Fictionist - Manic

I'm thinking of you thinking of me
Thinking of you thinking of me
Always thinking...
Somewhere across town
I know you're having a day
While the shoulders of powerful men
In a casual way
Maybe you don't know
You make me nervous

Well, this act just blew a hole in any hubris I was gaining from my year of deep diving into indie and alt (and pop) rock. How had I never heard of Fictionist before? They're from a place I lived for years, they have toured with bands I like, their references and influences are top notch, they came in fourth in a Rolling Stone poll... WTH? Anyway, thankfully Spotify knew I'd like 'em and added their lead single ("Manic") from their newly released album (Sleep Machine) to my Radar. So fun! I've been able to listen to the whole album a few times through now (it's short!) and it's filled with gems and interesting sounds. I almost chose the dancier "Lazarus" or the title-I-adore "We Can Sleep When We Die" but this track hits those moments and swirls in a bit of chaos and is still pop-radio-ready (which is not a pejorative to me). Seems Fictionist is a band that likes to evolve and change with every album, and it's been fun to go backwards to listen to their 2014 and 2011 LPs, all good.

RIYL: Mutemath, MGMT, Paper Route, Phoenix

Upcoming Shows

The War On Drugs - Holding On

Once I was alive and I could feel
I was holding on to you
And I redefined the way I looked at dawn inside of you

I went down a crooked highway
I went all outside the line
I've been rejected, now the light has turned and I'm out of time

The War On Drugs has a new single out and it's classic The War On Drugs. It's sophisticated, atmospheric and perfect for a nice lazy Saturday morning.

RIYL: Kurt Vile, Destroyer, The Walkmen, The Helio Sequence, Father John Misty

Upcoming Shows

All We Are - Animal

How about something a little fun and funky for your Friday? Check out "Animal" the latest from Liverpool indie pop outfit All We Are. They've got a sort of Bee Gees meets Glass Animals thing going on and it's great. Their new album "Sunny Hills" is available 9th June 2017.

The video is pretty classic as well.

RIYL: Wild Beasts, Field Music, Glass Animals, Jagwar Ma

Upcoming Shows

Kenna - Freetime

Unlike the sun that shines through a crimson sky
I have built these walls so you can't get by
And it's all right, tonight; tonight, it's all right

This past weekend, while at Boston Calling, I heard "Freetime" from Kenna's spectacular 2003 album New Sacred Cow. It really brought me back. In 2003 I was just getting into blogging and, as part of a few regular series I was doing, I posted a review of "I'm Gone" off New Sacred Cow and I made a note to look that up. It's kind of broken, but you can see it here. Pretty cool that Kenna left a comment! Ah, I miss those old days when blogging was just a bunch of nerds with personal sites. I gave New Sacred Cow a listen yesterday and it still holds up. Good stuff, enjoy.

RIYL: Minus The Bear, Badly Drawn Boy, Rx Bandits, Midlake

The National - Graceless

Graceless
Is there a powder to erase this?
Is it dissolvable and tasteless?
You can't imagine how I hate this
Graceless
I'm trying, but I'm graceless
Don't have the sunny side to face this
I am invisible and weightless
You can't imagine how I hate this
Graceless
I'm trying, but I've gone
Through the glass again
Just come and find me
God loves everybody, don't remind me
I took the medicine when I went missing
Just let me hear your voice, just let me listen

It's been ten years since their 5th and breakout album Boxer, and four since their last (Trouble Will Find Me). Earlier this month, The National finally released a new single and announced when their next album, Sleep Well Beast, is coming: September 8th with supporting tour (across western Europe and northern North America). I decided just to include the new song as a bonus - to wait for the fall to add a new National track to our list. Still, with many of their older songs in my heavy rotation it was time to represent on here. 

RIYL: Interpol, Editors, Arcade Fire, Spoon