SINGLE REVIEWS: Philly’s Finest (#6)
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WRITTEN BY: Vince Barreras
Tigers Jaw – “Cat’s Cradle”
Fresh off their appearance at producer/engineer Will Yips “Live at Studio 4” series, Tigers Jaw comes in with a new single, and the announcement of their sixth record due out early next year. The band sticks to their formula of indie rock, but add in upbeat synths to compliment the always perfect vocals of Brianna Collins. This will be yet another record to look out for, Tigers Jaw always delivers, and this song does the job. It’s short, punchy, and leaves you wanting more!
The Wonder Years – “Brakeless”
At this point the Wonder Years are a household name in the Philly indie scene. They have been around since the mid-2000s and continue to make noise where it counts. This song is no different. It’s almost a return to their older style and was originally supposed to be released in December but the band wanted to find a way to celebrate the ten year anniversaries of their two classic albums: The Upsides and Suburbia. This new single is performed in the style of Suburbia and will be a rush for fans both old and new. Look out for another single “Out on my Feet” to be released hopefully soon.
Nothing – “Famine Asylum”
The final single to be released by the Philadelphia shoegazers is nothing short of a masterpiece. By the time of this publishing, Nothing’s new album will have already been out (review coming next week). The band will have also laid down what is shaping up to be one of their best releases, if not their finest, to date. Everything sounds as it should and some. The huge drums, the guitars that just spread out across the track, and lead vocalist Domenic Palermo’s reverb drenched vocals flow in and out of melodies that the band loves to mess with. Nothing does it again with a classic track.
Avataria – Head over Heels (EP)
Every once in a while, a new artist will present themselves and the listener will take a journey into the unknown and devote their time to check out what they have to offer. In the case of Avataria’s new EP, Head over Heels, those 18 minutes it will take you to listen to these five tracks is not only well worth the trip, but may make them one of your new favorite artists. Avataria hails from Philadelphia and plays in a realm self-identified as somewhere between doom pop & raw, grungy catharsis. In other words, this project pulls from all different influences like PJ Harvey, Nirvana, and Soundgarden to name a few.
Take the first track off this project, “Easy.” It has these loud booming guitars overtop delayed vocals, with riffs that are meant to be listened to on huge speakers at maximum volume. “The Feels” is a similar track that wastes no time getting into the action, and never looks back, whereas the opener flirted with the grunge formula of having volumes at highs and lows. “Hooked” and “Wanderlust” are similar in structure; they are slow, and methodically organized sludgy tracks. The instrumentation is slowed, but crunchy, and have emphasis behind them that will make these fan favorites in this projects live performances. “Secrets” closes this EP out in a swirl of wild guitars, and melodies. Head Over Heels is one of the finest projects to come out this year, and it’s a plus that the project is based in Philly. Pre-ordered the vinyl release here, and make sure to check out the merch!
