ANCHR’s Artist of the Week: KennyHoopla

The project of musician and songwriter Kenneth La'ron, KennyHoopla crafts nostalgia-tinged songs that blend pop punk, emo, and rock influences with modern and experimental touches.

KennyHoopla began releasing music as early as 2016 via SoundCloud, but his most popular release to date was his single “how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//”— which came to be the title track of his May 2020 EP that also included tracks like “sore loser//” and “the world is flat and this is the edge//.” From the genre-defying sounds and artistic exploration in his music to the specific stylization of his song names, the creative element of KennyHoopla continues to shine through in everything he releases.

Later on in 2020, KennyHoopla collaborated with the artist grandson on a version of the track “lost cause//” before releasing yet another version of the single with Jesse Rutherford. In 2021, he worked with Travis Barker on the song “hollywood sucks//,’ which ended up on the collaborative EP called SURVIVORS GUILT: THE MIXTAPE//.

I’m looking forward to see what other work KennyHoopla puts out in the future, and who he’ll partner with next. As far as his live show, I caught most of his set at Riot Fest this year and had a lot of fun watching his performance. He had a minimal stage set up but made up for that with his presence and the energy he projected.

He’ll be touring again this month, including two sold out shows at Schubas Tavern on November 27 and 28th, and you can see all of his upcoming tour dates here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Kacy Hill

Photo by Lauren Dunn

My first introduction to Kacy Hill dates back to 2016 when I saw her perform as a support act for Jack Garratt. In addition to touring together, Hill also worked with Garratt as a producer of her single “Foreign Fields” from the 2015 EP Bloo. That track, like much of Hill’s further music catalog, showcases her thrilling falsettos and crisp production style in a blend of indie and electronic pop music.

Following the Bloo EP, Hill released her debut full length album Like a Woman in 2017, which delivered empowering lyrics and introspective musings alongside her goosebump-inducing vocal performance. After a little bit of a break, fans of Kacy Hill got the gift of new music in the form of her sophomore album entitled Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again. We were also quickly topped up with even more new music in 2021, when Hill announced her third album Simple, Sweet, and Smiling. The third record features collaborations with John Carroll Kirby, Ariel Rechtshaid, Jim-E Stack and it continues to highlight Hill’s vulnerable nature behind her songwriting. At the beginning of recording the new record, Hill’s father suffered a heart attack, and Hill says this album is part of her confrontation of these feelings of powerlessness in the face of her own mind and mortality, while also being a vehicle to give thanks to the partners, friends and family who have helped her through.

In celebration of the new record, Hill has embarked on her first US headlining tour, which includes a stop at Schubas on November 18th. Snag your tickets to the show here, and watch the video for “Easy Going” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Vérité

The project of Brooklyn-based singer and musician Kelsey Byrne, Vérité delivers electro-pop anthems that are driven by Bryne’s dynamic and powerful vocal range. As an independent project, Vérité has seen amazing streaming and touring success, garnering millions of streams online.

Vérité’s extensive catalog dates back to 2014’s EP Echo and includes two independently released albums as well as several other EPs. The most recent single “he’s not you” starts off with a staccato drumbeat and falsetto vocals from Byrne before a funky bass line kicks in with layered harmonies. While Vérité songs always seem to push into new realms and explore different sounds, they’re all almost certain to get you dancing or singing along with the chorus.

On top of that, Vérité has always put on such a captivating performance every time I’ve seen her, and I’m excited to see her back on the road this Fall. Check out her upcoming tour dates here, which include a stop at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall on November 10th.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Wet

The first song I heard from Wet was 2014’s “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl” from their self-titled debut EP. The song begins with a swirl of reverb-drenched synths and guitar melodies as lead singer Kelly Zutrau’s vocals fade in and begin to tell the story of recognizing the end of a relationship. Thanks to its hypnotizing production and the vulnerable nature of the lyrics, the track still remains one of their most popular songs and has racked up more than 71 Million streams on Spotify alone.

