Sorry we didn't have the Weekly Roundup ready yesterday. Also, this one is going to be a little more rapid fire than usual. But hey, it's still six great song and videos, that counts for something.
–Candice Gordon will officially release her debut single "Smoking Like the Barrel of a Gun" on July 9th, but you can check it out below. It's a raw, fuzzed out, bluesy burner that has got to be a sign of huge things to come from Candice. I dig.
–Tony Memmel has a new EP out called Clenched Hands Brave Demands. I really dig the title track, which is the final one on the work. I know it's not dead on, but it had a certain kind of energy and scope – plus the female harmonies – that reminded me of Arcade Fire.
-It's always nice to hear a cool song from an artist out of Western PA. Check out this video from Pittsburgh rapper Yury for "Landing on Stars." It's got shots of the city, but the real star is the track itself. I love the production – the vocal sample, the rapid piano, that great drum groove, the harp-like touches – and Yury has a nice flow with some encouraging lyrics about pursuing what matters to you.
–Hot Soles is a duo out of the UK with the energy of a band three times their size. After all, they are "Ready to Burn." Despite being just guitar and drums, there's really nothing minimal about this song, it's so hook-filled and insatiable. Very impassioned vocal performance. The video is really neat for its use of split screen and it captures the motion of the song well. Plus it's fun.
–Yaya Club is the recording alias of a singer/songwriter out of Glasgow. He put out a new single of "An Ode to JJ" and "Fat Man's Chin," and they're both great tracks. I like the lyrical humor of "Fat Man's Chin" that emerges subtly in contrast to the languid piano chords of the music and the very nice singing voice.
-Our final track this week comes from London electronic duo Glass Diamond. Their single "Girls & Boys" will be out June 18th. The original can be heard here, but in the roundup you can check out the house remix. To me, the best music of this kind is perfect for the dance floor but also a strong enough song that you can listen to it out of that context and still enjoy it. Check and check.