Car Seat Headrest - Martin
You’ll be surprised to discover that a Martin is not addressed in this track, but a Justin. Maybe he is a Justin Martin. Who knows! What we do know is that Car Seat Headrest’s newest single for their upcoming album Making a Door Less Open shows less angst and more dance. It’s a nice tune for grooving around your house. Listen while cleaning or crafting; try adding it to your jogging playlist. From the intro, where the rapid guitar strums begin, you can tell your listening time will be well spent. Will Toledo’s vocals are one of a kind and instantly recognized. It has been four years since Car Seat Headrest's last album Teens of Denial was released, but the familiarity of sound is ever so present. Making a Door Less Open is the side project of drummer Andrew Katz and 1 Trait Danger, and is set to release on May 1. Listeners will be introduced to Toledo’s alter ego Trait, a man who wears a quarantine mask and a neon orange jacket. “When I’m high on the things that bug me / The morning news and instant coffee.” There has never been a better time to connect with Trait’s lyrics and persona.
— Bailee Penski on April 8, 2020
Henry Jamison - The Wilds
Henry Jamison is a storyteller at heart. It may be in his blood — his father, a classical composer, and his mother, an English professor — but Jamison is a writer and artist in his own right, evidenced by his debut album The Wilds (released October 27th). Beyond writing, recording and arranging the album all on his own, Jamison has a special ability to bring each track to life. Take his song, “The Wilds”: it’s instrumentally rich without being overbearing, letting Jamison’s narrative whisk you away. “The Wilds” sounds like an old-time American love story - unassuming and familiar, but nevertheless, still surprising.
— Natasha Cucullo on January 7, 2018
Moses Sumney - Plastic
Los Angeles genre-bending artist Moses Sumney released his gorgeous and ethereal debut album Aromanticism into the world this September. Sumney has made a big impression on artists like Solange and Sufjan Stevens for good reason. His infusion of soul and folk come together on this album in a way that leaves us begging for more. A prime example of this heavenly blend is found on the third song of the album, “Plastic.” A previous version of the song can be heard on the first season of Issa Rae’s HBO series, Insecure. This new version serves as one of the more simplistic songs on the album, featuring just a fingerpicked electric guitar, a synth and Sumney’s captivating voice. The hook of the song repeats the line “my wings are made of plastic,” each time sung in a slightly different way than it was before, continuing to imbue the phrase with new meaning. This song of vulnerability, self-awareness and secret-spilling is the kind that you can leave on repeat and get lost in for hours.
— Dara Bankole on October 22, 2017
