into a pretty room by Lots of Hands
Pretty. Understated in its mellow beauty with the solemn heart wrenching undercurrent of
Sparklehorse and early Alex G, and just enough experimentation to carry your limp soul off to
another world.
I Saw the TV Glow was my favorite film of 2024, not that I watched all too many films I
thought would be good (only learned earlier this week a new Wallace and Gromit came out, a
rare downside of not having social media). Alex G crafted an excellent soundtrack with many
guest artists to match the film’s atomic existential angst. There are few films that capture the
dissonant daydream of childhood so well. When I watched Juno in April the final bleachers
scene decayed my heart into ash, this movie’s stars did a similar scene just as well in their own
way, rotting it out from its hollow inside.
All of these feelings spring forth from into a pretty room by Lots of Hands, but among
the many tracks there’s also a windchime-like Spring (rebirth in the new year) magic, where you
see those images through the crystal haze of soap bubbles floating through the cool Winter air.
Hotel New Yuma by Yuma Abe
Trends of Japanese pop culture interest in the US can be represented for a KXLU
audience by the immense sudden rise of Shibuya-kei band Lamp, who have long circulated in
otaku communities and discog imports before they came to streaming a couple of years ago.
Masayoshi Takanaka, Himiko Kikuchi, Tatsuro Yamashita, Casiopea have also blown up again
overseas with algorithm recommendation, and I figure Sunny Day Service, Advantage Lucy, and godfather of them all, Haruomi Hosono and his many projects, are not excluded from this. If you
blend all of these incredible, relaxed, dreamy, funky, often tropical artists from the 20 th and 21 st
centuries you get Yuma Abe’s fresh take on New Music. Memories of first dates and family
vacations that fade over time to become strange refuges of uncertainty. A great short album that
reflects Abe’s persistent craftsmanship in a style that continues to enchant every new generation
it chances upon.
The Great Internet by FRVITS, Pre-Apocalypse Motorcycle Music by Pet Mosquito
Slovenly Records sent us a big box of vinyl releases from the last year containing a
wonderful assortment of garage punk. These two especially stood out to me in character with
their creative rearrangement of breakneck chords, bouncing rhythms, distorted melodies, and
everything else you can expect from the best of modern rocket-fueled garage punk. The label’s
whole lineup was a total blast to listen to.
Gift Shop by Paint
My KXLU music taste probably looks something like a marriage between raw cacophony
and sugar sweet indie pop. This release falls into the latter category. Bright and soft but buzzing
and dancing at sunrise on a blooming hillside. Pleasant pop melodies but with the rest of the
band carrying their weight to push you in a shopping cart, young and fun—in a time of life easily
bruised but visiting the end of a rainbow every weekend.
Swarm the Hive Mind – EP by mercury
If you like the direction of Paint but are looking for something a bit heavier check out this
3-song release. It’s built on the Midwest noise rock sorrow of Wednesday. The start of the
Gregorian year is always extremely challenging for a number of practical and internal reasons, so
if you need something quick and new to rock out to or cry with why not squeeze this teeny
release into your crazy schedule. Each song’s got a whole different mood and energy to it that
makes the experience of the release feel complete in spite of its brevity. With whatever you have
going on in your life right now, I wish you the best of luck and I hope I can help you look
forward to the next month a bit more with new indie music.
Do you want a chance to have your music played on the radio? Send us your music submissions!
Physical submissions (vinyl, CD, cassette):
KXLU 88.9FM
Attn: Music Director
One LMU Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Digital submissions: brettkxlu@gmail.com
Brett also co-hosts A Fistful of Vinyl every Thursday from 9:00-10:00pm PST on KXLU 88.9FM.