On this first Friday of summer, The Matinee ’22 v. 082 offers more melancholic and melodic fare to beat the heat. The mini-playlist is filled with dazzlers that embrace you like your favorite blanket plus a couple of more energic tunes. So daydream your way to the weekend and all the way to our Songs of June playlist, which is available on Spotify and SoundCloud.
Living Hour – “No Body” (Winnipeg, Canada)
RIYL: Lush, Lala Lala, Bnny
It wasn’t long ago when Living Hour dazzled us with the shoegaze gem “Feelings Meeting”. That single was a fantastic track that featured Melina Duterte of Jay Som and also the undeniable talent of Gilad Carroll (guitar, vocals), Adam Soloway (guitar, vocals), Sam Sarty (bass, keys, vocals), and Brett Ticzon (drums, bass, keys).
Their latest single, “No Body”, was also produced by Duterte, but the band shines on their own. Setting the scene with bass and a drum machine, Sarty’s tranquil voice emerges. The song slowly builds from there, as an ambient guitar and drums kick in while a hypnotic guitar jangles its way into the song. The second half gets even more into dreamy territory with intertwining guitar playing under a fantastic harmony where two voices slowly become one. It’s all truly sublime. Sarty says the track is “about dissociating at a restaurant and feeling completely isolated and alone in the experience”. Everything about it, from its sound to its lyrics, nail that tone.
“I didn’t know how long a half an hour could go by
Without seeing every edge of the room
I’m staring at the sugar cube
It always has reminded me of you in softer hues
I’ll take I’ll take two ends of the rainbow
Floating through the glass in front of you
I’ll make I’ll make each end of the rainbow
Glow in softer hues
Floating through the glass in front of you”
Living Hour’s new album, Someday is Today, is out September 2nd on Kanine Records and Next Door Records. Pre-orders available at these links and Bandcamp.
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Kathryn Williams – “Radioactive” (Newcastle, England)
RIYL: Imogen Heap, Lisa Hannigan, Marissa Nadler
Some master a single art. Others master several. For nearly a quarter of a century, Kathryn Williams has nearly covered the whole spectrum, as she is a writer, a painter, a multi-instrumentalist, a singer, and a songwriter. With such a breadth of abilities, the Newcastle resident can create art that is widescreen in scope, marrying every aspect of her talents into one performance or scintillating piece, such as “Radioactive”.
Williams’ latest single is seductive but dark, mesmerizing yet suspenseful, and cinematic but still possessing a bedroom intimacy. She is able to achieve this by combining numerous genres into one addictive cocktail. Leftfield pop, dark-pop, and even touches of jazz, Latin-rock, and art-rock can be heard, and together they form a soundscape perfect for a mystery or a late-night, unexpected rendez-vous. Her lyrics, too, paint such a scene, where someone in her life has an unbreakable hold on her. Their presence is both magnetic and poisonous, so much so that Williams “wrote this song for you”.
The single is taken from Williams’ new album, Night Drives, which will be released July 15th via One Little Independent Records. Pre-orders available at these links and on Bandcamp
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Sirene – “In or Out” (London via Leeds, England)
RIYL: Loma, Cross Record, Crake
While we were familiar with Clare Kelly in her previous life and enchanted by the music she created, her metamorphosis as Sirene has left us even more bedazzled. This year alone she has made our jaws drop not once but twice with “Walk Alone” and “Here You Are”. Check that, she’s done it three times because “In or Out” is another remarkable effort.
Few artists can turn melancholy into a breathtaking experience, but Kelly is one of the few who can turn somber moments into something spectacular. The percussion and bass soberly tap in the background while a guitar gently weeps. In the middle exists Kelly’s stupendous voice, which is gently mournful and emotive. She ponders how two once-inseparable people can grow apart and become disconnected. Was it her fault? Did she not do enough to make the other person feel wanted and loved?
“Why can’t we speak normally?
For clarity, you are not my therapist
Are you in or out this conversation?
It seems you’re in another dimension
Can you be present, be here with me?”
This stunning tune will be on Sirene’s debut album, which is expected later this year.
