Prenatt’s Picks: 100 Artists To Check Out In 2020 (Part 7)

And then there were three…

Here at Punk Goes Prenatt, for the next 10 weeks, I’ll give you 100 artists that you need to tune your attention to throughout 2020. This list will feature numerous acts from numerous genres.

This is part seven of ten. If you didn’t read the previous list, click here.

Surfbort

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Out Now: Hot On The Scene – Single (Cult)

For Fans Of: Amyl And The Sniffers, The Coathangers, X

Loud, crude, and gross are some of the best words to describe Surfbort, a punk rock quartet hailing from the Big Apple. Named after the sex position mentioned in Beyoncé’s “Drunk In Love,” the group have been kicking ass, taking names, and throwing up on Trump. While they might seem like the kind of people your parents would tell you not to interact with, they’re actually extremely nice, fun people. So far in their career, the band have performed with Dune Rats, Leftöver Crack, and Wavves, partnered with Gucci, and were feted by Blondie. Not bad for a band that began as a joke.

Song to Listen to: “Hideaway”

Wilmette

Hometown: Sleepy Hollow, IL

Out Now: Anxious Body (Mutant League)

For Fans Of: Belmont, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, Save Face

Born from a basement in Sleepy Hollow, Ill., easycore troupe Wilmette have done a lot of shit since forming in mid 2018. They signed with Mutant League Records (AM Taxi, Chief State, Lucky Boys Confusion,) dropped their debut EP Anxious Body last year, and have performed with Keep Flying, Right On Kid, dying in designer, LURK, and Boys Of Fall. Right now, the band are going to work on a new EP even with COVID-19 running amuck in the country, which should be out by summertime. Stay safe boys.

Song to Listen to: “Carol From HR”

Future Teens

Hometown: Boston, MA

Out Now: Breakup Season (Triple Crown)

For Fans Of: Heart Attack Man, Prince Daddy & The Hyena, Retirement Party

The genre that Future Teens perform in is called bummer pop. What does that sound like? Well, as they bluntly put it, ” It sounds like it’s 1 am and you’re on the front stoop of a party full of people you barely know talking with your best friend after you’ve both had a really hard couple of weeks.” Formed in 2014, the bummer pop band have dropped two albums, their latest Breakup Season came out in 2019 via Triple Crown Records (A Will Away, Dogleg, Holy Fawn,) toured with Hot Mulligan, Bad Bad Hats, and The Wonder  Years, created two cover albums for charity, and played a Carly Rae Jepsen tribute set. If you’re looking for fun times, look no further than Future Teens. They’ll spend the summer touring with Spanish Love Songs. 

Song to Listen to: “Born To Stay”

Point North

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Out Now: Into The Dark – Single (Hopeless)

For Fans Of: Hands Like Houses, Sleeping With Sirens, Too Close To Touch

If you say Sleeping With Sirens is one of your major influences, it makes sense to cop vocalist Kellin Quinn on your new single. That’s what the poppy rock trio Point North did. Known for covering acts like My Chemical Romance, nothing,nowhere., and The Chainsmokers, the former We Are Triumphant group broke it big last year when they signed with Hopeless Records (Fame On Fire, Lil Xtra, ROAM.) With how catchy their hooks and sound are, it’s no wonder they got to perform with acts like As It Is, Stand Atlantic, and Super Whatevr. Point North are touring with Mayday Parade this September.

Song to Listen to: “Into The Dark”

Hounding

Hometown: Canterbury, Kent, UK

Out Now: Bad Days (Easter Island)

For Fans Of: The Jesus Lizard, Milk Teeth, Weezer

I started to struggle looking for bands, so I reached out to the fine folks at Midwest Emoposting on Facebook for some recommendations. One of the dozens I received was the grungy rock trio (or quartet?) Hounding. Originally known as Mutt, Hounding have this sound that recalls the good old days of grunge, influenced by Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and The Smashing Pumpkins, where frontman El Tyler has this “Corgan-esque howling” in his voice. And if you read my hints on Facebook, this is the band whose EP has Pikachu, Weezer, and Spider-Man on the cover. Definitely check out Hounding.

