Now that Locally Amped is back in its blog format, I’m introducing a new occasional feature called Friday New Music Roundup where I feature recently released tracks from the Northeast, focusing on local acts from New York and Boston.
The inaugural edition features new cuts from long-time favorite folk punk act Kal Marks, their compatriots from Boston Krill and a couple of NYC pop acts with their first new material in awhile.
Among Boston-area breakout acts of the last couple of months, a surprising proportion have roots in the Allston’s gritty punk-leaning basement scene. Acts like Speedy Ortiz — who released Major Arcana to praise and were just covered in the New York Times and Rolling Stone — are leading the pack. Right behind them are two younger acts with just as much unbridled emotion and potential: Kal Marks and newcomer Krill.
Kal Marks premiered the angry, anxious — and personal — “Life is Murder” this week, a track which has an old school punk aesthetic and highlights frontman Carl Shane’s angry, but pointed, voice. The full-length, also titled Life is Murder is out on 9/17 via Exploding in Sound Records/Midnight Werewolf/Sophomore Lounge.
Alsowithin the same Allston scene are the younger psych-tinged act, Krill. They just dropped their sophomore LP, Lucky Leaves, in June and finish up a summer tour in August before what should be a successful fall. “Purity of Heart” shows off Jonah Furman’s grating but oddly satisfying voice meshed with screechy but a propos guitar riffs.
One the other side of the umbrella ‘indie rock spectrum,’ a couple of NYC-based indie pop acts released new material for the first time in quite awhile.
NYC-based Todd Goldstein, better known as ARMS (and formerly of the vastly under-rated jangle pop act Harlem Shakes) just dropped a new single in advance of EP2, out on September 10 via Paper Garden Records. “Comfort” has a lo-fi, chill vibe, but keeps the listener intrigued through with intricate guitar riffs and his wispy voice.
North Highlands release a 7″ on Monday with a light, airy indie pop cut called “I’ll Do My Best.” The five-piece from Brooklyn, who are at work on second full length, retain the charm from their 2011 debut Wild One while calling to mind C86-style dreampop.
This is part of a Metro Boston and New York music column called Locally Amped. Follow us on Twitter @LocallyAmped.
