This is part of a monthly feature called the Friday New Music Roundup where I feature recently released tracks from the Northeast, focusing on local acts from New York and Boston.
We’ve all got those late summer blues, but at least there’s always new music tolift your spirits. This month, Brooklyn’s Heaven’s Gate and Zulareveal the passionate side of psych rock, while new songs from Boston’s Viva Viva and The Deep North show grit and well-placed guitars.
Zula, fronted by cousins Henry and Nate Terepka, offers a downbeat track with hints of Thom Yorke-like introspection called “Twin Loss,” which digs into the existential grief suffered when a twin loses his siblingat birth. Their debut album is set for release via Inflated Records in October, and fall dates areforthcoming.
Shoegaze always has a place within our virtual walls, and The Deep North fill the void with “Voices.” The anthemic track from the Boston-based four-piece spotlights lead singer Rebecca Frank’s luscious voice while approaching emotion from more of an upbeat platform.
Another Boston act worthy of late-summer listening is the blues rock act Viva Viva, who dropped this ditty “Dead in Yr Tracks” on an EP of the same name earlier this month. Recorded at Brooklyn’s Converse Rubber Tracks studio, it stays true to their ’60s rock vibe and continues to push them toward solidifying their ground as garage rock vets.
A different shade of shoegaze caps off this edition: Heaven’s Gate rely on distortion and fuzzy guitars for their intensity. Frontwoman Jess Paps’ voice blends beautifully into the dark noise while making something entitled “Drone” keep the listener’s attention for its duration. Their debut album, “Transmuting,” drops Sept. 24 also on Inflated Records.
This is part of a Metro Boston and New York music column called Locally Amped. Follow us on Twitter @LocallyAmped
