Strange Relations - Say You

| Keith
Say you want
Say you want
To cut me down
To cut me down
To size now

Here's another nice find from Tiny Engines: Minneapolis group Strange Relations. "Say You" is the lead single from their upcoming album Editorial You and it's dreamy, ethereal and catchy. The follow up "LIN" leans a bit more of the shoegaze side, and they both remind me a lot of that 4AD sound; Cranes, Cocteau Twins, Lush, Slowdive and the like.

RIYL: Slowdive, Cranes, Strange Ranger, Land of Talk

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Wyatt Blair - Young Hearts Unite

| Keith
And I take it easy
Tonight
Young hearts unite

Most of Wyatt Blair's music sounds like 80's movie soundtrack rock. Think Rick Springfield and "Jessie's Girl" with a touch more glam and you'll get there. His 2016 album Point of No Return is a hoot, and perfect for an end-of-summer afternoon.

RIYL: Rick Springfield, The Darkness, Ty Segall, JEFF The Brotherhood, Jay Reatard

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Twenty One Pilots - Tear in My Heart

| Kerri
Sometimes you gotta bleed to know
That you’re alive and have a soul
But it takes someone to come around
To show you how

She’s the tear in my heart
I’m alive
She’s the tear in my heart
I’m on fire
She’s the tear in my heart
Take me higher
Than I’ve ever been

The songs on the radio are okay
But my taste in music is your face

Truly my fave TØP song. Maybe I shouldn't have picked "Trees" last time (shoulda gone w/Keith's fave, "Ode to Sleep" or even "Guns for Hands" or "Fake You Out" or - oh god Vessel is such a good album). Of course, "Tear in My Heart" is from Blurryface, also an awesome album, if slightly less perfect end to end than Vessel. Seeing them at ACL about 3 years ago was amazing. I can't wait to hear what Tyler and Josh come up with next. Anyways, this song is rad and suits a lot of different moods & purposes for me, including remembering my first tattoo, and second trip to New York. 

RIYL: Postal Service, Robert DeLong, The Griswolds, The Front Bottoms

Upcoming Shows

Jeff Rosenstock - Pash Rash

| Keith
I've been doing this for half my years;
I've been mouthing off in bars, trading shame for self-respect
My trajectory is crystal clear
I can see it in the stars that frame the shame above my neck
And the sky is always pitch black
When I sneak away, I only wanna come back and see your face, see your face again

Long Island's Jeff Rosenstock's 2016 album Worry is a beautiful garage-pop tribute to dorm rooms, DIY, breakups and a staggering variety of musical styles. "Pash Rash" is quick anthemic rock and perfect to pick you up as we close out the week and head into the weekend. The video is also a lot of fun.

RIYL: Fake Problems, Cayetana, Ted Leo, Signals Midwest

Upcoming Shows

Arcade Fire - Electric Blue

| Kerri
A thousand girls that look like me
Staring out at the open sea
Repeat the words until they're true
Cover my eyes electric blue

Now I can't get my head around it
I thought I found it
But I found out I don't know shit
Now I can't get my head around it
I thought I found it
But I found out

This eclectic 7-member band out of Canada have been alternative music darlings for years now. For me, their songs are hit & miss - perhaps because of my mood as much as because of arrangement. The band plays guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, xylophone, glockenspiel, keyboard, synthesizer, French horn, accordion, harp, mandolin, and hurdy-gurdy; the multi-instrumentalist band members switch duties throughout shows while touring. I do think that I would absolutely love them live. But regardless, there's something a little bit more alluring in their recent recorded release, and this is my favorite of the new crop. 

RIYL: LCD Soundsystem, Electric Light Orchestra, Kings of Leon, Yeasayer

Upcoming Shows