Dent, the latest effort from Cleveland’s Signals Midwest, feels, to me, like an urgent, hand-to-heart ode to easier days, and as a tribute to midwest emo and punk. The first LP by them in a surprising six years, Dent is earnest, full of heart and fire and catchy tunes. This is maybe best exemplified by this post’s Most Important: “Gold in The Grey” but there are plenty of tracks to choose from, should you want to take a little listen back to a simpler, more energetic time. (And, yes, I may be projecting a bit here, deal with it.)
Dry Cleaning - Scratchcard Lanyard
“I’ve come here to make a ceramic shoe, and I’ve come to smash what you’ve made.” Haha, that might be enough to pique your interest, but if not, just give the video a watch. Dry Cleaning’s debut album, New Long Leg, is terrific, and this gem, “Scratchcard Lanyard” is quirky fun. I think I heard them first, not all that long ago, with “Magic of Meghan” which captures a lot of what I like about them; terrific lyrics, driving low-fi instrumentation and a cool vibe. Excited to see what they do next.
Squid - Paddling
Squid’s debut album isn’t out yet, and “highly anticipated” might be an understatement. Over the last several months they’ve released a series of singles that…are… awesome. The most recent, “Paddling”, should give you an idea of what they’re all about. You like it? You’ll like it.