indie Archives | MendoWerks

Birthmark: Nate Kinsella To Drop First Album in 8 Years

16Nov

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music

Birthmark: Nate Kinsella To Drop First Album in 8 Years

Cover Art Photo by Shervin Lainez In a thrilling comeback, Nate Kinsella, the mastermind behind Birthmark, has announced the release of the project's first album in eight years. Titled Birth of Omni the album is set to drop on January 19th, 2024 courtesy of Polyvinyl Records. Kinsella, a seasoned multi-instrumentalist known for his contributions to indie favorites like Joan of Arc, American Football, and Make Believe. The new material promises a unique sonic experience, marking a departure from his previous works. The lead single, "Rodney" is accompanied by a visually striking music video directed by Ben Wietmarschen. The song delves into Kinsella's personal journey of self-discovery, grappling with his sexuality and the societal expectations of masculinity. Featuring guest vocals fr...

Shadow Work: Dark, Dreamy Art Rock Worth Hearing

8Nov

By Martin CroftNo Comments

Features, Music

Shadow Work: Dark, Dreamy Art Rock Worth Hearing

Denver's music scene gets associated primarily with folk music--and for good reason. When one of the most beloved folk singers in history names himself after a city, it sets a precedent of sorts. But the Mile High City contains multitudes, and many talented artists in all manner of genres await discovery. Case in point: Alt-pop breakouts N3ptune and Rusty Steve, who we previously covered, and dynamic rock trio, Shadow Work. Shadow Work melds gloom-soaked psychedelic soundscapes with jazzy rhythms and off-kilter time signatures to create an ambient and arresting atmosphere punctuated by washed-out waves of distortion. Listening to them evokes the feeling of standing on a beach in deep space, staring out at an ocean of stars, or of lying on your bed at night, staring at your ceiling and s...

‘What Kind of Fool’ Are You? The Lovelines Help Us Find Out (Exclusive Interview)

15Oct

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Interviews

‘What Kind of Fool’ Are You? The Lovelines Help Us Find Out (Exclusive Interview)

"I love recording with my sister. It’s like dumping a box of Legos on the floor and building something together."- Todd goings, The Lovelines Many musicians consider their bandmates to be like family, but in the case of The Lovelines, the music truly is a family affair. A sibling duo, connecting across the Atlantic, is responsible for making the special sort of sickly-sweet pop music found on The Lovelines' streaming platforms, including a new single, "What Kind of Fool Would Want to Fall in Love?" If you're a fan of dreamy romantics, clever songwriting, and soulful femme vocals--this one is for you. We also come bearing exciting news: Todd Goings, one half of The Lovelines, connected with us here at MendoWerks Magazine and gave us a look into the band's origins, this new single...

16Jul

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Music

King Leer Takes Us Back to “The Garden”

New Jersey-based indie singer-songwriter, King Leer, is back with a new sickly-sweet tune, “The Garden.” Always full of gorgeous contradiction, this artist is definitely one to check out if you’re feeling all mixed up about something…or someone. Or, if you like to have a soundtrack while you get in your feelings-- King Leer's music is a good outlet for that, too. In addition, King Leer commemorated the release of "The Garden" with an immersive new music video, which is now available to stream on YouTube. It's honestly quite beautiful and worth checking out. Go ahead-- go get lost in 'The Garden' for a while: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw5KwyK-s7s The music video for this new King Leer song is a gorgeous, kaleidoscopic scrapbook. It combines the intimacy of a phot...

An Ode To YOUTH// In Defense of Saint Slumber’s Early EP’s & a Chat with the Menace Himself, Joshua Perna!

28May

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Features, Music

An Ode To YOUTH// In Defense of Saint Slumber’s Early EP’s & a Chat with the Menace Himself, Joshua Perna!

"You need to make the decision whether you're going to always be chasing the carrot, or if you're going to stop and look at what you've done, and spend some time to congratulate yourself [...]"- Joshua Perna Listen up, music fans--especially those of you that like Saint Slumber-- This is urgent. A few weeks ago, it was rumored that two EPs—YOUTH//1 and YOUTH//2--were going to be wiped from the Internet. https://twitter.com/sntslmbr/status/1519366606438248449 -cracks knuckles- LISTEN UP, PERNA. This is unacceptable. I don't care how fire your new single is. Stream "NO DUH." by Saint Slumber on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/51oRXT8J1Fs3QzgeM2F9iQ?si=7b5efb0509ae4969 I'll concede that "NO DUH." by Saint Slumber could easil...

