Premiere: Elijah Wolf “Far From Heaven” B-side From Debut Album
Nov 07, 2018
Elijah Wolf hails from The Catskills mountains in New York and his debut album refers to where he grew up there. On The Mtn Laurel Rd. came out back in September and it’s a listen well worth your while. Under the Radar now has the premiere of b-side “Far From Heaven”, produced by Simone Felice of the Felice Brothers. You can feel the Woodstock woodlands of his origins pervading through this uplifting song.
“‘Far From Heaven’ was written while spending a week in the Catskill Mountains with producer & songwriter Simone Felice,” recalls Wolf “It felt fitting as we were both born in those Mountains. We spent the first bit of these sessions in his own studio, listening to music, throwing ideas back & forth, playing around on guitar/drums, talking about life. Once we had the songs figured out we joined David Baron in his Sun Mountain Studio, deeper out in the Catskills, & began recording. All three of us played the instruments & found our way to this song, ‘Far From Heaven;’ a song about understanding the changes around you as you grow older. “
On The Mtn Laurel Rd. is a culmination of a year of familial upheaval for Wolf and its meaning translates throughout. Building from influences like Built to Spill and Modest Mouse, Wolf’s tangible folk-tinged music authentically addresses the grappling we all must encounter at one point or another.
Mastersystem
Watch: Mastersystem “Old Team” Video
Nov 05, 2018
For any fan of Scott Hutchison and Frightened Rabbit, the just shared “Old Team” video from Mastersystem, Hutchison’s group with Justin and James Lockey and his brother Grant, could be painful to watch. But it’s important. The really fantastic Mastersystem album Dance Music was released last spring and the final single “Old Team will be released November 30th. All proceeds will be going to the Scott Hutchison foundation.
The footage of the video was shot during the first, and last Mastersystem tour. Here’s what the band had to say about it:
“This footage was shot during the first and last Mastersystem tour. The great thing about it is it just shows a bunch of fellas, having the best time, ripping the piss out of each other, laughing and doing some shows. There’s something fucking brilliant about this…something free of the pressure that bands can turn into…That’s what Mastersystem was about, just a record, a band built from going back to how we all started, throwing riffs and cords around until it sounds something like a tune. No fuss.
This was Scott’s favourite tune on the record, and the spark that lit the paper that led to the whole Mastersystem album. It was always in our plans to be THE single off the record.
We’re very fucking proud of it, which is why we’re honouring our original plans to put it out. It will not be a thing to propel Mastersystem forward into new places, but serve as a monument to all involved and to all that listened….That we made a class record we all believe in.
Cheers for listening. Justin, Grant, James and Nick.”
Hammock
Watch: Hammock “Cliffside (Moving Photograph)” Video
Nov 02, 2018
Ambient/post-rock duo Hammock from Nashville, Tennessee is coming out with a new album Universalis, to be self-released December 7th and just shared the video for the second single “Cliffside (Moving Photograph).” Hammock makes some of the most gently moving, sweeping ambient rock today. Have a listen:
Thundercat
Listen: Thundercat “King of the Hill” Featuring Flying Lotus and Bad Bad Not Good
Oct 31, 2018
The LA label Brainfeeder, started by Flying Lotus, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month with a 36 track compilation,Brainfeeder X. Ahead of this greatly anticipated release, they’ve shared a new track. Bass virtuoso Thundercat gets together with BADBADNOTGOOD on “King of the Hill”, produced by Flying Lotus. It’s everything you would expect in a joint effort of these great talents and revs you up for the forthcoming release. Check it:
Full compilation tracklisting:
Various Artists - “Brainfeeder X”
Vol. 1
01. Teebs - Why Like This?
02. Jeremiah Jae - $easons
03. Lapalux - Without You (feat. Kerry Leatham)
04. Iglooghost - Bug Thief
05. TOKiMONSTA - Fallen Arches
06. Miguel Baptista Benedict - Phemy
07. Matthewdavid - Group Tea (feat. Flying Lotus)
08. Martyn - Masks
09. Mr. Oizo - Ham
10. Daedelus - Order Of The Golden Dawn
11. Jameszoo - Flake
12. Taylor McFerrin - Place In My Heart (feat. RYAT)
13. MONO/POLY - Needs Deodorant
14. Thundercat - Them Changes
15. DJ Paypal - Slim Trak VIP
16. Thundercat - Friend Zone (Ross from Friends Remix)
17. Brandon Coleman - Walk Free (Flying Lotus Remix)
Vol. 2
01. Thundercat - King of the Hill (feat. BADBADNOTGOOD)
02. Lapalux - Opilio
03. Ross from Friends - Squaz
04. Georgia Anne Muldrow - Myrrh Song
05. Dorian Concept - Eigendynamik
06. Louis Cole - Thinking
07. Iglooghost - Yellow Gum
08. WOKE - The Lavishments of Light Looking (feat. George Clinton)
09. PBDY - Bring Me Down (feat. Salami Rose Joe Louis)
10. Jeremiah Jae - Black Salt
11. Flying Lotus - Ain’t No Coming Back (feat. BUSDRIVER)
12. Miguel Atwood-Ferguson - Kazaru
13. Taylor Graves - Goku
14. Little Snake - Delusions
15. Strangeloop - Beautiful Undertow
16. MONO/POLY - Funkzilla (feat. Seven Davis Jr)
17. Teebs - Birthday Beat
18. Moiré - Lisbon
19. Locust Toybox - Otravine
Wye Oak
Watch: Wye Oak “The Instrument” Live Video
Oct 29, 2018
Wye Oak just shared a live video of “The Instrument” a song from their latest album The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs. It was shot very simply by Remedy Co in the North Carolina woods, the perfect setting for the live version of this beautiful song. Two other live videos will be shared this week. “The Instrument,” “It Was Not Natural,” and the album’s title track all received reimagined treatments in these clips, which will be released throughout this week via the Merge Records YouTube channel.
