Weekend Mixtape #2 (3/13/16)

Posted on by mcsquawk

Apologies for this week’s Weekend Mixtape being so late. I was away for the weekend and just got back tonight. For this week’s batch of songs there’s an awesome new single from Big Deal, a track from The Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon’s new album Painkillers that just came out this Friday, plus great new songs from up and coming bands Constant Supply, Exam Season, Cavalier, Alxndr London, Service Bells and Baby in Vain. Seems many of this week’s songs have a mid-00’s indie rock vibe (think Death Cab For Cutie, The Notwist and Wolf Parade blended together). Listen to the playlist below.

Also, don’t forget to vote for which artists you want to compete in Squawkin’ Good Showdown, which starts this Wednesday! The 32 artists who get the most votes will be played on this week’s show and will compete to advance to the next round. Vote here!

 

Weekend Mixtape #1 (3/6/16)

Posted on by mcsquawk

Starting this week, I’m trying a new variation on my Weekend SoundCloud picks. Squawkin Good Tunes’ Weekend Mixtape will be a weekly playlist of my favorite new songs I discovered on SoundCloud plus some other great new tracks I heard this week.

Former Burlington band Argonaut & Wasp are back with one of their best singles yet. Marian Hill of “One Time” fame have released a brand new single, plus there’s a bold new track from rising artist Mitzki, hard rockin’ singles from Nothing and Bleached, latest cuts from Yeasayer‘s Amen & Goodbye, Com Truise’s Silicon Tare EP, and The Boxer Rebellion‘s Ocean by Ocean, promising tracks from London acoustic-rockers Narrow Plains and New Zealand band The Leers.

Listen to all tracks below:

Let me know which tracks you liked best and I’ll play them on this Wednesday’s edition of Squawkin’ Good Radio!

Also, don’t forget to choose which artists you would like to compete in Squawkin’ Good Showdown which starts Wednesday, March 16. Vote here!

 

Weekend SoundCloud Picks: 2/28/16

Posted on by mcsquawk

Every week, I listen to the new tracks posted on my SoundCloud stream and choose 4-8 of my favorites to share with you each Sunday.

I’m back with another set of my favorite songs discovered on Soundcloud. Interestingly, this week’s picks are a throwback to my high school days, with a couple of louder, angstier songs, a long-awaited return of a band I first discovered online when I was in high school, and a great remix of an early 00’s alt-rock hit.

White Lung “Hungry”

White Lung are back with the first single from their sophomore album Paradise, out May 6th on Domino Records. As powerful as their last album but shows off a more melodic and catchy side of their music.

Incubus “Stellar” (Alvan Project Remix)

French producer Alvan Project gives new life to Incubus’ second single from their 1999 album Make Yourself. Combining a dance beat with guitars from the original song, plus a flute and a strange vocal sample.

Prince Rama “Bahia”

Prince Rama were a band whose music I was never able to get into, but this first single from their forthcoming album Xtreme Now is very intriguing. A fun and catchy song that is still very weird.

Aloha “Signal Drift”

Aloha are band who I collected quite a few tracks from during my online musical discoveries from late high school into college. They’re returning with their first album since 2010, called Little Windows Cut Right Through, released on their longtime label Polyvinyl Records.

A Mouth Full of Matches “Possible Dreams”

British band A Mouth Full of Matches caught my attention with their latest track. They play a style of melodic hard rock, more along the lines of what I listened to in high school compared to what I listen to today, but give them a listen. They take this style of music in new and exciting directions and if you like this song, they have much more to offer on their SoundCloud page.

Fou De Toi “Don’t Know What to Do”

Fou De Toi are a Swedish band whose latest single is a really catchy pop-rock track, recommended if you like Phoenix or Two Door Cinema Club.

Below, you can listen to all tracks featured this week. Let me know which songs you liked and I will feature them on this week’s edition of Squawkin’ Good Radio!

