Looking for something new to listen to? In this new series we highlight the month’s best new music, from the big name bands to the bands that have just barely made it out of the their mother’s garage. Here are our picks for December’s batch of tunes.
Chris Farren – Like a Gift From God or Whatever (feat. Jenny Owen Youngs)– The perfect Christmas song for people who are tired of traditional Christmas songs. This track is off of Farren’s new all original Christmas album, which is great for staying in the spirit without listening to the same songs the mall plays every year. Suggestion from Sven Olay.
Beacon- L1 – This haunting song is musically well made with great depth that appeals to both Beacon fans and the general public. Suggestion from Susie Que.
Death Grips – ‘Inanimate Sensation’– In this track, off of Jenny Death Disc 2 which was released December 11th, Inanimate Sensation pushes the envelope hard with dark beats and mind fog. Suggestion from Sarah Elliott.
The Decemberists- ‘The Wrong Year’– This song strikes a nice balance between two sides of The Decemberists, pairing the band’s increasingly-accessible-yet-still-rich sound with Colin Meloy’s classical folk/americana influenced lyrics. It’s very reminiscent of the band’s earlier, more straight-forward work; but it somehow still feels new. ‘The Wrong Year’ is the most recent single off the band’s upcoming ‘What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World’ due next month. Suggestion from M. Hershenow.
Modest Mouse- ‘Lampshades on Fire‘- After a seven year hiatus Modest Mouse has released a new single from their upcoming album Strangers to Ourselves. The new single sounds like a combination of “Float On” and “Dashboard,” hard beating drums, bright sounding keyboards, and funky guitar all overlaid with the agile vocals of Isaac Brock. This song is a definite tease for their new album, which is scheduled to be released March 3, 2015. Suggestion from Alejandro Montaño.
Tiaras- ‘Thought I Could Know’– After the recent surge of garage rock, though awesome in its way, it is refreshing to leave the 60s and remember the 80s. There is an obvious Tears for Fears influence to this song, making it very danceable and upbeat. The band has been called a “San Francisco-based wierdo power-pop supergroup” which about sums it up. Suggestion from Melissa Uroff
Marian Hill- ‘Lips‘- Hill’s voice blends beautifully with the synthetic beats and instrumentation in this song. The track is catchy, sexy, and fun. It’s one of those songs made to be played loud and danced to. ‘Lips’ is off of her single Lips/Got It released earlier this month. Suggestion from K. Hules.