by hapago

Here we are again folks, another week chock full of amazing music. There’s too much to choose from! BLEARY EYED is back with a new schorcher, CLAIRO is back as well and hot off the recent duet with FREDDIE GIBBS (?!?!), and North Carolina favorites SINAI VESSEL and TRUST BLINKS. have put out some heat as well. Also, SCREEN STAR and BUDGE both put out incredible EPs today–read about those HERE and HERE, respectively. We are eating!!!!

1. TRUST BLINKS. – TURNS TO GOLD
   Thanks to the wonderful people in the TOTAL WIFE/RIG B/CELLTOWER camp, I learned about TRUST BLINKS., an Asheville-based slowcore band. TURNS TO GOLD is their most recent sonic endeavor, and it will blow you away–at times it’s lush and airy, other times it creates a familiar discomfort, turnt to eleven. It also just sounds so good–it’s an extremely cohesive, well-thought-out record, instant classic mode.
2. SINAI VESSEL – BEST WITNESS
   OK–this is that one. SINAI VESSEL, the brain child of Asheville legend Caleb Cordes. He just announced a new album due out on July 26th, titled “I SING”. The new song is incredible, I’m lucky enough to be listening it for the first time while driving through New Mexico, which has made the drive that much more beautiful. It’s reflective and sounds like someone stopping at the top of a mountain, and turning around to assess the feat that they’ve just accomplished. What makes it really special: the record was recorded at home. The way that Caleb and co. achieved the level of sonic clarity found throughout the singles needs to be studied in a lab–cheers to the whole team!
3. BLEARY EYED – 2 TRUE/SHIMMER AWAY
   After not a lot of correspondence in the past year from the Philly-based BLEARY EYED, they are back with “2 TRUE/SHIMMER AWAY”, two red hot new singles. These tracks show off the group’s incredible ever-progressing skill–this is a new era of the band, and they sound confident as they step into this uncharted territory.
4. CLAIRO – SEXY TO SOMEONE
   Oh shit it’s new Clairo!!!!! I haven’t been able to say that in a few years. After her 2021 masterpiece “SLING”, it was hard to predict where she’d go next. I mean, she’s writing songs like “AMOEBA” and “JUST FOR TODAY”, while posting videos of her playing flute and clarinet and other woodwinds. “SEXY TO SOMEONE” is an honest song that sounds like she’s just talking freely, while also at points barely getting over a whisper. I think my favorite part is the GEORGE HARRISON-ish guitars towards the end. “CHARM” is a full length of new songs coming out soon, but not soon enough!

HERE’S SOME OTHER SHIT I’VE BEEN DIGGING:

1. NEIL YOUNG’S BOOK “WAGING HEAVY PEACE”
   This book has been really cool so far, albeit a bit confusing–so far there hasn’t been a set chronological order, but then again, I’m only a couple of chapters in..also I never learned how to read………..
2. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
   OK…..I’d never seen CURB before despite being a huge SEINFELD fan. So naturally I watched the entire series from pilot to finale over the course of 3-4ish months and WHAT! It’s hilarious, one of the best shows I’ve ever seen! It was worth destroying my social life and all my understanding of time and productivity.
3. THE CICADAS
   The recent cicada takeover/invasion of the southeast has been amazing so far–I love how they just scream about everything. Literally everything. At work the other day I was collecting carts from the cart collection space and I watched as one flew into a sign, screamed really loudly and then tried to fly into it again and screamed even louder until it made it’s way around the sign. They’re anxious freaks and for that I ride for cicadas.