Shearwater – Jet Plane and Oxbow (album review)

Posted on by mcsquawk

Label: Sub Pop

Release Date: January 22, 2016

Austin, TX band Shearwater have been making music for over 15 years. Lead members Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff are members of the more well-known Okkervil River. Shearwater differs from Okkervil River by having Meiburg and Sheff swap roles, with Meiburg taking lead vocal duties, offering a more reflective sound compared to the edgier roots rock of Okkervil River. But with their latest release Jet Plane and Oxbow, Shearwater have created one of the defining albums of their career that is likely to find them reaching a new audience without alienating their old fans.

On first listen, the sound of this album is breathtaking. Production from Brian Weitzell (known for his soundtrack work on Friday Night Lights, Hannibal and The Bling Ring) gives these songs new life. Jet Plane and Oxbow is an old school rock record in an age where musicians aren’t as focused on albums and are more likely to release EPs and one-off singles. They try on a variety of musical styles, from the electronic-tinged lead single “Quiet Americans” to the shimmering folk-rock stomp of “Pale Kings” to the energetic “Radio Silence” which recalls R.E.M.’s best singles.

The sound of the album is pleasing enough, but the album’s true strength is in the songwriting. The lyrics on Jet Plane and Oxbow are inspired by disillusionment with the American political system in recent years. “Quiet Americans” is the most obvious example of this, but this theme resounds through the entire album. This is not just a collection of pretty songs, it makes a statement as well.

Jet Plane and Oxbow is the kind of album that is perfect for introducing new listeners to this band. It’s Shearwater’s most accessible album to date, without sacrificing the quality of their songwriting. Jet Plane and Oxbow is the first great album of 2016 and definitely a contender for year end lists.

Rating: 9/10

Key tracks: “Quiet Americans”, “Pale Kings”, “A Long Time Away”, “Backchannels”, “Only Child”, “Radio Silence”

I will be writing a review of one album on Squawkin’ Good Tunes each week. Next up: Sunflower Bean’s “Human Ceremony” and Wild Nothing’s “Life of Pause”.

Weekend SoundCloud Picks: 2/21/16

Posted on by mcsquawk

After being sick last week, I’m back with a new set of my favorite new tracks I heard on SoundCloud this week. Got a good variety of stuff this week from some familiar faces as well as some new bands I’m excited to hear more from. Take a listen and let me know which songs you like best and I will play them on Wednesday’s show!

Gypsy & The Cat “Inside Your Mind”

Australian duo Gypsy & The Cat are back with their latest single “Inside Your Mind”, a great sounding track reminding me a little of the band Waterstrider who I discovered the last year, and has also been compared to MGMT’s “Electric Feel”.

The Derevolutions “Purple, Gold & White”

Boston band The Derevolutions (who you may have heard on Flight of the Squawkatiel in 2014) have been releasing new songs over the past few months. Their latest track, “Purple, Gold & White” is one of their weirder, sound collage type songs but is very catchy.

DMA’s “In the Moment”

I’ve been hearing a lot of great new bands out of Australia lately, and Sydney band DMA’s are another one to check out. Their latest song “In the Moment” is a throwback to the peak of 90’s Britpop, with a catchy guitar riff. From their debut album Hills End out February 26.

The American Vogue “I Don’t Care About the Lights”

Debut single from Nashville band The American Vogue. Definitely want to hear more from them!

Radical Face “Rivers in the Dust”

Radical Face (aka singer-songwriter Ben Cooper) is back with the final album in his Family Tree trilogy called The Family Tree: The Leaves. I really like the drums that turn up halfway through the song.

The Cave Singers “Christmas Night”

Seattle band The Cave Singers (featuring former members of Pretty Girls Make Graves) are back with their latest album Banshee that just came out this Friday. Despite the title, this is not a Christmas song, but a catchy garage-pop track good for any time of the year.

Lust For Youth “Sudden Ambitions”

Danish synth-pop band Lust For Youth are back with a new album Compassion, out March 18 on Sacred Bones Records. Here is the latest single from it.

Kidsmoke “Cut Yourself Loose”

Sunny guitar-pop from Welsh band Kidsmoke, who list Wild Nothing and Real Estate as influences.

Listen to all 8 songs below.