[new music] "Steev Millar" by Z*L / record release May 10 @ Radio in Somerville

Listening to that new GVSB we just posted reminded me of the new self-titled record from Boston trio Z*L, released yesterday via Midriff Records. They were supposed to have their release party this past Friday at Radio, but we all know what went down that day, so like everything else around town it was postponed.

While we await the re-sked date of May 10, also at Radio and featuring Thalia Zedek, You People, and Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, the album's release trudged forward this week (available at the Midriff online store, and iTunes). And we've been buzzing to the low-highway speed groove of "Steev Millar," a guitar-gasmic hummer of a scab-picking tune that's already one of our faves of the year.

Formerly called Lucky Dragon, Z*L are Jack Knife on drums, Isabel Riley on bass/vocals, and the great, if not criminally underrated, Ian Adams on guitar/vocals. Adams' incredible 2009 solo record was a soulful departure from his heavier work in Rock City Crimewave and 8-Ball Shifter, and while it successfully helped me get over a breakup (like the Daily Pravda's "Dead House," I would play Adams' "A Man Possessed" and the title track as the ex-lady packed up her shit and left our apartment) it's good to see Adams rocking the fuck out again.

And here, he's at his slow-cigarette-drag finest. The pace of this song is quite alluring.

In My Head: The Deep North "Wake Up" + the impact of a great song (sorta Rumble recap)

Photo by Chrissy Bulakites

Last night, before having the honor of judging Night 2 of the 2013 Rock And Roll Rumble, I sat on a Rock Shop panel talking to bands about how to get press or spins on the radio. I've participated in this discussion before, both at previous Rock Shops and at Berklee College of Music, and my initial response to the overarching question is basic: "Write a great song." It generally gets some awkward, muffled laughs, until the crowd sees I'm serious.

Want to get your band written about: "Write a great song."

Want to get your band heard on the radio: "Write a great song."

Want to get people, writers, DJ booking agents, groupies, anyone, interested in your band: "Write a great song."

I didn't bust out that line last night (I blame my hangover), but I was immediately reminded of it a few hours later when THE DEEP NORTH took the stage as the second act of Night 2. More on the overall night, and thoughts on Sunday's opener, in my Rumble Halftime Report coming tomorrow, but I'm still struck about how a great song transcends everything, from favoritism to fancy press photos or connections or whatever. After a warm opening song to start their set, the quintet then launched into "Wake Up," a majestic, beautifully polished rock anthem that at its peak is as tall as the sky. Rebecca Frank's vocals are engaging; the song just pulls you in. The night ended up going to Camden, whose bratty, speedball guitar-pop was inspired and slung with ease, but I'm sure the Deep North walked away with a lot of new fans. Actually, the galactic electronic rock of Herra Terra and Endation's raw rock crunch served those bands very well, as well. It was a great night of music at TTs.

But yeah, back to the point: you write a great song, and people will notice. And they did. I included the Deep North in my Boston Phoenix Class of 2013 feature based on this song alone.

And Glenn di Benedetto, fellow judge of last night's Rumble, wrote a few minutes ago on Facebook: "This song right here. In Parlour Bells, I value memorable songwriting often with an infectious pop/rock aesthetic, so when a peer band achieves that so wonderfully I can't help but be in awe of it."

Indeed.

In My Head: The Bynars "All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Fun Tonight" / 04.24.13 @ Great Scott

It seems like only yesterday THE BYNARS performed with an up-and-coming fun. at the Lansdowne Pub as part of the WFNX Disorientation 2011 series. Since then, the where-are-they-now? fun. have virtually disappeared from the music landscape, drowning in obscurity, playing for dozens (including long-suffering girlfriends) while intent on penning their own Behind The Music-type of comeback. Meanwhile, the Boston-based quirk-pop band the Bynars have tirelessly honed their nerd-rock craft around Massachusetts, releasing intricate pop music with even more intricate music videos, and the tasty fruits of their bountiful labor finally re-surfaced today with the 12-minute one-stop electronic cruise ship "All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Fun Tonight," a synthpop jam that's an EP unto itself. And no, Sheryl Crow is not invited to this party.

The track is the first single from the Bynars' upcoming sophomore LP, X vs. X, which, if this song is any indication, is roughly three hours long.

