Listen: Caveman - "Never Going Back"

photo by Philip Di Fiore

Brooklyn foursome Caveman have from their inception made music diametrically opposed to their chose band name. Where caveman recalls a rough around the edges, abrasive sound, Caveman are anything but; smooth undulating melodies, languid plod, and generally chill vibes. And maybe that's why "Never Going Back", the first single from their upcoming third album Otero War, hits so hard.

After two albums of gentle, dream pop, the harshness of the drum hits and guitar solo feels like a real invigorating step for the band. The band don't completely demolish their past work - "Never Going Back" slowly builds on the softly introduced introductory melody and the synths that characterized much of Caveman aren't far from the fray. But there's no denying a freshness in the band's newfound fervor, the band rushing forward instead of its normal expansive creep. There's no telling just yet if the band continue this way for the rest of the record but "Never Going Back" is at the very least an exciting step in a direction no one really asked the band to take; fusing what worked well for them in the increment growth between CoCo Beware and Caveman and lighting a bit of a fire underneath themselves. It's enough to peak my interest in the new album and hopefully yours too and hopefully it's not too long before the foursome reveal more cuts from the third album.



Caveman's third album Otero War will out this summer.

Listen: Left With Pictures - "Terra Firma"

photo by Jonathan Hyde

Well it's about damn time! After being consumed for the entirety of 2010 with their In Time project that saw British orchestra pop purveyors Left With Pictures writing/recording, and creating music videos for a brand new song a month and the subsequent release of the songs as an album, Left With Pictures essentially disappeared. Not entirely because they were active on social media (mainly to share thoughts of other's musical happenings they were excited about) and the odd show here or there while they worked on an all new album of songs. Finally 5 years later, they have an offering in the form of Afterlife.

While still not entirely certain of what happened in that five year span, "Terra Firma" sees Left With Pictures making a surprising leap into rarely charted territory - namely stripping away the strings that characterized their sound. If you're used to Left With Pictures vibrant melodies and orchestral flourishes "Terra Firma" is sure to be a shock to the system to find strings replaced entirely with synths. Unlike Left With Pictures past foray into synth pop "This Light", "Terra Firma" is a much more somber affair complimented by founding member Toby Knowles' bartitone.

And then halfway through the sparsely textured tale of loss, things take a turn. A synth return in place of the piano, the strings enter, and harmonies brighten up the rather dour narrative. It's due to this sudden forceful brightening; of harmonic, stratospheric highs that give the last verse the entirety of its power. Left With Pictures have always balanced artful arrangement with intelligent lyricism but "Terra Firma" seems like a leveling up of both for them. They're so concerned with the tale that they're weaving that pop hooks don't really occur but they're competent at not only songwriting but composition that the instrumental informs the lyrics before they even happen. The last minute or so of "Terra Firma" reward the patient listener with winsome moments of not-quite pop but enjoyable melodic/harmonic work nevertheless.

It may have been five years since their last batch of new tunes but "Terra Firma" displays that it's been five years well spent as Left With Pictures now marry the acoustic with the newfound interest in the electronic while also staying true to their smart chamber pop that got them noticed in the first place. Welcome back, Left With Pictures, we've missed you.



Left With Pictures third full length record Afterlife is due April 29th on Organ Grinder Records.

Listen: Laura Gibson - "The Cause"

A lot has changed in singer/songwriter Laura Gibson's life since the release of previous record La Grande nearly four years ago. Most notably Gibson's cross-country move from Portland to New York City by train to pursue a degree in fiction writing. It's the sort of stuff records are inspired by and luckily for us, it was. Her new record Empire Builder, though recorded with Portland friends Dave Tepper, Dan Hunt, Peter Broderick, and co-producer John Askew, draws more on the changes Gibson has made in the life (the album's title being the than she took from Portland to Chicago on the first leg of her trip) than the place it was recorded.

Considering her self-afflicted uprooting to busier, more boisterous environs, "The Cause" remains as peaceful as Gibson's past efforts. And yet beneath that surface calm Gibson's lyrics are more agitated than Gibson's calm delivery would have you believe.  Gibson tackes both love and self-sacrifice in equal measure - tossing and turning between the idea of belonging to the self versus serving others in a way that's properly thrilling. "You belong to the cause, you belong to us" Laura Gibson sings and it often feels like a reminder, as she balances "selfish" desires with that intimate self-knowledge. Gibson manages to marry the philosophical/psychological to a cohesive narrative in order to craft a complex but enjoyable feat of songwriting skill.



Laura Gibson's forthcoming fourth album Empire Builder is out April 1st on Barsuk (US)/City Slang (EU/UK). Pre-order is available now.

Listen: AURORA - "Conqueror"

After the success of her first single "Awakening" brought her enough attention to lure her to CMJ in 2014, Norwegian singer/songwriter Aurora Aksnes has certainly made the most of that momentum. Last year saw not only the release of her first record - the four song Running With The Wolves EP but also several singles ("Runaway", "Half the World Away", "Murder Song (5,4, 3,2,1))" that's attracted more and more attention from the likes of fellow Norwegian Sondre Lerche to even Katy Perry. And yet AURORA hasn't ever seemed in any particular rush to release anything which is exactly why the announcement of her debut album All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend is such a treat. It's the culmination of years of hard work for Aksnes and her band if first single "Conqueror" is any indication, they're in strong form.

