Alabama Shakes – Don’t Wanna Fight
Alabama Shakes has managed to make a massive impact in just a short period of existence. Formed by a pair of high school friends who would get together after school and write songs, the band quickly evolved from garage-bound time killer to bonafide rock band, passing through common touchstones around the way. The group went from covering classic rock to making its own, gaining nation acclaim along the way.
Now, with the release of their second studio album, Sound and Color, it’s clear the group has found its own voice, derived from the power and control of lead vocalist Brittany Howard. Sounding like a modern day Janis Joplin, she delivers a dizzying performance atop a grooving guitar riff on Don’t Wanna Fight. Though the track throws some punches like it’s a punk rock song, it finds its home in a funky cut, riding forward with a soulful rock sensibility.
Mac McCaughan – Wet Leaves
One of the original indie rock collectives, Superchunk made its mark on American music in the 1990’s. In recent years, the group has resurfaced on occasion for little opportunities to relive the glory days and make new music. Now lead singer and guitarist Mac McCaughan is off an his own, working solo on Wet Leaves. Synth-powered and bouncy, the track serves as a friendly preview of McCaughan’s upcoming record Non-Believers.
Speedy Ortiz – The Graduates
The Graduates is a headrush of a song that makes you feel like you’re standing upside down. The track off Massachusetts punk-ish outfit Speedy Ortiz’s upcoming album offers a complex musical landscape, with layered vocal tracks and rich instrumentations behind it. It provides front woman Sadie Dupuis with the perfect background for some self-effacing lyrics. “I was the best at being second place, but now I’m just the runner-up,” she sings, but she’ll win your heart while doing it.
Passion Pit – Where the Sky Hangs
Indie rock electronica outfit Passion Pit have been dangling the promise of a new album over their fans for a while now, and they’ve finally made good on the teasing this week with the release of Kindred. One of the finest tracks on the record, Where the Sky Hangs, has Passion Pit doing what it does best: playing the musical equivalent of a fireworks display. Though a step slower than some of the band’s songs, it’s still energetic and full of brightness.
Fool’s Gold – Another Sun
Los Angeles world pop collective Fool’s Gold is anything but what its name implies. With a new album waiting in the wings, the band is starting to show off what it has in store. Another Sun is the first of the previews. It’s an Ethiopian and Congolese inspired track with vibrant and floaty qualities that make it almost dream-like. Beneath the surface is a slowly building organ, a simmering flame under the boiling pot that is the rest of the track.
