Are you feeling comfortable right now? Wrapping up in a blanket might be the best move for listening to this one. Richmond, VA folk artist Saw Black’s new single “Mama Knows” is so pillowy and lush, that anything less than your coziest outfit will seem out of place once you press play. While his voice never…
Staff Picks: Record Store Day 2018
Record Store Day is coming up on April 21st, and we here at Vinyl Mag are very excited! In an effort to convey our joy, we got the staff together to list their most anticipated RSD exclusive releases for your reading pleasure! We’ve got something for everyone here, from booming ambient shoegaze (Brian Eno + Kevin…
Rainbow Kitten Surprise: ‘How to: Friend, Love, Freefall’
On paper, Rainbow Kitten Surprise should be a complete disaster: A North-Carolina five-piece playing moody folk-rock music with spurts of rapping, paired an ultimately ridiculous name. Yet somehow, the band has beat the odds and gained quite a reputation for incredible shows and a distinct sound. On RKS’ third studio effort How to: Friend, Love,…
HINDS: ‘I Don’t Run’
Hinds is back with the release of their much-anticipated sophomore studio album I Don’t Run, and they haven’t strayed from their ultra-cool, garage-tinged rock. Despite Hinds hailing from Madrid, I Don’t Run sounds like it was recorded in an American garage by four dogged women who aren’t putting up with your shit – oh wait,…
Wye Oak: ‘The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs’
Wye Oak is a band of separation and reconnection. Bandmates Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack are divided by over 1,500 miles (Durham, NC to Marfa, TX, respectively), meeting back to write and record. Forgoing the recording methods of previous albums, the duo approached their latest release with a freer process, allowing them to delve further…
Show Review: Japanese Breakfast at the 40 Watt Club
From the moment she stepped onto Athens’ 40 Watt stage, Michelle Zauner captivated with her easy, self-assured energy and verve. Donning a white jumpsuit with winged shoulder pads, she could have been mistaken for an angel even before she started singing, and I am confident that I was in the majority when I fell in love…
Show Review: Rainbow Kitten Surprise at the Georgia Theatre
Last time Rainbow Kitten Surprise played in Athens, Georgia, they played a single show at one of Athens’ mid-sized venues: the 40 Watt. Two years later, on Tuesday, April 3, they returned to Athens with Ohio-based folk band CAAMP for a show at one of the largest and most iconic venues in Athens: the Georgia…
The Voidz: ‘Virtue’
How does Julian Casablancas want to be remembered? It’s been 17 years since the release of The Strokes‘ Is This It, and I think Julian is finally a little tired of being a Stroke. I never thought that I could have typed this sentence, but I also didn’t ever expect to be this taken aback by a new VOIDZ album. I…
For Fans of Pat Benatar? Check Out Bat Fangs
This edition of FFO is for fans of 80s rock, in all of its heavy eyeliner and spandex glory. For those who truly believe that love is a battlefield, but one that’s worth it because sometimes two people just belong together. For those who sang into hair brushes, possibly rocking a feather boa, and eventually…
Preoccupations: ‘New Material’
Have you ever been to a rave? No, like a real one. I’m talking about the kind that would be in warehouses, bunkers, or maybe even condemned buildings. What if the new generation of post punk kids all decided to throw a new kind of rave together in that fashion? New Material by Preoccupations asks this question. Are they having…