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

Circa Survive - Lustration

Inside the catacomb
The marbles colder than ice
Our match is damp
Lit with a separate hand
I see into your world
You make no effort to hide
The tourniquet
Candles in a salt ring will dance
You don't have to repent tonight at all

The latest single from prog/emo rock outfit Circa Survive is very evocative of the music that broke them. Anthony Green's vocal delivery is terrific, as expected, and "Lustration" feels a lot like his solo work, but it also harkens back to Circa Survive's mellower stuff like "Living Together" and it's a bit nostalgic, but at the same time, makes me excited for their new stuff.

RIYL: The Dear Hunter, Tides of Man, Minus The Bear, The Fall of Troy

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

Land of Talk - This Time

Together we rock, together we roll
Finding ourselves is taking its toll
Hear it on the cold wind of this town
I'm never going back, that's a lonely road

Land of Talk's Elizabeth Powell has a little bit of an Amiee Mann vibe going on "This Time", a nice track of their new album, Life After Youth. It's nice and cool, especially for a Sunday morning. I first discovered Land of Talk with their terrific single "Some Are Lakes", if you like today's Most Important, you should give that, and the rest of their work, a listen.

RIYL: Sharon Van Etten, Hop Along, Broken Social Scene, Neko Case, 'Til Tuesday, The Sundays

Upcoming Shows

Moon Taxi - Two High

When you feel the world around you
Spinnin' out of control
You can find someone around you
To bring you out of the cold
But you don't ever have to hide
What you really feel inside

So put 'em up
Two high
We can walk together with our hands up in the sky
So put 'em up
Tonight
We can come together
We won't give up on the fight

It's a new single and a slightly popier new sound for Nashville quintet Moon Taxi. I'm completely distracted now, at the mention of Nashville, as we just booked our first ever visit to Music City for this September! (Of course we're there at the exact time Moon Taxi plays here, womp.)

RIYL: Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Grizfolk, Hippo Campus

Upcoming Shows