Buddy Junior – don’t wait up
Similar artists: They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Full Body 2, feeble little horse, Toner, Alex G
Genre: Post-Punk, Shoegaze, Indie Rock
In the past, recording music on your own and releasing it without external assistance was the equivalent of a U.S. citizen building a replica of a European castle in their backyard. It was viewed as bizarre, and to do this made you part of a very small community of people.
In 2023, recording and releasing music in this way is no longer avant-garde, but Buddy Junior still belongs to a very limited set of artists capable of making this kind of sound.
Perhaps it’s our ears that have deceived us together with years and years of programming. Should pop music really sound as pretty as it does? Ought it really include the intervention of dozens of people before it can be heard by the public?
I have no doubt that Buddy Junior’s “don’t wait up” was recorded, mixed and released by just one person because this is clearly the culmination of one particular and striking vision. There’s beauty underneath all that hiss and pop hooks lurking underneath. You’ll just have to sweat it out to find them, but it might be time well spent.
Creek Violence – Pale Blue Dot
Similar artists: Animal Collective, American Football, The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die
Genre: Shoegaze, Post Rock, Alternative Rock
The most disappointed and depressed people that you are ever likely to meet all live in the highly developed countries back in the Western world. And while many of them might have a sad story that they’d like to share, the customs of the lands from which they come also dictate that they keep all of these to themselves. Thankfully, Creek Violence have acquired wisdom that lets them travel beyond this awkward point.
While this may seem unlikely given all the evidence stacked against this claim, people need other people. In fact, most of us desperately seek other people. This is why so many folk end up as slaves for some cult or political organization, or if they’re lucky, they can be found following some rock band across the country. Simply put, everybody needs a group of people that they can tell their troubles to. See, the bluesmen were right all along.
Creak Violence’s “Pale Blue Dot” feels like a soundtrack to the start of a cold and very long winter. There’s plenty of emotion captured here and the musicians are honest enough to allow their momentary hopelessness ring throughout this. Their feelings may change, as will the season, but it takes guts to be this honest. Plus, when people share their fears, especially respected artists, others are tempted to do the same. And that’s one step toward getting better.
