INDISPENSABLE NEW MUSIC PICKS
September 2021
Kristine England
Sep 30, 2021
Bad Waitress
No Taste
The Toronto punk group features four girls with gloriously terrible attitudes, and its new album No Taste arrives just in time to herald the end of summer sunshine. "Bad Waitress embrace the feral spirit of punk, riot grrrl, and grunge but they really do give it their own unique twist." (Under the Radar)
FEATURED TRACK: "Manners"
Hot Mustard
Mother Sauce
This instrumental duo serves up tasty beats and funky grooves, replete with a jazzy horn section. The brainchild of Jack Powell (Opus Thimble Studios) and Nick Carusos operate from Johns Island, SC. The horns are courtesy of Big Brass Beats from Brooklyn. Expectations subverted.
FEATURED TRACK: "Window Seat"
Matthew E. White
K Bay
The singer from Virginia Beach channels his 70s influence to bring some joyous disco that will leave you “burnin’ up.” White spent some of his early child in the far east before settling in VA. He studied jazz at Virginia Commonwealth University and dabbled in various genres ever since.
FEATURED TRACK: "Let's Ball"
The Reytons
Kids Off the Estate
The Sheffield (or is Doncaster?), UK foursome offers some punk-tinged indie rock ahead of its November release, Kids Off the Estate, accompanied by a video showcasing next-level manipulation. Relationships are hard.
FEATURED TRACK: "Nothing to Declare"
X Ambassadors
Beautiful Liar
Dark and haunting are the vibes you’ll get from the group’s third album. Compelling and slightly disturbing. The group formed in Ithaca, NY and is currently comprised of lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin (they bring a bassist along on the road).
FEATURED TRACK: "Beautiful Liar"
The Lathums
How Beautiful Life Can Be
Hailing from Wigan, The Lathums marched up the UK charts in short order with its debut album, released September 24 and hitting the top on October 1. Close your eyes and you can hear the Smiths, sans the self-pity.
FEATURED TRACK: "The Great Escape"
Kurt Vile
Various Artists — I’ll Be Your Mirror:
A Tribute To The Velvet Underground & Nico
Approaching this album with trepidation (as a skeptic of tribute records would), I found it hard to choose which song to highlight. Eventually, this track edged out Fontaine DC’s “The Black Angel’s Death Song” or Sharon Van Etten’s version of “Femme Fatale.” It was really close.
FEATURED TRACK: "Run Run Run"
Wang Wen
100,000 Whys
The music sounds like a soundtrack from a forgotten film. Synthy, spacy, and sometimes heavy, this Chinese post-rock export will take you on a sonic journey. The title was inspired by English poet Rudyard Kipling: "One million Hows, two million Wheres, and seven million Whys!"
FEATURED TRACK: "Forgotten River"