ICYMI is a series featuring new and notable releases you (and we) may have missed
Art by Enne Goldstein, you can find more of their work here
“Broken Boy” — Cage The Elephant feat. Iggy Pop
2020 has started off with a bang for Cage The Elephant, taking home their second Grammy win for Best Rock Album at the end of January, and just days before the band surprise dropped a new version of “Broken Boy” from Social Cues featuring living legend Iggy Pop on guest vocals.
This new version isn’t all that different aside from bringing Iggy in to elevate the already very good track. Kicking off with the same breakneck speed of the album cut, Iggy gradually makes his presence known by slowly emerging from the dense guitar feedback in the first chorus, gravelly voice creeping up behind Matt Shultz’s caterwaul before completely taking over on the next verse. “Tell me why I’m forced to live in this skin/I’m an alien, not just an alien” carries decades of alternative rock history when delivered by Iggy who built an identity out of being radically different and characteristically unpredictable at every turn but was still embraced by the mainstream, much in the same way as his mentor David Bowie.
Iggy has frequently appeared on tracks with wide ranging artists through the years (White Zombie, Peaches, and Cat Power to name a few) but on “Broken Boy” the pairing feels completely natural, especially considering Shultz’s very Iggy-esque performance in Cage The Elephant’s video for “Ready To Let Go”, also off Social Cues, and the kind of left field alternative space Iggy and the CTE boys both inhabit so well.
The Grammys also awarded Iggy Pop with a lifetime achievement award at the same ceremony CTE took home their second trophy which makes this team up feel even more significant, a kind of passing of the torch from an icon of creative genius to the next generation of charming weirdos pushing the boundaries of alternative music in the mainstream.
Black Midi — “Sweater”
Ever since their release of their debut album Schlagenheim in 2019, me and all other Black Midi fans have been dying to hear more. They previously released “7-eleven”, which was a bonus track that didn’t originally make the record, and now the band is back again with their last song produced with Dan Carey. Clocking in at 11 minutes, “Sweater” is everything you would expect a Black Midi song to be minus any screaming vocals. It’s much more chill – with lots of rhythmic guitars and free jazz that creates a very atmospheric track that you would expect from Black Midi. You can definitely hear the King Crimson and Pink Floyd influences here.
— Julia Fletcher
Native Sun — “Juarez”
Undeniably the New York-based group has develop a sound of their own, mixing the goods in vocals of bigs like The Hives and guitars that speak for themselves of rock and roll history. As crass as “Juarez” can first appear to sound its outsmarted by ‘oh oh oh’s’ and backing vocals that emulate a super group of mad men waiting for their chance to meet their breaking point together, which, for the moment, seems to just be expanding as their sound embarks on an ode to raw emotions with a flair of power-rock.
Deeper — “This Heat”
The day Deeper put out “This Heat”, I think I actually may have listened to it 15-20 times. This band has really been on my radar since I came across their self titled debut last year, and this new track they put out ahead of their album release Auto-Pain makes me incredibly stoked for what this band will do next. With a clear post punk influence from bands like Gang of Four and Wire, but with a very distinct writing style and vocal performance, Deeper is clearly making waves in the indie and garage rock scene.
King Krule – “Alone, Omen 3”
There has been a deafening silence from Archy Marshall, better known as King Krule, since his biggest commercial success, The Ooz, was released in 2017. Now in 2020, King Krule is back with his second single from the upcoming record Man Alive!. On “Alone, Omen 3”, Archy seems to take a break from the self-deprecating motifs that ran through older records. Instead, he comes back with a steady drum beat and fleeting guitars as he pleads to the listener “you’re not alone.” The song had a gentle start but turns desperate as it reaches it end with Archy caught in a whirlwind of his own voice and screeching guitars. The song balances on a fine line between beauty and despair, leaving me excited for the new record set to release February 21st.
— Jarett Loeffler
Pottery – “Texas Drums Pt I & II”
I first heard about Pottery upon the release of their first record No. 1 last year and was immediately hooked. Just a year later they’re already back with the announcement of a new album Welcome to Bobby’s Motel. The announcement came with the release of the new single, “Texas Drums Pt I & II”. This new single has the same upbeat style I’d expect from Pottery but the band sounds better and more confident than ever. This song comes layered with different vocals, a fun guitar riff, and demanding drums as the band chants “won’t you play those fucking drums for me?” It was released on streaming platforms with the option to listen to just the part I, or part I & II. The second part is an instrumental outro for those of you who can’t get enough. The song is energetic and will be stuck in your head after the first listen.
— Jarett Loeffler