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Rat Tally – “Spinning Wheel” (Chicago, USA)
RIYL: Soccer Mommy, Ratboys, Phoebe Bridgers
Our introduction to Addy Harris’ project, Rat Tally, was 18 months ago. At the time, she bowled us over with the lo-fi, reverb brilliance of “Shrug”. It’s easy to draw comparisons between Harris and songwriters like Phoebe Bridgers or Julien Baker with the exploding popularity of sad-pop songs. However, Harris’ sound and lyricism bring a refreshing take to an increasingly saturated genre, and it makes her stand out among the best of her peers.
“Spinning Wheel” is another example of what sets Rat Tally apart from the pack. Clean guitar chords welcome the listener to the song’s early moments before they become muted. It’s a perfect canvas for Harris’ voice to tell her story of trying to provoke someone to a reaction – only for the reaction to fall short. The song’s early tension releases in huge ways during the its chorus. Harris’ voice goes from a very low-key style into a huge, lush statement, punctuated by a big rock guitar moment.
“I wait for the punch
But you keep your mouth shut
I wish you would scream at me
At least then I could say a few things”
“Spinning Wheel” will be on Rat Tally’s debut album, In My Car, is out August 12th on 6131 Records. Pre-order it at Bandcamp. The record will also include appearances from Melina Duterte (Jay Som) and Madeline Kenney.
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Kiwi Jr. – “Unspeakable Things” (Toronto, Canada)
RIYL: Two Door Cinema Club, The New Pornographers, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Are Kiwi Jr. the best band in Canada? If not, they are definitely among the elite because, for starters, they don’t sound like the typical Canadian band. On the country, their music is more akin to the jangle pop-rock heard in Ireland, the UK, and Australia. The one thing that makes them very Canadian, though, is that their songs are thoughtful, insightful, and always entertaining, and “Unspeakable Things” is no exception.
Buzzing with the skipping, twee-lightful melody of a young Two Door Cinema Club, Jeremy Gaudet (vocals, guitar, keys), Brian Murphy (guitar, backing vocals), Mike Walker (bass, keys, backing vocals), and Brohan Moore (drums, backing vocals) get us in a joyous and contemplative mood. It’s an extremely exuberant and creative number that would be equally awesome to hear live or at a carnival. The Moog synth that buzzes early on and then later gives the track a funhouse feel. This effect mirrors Gaudet’s lyrics, which is both compelling and amusing as he tackles our voyeuristic tendencies to want to know things about people. About how some individuals will go to great lengths to hack people’s emails and personal accounts.
“Unspeakable things
written longhand in your diary
Unspeakable things
In bags piled into a phone booth
Pressed against glass
Shouted aloud alone in gear at a red light
Unspeakable things
Stored at a high rate of interest
Everything that you’ve done
Laid out here one by one
Caught on tape and compiled
No one could ever ever try and forgive”
The Toronto quartet’s new album, Chopper, lands August 12th via Sub Pop (global) and their own Kiwi Club imprint. Pre-saves and pre-orders available at these links and Bandcamp.
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Ondara – “An Alien in Minneapolis” (Minneapolis, USA via Nairobi, Kenya)
RIYL: David Gray, Damien Rice, Gregory Alan Isakov
The story of Ondara is an unlikely one. Born in Kenya, Ondara’s youth was filled with the sounds of American music, especially the songs of Bob Dylan. That love of the one of the greatest singer-songwriters to walk this planet helped Ondara find a place to call home when he was granted a visa. Unsurprisingly, he chose Dylan’s home state of Minnesota. From there, Ondara honed his craft as a songwriter, and he has became a force not just within the Minneapolis scene but across the globe, as evidenced by the Grammy nomination for his debut record, Tales of America.
Ondara is gearing up to release his third record, Spanish Villager No. 3. The record is a concept one, telling the story of a mysterious Spanish Villager. The LP’s first single is the fantastic “An Alien in Minneapolis”. Starting out with an electronic ambience, the song quickly turns into an energetic folk track. Bouncy guitar chords and bass plus some light drum work lay a foundation underneath Ondara’s powerful voice and lyricism. While the song is about a character, part of it feels almost autobiographical, as he sings of being an “alien” in a strange place.
