While details are still TBA on exactly when to expect their full-length debut with Frenchkiss Records, Twen have released the second single from said album in the form of this official video for “Holy River.” Directed by Casey Pierce, the video depicts the primary Twen members frolicking in the woods in full red garb (and I do mean full, face and body paint included) while some modern dance occurs nearby. It’s baffling but in that “I don’t know what I’m seeing but I like it” kind of way.

The song itself confirms that we can continue to expect some well-formed shoegaze pop from the aforementioned album. It’s languid and reverb-y but with a welcome sliver of optimism running throughout.

It’s unclear if special societal meaning should be drawn from the video; should we take special note of the use of cameraphone to record unique self-expression while we ourselves are uniquely expressing ourselves? Is it a call to arms that our lifeblood is most joyous and refueled by spending time in nature? A commentary on the futility of technology? Probably not but it’s an enjoyably odd viewing that I’ll certainly be back for more of.

In celebration of their video for “Brainplate in Eb” being viewed 3,000 times, The Mute Group recorded and posted a cover of the Kate Bush classic “Wuthering Heights” from her 1978 debut, The Kick Inside.

As far as covers go, they stick to the originally pretty faithfully while still making it their own. Zach Gresham’s voice doesn’t quite hit the strange timbre that Bush is known for but his own unique delivery is a nice reminder of the source. Amy Gill’s piano playing sets a lovely and delicate bed for the rather surprising and searing guitar solo that carries the song out. All and all, it’s hard to think of a more appropriate song for this band to cover.

It also serves as a nice promotional reminder that the band is playing The Basement on Saturday, May 18th with HR Lexy and Fable Cry. In a world where constant content output is necessary to keep your fans attention, The Mute Group have rather tasteful job of putting themselves out there.

The latest release from Tristen is a 7″ on This Man Records featuring “Dream Within a Dream” with the flip track, “Red Lava.” It’s available now digitally, streaming or on actual vinyl. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves..

The song and video debuted on RS Country but has served as a concert closer for Tristen for some time. The lyrics are comprised entirely of the Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same name and it’s wild to read the original words in a quiet space and then juxtapose it against this fiery rendition. Tristen has never lacked in the ability to unleash a force of reckoning while embodying a strangely familiar character archetype but “Dream Within a Dream” exemplifies this ability in perfect form. It may be Poe’s words but Tristen’s performance brings it to life.

The b-side, “Red Lava”, is a much more subdued affair in comparison but most songs would be. It’s a calming, meditative, song that serves as a nice comedown from the lead.

It’s unclear if this single signals a larger album headed our way or not but, regardless, it’s an extremely welcome offering that should end up in your regular rotation.

The Bandcamp page for Mouth Reader’s latest full-length, Holographic Phase, says it was released in April 2018. I know this not to be true as I have been anxiously awaiting a release from the band since the release of the single “Eyes Sink” back in December of 2017. It took almost two years but the wait was worth it.

Holographic Phase is a full-blast of energy fueled through psych rock styles much in the same vein of Thee Oh Sees (or Oh Sees or OCS or whatever their current moniker is). That comparison is not meant to indicate a full-on clone of sound or execution but merely provide a starting point for what’s in store. Tracks like “So Fucked” and the aforementioned “Eyes Sink” are brain melting with their fevered output; complete with various yelps of unbridled energy and phasing guitars for that extra head spin. Fortunately, Mouth Reader keeps it interesting by switching it up with the likes of somewhat gentler, poppier numbers like “Hello Mr. My Friend” or the persistently emphatic album closer “I Woke Up”.

The psych scene in Nashville has been delivering some extremely enjoyable gems as of late (apt given that Far Out III is right around the corner) and Holographic Phase fits right in. Well worth cranking up to maximum volumes on multiple occasions.

As noted on Volume 144 of the WOTT Music podcast, the latest release from Wax Mistress is the follow-up from February 2018’s excellent A Ghost in the Garden LP. While early 2018 may seem like forever ago in Internet time, it’s a particularly short time for a band to be able to write, record and release a batch of songs, especially when they’re as intricately layered as the contents of Hello Beautiful.

Within the span of four songs the band wastes no time showing off their ability to hop between the dreamy and the outright bursting. Quite intentionally, the album pays homage to a variety of different psychedelic styles. Here’s the album’s writeup, direct from the band:

A brief exploration of modern psychedelia. Verbed out soundscapes to garage driven energy. Contemplating the genre’s several emerging styles as well as paying homage to its past, and attempting to fuse them into one cohesive EP, Hello Beautiful is a love letter to psychedelia in all its different forms.

Paying homage can be a difficult task as you run the risk of feeling inauthentic or, even worse, entirely derivative. Fortunately, Wax Mistress clearly knows the subtleties of the genre as a whole and is able to transform those tenants into a collection that is immediately familiar yet still entirely their own.