3 Songs: On Repeat

Sera Cahoone – “Better Woman” (The Seattle folk-rock singer-songwriter is set to release her long-awaited new album, From Where I Started, today via Lady Muleskinner Records.  With a backing band that includes members of Son Volt, Death Cab For Cutie and others, Cahoone leans even more toward classic country and Americana - especially on the stand out track here, with its honky-tonk like piano runs and sweetly swaying melodies - yet the spotlight remains on her warm vocals and nostalgia-inducing lyrical sentiments of love and loss.)  https://www.seracahoone.com/     

Stream: https://soundcloud.com/user-577282667/02-better-woman

Whimsical/Seasurfer – “Surreal” (Texas-based Saint Marie Records has recently released new albums from Indiana dream-pop progenitors Whimsical and German sound-sculptors Seasurfer - Sleep To Dream and Under The Milky Way…Who Cares?, respectively.  Presented here is Whimsical’s aptly-titled single, “Surreal” with its lushly propulsive female-fronted Cure-like sound alongside Seasurfer’s fuzzed-out remix which re-imagines the song with harsher, heavier shoegaze-inspired guitars and hazy, psychedelic atmospherics.  It makes for the perfect introduction to the two bands and the label, who are leading the way in the shoegaze/dream-pop scene.) http://www.saintmarierecords.com/

Download: https://saintmarierecords.bandcamp.com/album/surreal       

Craig Finn – “Preludes” (The Hold Steady frontman is set to release his third solo album, We All Want The Same Things today on Partisan Records.  Known for his highly-descriptive lyrics, Finn focuses his cast of characters on love and relationships on the new album which also includes contributions from Rainer Maria vocalist Caithlin De Marrais, Annie Nero and Hold Steady guitarist Tad Kubler among others.) http://www.craigfinn.net/  

Stream the shimmering, flute-filled standout single here: