Culture

Weezer - Back to the Shack



Not many bands face such loathing from their own fan base. Since their apparent fall from glory around the new millennium, the group have remained prolific. However, every album seems to breed a sense of, “oh no, you’re just making it worse, guys.”

“Back To The Shack” is the first single from the band’s upcoming album, Everything Will Be Alright In The End. It seems to be a trip down nostalgia lane, a band trying to reclaim what they seem to have lost: the magic of their early days, which seems to have slipped away since their initial capture of fame and success.

The shack referenced in the title of the song refers to the house where the original members of Weezer once lived and where the band recorded their first demos. “Take me back to the shack, with my Strat with the thunderbolt strap,” Cuomo sings.

It’s a good, catchy power-pop track, but trying so hard to be what you used to be is kind of weird. Things change, be the band you are now. But I guess, who am I to say what kind of band they are?

Iceage - The Lord's Favorite



Iceage is a four-piece punk band from Copenhagen in Denmark. With two full-length records under their belt, including the well received You’re Nothing from 2013, the group return with a new single, “The Lord’s Favorite.”

This track, however, is miles away from their visceral, sonically militant sound. It seems the band want to try something new, and have ended up sounding more like The Pogues than The Birthday Party.

Taking on issues related to race and gender, Iceage take a long sardonic look at a disturbing part of today’s society, and seem to have a lot of fun doing so.

Porches - Townie Blunt Guts



Porches are a New York-based project that have been quite prolific over the past few years. “Townie Blunt Guts” is taken from their split with fellow New York band LVL Up, released on cassette by Birdtapes and also available as a name-your-price download on their bandcamp.

Combining the swirling, fuzzed out instrumentation of 90’s luminaries such as Built To Spill and the laid back drawl of slacker, alt-country rock. “Townie Blunt Guts” feels like one step in the past and another in a small, quiet, country town.

Spoon - Inside Out



Britt Daniel and company have been slowly teasing their upcoming album with a slew of singles and videos. They’ve taken their sweet time so far – their previous album Transference having been released four years ago – so I guess it would be hard for them to break the habit now.

“Inside Out” is the latest single to be dropped from the Austin, Texas five-piece. It’s a slower paced one, yet the groove is still there. Daniels’ voice is as croony as ever, whining charmingly across a bed of luscious instrumentation. It also includes a sweet harp solo.

Avi Buffalo - So What?



Avi Buffalo are a group from Long Beach, California, who burst into the hype radar in 2010 with their self-titled debut album back. Predominantly part of the lo-fi, indie-pop trend, which is possibly still happening, the group’s new track “So What?” follows a similar vein, except with a small step up in production.

After being silent for almost four years now, the band has announced their sophomore album, At Best Cuckold. “So What?” is a breezy, catchy tune highlighted by a repetitive chorus hook. They are indeed treading familiar ground, but fans should be excited for another great summer record.