R.E.M. - Driver 8

I saw a tree house on the outskirts of the farm. 
The power lines have floaters so the airplanes won't get snagged. 
Bells are ringing through the town again, 
Children look up, all they hear is sky-blue, bells ringing

I think "Driver 8" might be my favorite R.E.M. song. I am a big fan of their earlier work, especially the moodier, Southern Gothic stuff you hear less and less of as they went on. 1985's Fables of The Reconstruction being a highlight in a pile of greatness for me. I recently took a long, deep dive into their back catalog and, damn, I've got a lot of good memories associated with their music. It brought me right back to my teenage years in Seattle, KJET (1982-1988) on the radio and my burgeoning record collection.

RIYL: The Replacements, James, Crowded House, Pinegrove

Upcoming Shows

Club Night - Rally

This brief stubborn trek through the seasons
You're undeniably lost without a meaning
You were young once
Racing down to the edge of our house
Questioning it all

Club Night is another interesting band on Tiny Engine's growing roster. I'm not sure how to describe their music, maybe noisy experimental indie pop. Both their recent singles "Well" and today's Most Important, "Rally", sound a bit chaotic, with complex arrangements, frenetic vocals, and dense layers that somehow work really well together. I'm eager to hear more.

RIYL: Sugarcubes, Cocteau Twins, WHY?,  tUnE-yArDs

Upcoming Shows

Now, Now - SGL

You call me crying
The middle of the night
I'm on my knees
You've got me praying for a sign
It's all wrong
She's looking for a fight
Just say my name and I'll come running
Don't get me wrong
I hear your reasons
You get along over the weekends
But I've got it bad, yeah I'm not sleeping
And every time I hear her name my heart is breaking

Wow, if you're in Minnesota over Labor Day weekend, you should definitely go to their show at the State Fair - it's with Lucius and Phantogram! Great billing for this local (MN) duo who met in their high school marching band and have weathered the coming and going of several bandmates and indie labels, and the mysterious cancelation of their SXSW appearances the last two years in a row. This is their first release in about four years, coinciding with a new website and some tour dates.

Anyhoo, I like the modern simplicity of this tune, and didn't realize until I looked up the lyrics that it is quite similar to a song I tried to write a couple years ago! (My first attempt at songwriting, while trying out the idea of being in an all-girl punk band. We only held one practice.)

RIYL: Eisley, Tigers Jaw, Foxing, Hippo Campus

Upcoming Shows

The Smith Street Band - Death to the Lads

Staying in a hotel full of pilots
I can't believe that they are smoking
If you mastered the art of flight
Why would you spend half your time choking?
Sleeping in a bedroom full of assholes surely means I am one too
And I wake up and I go walking
And I think the wrong thing about you

Melbourne's Will Wagner, the front man for The Smith Street Band reminds me a lot of Frank Turner, who is one of my all-time favorites, so that's saying something. He also reminds me a bit of Georgia "Maq" McDonald of Camp Cope, probably that pronounced accent. It's great. Their latest release, More Scared of You Than You Are of Me, which came out back in April, is a lot of fun. If you're into folksy punk rock (yeah that's a thing) they would be right up your alley.

RIYL: Billy Bragg, Frank Turner, Camp Cope, Gang of Youths

Upcoming Shows

Upsahl - Can You Hear Me Now

Manipulate me
Your elevator's up and down
Try to shape me
My feet are too high off the ground
I try to run from the sound

I instantly loved this layered pop swirl of moody sunshine from Taylor Upsahl - it may end up being my fav track of the summer. I won't be surprised at all if this young Phoenix indie darling gets snatched up by a major label and starts collabing with the Chainsmokers or whomever. Not that she needs them - or anyone - to help make her sound so... interesting, fun, moving. Spotify currently has her identity split between her full name and her more recent use of last-name-only, so if you like this, be sure to look up her previous albums as well. 

RIYL: Feist, St. Vincent, Chairlift, Tennis, LP

Upcoming Shows