On their fourth LP, MGMT joins in the revivalist trend.
Car Seat Headrest started in 2010 as the DIY project of Will Toledo, named for his habit of recording in his car. Over the next three and a half years, Toledo would self-release 8 LPs, including Twin Fantasy (2011), which quickly gained a cult following. In 2015, Will Toledo expanded his lineup upon signing to Matador Records and the following year released Teens of Denial, his first album of new music since signing. Teens of Denial was met with widespread critical acclaim, and, as a result, Car Seat Headrest’s audience expanded greatly beyond the cult of Bandcamp fans Toledo had already amassed. After the immense success of Teens of Denial, Toledo’s choice to do a complete re-record of Twin Fantasy rather than release new music may be unexpected, but it’s completely welcome to those who love Twin Fantasy.
Alejandro Rose-Garcia, better known by stage name Shakey Graves, has long since been an Austin icon. A self-proclaimed ‘Texas gentleman,’ his prophetic lyrics and unapologetic DIY sound have earned his catalog regard as one of folk-rock’s greats. His signature suitcase kick drum, perfectly homemade and casual, epitomizes the distinctive one-man band style of his past recordings and live performances. Undeniably, Rose-Garcia has come a long way from those early days of Bandcamp releases and solo shows. The 2014 drop of album And the War Came marked the beginning of his transition to a more polished sound and filled out live set, of which he shared his thoughts on while opening for City and Colour in June of 2016. “There’s nothing wrong with needing a little help from your friends,” he explained. Although the recent re-release of The Donor Blues and Nobody’s Fool EPs one summer later seemed to indicate a potential return to his earlier bedroom style, upcoming record Can’t Wake Up suggests the contrary.
Because being in a happy, committed relationship is honestly a little boring. This Valentine’s Eve, listen to fourteen songs that capture some of the nuances of singledom. It’s messy, liberating…
As we continue the cold, cold march into February, let us sit back and take stock of some of the best releases of this young (and cold) year.
If you’re a Decemberists fan, you’ve probably sung along to the folk anthem “Down By The Water” on a Sunday drive. If you’re an avid fan, you became intimate with their chart-topping 2011 release The King is Dead and have been a regular listener ever since. And if you’re a hardcore, there-for-every-show-marry-me-Colin-Meloy fan, then there’s a chance you’ve heard of their 2009 album The Hazards of Love.
Chicago songstress Ravyn Lenae collaborates with The Internet’s Steve Lacy to deliver an EP brimming with intoxicatingly confident vocals over futuristic funk beats – a combination well-suited for arriving the week before Valentine’s Day.
Ought embraces a more accessible sound while staying true to art-rock roots on Room Inside the World
On their third full-length LP, the Montreal post-punk revivalists have produced their most nuanced and melodically inclined album to date.
WRVU is excited to announce that we’re giving away tickets to the upcoming Weaves show! Weaves broke into the Toronto scene after lead singer Jasmyn Burke and guitarist Morgan Waters met in 2013 at one of Burke’s solo shows in which she was relying on a looping sampler to accompany herself. Burke and Waters immediately began writing music, and brought on bassist Zach Bines and drummer Spencer Cole to propel Weaves, newly minted, into the heart of the Toronto indie music scene.
Fresh off hiatus, The Dangerous Summer’s comeback has generated a pleasantly surprising amount of hype within the scene. Their self-titled was released on January 26, 2018 through Hopeless Records, and general response to it has been positive, albeit far from glowing.
There is no denying Yung Lean has evolved as an artist. From his beginnings with “Ginseng Strip 2002” to his latest mixtape Frost God, it has been hard to pin…
On February 2, Rhye finally released his long awaited sophomore album, Blood, five years after releasing his notable debut, Woman. Similar to Woman, Blood‘s cover art features Milosh’s newest musical…
This piece is about SATURATION III, the album released on December 15th from Brockhampton (stylized BROCKHAMPTON). For more on the boy band and their rise to prominence, please see WRVU’s In-Depth Look: Who is BROCKHAMPTON?
Continuing their trend of putting out an album every year, Vulfpeck delivers with their 6th studio album Mr. Finish Line. Featuring 13 different artists throughout the ten-track-long album, the result is a stellar smorgasbord of pure funk-rock heaven that any fan of Vulfpeck’s previous work will be more than happy to bop along to.
You listened and voted and now it’s time to announce the 2017 WRVU Nashville Album of the Year!!
And the winner is……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
This past Saturday, Andrew Bird gave Nashville a taste of Dutch culture by performing a concert at the Downtown Presbyterian Church in the spirit of gezelligheid. For those who have studied abroad in Copenhagen, you are probably familiar with the Danish sentiment of “hygge.” While the term has no truly accurate English translation, it is defined by feelings of warmth and coziness. Hygge is different for everyone, but it can be experienced through appreciating life’s simple pleasures, joining in community, and finding contentment. The Dutch term “gezelligheid” is similar and can be used to describe a bright, cozy atmosphere or more specific experiences such as spending time with loved ones (you can read more here). Even during the frigid dark months of winter, the Danish and Dutch continue to meet with friends and find well-being in the name of hygge and gezelligheid respectively.
“The best boy band since One Direction.” An artistic collective. The internet’s first boy band. Kevin Abstract’s newest group venture.
The time has come! Vote for your top album of 2017 now! Winner announced Friday, January 12th! VOTE HERE
2017 Album of the Year ROUND TWO is here!! The TOP 4 will be sent out January 5th to determine a winner! Vote Now! Choose your Top 4 albums of…
The Greatest Gift, Sufjan Stevens’s new mixtape — consisting of outtakes, remixes, and demos from his 2016 studio album Carrie & Lowell — is equal parts haunting and beautiful.
WRVU has voted to create a list of the top 16 albums of 2017 and from here you can vote to narrow it down to 8. (The next round will…
