Happy August everyone. Here’s our New Music Monday, an ongoing feature here at hissing lawns. Relax and enjoy.
The Bouncing Souls
New Brunswick, NJ
Simplicity
The Bouncing Souls has been playing classic 3-chord, heartfelt, pogo-punk rock for nearly as long as I’ve been alive and they don’t seem to show any signs of letting up anytime soon. Simplicity, their 10th studio album, brings more of their classic sound to a younger generation and is sure to get fans new and old singing along. – Petee
.
Balance and Composure
Doylestown, Pennsylvania
“Postcard”
Post-hardcore outfit Balance and Composure has always straddled a fine line between roaring, aggro tracks and more subdued, emotional (aka emo) tracks. Postcard, off of their upcoming album Light We Made, leans more towards the latter but takes an interesting twist by adding in an almost electronic feel through the use of what seems to be an electronic drum kit and plenty of ambient guitar riffs. – Petee
.
Butch Walker
Cartersville, Georgia
“East Coast Girl”
Butch Walker’s career has been as long as it is eclectic, so his fans can never be sure what kind of album their getting when he releases a new one. While Walker’s last album, Afraid of Ghosts, was more of an emotional exploration, his latest single, East Coast Girl, seems to be taking a more lighthearted approach to things. Whichever way the coin falls, Walker’s next album, Stay Gold, is sure to please. – Petee
.
Russian Circles
Chicago
“AFRIKA” off Guidance due Aug. 5 on Sargent House Records
Instrumental post rock/metal foot soldiers Russian Circles return with more moody, atmospheric guitar meditations. The band certainly gets the building and release of musical tension. Killer. – Tom
.
Merchandise
Tampa, FL
“End Of The Week”
Second single and video from Merchandise’s new album, A Corpse For Wired Sound, out 9/23 on 4AD. It’s dark and gloomy and fantastic (with dare I say an homage to the sounds of Joy Division?). Frontman Carson Cox explains of the symbolic use of mirrors in the video:”It’s the broken image of humanity reflecting back at everyone when they read the news”. – Kayne
.
Avers
Richmond, VA
Omega/Whatever
Collaborative-minded Avers dropped their sophomore album on 7/29 and it’s a hook-laden gem. All the members are in other bands (most notably Tyler Williams from The Head and the Heart) and every member writes songs. That can sometimes lead to a schizophrenic result but in this case, it’s a cohesive straight up rock and roll winner! – Kayne