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VOWWS (Photo by Eric Fain)
LA-based duo VOWWS reveal the official video for their latest single “Impulse Control.” The song arrives on the heels of a partially completed world tour with Poppy (including a stop at U Street Music Hall) during which time VOWWS wrote the menacing, angular DEFCON 1 anthem.
The Sounds (Photo courtesy Reybee Inc.)
The Sounds burst out of Sweden in 2002 with Living in America, blowing us away with fantastic new wave. The five-member band, fronted by Maja Ivarsson, then became the toast of the town with their hip second record, Dying to Say This to You.
Over the past 20 years, The Sounds have remained very busy while maintaining a consistent lineup. Key to that lineup is Jesper Anderberg, keyboardist, pianist, and guitar player — a versatile contributor and a thoughtful presence during The Sounds’ kinetic performances.
Mickey McCarter of Parklife DC caught up with Jesper to chat about Things We Do For Love, the upcoming sixth full-length album by The Sounds, scheduled for release on June 12, and about what he’s been up to the past few years.
Vast Robot Armies album cover for Paper Crown Parade (Artwork by Victor Malang)
Vast Robot Armies describe themselves as “three cities, two countries, one band.” John Agee (guitar, bass, and vocals) and Joe Wells (guitar, bass, synth, and backing vocals) hail from Kansas City, Missouri. Jason Thomson (guitars, piano, synths, and vocals) lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The band recently released a new full-length album titled Paper Crown Parade. I caught up with Jason to ask him about standout song “Little Detroit.”
Outsider (Photo by Paudie Bourke)
Inspired by musicians such as Joy Division and The Jesus & Mary Chain, Ireland’s Outsider makes music that strikes you with its depth. Certainly, Outsider writes poetic lyrics and sings them with passion, but he also crafts melodies that dance and soar through you.
Outsider took his name from Colin Wilson’s 1956 book, The Outsider, “which examines the psyche of great artists and their place in society,” reads his bio. His real name is Seán Ó Corcoráin. Seán is a terrific talent and a wonderful person, and Parklife DC’s Mickey McCarter had the absolute pleasure of chatting with him recently about his debut full-length album, Karma of Youth, released April 17 by OK! Good Records.
Wire (Photo courtesy Clarion Call Media)
English post-punk legends Wire have announced new release details for forthcoming album of strays, 10:20. Originally scheduled for vinyl release on Record Store Day, the album will now receive a full general release on all formats on June 19 via the band’s own label, pinkflag.
Yesterday, the band have also shared the first-ever studio recording of “The Art of Persistence.”
Houses of Heaven (Photo by Effixx)
Layering synths, guitars, electronic percussion, and live drums, Houses of Heaven fuses early industrial and techno rhythms with the melodicism of shoegaze and a heavy dose of dub-influenced effects. Formed in Oakland, California, by Keven Tecon, Adam Beck, and Nick Ott, the band follows up the Remnant EP with their first full-length album titled Silent Places, available May 1 via Felte.
Today, the band released a video for “Dissolve the Floor” from that debut album.
Jehnny Beth (Photo by Steve Gullick)
Songwriter, singer, and multi-disciplinary artist Jehnny Beth has released a third track — titled “Innocence” — from her forthcoming album, To Love Is to Live, which has a new release date of June 12.
“Innocence” is about the feeling of isolation and distance Jehnny Beth has experienced many times in big cities despite being so close to people all the time. Although recorded well before the current emergency, in many ways, it is an eerily prescient song of our now.
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