"AIWDIHSF" gets real good around the seven-minute mark, kinda like how the outro to Flock of Seagulls' "Wishing" grabs hold of the listener and spins them around the dance floor inside your smart phone. If only they had smart phones in the mid-'80s.

Peep the track, then catch the Bynars at Great Scott on April 24 with Andre Obin and others.

In My Head: Stephie Coplan "Fuck You, Hollywood"

STEPHIE COPLAN is on a rampage.

After demanding "No Assholes on Christmas" and then declaring "I Hate February 14 (Shoot Me)" the Cambridge-to-New York songwriter has got a bit more vitriol to thrown down, and this time she's set her sights out west: "Fuck You, Hollywood" is the tenth effort in her grand plan to release a new song every week, and this one's got a nice little new wave beat to it. It sounds like it could be in a blockbuster rom-com, but we all know better than that by now.

It's a shame WFNX isn't still around, I woulda loved intro'ing this bad boy.

Download the song for the nice-price of fah-free, and peep my Phoenix feature on Copes that ran last year. While she just played a sold-out gig at Brighton Music Hall with Jukebox the Ghost and Pretty & Nice, she and her Pedestrians are back in town May 4 with a show at her old stomping grounds, the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge.

Video rules, too...

In My Head: People At Parties "Mazes"

While I was setting up the Vanyaland soundcloud last night, I stumbled upon a new track posted only three days ago from one of my favorite artists, New York/San Francisco dark dance trio PEOPLE AT PARTIES. They've been rather quiet lately, and the last post to their FB was back in October -- but this new song "Mazes," was just posted a few days ago. It also appears on their homepage, along with little else.

"Mazes," true to form another passionate 3am electronic slow-burner from P@P, and again is led by the haunting vocals of LK Naps, whose damaged Siouxsie fetish I've long appreciated. It's been a few years since the trio blew me away with their demo EP -- tracks like "Happy Birthday" and "Control" are among my all-time faves, and listed the former in my Best of 2011 -- and last I heard from them was a track called "Tides" posted around 7 months ago, also to their Soundcloud.

So what's up? Is a return in order? Or are they just releasing some leftover stuff from when they were more active, around 2011 or so? I'm pretty sure I heard this track and "Tides" in their sets a while back. I can only hope this is a tease, a re-boot of some older material, and more new stuff is on the way...

In the meantime, there's also a video for "Mazes." Very NYC.

In My Head: Hide your kids, hide your wife

Clearly this is the Song of the Day, maybe month, maybe YEAR. Antoine Dodson is a STAR.

In My Head: "Home" by Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros

Oh hai Vanyaland, sorry I've been so neglectful. Well, just got back from 33 hours of Newport Folk Festival, all after another rager at the pill Friday night, Hercules & Love Affair on Thursday and Drug Rug @ the MFA on Wednesday. Non-stop action through it all, but somewhere along the way, I fell in love.

Yes, madly in love.

With Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, who I caught just a few hours ago at NFF but had on in the van with the Boston Phoenix production crew pretty much the whole weekend. How I slept on this song "Home" for the past year, man, I duno. I'm supposed to be onto of these things.

Here's the clip. which even with the bland album art as a YouTube stand-in still sounds phenomenal. What an absolutely perfect love song. "In the streets we run free, like it's only you and me... ... .... Home is where ever I'm with you" Good lord the Newport Folk Fest made me all hippie.

VIDEO: Marina & the Diamonds 'Oh No'

Seriously, how the FUCK is Marina Diamandis not the biggest thing in pop music. We tolerate Katy Perry bullshit 24/7 and yet this absolute genius stays hipster. Fine, we'll keep her -- another gem of a pop diamond from the lady, "Oh No." That synth loop at the end is devastating.

IMH: 'Dream About Me' by Depreciation Guild

Told you Vanyaland was going all self-promo (as if it wasn't already...)

The Depreciation Guild - "Dream About Me" from Jack Ferry on Vimeo.

In My Head: the Parallels 'Find The Fire'

Not entirely hip to the Parallels (a word I could never, ever spell, like architecture or curriculum) but I do know they are from Canada, they sound like an electro Kylie and this jam, "Find The Fire," sounds dope in a nightclub. Spun it last night at Grand Theft Auto, and it carried over to Hangover City, making it today's "In My Head." Feel it.