Song to Listen to: “Peach Fuzz”

TERRORBYTE

Hometown: Syracuse, NY

Out Now: Decepticon – Single (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Emmure, Kissing Candice, Sylar

So what would you label the extreme masked metal sextet TERRORBYTE under? As one person put it on YouTube, “industrial metalcore gangsta rap,” which isn’t far from the truth. Formed in 2014, the band are as mysterious as they are heavy. With members under names like Ghost Drone (guitarist,) Shieldsy (keyboards/programmong,) and The Poltergeist (lead vocals,) it’s clear they got themselves under wraps. TERRORBYTE have done shows with Mushroomhead, Attila, and even Insane Clown Posse. They just dropped a new song featuring Emmure’s Frankie Palmeri.

Song to Listen to: “Deception”

Derek Ted

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Out Now: lo fi x-mas, vol. 1 (Pure Noise)

For Fans Of: Chase Huglin, Father John Misty, Gardenhead

After playing in screamo bands for some time, singer-songwriter Derek Ted wanted to break out of that phase and do something different. As a solo artist, he mixes in elements of folk and jazz with a hint of emo and modern pop, combining styles from his influencers like Circa Survive, Angel Olsen, and Fleet Foxes. After gaining some attention with his material, he signed with Pure Noise Records (Inclination, Moon Tooth, Spanish Love Songs) last summer and dropped two EPs, the newest one being a Christmas themed record back in December. Ted has done shows with Pinegrove, Arms Akimbo, Field Medic, Scott Ruth, and Kississippi. If you like solo works with interesting combinations, Ted’s your guy.

Song to Listen to: “Sew Me Up”

Hechael

Hometown: Detroit, MI and Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico

Out Now: Never Meant By American Football – Single (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Foxing, Oso Oso, Slaughter Beach, Dog

Dam you, Hector M. Alicea Torres. You’re in almost every group I’m in on Facebook and now you have a band? Just kidding, homie, Hechael’s some pretty good stuff. Spanning two countries, Hector and his partner in crime Michael Klave have come together to create some fine emo music. Over the course of a couple months, the two came together “to create art that imitates our lives, or whatever versa.” All that hard work birthed their debut single “Never Meant By American Football,” a four minute long acoustic track rich with emotion. They spent last month in the studio creating more material. And if you have any trouble finding them online, add “-wastaken” to their name. Ask Hector why.

Song to Listen to: “Never Meant By American Football”

Greer

Hometown: Costa Mesa, CA

Out Now: Bittersweet – Single (Epitaph)

For Fans Of: The Last Shadow Puppets, Rex Orange County, Wallows

Imagine playing a sold out gig with only one song available. That’s what Greer did. The indie band are named after late Vine star Emma Greer DiBaise, who died from cancer in 2016 and dated Greer’s drummer Lucas. And now her name will live on in the form of this band. Later this year, Greer will tour with The Honeysticks and are performing at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, CA, with Kings Of Leon, My Morning Jacket, and Plague Vendor.

Song to Listen to: “Song For Me”

Nova Charisma 

Hometown: Las Vegas, NV and Chico, CA

Out Now: Exposition II (Equal Vision)

For Fans Of: Head Automatica, The Mars Volta, Stolas

Nova Charisma is the brainchild of Hail The Sun frontman Donovan Melero and Royal Coda (and ex-Stolas) guitarist Sergio Medina. You would think that these two would create some killer progressive rock, but it’s actually some dream poppy rock music in the vein of early Coheed And Cambria and The Mars Volta. It’s not the first time these two created music together. Both were members in the supergroup Sianvar, and when that project ended, they quickly created Nova Charisma while the two were in London for two weeks. Currently the two are working on Exposition III.

