Nashville’s Katie Schecter releases the infectious new single and video ‘Pay It No Mind.’ The song serves as her personal mantra, but reminds us all not to sweat the small stuff. “It’s not about ignoring all things unfavorable and living in a bubble of ignorance…it’s about saving your energy for when it really counts, for the stuff that really matters” she shares. Schecter wrote the song in its entirety while sitting behind the drum kit. “That’s not my typical approach to writing, but I’d been listening to Bill Withers ‘Use Me Up’ on repeat just after he had passed, and I was pretending I was James Gadson (falling short obviously), and ended up landing on a groove that felt right and sang aloud to the beat. I put chords to it afterward.” Recorded live to tape at New York City’s legendary Diamond Mine Studio, ‘Pay It No Mind’ was produced by her husband and creative counterpart Nick Bockrath, lead guitarist for the rock outfit Cage The Elephant. Featuring her close friends, the rhythm section of dreams Nick Movshon and Homer Steinweiss, Phil Towns on organ, and Matthan Minster on background vocals, it’s easy to understand why the track gets stuck in our heads after just one listen. The video, directed by Casey Pierce at Tournament Studios in Nashville, was initially inspired by Jørgen Leth’s short film of Andy Warhol eating a cheeseburger. As the concept developed, the plot was lost and the piece became a nod to Pop Art’s often literal interpretation of Western culture and the world and objects that surround us. “The various clutter in the video represents the small stuff,” explains Schecter, “and I’m just trying to tune out the noise and keep it simple.” Pierce’s knack for strong color palettes, paired with Schecter’s cheeky performance makes for a very striking visual presentation.
Back in March, indie-punk trio VIAL unveiled their second album, burnout, which contained a catchy set of songs that skidded between dark anthems and raucous heft. To end the year on a high note, they’ve rerecorded their 2019 debut EP, Grow Up. Titled Grow The Fuck Up, the project arrives November 29 via Get Better Records and will be available on vinyl for the first time. The LP also includes the ripping new song ‘DIY or Die,’ a rewrite of a deleted Grow Up B-side, and comes with a music video where guitarist/vocalist KT Branscom gets doused in blood while dressed like a beauty pageant winner. “We rerecorded our debut EP Grow Up to look back on our progress as musicians and revisit some very nostalgic songs after five years of VIAL,” the band say. “It’s like a little love letter to our younger selves. When we first recorded Grow Up, we had very limited resources during the recording process and didn’t even use our own cables. We feel very lucky we’re able to revisit this EP now that we have access to the funds, skills, and equipment we’d always wanted to allocate toward these eight songs.” [via Alt Press]
Last month, Romy and Sari Lightman announced their debut EP under the Lightman & Lightman name, a release called Sister Smile that will be out December 6, and features contributions from several notable musicians, including Hand Habit’s Meg Duffy, and members of Cola, TOPS and Jessica Pratt’s band. The LP was announced with the single ‘Bethlehem XL,’ and now the sisters are sharing a second preview of the EP, a track called ‘Weave Your Name In Mine.’ Lightman & Lightman say of the track: “I wanted to capture the passion, desperation, even the romantic infatuation to converse with and be seen by the divine. A love song to God through the eyes of Etty & Jeanine with the devotional sincerity of a 60s girl group. I wrote this one much later than the rest of the album. I was walking through a public garden, staring at the roses, thinking of Dantes’ Paradise, and thought what would a pop song about divine love plucked from the secular sphere sound like? In the music video animated and directed by Zak Tatham, we asked our friend, a contemporary dancer to play the role of “the divine source on the ceiling” holding and reflecting back our shared and interconnected humanity. We recorded most of the track in our garage in Tujunga, with Riley Fleck (Tops, Jessica Pratt) playing drums and Meg Duffy (Hand Habits) on guitar.”
