This week’s OpenEars Monomania, the tracks we can’t get out of our head, songs that are constantly on repeat, is another diverse list with some really really great stuff, both old and new. This week, we’ve got songs from returning contributors (Brittany, Emily, Lisa, and Mike), in addition two first time contributors who happen to be two favorite musicians (Chris, George). These are the tracks we are loving, that have etched themselves into our minds, complete with Spotify playlist at the end. We hope you will find something new you dig, go to their shows, buy their shit, share their music, and tell them that you love them.
Adult Mom – “Survival”
I booked Adult Mom at Mammal almost exactly a year ago when they were on tour supporting Eskimeaux, one of my favorite bands and groups of people in general. I remember thinking they were pretty good, and then sort of forgot about them. A few days ago I saw their name on a bill somewhere on facebook and decided to give them another listen. I sort of randomly picked this acoustic live version to watch first on youtube and something about the combination of the performance (intimate, slightly restrained) and the song itself (brutal, honest, powerful) just hooked me immediately. Their whole album, Momentary Lapse of Happily, which came out back in July on Tiny Engines is great, but this song is my favorite. Pretty much every line in this song slays me, and really you’ve gotta love a song that starts with the line, “I dunno if my mom loves me anymore…” – GP
Beck – “The Golden Age”
This is the intro track on Beck’s record Sea Change. I’ve always loved this song and have always been able to come back to it and appreciate the production on it and the tear jerking effect it has on it’s listeners. Definitely a track for your playlist especially if you’re taking a long drive by yourself late at night. – CS
Ben Varian – “Throw Away My Hair”
Ben is my friend, which actually presents a bit of a conflict sometimes because I am also a huge fan of his music and it can be hard to find the balance in relationships like that. It doesn’t help that he is notoriously self-effacing and has a tendency to write and record and produce these albums entirely by himself and then just sort of throw them up online without really telling people. It’s sort of frustrating, actually. My favorite line, “You’re doing your best to confirm my working theory that it’s always a little worse than I think.” – GP
Breathers – “I’ll Never Know”
A lot of people in Atlanta wrote about Breathers excellent MARTA-inspired single ‘Colored Lines’ (and deservedly so) and as a result I felt like the B-side got slept on a little bit, so I’d like to give it it’s moment because it’s truly fantastic as well. Jake Thomson takes lead songwriting duties and vocals on this one and regardless of the fact that I have known him for years and played in bands with him many times he never fails to blow me away with his inventiveness and style in the way he arranges and produces his songs. There is definitely a Todd Rundgren vibe to the vocals and lyrics, but the pad synths and verse melody is straight up Haruomi Hosono (of Yellow Magic Orchestra). The jump to double time and corresponding poppy synth hook gets me every time, too.– GP
The Copper Children – “Drugs & Liquor”
“She’s got her finger on the trigger..” will not stop rolling through my mind this week. I find myself grinning and tapping my foot nearly every time too. It was super difficult to pick just one song off of The Copper Children‘s, Copper Child. This seamless collection of gentle yet striking soul/folk tunes will likely be on repeat until the end of the month. – BB
Cullen Omori – “Cinnamon”
At the end of 2014, Smith Westerns called it quits, putting an end to a band that had garnered plenty of fans and buzz throughout their 3 albums. Now frontman Cullen Omori has signed to Sub Pop and announced his debut solo album New Misery which is out March 18th. The first single, “Cinnamon”, kicks up the sun drenched breezy pop of Smith Westerns a bunch of notches. It’s really the perfect song to roll down the windows and suck in any warmth the sun will offer. This song will take me right into spring. – MG
Gallant x Sufjan Stevens – “Blue Bucket Of Gold”
I first saw Gallant open for Sufjan at Cobb Energy Centre in what seemed a like an odd pairing, Gallant being this R&B powerhouse in the mold of The Weeknd, and Sufjan a folk legend. Then they did a fun cover of “Hotline Bling” (my 1st time really hearing that song) and the pairing made more sense with Sufjan kicking up the mood at his shows. Now Gallant has announced “In the Room”, an ongoing collaborative project that he said: “a chance to both pay tribute to and create something special with the artists that have inspired me the most.” The first one is Gallant covering Sufjan’s brilliant song from Carrie & Lowell, “Blue Bucket Of Gold” with Sufjan Stevens on piano. It holds true to Sufjan’s original, soft and chilling, adding Gallant’s vocal range, it feels like the next song you will hear during an epic scene from a movie, pulling all of the emotional heartstrings. It’s clear Gallant was paying attention during tour with Sufjan, he’s not up there just singing, he’s channelling every word within him. I can’t sit here and say this is better than the original, but this is about one damn near perfect cover. – MG
