Swedish pop-wavers Shout Out Louds are one of the few current bands that really pluck my strings of nostalgia. They're most often compared to The Cure, and I get that, but a strong as the comparison is, that's not the string I'm talking about. (And that incarnation of The Cure, the dreamy poppy version, is not nearly my favorite. Give me the dark, gothic rock of the really early days.) No, to me they remind me of the more sophisticated wave-rock of bands like Visage and Ultravox. This latest single, "In New Europe" feels a bit lighter than all that, it's a bit of a chair dancer, but the hints are there.
James Bay - Pink Lemonade
James Bay is a UK pop singer/songwriter working (on this second album - out next week) to slightly remake himself, and the genre. I like pop, but I also like the trend of these guys wanting to be more than hipsters with a guitar (or boy band, in the case of Harry Styles). But whatever, I didn't know two bits about him until coming across this track, despite him winning all the Brit awards in 2015. This track grabs me for the same reason so many others on this blog do: it sounds vaguely 80s. This time more like Billy Idol than New Order but still. I guess, despite coming of age with grunge and techno, my brain first formed it's love of music around the pop radio dial of my childhood.
Upcoming Shows
Wilderado - Sorrow
ACL 2018 lineup is out this morning! So many TMIS artists, the whole bill looks like fantastic fun. Wilderado will be there Weekend One only (a lot of the smaller bands are just one or the other weekend but most big names are both -- like Wombats this time 'round). Just some of the other mid-to-lower billed Most Important featured bands: Gang of Youths, Twin Shadow, Parquet Courts, ARIZONA, Alvvays, flor, Sir Sly, tired of linking... most of the headliners/second billing... And I'm going to say Paul McCartney counts, as well! Anyway, VIP & Platinum prices are INSANE so grab your GA badge while you can. Or wait for the summer single-day lineup/ticket release if you can somehow decide on just one day.
P.S. This song has been out for about a month and I love it and I'm excited to see Wilderado on the ACL list, but they are ALSO coming here to Stubb's in May with FOXTRAX so that sounds really fun too. Check out below if they're touring near you!