Grunge, gravel, girls.

 

Apologies for such a long break between posts. As luck would have it, I'm writing/singing some music of my own for a few different projects. So instead of listening to all the music, I've been busy writing a very miniscule portion of the music. 

Anyhow, let's do this:

New Cloud Nothings! New Cloud Nothings! FINALLY. Pretty much since my first listen to their last release, 2012's angular and aggressive "Attack On Memory" (produced by that one guy Steve Albini), I couldn't wait to see what was up next for this indie-rock/post-punk outfit from Cleveland. And this week, I got my chance: "Here and Nowhere Else" packs a punch in a mere eight tracks, with punk-rock hooks and pissed-off lyrics that will have you shout-singing along. Dylan Baldi has one of my favorite male voices right now—a beautiful mix of gravel and grace.

Perhaps you've had enough of Pharrell's infectious song "Happy" from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. Maybe you're full-up on happiness and hooks. Perhaps, on a related note, you're effing crazy. But even if all of those things are true, please consider listening to the rest of Pharrell's album "G I R L." Unless, of course, you dislike dancing, sex, beats that won't quit or gravity-defying, funked-up vocals. Fair warning: aside from "Happy," some of it is a bit NSFLWK (Not Safe For Listening With Kids).

Interestingly enough, the band Perfect Pussy—a punk rock outfit from Syracuse, New York—only formed about two years ago because a local movie needed a punk band. You wouldn't know it from their cohesive sound. On their debut, "Say Yes to Love," lead singer Meredith Graves projects raw emotion to match the fury of her counterparts, with lyrics that are barely discernible but emotional intensity that's loud and clear. And the twists and turns that the band takes harmonically aren't the ones you expect from punk—at times, they're downright saccharine. If you can make it out through all the fuzz.

Some bands get by on bombast, a few basic chords, and some feedback. And some use that as a jumping off point, keeping things simple to make music that rocks hard. Baltimore-based Roomrunner also throws in a healthy dose of dissonance and grunge influence, bringing that whole seems-sloppy-but-is-actually-very-thought-out vibe. Their latest (on Fan Death Records—new last year, technically, but new to me) is called "Ideal Cities." It has moments of complete chaos that swirl into tight, headbangy riffs that take you back to the days of Nirvana. (And might transport you to actual nirvana.)