Composed of Kelly Zutrau, Joe Valle, and Marty Sulkow, Wet officially formed in 2013 in Brooklyn after the members had been introduced through mutual friends. Since then, the band released their 2016 debut record called Don’t You, which has some of my all-time favorite songs on it; “Island” and “Small and Silver.” There’s such a mesmerizing yet calming presence to Zutrau’s voice, which blends beautifully with the electronic production that Valle crafts. Wet followed up that debut with 2018’s Still Run and most recently released their third album called Letter Blue yesterday, October 22nd. The new album stays true to the beauty of Wet’s earlier material, but there’s a subtle refinement that showcases their growth as artists. Their second album was recorded while Sulkow was on hiatus from the group, so this third record also marks the reunion of the original trio.

In support of the new music, Wet will be hitting the road next month, including a stop at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall. See all of their tour dates here, and listen to the new album in full here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Renée Reed

Louisiana singer-songwriter Renée Reed has a timeless feel to her music— her sound combines wispy, ethereal vocals with vintage-washed acoustic melodies. There’s a comforting sense of familiarity to the folk backbone in Reed’s songs, but she also supplies listeners with invigorating injections of different sonic stylings throughout her 2021 self-titled debut record. Songs like “Où est la fée” and “Drunken Widow’s Waltz” showcase Reed singing in French, while the guitars on the track “I Saw a Ghost” give nods to Flamenco music.

Reed’s unique sound likely stems from her wide array of influences growing up. Her parents owned a one-stop Cajun shop that hosted many jam sessions, and Reed also absorbed the sound of Cajun and Creole music legends in her native region of Southwest Louisiana. From music festivals to her own front porch, Reed was continuously exposed to live music at a young age. She also cites The Beatles, Kate Bush, the films of Rankin/Bass, video games and 60s folk music as creative inspirations.

During high school, Reed played in a band called Shrugs, playing with the group at house shows around Louisiana. Eventually, she began to experiment with writing and playing solo material, interspersed with performances of Cajun songs with other musicians in her community. In 2020, Reed began recording her music for the first time using a Tascam cassette four-track that her partner had brought home. The majority of songs that she recorded ended up making it onto her debut record, and perhaps the most impressive fact about this impromptu recording session is that some of the tracks were written from scratch during the process.

I have yet to see Renée Reed perform live, but I have faith that her performance will be nothing short of mesmerizing thanks to her extensive variety of influences and history with music. If you live in Chicago, she’ll be playing a show at Sleeping Village on Monday, October 25th with Half Gringa. Get your tickets to that show here, and check out all of her upcoming tour dates.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Cannons

I first heard of Cannons’ hit “Fire for You” when I had XRT playing in the background during a work day, and the song’s grooving bass line and hypnotic chorus was so captivating that it made me immediately stop to find out who was playing this song.

Formed in Los Angeles in 2013, Cannons came together when guitarist Ryan Clapham and keyboardist/bassist Paul Davis put an ad in Craigslist for their singer. They met Michelle Joy and began playing and recording music together—releasing their debut EP in 2014. The trio has since perfected their own dreamy blend of indie and electropop and released two full length albums, including 2019’s Shadows, which features “Fire for You.” The song also garnered large-scale success after being featured in an episode of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever.

Most recently, Cannons released an EP full of cover songs in August, aptly called “Covers by Cannons.” The EP features Cannons’ take on songs from Kings of Leon, The Isley Brothers, Harry Styles and more, showing their chameleon-like musicality.

I had the chance to catch Cannons’ set at Lollapalooza this past summer, and their creativity and artistry carries over to their live show. Michelle Joy’s silky vocals and the band’s upbeat and fun attitude had the crowd dancing along the whole set. If you missed out on the Lolla appearance from Cannons, the group will be touring with lovelytheband and Sir Sly this Fall. You can catch them at the House of Blues in Chicago on November 23rd. Get tickets here, and check out the video for “Fire for You” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Bartees Strange

If you read ANCHR’s Pitchfork Festival recap, you’ll know that Bartees Strange is an artist I regretfully did not have on my radar until very recently.

Musician Bartees Leon Cox Jr. was born in England, grew up in Oklahoma, spent some time in Brooklyn as a member of the band Stay Inside, and now resides in Washington D.C. Performing under the name Bartees Strange, his solo project began in 2017 with a debut EP, and has garnered praise for the craft behind his soulful and unique combination of jazz, hip hop, and rock.

