April Singles

It's time for another round up of singles to share. This time the offerings come from some older friends and newer bands on the scene.

My Morning Jacket - Circuital (from Circuital, due May 31)

This is the title track from My Morning Jacket's upcoming album. In the lead up, they've been releasing a number of live tracks from shows last year at New York's Terminal 5. They just released Circuital this last week. Drop by this link to get your own free copy.

Circuital feels like an extension of My Morning Jacket's traditional sound. Although the verses hint at Radiohead's Creep, the track would have been at home on Evil Urges or Z. The band is great at taking a simple repetitive groove and building it into an arena ready jam. Jim James' vocals imbue the track with deeper intent. It's satisfying how the song builds to its heights without appearing to have a clear inflection point.

Count on a review of Cicuital once I get a copy...

Stars in Coma - Magic Season (from Midnight Puzzle)
André Brorsson's Swedish indie pop band Stars in Coma is back with a new album (Midnight Puzzle) on Kingem Records. Like the band's earlier work, Magic Season marries a strong pop aesthetic to disco friendly keyboard strings. Brorsson's lyrics still have a personal confessional feel. The track stays fairly uptempo until the bridge, which leads the song into a more open space. Bits of '70s pop bounce around, giving the song a happy, reflective feel.

Download Magic Season here.

Gardens - Maze Time (from Gardens, available May 10)
The Gardens come out of Detroit and play a hard driving, punk tinted garage rock. Mazes serves as a good introduction: it's low-fi, high energy, with solid playing. The party atmosphere reminds me a bit of the B-52s. A lot of bands in this space seem to equate sloppy playing with real garage cred. Gardens demonstrate that laying down a solid foundation doesn't get in the way of thrashing through some good music.

Download Maze Time here.

Atari Teenage Riot - Blood in My Eyes (from the upcoming Is This Hyperreal?)
Atari Teenage Riot dropped off the radar some 10 years ago, but has recently come back together. ATR are no strangers to controversy or strong stated political positions. They've used their mix of hardcore and electronic music to attack Fascism and promote anarchy. Blood in My Eyes is aimed at human trafficking and exploited women. It's a serious message and in lesser hands, it could be whiny or preachy. They bring a furious punk energy that has fallen out of favor. The electronic wash is overtaken by crunchy guitar before the driving beat starts. Nic Endo's vocals are strong and angry.

I hear that they've brought in CX KIDTRONiK as their MC, which is a welcome addition. I've seen him onstage and he brings a chaotic energy that should fit in perfectly.

Blood in My Eyes is currently playing on ATR's home page. Drop by and give it a listen.