These are our favorite new songs of the past couple days. Every song has been released within the last 48 hours, so you can tell your friends about not only new artists, but their new songs that they’ve never heard.
ARTISTS LOOK HERE: Caleb and I have started a Facebook group that we want to turn into a place for artists from around the country to find likeminded bands to fill shows out, find shows, and really just a community made by artists to talk about the industry. If you’re interested in joining that, CLICK HERE.
*Click on the artist name to visit their website*
Jamie Sloan – New Orleans Queen
https://soundcloud.com/jamiesloanmusic/new-orleans-queen/s-N2fUK
This song is so good on so many levels. It’s the first single off his upcoming album No Fairytale Stories and he says this song is about knowing you’re soul mate is out there but having no idea who or where they might be. Hence the line “I hope I’ll find you soon.” The song mostly lays out this ideal person, and a hopefulness that pervades throughout. He saids, “no fairytale stories, we will make our own.” and “are you lonely like I am?” It’s a brutally honest and optimistic song that I think most of us can empathize with, either currently, or at certain times in our lives. I hope that he’s able to “find her soon”, and I’m so glad to have found this track.
Tenjin – Mama Don’t Know
“Got plenty friends no friend zones, I get benefits…Dental
Man I got a flow to spit coast to coast go boating tits
Then I pose up a photo click
And then compose a prose of cold flows that’ll go with this”
The defining characteristic of this song has to be just how smooth the flow is in the verses, and how fun some of the word play is. The hook repeats, “What momma don’t know won’t kill her,” which of course is a classic line that we’ve all heard before. It’s particularly fitting for this song after all the debauchery described in this song. There’s random sex, drinking and partying, drugs, fighting, and many of things I suppose you wouldn’t want your mom to know about. I really can’t get enough of just how tight the flow is on this song.
Couch Jackets – Don’t Think Just Breathe
Time to put your trippy pants on. This song is Car Seats Headrest meets Pink Floyd and the video adds a layer of Children of Men meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. If you dig it, they are releasing a full LP on July 27 called Go To Bed. The video itself is such an interesting concept, mixing a strange dinner with the band members, and a constantly changing TV that shows news and chaos. It’s a video that could probably get a full thesis written on it: from the random “Emotional dissonance” that shows up mid breakdown, to the hijinks at the dinner table. I’m not entirely sure what to make of all of it, but I really dig it. Also, the music itself is just phenomenal. It ultimately sounds like its 4 songs in one, with all the key shifts and breakdowns that flow seamless throughout the song. The band describes themselves as “a rock band from central Arkansas making wacky noise.” And I really just can’t get enough, and can’t wait to see what other wacky sounds are on the full album next week.
Helenor – Ocean State
As someone who lives in the “Ocean State” I have a particularly affinity for this song haha. But really what drew me in was the droney sounding synths and dissonance that gets created by them when the first musical interlude comes in. The second thing I really loved was the lyrics, that seem to suggest a love/hate relationship with the place you inhabit.
“Ocean state is
a state of mind
Older neighbor’s
second lease on life
She named her dog
from multi culture night
Sawed my arm while they took
Paris flights”
This song does an excellent job of mixing the surreal and cynical at the same time. The artist mentioned being influenced by Beck, and I can’t think of someone who does the same thing better. It’s a perfect descriptor.
Background: ““Helenor” is the musical moniker for Boston based visual artist David DiAngelis. The premiere LP “something twice” was written and recorded at home in 2017 as a solo project. Drums were provided by Seth Kasper (Mass Gothic, Christopher Owens, Hooray for Earth, Wild Light, Air Traffic Controller) who also co-produced the album. “something twice” is scheduled for release Fall 2018 with accompanying live set.”
Thumpasaurus – Flamingo Song
Let’s keep it weird up in here. If you can’t figure out how the video relates to the title in the first few minutes, I’ll give you a hint: it’s all the pink. I love how silly the band members dance around, sometimes acting like a boy band, sometimes just freestyling completely. This is juxtaposed with the lead singer having an emotional conversation with a doll where he seems to be having a break up conversation. I never thought it could make me feel emotional, but when you kind of listen to the lyrics and imagine it being said to an actual love interest, it does get a little melancholy. But the best part about the pace of this song and video, is it doesn’t linger in it. It continues to be absurd, and to meander instrumentally with a walking horn, until you can’t really be sad while listening. Also, I have to share their bio, because there is an amazing karate story in it, overall, they are such a fun band that I will be keeping up with all the future hijinks.
Bio:“Los Angeles-based Thumpasaurus are a gang of five superbly-skilled young American musicians taking hugely divergent influences and channelling them into something uniquely Thumpasaurian.
Thumpasaurus offer up their own unique punk/funk stew wherein, hidden in plain sight and sound, you’ll find traces of Zappa, Beefheart, James Chance, Funkadelic/Parliament, Morphine, Devo, Talking Heads and Prince, as well as some rocking heavy metal, free jazz, musical theatre and even some light opera references thrown in for good measure.
Lead singer and guitarist Lucas Tamaren’s alter ego, Sensei Boland, recently achieved web notoriety by challenging the world to bring him something he can’t karate chop. A promotional meme for “Mental Karate” resulted in Buzzfeed picking up on the video & the band’s music being shared by the likes of Alt-J, Shakey Graves, and Rob Thomas amongst others. See here: http://whatichopped.com
Charlie Phllps – Memory
Check out this single from Charlie Phllps upcoming album Pendulum which is due out August 10th. If you are in the New York area there will be a release party at Rockwood Music Hall at 11 pm on that day. For tickets visit http://www.ticketfly.com/event/1719729.
“I could swim
been kicking all along
Has there ever been
a change in a person
Same story now
same story now
I’ve got the staying power of a feather
But you don’t remember
you don’t remember
Is there love in the ditch?
I’m waving my fist
Tell me do I exist, now?”
I love the lyrics here. Especially, “I’ve got the staying power of a feather.” There seems to be a emphasis on memories, being remembered, and offsetting those with how temporary and fleeting everything really is. When you first hear the song, you probably don’t notice how existential it really is, because it’s hidden behind an upbeat tone and vocal style. “Tell me do I exist now?” is the first really moment where you may start to be like, oh, this is saying something real. I always love when a song can have your feet tapping and then blindside you with a deeper message.
Terrell Morris – Field Test
And last, but certainly never least. Terrell Morris has done it again. The mixing of jazzy instrumentals, and smooth flow that isn’t afraid to fluctuate tonality and tempo to emphasize the strongest emotional swings in the song, make this one of my favorite up and coming artists. This song seems to be about that change up from a relationship that is somewhat casual to something that is more serious. The “Field Test” is over, and now it’s time to admit true feelings and vulnerability.
Bio: “Hailing from the west-end of Toronto, To date Terrell has released 3 singles from his upcoming colaborative project titled Molasses. Amassing over 4.3 million plays on The Right Song a single from production duo Free n Losh’s 5th & Ghost EP. Terrell decided to team with them again, bringing on Steph Verschuren (Allan Rayman, Keys n Krates) to handle the creative direction Terrell is on the cusp of releasing his project and cementing his place amongst the greats.”
B-Side Guys 
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