Afterschool Rerun
Stream: Afterschool Rerun Self-Titled Album
Oct 27, 2018
Let’s go with something previously unknown. Afterschool Rerun - love the name - is from Philadelphia and apart from that, there isn’t much information out there. Whoever it is (I couldn’t even find the name of the artist behind it) just released a self-titled album and it’s pretty good. The Lou Reed-like “Eavesdropping” stands out and the rough, lo-fi recording of the rest is always welcome when done well. Check it out:
Preoccupations and Prtotomartyr, friends and future tourmates, have been up to something. The bands are releasing a split 7” Telemetry at Howe Bridge, out November 16 on Domino. This rad Protomartyr cover of Preoccupations’ “Forbidden” is taken from it and Preoccupations covers “Pontiac ‘87” in turn.
Here’s some cool info about the connection between the bands from the announcement:
Protomartyr’s singer Joe Casey had this to say of the band’s cover: “There’s an old adage that goes something like, ‘if you’re going to cover a song by a beloved Canadian band, it’s best to pick the second shortest one.’ So, ‘Forbidden’ it is. We all really liked the outro part and had the brilliant idea to extend it. And that, my friends, is how you make musical history.” For those who find this sonic pairing palatable to the ear, the two bands will join up for a co-headlining tour in late November, almost exactly one month from now and shortly after the release of the 7”. Additionally, Protomartyr have just been announced as the “special guest” for the anticipated grand reopening of Detroit’s UFO Factory, a much beloved venue that was damaged by developers one year ago.
PROTOMARTYR TOUR DATES (W/Preoccupations) Fri. Oct. 26 - Detroit, MI @ UFO Factory w/ Deadbeat Beat, Double Winter Fri. Nov. 23 - Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace * ^ Sat. Nov. 24 - Ottawa, ON @ 27 Club * ^ Mon. Nov. 26 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall * ^ Wed. Nov. 28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw * ^ Thu. Nov. 29 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage * ^ Fri. Nov. 30 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry * ^ Sat. Dec. 01 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement * ^ Mon. Dec. 03 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place * ^ Tue. Dec. 04 - Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig * ^ Thu. Dec. 06 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall * ^ Fri. Dec. 07 - Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room * ^ Sat. Dec. 08 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar * ^ Mon. Dec. 10 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird * Wed. Dec. 12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall *& Thu. Dec. 13 - Boise, ID @ Olympic *& Fri. Dec. 14 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *& Sat. Dec. 15 - Vancouver, BC @ Venue *& Sun. Dec. 16 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile *& Tue. Dec. 18 - San Francisco, CA @ Independent *& Wed. Dec. 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ Regent *&
One of the low key groovier joints of the past summer “Grey Area” featuring the unmistakable vocals of Weyes Blood was just given its video. It was directed and animated by Cole Kush and it’s a pretty funny one. Check it out below.
Jerry Paper, a.k.a. LA-based multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter Lucas Nathan, just released his new album Like A Baby via Stones Throw Records.
From the press release: “Like A Baby’ recalls an eclectic mix of influences including Steely Dan, David Byrne, and Brazilian Bossa Nova. Its soft-rock stylings and big band instrumentation have won fans at Ad Hoc, the LA Times, Bandcamp, All Music, Flaunt, Elevator, NPR’s WOUB and more.”
Jerry Paper is currently touring across North America. See dates below.
Jerry Paper 2018 Tour Dates
* = w/ Kiefer, Stimulator Jones and Prophet
^ = w/ Kiefer, Stimulator Jones, Prophet, and Mndsgn
Oct 22 - Washington, DC - Union Stage*
Oct 23 - Raleigh, NC - Kings Barcade*
Oct 24 - Atlanta, GA - 529*
Oct 27 - Austin, TX - Vulcan Gas Company^
Oct 30 - Tucson, AZ - 191 Toole*
Nov 1 - San Diego, CA - SPACE*
Dec 13 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
Feb 1 - Leeds- Headrow House
Feb 2 - Glasgow - Blue Arrow
Feb 3 - Manchester- The Castle
Feb 4 - Bristol- Crofters Rights
Feb 5 - London - The Waiting Room
Feb 7 - Paris - Le Popup Du Label (Line of Best Fit)