Song to Listen to: “Gemini”

Come back next week for more artists!

Prenatt’s Picks: 100 Artists To Check Out In 2020 (Part 5)

We’re at the halfway point now.

Here at Punk Goes Prenatt, for the next 10 weeks, I’ll give you 100 artists that you need to tune your attention to throughout 2020. This list will feature numerous acts from numerous genres.

This is part five of ten. If you didn’t read the previous list, click here.

UnityTX

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Out Now: MADBOY (Pure Noise)

For Fans Of: Body Count, Limp Bizkit, Stray From The Path

Hailing from the great state of Texas, UnityTX go heavy as fuck. The hardcore/hip-hop quartet have been around since 2014, but they started making bigger waves in 2019 when they signed with Pure Noise Records (Belmont, Graduating Life, Meg & Dia.) The quartet have had their ups and downs, numerous lineup changes, and just recently had to cancel a tour with Deez Nuts in Europe. Yet with all these roadblocks, it hasn’t stopped the quartet from doing what they do best. They’ve done shows with Emmure, Poppy, Spite, I AM, and will embark on a tour with The Amity Affliction and Sleeping With Sirens next month, that is if it isn’t postponed due to the coronavirus.

Song to Listen to: “RUCKUS”

FITNESS

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Out Now: Make It Good – Single (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: AWOLNATION, Miike Snow, Robert DeLong

Good luck googling this band. If you want to find the electro pop rock duo FITNESS, all you need to type is FitnessWasTaken and you’ll find them everywhere (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) Made up of Eve 6’s vocalist Max Collins and former AWOLNATION guitarist Kenny Carkeet, FITNESS has the two weaving through familiar and foreign territories. They’re making happy music for a troubled world, and they are the light we need in these dark times. FITNESS have done shows with Matt & Kim, Kongos, and Big Data. The duo dropped a new song called “Make It Good” yesterday and will release another single “Anvil” next Friday.

Song to Listen to: “High”

Sub Urban

Hometown: New Jersey

Out Now: Thrill Seeker (Warner)

For Fans Of: Billie Eilish, Joji, Lorde

TikTok has made celebrities out of many musicians. For example, Y2K, iLOVEFRiDAY, and former Prenatt’s Picks band Beach Bunny. Another artist on that list is Sub Urban, the dark pop project of 20-year-old Danny Maisonneuve. The New Jersey artist broke it big with his track “Cradles,” which TikTok took and made it enormous than it already was. The video has reached over 99.5 million views, and his YouTube account just hit one million subscribers. He’s since released his debut EP Thrill Seeker, which dropped in mid-March on Warner Records (Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance, PVRIS.) And while he does sound like Billie Eilish, he does not like the comparison.

Song to Listen to: “Freak”

Y!KES

Hometown: Birmingham, UK

Out Now: Everything Pointless Is Correct (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Don Broco, Lower Than Atlantis, Mallory Knox

“Always take risks, wear whatever the fuck you want, be the person you want to be.” This statement from the Birmingham-based anti-pop quartet Y!KES perfectly sums up what they’re all about. With bold statements and bright colors, they aim to catch your eyes, whether it be with their flashy fashion sense or their catchy music. Their new vocalist Oli Long has already “filled the boots” and now they’re ready to concentrate on catching everyones’ attention. Be on the look out for Y!KES.

Song to Listen to: “Hold On To Your Grudge”

100 Fables

Hometown: Glasgow/Troon, Scotland

Out Now: History – Single (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Blondie, The Killers, Panic! At The Disco

While the members of new wave pop group 100 Fables haven’t toured in the U.S., their music however has been on the airwaves. “Extremely cool that [our single “History” has] been played over in the US!” vocalist Lindsey Liora said. The Glasgow quartet have their style buried deep into the 80’s, reminiscing of acts like Blondie and Roxy Music. 100 Fables got their name from an unreleased Prince track “99 Fables.” “The main goal is to do this full time and be able to sustain ourselves,” drummer Logan Whyte said. “Probably what every band at our stage would say. We’re all passionate and driven people, this is something that we won’t stop trying till we get there. Ideally, selling out stadium tours, that’s the pinnacle I guess. Or maybe a gig on Mars? Both are a long way off at the moment. However, the touring life is fun, it’s definitely something that we all want to do.”

