Indianapolis based punk inspired rockers America Owns The Moon just dropped their debut album Tiger. The 9 song release is raw and authentic while remaining tight. These guys just straight rock. Their presentation is natural and in the moment, like your in the dive with them. They’re also impressively eclectic and thoughtful in their writing. It’s heard in the straightforward thrash of the opening The Hard Way into the more progressive design of Ping Pong. They evolve with fury on highlights like horny mess and DEGA, and adapt introspective on Everything is and Baby Yeah. The album progresses like a live show, minus the assumed unraveling that comes with the lifestyle.
Sonically they prescribe to a bare ethos with dry vocals and vintage gained guitars, its just another understated detail of their sneaky genius. In their writing we hear evidence of the melodic prowess of The Replacements, with the vintage appeal of The White Stripes or more appropriately The Hives. There are notable references to punks early history throughout, even tagging glamour blues riffs known to 70s Bowie and Marc Bolan. We’d be delighted to walk into a club and witness this kind of passion mixed with undeniable talent. Collectively the real deal, its great to see a true band do it proper.
The whole album slaps. Ping Pong is currently featured on our Best New Rock Playlist.
Aversions caught our attention with their recent single New Whip. The theatrical drama and satirical attitude suits the music’s progressive design. Interjections of seductive melody evolve the history of At The Drive In with an updated indie awareness. There are subtle references dissected into a molting of influences including the whitty urban jest of Parquet Courts, the melodic shapeshifting of Fontaines DC, and some of the elegant Post Punk adaptation of Interpol. It’s more an adoration to the movements that these bands represent than the music itself.
Altogether its an exciting arrangement that showcases every players innovative approach to their instrument. If dressed differently it could just as well be an alt-indie offering from Grizzly Bear, it has that kind of intellectual musical journey, weaving you into its poetic shifts, illuminating the personalities of its members with inspired contributions that give a face to these invisible avatars. Charismatic with accented inflections, the lead vocalist pulls you into the narrative like a proto punk master of ceremonies. His theater is one that fuels ferocity from a burgeoning crowd, one ready to devolve into fits of moshing at the bands signal. That build and progression is New Whip’s trademark, one we indulge in emphatically.
Hear New Whip now on our Best New Rock Playlist.
Koalra are anthemic on their masterful new single Center of the World. We got sucked into the pumping drive of the bass above a surefire backbeat. Already intriguing, the percussive cadence of the vocal brings catchy appeal, evolving with sentimental emotion in the chorus section. The unexpected influence of The Smiths or The Cure brings intriguing contrast to this indie rock foundation. That melodic sensibility is introduced slowly before it consumes the composition.
Bobbing between the world of modern indie and 80s alternative nostalgia, Koalra master both traditions simultaneously. It suits their contrast of melancholy and disdain, one that permeates the art punk appeal of their brand new full release Nihilism and Analog Tape, available now on their Bandcamp. Center of The World was the initial offering to announce a bounty of “odds, ends and extras.” With bootlegs this promising, its no wonder they’d want to flaunt them.
Dig into Center of the World now on our Best New Rock Playlist
Dysplay are claiming their truth one single at a time. The plan is that it will amount to their debut full length Electric Harbor. The latest contribution is the anthemic Hear You Scream. An energetic rocker with subtle electro flare, we hear evidence of Muse with some pop punk influence in the vein of late career Fall Out Boy or Panic! at the Disco. . The stadium appeal is an attribute of the duos extraordinary realities as touring members and behind the scenes contributors for none other than Bon Iver, RZA, AWOLNATION, and more. Hear You Scream has both mainstream potential and underground influence. It’s heard in the frantic tempo known to pop punk..
This isn’t a song to hold your lover close to, it’s not even made to groove. This is about total absolute chaos, insanity if you will. This is about release, and connects with a bottled up generation whose been confided to regulations and withered by criticism. Unable to think for themselves freely, maladaptively trained to be told how and when and why. Instead of existentially questioning everything they’re told to question nothing. Music helps you pry away the layers of frustration and bullied silence, you can be anyone in that crowd, you can be insane as you want. Dysplay have had a front row seat. They’ve seen it first hand, they know its power. If they’re going to throw their chips in the pile at this point, its going to have to be altering, not for the money, but for the mind.
Dig into Hear you Scream now on our Best Rock Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 