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Courtesy

Courtesy | Check The Milk | 3hive.com
Courtesy | Check The Milk | 3hive.com

I’m not really sure how to accurately describe Courtesy’s sound, but it’s somewhere in the realm of: wonky, electronic pop with some heavy-ass beats and grooves for days. Their most recent album, Check The Milk has the wonk dialed back just a bit (versus their last album Slow Bruise), but there is still plenty of it with the heaviness and grooves cranked up to 11. CTM is one hell of a record – like seriously good – and I can’t recommend it enough.

Check out the album opener “Shell Sock” (below) for a taste. It’s so good and a great example of what to expect from the rest of the album. I just snagged the LP from them and I can’t wait for it to arrive so I can blast it throughout the house.

Check The Milk is out now via Seasick Records and is available digitally and on wax from their Bandcamp page. You want this record. You need this record. Enjoy.

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Heavy Seas

Heavy Seas | Heavy Seas | 3hive.com
Heavy Seas | Heavy Seas | 3hive.com

I will never forget when I heard Chicago’s Heavy Seas for the first time. I was listening to a 2021 releases playlist (that I add interesting looking albums to over the year) while driving home from work and their song “Everything Breaks” started playing. I immediately reached for my phone (bad form, I know) to see what I was listening to and I’ve been hooked ever since. In fact, this is my most listened to album in the last two months – yes, I do keep track of that stuff.

Heavy Seas recorded their new album Everything Breaks with J. Robbins (!!!) and it sounds every bit like a J. Robbins produced album. The heavy, driving rhythm section, alongside howling guitars reminds me so much of early Sense Field and other bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Jets To Brazil, it’s almost like being transported back to the mid 90’s / early 00’s.

Check out “Everything Breaks” and “Monuments” (below) for a taste of how good this album is – a top 10 album of 2021 for me for sure. Everything Breaks is out now via Sell The Heart Records, Rad Girlfriend Records and Little Rocket Records. Find it. Buy it. Enjoy the hell out of it.

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Backhand

Backhand | Danger, Thy Calling | 3hive.com
Backhand | Danger, Thy Calling | 3hive.com

Backhand have been shredding ear drums and tearing up the stages of Salt Lake and Utah Counties for a little over a year now, they have also released 4 EP’s in that span, including their newest (and strongest) titled Danger, Thy Calling.

Danger, Thy Calling conjures the spirits of bands like Minutemen and early Replacements with bits of added craziness like Idles in there too. I am pretty certain Mr. Owens is channeling the late D. Boon during several moments on this EP.

Give the equally menacing “Everywhere Men” and “Think! Think! Think!” spins below, then get yourself to their Bandcamp page and give these hard working fellas some of your hard earned money. You won’t regret it, I promise.

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Swiss Portrait

Swiss Portrait | Familiar Patterns | 3hive.com

Swiss Portrait’s debut album Familiar Patterns was just what I needed today to lift my spirits and pull me out of the funk I’ve been in all morning dealing with the passing of our beloved dog (Lucy) last night.

Swiss Portrait is the DIY project of Edinburg based artist Michael Kay Terence who recorded and produced Familiar Patterns in his spare room.

Familiar Patterns is full of warm and dreamy bedroom pop goodness – a sure cure for what ails you. Please give “Find My Way” a spin below, you’ll be glad you did. Trust me.

You can get your hands on this digitally and on cassette from Z Tapes’ Bandcamp page. Enjoy.

Thank you Michael for giving me the lift I needed.

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The Rebel Set

The Rebel Set | Modern Living | 3hive.com
The Rebel Set | Modern Living | 3hive.com

Phoenix quartet The Rebel Set have returned with 12 fried crispy, psych/garage rock tunes on their brand new album Modern Living. Modern Living was recorded by the garage rock master Matt Rendon at Midtown Island in Tucson and a top secret “pandemic hideaway”. This album is a blast from start to finish, pogoing all the way through its 34 minute run time. The band claims “The soundtrack to your summer has arrived” and I agree.

Check out “Going Out In Style” for a taste below. Modern Living is out on Friday (May 28) via Outro Records and is available on vinyl (if your fast) and digitally via The Rebel Set’s Bandcamp page. Enjoy.

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FACS

FACS | Present Tense | 3hive.com
FACS | Present Tense | 3hive.com

Chicago trio FACS are barely a year removed from releasing their incredible Void Moments and are already back with another brooding masterpiece titled Present Tense.

From its opening track “XOUT” to the final “Mirrored”, Present Tense bludgeons the ear drums with pounding drums, shrieking guitars and chugging bass lines. This album is meant to be played loud. Check out second single “General Public” (below), it’s a great example of said bludgeoning.

FACS has quickly become one of my favorite bands and Present Tense doesn’t disappoint; it’s their strongest release yet and a sure contender for album of the year. Present Tense is out now via Trouble In Mind Records. We will also have it available at the 3hive Record Lounge. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS ALBUM.

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Wineteeth

Wineteeth | Soft Bangers | 3hive.com
Wineteeth | Soft Bangers | 3hive.com

I am here today to introduce you to Harrisonburg, VA’s Wineteeth and premier their newest single “Haunted Boy” from their upcoming cassette release Soft Bangers.

“Haunted Boy” is the second single from Soft Bangers. It’s a chugging guitar and bass driven tune that bounces around in your skull for its short 2:08 duration. It reminds me of the band Pretty Girls Make Graves a bit. You need to check out the stream of it below.

Soft Bangers is a killer album, full of melodic, punk rock goodness. There is nothing soft about this album. The cassette release will be dropping soon via Funny / Not Funny Records. I highly recommend it.

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Fake Fruit

Fake Fruit | Fake Fruit| 3hive.com
Fake Fruit | Fake Fruit| 3hive.com

San Francisco’s Fake Fruit is the newest addition to the already stellar Rocks In Your Head roster and they fit like a glove. Their just released, self-titled album is 30+ minutes of high-end lo-fi, post-punk goodness packed with pounding drums, chugging bass lines and piercing guitars. It’s solid stuff.

Check out “Old Skin”, “Stroke My Ego” and “Milkman” below for a sample.

Fake Fruit is out now and available digitally and on vinyl via Rocks In Your Head. Enjoy.

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Nightshift

Nightshift | Zoe | 3hive.com
Nightshift | Zoe | 3hive.com

Nightshift didn’t let the pandemic stop them from creating their sophomore LP Zöe. In fact the Glasgow band took full advantage of quarantine and separation to create their most ambitious music to date.

The common denominator throughout Zöe is the pounding drums and driving bass lines which move the tracks along and blend nicely with the use of clarinet, and the jangly guitar work. I think “Power Cut” (below) is the best example of this.

Zöe is a strong album that only gets stronger with every listen. You can snag it now via Trouble In Mind and I highly recommend that you do. Enjoy.

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Hoorsees

Hoorsees | Hoorsees | 3hive.com
Hoorsees | Hoorsees | 3hive.com

Parisian quartet Hoorsees’ debut self-titled album is my new favorite thing at the moment. I don’t really know how to describe their sound exactly – calling it indie rock seems like a cop out – It’s like jangle-pop (minus a little bit of jangle) with a little shoegaze (minus the wall of sound) and add some bedroom pop (with better production) for good measure.

However you want to classify the sound, this is the first can’t miss/don’t miss album of 2021.

Check out “Pitfall” and “Instant Tea” (below) then snag yourself a copy via Howlin’ Banana, In Silico or Kanine. Good luck finding a vinyl copy, if that’s your thing, as they seem to be sold out everywhere. Good for them!