More Music From The Inbox, 7 February 2015: Diet Cig, Dessa, A-L-X, Walleater, Pops Staples
Artist / Song: “Harvard” by Diet Cig
Album: Over Easy, out 2/24/15
Diet Cig are a guy-girl duo from the college town of New Paltz, NY, and on the strength of their first two singles – “Harvard” and previous release “Scene Sick” – they have the musical confidence of recent grads. “Harvard” is hooky and polished yet filled with adolescent concerns: “Fuck your Ivy League sweater!”
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Artist / Song: “Sound The Bells” by Dessa
Album: Parts Of Speech
If you’ve heard other tracks by Minneapolis singer-MC Dessa, you may not be prepared for new single “Sound The Bells,” a far more atmospheric, if slightly new age-y track off her long-ago-released album Parts Of Speech. But it’s a stunner, and personally I don’t mind she’s given her hip-hop skills a rest.
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Artist / Song: “Tried Love” by A-L-X
Album: n/a
Another artist to keep your eye on this year is London R&B singer A-L-X, who fits a narrow space in between the mysterious XL-label artist Jai Paul and the more well-known and super-talented Miguel. “Tried Love” turns up the sexy, a good song for the start of a week with Feb. 14 in it.
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Artist / Song: “Give In To Me” by Walleater
Album: I/II, out Summer 2015
I’m a sucker for lazy Rentals-era alt-rock and new Tiny Engines signees Walleater bring the languid fuzz forward with new single “Give In To Me.” The ’90s would be proud.
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Artist / Song: “Friendship” by Pops Staples
Album: Don’t Lose This, out 2/17/15
A Pops Staples revival is just around the corner, based on a soon-to-be-released package of songs 15 years after the legendary soul and gospel singer’s death. “Friendship”’s warm vibe and message of brotherhood – “We’ve got friendship / the kind that lasts a lifetime” – could melt the most frozen heart.
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