14 New Songs You Need To Hear Before June 2014 Ends
Sometimes the rock world can get noisy, and we don’t just mean in decibels or fuzz. Often the signal-to-noise ratio is more noise than signal. But no worries; we read, listen to and watch everything so we can sort it for you. Here are some of our favorite new songs and videos of June 2014.
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5 SECONDS OF SUMMER – “Kiss Me Kiss Me”
The poppiest of pop-punk are back with another summer jam for us. This time, the guys teamed up with All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth (one of their big influences) who co-wrote the song during a bro-down session with producer John Feldmann. The track’s a bit more breezy (and actually has an ATL feel to it), than their previous, anthemic single, “She Looks So Perfect.” It sounds like a fun preview of what’s to come on their upcoming debut full-length. —Matt Crane
BEARTOOTH – “Body Bag”
One listen through Beartooth’s debut LP, Disgusting, and you may ask if there is anything frontman Caleb Shomo hasn’t been through. Throughout the record, Shomo holds nothing back, by delving into issues like domestic abuse (“Beaten In Lips”), alcoholism (“Relapsing,” “I Have A Problem”) and his personal faith (“Dead”). While the entire record is comprised of blistering, hardcore-influenced metal, it’s on “Body Bag” where everything truly falls into place. Essentially a circle pit just waiting to happen, the track is chock full of breakneck speed drumming and punk chord progressions, which take turns giving way to infectious two-step patterns and bludgeoning breakdowns. —Tyler Sharp
CAYETANA – “Serious Things Are Stupid”
“Serious Things Are Stupid,” the first single from Cayetana’s upcoming debut full-length Nervous Like Me, takes its time developing. It fluctuates between quiet, distorted guitars and full-band crescendos, all guided by frontwoman Augusta Koch who manages to sound both plaintive and utterly distinct as she belts out lines like, “Came here alone/And I'm gonna leave that way.” The song's subject matter isn't anything new. Everyone has liked the wrong person. Everyone has believed that same person when he or she says, “I swear I'll change.” But Cayetana present it in a refreshing, relatable way that touches on all our insecurities about love and relationships. —Brittany Moseley
CONDITIONS – “Missing Hours”
Conditions’ final album Missing Hours is a combination of new songs, covers and acoustic renditions of their previous material. The cover tracks (including reimagined takes on the Killers and U2) sound huge, and the production on the acoustic tracks is super crisp, but the new material is where these Richmond, Virginia natives really shine. The album’s title track is a standout, lush with guitar layers and massive drums. The bridge is probably the heaviest Conditions have ever sounded, and that is definitely not a bad thing. —TJ Horansky
DAISYHEAD – “Can’t Live In It”
Placing themselves on par with the musical heartbreaking abilities of artists like Brand New and Thrice, Daisyhead reflect on the darkness of suicidal thoughts in “Can’t Live In It.” Its lack of a traditional verse-chorus-verse structure paired with crescendos and soft, forlorn, echoing guitars add even more pain to the forthright lyrics (“I tried before/It wasn’t time/Tonight, I will die/I’m finally leaving this place”). The song is vocalist Michael Roe’s imagining of what was happing inside his friend Kasey’s mind the night he committed suicide. The honesty—Roe’s fearlessness to convey such horrifying yet, for many, familiar thoughts—make it one of the most powerful songs this year. —Cassie Whitt
ELEL – “40 Watt”
In their debut music video for infectious single “40 Watt,” Nashville newcomers ELEL pay partial homage to Pulp Fiction amid scenes of celebration, while lovestruck frontman Ben Elkins trades verses with his wife. The video's summer vibe perfectly complements the track's uproarious pop sensibilities, and its energetic Afro-Cuban electronic/energetic rock style just dares you not to smile and sing along. I expect we'll be hearing a lot more from this band when their first full-length, Geode, arrives later this year. —Philip Obenschain
EVERY TIME I DIE – “Decayin' With The Boys”
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM – “Rollin' And Tumblin'”
HEART TO HEART – “A.M.F.”
IN FLAMES – “Rusted Nail”
Oh, the pain of being an In Flames fan. You never truly know what’s in store when the patron saints of Gothenburg, Sweden start their mandatory “evolution” that comes with each album. “Rusted Nail” is a rock song. The barbaric screams of Anders Fridén are entirely absent. (His clean vocals do get quite raspy, though, in the uplifting “Just this once/Listen to the words I say” chorus. Raspy cleans—an ironically positive thing in this new era of In Flames.) The choice of this track as the first single was appropriate, as Sirens Charms is the first official rock album by these melodic death-metal pioneers. The track—which puts a drop of the old In Flames into a bucket of arena rock and industrial influence—is an alarm for fans to either finally jump ship, or accept the band in their new form: the soft lords of arena melodeath. —Matt Crane
SAY ANYTHING – “Judas Decapitation”
THE STORY SO FAR – “Navy Blue”
WALK THE MOON – “Shut Up And Dance”
GERARD WAY – “Action Cat”