Five Favourites: Sweeping Promises

Following their 2020 debut, Hunger For A Way Out, Kansas duo Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug – aka Sweeping Promises – have now returned with a new album, Good Living Is Coming For You, is set for release tomorrow.

Taken from the album, latest single ‘Eraser’ showcases the band’s unique colossal energy and quirky, colourful soundscapes. Of the track, they explain that ‘Eraser’ is “a malevolent creep – an overly ambitious, shadowy force who bears an uncanny resemblance to you. She watches your every move, mirrors your motions, and ultimately uses your voice against you without you ever noticing what she’s done. She’s unchecked ambition, a paranoid girl Friday, an overriding impulse to reflect rather than project. She must be stopped at all costs.”

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of Good Living Is Coming For You, we caught up with Lira and Caufield to ask about the music that has inspired them the most. So, read about their five favourite albums, and make sure you check out the album, and watch the video for ‘Eraser‘ below! 

Caufield’s Picks:

Robert Ashley – Private Parts
One of the albums that has deeply marked my adult life! “A picnic of sorts.” Play this one if you think ambient suffers from a lack-of-personality problem. I will say I am intensely drawn to the second part, ‘The Backyard’, as the raga and Blue Gene Tyranny’s swirly soundscape lock into a groove, and Ashley’s midwestern observations bend abstractly into a kind of suburban noir. John Cheever, meet John Cage! The album’s sly and off-centre thought complex is punk to me. The low voice mix is an editorial red herring, directing the ear towards a narrative that is only ever elliptical and half-understood. The idea of cinema is as suggestive here as the idea of opera. Sumptuous intermedia!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QpHjWjNSL_k

Poison Girlfriend – Melting Moment (1992, re-press Sad Disco)
A new-to-me classic; a triphop phantasmagoria, envisioned by DJ digi-auteur nOrikO. I would recommend visiting the website, as this album’s milieu will be made clear. A first vinyl press arrives imminently via Japanese label Sad Disco (message to universe: the whole PGF catalogue should be pressed!). Anyway, this album is an icy piece of ambient house as well as a particularly form-pushing exemplar of early ’90s Japanese CD-R subculture. Brittle, dithered digital production, awesome spatialisation, surprising arrangements. I like nOrikO’s exploratory vocal delivery (English-speaking on this record), which is dispassionate yet intimate, with an air of danger. I read the characterology of her vocal as being like a femme fatale delivering a doomed-romantic message. In this album, feelings of love and breakdown pixelate into a shape auguring the early internet, a toxic desiring machine: enthralling, lonely, sophisticated.

Optic Sink – Glass Blocks (Feel It, 2023 – forthcoming)
Having left our jobs in 2021, Lira and I run a recording studio out of our vaulted-roof house in Kansas, which at times comes to resemble, for better or worse, an indie music b’n’b. In this capacity, we made the Optic Sink record so I’ve heard it, even though it’s not officially out yet. Perks of the trade, people! Can’t wait for this album to land on Feel It; Lira and I feel a twinge of pride, as we recall the darkened days of the snowstorm (coldwave manifest), hours of party-working in Lawrence, KS, menu-diving around the surrealistic Eventide H3000, on all sides a janky wall of analog synths! Our friends from Memphis, Ben, Keith, and Natalie comprise this band, electrified brainiacs all, and rocknroll expats, which is sympathetic. Travelling to a city near you, god willing!


Lira’s Picks:

Pozi – Smiling Pools (2023)
I was introduced to Pozi via their 176 EP in 2020, and I’ve been captivated ever since. Smiling Pools takes all the excellence of their previous releases and launches it into spectacular new heights with arrangements that are at once skeletal and dense, inviting and dangerous, haunted and hypnotic and hooky. I love how unfettered they sound, yet still so controlled: tightly coiled springs, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. One of the things I love about this band is the vocal interplay between Rosa Brook, Tom Jones, and Toby Burroughs (beautifully demonstrated in the unsettling call-and-response on ‘Through The Door’). ‘Failing’ and ’24 Deliveru’ get the repeat-button treatment a lot. One of the best albums of 2023, and also a really great album to bake a cake to late at night (speaking from experience).

Yukihiro Takahashi – What, Me Worry?
There are some albums I gravitate towards during certain seasons (Mask by Bauhaus in the bare-branched winter, Força Bruta by Jorge Ben for balmy summer evenings), but What, Me Worry? is perfect year-round, no matter the time or season. There’s a song for every moment; ‘It’s Gonna Work Out’ was made to soundtrack zipping around neon-lit highways on a warm July night; ‘All You’ve Got to Do’ is as bright and sparkly as a dewy spring morning. And then there’s ‘Disposable Love’ – “The first time I saw you, I knew it was going to happen” – the first time I heard that chorus, it made me shiver. A whole world of regret and desire contained in those thirteen portentous words! Up to that point, the song is already on the verge of buckling under the weight of its yearning, but still manages to play it cool with bouncy rhythms and fluttering, flute-like synth flourishes. And then that chorus lands, clawing through the mists of all that cool remove…I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it now. Yukihiro Takahashi’s music is so ambitious and sophisticated; his is an ecstatic strain of pop that twists and turns in ways that are thrilling and kinetic and intuitive.


Massive thanks to Lira and Caufield for sharing their Five Favourites with us!

Good Living Is Coming For You, the new album from Sweeping Promises, is out tomorrow 30th June via Sub Pop. Listen to quirky new single ‘Eraser’ here:

Photo Credit: Shawn Brackbill

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ALBUM: Weekend Recovery – ‘Esoteric’

A welcome follow-up to their riotous recent singles, Weekend Recovery’s latest third album Esoteric builds on the distinct sound the band has built for themselves.

