Double Grave is definitely one of Minnesota's best-kept secrets. Since releasing their debut record in 2017, the trio has been working tirelessly, refining their blend of grunge, shoegaze, and alt rock - something that is on full display with the band's newest single, "The Farm." At its core, "The Farm" grapples with where one is supposed to fit within this existence. Right away in the first verse, vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Warden depicts feeling backed against a wall and lost among the existential horror of reality. A haze of swirling fuzzy guitars, shaped by bassist Bree Meyer and drummer Seth Tracy, supports Warden's haunting voice as he processes his thoughts. The single's mood takes a turn in the second verse during which existential dread is channeled into hope. Warden sings of moving to "the farm" in order to refocus before finding new resolve in the lyrics, "Somewhere away from here / I'll find what I like." The ...

Delilah Fang - "Impostor Syndrome" (self-released) Delilah Fang describe themselves as a dream pop band. While many of the traditional elements of the genre are present in their sound, it's somewhat of a misnomer. Perhaps that's just a problem with my pre-conceived notions of what dream pop sounds like. "Impostor Syndrome," one of two singles the band put out ahead of their EP Lonely Once Too , has too much momentum to be a hardcore dream pop song. I mean, yeah, there is  reverb on the guitar and there are moments that one could describe as "washed out." Beyond that, it's a quirky, laid-back tune; to put it into two words, it's a jangly gem.  I love songs that get swept away by the groove, and on "Impostor Syndrome," drummer Alyse Emanuel and bassist Lee Carter have incredible synergy. They never lose hold, even as the song splits in two toward the end.  Somewhat ironically, my favorite part of the song is its most drea...

Cover art by Alexis Politz For some reason, vocal harmonies make every song more enjoyable to me. It's probably why I love Fleet Foxes. It's also one of the reasons I love the new ahem single, "Sideways." Taken from their as-yet-unannounced new album, "Sideways" jitters with irreverent energy. There is no hook because everything is the hook. Each part of the song is a different-colored Lego piece; somehow ahem turned these blocks into a beautiful, incandescent Lego helicopter of pure indie joy. Now, the harmonies. They're in those perfect pop-punk/emo thirds that totally elevate any song, regardless of genre or sound. Voices slip and slide in on top of each other without warning. The song's "main" chorus would've been stellar no matter what, but the stacked harmonies make it positively infectious. "I don't wanna / Who needs to see straight anyways?" is a top-notch refrain that one can't help but sing along ...

Every now and then Wes and I are turned onto an album/band that is just outside of Ear Coffee's little world view that demands to be written about. Instead of ignoring them or trying to fit them into one of our existing columns, we created a new one that is named after a Prince song. Strays of the World will be Ear Coffee's home for bands and artists we think are worth talking about but don't fit in.  Prague-based singer-songwriter  Tristan Puig  happens to be one of those people who grabs your attention. Now, you may be wondering how someone based out of Prague has a local connection, but I assure you, dear reader, that fits into Ear Coffee's little world via our mutual love for the record label  Forged Artifacts . Puig released his first full-length record  I Can't Believe They Invented It!  in October of 2018. His  previous release was a collection  of tracks written while he was in Los Angeles. That release was a bit more middl...