Wye Oak - "Lifer"

Yesterday Baltimore duo Wye Oak released “Lifer,” the third single from their upcoming album The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs. The LP drops next week via Merge and follows 2016's Tween.

The airy piano and vocals, and echoing guitar on “Lifer” may not stand out in the indie rock field, but the song is undeniably pretty. The distorted guitar solo late in the track is a pleasant and intriguing surprise that gives the song more personality.

Wye Oak will kick off their European tour on April 19 after playing the Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City, Iowa. The band will start their North American tour on May 9 in Asheville, North Carolina.

-Owen Murray

Dope Body - "Repo Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-H-wu2sNuI As you might recall from last week, we kind of sort of loved the new Dope Body record Lifer. It will almost certainly be considered among the very best rock releases of the year. And in the running for best rock video of the year is this Theo Anthony-directed one for standout cut "Repo Man." An evocative portrait of socio-economic hardship in a presumably Marylandian town, the short is as thematically impressive as it is technically. It was a great idea to use "Intro" to set the stage and exponentially mount tension, and  the whirlwind intercutting of the noisy VHS footage, while something of a gimmick at this point, is appropriate and tastefully executed in this case.

Having delivered here a well-struck balance of kinetic, fun, and subtly moving; Theo Anthony is well-deserving of the Vimeo "Video of the Week" Award for which he's just been nominated. If you really dig the video, vote for it here.

Lifer is out now via Drag City.

Dope Body - Lifer

Dope Body releases a chaotic and somewhat psychedelic followup to 2012's Natural History.

Dope Body - "Hired Gun"

Baltimore noise rock band Dope Body drops a track from their forthcoming album, Lifer. It's looking at a release this October on Drag City Records, just like their last album, and this new track of theirs is a heavy, wild piece of rock 'n' roll. While it's not as kooky or groove-oriented as the cuts on Natural History, the band still brings forth some visceral riffs and a dynamic guitar interlude as well. Enjoy!