IMH: Delorean's Cold Cave 'Life Magazine' remix

Today's hot hump day jam comes from Fader, which just premiered the new Delorean sunrise-party remix of Cold Cave's otherwise distant "Life Magazine."

Says da 'Fade: Delorean lifted the vocal and buried and echoed it underneath their seashore synthesizer melodies before the ending jack-attack, air horns and acid house yelps. This will go over great anywhere people like to dance with their hands in the air, your dorm or Ibiza, whatever. Indeed. Pop bottles.

Premiere: Cold Cave, “Life Magazine (Delorean Remix)” MP3

In My Head: The Walkmen 'The Rat'

Amazing day, amazing weekend, amazing everything. Best of times at this current pace, and an unbelievably incredible few months ahead, regardless of which path materializes in the next week or so (Last day at Herald = June 11). But today was all about BBQ and friends and vodka and an iPod mix that hit all spots.

The highlight? One of the best songs of the 2000s, piercing through the hazy, Quebec smoke-filled spring Boston air #SmokeMonsieur. I think "The Rat" clocked in as my 4th best Song of the Decade, behind only "Since U Been Gone," "Maps" and BM Linx's "Understanding Orange." Great hearing it unexpectedly over burgers and boozing.

In My Head: New Order 'Temptation'

As "Trainspotting" next year approaches 15 years of never getting old, its soundtrack also ages remarkably well. While much of New Order's catalog has dominated this fledgling springtime, today's vice is all about "Temptation." What a track, and this is such a great video. New Order is best when they cross the seven minute mark... <3 this.

In My Head: Blur's "For Tomorrow"

Despite it clearly being a Suede "Coming Up" morning down at the LTD, a professional blog post (read: The Boston Herald) regarding the Blur logo and that dumb ass racing game popped some Albarn nuggets into my head, and when the dust settled the finest Blur jam ever rose up and carried me along in a choreographed Britpop melody dance that would make the dog park scene in Marmaduke blush. La, la, la-la-la... hold-ing on for to-morrow

In My Head: Siouxsie "Make Up To Break Up"

Been living musically in the late '70s lately, so no surprise I've had this jam by Siouxsie & the Banshees rolling in my head all morning. Can't seem to find this on iTunes, and my old burned CD of Siouxsie hits from college is long gone, so Friday night when I was post-punking it up at le pil I sold out (as usual) and played "Hong Kong Garden" instead of this gem. Anyway, YouTube saves lives, and enjoy the Mick Hucknell cameo at 1:39 hahahahaha...

In My Head: Conservative Man 'The Heist'

This joint has been in my dome since about, oh, I dunno, January? Very excited to hear it live tonight at le pill. It's become a prime-time dance floor staple.

In My Head: Best Coast 'When I'm With You'

How hard does Best Coast's "When I'm With You" make you want to shut down the 'puter, ghost town the office, drive out to a crowded beach somewhere and just lay all day in the sand on a warm towel carelessly watching the waves hit the shore? This is some all spray yourself rotten with John Frieda Beach Blonde and cash out somewhere sunny until nightfall. Summer anthem right here for the get-away day-trip lovers.

In My Head: Afghan Whigs "Gentlemen"

No idea where this came from but I still fucking love the Afghan Whigs and this and "Debonair" is without a doubt their finest moment. The whole "Gentlemen" album is an underrated masterpiece.

In my head: Megadeth "Peace Sells"

Quite a potent song of the day today, as Sarah Palin is speaking to her idiot followers on the Boston Common and I'm one printer breakdown away from smashing a cheap bottle of bubbly on the Vanya MMA. Peace sells, but who's buying indeed. Early Megadeth still fucking owns.

IMH: Herve's remix of Bad Boy Bill "Falling Anthem"

Played the fuck out of this at last night's HOOD RICH takeover at OBs, and while yes, I know this shit dropped last February -- as in 2009 -- I'm officially making it the Summer of 2010 anthem. The over/under of noise complaints coming from the pseudo punk fucks downstairs is at 37. This gets played way too much at the LTD.