Indie
Premiere: The Parasocials reveal debut single Karmatose; hear it first right here
Taken from their forthcoming debut self-titled EP, Parasocials is the first single from new quartet The Parasocials, aka lo-fi indie jazz artist Tomer Krail, roguish punk-folk singer George Calne Jones, charming indie softboi Felix Slander and miracle drummer Rob James. Settling into writing over lockdown, Karmatose reflects on the bands recent penchant (to the point …
Track: Reigning Sound – ‘Oh Christine’: a sweet Americana lament from returning Memphis cult heroes
RETURNING Memphis prodigals Reigning Sound have followed up the the classy garage-rock soul of “A Little More Time” from last month with another little cracker on the path to their first album in seven years. That’s called “Oh Christine”, it’s herein, and it comes with a quality assurance from the man himself, Greg Cartwright, who …
Track: Wildheart release the visceral excoriating and ultimately cathartic single ‘Backburner’
While hardcore is a genre I usually don’t write about, a track like ‘Backburner’ from Brisbane band Wildheart shines with such a passion. Termed ‘melodic hardcore’ to be precise, which is a much more accessible genre, I presume, than non-melodic hardcore – what makes ‘Backburner’ so special is the deep heartfelt messages and the pure …
Track: Canada’s Joseph of Mercury releases a grief-stricken paean to lost friends in the shimmering track ‘Pretty Blonde Boy’
Gliding over a bubbling, sparkling instrumentation, Joseph of Mercury has a gorgeous vocal style that recalls bands like The Smiths or Gene – a veritable crooner with indelible style. His new single ‘Pretty Blonde Boy’ was born out of grief for the loss of two friends: Two of my oldest, closest & dearest friends, both …
Premiere: HYMNS return with the dark alt-rock of Reset ahead of new EP
London alt-rock band HYMNS are gearing up for the release of their new EP Reset, out on April 30th by releasing the title track – officially out on April 16th, but we’re delighted to be able to premiere it right here on Backseat Mafia today. Of the track, frontman Oliver Hooper says, “Written in a time …
Track: Sydney electro-pop duo Micra release luscious double singles ‘Undercover Lover’ and ‘I Should’ve Listened’
Ivana Kafedjiyska and Robbie Cain together are the Sydney-based duo Micra and they have just released a luscious pair of tracks that are awash with dream pop motifs and a languid air. Centred around Kafedjiyska’s ethereal vocals and a soft and billowing synth bed, ‘Undercover Lover’ has a classic pop melody and a wistful pace. …
Album Review: Xiu Xiu’s OH NO! is a return to form, and a celebration of everything that has made them great.
To me, Xiu Xiu has always been a project marked by its ambition; whether it’s finding new ways to express the spirit of musical heavyweights like Nina Simone or Angelo Badalamenti, or forging a new kind of visceral yet fragile sound on albums like A Promise or 2019’s Girl with Basket of Fruit. Jamie Stewart’s …
News: Lou Barlow set for a solo album in late May; see the video for ‘Over You’
NOTHING less than absolute royalty of the US alt.rock scene, Lou Barlow, formerly of Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh and Sentridoh, The Folk Implosion, is set to grace our ears with his first solo album in six years – and you can watch the video for the first single drop herein. That album, Reason To Live, will …
Album Review: Brisbane’s dreamy pop exponent Cloud Tangle returns with the gloriously ambient ‘Swells’
Last year’s debut album ‘Kinds of Sadness’ by Brisbane solo artist Cloud Tangle was a sign of something special brewing in the home studios of Amber Ramsay – it was one of our favourite Australian/New Zealand releases for 2020 and indicative of a prodigious talent. Cloud Tangle is back with the album ‘Swells’ – another …
Album review: Bill MacKay and Nathan Bowles – ‘Keys’: pull up a pew for bluegrass instrumental delight
You know what the best thing about Keys is; for all its intimacy, the focus wholly on how the two players and their instruments mesh,a real joy in creation rings through. William Tyler, Black Twig Pickers, Jack Rose fans; please come on over and pull up a pew