Underground Sounds with Chad Miller: May 2024
By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director
What's everyone been listening to out there? There's been an AVALANCHE of great new songs coming at us to start the new year, as per usual, with STILL more to come! Easily the most exciting time of the year in our world of music, that I get to sort through and play them for you on the radio. So much new music coming at us, so little time...however, these songs that might fly under the radar to most are what I've been diggin' most especially these past few weeks!
Like what you hear? Please email me at chad@thesummit.fm and let me know what you think!
Aaron Frazer "Payback"
As we turn to the warm weather months of comfort and heat, we as music fans are always seeming to look to what might become an anthem for the summertime season. At the very least, a super fun upbeat song that's just impossible NOT to move to. I don't know if this one will officially reach "true #1 summer jam" status, but still this one is absolutely irresistible, and way too much fun! Aaron Frazer is set to return with his second solo album "Into the Blue," which is out June 28th, via Dead Oceans Records, and this new song is a welcome reminder of why this musician is so talented. Already the drummer of the terrific soul revival band Durand Jones & the Indications, Frazer really steps out on this propulsive dance floor heater, which includes so many intricacies within the song only adding to its tempo and feel. An album that followed the end of a long relationship, seeing Frazer move cross country from Brooklyn to Los Angeles for a change of scenery, he's described this song as being all about karma, and how it all manifests itself. Heartbreak never sounded so good in this case.
Fontaines D.C. "Starburster"
Undoubtedly one of the best post-punk acts to come out of Ireland in decades, Fontaines D.C. are back with another banger, to further solidify their ascent into the rock band stratosphere. Newly signed to XL Recordings, the band will be releasing their highly anticipated fourth album "Romance," on August 23rd, and what a way to announce a return with this killer new track. Building off each successive album with a slightly different approach each time, this song was inspired by a panic attack suffered by lead singer Grian Chatten, while at a train station in London, and literally shows in the delivery as punctuated by the deeply inhaled breaths throughout the song, to sort of replicate that moment. Chatten also said regarding the forthcoming album, "We say things on this record we've wanted to say for a long time. I never feel like it's over, but it's nice to feel lighter." That sort of forthright transparency makes this an album I'm excited to dig into once its finally released later this summer! P.S. the music video for this song is a cinematic stunner, and captures the band's signature intensity perfectly!
Glass Beams "Mahal"
While some may it find it cynical, with hot bands and musical acts of the moment inspiring legions of copycat followers in their wake, I've always found it rather fascinating to see what exactly comes out of different waves of popularity from varying subgenres that gain new attention. This is certainly the case with young instrumental groove band Glass Beams, out of Melbourne, Australia, and the title track to their new EP, available now on Ninja Tune Records. Similar to the wave of global chill sounding grooves from bands led by the likes of Khruangbin, who are now selling out entire tours these days, Glass Beams, and their sounds, stem from founding band member Rajan Silva, and his childhood memories relating to his father who emigrated to Melbourne from India. This is very much reflected in the music as it timelessly fuses together cultures and sounds, filtered through a mesmerizing lens of flawless musicianship and blending styles from both Eastern cultures and Western musical traditions all the same. This song is the absolute coolest!
Maggie Rose "Fake Flowers"
Listeners of The Summit FM got to know this extremely talented young artist with her song "For Your Consideration," which was a big hit during the summer of 2021, and also saw her perform a phenomenal Studio C session, on the road, at the Knight Stage, at the Akron Civic Theater, that following summer. Maggie Rose is now back in a big way with this new song showcasing her powerful vocals, bringing to mind the gentle strength of Carole King, combined with the subtlety of a legend like Joni Mitchell all at the same time. It's that Laurel Canyon vibe that really infuses an organic sense of authenticity on these piano and guitar driven rootsy pop songs from her upcoming album titled "No One Gets Out Alive," which is available now, and definitely worth a listen. See her performing live May 30th, at the Beachland Ballroom, in Cleveland!
Yannis & the Yaw "Walk Through Fire"
Oh man...this song comes out swingin' with so much emotion! An intriguing and creative new side project from Yannis Philippakis, lead singer of British band Foals, along with the late great Tony Allen, long time drummer best known for working with the legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, this song is sharply focused and plays to both their strengths, in ways that are impossible not to notice. The signature howl of Philippakis, which is especially let loose on the vocals of this song, paired with the unmistakable funk driven, yet muscular, grooves and rhythms laid down by Allen's drumming, all blends together in one of the more exhilarating shared collaborations our world of music has seen, or heard, in quite some time. The intensity contained within this song is quite striking, but of course bittersweet now, with the passing of Allen four years ago inspiring Philippakis with an added sense of urgency, and a responsibility, to finish these recordings in order to get them released out to the world. That will happen August 30th, as part of the "Lagos Paris London" EP, via Transgressive Records.