"Conqueror" follows in the footsteps of "Under Stars", the rare "happy" song among Aksnes' darker folk pop tales. If AURORA have their eyes set on the pop realm, "Conqueror" hits that anthemic pop sweet spot. A happier effort than say "Runaway" or "Murder Song", Aksnes still manages to draw from the negative to craft her exhilaratingly infectious gem. "I've been looking for the conqueror but you don't seem to come my way" Aksnes offers and each time it reoccurs the seeming disappointment of that phrase becomes more freeing aided no doubt by the escalating energy. It's a subtly layered work with a heart-swelling sound and message that proves AURORA are growing into unstoppable popsmiths.



AURORA's debut full lengh All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend is out March 11th on Glassnote.

Listen: Whitney - "No Woman"

photo by Sandy Kim

It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows Julien Ehrlich or Max Kakacek's former bands Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Smith Westerns that the duo's new collaboration is so effortless timeless. Both of their former bands mainly relied on updating retro sounds and experimenting within to great success. And yet, "No Woman" finds Whitney capturing the magic in a completely different context that displays they're more than just a carbon copy of either of the twosomes former bands.

"No Woman" is a wistful slice of soft focus pop that somehow manages to recall Ennio Morricone and west coast 70's folk rock singer-songwriters in equal measure with a smoothness that belies its pining lyrics. Whitney manage to craft a lovelorn trek that doesn't let itself drag enough to be a outright ballad. It's a sonic cousin of Jessica Pratt's On Your Own Love Again but certainly stands on its own merits: Ehrlich's falsetto soothes like a tender caress, the arrangement is simple with bursts of lush layering and ornamental string and horn flourishes. Its plod is casual with expansive windswept stretches that compliment the ramble-ready tune. It's easily the soundtrack to everything from a head-clearing walk to a train ride taking you to new beginnings. "No Woman" doesn't insist too much on its lyrical narrative and thus gains a sort of all purpose utility from its chill, easy listening scuttle. Whitney have woven gold on "No Woman" and it'll be a pleasure to see how they grow their potential from here on: either inhabiting this introspective retro pop or merely utilizing as an excellent starting point.

Listen: Night Moves - "Denise, Don't Wanna See You Cry"

photo by Bryan Derballa

I say without a sliver of hyperbole that I have been waiting for a follow record from Minneapolis' Night Moves almost immediately after holing up with their debut album Colored Emotions and subsequent live video binge. Considering their wide range of influences and musical interests, what a follow up would sound like was pretty much anyone's guess. However with "Denise, Don't Wanna See You Cry", the first single from their recently announced sophomore record Pennied Days, fans have a least a hint of what to expect.

"Denise, Don't Wanna See You Cry" somehow manages to curb the band's countrified twang in favor of more streamlined pop hooks without actually seeming like that much of a change. A gradual pivot instead of a shark-jumping leap, Night Moves still have a trick or two up their sleeve that makes me truly excited for the record. The molasses-slow swagger of Colored Emotions is replaced with a insistent forward momentum and bit of harmonic pyrotechnics as John Pelant and Micky Alfano settle into fast paced interlocking grooves. No doubt aided by the duo's years of playing together, "Denise, Don't Wanna See You Cry" is a brisk jam that still manages to memorable and ear catching.

With "Denise, Don't Wanna See You Cry", Night Moves return triumphant and reinvigorated with their best foot forward in a move that bodes particularly well for the rest of Pennied Days. It might be a couple months until the album's release but "Denise, Don't Wanna See You Cry" is strong enough to instill the surest of confidence that it's going to be an absolute thrill ride and I'd expect nothing less.



Night Moves' sophomore record Pennied Days is out March 25th on Domino. The record is available for pre-order now.

Pitstop: Mothers

One of the greatest discoveries I made during CMJ 2015 wasn't a band I had seen at CMJ at all. Not that I didn't want to. Considering I saw their name countless times both before and during the week, I was certainly intrigued by Athens, GA quartet Mothers but managed to, in several cruel twists of fate/horrible displays of time management on my part, just miss every set of theirs I set out to see.



When I returned home and finally got a chance to check them out, it wasn't hard to see why the young band was getting so much attention. Mainly the songwriting vehicle for Kristine Leschper, Mothers combines Leschper's unique vocals and intimate lyricism with complex, angular instrumental work. Leschper's distinct yodel, reminiscent of Angel Olsen at times, is a surprisingly winsome fit for the interlocking, occasionally heavy rock and yet both Leschper and Mothers prove their versatility with tracks like "Too Small For Eyes", the opening track to the foursome's forthcoming debut record When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired which swaps out jangly guitars for Leschper on mandolin and string arrangements.

That versatility is fully on display when you go from the sparse "Too Small For Eyes" to the fiery "Cooper Mines" or insistent fervor of "It Hurts Until It Doesn't". Leschper's vocals lend themselves effortlessly to the emotive and Mothers put that smartly at the forefront. But Mothers is more than just Kristine Leschper; the band evolving from a solo project into a tight knit machine capable to fusing the raw sincerity of Leschper's vocals with a relentless head-banging forward momentum. In just three simple songs Mothers display without a shadow of a doubt a maturity and confidence in their own sound that most bands would kill for. It's enough to get you properly excited for their full length record even as each track reveals itself to be wholly different from the other.





Mothers' debut full length When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired is out February 26th on Grand Jury. You can pre-order the album now.