I’m still tinkering with a few elements of TWIAPC and I think the next change is gonna start right now. From heres on outs I’m going to keep New To Know posts to one or two groups. They’re going to be more frequent but by relaxing the rule of 3 I hope to be able to give the groups I feature a little more verbiage. I’m also working on a few other new features and I think this move will balance the content out. So, with that said get to reading about these two great acts.
Grubby Little Hands
This Philly trio has just released their first album Imaginary Friends which is the perfect title for the heavily nuanced collection of songs. Each of the 13 tracks are a separate exploration of chimes, claps, echoes, hollow piano chords and harmonies. No single song comes off as an easy creation, the density and layering of the music make Imaginary Friend a wonderful trip into complex land of psychedelic indie rock. They do pick up the pace a bit on a few of the songs but for the most part they remain in a dreamy haze of hypothetical lyrics and curious arrangements. Three plays into the album I still haven’t fully settled into it which isn’t a bad thing as I keep discovering new facets of their sound. Looking for some loose new tunes? Give Grubby Little Hands a try.
Uncles
Every once in a while I hear a voice that really draws me in, the rest of the arrangement could drop away and I would still be a pleased listener. That is how I felt when I first heard Danny Batemen’s voice on his band Uncles’ new album Replacing Words With Other Words. Credited to listening to his Southern grandfather sing to him as a child his voice brings a distinct twang to the New York based group. Batemen and his bandmate Will Schwartz have been writing their slice-of-life songs since they were teens but I have a feeling a few years on em has given their lyrics the tarnish that really makes an impression. Accompanied by a ever changing group of instrumentalists who strum banjos, double basses and violins Uncles’ sound is definitely Americana but with a hint of big city influence. For a first album there is an undeniable shine of promise, now I just want to hear how they will evolve.