MARBLE adds an unequivocal haunting to the world of indie rock. Their new single red room is melodically beautiful, but curiously dosed in terror. Their tonal aesthetic has more in common with indie rock, but their dark leanings are a bi-product of heavier histories. At its core is classic gothic art, the first incarnation of devilish wonder. Bands like A Perfect Circle and Smashing Pumpkins married dark and light, and drew fans known to pop into their underground sound. With red room, MARBLE makes a case to be indie rocks new dark beauty.
An interior designer can tell you that the most unsettling color to paint your wall is red. Evidence suggests that a red room can incite nauseau, and make you feel ill. In the practice of of Feng Shui, red takes on a different meaning. It invites wellness and prosperity. It stands for fire, fame, and passion. Passion is at the root of MARBLE’s ethos. MARBLE performs with an abundance of it, highlighted by their singers fiery delivery. “I can’t get it out of my head,” Chantel Bailey screams. Convincingly, you’re compelled to empathize with her.. It’s some odd detail to their art, as their vibe draws you to observe it, rather than personify yourself into it.
A profitable collaboration, songwriter Matthew Blount offers red room up to the proficient performers in the band. They embrace the opportunity to exercise internal chaos. The vocal performance is a theatrical display of hurt and turmoil. Bailey gives all of herself to red room, revitalizing buried memories of pain and suffering through song.
red room is their first single in advance of a full length record, due out later this year. The band has been performing regularly in the Northwest, and has a string of shows this month. We would relish in the opportunity to see this burgeoning four piece. Their crunchy telecasters and tube toned combos are our wheelhouse, and their ecstatic performances are full of joy, as they truly love what they do. Fans of hard rock indie hybrids like Strand Of Oaks, The Districts, and The Kills as well as epic indie acts like Florence and the Machine will give in to this vibe.
Enjoy red room by MARBLE now on our Best New Rock playlist.
Electric Candle Light (ECL) the new single from London rockers JW Paris kicks off with a declaration – “Helter Skelter, You’re out of your mind.” The sentiment is a preview to the hard hitting, raw unhinged rock that has become the bands trademark. These garage punks come complete with a bit of whit to match their social contempt. Enlightened mods who’ve absorbed a plethora of city slick swagger, bred in Velvet through the Underground and postured in jest to make their Public Image Limited. This new revival of sarcastic swagger connects with the chic proto-punk of Parquet Courts, but JW Paris is less polished and more true to their garage roots.
Recorded and produced by JB Pilon (the Kecks) and mastered by John Davis (Idles), the band was wise to employ these pros to keep this mix crisp. Their raw tube toned guitars bring textured warmth to their gritty design. Vocalist guitarist Danny Collins has the right amount of slop, a measured youthful aesthetic to keep it fresh, as opposed to modern indie’s maladaptive cut copy standard. As a singer, he stays true to this form, prioritizing his musical character over the lure of perfect pitch. Instead, he embraces a classic slow draw, accentuating internal disdain for the mainstream corporate machine.
Original Babyshambles drummer Gemma Clarke and bassist Aaron Forde, always in sync, help reel Collins back to earth. The ideal give and take, Clarke commands with hard hitting fervor. The drums are so ferocious, they demand Collins and Forde fall in line, as Clarke keeps these garage punks in check. She’s got the street cred to absorb their respect, but she earns every bit of it on her own merit.
Lyrically, Collins alliterates poetic puzzles like “I’m frustrated, I’m fascinated with your beach blonde swan song city slicker – I want it bigger.” ECL is as much a comment on our cheap obsessions as it is an admiration of it. JW Paris thrives on excess, as they hope to reintroduce debauchery to the world of rock.
Enjoy Electic Candle Light (ECL) now on our Best New Rock playlist.
Up and comers Hidden Pillars caught our attention with their new single Shattered. The heart on your sleeve vocal performance reads live a revelation. It recalls innovative singers like Jeff Buckley who were unabashed, willing and ready to bleed their hearts out on stage. Singer Matt even has some of the wavering treble that made Buckley so intoxicating.
Shattered’s vibe is raw and gritty in the vein of Kings of Leon’s early slower offerings. Like seasoned pros, the band rally’s around the songs vocal first design, lifting the most heartfelt moments with dramatic punch and sharp syncopation. Hidden Pillars return the vocal harmony to the world of alternative rock. A trademark of classic art-grunge hybrids Alice In Chains, Hidden Pillars add a more indie sensibility in the style of icons Grizzly Bear, who also embraced a penchant for harmonies and harmonious chord voicings. The guitar work also references a 90s alternative vibe more known to Buckley and Pearl Jam.
The North Queensland trio has a lot of potential. With just seven unique releases, they’re carving out their sound with each new release. Shattered might be their best yet, and it delivers on all fronts. As the band builds, Matt laments, “Your name shatters my soul. My shame tells me that I will never grow old. This time, I don’t know. It’s like my feet are frozen in the snow.” Hidden Pillars are still finding their footing, and we are here to watch them grow. A fine start from these budding young stars.
Enjoy Shattered now on our Best New Rock playlist.
Anthemic rockers Rose City Cinema just dropped their debut single Manhattan Pier. Newcomers in the SO Cal indie scene, they’ve been crafting their sound at club gigs and are now fully realized with their new release. Rose City Cinema makes catchy, infectious indie pop meant to be performed live. The arrangement of electric guitar, synth, bass, and drums is the ideal platform for their upbeat synth rock leanings. Every instrument brings something unique to the new record, and every member in this band rips.
The performers effectively dip in and out of holding down the songs chordal structure. Whether it be the bass, guitar, or synth, every performer drifts into solo riff territory at different points of the song. There are juicy, sporadic licks throughout, but without ever divulging into jam rock. This is the calculated dance rock that launched icons like The Killers and Phoenix. It’s in revolt of bedroom pop, as it brings this sound back to its proper live band roots. There’s a nostalgic underlayer, both from the synth and from the soaring vocal performance. The passionate vocal performance recalls classic 80s crossover hits, and more recent singers known to synthwave, including The Midnight and Ollie Wride.
Manhattan Pier is a youthful summer jam meant to close out a festival after a long day at the beach. Synthpop boardwalk vibes bring summer hit potential. And in essence, that’s what Rose City Cinema shows in abundance, a lot of potential. Just one single to swoon over, their fans will be left in anticipation of more tunes.
Whether you’re into indie pop, alt-rock, or synthwave, you’ll be into Manhattan Pier. Hear it now on our Best New Rock playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 