Image

Track Reviews

Glass Animals – Holiest (Feat. Tei-Shi)

glassanimals

Ah yes, Glass Animals. The Harvest-signed (Banks, Arthur Beatrice, Young & Sick, etc) alt R&B crew have been cruising through in recent months with a very impressive list of singles (including the aquarium soul of “Gooey” and the contemporary devotional that is “Black Mambo”). The come hither tones of the Tei-Shi-assisted “Holiest” is the latest very good iteration of the GA sound. complete w/ warm sparkling electronics and a visceral drum track that is circadian in its humanness. “Gooey” is the new EP from Glass Animals and its out April 8.

Glass Animals (Facebook)

Rating 8.6

brown8

reviewed by
03-28-14

Tinashe – Vulnerable (Blood Diamonds Remix)

tinashe

One of last year’s best songs “Vulnerable” from Tinashe gets a 2014 house/R&B-styled rework from the ineffable Soundcloud Sultan of L.A. Blood Diamonds.

Tinashe kentucky (Twitter)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
03-28-14

Zella Day – Sweet Ophelia (Marian Hill Remix)

zellaDay_sweetOphelia_marianHill_remix

The sweet dusty sound of Zella Day gets a R&B/rhythm-infused jolt from-the-rise Philly duo Marian Hill. The fourth wall-breaking/blending of the diverse yet equally exciting styles of Zella and Marian induces a type of happiness (and head bobbing) that is instant. Best wishes trying to get this out of your head for the rest of the day.

Marian Hillpennsylvania: (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-27-14

The Peach Kings – Be Around

peachkings

The Peach Kings announce today their new “Mojo Thunder” EP, due out June 3rd. The soulful rhodes piano-assisted slow burner “Be Around” is the EP’s lead single and features yet another star-level vocal from the alto of singer Paige McClain Wood. We need more soul in indie rock and roll.

The Peach Kings california (Official) (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
03-26-14

Brother Blyss – Still Don’t Seem to Care

brother blyss

“Still Don’t Seem to Care” is the debut track from CA band Brother Blyss. What struck us straight away with “Still Don’t Seem To Care” is its different (the chord progressions, the guitar processing effects, rhythmically, melodically, etc); the song is something unique and new. Brother Blyss marry the psych-leaning rhythm-driven sound of early 90’s Manchester bands like The Roses and Inspiral Carpets (minus the hippie spacer bro stuff) with modern bits of menace and guitar layerings and then tie it off w/ a keen melodic sense and songwriting quality. Very well done.

Brother Blyss california (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

boreta - honey heart

reviewed by
03-26-14

YG – Do It To Ya (Feat. TeeFLii) (Daz Dillinger G-Mix)

yg

As well-cultivated connoisseurs of the G-Mix, we can expertly co-sign this new Daz Dillinger G-Mix of one of YG‘s (who outside Rich Homie Quan might be the hottest MC on radio right now) My Krazy Life‘s standout tracks, the “Lets Play House” send-up “Do It To Ya”. Even thugs can get a little intimate w/ the piano.

YG (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
03-25-14

SZA – Child’s Play (Feat. Chance The Rapper)

sza2

The first lady of TDE, SZA puts in a sultry smooth vocal on that deep molasses XXYYXX “About You” sample with new one “Child’s Play”. SZA is GREAT on the track but Chance‘s easy/breezy ride-the-offbeats flow hits the instrumental in a most incredible way. Don’t miss this one. The “Z” EP from SZA is coming April 8.

SZA (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8x

reviewed by
03-25-14

Young & Sick – Heartache Fetish

youngandsick

The R&B-flavored indie pop of Dutch-born Young & Sick finds its latest iteration in the rhythmically swaggering and neatly-layered “Heartache Fetish”. Y&S’ s/t debut for Harvest Records is due on April the 8th.

Young & Sick newyork (Tumblr)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
03-25-14

Sivu – Dumb (Nirvana)

sivu3

Sivu dropped yesterday the excellent new single “Can’t Stop”; as an addendum to the release is this very good brooding but intimate and emotionally bare version of Nirvana’s Nevermind entry “Dumb”.

Sivu england (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown93

reviewed by
03-24-14

RAVE’S FAVES: Howler – Al’s Corral

howler_new

Their World of Joy album drops here in the US on Tuesday. Lead Howler Jordan Gatesmith likes to describe their punk and 60’s/70’s influenced music as “bratty”, and this sophomore collection is somewhat brattier than their America Give Up debut. While he wrote the songs for the first album, this follow-up is more of a collaborative group effort. “Al’s Corral” provides a hot, hard, and hooky album opener. If you recognize traces of Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak”, you’re spot on as Jordan admits to borrowing from that classic. These guys are a major entity in the UK. They will tour the UK and Europe for the next few weeks. After only playing a few US dates last time around, they look to hit a US harder this time around. See them at a venue near you sometime soon. Reviewed by Bruce Rave

Howler – Al’s Corral

Howler minnesota (Facebook)

* Links and playlists from Rave’s weekly new music show can be found on his blog and be sure follow Bruce on Twitter too!

reviewed by
03-23-14

Plastic Plates – Nothing Like You

plasticplates

Aussie ex-pat Plastic Plates debuts the sultry sweet new house tones of “Nothing Like You”; the title track from Mr. Plates upcoming two track EP for Club Sweat.

Plastic Plates australia (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.8

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-14

Cloud Boat – Carmine

cloudboat2

London UK’s Cloud Boat follow up their impressive break-out track “Youthern” with the equally strong “Carmine”. On the new track, melancholy-dipped melodies buoyed up by some stunning both vocal and instrumental harmonic voicings build cinematically to a heart-wringing and quite effective stable of chorus hooks. The arrow for Cloud Boat is firmly pointed upward.

Cloud Boat (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
03-20-14