Song to Listen to: “History”

Early Eyes

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN

Out Now: I’m Enough – Single (Epitaph)

For Fans Of: Bad Bad Hats, COIN, Hippo Campus

You might not know about indie-pop quintet Early Eyes, but you soon will. Freshly signed to Epitaph Records (The All-American Rejects, Hot Water Music, Nascar Aloe,) Early Eyes are a band that was made for alternative/indie radio stations. Their quirky funky vibes can put a smile on anyones’ face. Just look at the comments on their music video for their Epitaph debut single “I’m Enough.” Everyone loves it, and you will soon too. They’ve done shows with Judah & The Lion, The Happy Fits, and Denzel Curry. Currently they’re on the road with nothing,nowhere.

Song to Listen to: “I’m Enough”

LURK

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Out Now: Electro-Shock (Pure Noise)

For Fans Of: Angel Du$t, Ceremony, Dead Kennedys

Mixing hardcore with rock ‘n’ roll, Chicago punk rockers LURK are quite an interesting bunch. Formed in 2017, LURK — vocalist Kevin Kiley, guitarists Alex Rackow and Kevin Maida, bassist Dan Durley, and drummer Pedro Unzueta — are a solid bunch of guys making loud and hard punk-rock music that’ll get the kids moving. Their newest EP Electro-Shock is a heavy hitter. LURK have done shows with Grayscale, Knuckle Puck, Seaway, Candy, and Modern Color. Expect a full-length later in the year.

Song to Listen to: “Electro-Shock”

Best Ex

Hometown: Ramsey, NJ

Out Now: Gap Tooth (On My Mind) – Single (No Sleep)

For Fans Of: Carly Rae Jepsen, Halsey, Taylor Swift

Best Ex used to go by a different name and a different style. Known for the longest time as the pop-punk band Candy Hearts, that name and style all changed when lead vocalist/guitarist Mariel Loveland announced in 2017 that the project would now be called Best Ex to better suit with her mental issues. And while the sound might be different, Best Ex is not ex-Candy Hearts. Loveland summed it up as being a “breakup makeover.” Now with No Sleep Records (Charmer, Hot Mulligan, Worst Party Ever,) Best Ex are ready to shine. Their sophomore EP Good At Being Bad comes out May 22.

Song to Listen to: “Gap Tooth (On My Mind)”

Out Of Love

Hometown: London, UK

Out Now: S.L.U.M.P – Single (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Culture Abuse, Drug Church, Heart Attack Man

London punk’s Out Of Love only have one song out, and yet this song “S.L.U.M.P” is so good apparently that it has one publication calling it the single of the year. Little is known about the quartet, but what we know is that they do have the energy and chops to hang out with cool kids like PUP and Drug Church. For a brand new band, they got the skill to go hard. Out Of Love will be playing their first ever show on Saturday, April 11, at Bassments Speakeasy Bar in Dunstable, UK. Not bad for a band who’s roughly two years old.

Song to Listen to: “S.L.U.M.P”

Defining Lines

Hometown: Bradford/Leeds, UK

Out Now: Our Volition – Single (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Architects, The Devil Wears Prada, Memphis May Fire

Imagine getting to open up for your idols. That’s what West Yorkshire based metalcore act Defining Lines were able to accomplish in 2019 when they played with Memphis May Fire. “I think it’s one of those things we’ve always joked about when we’ve seen posters at shows, ‘Imagine if we could get on a show with them,’” guitarist Micky T told Discovered Magazine before Defining Lines did their biggest gig to date. “This time it actually happened and as soon as we saw it drop in our inbox I think we all kinda lost it, I love MMF!” Defining Lines so far have one EP (2018’s As Our Souls Depart) and two singles, the latest being “Our Volition,” dropping back in February. The EP alone has amassed over 80,000 plays on multiple streaming services. Once again, not bad for a brand new band. Their next show is Saturday, March 28, with DEADLAST at the Arden Road Social Club in Halifax. 

