Fresh Track: Wet Blankets “Patio”
It’s Bloomington day on Thought on Tracks, and with good reason. Today marks the release of She Does Is Magic’s My Height in Heels. God willing, I’ll have a review out the door by early this afternoon. Before we get there though, I would like to introduce fellow B-town residents Wet Blankets.
This band has jumped out of the gates with a home-run debut single in the form of “Patio” – a yearning, rollicking teen dream of a tune. The track is the first taste of the forthcoming five-track EP Sheepy Love, due out October 16 on Crossroads of America Records. The vinyl is limited to just 200 copies. If “Patio” is any indication, Sheepy Love is looking like a worthy addition to the collection. Pre-order your copy today.
Written by Rob Peoni
Fresh Track: Sandpaper Dolls “Swallow Them Whole”
The handful of regular Thought on Tracks readers should be able to detect a pattern in the type of music I promote in this space. I have a weakness for female vocalists, fuzzy garage bands, experimentation and Afrobeat influences – particularly in jazz. Louisville’s Sandpaper Dolls has several of my guilty pleasures rolled into a single package.
The experimental, female A Capella trio recently dropped their debut single “Swallow Them Whole.” Singers Suki Anderson, Amber Estes and Rebecca Dennison weave impeccable vocal lines, looped for added depth and layering. The result is an arrangement similar to fellow female trio Mountain Man with the poly-rhythmic styling of tUnE-yArDs’ Merrill Garbus. “Swallow Them Whole” is the first taste of Sandpaper Dolls’ self-titled debut, due out via Karate Body Records on November 6. The album will be available for pre-order on September 25.
Connect with Sandpaper Dolls via Facebook | Twitter
Written by Rob Peoni
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Album Stream: Oreo Jones ‘Betty’
Indy’s own Oreo Jones is an artist that hadn’t really caught my ear in the past, but that’s not because he isn’t a talented rapper. I have a tendency to overlook a lot of local hip hop because of the scene’s lack presence on the national stage, but Oreo’s debut LP Betty has the potential to change all of that. “Frankie”, “Needy”, and “Joseph Kittinger Wings” are probably the three best, straightforward rap songs on Betty, yet they don’t sound anything alike, a testament to Jones’ ability to shift his style and his flow at will. “Joseph Kittinger Wings” is a particular favorite because of the obscure name-drop in the track’s title (see Wikipedia) and the fact that Oreo raps like a long, lost member of De La Soul.
Oreo Jones has been hit with the “party rap” label in the past, but it sounds like a label he’s attempting to shed. The album’s varied production might be a little too quirky for my taste at times, but Oreo Jones’ artistic focus is clear. “Rotate” is the last song on Betty, but it feels like the album’s emotional core with its revealing, introspective verses. My favorite song on Betty though is Jones’ self-produced banger “Burnt Circle”. The track’s buzzing reverb and hard hitting drums fit Oreo’s booming delivery perfectly and make you wonder why he didn’t make the track longer and why he doesn’t make more of his own beats. The deluxe version of Betty comes with 4 bonus tracks including the amazing “The Rifle”, a heartbreaking song about a boyfriend of Jones’ mother. Betty is easily Oreo Jones’ most ambitious project to this point and should expose him to a much larger audience. Stream and download the album below and get familiar with one of the best young musicians that Indianapolis has to offer.
Connect with Oreo Jones via Facebook | Twitter | Rad Summer
Written by John Bugbee
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