Murals – “Long Bridge”
Murals hails from Louisville (you will notice, I have a thing for bands from Louisville, KY.) and they create incredible psych tunes. Their music is like sitting in the sunshine on a warm day. “Long Bridge” is the second single off their forthcoming record, Violent City Lantern. It will be released via Fire Talk on February 19th. If you dig this tune, I have to recommend you check out the other single here as well as their 2012 release, On a Passing Cloud, here. – EH
Nevermen – “Mr Mistake”
It seems like the most unlikely of pairings with the members of this side project, but somehow amongst itself, it finds its place. Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio, Mike Patton of Faith No More and rapper Adam “Doseone” Drucker dove into creating a side project that has taken a couple of years to get a full album together. “Mr. Mistake” (December 2015) is the second release from Nevermen, who will be releasing their self-titled debut album on January 29th through Lex Records. “Mr.Mistake” uses heavy synth and mixing while layering Tunde’s lyrics and using his voice as an instrument to create odd vocal noise. The playful song leaves us curious as to what’s in-store for the rest of the album regarding sound and production. – LP
I listened to this bands EP a couple of times and had a hard time picking which song to bring to this week’s list. Melbourne, Australia’s Oh Pep!, Olivia Hally (vocals, guitar) and Pepita Emmerichs, (violin, mandolin) bring this harmonious quirkiness to their contemporary filled folk songs. The girls leave you with no opportunity to hate their songs. You find yourself hooked to their honest lyric and alluring harmony. “Rest Assured” off their EP Living (Star House Collective, August 2015) brings this lovely refreshing quality to its songs with Olivia’s powerfully honest voice against the strum of Pepita’s mandolin. – LP
My friend Jessie shared Pearl Charles’s self-titled EP on Facebook and said I would like it. Well, I LOVE it. And if you love La Luz, you will too. “You Can Change” is the second track off the six track EP which is out now via the always on point Burger Records. – EH
Pop Weirdos – “Mid Life”
Atlanta’s Pop Weirdos wear their sound within their name, so let “Mid Life” from their December release, be your introduction to some weird ass pop music that will effectively live within your head, what with all the “ba-ba-ba-ba”(s), cello, organ, violin, broken glass and more sounds to massage your mind. Pop Weirdos have seemingly captured their affinity for the Beach Boys, Grizzly Bear, and Animal Collective into one jar, shook it up, let it sit for a few days, and poured it out over fresh ice into a broken rocks glass for a refreshing sound with a familiar taste. – MG
White Reaper – “Middle of America”
I LOVE THIS BAND SO MUCH. They’re from Louisville and they’re great. Their 2015 release, White Reaper Does It Again, was a highlight for me last year and this new tune does not disappoint. They are so much fun and are a must see band. Seriously, if they are in your town you have to go. Anyway, “Middle of America” can be found on a split 7” with Daddy Issue’s “Drop Out” via Infinity Cat (out now, y’all!). – EH
Wild Ones – “Dim The Lights”
My musical taste usually tends to steer itself away from pop music, but I can’t help but fall in love with songs with really great builds and seamless transition. The Portland dream-pop band Wild Ones do it in a perfect way with their song “Dim The Lights” off their recently released EP Heatwave (Topshelf Records, 2015). Danielle Sullivan’s voice has this ethereal quality about it that builds into something more seductive and demands your attention in the subtlest of ways against the heavy synth and backing drum. What normally would have been brushed to the side has indeed caught my attention this week. – LP
Yeasayer – “I Am Chemistry”
Details finally surfaced this week on news of a new Yeasayer album, the first since 2012’s Fragrant World. The new album, Amen & Goodbye is out 4/1 on Mute, and they also released the first single, “I Am Chemistry”, which finds Yeasayer doing what they do best: with a pulsating rhythm, spaced out synths, experimenting with sounds and progressions, while still keeping a melody that lives in your head and has the listener dancing along. Plus, for added affect there is a children’s choir added in. It’s a perfect mix of weird and accessible pop. – MG
Your Friend – “Heathering”
Taryn Miller made some buzz with her debut self-recorded EP, Jekyll/Hyde, that came out in early 2014 under the name Your Friend. Now she is back with her debut full length album Gumption due out January 29th via Domino. Working with producer Nicolas Vernhes (The War on Drugs, Deerhunter), on the first single “Heathering” you can hear Taryn’s melodic sense as the Lawrenceville, Kansas native tinkers with sounds and textures, behind her haunting vocals, creating some other heavenly world that’s free for meditation. – MG
Tracks currently on Spotify all added together into one easy to listen playlist:
This week’s contributors: Brittany Burdett (BB), Asst. Talent Buyer – Smith’s Olde Bar; Chris Spino (CS), COMA GIRLS; Emily Hogan(EH); George Pettis (GP), 100 Watt Horse; Lisa Parish (LP); Mike Gerry (MG);
