🥤 SIPSMAN COMMUNIQUE: May 2024
Hallelujah The Hills • Kaya Hoax • Lily Seabird • Nathaniel Russell • POP Montréal • Truth Club
New Mexico is a Top 5 State. Ocracoke is a Top 5 Town. With that out of the way, here are some projects worthy of your attention…
NATHANIEL RUSSELL
Songs Of is the beloved visual artist’s new album, out this Friday on Psychic Hotline, the recording company founded by Amelia Meath & Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso. Anyone who’s even glanced at Nat’s artwork will find aural equivalents in songs like “Wonderful to Be In Love,” “Silver,” “Everybody Ever,” and “Bloodsucker.” Those in Indiana can see Nat’s hometown release show Friday at Luna Music, and I wish I could be there for it.
TRUTH CLUB
The North Carolina band are on the road with Cloud Nothings, playing Phoenix tonight and hitting the west coast for the first time tomorrow, touring from San Diego up to Seattle. They return home for a set at Sylvan Esso’s Good Moon Festival at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park with Fleet Foxes and Dhed on May 31, followed by a week of shows in July with Youbet, and play Asheville’s mighty Orange Peel on August 31 with Wednesday. A full list is here, buy Running From the Chase today.
POP MONTREAL
POP Montréal is getting ready for edition lucky #23, and judging by last month’s initial lineup announcement, the programming is still SO on point. Prolific gospel folk singer Iris DeMent on the same poster as the skronkish punk of YHWH Nailgun, the funky godfather of Cash Money record productions Mannie Fresh is just a few lines from the hypnotic nerves of Still House Plants, new age folk visionary Beverly Glenn-Copeland sharing the same weekend as Claire Rousay’s singular emo-ambient missives. Juana Molina? Freak Heat Waves? Astrid Sonne? These are all good things. Roll up to Quebec this fall.
LILY SEABIRD
The songwriter just wrapped up a short run of northeast dates with Owen. June and July shows with Babehoven, Allegra Krieger, and Bloomsday. When she’s not playing her own music, catch Seabird on the road this year in the touring bands of fellow Vermonters Greg Freeman and Lutalo. Have you listened to January’s Alas, yet? Still so massive.
KAYA HOAX
With hyperactive hooks, infectious bass lines and earworm melodies, the Montréal rapper’s Baby Gear EP presents a distinctive vision of digital bangers for irreverent femme vibes. Check out “Kicker” which is carried by hypnotic percussions, layered handclaps (a warped attempt at flamenco palmas she says), and gigantic 808s.
HALLELUJAH THE HILLS
"Here Goes Nothing" is the Boston group’s most triumphant, "not gonna quit" anthem of their entire discography. Out in two versions, both feature Patrick Stickles from Titus Andronicus, returning the favor of the Hills' contributions to the band's 2010 classic The Monitor album. This torch song to perseverance is from the Boston band’s forthcoming DECK, their 52-song, 4-album collection of music with an original song for each card in a deck of playing cards. “Here Goes Nothing” is the King of Diamonds, and it’s available now on digital services.