Song to Listen to: “Our Volition”

Come back next week for more artists!

Prenatt’s Picks: 100 Artists To Check Out In 2020 (Part 1)

It’s TIME!

That’s right, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. The main reason you guys even read my blog.

For 2020, I’m spicing things up. Instead of the usual 50, I’m doubling it. Yeah, 100 acts. Sure you might think I’m batshit insane for doubling my amount, but it’s a new year, and I wanted to see if I could even do 100 acts. And guess what, I was able to find enough.

Here at Punk Goes Prenatt, for the next 10 weeks, I’ll give you 100 artists that you need to tune your attention to throughout 2020. This list will feature numerous acts from numerous genres.

Now that we got all of that out of the way, let the madness begin!

Glitterer

Hometown: New York, NY

Out Now: Looking Through The Shades (Anti-)

For Fans Of: Fiddlehead, Gleemer, Turnover

Glitterer was made out of boredom. No joke. Former Title Fight bassist Ned Russin created Glitterer, a shoegaze meets grunge project, to cure his boredom. With two albums under the moniker, the latest being 2019’s Looking Through The Shades, Russin is creating music the way he’s never done in the past. His music feels like a lucid dream. “I started writing songs with this little MIDI keyboard that I bought probably like four years ago now,” Russin told Discovered Magazine in an interview. While Title Fight fans might find Glitterer to be a weird departure, it will quickly grow onto you. So far he’s toured with Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Ceremony, Angel Du$t, Stages In Faith, and Fiddlehead. If you like Title Fight, you’ll like Glitterer. He’ll be on the road later this year with Mannequin Pussy.

Song to Listen to: “1001”

The Wild & Free

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Out Now: Weight Of The World – EP (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Paramore, Tonight Alive, We Are The In Crowd

Alt-pop quartet The Wild & Free are a band that should be on your radar. These St. Louisans have the talent and skills to compete with acts like Against The Current and PVRIS. Just listen to songs like “Smoke & Mirrors” and “Paper Cut,” a track I wrote about months ago, and you’ll be hooked like I was. They went to the studio back in December with Matt Squire (3OH!3, Panic! At The Disco, Stacked Like Pancakes) and dropped “Out Of Time.” Let’s see if The Wild & Free are ready for the big leagues whenever that happens.

Song to Listen to: “Out Of Time”

Mundy’s Bay

Hometown: Montréal, Québec, Canada

Out Now: Control Room (Pure Noise)

For Fans Of: The Jesus And Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Title Fight

Mundy’s Bay are no strangers to this blog. The Montréal quartet first appeared back when I announced their signing to Pure Noise Records (Can’t Swim, Microwave, The Story So Far,) as well as reviewing their EP Control Room, a modern shoegaze classic. In my review, I said, “Control Room feels like a long lost 80’s album that was finally found. The three song EP takes elements found in artists of the time like Blondie, My Bloody Valentine, and The Cure while also inspired by modern acts like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Cigarettes After Sex, and Title Fight.” They’ve hit the road with acts like Defeater and Supercrush, and they’re currently touring with HUNNY. If you enjoyed Control Room, you’ll really like their debut record Lonesome Valley which drops March 13.

