Here at Alt77, we’ve always striven to shine a light on great, new music. Our research takes us deep into the hear of alternative music. Starting today, we’re sharing our discoveries. Here are some of the best new music releases in July. Most of them are off the radar, and past the beaten path so that you can enjoy something extraordinary.
Wayne Wood – Body Bags
Mixing the energy of a sleepless Earl Sweatshirt, with the cold sweats of Goth and Dark Wave, Wayne Wood delivers the apt titled Body Bags. A soundtrack for sleepless nights? Not unless you want to scare yourself silly.
Kowloon – English Morning
I remember first hearing Alan Hull’s Blue Murder off of an Arctic Monkeys produced playlists, and swearing off the English countryside for the rest of my life. Kowloon’s easy-going Brit vibe has the same effect on me. The sound is small, tidy, and well-engineered. All that excitement makes us want to hear more.
ZillaKami x SosMula – HURTWORLD ‘99
In 2020 rap metal’s aggressiveness is enough to embarrass many of the leather-pants wearing, fantasy-loving old-school metalheads. Cloud-trap artists of yesteryear won’t feel much safer.
ZillaKami x SosMula are a trap-rock experiment taken over by military militia. Musically, they’re in a menacing headspace similar to the likes of Fever 333 or RATM.
The cloud-like backdrop may put some listeners off, but there’s anger that rings out pure and true here. Has Travis Barker heard them yet?
dollface – PIGGY
Subtle this is not! But, with a sound designed to bulldoze down the local S&M shop and an image to match, dollface is working towards becoming an unhinged cult hero. If the rest of their music is the same, Death Grips may have an opening-act for their excursions out to the Bible belt.
Garrett Owen – Hour in the forest
Like listening to Brian Wilson, or Jeff Buckley, hearing Garrett Owen’s very personal music for the first time feels almost like an intrusion. This Texas-born singer-sngwriter is into world-building. Here’s album oriented indie rock worth your time.
(released on July 24 2020)
The Bergamot – L.A.
There’s a time and place for everything! Laurel Canyon songwriters dominated American radio during the late 1960s. Their pop-oriented followers, such as the Lumineers, dominated radio in recent years.
The Bergamot inhabit a similar world. The similarity between themselves and the aforementioned hipster indie folkies is unmistakable. But, so is the fact that the platinum success may turn out to be another thing they’ll one day have in common.
Michael McFarland – More Than You believe You Are
I got stuck on reviewing More Than You believe You Are. Michael McFarland is a musician invested in wasting none of the tape on which he’s allowed to record.
He sells the audience the verse, then sells them a chorus, then they get their checkbooks out. All of this while gliding through carefully calibrated vocal melodies. He’s already as good as many of his retro-rock influences.
Leon in the Wild – You can leave a mess in here
Were it not for the relaxed, honeydew voice of the singer (Leon, we assume), we’d think this was Computer Generated soundtracking of family holidays. That’s not a bad thing in itself! In fact, the lyrics and surf rock vibe, suggest Leon’s just the mellow dude you want to hitch a ride with on road trips.
Trope – Hyperextend
Tool may have surrendered their prog-metal crown for the time being, but some of their devotees are ready to succeed them if the window of opportunity continues to remain open. This is prog rock of a sleek variety, and Trope look to have their sound well figured out already.
Empire of lights – Chasing stardust
Empire of lights’ press communicates a desire to encourage humanity to travel to space. If that’s true, then the future stars slowly. It takes nearly a minute of NASA babble for the tack to pick up. But, once it does the results are a pleasing mash-up of 70s space rock and latter-day Bastille.
NASA might do well to save this for a chance broadcast of other-world landings. We will!
NORTH – Do you still want me around?
An anxious, party anthem taking the Clash’s Should I stay or should I go to a shredder with great effect. We like the influences, the personality, want to hear more. And… we’re surprised the name “NORTH” wasn’t yet taken. Well done!
The single comes out on August 7th, 2020.
Qwiet Type – Found You
The summer blockbuster soundtrack (yet to be), that is OK to like and even better to study if you’re a musician. Qwiet Type throws around melodies like a long-lost Laurel Canyon songwriter.
Aline Mayne – In your memories
Aline Mayne is determined to take the long way to glory, playing a mixture of alternative rock and prog. The song has peaks, valleys, and the technical control makes it obvious that these musicians have labored over learning to play their instruments.
There is honesty and beauty in all earnest attempts to rock out, and sound good doing it. This is no exception.
