Dig Nation, I know I haven't been at the top of my blogging game of late, but if you just can bear with me for a little bit longer (and keep reading all of Dave's excellent posts), I promise I'll get back into form soon. And I do have some great songs & videos for you to enjoy, they are just a click away.
-First up for you is a video I'm digging from the powerful bluesy duo Herculion. They just put out an album called Year in the Dark, and the single "That Mercy," with its black-and-white style, seems to forward a theme. These two really bring the noise, the song is all great vengeance and furious anger. The stripped down visuals make the song more intense, and the intro with the pulsing lights and the solo are highlights for me. Check it out.
-Here's a nifty little band called The Rubbish Zoo. Ok, I will never use the phrase "nifty little" again, in any context. But don't let it stop you from checking out infectious indie rock that feels like a menagerie of delightful noise. There is an EP out, which kicks off with this great track "I Don't Know Where I Go." Apparently the band moved to LA from Cheyenne, Wyoming, making them what I assume to be the first band I've ever heard with any ties to the Equality State (did you know that was its nickname?). Cool.
–The Shaking Whips are another duo, this time a male-female pair from the UK. They have released an arresting track called "Uneasy," that completely grabbed me. It's relatively sparse, just an electric guitar and the dual vocals, but it is both emotionally engrossing and subtly humorous. I really love the line "Stock questions deserve stock answers." This comes from the band's in-progress demo. I can't wait to hear more.
-I wouldn't hold it against you if you were skeptical of a song called "Jersey Shore" on face value after the recent "reality" show by the same name, and maybe it doesn't help that the band is called Tough Guys of America, but I have to tell you, hear it out. It's not at all what you expect, probably. For a variety of reasons beyond an MTV franchise, the Jersey Shore comes with specific and interesting iconography, and the band has a great vintage indie vibe. It all makes for a compelling listen. If you like the song, move on to the rest of their self-titled EP.
–Jack Ladder & the Dreamlanders have a riveting track out called "Cold Feet" from their album Hurtsville, released today. It has a spacious, nocturnal atmosphere combined with a grooving, kinetic push. Like a night-time highway drive on an unfamiliar stretch of road between a place you've been and somewhere new and unknown. This is probably also the most somber delivery of the old "I'm going to make like a tree and leave" joke you'll ever hear.
-Speaking of that, Tree is the project of Oliver Nickell, and the track "Universal" served as the inspiration for a group known as Joy Camp to make an interesting music video. I first will tip my imaginary hat to the group for doing a wonderful job of shooting the city of San Francisco. Great sense of place, which is something I always love. The journey of a mysterious, bright space ball of energy represents a cool take on the song's message about connection and it's a great match for the yearning humanism of the song's music and lyrics.
-Going out with a few quick links of the most recent output by some artists previously featured on the Dig.
- The latest track from I Am Harlequin, "Craze"
- The epic music video "Johnny Belinda" from Active Child
- The video for Candice Gordon's ragged "Smoking Like the Barrel of a Gun"
- The new free-but-for-a-limited-time-only mixtape from The Dirty Nil (check it out by 9/24)
- The new split-screen performance video from Yaya Club for "Cold Night, Be Kind"