Bartees Strange’s 2020 debut album Live Forever showcases intricate and polished production, but the real magic happens with his live shows. At both his festival set and Pitchfork after show, Bartees Strange put on one of the most raw and powerful performances I’ve seen in recent years. As an audience member, it was impossible not to connect with Bartees’ passion for sharing his words and his creativity. His stage presence radiated with heartfelt energy that only happens when an artist truly believes in what they’re creating.

If you missed out on the last Bartees Strange shows in Chicago, you can catch him back here on October 11th at the Vic Theatre with Lucy Dacus. Grab your tickets here, and tune into Bartees’ Tiny Desk concert below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: The Backseat Lovers

Photo by Alex Justice

We’ve all had that experience when we hear a song for the first time and need to know who it’s by so we can immediately look up more songs by them. That was my experience listening to “Kilby Girl” by The Backseat Lovers for the first time while checking out a Lollapalooza playlist ahead of this year’s festival. With over 55 million streams on Spotify, it’s clear I’m not the only one hooked on this song.

Upon that first listen of the band, I thought that the band’s lead singer Joshua Harmon sings with a hint of British inflection, so I was surprised to learn they were actually from Utah. The Backseat Lovers were formed when Harmon asked their now drummer Juice Welch if he wanted to start a band together, and the two began forming full arrangements of songs that Harmon had written. Their lineup further came together when Hamon met the lead guitarist Jonas Swanson in line for an open mic night in Provo City, Utah. As Harmon and Swanson played their music for each other, Harmon finally decided to share his song “Out of Tune,” and that was the first piece the entire group worked on arranging together.

From there, The Backseat Lovers moved on to start recording together in 2018, releasing an EP entitled Elevator Days later that year. They soon followed up the first release with a debut album called When We Were Friends in early 2019, and they’ve said they’re continuing to work on even more new material at the moment.

If you enjoy the pep and warm Summer vibes that the likes of bands like Two Door Cinema Club, Wallows, and Cage The Elephant conjure, make sure you check The Backseat Lovers’ album. “Kilby Girl” has one of those choruses that makes for an easy crowd sing-a-long, and that was certainly the case for their packed afternoon set at Lollapalooza and their sold out after show.

See where you can catch the band performing next here, and watch the music video for their song “Heavy” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: DRAMA

Have you Vaxed & Waxed beauties been looking for some vibey dance music to wind down these final remaining weeks of Summer? Well thank goodness you are an ANCHR reader because we've got just what you're looking for. I present to you: DRAMA. If any readers know the dynamic of the relationship between myself and the editor-in-chief of ANCHR you'll know “Drama” is essentially a nickname I have given her for her anxious rambles and over-the-top reactions. Well, that's not the Drama I am talking about now. The match made in heaven duo of Na'el Shehade and Via Rosa is the only DRAMA that you all need in your life.

With Shehade on beats and Rosa on vocals, DRAMA has produced a lovely R&B and dance blend, which has transcended the Chicago scene and permeated the ears of many music lovers all over the country. Shehade is a home-grown Chicago boy that grasped onto the house scene as a teen and began DJing around the city until he started making music of his own. His talents lead him to eventually working in collaboration with the likes of Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, and Vic Mensa before he was introduced to Rosa via another Chicago talent, Jean Deaux. Rosa was born in Texas, grew up in Northern California and had a taste of the music world early in life, seeing that her parents were in a reggae band. According to DRAMA's bio, Rosa began showing interest in poetry in her teen years and that information revealed to me the correlation of her poetry and song writing, especially in songs like “Low Tide.” Outside of the song being a certified bop, it reads like a poem to me and I was able to tell that Rosa is one of those ultra talented people that uses one talent to fuel another in artistic coalescence. In 2010, Rosa moved to Chicago and eventually joined the THEMpeople collective. Hop in your DeLorean and fast forward a couple years, DRAMA is putting out music that gives us all the feels while simultaneously making our rumps shake.

