Deadshirt

Deadshirt Is Listening… Bringing you a rundown of our staff and guest contributors’ favorite new tracks released in the past week after they’ve had the weekend to blast them in their cars, in a club, alone in their rooms, etc.

David Lebovitz is joining the crowd to…

“Play Ball”
AC/DC
Rock or Bust
Rock

Forget death and taxes – the most certain thing in life is what any given AC/DC song will sound like. AC/DC been writing the same song since at least 1980, using the same four chords and same song structure, and against all odds it continues to work. Rock party anthem “Play Ball” is more of the same, and it’s as solid as ever, or maybe even a touch better, as Brian Johnson’s vocals haven’t sounded this good in years.

On stage, AC/DC’s a little different since founding member and all-time great rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young tragically had to leave the band due to his health. The band filled the void with Angus and Malcolm’s nephew Stevie Young, who does a damn good job filling the space between solos. Even with a marginally different lineup, almost nothing has changed, and “Play Ball” is everything we could possibly ask for in a new AC/DC tune.

Madie Coe is hanging like a froot to…

“Froot”
Marina And The Diamonds
Froot
Electro-pop

Marina And The Diamonds released the first and titular single to her new forthcoming LP. Lyrics make no pretense about bacchanalian interests, sensuously relating her body to low-hanging summer fruit for the benefit of a suitor. The 5:30 runtime might prove too much for radio formatting, but the rainbow-heavy marketing clues into future club remixes for the LGBT crowd, which might give the song some serious traction. The single is a slow cheeky pulsation over bubbly electrobeats, and a refreshing indulgence departing from the bitter pop witticisms of the singles from the previous album Electra Heart.

Steph Salo is getting happy to…

“The Night is Young”
The 2 Bears
The Night is Young
Electronic

Joe Goddard (of Hot Chip) and his musical partner Raf Rundell (1965 Records) have returned with this effervescent uplifting jaunt. Their first album, Be Strong, was released back in 2012 and is a collection of some complex yet fun dance songs. Their sophomore album is shaping up to be even better. “The Night is Young” makes you wanna pile your friends into the family Prius and have a bonfire on the beach at night. The intro is true to everything good about electronic music. It’s catchy, danceable, and makes for the perfect anthem of a Good Time. When the chorus kicks in, the song transforms into a crowd-pleasing pop song. Then around the six-minute mark, we’ve got some serious Phil Collins-esque drums going on. The Brits sure do know their dance pop. The album drops on October 13th, and I am seriously excited to see what else this duo can do.

Julian Ames is calmly freaking out to…

“Eye Dozer”
Spirit Club
“Eye Dozer” b/w “Sling” 7”
Shoegaze

Earlier this week, Nathan Williams, singer and songwriter for the band Wavves, released the two songs of a new 7” single “Eye Dozer” and “Sling” as part of a collaboration called Spirit Club. Williams has taken on a few different side-projects as of late, most notably Sweet Valley, an instrumental rap project started with his brother Kynan; Spirit Club sees Nathan Williams teaming up with another sibling, Joel, as well as Andrew Caddick, a.k.a. Jeans Wilder. In this project, the surf-obsessed San Diegan Williams and his band try to go shoegaze, and the result is a light, airy melancholy, especially in the song “Eye Dozer,” where the kinetic energy of the bass and drums, the synth bells in the chorus, and the background “wa-ooh’s,” give the song a slightly sunny demeanor. That’s not to say “Eye Dozer” isn’t a downer (Williams sings about a bullet in his brain and repeats “I’m freaking out” in the chorus, but it’s never quite a bummer) the song is just very calming and makes for a good emotional numbing agent.

That’s what we’ve been listening to this week – what’s got your ear this week? Tweet your recommendations @DeadshirtDotNet or drop us a line on our Facebook page.