My best bets on another great year for music, old and new. (Never mind the cranks, here’s the good stuff as ever.) Hope this little list inspires you to find, or give a second look to, a few cool releases you might miss otherwise that you end up truly loving.
Twilight Fields (the moniker of singer-songwriter Allister Thompson) pays tribute to Bruce Cockburn by covering his classic protest song.
Rock ‘n’ roll/surf rock 6-piece The Boys Ranch create a fun new dance on their delightful puppeteering (courtesy of Mr. Bonetangles) video.
Belgium-based noise rock band Helium Horse Fly unleashes a riveting and icily noir album that alternates between tension and catharsis.
Montreal-raised, NYC-based singer-songwriter Matt Shapiro dashes out of the gate with the uptempo, reverb opener from his upcoming EP.
Fresh from their first show back together after eight years, successfully co-headlining November’s 12th edition of Kalamazoo, MI’s premier dreampop/shoegaze/beautiful noise festival, Kalamashoegazer 12 (appearing with Texas’s Ringo Deathstarr, California’s Soft Science, and five other stalwart groups), New York’s legendary proto-dreampop/shoegaze/indie-rock/post-punk trio—including our own Big Takeover editor Jack Rabid on drums and occasional lead vocals—is thrilled to announce they have added four shows on more home turf from New York to Washington D.C.—supporting The Chills, having once before played with them 29 years ago.
Philadelphia-based electro-folk/orchestral pop outfit Grandchildren release an engaging and melodic tune and natural world-centered video.
Experimental rock project Cereal Banter unleashes a wildly kinetic and riveting single from their upcoming concept album.
Swedish electronic alt rock duo ShapeShiftingAliens unveil a dystopian video for a electro-noir single from their self-titled LP.
The Los Angeles-based rock band Warbly Jets just blasted off with a new EP and will kick off tours of North America and China ASAP.
Veteran musician Gabriel Walsh (The Solililans, Timesbold, more) ushers in his heady second psych/electronic/rock LP as The Earthly Frames.
Renowed veteran punk rock outfit The Flesh Eaters (featuring members of X, The Blasters, and more) have reunited on an electrifying new album via Yep Roc.
Californian indie psych-/alt-rock band LoFi Satellites beam down a melodic, gritty track from their upcoming EP.
Altanta-based electronic/rock duo I Am A Rocketship deliver a potent and alluring genre-hybrid single from their upcoming 2nd LP.
Brooklyn-based, French-named electronic collective Pas Musique release two new tunes from their upcoming LP out via NYC’s Alrealon Musique.
British agit-electro outfit Cabinet of Millionaires comes out a winner with a pointedly relevant video featuring a Theresa May puppet.
British indie folk/rock band The Room in the Wood (Paul Cavanagh and Dave Jackson) have landed with a socio-politically relevant EP.
British indie rock band Big Tide, led by long-time musician Ben Thomas, release a chiming-guitar single from their upcoming debut LP.
San Diego-based indie rock band Dani Bell & The Tarantist release an alluring hip-hop/psych-pop hybrid off their upcoming LP.
New Jersey-based wild musician J Hacha De Zola showcases just one facet of his diverse sound on a whirling cha-cha-cha number.
Seattle-based Simon Nicol, the man behind the moniker, experiments with sounds and techniques on his debut EP.
Bristol, England-based electronica artist Matthew O’Connor is set to release his electro-ambient debut album as Phonseca.
U.S./U.K. indie rock-pop band Slum Summer get heavy (metal and psychedelic) on a foreboding, Black Sabbath-like song and video.
SOAK, AKA Bridie Monds-Watson, releases a new video for her cover of Chris Rea’s holiday classic and announces a few U.S. shows.
“Fairytale of New York” comes to life once again in this delightful cover that features Craig Cardiff and guest vocalist Ciara Lofaro.
The British band Coach Hop, led by Florida-raised Charlie Laurence, deliver a lyrically naughty, but sonically nice single for the holiday season.
Cool gifts just in time for the holidays, including Big Takeover magazine subscriptions and back issues (even the big enchilada, complete set 1980-2018)! Plus six children’s sizes for our T-Shirts (to go with several Men’s and Women’s sizes) in three colors, as well as our Big Takeover Beer Cozies and (signed if you like) Color 30th Anniversary Festival Posters!
Dreamy indie folk/piano-pop singer-songwriter Gina Graves unveils a delightful stop-motion/hand-drawn video for an uplifting single.
New York City jazz-rock collective Gideon King & City Blog offer up a soulful, flowing cut from their recent hybrid-genre second LP.
Baltimore-based singer-songwriter/musician Viking Moses (AKA Brendon Massei) showcases his spare, troubadour style on a new track.
Renowned psychedelic pop-rocker Anton Barbeau unveils an engaging video for a dynamo track off his latest LP from earlier this year.
Brooklyn indie rock collective Hawk and Dove drop a lyrically harrowing, Krautrock track off their upcoming personal album.
A new documentary and soundtrack shines a light on 1970s power-pop/rock artist Van Duren (Baker Street Regulars, Good Question).
Zach Gabbard of American rock band Buffalo Killers collaborates with various artists on an engaging series of singles as Sunday Fed Creek Birds.
Chicago indie/alt-rock band Tiny Kingdoms releases a merry house party video for their bittersweet and wistful holiday-themed single.
L.A.-based dream-pop/indie folk band Young Hunting unveil a lyrically personal psych-soul single from their upcoming second album.
Soundscape music project The Corrupting Sea (AKAJason T. Lamoreaux) unveils a trance-like meditation on the past and hopeful future.
NYC-based veteran singer-songwriter Norman Salant (known as an innovative avant-pop saxophonist) releases a rich and vivid LP.
Canadian singer-songwriter Twilight Fields (AKA Allister Thompson) releases a politically-charged single from his upcoming LP.
L.A.-based rock ‘n’ roll band James and the Transmission unleash a fiery and dynamic track from their upcoming second EP.
Electronic rock music project HOLY WOW! (AKA NYC music scene fixture Dmitry Wild) delivers a pumped-up, melodic-noise cut.
Pablo Dylan (grandson of legend Bob Dylan) comes into his own, delivering an entrancing insightful, storytelling live performance video.
Central NJ-based metal/hardcore band Pathetic Fallacy release an aggressive, melodic, and socio-politically relevant EP.
SoCal punkers Dad Brains (who are all dads) team up with Philly Ramones cover band Ramoms (who are all moms) for a fun ‘n’ furious holiday 7”.
Italian dark folk/post-rock music project Silent Carnival (led by Marco Giambrone) releases a video for a meditative downtempo single.
Acclaimed post-punk band Tennis System unleash a exhilarating performance video for their thrillingly propulsive and abrasive single.
New Zealand-residing American and Celtic/Nordic-influenced singer-songwriter Parabola West unveils a mysterious fairytale noir video.
Electronic duo Perpacity drops a heartfelt and joyous symphonic pop single/video featuring vocalist/radio DJ Neil Francis on uplifting vocals.
New Jersey punk rock band Coach’s Son releases a passionate, vulnerable, and dynamic debut EP via Jetsam-Flotsam.
French post-rock band Alpha du Centaure release a vivid, dynamic, and transporting second EP that showcases their evolution in sound.
