are supposed to do: help you hold onto the magic long after the credits have come and gone."--Spectrum Culture
"Featuring Mitski, David Byrne, Moses Sumney, and Randy Newman, the synth-rock trio’s score for the sprawling action film embraces chaos with an audacious range and unremitting sincerity."--Pitchfork
Listen--
This Is A Life: Son Lux featuring Mitski, David Byrne: https://youtu.be/EzxsTXNmVm0
Fence: Son Lux featuring Moses Sumney: https://youtu.be/gNJc2WOm8So
11. Holy Wave, "Five Of Cups," Gold LP (2023, Suicide Squeeze).
Purchase: https://modernsoulrecordsco.com/collections/new-items/products/holy-wave-five-of-cups-gold-lp-2023
Press: "...once again straddling the melodic line between melancholy and breezy sophistication, holy wave examines the synthetic construct of happiness in our modern age and how so often the attainment of comfort lacks any true sense of joy."--Resident
Listen--
Nothing In The Dark: https://youtu.be/qmLvBV1h4ZI
The Darkest Timeline: https://youtu.be/GPZFZjzox9w
12. Chastity Belt, "No Regerts," 10th Anniversary Edition, Black/White Swirl LP (2023, Suicide Squeeze)
Press: "No Regerts sounds young and callow and smart and horny all at the same time. Playing it feels like a night out." - Pitchfork
That year, I’d seen Chastity Belt play countless basement, bar, and DIY shows all over Seattle, but nothing could’ve prepared me for how my friends turned patience and quiet observation into something so affecting and effortlessly cool. Ten years later, “Black Sail” isn’t just a fan favorite–it’s practically a statement of purpose for the great albums that followed.
But before those records, there was No Regerts: the sound of four friends evolving from a party band into a “real” one (whatever that means) in real-time. They’re above it all on “Seattle Party,” “Happiness,” and “Evil,” but remain the sirens of Whitman College’s cursed frat houses–see the explosive choruses of “James Dean,” “Healthy Punk,” and “Pussy Weed Beer.”
When No Regerts came out in the summer of 2013, Seattle–and the world at large–took notice. I still hear these songs in surprising places, and they still surprise me–just as they did a decade ago. If you missed out the first time, this is your second chance. "--Andrew Hall
Listen--
Black Sail: https://youtu.be/4Rv-9-un02s
13. Khurangbin and Men I Trust, "Live at RBC Echo Beach," LP (2023, Dead Oceans).
Listen--
Khruangbin - Lady and Man: https://youtu.be/EaX_gy1gjds
Men I Trust - Sugar (audio): https://youtu.be/o9U97xoDwNM
14. Helios, "Espera," Beryl LP (2023, Ghostly International).
Purchase: https://modernsoulrecordsco.com/collections/new-items/products/helios-espera-beryl-lp-2023
Press: "Longtime Helios fans are in for a pleasant surprise, as Espera marks a return to the producer’s earlier, electronic-laced days. In opener “Fainted Fog”, the warm haze of chill-out beats sends the listener back in time to a more innocent place (or at least the image of one). Tape, piano and guitar remain faithful friends, and the entire project, whose title means wait, has a languid, unhurried feel. A lovely shift at 3:42 returns the focus to the acoustic, and for the remainder of the set the two will dance around each other and – to quote the title of the following piece – intertwine." --A Closer Listen
Listen--
Espera: https://youtu.be/A4lnDTHMxh8
15. U.S. Highball, "No Thievery, Just Cool," Swirl LP (2023, Lame-O/Run For Cover).
Press: "No Thievery, Just Cool is the fourth album in as many years from Glaswegian jangle-pop outfit U.S. Highball, comprised of lifelong friends Calvin Halliday and James Hindle.
This time around, the boys decided to put the neighborhood to work, enlisting a host of friends and external collaborators to beef up their characteristically propulsive pop nuggets. Jacob Ewald - frontman of recent tour-mates Slaughter Beach, Dog - duets with James on a soaring version of The Mr. T Experience’s "Big, Strange, Beautiful Hammer", and Manda Rin - one third of Glasgow indie legends Bis - lends her trademark emphatic yelp to the effervescent "Tiny Partick"."
Listen--
Irresponsible Holiday: https://youtu.be/0Fy4vLh0bQw
U.S. Highball featuring Manda Rin - Tiny Partick: https://youtu.be/Yd_MX0ADKw8
16. Julee Cruise, "Floating Into Night" Pink or Black LP (2023, Sacred Bones)
Press: "When Julee Cruise died last year on June 9, David Lynch fans lost another of the essential, even inextricable collaborators who became a part of their lives as a result of being part of his art. Her ethereal singing is synonymous with both “Blue Velvet” and the many incarnations of “Twin Peaks,” the latter of whose title theme she performed. If Cruise’s absence from the physical plane runs the risk of dimming her star in our collective memories, Sacred Bones’ vinyl reissue of her 1989 album “Floating Into the Night” offers a welcome opportunity to restore it to its full luster by letting listeners experience her work anew — carrying the legacy of her and Lynch’s historic collaboration, but unencumbered by the images he paired with her music."--Variety
Listen--
Rockin' Back Inside My Heart: https://youtu.be/_eZUt4Xjed4
17. Water Machine, "Raw Liquid Power," Red Single (2023, Upset The Rhythm).
Press: "... elements of post-punk, jangly alternative rock, and spring-loaded garage punk to create something ever fluid, steadily progressing with a focus on catchy melodies.
From the very start of “Water Machine Pt. II” we’re sucked down the drain pipe by fuzzy synths and drenched guitars battling it out in swarming cohesion. The introduction feels nearly 8-bit in its construction, a triumphant buzzing to get us instantly engaged. When the disco punk rhythm and the vocals comes surging in, Hando Morice’s vocals snap between a harsh yelp that’s oozing with personality and a rich melodic croon, the sweet and the salty, urgent one moment and swooning the next. Their music is upbeat and energetic, with locked in momentum and a great dynamic split between post-punk boogie and sweetly mangled pop."--Post Trash
Listen--
Water Machine Pt. II: https://youtu.be/foXOyYqP8Kk
Water Machine live at Upset the Rhythm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGDQCg3pYR8
18. The Smashing Times, "Monday, In A Small Dull Town," Single (2023, K Records).
Listen--
Monday, In A Small Dull Town: https://youtu.be/4_gyq1Qmk44