The album leaps into action with ‘Chemtrails’, the wildly catchy refutation to misinformation that dropped late last year. It keeps the energy high for the next few tracks, solidifying the unique flavour of this band. Continuing the fierce attitude of ‘Chemtrails’, ‘Dangerous’ blasts into the ears with its fast drums and throbbing bass, juxtaposed with its subtle lyrics that are gifted a profound sense of social commentary by the sirens remixed into the background.

Third track, ‘In The Crowd’, features the album’s first guest appearance. Joel Arthur’s (Hydeout) vocals on this and also ‘No Saint’ later on offer a rich deep contrast to those offered by Weekend Recovery’s vocalist Lori. The way the two voices play off each make for a striking mirror and adds depth to the songs on which he appears – his softer bass rumble platforming Lori’s rich tones in a way that heightens the attitude in them.

Lori’s vocals in every song are imbued with a sardonic, sarcastic weight. It’s particularly evident in ‘I Don’t Like You Anyway’, which has fantastic amounts of sass and is pitched perfectly. Every jab she makes feels like you’re siding with her against the world, never the target of her derision.

The title track comes at the midpoint of the album. ‘Esoteric’ is wonderfully chosen to demonstrate how skilled this band can be. The heavy bass line and quick drums set the stage for the vocals and fuzzy guitars to scream, aching with feeling and capturing the essence of what makes Weekend Recovery unique.

The album mellows out as it goes on, flexing the band’s versatility and offering a counter to the rough attitude you’ve come to expect. The gentle tracks are no less powerful or memorable than the ones that roar, however; ‘Her’ being a stand out. The dips in pace launch into new emotional heights, using the layers of music to carry you along with its mood, before leaping back into the familiar Weekend Recovery punch of ‘No Guts All The Glory’.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-v_6rwaxkjM

The arrangement takes you on a finely crafted emotional journey. The soft vulnerable songs feel like they’re exposing a hidden truth beneath the upbeat angry ones, hinting at a soft reaction to the same infuriating subject matters. Each song is a joy to experience on its own, but the relationship between the tracks carries a lot of power. The movement between songs tells its own story, whilst the construction of the album as a whole shows off how much thought and effort Weekend Recovery have put into constructing their music. 

Esoteric is out now via Criminal Records. Catch Weekend Recovery live at Tramlines Festival in Sheffied on 23rd July.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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New Track: MeMe Detroit – ‘Roaring At The Preachers’

A track that delivers everything it promises in its title, MeMe Detroit’s ‘Roaring At The Preachers‘ is a passionate cry rallying against hypocrisy. Inspired by Birmingham based singer Maria Rodriguez’s experiences with people who impose their views on others, it’s a frustratingly relatable song that takes you on a cathartic and charmingly wholesome journey.

Kicking off with a bouncing bass riff, which provides a solid foundation for the rest of the track to build on, drums and scuzzy guitar are then gradually introduced, adding layers until the song has a bold, fierce texture. The vocals come in rich and husky, but with a lightness that perfectly complements the bass. This balance gives the music the same energy as the lyrics – soaked in rage, but still upbeat and catchy.

You can hear a lot of the emotion behind this song in the vocals. Maria’s voice drips with disdain for the titular preachers, with their backwards attitudes and closed minds, but the lightness and vibrance of the musicality keeps the song hopeful. You can really feel the socially conscious, activist passion at the heart of the track.

The instruments and vocals combine as a single force as the song leaps from chord to chord; drums, strings and singer scream together in a passionate roar that rallies everyone listening to a safer, brighter place. It’s a riotous cry for people to unite with a sense of love and empathy, to embrace a better approach to the world than the negativity that is painfully common.

The flowing melody sweeps you up into its energy. Hooks stay in your head long after the song ends. It’s all too easy to catch yourself joining in with the wails and cheers, not only because the song is so catchy, but because it feels part of something so much bigger than itself.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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LISTEN: Tally Spear – ‘alone again’

Hailing from London, queer alt-rock artist Tally Spear creates music that bridges the gap between pop and rock, and combines strong vocals, emotive lyrics and slick production. Having received received praise from Radio 1, BBC Introducing, Radio X and Kerrang!, she’s now shared her poignant latest single.

‘alone again‘ opens with a clear in-your-face vocal, followed by a thick heavy synth bass line and punchy electronic drums. It has an immediate energy which keeps it pacing forwards. The three part harmonies are a nice and satisfying touch, adding texture to a melodically sparse verse and bringing to mind artists like Billie Eilish and Aurora. 

The chorus is where the song really erupts and comes to life with metal-style heavy distorted guitars and a very catchy melody – “I fell in love but I don’t think I did it right”, Spear sings about the confusion that comes with love and dating. The move from electronic to thrashing guitars adds a unique edge, creating an interesting and engaging listen. ‘Alone Again’ is well-produced, taking elements from pop and EDM style – introducing an immersive fusion of sounds to excite your ear. 

Spear has said this is one of her favourite songs she’s written. On the lyrics she said: “‘alone again’ explores the confusion and conflict that comes alongside falling in love and dating, but at the same time it’s celebrating the love you have with yourself and your own company. I wanted the song to be vulnerable but also strong and independent”.

If you like this track, Spear released a 6-track EP in 2020 that is available on Spotify and she is currently gigging so keep your eyes open for new dates to be announced!

Ella Patenall
@ellapatenall

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