Song to Listen to: “Goodbye”

♥ GOJII ♥

Hometown: Orlando, FL

Out Now: WISHING STAR – EP (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: deadmau5, Om Unit, Shawn Wasabi

Meet ♥ GOJII ♥ (pronounced Go-gee,) an agender star mouse hailing from the wonderful city of Orlando. Influenced by deadmau5 and Aphex Twin, they create mesmerizing music known as dreampop, and once you hear their music, you’ll be wanting more. Their latest EP WISHING STAR is one of the best electronic albums I’ve heard in 2019. They’ve also done remixes for Britney Spears, Childish Gambino, and deadmau5. Totally don’t sleep on them. Follow their Patreon to hear new music early.

Song to Listen to: “POP!”

The Callous Daoboys

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Out Now: Die On Mars (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: The Chariot, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Number Twelve Looks Like You

Mathcore has never been this funny before. The Callous Daoboys, whose name sounds similar to the Dallas Cowboys, are a mathcore septet hailing from Atlanta and are quickly becoming a big deal in the scene. With their hilarious sense of humor and early 2000s mathcore sound that would make Botch proud, this collective are showing the world that they’re a force to be reckoned with. They’ve done shows with False Accusations, Gouge Away, The Last Ten Seconds Of Life, Michael Cera Palin, and Evergreen Terrace. Oh, and their new album Die On Mars fucking slaps. You’d be an idiot to sleep on the Daoboys.

Song to Listen to: “Fake Dinosaur Bones”

State Police

Hometown: Connecticut

Out Now: The Whole World (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Edgard Varese, John Cage, Stockhausen

“There’s four large sources of inspiration I draw from: drugs, dreams, shoegaze, and avant-garde electroacoustic.” That’s what experimental electronic artist State Police, aka YungKnight, told me on Discord when talking about his influences. The Connecticut-based musician’s songs feel like a bizarre drug trip, and that comparison isn’t wrong. Hell, he made his EP Concepts while on DXM. “Drugs are a tool to access alternate states of consciousness, and always presents the user with a different and unique view of the world, one that is different from waking everyday consciousness,” he said. “I like for my music to capture these alternate states of mind, one that is not as stable as you’d find in sobriety. Things become more fluid, or jagged, slowed.” His sophomore album The Whole World is as mesmerizing as it is trippy, like on tracks “Space Bird (750 Hours)” and “DMT Fever Dreams.” No word yet if he’ll ever do shows. 

Song to Listen to: “Space Bird (750 Hours)“

Cleveland Avenue

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Out Now: True Love Is Not Just A Pizza Tattoo (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: Four Year Strong, Knuckle Puck, ROAM

Originally a Blink-182 cover band, Chicago’s Cleveland Avenue are one of the many fresh faces to come out of the Windy City’s marvelous pop punk scene. Yeah, the same one that’s graced us with Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is…, and Knuckle Puck. They got some attention when actor Matthew Lillard listened to their song “Stu Macher Is Shaggy Rogers” after guitarist/vocalist Thomas Bulvan tweeted to the actor to check it out. And Lillard loved it. “We were in total shock!” the band told Discovered Magazine. “[Tommy’s] favorite actor is Matthew Lillard so realizing that a childhood idol was taking the time to listen to our new single was incredible.” They’ve done shows with Keep Flying and Young Culture. If you want proof that pop-punk’s not dead, check out Cleveland Avenue.

Song to Listen to: “Stu Macher Is Shaggy Rogers”

THICK

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Out Now: THICK – EP (Epitaph)

For Fans Of: Diet Cig, The Julie Ruin, Lemuria

Born from NYC’s DIY scene, THICK are three ladies playing punk music their way. As they say it clearly, “THICK make music with the raw defiance of punk and addictive melodies of pop, punchy and catchy and wildly tongue-in-cheek.” Their music titled “girlwave” packs quite the punch and their shows are nothing but good times. THICK signed with Epitaph Records (Converge, The Ghost Inside, Nacsar Aloe) in 2019 and dropped a three-song self-titled EP, and will be releasing their debut 5 Years Behind on March 6. The future is female, and it’s being led by THICK. 

