Cold Front

Right now it is 9 degrees outside and snowing; perfect whether to take the pup over to the dog park, pop in my headphones, and jam a couple of albums that fit today's weather. I usually have a preset playlist, but today I mixed things up with these bands listed below.

When Your Teeth Crowd by Sleep Spindles

As I have explained numerous times in my short time doing this blog, bandcamp is amazing for finding new artists. Sleep Spindles are just further proof of why. I stumbled across their opening track "Sunspots" one day and was pretty jarred initially. It is a very ambiguous introduction to a sound and style I have still yet to categorize. "What is going to happen? Is it heavy? Is somebody going to start screaming? Where are they going with this?" I've never had so many different interpretations of an opening track; as the song played out I grew ever more intrigued. So after downloading the EP I listened to it front to back. Every day. For probably two weeks. I don't think I will ever stop listening to it to be honest. Their debut EP has a remarkably unique blend of new-wave and indie-rock, infused with an unbelievable amount of energy for sounding so tame. They've been working on a follow up EP and tour since September but I haven't seen many updates since. Regardless, you should immediately go to their bandcamp page to get this beauty for free. Especially if it is pounding snow and you want something that will suit your needs.

10-23 by Open Letters

Are you a sad-boy like me? It's nothing to be ashamed of, everybody is sad. Especially when your face is frozen and you're trudging through a foot of snow in an open field just so your dog can lose some weight (seriously, my dog is fat as shit). Once again, bandcamp. Once again, you need to start using it. I found Open Letters around the same time I did Sleep Spindles. While I love them equally, they are very different from one another. The opening track to 10-23 starts off slow with some shittiest hardcore vocals I have ever heard in my life. I know that sounds like an insult, but coming from me it means that I love it to death. Its like if the cookie monster were allowed to express himself to a group of adults. Anyways, the tone changes halfway through the song when the vocals switch to a more clear and whiny (again, sounds negative but I love it) singing voice. This album is 95% pop-punk and 10% hardcore, adding up to 105% honesty. Every lyric punches my heart in the butt. This album fucks me up big time. Its riddled with off-kilter harmonies and really weighs down on you as the album progresses. I love things that make me feel, and I'll be damned if this doesn't make me want to cry and sing along and dance all at the same time. If you're looking to get it all out, this is a good place to start. They have released a single since, but not much has followed. You can also get this for free on their bandcamp page.

Pedals by Rival Schools

You thought I was sad listening to Open Letters? Then you better gear up because Pedals is one of my all time heart-breakers (kind of). It's a very bittersweet album in my eyes (ears?). Its brimming with an upbeat, positive vibe while simultaneously being dark and depressing. It has a dissonance about it that is hard to put my finger on, but that I feel all the same. "Shot after shot" is a perfect example. It is catchy and poppy, but certain lines tare your heart out of your chest, show it to you, then promptly put it back in before you realized what happened. "Love doesn't know anything, only believes when it believes. Love doesn't know anything, never did. Never does." What am I supposed to do when I hear that? I'll know I'm in love when I feel it? But I'll never truly understand it? WHAT? Every song off of Pedals does that to me. It slaps me in the face with its honesty. It makes me happy, it makes me sad, and I think that is what I find so lovable about it. It can be an homage to my inner sad-boy or it can be a celebration of life and how much it should be appreciated. Maybe none of what I said has anything to do with Rivals Schools or their intentions writing this album. Maybe I'm "doing art wrong." At any rate, this record will always hold a special place in my heart and I'm thankful for it every day.