“Inspiration Leads Me Everywhere”: Chats with Joshua Perna [Saint Slumber, King Leer]

23May

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Interviews

“Inspiration Leads Me Everywhere”: Chats with Joshua Perna [Saint Slumber, King Leer]

Attention: if you've read "Ode To Youth//... Joshua Perna" in full, then you can skip this piece. This article contains the same interview & is for everyone who just wants to dive straight into the interview with Joshua Perna. I don't blame you, of course! You know what you want... and he's got some really great points on all things dealing with creative burnout, working as an independent musician, artistry, social media and more! "While you might not be spending money, you are. You're spending your time. And that is not a renewable resource. Your energy is finite."Joshua Perna [Saint Slumber / King Leer] What initially started this feature was something that Joshua Perna had said in a Discord group chat message a few months before this talk of YOUTH// cancellatio...

The BRKN Drop New Music Video For The Infectious “Not The Same”

8Mar

By SimonNo Comments

Music

The BRKN Drop New Music Video For The Infectious “Not The Same”

Denver-based indie rockers The BRKN are back with a new single and music video. "Not The Same" will reel you in on the first listen. The accompanying music video is a performance piece and the vibe reminds me of The 1975 circa 2013. The band consists of Jacob Cade on vocals and guitar. Mike Bokenkamp and MJ Younkers hold down the rhythm section on drums and bass, respectively. They've just kicked off one of their biggest tours to date with The Dangerous Summer. They'll be heading overseas later this year for shows in the United Kingdom and Europe. The BRKN made their debut in the spring of 2020 with the EP No. 3 and followed that up with the Come Outside release in 2021. This year has been off to a great start for the group with the release of their "Coffee" single in January. ...

Judah & the Lion Release Emotional New Single “Take A Walk”

27Feb

By SimonNo Comments

Music

Judah & the Lion Release Emotional New Single “Take A Walk”

Judah & the Lion have returned with their first new music of 2022. It was announced last fall that the band would be heading back into the studio to work on a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Pep Talks released in 2019. Last fall they celebrated 10 years as a band with the release of "Find Another Reason Why". Now the multi-platinum Nashville-based group returns with "Take a Walk". The accompanying music video was filmed in the Music City by longtime collaborator Matt Delisi who has helmed all of their previous videos. Longtime touring bassist Dylan Oglesby built out the set and designed custom clothes for the shoot. www.judahandthelion.com Judah & the Lion have hit a home run with "Take a Walk". It's the kind of song you might not latch on to after the first listen...

Release Radar’s Greatest Hits Vol 2: Acoustic Feels with King Leer & Cassyette

7Dec

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Music, Reviews

Release Radar’s Greatest Hits Vol 2: Acoustic Feels with King Leer & Cassyette

Vol 2: "cellophane" by King Leer & "Petrichor (Stripped)" by Cassyette I don't know about you, but this time of year always makes me feel a bit blue. Whether it's the cold weather, overcast skies, or stubborn seasonal affective disorder--something about this time of year is just heavy. With that in mind, this week we're slowing things down with two tracks that are guaranteed to get you in your feels: the bittersweet, acoustic bop, "cellophane" by King Leer & the haunting, stripped-down version of "Petrichor" by Cassyette. Let's dive in. King Leer & "cellophane" https://open.spotify.com/track/3c0fEUnpEl0laFwDZOYztf?si=694db8360d1b4728 Adding an upbeat swing to what's got to be one of the most optimistically depressing songs, King Leer tackles ...

In Red, the New Album from Indie Rock Band Kingston Kane, Won Bandcamp Friday Today.

3Dec

By Ambur MasenNo Comments

Music, Reviews

In Red, the New Album from Indie Rock Band Kingston Kane, Won Bandcamp Friday Today.

Happy Bandcamp Friday! In case you didn't know already, Hudson Valley natives, Kingston Kane, dropped their gorgeous sophomore album, In Red, today. If you’re a fan of well-written, nostalgic-yet-refreshing, grungy rock music, I highly suggest you check out In Red as soon as you can. You won’t regret it. In Red by Kingston Kane View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kingston Kane (@kingstonkaneband) My personal favorites from the album include "Storm King", "Mutiny", and "A Happy Life". These tracks show off the band's wide range in sound, from their high energy bops to their more somber, contemplative tracks. There's something for everyone here. The release of In Red comes with a free show in Chester, NY tonight;...