Song to Listen to: “Bumming Me Out”

Locket

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Out Now: All Out (Fearless)

For Fans Of: Bearings, Head North, The Wonder Years

Remember Safe To Say? Well, they’re now called Locket. Don’t let the new name scare you off, it’s still the same STS you loved a few years back. “Two years ago, we decided to walk away from touring or playing shows altogether,” frontman Brad Garcia said in a press release. “As a band, and in my personal life, we weren’t in the healthiest of places. We put things on hold in order to figure out what it was we wanted from this band if it were to continue. Looking back to those first couple months, there was always a chance we’d just put things to bed entirely — especially if the time to ourselves didn’t give us that sense of clarity we were looking for. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. This break gave us a chance to make adjustments to our personal lives, to rediscover our love for writing and playing together, and, most importantly, to resolidify those relationships as people rather than just bandmates.” Since reuniting, they’ve toured with The Dangerous Summer and Belmont. Back together, the alt-emo quartet are ready to pick back up right where they left off. Rise and shine, fellas.

Song to Listen to: “Out Of Sight”

Surfaces

Hometown: College Station, TX

Out Now: Where The Light Is (Self-Released)

For Fans Of: boy pablo, Rex Orange County, Still Woozy

While their music sounds like a tropical breeze on a sunny beach written by West Coast folks, Surfaces are from Texas. The duo made up of writer/arranger Colin Padalecki and vocalist/producer Forrest Frank are creating seductive, happy-go-lucky music that bounces around from genre to genre. Combining hip-hop, calypso, jazz, pop, and whatever they can get their hands on, Surfaces are making music that no one can touch. With the success they’ve been having, it’s shocking that a major label hasn’t picked them up yet. Last year, their “Endless Summer Tour” sold-out all of the dates. All of them. They’re quickly moving up, and you better be ready. Their third album Horizons drops February 28.

Song to Listen to: “Sunday Best”

Come back next week for more artists!

Mundy’s Bay’s “Control Room” Feels Like A Blast From The Past

Later this year, Montreal indie group Mundy’s Bay will drop their debut album on Pure Noise Records (Drug Church, Less Than Jake, Sharptooth). While we wait, let’s look back at their latest EP Control Room, which dropped two months ago.

Control Room feels like a long lost 80’s album that was finally found. The three song EP takes elements found in artists of the time like Blondie, My Bloody Valentine, and The Cure while also inspired by modern acts like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Cigarettes After Sex, and Title Fight. What makes this entirely shocking is that Mundy’s Bay have a colored history in — of all things — hardcore music.

From what they learned in that scene, the band, consisting of vocalist/keyboardist Esther Mulders, guitarists John Donnelly and Victor Beaudoin, bassist Willy Love, and drummer Yann Therrian, have kept their DIY style and used that for their performances.

The EP begins with the chilly yet haunting “Moonlight”, a track that paints a picture of something that feels close but sadly isn’t. Mulders’ lyrics sound like poetry while Therrian’s drumming acts like a restless heart. She softly sings, “Moonlight / Shimmers bright / This night everything’s all right / In a while take it slow / Show me everything you’re gonna know.”

“What Would It Take To Make This Real” is like the successor to “Moonlight”, acting like the sun that brightens up the dark night. The song has happy summer vibes that reminisce of The Smiths and Tennis. On it, Mulders sings, “Picture me in a pink dress staring at an exit sign / I could see the light in your eyes, the good in your smile / Picture me on a summer day, with you in the breeze and you’re beside me / What would it take to make you mine?” It’s just the right track to put you in the mood after feeling sad.

Control Room closes with “Tell Me Now”, an 80’s song that bounces between sadness and happiness. It’s the perfect track that balances the moods we feel on the EP. Simply stunning, that’s all.

Overall, Control Room is a gem that everyone needs to listen to. It’s one of the most underrated shoegazing releases of the decade. Do not sleep on this band.