A few years back when DRAMA played JBTV I was all set to go but something came up and I wasn't able to make it. I was sad I missed them, but all that sadness went away once I finally got to see them at Lollapalooza. Everyone reading this that wasn't at Lollapalooza should actually be sad they missed them because that means they didn't get to see the blouse Rosa was wearing. She was like a pink cloud. Via is short for Lluvia, and in Spanish, Lluvia means rain, and her pink cloud shirt was definitely raining dance grooves because not only was she dancing all over the stage but the audience caught the dance contagion and were also doing their part in the booty shaking department. With the 4 o'clock time slot at the Grove stage, it was the perfect setting to get your groove on in the middle of such a beautiful and sunny day. They're only playing a couple dates out west at the end of October, but you should definitely consider checking them out whenever they hit your city next.

Keep up with the latest DRAMA updates here, and check out the official video for “Years” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Mamalarky

This week’s spotlight falls on Mamalarky— yet another group on the ever dependable Fire Talk Records.

Photo by Sara Cath

Originating between LA and Austin, but now based in Atlanta, Mamalarky officially began in 2018 with a fateful meeting sparked by Tinder. The band’s singer and guitarist Livvy Bennett put out a call for a bass player on the app and ultimately connected with bassist Noor Khan. Bennett had already been working with drummer and longtime collaborator Dylan Hill, alongside friend Michael Hunter on the keys and synth bass, but once Khan rounded out the band lineup, they set to work on their debut album. Released via Fire Talk in November 2020, Mamalarky’s debut is just one of those albums that keeps rolling bop after bop. Throughout their catalog, the quartet produces a carefree air of joy, intertwined with warm tones and intricate audio effects. With tracks like “Almighty Heat” and “You Make Me Smile,” listeners are taken on a dynamic journey, and left with an experience of omnipotent delight after absorbing Mamalarky’s album.

Months after the debut’s release, the band will be hitting the road with their sonic sunshine later this year, and they’ve even gifted us with two new singles “Moss” and “Meadow” in the meantime, which both live up to the magic of their prior releases. The video for “Meadow” perfectly captures the sunny and bright vibes conjured up by its plucky guitar and dazzling melody. Bennett wrote both of the new singles outdoors, and each focus on different experiences of nature.

Talking about the songs, Bennett says, “Monotony is an illusion, or at least it’s a very tired way to look at things. Nature always has something new to offer when we slow down enough to absorb it - isolation made me appreciate and deepen this relationship significantly. I realized I’m never actually alone when I’m out under some trees. Moss offers more of a coming to terms that the surrounding landscape could be my anchor and company for the time whereas Meadow is a spark of excitement at finding a less traveled path on my daily route that opened out onto a beautiful stream with singing frogs. I wrote both these songs outdoors which I had never tried before. I still go to these spots often and they hold me up!"

You can check out Mamalarky's self-titled debut here, and see all of their upcoming shows here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: The Mysterines

The Mysterines are Lia Metcalfe, George Favanger, Paul Crilly, and Callum Thompson

I hope you guys are ready for some hot new rock out of Liverpool, because The Mysterines are going to be the next band you're blasting in your car, headphones, and/or speakers. The Mysterines are the creative love child of Lia Metcalfe and George Favanger. Metcalfe is the guitarist/singer-songwriter and Favanger rips the bass. The band is rounded out by Paul Crilly on drums and Callum Thompson on guitar. Although they have yet to release their first album, they have garnered much attention in the UK with the singles and EPs they have put out. Even more, touring with The Amazons, Royal Blood, and Miles Kane has captured the attention of their respective fans as well. If any ANCHR readers are Paul Weller fans, you'll hear Metcalfe on "True" from Weller's latest album Fat Pop.

I can't wait until they come to The States. Thompson's guitar work combined with Metcalfe's thunderous vocals can't help but set my expectations that their live show will be raucous. From what I have read about them, Metcalfe states that her influences vary from Bob Dylan all the way to Billie Eilish, but when I listen to songs like "In My Head" or "Who's Ur Girl", I get a Queens of the Stone Age vibe from them. Listening to the tracks The Mysterines have out there give me the same energy and aggressiveness as QOTSA and thus takes my mind straight to songs like "Go With The Flow" and "If I Had a Tail.” On the flip side, songs like "Take Control" and "Love's Not Enough" seem more melodic and like a classic, fun, fist-pumping, rock and roll show similar to what you would get with bands like Angels & Airwaves or old Arctic Monkeys. Regardless of whether you agree with my comparisons or not, you should give them a listen because I have a feeling we're going to be hearing more about them in the near future.

