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Q's Compilations
Vol #156 – June to
July 2024
Greetings!
It has been a busy couple of months so as usual, this mix is a little “late”,
whatever that means anymore. Travelled well in July, visiting Milan, Venice,
Zermatt, Zurich and a stint back home in the UK. As usual most of this mix
features brand new songs so hopefully there is something of interest.
01)
Ben Seretan - New Air: This is the opening track of Ben Seretan’s latest
record, Allora, which just came out on the 26th of July.
Recorded over three days in Montebelluna, Italy, the story goes that the band
booked a European tour around a festival in Switzerland, but ended up not
touring and recording this instead. This track is basically a majestic guitar
wig-out a-la Neil Young and Crazy Horse.
02)
Good Looks - If It's Gone: Lived Here for a While is the debut record
from this Austin quartet that was released on the 7th of June (they
also released an EP, Bummer Year in 2022). I think this track came on
recently while Emily was randomly playing Spotify and sometimes the algorithm
gives you a solid hit. It can be hard to nail middle-of-the-road rock, but
there’s something about this tune and really draws me in.
03)
Beach Bunny – Vertigo: A new Beach Bunny single! This track was released on the
17th of June and is hopefully a sign of a new record, but I’ll take
what I can get.
04)
Bad Moves – Hallelujah: Washington DC’s Bad Moves will release their third
record, Wearing Out the Refrain in September via Don Giovanni Records. Based
on the three songs released so far, it’ll be another fun fill record with
anthemic choruses.
05)
Oceanator - Get Out: Another artist about to release their third record, NYC’s
Oceanator is releasing Everything is Love and Death on Polyvinyl records
on the 30th of August. This lead single rips and I’m sure the rest
of the record will too.
06)
Noun – Wanted: Speaking of songs that rip, Marissa Paternoster has resurrected
her Noun project following the breakup of Screaming Females and just
released this song along with another called Consumed. I also subscribe
to Marrisa’s patreon which has featured some amazing songs and great guests.
07)
Antenna - Don't Cry: Antenna is a new band fronted by Tim "Shogun"
Wall, best known for his work in Royal Headache, who are missed but this song
could well have been them and sounds perfect. Let’s hope they stick around for
more than this self-titled 5-track EP.
08)
Chime School - Give Your Heart Away: I loved Chime School’s self-titled debut
from 2021 and their follow-up, The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel, will
be released on the 23rd of August via Slumberland Records. If you
need some jangle in your life, Chime School pass with flying colours.
09)
Eyelids - Bound to Let You Down: Speaking of jangle, to celebrate the band’s 10th
anniversary, Eyelids released No Jigsaw on vinyl (their 20th
vinyl release as well), which features unreleased tracks, 7” singles and other
rarities, onto a 2LP set.
10)
Macseal - Permanent Repeat: You could be forgiven for thinking this was an Oso
Oso tune, but that’s a compliment if you ask me. The Long Island band’s second
album, Permanent Repeat was released on the 12th of July.
11)
Jessica Boudreaux - Be Somebody Else: I don’t know much about Portland,
Oregon’s Jessica Boudreaux, she fronted a band called Summer Cannibals who
broke up in 2023, but I don’t know them either. I heard this song, which is on
her debut solo album called The Faster I Run which came out on the 19th
of July, due to a bandcamp recommendation.
12)
Chalk Talk - Loveseat: This four-piece was a recommendation on Oh My Rockness’
website (who are usually pretty reliable!) and when I noticed they were signed
to Graveface Records and Curiosities I was further intrigued. Sometimes I
Call You is their debut album and was released in December 2023 (quite
ancient for this mix!).
13)
Snarls - Moon Tides: Columbus, Ohio band Snarls released their second album, With
Love, back in May although the vinyl didn’t ship until July so it feels
like a brand new record now that I have a physical copy. I had the pleasure of
catching the band live in June and they were utterly fantastic, maybe the best
set I’ve seen all year. Anyway, the record is also one of the best of 2024 as
well.
14)
Wand – Smile: Vertigo is Wand’s first album since 2019’s Laughing
Matter although frontman Cory Hanson has released two solo records in that
time, so while it hasn’t really felt like they’d been away, they do seem missed
now that this new record is here!
15)
Fox Gang and Parannoul - Lullaby for a Memory: I’ve used a bunch of Parannoul
tracks on Q-comps (expect another one soon as he just surprise released a new
album), but I had never heard of cloud rap group Fax Gang, who are from the
Philippines. The record, Scattersun, is naturally a little disjointed
and this feels like the most Parannoul-esque track which is perhaps why it was
chosen as the lead single, but I also need a little more time with the album.
16)
Current Joys - California Rain: I didn’t really get into Current Joys’ previous
record, Love + Pop from last year, but this single from upcoming record,
East My Love seems a return to form, although having said that, the
record was written before Love + Pop, so we’ll see in the longterm!
17)
Allegra Krieger - Never Arriving: Another new artist for me, Allegra’s second
album, Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine will be released on the 13th
of September via Double Double Whammy and this tune is the lead single from it.
There’s a breezy quality to it that feels appropriate in the oppressive summer
heat we’ve been having here.
18)
Christina's Trip - My Friend: This album, Forever After ended up in my
bandcamp wishlist but I honestly couldn’t tell you how I heard about it but
aside from each song starting with the same cowbell four-count, it’s a blast.
19)
Laughing – Bruised: Montreal quartet Laughing released Because It’s True on
the 28th of June and it’s a perfect power-pop for fans of Teenage
Fanclub, Hurry, etc.
20)
Taxidermy – Today: A lot of this mix has been very nice, so I simply didn’t
know where to fit in this math-y, angular attack. Taxidermy are a five-piece
from Copenhagen who released this individual track in May, but appears on their
Coin EP that was released in June, which is an all-killer EP, I’d love
to catch them live.
21)
The Ganjas – Resistance: This is the title track to Chilean psych greats The
Ganjas’ fifth record, released in 2011. The reason for its inclusion here is
that I picked up a vinyl copy on discogs last month, this track kicks off the
album but it felt like a decent closer here.
Brief
notes but lots of great new music, I hope you enjoyed!
As
always, Peace and Love - Q
