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WSUM's Weekly Adds: 3/13

  • Post Author
    by Music director
  • Post Date
    Fri Mar 13 2020

Every week at WSUM, our Music Director, Izzi, chooses her favorite new releases to add to our music library. Here are this week's favorites, presented to you by WSUM's Music Journalism Club.

Bonus, IIII

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Ocean,” “Sneakers,” “Chores,” “Absence” 

GENRE: Indie rock, jangle pop

RIYL: Pavement, Duster, Guided By Voices, The Wrens

IIII, the new album from Oxford, Mississippi's Bonus is a solid venture into indie rock reminiscent of foundational ‘90s acts such as Pavement and Guided By Voices. What may stick out to the listener upon first examination of IIII is its cozy and warm production. The guitars on this record sound lively and amicable, in a way like an old friend. In addition, Bonus wastes no time with their driven and catchy songwriting. Take a look at “Ocean” as evidence of this. The relatively short “Chores” also serves as a reminder that Bonus has got their jangle pop-infused sonic approach nailed down. IIII is a very well put together study in making snug retro indie rock and should curb any cravings for that particular sound. — Matt Jarosinski


The Orielles, Disco Volador

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Come Down On Jupiter,” “Space Samba (Disco Volador Theme),” “Bobbi's Second World,” “A Material Mistake” 

GENRE: Indie pop, cosmic pop, space rock

RIYL: Tame Impala, Crumb, Diviño Niño, Our Girl

In Disco Volador, The Orielles' sophomore release, we are presented with a sound that can only be described as the soundtrack to a tropical retro futuristic Wes Anderson movie. The mix of hand-held percussion, entransic woozy guitars and soft quirky vocals makes it impossible to not tap your feet to the beat. The album reminded me of Brazilian funk artists like Tim Maia and Tony Tornado. This influence can be seen in the blend of heavy delays and wah-wah pedals on the guitars combined with steel drums and agogos, all atop the underlying presence of synth riffs. All in all, Disco Volador is a fun, laid back album that reinforces The Orielles rightful place in the space rock genre.  — Arthur Machado


Angelica Garcia, Cha Cha Palace

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “Jícama,” “Valentina in the Moonlight”

GENRE: Alternative, indie

Cha Cha Palace is the sophomore album by Mexican-Salvadorean singer Angelica Garcia, who uses this album as a tribute to her Latin heritage. The one word to describe this album would have to be powerful: Garica has a strong, dynamic voice that can loudly and proudly sing out the upbeat and energetic songs that make up most of this album. On the other hand, Garcia's voice can also soften to resonating crescendos in more ballad-like songs such as “Valentina in the Moonlight.” Garcia's message throughout this album is also powerful. She emphasizes embracing your roots and finding your own voice in today's noisy world as she sings about peeling mangos back in her hometown. This album is an expression of confidence in who you were and who that made you today. —  Martha Kowalski


THICK, Five Years Behind

HIGHLIGHT TRACKS: “5 Years Behind,” “Fake News,” “Sleeping Through the Weekend”

GENRE: Indie rock, art-punk, hardcore punk

RIYL: Parquet Courts, Otoboke Beaver, Shoobie

Brooklyn girl band THICK explode with DIY energy on their new album, 5 Years Behind. The sonic texture at the core of this album is attuned mostly towards indie rock, but the band takes forays into a variety of other genres as well. The title track, for example, is more akin to art-punk, with a sprinkling of hardcore throughout. It is somewhat reminiscent of THICK's New York contemporary, Parquet Courts, in its structural similarity to many songs off of 2018's Wide Awake. Other tracksgo even harder, like “Fake News,” which explodes instantly into a hardcore punk track that drives by at a breakneck pace. Even if the sounds on 5 Years Behind aren't entirely consistent, one thing is for sure, you're in for a wild ride. —  Ayden Schultz


Check out our playlist for this week's adds on Spotify below.

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MUSIC JOURNALISM CLUB WEEKLY ADDS

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