Make sure to keep up with the band on Twitter and Instagram, and tune into the video for “In My Head” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Tropical Fuck Storm

Photo by Jaime Wdziekonski

Formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2017, Tropical Fuck Storm was born after Drones founder Gareth Liddiard and longtime bandmate Fiona Kitschin decided to hit the reset button and venture into a brand new project. Erica Dunn and Lauren Hammel joined Liddiard and Kitschin in this new group, and since their inception, Tropical Fuck Storm has created content that boldly discusses and dissects even the most dire of topics. From consumerism to fascism and climate change to the Capitol riot, Liddiard and the band do not shy away from questioning it all.

Liddiard describes Tropical Fuck Storm’s agenda best by stating, “We make pop records that don’t deny we’re all in a bit of trouble here.” Although they didn’t write any new material during the first six months of the global pandemic shut down—due to that ever relatable feeling that they call “give-a-fuck fatigue”— Tropical Fuck Storm has recently previewed their upcoming third studio album Deep States with new singles “G.A.F.F.” and “New Romeo Agent.” Just as no subject is too taboo for them to call out in their music, no genre or sonic territory is off limits for the band with their latest material. With a swirl of art punk, jazz, hip-hop, pop, new wave (just to name a few), Deep States explores a multitude of musical stylings to get Tropical Fuck Storm’s message across.

Out August 20th, the new record follows up 2019’s Braindrops and will be released by Joyful Noise. Pre-order the album here, and tune into the “New Romeo Agent” music video below. Make sure to also follow the band’s Instagram for all the latest updates.

Premiere: Dream Version's "A Mind Can Change"

Dream Version is Alec Harryhausen, Eric Brummit and Michael Kunik

Chicago three-piece Dream Version has always been an ANCHR favorite, thanks to their infectious energy during their live performances and their tendency to push their creative boundaries. That’s why this week, we’re honored to be premiering the brand new video for their single “A Mind Can Change,” from their upcoming self-titled album.

Dream Version says that for their third album, they’ve decided to take a moment to simply inhabit the space they’ve created— calling upon their two mantras of “Don’t waste time” and “Don’t condescend.” Throughout the span of time between this record and 2017’s Fight Fair, the trio has experienced marriage, divorce, relocation, and the Covid-19 pandemic. The band says, “The result is a looser set of songs that represents everything we like and everything we’re capable of.  We decided to name it after ourselves.”

Elaborating on the new single “A Mind Can Change,” Alec Harryhausen says the inspiration stems from his fundamentally cynical attitude. He adds, “A lot of the story of this album started with me looking up at a dirty ceiling fan in my apartment and thinking, ‘That’s just the way life is; the ceiling fan’s dirty and I’ll never have the time or energy to clean it.’  The notion that it can take about 30 seconds to solve a problem like that, believe it or not, has been kind of revolutionary.  It was a fundamental part of my world view that most problems are facts of life, and even that we as a species might not deserve to have clean ceiling fans.”

From there, he began to shift his own mindset and to rewire his perspective. That fresh outlook, coupled with Harryhausen’s appreciation for Plastic Ono Band, led to him working through his demo of “A Mind Can Change” with bandmates Eric Brummit and Michael Kunik to build out the dynamics of it and keep it interesting for the whole run time. “It was a challenge for us to play this slow; we had to practice it a lot,” the band says.

For the music video, Dream Version worked with director Patrick Betzold, who had some experience doing animated work at his job and wanted to try it in a more ambitious way. As the band describes it, the video tells the story of 3 astronauts leaving behind a dead planet and trying to find a new one.

Watch the video below, and be sure to pre-order the self-titled album ahead of its July 30th release date here, or snag a ticket to the record release show to pick up a copy in person!

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: The Vaccines

Photo courtesy of Red Light Management

In 2021, there’s been no shortage of discussion about Covid-19 vaccines, but today we’re here to talk about The Vaccines. With nearly two million monthly listeners on Spotify and a catalog of absolute bops like “Post Break-up Sex,” “If You Wanna” and “Wetsuit,” there’s a high chance a lot of you are already familiar with the London band composed of Justin Hayward-Young, Freddie Cowan, Árni Árnason, Timothy Lanham, and Yoann Intonti. If you’re not, now is the perfect time to get to know them ahead of their upcoming fifth studio album Back In Love City, which is set to be released in September.