“Look now what I’ve become
Someone from another space and time
Look now what I’ve become
Just anyone, no one
Look now what I’ve become
Someone from another space and time
Look now what I’ve become
An alien, an alien”
Ondara’s new album, Spanish Villager No. 3, is out September 16th via Verve Forecast. Pre-orders available here.
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Katrina Ford – “I’m Found” (Baltimore, USA)
RIYL: Bat for Lashes, Austra, Kate Bush
While we miss hearing the music of Celebration, the solo career has agreed with Katrina Ford. It has allowed her to delve into new atmospheres and soundscapes, and, maybe more importantly, it has enabled her to tell the story of Katrina Ford and the people she knew. Previous singles, “Peace Out”, “Gleaming The Cube”, “Peach”, and “Go Deep”, which are included on her debut EP, showcased how far she has come as an artist while letting us gradually understand who she is. Ford, however, has saved the best for last.
With “I’m Found”, Ford has fully revealed all her colors. With a dramatic yet widescreen approach that is the brilliant combination of Bat for Lashes’ emotive theater and Kate Bush’s dark cinema, the song could very well be, and we may as well say it, on the final episode of Stranger Things. Although Ford sings about the turbulence that has long filled her mind and how she has eventually found herself, the song could also be the anthem for El. It could be our anthem that speaks to our own awakening.
“I’m Found
My fear I forgot
I rooted up my Yin
Eternal journey, weaver maker
My fear I forgot
I rooted up my Yin
Eternal journey, weaver maker
If I’d be in
Whenever I sit and listen
You’re my guiding light
Whoa I’m found”
Ford’s debut solo EP is out today, Friday, June 24, via Violin Films.
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Rubblebucket – “Morning in the Sun” (Brooklyn, USA)
RIYL: of Montreal, Antibalas, Dirty Projectors,
Nearly four years have passed since Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth released music as Rubblebucket, at which time they had shared the excellent Sun Machine. The LP encapsulated everything that has made Rubblebucket an indie icon: infectious melodies, catchy hooks, intricate percussion, and unique instrumentals to create a sound that’s always a blast to listen to and hard to define.
All of those qualities are present on their latest single, “Morning in the Sun”. Saxophone, trumpets, and hand claps define the song’s early moments. They step aside for a bit for some organ and Traver’s lush vocals. The brass comes back in, initially in the background before piercing through triumphantly. The track goes through some more changes, adding instruments, getting stripped back to just vocals and drums, or a really fantastic section of drum, bass, synth, and some wild vocal echo. It’s all incredibly creative and fun, and a testament to Rubblebucket’s ability to throw convention out the window. It’s been a long wait for new music from the duo, and hopefully it’s not four more years until we hear more from them. From the lyrics, we think the duo have more surprises coming.
“One more morning in the sun with my number one
No more paying for a deal with my baby just to make another memory
Losing a friend forever has never been better
Oh saying goodbye to my darling doesn’t have to be a hard thing
Cause I’m here”
The single is out on Grand Jury Music. Surely an album is coming.
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Shady Cove – “High Divide” (Portland, USA)
RIYL: Broadcast, Melody’s Echo Chamber, Laurie Anderson
Songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Sarah Rose and Sarah Nienaber are better known for their work as part of Portland indie rockers Candace. But wanting to expand their musical palettes, the duo formed Shady Cove, and they recently released their first single together: the airy “Summer Days”.
They’ve followed up their debut with the wonderfully minimalist “High Divide”. Some drum machine and warm synth lay the groundwork for Rose and Nienaber’s voices. The dreamy sound continues throughout the song, featuring some beautiful guitar moments. The vocals on “High Divide”, meanwhile, are delivered with a laser precision, and they bring to life the vivid and warm imagery painted by the song’s lyrics. As “High Divide” fades out, the first verse is repeated, and it just begs for another spin. This way, we can feel like the duo – on an endless drive to find our resting place.
“Driver’s seat, turn the key
Yeah, I wanna get in
Old Ford Escort 1987
Soft glow indigo
Sunset in the west
Find the motel
I can tell we’re not going back
Desert Road, California
Yeah, I feel the pull
Of the loner dream
Set the scene, only me and you
Heartbeat heavy on the 95
Lights on break of dawn
Hit the high divide”
The single is out on Park the Van, who will release the duo’s self-titled album later this year.
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