Rebecca Karpen – Minyan in a Ghost Town
The days of female folk-punk may have reached its short-lived commercial zenith back in the 1990s. But, thankfully, the sound and the idealism have not disappeared entirely. Rebecca Karpen writes angry, clever folk music that warrants repeated listens.
The Pierce Project – Without a fight
The Pierce Project is busting open with musical ideas. Maybe this is why this song floats in a few different directions at once. The dynamics are there, the songwriting is as well. Once the vocals get turned up and tuned, you’d better watch out!
Suzy Callahan – To a child
There’s no use in labeling Suzy Callahan. None will stick! This is the music of someone that inhabits a world of their own and translates it into music. Laura Nyro would smile hearing this!
Melancolony – From the Trees to the Seas
The moment I heard the intro and saw the artwork, I wanted the singer’s phone number so that we could debate our favorite brands of coffee.
I got a bit more relaxed once the actual singing started. Still, Melancolony has the making of an excellent album-oriented band.
Banshee Child – Fortune & Fame
Gregg Allman always said that Southerns have an unfair advantage when it comes to playing rock n roll. Banshee Child prove this as they boogie into 2020 through a path blown open by the likes of Jimi and Lynyrd Skynyrd. We tried not to boogie but fell powerless.
Jay Parade – Mental Trillness
These guys love the Ramones! We do too. It’s quick, silly, and makes us want to sneak out cans of beer out of the mini market even if we don’t need to do that anymore. Let’s hear their Rocket to Russia already.
Glass Noose – Onion Wine
A modern take on rock/metal featuring emotive vocals and post-hardcore guitar tones. Good stuff! Listeners may end up punching a hole in the air.
Novelistme – Stupid & dumb
Pop-punkers influenced by the likes of Gang of Four and Blur. Their British and aloof. And they make a nice racket. We only wish next time they’d turn it up louder, so our neighbors can stand in agreement.
Yellow Dudes – Twitter makes me sad
So young they have to show ID to carry their instruments inside a club, Yellow Dudes make a great sound. It may be teenagerish and very much of its time, but few veterans equal this group’s use of dynamics. As for the lyrics.. they’re a critique on social media, I’m told.
Fauxster – Aurora
Fauxster’s mixes bedroom pop vocals with Psychedelic Furs guitar tones. If you tune into your mind’s eye real carefully you can see Robert Smith grooving today at his local watering hole.
You can find the song here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/fauxster/aurora
Marty Zylstra – Rattle the glass
here’s a great tradition of hockey songs that seems to have fallen by the wayside in recent years. Mostly they deal with fighting and scoring points. Because hockey.. Breaking bones and skating fast will, however, always carry a certain charm for me.
Marty Zylstra crafted a song pop-punkers the world over (yours truly included) will feel jealous, as they will for mr. Zylstra’s enviable body of work.
El Levtchenko – Hopeton Overton
I’d like to think this was made by very funky miners from Eastern Europe, sailing towards a better future in Latin America. The real story is probably not as exciting, but the music is.
Drew Danburry – Edward Again, expulsion papers unearthed, for Micah again or forever
Drew Danburry is a man determined fit against the streaming platforms’ restrictions regarding song titles. He’s also a man looking to tell stories (this one is about a murder). While the narrative may not be too clear, the music and atmosphere sell it for us. Still, don’t get Drew started about his collection of cat trinkets.
Mark Millar – Islands
Easy listen indie folk about the perils of social disconnect. Mark Millar knows how to write a hook. It flows easily and deserves a listen.
Brian Paddock – Your favorite record
Brian Paddock sings and writes in a way that is reminiscent of Soul Asylum at their easy-going, chart-topping best. This is modern day America, begging to be covered by others. A real find!
Alt77 July Playlist songs
Because we’re always in need of good alternative music to soundtrack our summer, here are recommendation for songs you’ll want to include on your playlist.
We’ve hand-picked the music that Alt77 readers are bound to enjoy. Prick your ears up for this!
Géisers – Ambulantes
Cassette Spence – Solstice
Three Of Me – Captivity
Cacophonics – Holidays
Nemos – London
Unreleased music to look out for
Merry Christmas – Shapes Appearing
Merry Christmas are a Japanese band producing an eccentric, carefully constructed fuzz & math rock. Animal Collective fans are likely to enjoy. We’ve heard it, dug it ourselves, and we’ll stick for the full album that is ready to come out on August 1, 2020.