With jovial drumbeats, bright guitar riffs and witty lyrics you can’t help but sing along to, The Vaccines is one of those bands that will put a smile on your face as soon as you hear the intro of one of their songs. That carefree spirit of their music translates perfectly to their live shows, with lead vocalist Young never failing to work the entire stage and keep the whole room entranced. I’ve been lucky enough to see The Vaccines perform several times, but my favorite memory of them has to be their sold-out show at London’s Roundhouse venue in 2019. There was an electrifying wave of positive energy in the crowd that night, something that transcended the normal hometown show vibes, making that gig one that I’ll never forget.

The latest singles from The Vaccines “Headphones Baby” and “Back In Love City” pack even more pep, delivering an expectation that Back In Love City will certainly be a record that keeps listeners dancing. About the new album, Young has said the idea for the fictional Love City stemmed from his experience partaking in a house swap in Los Angeles. “I literally swapped lives with a stranger. I lived in in house and drove his car while he lived in mine, but we’d never met and had no previous connections,” he adds, describing the experience that fueled his fascination with disconnection and escapism.

Make sure to pre-order Back In Love City here, and keep an eye out for upcoming tour dates from The Vaccines here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Squirrel Flower

Photo by Tonje Thilesen

You know how certain bands have that very particular signature sound where you can recognize one of their songs before the lyrics even kick in? Well, with Squirrel Flower— the project of vocalist, songwriter and musician Ella Williams— there’s a consistent air of experimentation and exploration of different energies and sounds in her music, leading to a completely different effect. Across the first Squirrel Flower EPs and debut album I Was Born Swimming, Williams delivers reflective lyrics and a sweeping vocal performance, lending varying timbres to her silky voice.

Back in April, Williams announced Squirrel Flower’s sophomore record entitled Planet (i), giving us the lead single “Hurt A Fly.” The track leans a little heavier than some of Squirrel Flower’s past releases, featuring distorted and frenzied guitar riffs and telling the story of manipulative lover switching back and forth between powerful emotions. Talking about the track, Williams says, “‘Hurt A Fly’ is me embodying a persona of gaslighting, narcissistic soft-boy type shit. The classic ‘sorry I acted violently, I'm not mad that you got upset at me, wanna hang out next week?’ I wanted to see what it was like to be a character trying to skirt around accountability. It's an angry and unhinged song.” Tune in below to experience the track in all its glory.

As for the rest of the album Planet (i), Williams says most of the songs were written ahead of the pandemic, but she spent a large part of quarantine demoing them in her bedroom. When it came time to safely record the studio versions of the tracks, Williams worked with producer Ali Chant out of The Playpen in Bristol, UK. Williams and Chant provided the backbone for most of the instrumentation on the record, but it remained collaborative with guest contributions (provided remotely) by the likes of Tenci's Jess Shoman, Tomberlin, Katy J. Pearson, Jemima Coulter, Brooke Bentham, and Williams’ family members.

Be sure to pre-order Planet (i) ahead of its June 25th release date here, and check out Squirrel Flower’s upcoming tour dates here. The majority of the shows are unsurprisingly sold out, but if you were lucky enough to snag tickets, Squirrel Flower will actually be playing two shows here in Chicago this weekend at Sleeping Village.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Nation of Language

Photo by Kevin Condon

I am very much looking forward to getting back to traveling and seeing live music soon, so this week’s AAOTW has ties to a near and dear memory of both of those hobbies. Back in 2018, I was in NYC for the weekend and had the chance to photograph The Wombats at Brooklyn Steel. I showed up not knowing anything about the band Nation of Language, who had filled in a supporting slot when UK band Blaenavon had to pull out of the tour. Despite my inexperience with their music, Nation of Language’s set left me blown away with their refreshing spin on the post-punk and new wave eras of music. I remember instantly going to their Spotify to save their songs “I’ve Thought About Chicago” and “On Division St,” which the band had recently released that year.

