Mating Ritual - How You Gonna Stop It?

Pick me up in your Monday suit and tie
Grab a drink in the lobby before 9
You complain about your weight and waking up on time
You need to chill out and follow me tonight

Waking up in a place I've never been before
It smells like piss and olives
Getting drunk never used to be this difficult
I hear the graveyard calling
Stop talking 'bout your work you know you're not gonna go
Might as well kick the bucket
Yeah it sucks getting old but how you gonna stop it?

Fast-paced, tongue-twister-ing, and just right for Friday night Mating Ritual (aka Ryan Marshall Lawhon) has just convinced me to take a chance on following him, musically. This is supposedly the early released first single from his forthcoming full album. His debut EP is just as fun and dancy so I believe we're in for a treat. 

RIYL: Miike Snow, Passion Pit, Day Wave

Upcoming Shows

Bad Suns - Disappear Here

I kiss the bend of the canyon road where
I find your ghost again
You found the sky through the moonroof topless
You were so happy then

I'm right, I'm wrong
I'm everything but sure
My blazing head, my freezing heart
Your five words walk out the door

Would you run after me?
I feel I've stood here once before
Would you run after me?
Would you run or do we disappear?
Oh, disappear here
Would you run after me?
Would you run or do we disappear here?

L.A. indie band with a surprise big hit ("Cardiac Arrest") from their first album in 2014, Bad Suns released their second rather quietly last year. With smart, Cure-esque lyrics and catchy, current, alt-rock sound, I think they deserve more attention. 

RIYL: Atlas Genius, Night Riots, Bleachers

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Hamilton + Rostam - In a Black Out

Midnight where we used to dance
Underneath the ugly halogen lamps
Oh, it all went away so fast
In a black out

We’ll wait for the year
When the tide comes
Rolling over the rails
From here 'til the end
Of the island
Washing away

I rent a room with all our stuff
When you come home I’d lift you up
And there’s only the two of us
In a black out

I've heard at least part of "A 1000 Times" about a thousand times since it's release back in July, and vaguely knew there was significant hype around this newly formed duo, but I must confess to not having seen the Apple commercial (has gone viral I guess?) that features this track, nor knowing exactly who these guys were, until yesterday. In case you're in a similar boat, I'll catch you up. First, this song was number 9 on Sirius XMU's top 41 indie songs of the year (that was my introduction). Second and more interesting, Hamilton is the former lead singer from The Walkmen and Rostam is the producer who recently exited Vampire Weekend. So yeah, their pedigree deserved the buzz I was noticing (but not paying attention to). Finally, I chose this as today's Most Important Song because it is a perfectly mellow way to come down after a packed couple of weeks. It's my holiday hangover cure. 

RIYL: The Walkmen, Car Seat Headrest, Angel Olsen, Parquet Courts

Upcoming Shows

Anathallo - The River

It took a father, it covered a daughter
Took her down, down, down
With the glass bottles, books, a tire
Collected hair tufts in the weeds
Snagged and wrapped in the peats
Dammed and trapped

Let's kick off 2017 with an oldie. And such a goodie. Happy New Year y'all.

RIYL: Cloud Cult, Communist Daughter, Royal Canoe, mewithoutYou

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Blossoms - Charlemagne

Hello, hello
You put love in my hand
I know, I know it's made of lead
Hello, hello
Science came, a kingdom reigned
Below, below my Charlemagne
And the river always flows, so if you go I will know
By the way, my Charlemagne

Hello, hello
Mars, tried, hide, cried, died
Inside the snow in the winter
Hello, hello
The doctors knew, prescribe me you
Below, below the amber sky
And the river always flows, so if you go I will know
By the way, my Charlemagne
And the river always flows tears of gold
Left me cold do you feel the same my Charlemagne?

British quintet Blossoms have been doing their indie thing since 2013, but just released their first full length (and self-titled) album earlier this year. Exactly one year ago, The Guardian named them one to watch for 2016 and this month NME named this track one of their top 20 songs of the year. While it doesn't make my short list, it certainly deserves a feature. 

RIYL: Arctic Monkeys, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Oasi, Miniature Tigers

Upcoming Shows