Best New Music Releases, Week of July 3 – Sunglasses, Easter Island, Gold Motel, Johnny Hickman, Teenage Bottlerocket

sunglasses-swimThis past week was the thinnest week of new releases since the first week of January. The holidays usually are light on new releases because labels know people’s attention is elsewhere. Still, we have some releases definitely worth checking out, including singles from Easter Island, Gold Motel, and Johnny Hickman. But the singles that get our attention the most are two tracks from the duo Sunglasses’ first EP in two years, Swim/Namesake EP. Unfortunately, we can’t find a link on Amazon to purchase the EP, so you might want to check out the link that goes to the Lefse Records label website.

“Swim”Sunglasses from Namesake/Swim EP on Lefse Records

Double-shot: “Namesake”Sunglasses from Namesake/Swim EP on Lefse Records

“Frightened”Easter Island from Frightened (self-released)

“Always One Step Ahead”Gold Motel from Gold Motel on Good As Gold/Thirty Tigers

“Measure of a Man”Johnny Hickman from Tilting on Campstove Records

teenagebottlerocketdonewithlove
Photo by Dawn Wilder for Rolling Stone

Teenage Bottlerocket Release Fifth Album, Plus New Single, “Done With Love”

The riotous Wyoming punk rock band Teenage Bottlerocket released their fifth studio album, Freak Out!, this week containing the infectious single, “Done With Love!” The lyrics are all about a guy who just doesn’t have the time or will to deal with the requirements and dramas of being in love – something probably most of us have encountered at one time or another. A few lines from the lyrics include the following pronouncement: “I got shit to do/No time for hanging out and no time for you/I’ve got no time to waste/I’d rather be some other place.”

From Rolling Stone magainze, June 26, 2012:

According to vocalist and guitarist Kody Templeman, the lyrics were inspired by his own experience ending a relationship.

“I wrote it after my ex-wife and I were divorced,” Templeman tells Rolling Stone. “It’s about finding strength in keeping people at arm’s length and not letting anyone close enough to hurt you again. I had the idea of going completely overboard with this idea, to the point of writing off love completely for the rest of my life, when I penned the tune.”

Let’s start a club for people that don’t want to deal with “love,” and members can end their membership at any time, but before doing so, fellow members need to remind you of why you joined in the first place. Maybe call it “Safehouse for the Broken Hearted.” E-Harmony: harmonize this. Now that’s a punk rock song right there.

“Done With Love!”Teenage Bottlerocket from Freak Out!