Nation of Language is a trio based in Brooklyn, fronted by songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ian Devaney and joined by Aidan Noell and Michael Sue-Poi. In the following few years since that show, the band has put out a steady drip of singles, some of which ended up on their highly-anticipated 2020 debut album Introduction, Presence.

There’s a certain magic to Nation of Language’s music; They manage to craft the perfect blend of infectious hooks driven by hypnotic synths and steady bass lines, topped off by Devaney’s robust vocals. The trio’s latest single “Across That Fine Line,” which happens to be the lead single off their newly-announced sophomore album A Way Forward, has that same quality I’ve come to love them for. There’s just something about Nation of Language’s sound that is equally soothing and jolting— their music can make listeners want to dance, yet provides and escape route from worries. Devaney describes his inspiration for the new song “Across That Fine Line” as being about that moment when a non-romantic relationship flips into something different. “Sonically, it’s meant to feel like running down a hill, just out of control. I had been listening to a lot of Thee Oh Sees at the time of writing it and admiring the way they supercharge krautrock rhythms and imbue them with a kind of mania, which felt like an appropriate vibe to work with and make our own,” he adds.

As for the remainder of the upcoming album, A Way Forward, I’m curious and excited to see how the group will push the boundaries on their sound. The band has described their approach to the album, stating, “We aimed to more deeply trace the roots of our sound, hoping to learn something from the early influences of our early influences. Experimenting with how they might be reinterpreted in our modern context.”

Make sure to tune into A Way Forward upon its November 5th release date— you can pre-order here. Additionally, Nation of Language will be heading back out on tour later this year, including a stop at Chicago’s Empty Bottle. See all the upcoming shows here, and tune into “Across That Fine Line” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: FUR

Photo By Julia Nala

This week we’re heading back across the pond to talk about Brighton’s own FUR, composed of William Murray, Harry Saunders, William 'Tav' Taverner, and Flynn Whelan.

Late last month, the group shared their first single of 2021 called “The Fine Line Of A Quiet Life,” a warm and uptempo track that’s perfect to add to your upcoming Summer playlists. The song stays true to FUR’s style with nods to a mix of influences— From NYC bands of the early aughts to 1960s rock n’ roll, the fuzzy distortion and staccato-style guitar strums on the single make it irresistible to bop your head and tap your foot along. Regarding the song’s theme, FUR describes “The Fine Line of a Quiet Life” as a tale about self-reflection and understanding. “It’s about detaching yourself from situations you’ve already been in and know the outcome of. Much like growing up, you learn not to do certain things and slowly but surely you learn that there’s a ‘fine line’ of what lifestyle becomes acceptable the older you get and also what you can hack as an adult (that maybe doesn’t feel too much like one). The feeling of regret and ‘how could I be so blind’ that everyone has felt in relationships that really only comes out once it’s done is something that also goes hand in hand with a mutual respect for a collapsed relationship, and that there’s no undoing of things you’ve done and it’s best to just move on and suck it up,” they say.

While FUR has released several singles since their onset— including the 2020 mixtape entitled Facing Home, featuring 7 of the band’s previously unreleased tracks— we have yet to receive a full length album from them. As the band recently signed to Norway’s 777 Music, we’re expecting news on a debut record from FUR at any moment now.

In addition to new music news, FUR has also announced several new tour dates for later this year in the UK and Europe, with more potentially on the way. Be sure to follow their Instagram for the latest updates, and check out the official video for “The Fine Line of a Quiet Life” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: The Marías

As artists find new ways to express their vision and experiment with different sounds, it’s become less and less common for a musician or band to become pigeonholed by a single-defined genre. The Los Angeles-based project of María Zardoya, aptly called The Marías, recently released their lead single off their highly anticipated debut album and further proved the vast range of musical styles that they have in their wheelhouse. The track “Hush” showcases Zardoya’s velvety, jazz-infused vocals laid over a hypnotic electronic backbone, but their back catalog features hints of anything from psychedelia to funk.

