music

Cusp is nearly a shoegaze band, definitely a rock band, but part of what I love about them is just wondering what the hell they are on about sometimes. Current favorite lyric: When we go out to dinner / I'm looking at your shoes / your shoes say 'I'm a winner' / how do I get like you?" Then there is the whole track on this album that is just about following where her friends go using Google Maps. That said, even if they were speaking French, I'd still say listen, cause the whole package is amazing.

The thing I respect most about this band is that they continue to release music. They have not really made it big, may not ever, but just have decided to consistently make great music forever, which is a lot more than a lot of bands can say, and for good reason. There is not much to say about this album other than that they continue to publish their own brand of indie rock/Americana/pop punk that is just intensely listenable and re-listenable, quotable lyrics, actual guitarists, what's not to like? For this album, Thumb is the standout track for me, as they veer towards emo.

The whole singer-songwriter thing while using a 'band' name is a pretty old bit at this point, but Prewn legitimately has things to say. It's hard to describe exactly what she sounds like, but it's easy to describe what she is worried about--the inescapable notion that our lives are out of our own control, and worse that the things people do to you are because of systems they are a part of and not of their own free will. She laments: I don't believe / that anybody is coming for me / along I go / Mama, mama. Fair enough.

Throwing this on to just boost visibility for this band. The lead singer said once in an interview, that she just loves to be able to throw a tantrum on stage, and that's exactly what she does in the music. She inhabits such a clever and dark headspace in her music, and it really draws you in. The delivery is also really unique and the guitar work is defeaning and angry. I can't recommend this band enough.

I have been following these guys for a long time, and Pitchfork has really anointed them as the saviors of this and that and for good reason. They do a great job at just making something actually different and interesting to listen to. I really love this band. I just feel like so much of what people listen to is just completely soulless. All you need to make great music is to have pain in your soul and fuzzy guitars, but people refuse to make music like that.

I think Wednesday also tries hard to make music that is from and about a place, and while with Karly Hartzman there can be some occasional sense of arrested development (lyrically she is still as fascinated with naming random objects as she years ago) the band's sound continues to evolve and they continue to blow most modern music out of the water.