If you’re like me, and you came of age (musically speaking) in the early to mid-2000s, then you must be loving the current cultural landscape as much as I am. I’ve had the new (!) releases from LCD Soundsystem, Wolf Parade, and Maximo Park in heavy rotation for weeks. The book Meet Me in the Bathroom (the oral history of NYC’s indie rock/dance scene from 2001-2011) is next up in my Audible cue. What a time to be alive!
For this week’s feature we’ll hear from a couple of other returning champs from those glory days, and a newer band that is very much their spiritual successor.
Franz Ferdinand — “Always Ascending”
Franz Ferdinand are back with their first new music since 2013’s Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action, and it’s as if they never left us. “Always Ascending”, the first single from the forthcoming album of the same name is as jaunty and confident as anything they’ve ever produced. It’s sure to keep your mood ascending all weekend long.
Destroyer — “Tinseltown Swimming in Blood”
While Destroyer has always been more prolific than the aforementioned Franz boys, I still associate him most strongly with the mid-2000s. During that time I was constantly devouring both his solo output, and his work with the New Pornographers. Beginning with 2011’s Kaputt, his full length records have gone further and further in a lush, romantic, heavily 80s indie influenced direction. Since that sound is my personal catnip, I’m always happy to have a new Destroyer record to dive into. “Tinseltown Swimming in Blood” is my personal highlight from the recently released Ken.
Ought — “These 3 Things”
Ought are based in Montreal, and have been putting out music since 2012. However, they just appeared of my radar this week with the release of this new single. Propulsive, and relentlessly danceable, it’ll make you want to break out your finest Goth moves (you know you have them…) Their forthcoming full length Room Inside the World will be their first for the esteemed label Merge so you’re sure to be hearing a lot more from them in the coming months.
(Franz Ferdinand photo: Silvio Tanaka, Destroyer photo: Bill Ebbesen)