Tag: pick your poison Page 43 of 142

It’s been a good decade since the Michalka sisters (aka Aly & AJ) have made music, probably because they’ve been busy acting and stuff. But that period of reflection and growth appears to have given their sound a refreshing boost, to the point where they’ve actually made a halfway decent pop song. No offense to their earlier material, which had its fans I suppose. This is certainly the first Aly & AJ track I’ll recommend though. Elsewhere, the era of Bon Iver-inspired meditative pop continues to grow, and Haux’s latest “Cologne” manages to show a lot of restraint by maintaining a very sedate piano melody without going for the very obvious, soaring chorus. It’s surprising in a pleasant way, though maybe also just a little disappointing that big time release never quite comes. That’s less of a problem for Slow Magic, who manage to make a solid bit of explosive dance pop in collaboration with Tropics. It’s got beauty and beats in spades, as most great Slow Magic tracks do. Other artists with tracks in this set include Denzel Curry, Jason Nolan, Novi (ft. Tyler Blackburn), Pinkshinyultrablast, Pollyn (ft. Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip), Sol Heilo, Tom Tripp, WAJU (ft. Kyle the Hooligan), and more.

Aly & AJ – Take Me

Haux – Cologne

Slow Magic – Light (ft. Tropics)

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Julie & The Wrong Guys is Julie Doiron’s collaborative project with Cancer Bats, which sounds very ’90s alt-rock. Think like a cross between Veruca Salt, The Breeders and Local H. You can hear a dynamite new one from their forthcoming record if you look just below this paragraph. Fans of quality electronica should jump onto Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s latest “To Follow and Lead,” which reminds me a bit of The Knife (in a very good way). There’s a surging day-glo quality to The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s new song “My Only,” as surging synths and fuzzed out guitars meet in a gorgeous collision of sound. After the jump, there’s plenty more music from artists such as Adam Jensen, Conner Youngblood x Nylo, Gold Fir, Loyal Lobos, Morly, Radnor & Lee (actor Josh Radnor + Ben Lee), RahRah, Sam Evian, and The Willowz.

Julie & The Wrong Guys – Love and Leaving

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – To Follow and Lead

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – My Only

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It’s always fun when an artist takes a classic hit and reinterprets it to fit their own unique style. The Blow have done exactly that with Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All,” turning it into something that’s pretty much unrecognizable compared to the original outside of the lyrics. While we’re on the path of strange synth/electronic music, maybe give Carmen Villain’s “Borders” a try, as avant-garde artist Jenny Hval adds her signature beautiful weirdness to the proceedings. Part of me hopes that Happy Hollows manage to earn a bunch of new fans for their forthcoming album that’ll be out in early September, as it’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs vibe really deserves attention, particularly since the YYYs have been on break. Give the catchy new Happy Hollows track “Meteors” a try, and see if it sticks with you. Grateful to have Sleep 8 Over back in action again, this time collaborating with Carlson on a slick track that effortlessly blends R&B and skittering electronica. “Don’t Wanna Hide” reminds me of FKA twigs, in a very good way. Other artists in this set after the jump include Baltra, Dent May, Duds, G Herbo, Knightstown, Oliver (ft. MNDR), Prince Fox (ft. Quinn XCII), SAKIMA, and Summer Heart.

The Blow – Greatest Love of All (Whitney Houston cover)

Carmen Villain – Borders (ft. Jenny Hval)

Happy Hollows – Meteors

Sleep 8 Over – Don’t Wanna Hide

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Chicago’s own Bunny have their debut EP Sucker coming out later this year, and everything that’s been released from it so far points to much bigger and better things ahead. You can stream another new song below. I’d recommend getting familiar with them sooner rather than later. As is tradition, every new Cut Copy song has the not-so-secret intention of making you dance. We’re being blessed with a new album from them at the end of September, so prepare your body for those BPMs. Fans of rip-roaring rock will surely enjoy the head banging and toe tapping heaviness that is Slothrust’s “Milking the Snake”. Killer stuff from a band that’s really going places. Other tracks in this set after the jump come from Broken Bellows, Geographer, Holy Boy, Nocturnal Tapes, Peter Oren, Prawn, Strange Ranger, Sunny Colon, and Trippy Turtle.

Bunny – Let Me Be Your Dog

Cut Copy – Standing in the Middle of the Field

Slothrust – Milking the Snake

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There’s a certain admiration I have for British band The Duke Spirit, continuing to make music after more than a decade. Maybe they’ve caught on around the rest of the world, but they’re still a somewhat low profile entity in the U.S. Maybe it’s time for that to change with a new record out later this year. Check out the psychedelic track “Houses” and see if they’re for you. If you’re in the mood for some nice electro-pop with a slight funk edge to it, let me turn you on to the latest from Jim-E Stack. Fans of world-weary singer-songwriter folk can dive right into Micah P. Hinson’s “Oh, Spaceman”, which progresses into a beautiful and lush arrangement as it moves along. Other artists in this set after the jump include BROHUG, Chris McClenney, Diamond Thug, Galimatias, iamBADDLUCK, Living Colour, PLGRMS, Dylan Reynolds, and TOKiMONSTA (ft. MNDR).