Following her recent East Coast tour – which experienced such high demand that a second Naarm/Melbourne show was added – singer-songwriter Odette shares her serendipitous new single and video ‘Seahorses’. Harnessing a songwriting craft that’s nothing short of exceptional, Odette’s approach to lyrical expression is strengthened by her unique sense of curiosity and openness, allowing for moments of vulnerability and catharsis to coexist with her unapologetic self-assurance. With subtle allusions to authority figures and power dynamics, Odette finds a happy medium between scathing cynicism and blissful idealism on ‘Seahorses’, as she playfully flips between vocal registers. Her soaring melodies find their match in the vibrant, playful instrumentation, with the energetic piano-led groove melding with delicate woodwinds and resonant percussion. Speaking on the song, Odette reveals, “’Seahorses’ is buoyant and fun and scathing. I wrote this when I was angry and joyous at the same time in the studio with Kiah. It’s how I was looking at the world in that moment and everything felt beautiful and nightmarish at the same time. I think it still does.” In the self-directed music video, Odette, along with a team of her friends and collaborators, captures the ephemeral moments of joy that lie at the heart of ‘Seahorses’, safeguarding each snapshot for her future self. She shares, ”This is my favourite video I’ve ever done and I directed it!! Monte (@monteemadeit) is one of my favourite producers I’ve worked with. He’s the kind of guy who will get on the ground when you do, it just makes the space feel very collaborative and exciting! This video is just me and my friends having fun together. I wanted to document everyone digitally so I can look back at the funny things we did when I’m older. I love them with my entire heart. I wouldn’t be here without them, seriously.” [via TwentyThree]
Fresh off of touring with Wallows in North America and Olivia Rodrigo in Australia, New Zealand alt-pop player BENEE has a brand-new single for us. Titled ‘Animal,’ this new one follows September’s ‘Sad Boiii.’ Both will show up on her forthcoming album, which drops next year. Upbeat and anthemic, ‘Animal’ has a clear hip-hop influence, with a glitchy backing track. “And you can’t stay mad at me, I’m just an animal,” BENEE sings on the chorus. “A micro-celebrity, but I mean nothing at all.” Benee shared this statement on the song: “’Animal’ is a song I wrote when I felt extreme existential dread. When flying in a plane on tour, looking down onto what looks like an ant-like world really inspired the lyrics. How huge something feels when you’re in it, but zoomed out so SMALL. I love thinking about life like that. I thought about this concept long and hard, and I feel we can only be playful with the thought of how insignificant and small we are compared to the universe. There’s peace in not knowing what anything is here for. It makes me want to enjoy everything in life even more.” Watch the ‘Animal’ video, directed by Keith Herron, below. [via Stereogum]
New Zealand artist and producer Fazerdaze unveils her second album, Soft Power, a release that marks the realisation of her ambitious sonic vision. Steeped in deep meaning and fueled by fierce self-compassion and empowerment, Soft Power is out now via section1 and Buttrfly Records (AU/NZ). This expansive record provided Fazerdaze a space to fully embrace her inner strength and power, while staying connected to her softness, rawness, and vulnerability. Speaking about what it means to her, Fazerdaze (real name Amelia Murray) shares, “This is what I created during the darkest, loneliest, most tumultuous years of my life – entering womanhood, navigating the world, the music industry, and what I thought was love. In my scariest moments, this album was my anchor for hope, purpose, and light. I am so relieved and content to finally share with you; Soft Power.” With an atmospheric feel reminiscent of sunset festival sets, the album beautifully balances lightness and tenderness with a sense of determination and resilience. Listen and watch the first animated Fazerdaze video, for the focus track ‘So Easy’, below. The video was filmed in LA during a day off from tour, directed by Lanning Sally and animated by Rollinos (Gabriel Rolim) in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
Desire share new single/video ‘Drama Queen’ from their upcoming album Games People Play, which is coming soon via Italians Do It Better. The track comes ahead of their upcoming European tour, which starts next week in Lisbon and sees shows in Porto, Vigo, Barcelona, Madrid, Lyon, Paris, London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Brussels, Utrecht, Hamburg, Berlin, Poznán, Prague, Vienna, Zagreb, Milan, Bologna, Rome, Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn & Helsinki. ‘Drama Queen’ is a high-energy disco anthem built for the dance floor, blending classic piano house with bold, modern production. With the lyric “On The Road… Torture Mode,” Desire delivers unapologetic attitude & sassy edge. Packed with catchy hooks & symphonic stabs, ‘Drama Queen’ combines ethereal ‘70s Disco with a fierce, contemporary twist. Its accompanying music video, inspired by the end scene of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001, adds a cinematic edge, amplifying the track’s bold attitude & setting the scene for ‘Drama Queen’s live debut across a 25-date European tour.
