We’ve all survived another January ripe with unfulfilled resolutions and horrifyingly sober weekends during semi-successful attempts at making the month ‘dry.’ Now it’s February. Winter is halfway over and you can drink to your heart’s content while enjoying gradually increasing sunlight and undoing all the progress you’ve made the month prior. Before you get too excited, though, please consider that you will also need to start thinking about your spring playlists. Your current roster is just full discographies of bands that broke up during the W. Bush administration. To say it’s depressing would be the understatement of the new year. It’s time to live in the now and we’re here to help. Here are six new jams and a couple of well-aged classics to make your backyard DJ session a mild success.
Dehd “Mood Ring”
Whether you love or hate Chicago’s Dehd – and if you hate them please quit reading this publication immediately – they are one of the most exciting groups to emerge from the indie realm in quite some time. Combining simplistic new wave aesthetic with catchy and endearing lyricism, the trio has shown no signs of slowing their roll since their self-titled debut dropped in 2016. Now they have returned with the new single ‘Mood Ring’ from their forthcoming LP ‘Poetry.’ If the first offering is any indication, we’re set for another classic album from a trio that absolutely can’t miss.
Paramore “Burning Down the House”
A couple of months ago, Paramore canceled a bunch of festival appearances and wiped their digital footprint from the internet. The rumor mill almost immediately started churning speculation of a breakup in the works. We’re not being hyperbolic when we say that moment sent our offices into a full-blown panic with many writers who are still living the in Myspace era proclaiming they would never listen to music again. Thankfully we no longer have to imagine a world in which Paramore ceases to exist, as their rumored cover of the Talking Heads’ classic ‘Burning Down the House’ has finally been released in full to the world.
Militarie Gun “Whoops I OD’d” (NOFX cover)
Seemingly not content with releasing one of favorite albums of 2023 – the highest peak any band can hope to achieve – Militarie Gun have mustered up the gall to release a stripped-down EP featuring mellowed versions of selected tracks from their excellent ‘Life Under the Gun.’ The EP, entitled ‘Life Under The Sun,’ showcases the core songwriting abilities that hide under the band’s intensity. To sweeten the pot, they’ve also included a cover of NOFX’s ‘Whoops I OD’d,’ which should serve as a cautionary tale when your Dry January starts to turn into your Fried February.
Dana “Time Suck(s)”
The aliens have landed and the future is here. DANA are both the path forward and the extraterrestrials beaming a theremin-infused transmission right through your skull. Following two majestically chaotic full-lengths, the quartet has returned with an excellent – albeit disorienting – new single entitled ‘Time Suck(s).’ It’s a track that transcends both space and time as it frantically bounces between all out sonic destruction and blissful groove. Though the run-time is just under four minutes, you’re sure to feel like you’ve traveled through several dimensions by the time the final mangled note rings out.
The Dismemberment Plan “Unrequited” (Circus Lupus cover)
It’s apparently covers season, and we certainly aren’t complaining when the bounty is this epic. The Dismemberment Plan just released a cover of Circus Lupus’ classic ‘Unrequited’ for the upcoming For Love Of Records compilation ‘Yesterday and Today: DC Does Dischord,’ a tribute record honoring the Dischord roster. The track – which is incredible, by the by – marks the first new music the band has released since 2013’s reunion album ‘Uncanney Valley,’ and if our wildest dreams somehow come true, it won’t be the last.
Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties “Paying Bills At The End Of The World”
When Dan Campbell isn’t fronting the Wonder Years, he’s moonlighting as the rough and tumble Aaron West – the fearless leader of the Americana infused Roaring Twenties. The meticulously layered and crafted project of Campbell is currently preparing to release their new album ‘In Lieu of Flowers.’ The album continues the fictional Aaron West’s harrowing story right where it left off on 2019’s ‘Routine Maintenance,’ with Campbell promising a new chapter in the character’s so-far devastating life. The latest single ‘Paying Bills At The End Of The World’ is described by Campbell as a ‘blue-collar ballad,’ and is absolutely oozing with the alt-country vibes we’ve come to expect from this project.
Green Day “Burnout”
Somehow, someway, 1994 was 30 years ago despite your saddest uncle’s constant declarations of it feeling like ‘yesterday, man.’ This means that Green Day’s breakthrough and genre-defining record ‘Dookie’ is old enough to finally be disillusioned with life and all of its unfulfilled promises. That’s right, the trio’s seminal record just crossed into its third decade of existence late last week, and still somehow sounds as fresh today as it did in its infancy. Give it a spin and try to feel young again. It might not work forever, but for thirty minutes you might forget about your increasing joint point enough to slam dance in your living room.
The Walkmen “The Rat”
Speaking of milestone anniversaries, the Walkmen’s sophomore and arguably most popular album ‘Bows + Arrows’ celebrated its 20th spin around the sun on Friday. You might remember it most fondly for its inclusion of ‘The Rat,’ or better known to you, that song your college roommate played repeatedly after several dramatic breakups. Be sure to give it a spin and be reminded of the days when you had little to no money, were always hungover, and had an inflated sense of how popular you were when you bar hopped.
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