The Duke Spirit – Houses

Jim-E Stack – I Did the Best I Could

Micah P. Hinson – Oh, Spaceman

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I’m not entirely sure what city Company of Thieves officially call home these days, but up until a few years back, they were a Chicago-based band. Singer Genevieve moved out to Los Angeles and embarked on a solo career while the band was on hiatus, but they’ve now reunited and have a new album out this fall. You can hear the killer first single below. Fans of the band Ultimate Painting should already know that singer Jack Cooper is putting out his debut solo album at the end of August. Perhaps the relaxed vibes of “Gynn Square” will inspire you to give him a shot. You may remember the band Wild Cub from their hit single “Thunder Clatter,” which burned up on radio a couple years back. They’ve got a follow-up album out in September, and you can hear the upbeat, catchy, and pretty danceable new single “I Fall Over” in this set. You can find songs from Imitating Aeroplanes, Jason Nolan, Kiki (ft. Cactus Sauna), MORTEN, Ravenna, Satin Jackets (ft. David Harks), Shannon Lay, STeLOUSE (ft. Tilian), and Super Duper (ft. Louis Johnson) in this collection as well.

Company of Thieves – Treasure

Jack Cooper – Gynn Square

Wild Cub – I Fall Over

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Apologies for taking yesterday off from Pick Your Poison, but in all honesty, there simply wasn’t enough new music to share! We’re in the doldrums of summer, and I guess there’s a dead spot around now because while fall tours and such are being announced, there’s been a strange lack of new music (or new songs, that is) being released. So after skipping a day, things are back in action and arguably better than ever. This is a straight up home run collection of tracks, every single one being worth your time. If I had to single a few out, let’s start with another guitar-heavy taste of the forthcoming album from The Districts. They’ve got fantastic energy. Then Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen) covers a song from Irish folk band Shane MacGowan and the Popes as part of a charity compilation fighting against Islamophobia. Happy Hollows have another glittery slice of synth-strewn indie rock as a preview to their new record out in September. And then Spanish garage rockers Hinds participated in one of those “covers exchange programs” by taking on a song from their friends in Los Nastys. Check all those out, plus songs from Garren Sean, Helado Negro, Honey, matt pond PA (ft. Laura Stevenson), Skrillex & Poo Bear, Walter Ego and more!

The Districts – Violet

Hamilton Leithauser – The Song With No Name (Shane MacGowan and the Popes Cover)

Happy Hollows – Silent Partner

Hinds – Holograma (Los Nastys cover)

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Really impressed with the slow burn hip hop that A$AP Twelvyy is pushing on “Diamonds,” which also features a guest spot from A$AP Rocky. Fans of good old fashioned jangly rock ‘n roll will find plenty to love about “Rainbow Ridge”, the latest from The Cribs. Smart synth-pop artists know it’s always a good idea to ask Shamir to contribute vocals to a track, which is why House of Feelings’ “Falling” stands out. Something about the ramshackle charm of Swimm’s “Speak Politely” just draws you in the further it goes along, until it’s finally stuck in your head with no discernable way out. Delightful. Other artists in this set include 16yrold (ft. Desiigner & Ski Mask The Slump God), Blank Space, Gramatik & Galactic Marvl, Har Mar Superstar, Lina Tullgren, Oliver Tree (ft. Robot Koch), Saro, and Sam Valdez.

A$AP Twelvyy – Diamonds (ft. A$AP Rocky)

The Cribs – Rainbow Ridge

House of Feelings – Falling (ft. Shamir)

Swimm – Speak Politely

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Get a taste of one of Chicago’s most promising new acts, Bunny, as part of today’s Pick Your Poison. There’s a certain sauntering delight at the heart of Guantanamo Baywatch’s latest “Blame Myself” that feels very Walkmen-esque in a good way. If you’re a fan of heavy synths and strong BPMs, the new TOBACCO song will push you into a stone cold groove. Other artists in this set include BAYNK (ft. Shallou), BOSCO, Kelsey Bulkin, NexXthursday (ft. Quavo & Lil Yachty), Noble Oak, Razz (ft. Jack Wilby), Umm, and Whispertown

Bunny – Not Even You

Guantanamo Baywatch – Blame Myself

TOBACCO – Slaughtered By the Amway Guy

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