This week’s edition of FRESHLY SQUEEZED is coming with some extra excitement. I’m heading down to NYC for the next few days with Heavy Hearts and it’s had me listening to a lot of New Yorkers… and then that spiraled into listening to a bunch of American artists. So if you sense a theme in this playlist, it’s just… America.
I’ve got ten new songs to share with you while I finish packing my bags. If you’ve got new songs you’re listening to right now, tweet me so I can add them to my in-flight playlist!
Follow the playlist:
Star Garbage – Tired
The vibratto on those vocals… gives me chills. This song makes me want to smash every mug I own on the floor and if I’m being honest, listening to Star Garbage on repeat made me consider actually doing it. Still can’t confirm I won’t do it after posting this article. All of the lyrics about being tired make me feel so seen, I might just make it my automatic Gmail response so people know why I’m taking too long to reply.
Origami Angel – Doctor Whomst
I think I’ve made it pretty well known that I trust Jamie Coletta’s music taste over anyone else’s. When she sent out her press email about Origami Angel, I stopped everything I was doing to listen… and goddamn, what a good choice. Their new album, Somewhere City, is one of my faves of the year already after only a few days. It took me a minute to decide if I should share “Doctor Whomst” or “Find Your Throne” so I’d recommend going and listening to the rest on your own.
Paper Lions – Rhythm & Gold
Okay so… this band… is Canadian. But I didn’t want to wait for another Ontario post to share this one. I’m getting big “Lisztomania” energy from it and I love it. I feel like as soon as the chorus comes in, you’ll say “OH, yeah this is Canadian”. I don’t know what it is that makes our music so clearly ours but Paper Lions have the sound absolutely locked down.
Bad Flamingo – Open The Gates
Every Bad Flamingo single leaves me wondering how to even categorize them. Is this alt country? Is it country at all? Is it…outlaw country?
In any case, I love listening to it and I love the mystery behind the duo. Only known as “The One On The Left” and “The One On The Right”, I literally know nothing else about them. And in a time where I accidentally learn too much about everyone else online, this is refreshing and keeps me coming back to try and decipher more.
The Weekend Transit – Quiet, My Secrets Are Safe
Ah, post-hardcore. My safe place. It doesn’t ask too much of me, it just takes me back to the simpler times of 2012 and lets me hang out rent-free. The Weekend Transit just dropped a new EP and if you’re like me and feel a strange wave of calm rush over you when you think of Pierce The Veil playing “King For A Day” at Warped Tour with Kellin Quinn, you won’t want to miss this one. No frills, no weird novelties, just straight up A+ post-hardcore.
Ratboys – Alien With A Sleep Mask On
Chalk up another win for Jamie Coletta. Ratboys have a new album on the way and this is such a fun first single. Especially with the accompanying video? Hell yeah. I don’t want to ruin it for you but the video did not end where I thought it would. Honestly, I felt a little bit like the alien with the sleep mask in that I was… relatively confused throughout. But it definitely amped up my enjoyment of the track and gave it a more despondant feeling, it’s all about the journey in the end.
KidEyes – Alive
Every once in a while, I am overcome with a wave of longing for old X Ambassadors. KidEyes definitely hit the mark. I think it’s the additional percussion that fills the void, but I can’t be sure. I just know I got a wave of nostalgia when listening to this band for the very first time, so there must be something there. Even without the sentimental value, “Alive” is such a well put-together track, it’s found itself a permanent spot on my winter playlists.
Dead Poet Society – .swvrm.
This song feels like a swarm of bees buzzing around the inside of my head and… y’know suddenly the song title is making a lot of sense. Fans of bands like Royal Blood are going to LOVE Dead Poet Society. Absolute chaos with no breaks. The video makes me feel uneasy in the same way I do when I go to a show and there’s only one person moshing alone. The energy in the air just feels a little off. In this instance, I fully recommend it.
Saw Tooth Wave – Out of Place
This whole song just feels… right? Like it’s meeting all the requirements on a checklist I don’t even know about, but I know that it got a perfect score. Is it similar to a band I liked when I was younger? Is it a genre I haven’t listened to in a while and missed? Does the vocalist sound a little bit like Rivers Cuomo? I just don’t know. But man, I feel like I’ve been missing this song my whole life and it just found me.
Aaron Taos – Closure
AARON TAOS!! Perhaps you remember his incredible video for “Bloom” earlier this year? He’s got a new video dropping for “Closure” in a couple days but I couldn’t wait to share this one with you. I just love his voice and the production and the videos… I’m dying to see what this new video is going to bring, but until then I plan to keep this track on a loop in the airport and try not to piss off TSA with how happy I look to be taking my shoes off and having my bags searched.
