WE’RE midway through another week and once again awash in a soothing yet at times raucous sea of the finest new music that this planet has to offer. Fresh off of another wave of announcements for this year’s The Great Escape and with ambitious young acts preparing to undertake the pilgrimage to the industry mecca known as SXSW, the world’s musicians continue to jostle for position and outstretch their arms to grab the attention of the masses. With that said, here’s the standout tracks that have inundated our ears and minds over the past week.
Father John Misty- Total Entertainment Forever
Another nihilistic and playfully twisted excerpt from what is unquestionably one of the most anticipated records of the year, Father John Misty’s latest offering sees the singer/songwriter cast his scathing eye on Hollywood’s putrid landscape with witty worldplay and purposefully melodramatic instrumentation in tow.
Fenella- I Will Not Win
Stark, uncompromising and resilient in the face of anguish, Fenella’s recent offering acts as both a lovelorn exorcism and confessional in one fell swoop. Filled with lyrics that are soaked in pessimism and recall the soul-baring approach of Joni Mitchell and Nina Simone, ‘I Will Not Win’ is predestined to bring the stirring music of Mairi Whittle and Jack Boyce to larger and attentive audiences.
Matt Maltese- As The World Caves In
Inspired by the world’s tumultuous political state an sardonic troubadours such as Leonard Cohen and Scott Walker, Matt Maltese’s ‘As The World Caves In’ is the closest that anyone has came to capturing this lingering sense of helplessness which we’re all engulfed by at present.
Centered around one final tryst between Theresa May and Donald Trump before the world is plunged into nuclear induced darkness, the track is a lavishly produced rumination on our gloomy prognosis that peers over the brink of annihilation with a sense of infectious gallows humour.
The Coathangers- Captain’s Dead
Brimming with ferocity and reckless energy, Atlanta’s The Coathangers are a prime example of how to utilise the template of punk without simply adhering to the stereotypes that has threatened to drive the genre into the ground. Injected with healthy doses of chirpy pop that never threatens to override the track’s inherently barbed nature, ‘Captain’s Dead’ will serve as a fantastic introduction for those less well versed in the trio’s signature brand of exuberant rock ‘n’ roll.
Alt-J- Relaxer
Possibly recorded during a spell at Abbey Road Studios which was documented on their Instagram account, Alt-J left fans overjoyed as they revealed the off-kilter ‘3WW.’
Sparse and unorthodox in its structure, the track is an ambient and slow-burning affair which primarily leans on folk guitar, touching piano and delicately intertwined vocal performances. Five minutes of starkly beautiful and experimental music, it is likely that this new single points towards a forward-thinking and more conceptual piece than their sophomore album.