For example, the song “Only in My Dreams” from the band’s 2017 EP Superclean, Vol.1 has an atmospheric, cinematic sound— which leads nicely into the title of their debut album to be released June 25th: Cinema. Zardoya and bandmate Josh Conway say that the record drew inspiration from classic films and directors that they grew up watching— a la Pedro Almodóvar and Wes Anderson. Even more fitting, Conway and Zardoya originally connected because of their love and appreciation for cinema. “Through a friend, [Josh and I] were connected to a music supervisor who would send us requests for music for films. We’d receive a synopsis of a scene, and then we’d have to write music to it within a couple of days. Not only did that teach us how to write songs together fairly quickly, it taught us how to think like filmmakers. We’d imagine worlds in our minds based on the synopses – the colors in the scene, the lighting, the actors, the set design, and of course, the music,” Zardoya says about her songwriting partnership.

I only had the pleasure of seeing The Marías perform live once, but I still remember the way Zardoya and her bandmates completely captivated the room (enough for the audience to demand an encore despite the fact they were opening the show). I’m hopeful we’ll see some tour announcements released soon so that we can all hear some of their newer music performed.

Pre-Order the upcoming album Cinema before its June 25th release date here, and check out the trail that Zardoya and Conway co-edited and directed here. Lastly, watch the visualizer for “Hush” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: PACKS

If you need a little something to shake up your energy levels and get you over the mid-week slump, look no further than PACKS’ new single "Silvertongue.” The fast-paced and fuzzed-out tune premiered last week alongside the announcement of the band’s debut album Take the Cake. “Silvertongue” gave me my first taste of the Toronto-based project, but when I learned that Fire Talk Records will be putting out the album, I was not surprised at all because they’ve never steered us wrong with any of the other artists on their roster.

PACKS is led by vocalist and songwriter Madeline Link, who started this journey as a solo project but is now joined by bandmates Shane Hooper, Noah O’Neil, and Dexter Nash. While the Covid shut down might have thrown a wrench in the momentum that PACKS had gained in the Toronto live music scene, it did allow for a unique creative process behind Take the Cake.

Photo courtesy of artist

Link explains that the album is a combination of old and new, due to the fact that some of the songs came to fruition in 2019, while another group of songs were crafted while Link quarantined at her parents’ suburban home during the early days of lockdown. “Old songs from a year ago where I'm having really horrifyingly awful days at work, getting doored while biking in Toronto and flying into the middle of the street, or going on dates with guys who I'm either instantly in love with, or who end up creeping me out a bit. Those songs are more packed with that feeling of hurtling-through-time-and-space-at-breakneck-speed, manic energy. The newer songs are infused with a foggier, slower-paced disillusionment, and deal with the strangeness of a reality morphing before my eyes every day. I still try to be optimistic obviously, but these songs are really glorified coping mechanisms,” she says.

Make sure you pre-order Take the Cake on vinyl here, and mark your calendars for the May 21st digital release date. Tune into ““Silvertongue” below.

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ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Dehd

Photo by Alexa Viscius

I mean, seriously…Can we just get these vaccines moving already!?  Dehd released Flowers of Devotion last summer and I haven’t been able to rock with all the new songs in a live setting yet. Like many others, I was looking forward to their set at Pitchfork Music Festival, but of course the ol’ Rona had to stick her nose in our business and ruin everything.  Luckily, I've seen them once before at an “In The Round” show at Thalia Hall so that’s been able to hold me over for now.  Once live music is back though, I highly recommend checking out their performance if they hit a stage near you. Unless you’re one of those people that doesn’t enjoy dancing, good music, and feeling good. If you identify as such, then please stay away— but even then, Dehd is a great band for anyone since they tend to take serious subjects and place them in fun, groovy melodies.

Dehd is a trio out of the Windy City composed of Jason Balla, Emily Kempf, and Eric McGrady. They have three albums to their name and have also found themselves on “Perez’s Best” annual CD mix for the last two years (if you know, you know).  Balla and Kempf were previously in a romantic relationship during the early years of the band, but thankfully their songwriting partnership didn’t die when the romance did. Instead, they continued to hit us with bangers and keep making the people happy. 

If this is the first time you are ever hearing of Dehd, their album Flowers of Devotion is a great album to start with, but don’t sleep on their self-titled debut or 2019’s Water either. I dare all readers when listening to “Haha” or “Loner” to not groove with the music. It’s just not possible.

Be sure to also check out the amusing music videos that the band has released for their recent singles, and snag your own copy of their newest record here.