Rolling rock and indie-pop 2024

The new English Teacher album is really nice.

Curmudgeon, thanks for the Reyna Tropical tip. I'm really enjoying the music (sultry vocals, gorgeous rhythm section...) but I could really do without the interstitial blah blah blah. When I'm listening, do I really want to the singer to tell us how she used to be 'anti-singing'? It's like a movie that includes unexciting chats about directorial choices.

I found those interstitials charming, honestly

Really dig this album by Blue Bendy… they’re a UK band, but I feel it has kind of a Beauty Pill vibe(?): https://bluebendy.bandcamp.com/album/so-medieval

(I read about it in pitchfork… yeah, I’m basic)

Still really loving the latest from Ducks Ltd. — their best so far IMO. RIYL: Flying Nun, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. Has a bit more craft and less pummelling drum machine than their first (still good IMO) LP

https://ducksltdband.bandcamp.com/album/harms-way

If you folks listen to one song from that Blue Bendy album, make it "Mr. Bubblegum"... damn, it's such a banger!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fiuGqNiT4A

really liked that album and agreed that it’s the highlight

beauty pill wasn’t a bad comparison, also kind of felt like ought

I don't know Ought, will check them out (I also thought, like, Long Fin Killie meets Wolf Parade...)

Still House Plants are on the cover of Wire magazine. I still like Reyna Tropical more

Ducks Ltd are great!

Been pretty into this Rachel Love track — not really up on their deal or backstory but heard it on a radio show and it really hits the "when Broadcast/Stereolab get poppy" pleasure center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_t1FAucP6Y

I think she used to be in Dolly Mixture!

She did!

I love Kindsight, best band in Denmark right now, and their new album is very good: https://kindsightkindsight.bandcamp.com/album/no-shame-no-fame-lp

From Alvvays-like pop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OpwL1z69jo

To a final ten minute epic, which admittedly did sound better live:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJYIMvEP9nw

Oh wow had no idea about the Dolly Mixture connection! Makes sense but also feels like a sonic evolution? Very cool

English Teacher- This Could be Texas is good enough fussy artsy Brit pop

i love their song "only daffodils" but the record was waaaay too pretty and feathery and diffuse, really disappointing.

I can see that take, but some of it works for me, and some is good enough background music

can't believe people are discussing the still house plants album without talking about how incredibly grating the singing is. sounds like anohni but with no sense of melody or dynamics, just constant aggressive warbling

Yeah I checked out the Still House Plants after seeing Ryley Walker rave about the guitar playing, which was quite good, but I couldn't deal with the vocals.

it's decent yeah, but Dry Cleaning still have (by a margin) the best guitar in the current London post-punk scene

hadn't paid much attention to this band for a while but really dig this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10wN--7GxAY

new Les Savy Fav album is out. These 2 singles are pretty fun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCXrv6kEkgw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qgo6HiMuX0

that kindsight album is quite good at what it is doing and i really like it, thx!

Yeah Kindsight is kicking it here too. Thanks!

really digging the first two singles from Good Looks' new album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbOtfn9-SxQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZpsahjVgP0

terrific band. their last one was a major, major grower and one of the best albums of 2022, imo: https://goodlooksband.bandcamp.com/album/bummer-year

the title track is an all-timer

their last one is just fine imo

new one seems to be a major major step-up if the singles are anything to go by

finally checking out the full album from the narcotix (posted upthread). hypnotic and arresting stuff. i think each song is based on a tarot card, but idk enough about that to confirm. this one scorches tho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7im1pp6Voq4

It took a while to grow on me, but I love the MK.gee album that
just came out this February. It's ethereal and sexy and I don't think I've
ever heard guitar quite like this before. Can't really make out all the vocals,
but they seem there mostly to add to the vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB3ImSuqj64

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFErYdXddyg

live on Kimmel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrTm_6VpTTo

Saw English Teacher tonight in DC . Singer can sing and some of their best songs were when the arrangements were least busy, and she was emoting

Crowd was a mix of young and old . English Teacher have postpunk, prog, folk & more in their sound at times plus some spoken word vocals ala Dry Cleaning but also sung lyrics.

for my sweeter-version-of-Dry-Cleaning fix i've moved on from English Teacher to King Hannah, whose new one is great

the new Goat Girl seems like a big step forward for that band

I won't be able to get into Mk.gee because the first I'd heard of them was an article about how Eric Clapton is a huge fan and thinks the guitarist is the best guitarist out there

Me too, for same reason!

Lizzy McAlpine sure sounds like some of Phoebe Bridgers catalogue but not as good . Lizzy is in Dc for 2 shows at a 4000 or so seat arena and I decided to listen to her online to see what the big deal is

mk.gee is great despite the slowhand endorsement

we discussed him a bit on the “listening club” thread

https://upsettherhythm.bandcamp.com/album/something-looming

Best straight-up indie rock album I’ve heard in months

I gotta hear that new Goat Girl. and La Luz album is incredible, somehow they keep getting better.

a few recent faves, incl. some late '23

Tomato Flower - Magdalene
Bloomsday - Dollar Slice
The Smashing Times - Burglary in Belvedere
The Bug Club - Marriage
Catbells - Leaves
Wishy - Too True -- there's a thread!
Tetchy - Voices

also new Friko album sounding good, though would be hard to beat IN_OUT

and going further back, somehow missed Central Heat Exchange even with a Living Hour feature - https://centralheatexchange.bandcamp.com/track/tulips-at-my-bedside-2

the new La Luz record is so fucking great, they do so many thing right, like they tap into that feeling of psychedelia without feeling like late 60s cosplay, they have such well crafted songs, and really beautiful ensemble group singing which is a lost art now.