Atlanta Music Roundtable '11 - Best Local EPs and Songs

Atlanta Music Roundtable '11 - Best Local EPs & Songs of 2011

The discussion continues with the Best Local EPs and Songs.  Just a few of our top picks were Pillage & Plunder’s Look Inside For The Prize, New Animal’s Up! and Still in Mind, and BOSCO’s Pacer.  We then broke it down even further by discussing some of the best local songs.

Make sure to check out the entire discussion:

Monday: Most Underrated (Davy), Mediums and Formats (Bret)

Tuesday: Break Out in 2012 (Max), Best and Worst (Moe)

Wednesday: Favorite Shows (Emily), Visuals (Adam)

Thursday: Best EPs/Songs (Me), Best Places to Buy and Hear (Rube)

Friday: Best Local Albums (Denton), Best Non-Local Albums (Tim)

Best Local EPs:

Emily (Wholly Roller): My favorite local EPs are Mood Rings - Sweater Weather Forever; definitely the two from New Animal - Up! and Still In Mind; and Pillage & Plunder's debut EP, Look Inside For The Prize, is great.

Christina (Promising Chord):  My favorites are in line with Emily’s.  I have to say Pillage & Plunder’s Look Inside For The Prize is a must listen.  New Animal is amazing at everything they release especially Still in Mind. Some other favorites are BOSCO’s Pacer EP and Big Jesus with their self-titled EP debut.

Denton (Little Advances):  I'm powerless against the mood set by abundant use of Rhodes and jazz-inflected drumming on the debut EP from What Happened to Your Fire, Tiger?, which might be the most underrated local release of the year. Most of the disbanded Roman Photos reformed as Kolossi and took me by surprise with The Chase EP, an excellent progression of the atmospheric electronic pop pursued by their previous band. I also fell hard for the jangly pop jolt of Small Reactions' “Nerve Pop” 7”.

I've got to agree with you guys on Sweater Weather Forever. What an introduction. The follow-up 7” is worth a listen, too.

Max (Paste Magazine): Not adding anything new with the Mood Rings or Small Reactions’ praise, but those were up there in this category for me too. Let’s not forget the unforgettable Reptar EP Oblange Fizz Y’all. They’ve turned our heads for a while, but their July release was technically their debut LP. While the Atlanta-Athens foursome has long impressed as performers, that five-song effort matched their live prowess.

Davy (Ohmpark): The two Cassandras EPs were phenomenal, as were both the Dark Room EPs. I love the We The Lion EP. The Small Reactions 7” is awesome. All of New Animal’s short releases are must-listens. The Time Wharp GRN EP is such a big record in such a tiny dose. On the ambient tip, I’d highly recommend Tree Witch’s Mintaka and The Electric Nature’s Drugs In Space. Also, a hat tip to Wowser Bowser‘s Water Story Digital 7”, the Young Again’s I Woke Up Smiling, Faun And A Pan Flute’s I’m Not Prostitute, Mediocre Machine’s Chunk., BOSCO’s Pacer, Kinisi’s Islands, Exact Index’s Desire, Feast Of Violet’s Linsen, From Exile’s Just Like You Imagined, and last but definitely not least, Places’ Cough Cough. Wow, there were so many good EPs.

Read more after the jump:

Moe (Latest Disgrace): I don’t think I’m going to surprise anyone by putting Whores.’ Ruiner at the top of my list. Everything about it — it’s primal rage, its rhythmic intensity, it’s willfully abrasive and atonal underbelly — sits perfectly in my wheelhouse.  And make no mistake, those fuckers know how to play and write songs that are dynamic and melodically engaging. Their music is ferociously heavy but still swinging. Admittedly, I like music that’s discomforting and maybe a little terrifying. Give me some loud, uncompromising, pigfuck brutality that’s looking to put a hurt on something and I’m happy. 

Stepping away from the barrage of vitriol and distortion, I also really enjoyed Slowriter’s self-titled sophomore EP. The mix of indie pop and programmed beats is nothing new to say the least, but it’s convincingly done and Bryan Taylor clearly knows his way around a hook. Reaching back into the early part of the year, I still find myself turning to the Snowed in Sessions EP from Damon Moon and the Whispering Drifters. It may be a covers only effort, but they own all four of those songs and fill every second of that record with a sense of desolation and loneliness.

Other than that, I agree with Davy. So many great EPs and singles this year. Big Jesus’ debut EP was a definite standout, as was BOSCO’s Pacer,  Kolossi’s The Chase, the Difference Machine’s “Psychology” digital 7,” Tree Witch’s Mintaka and Campaign’s Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Killer shit, all of it. I’m sure there’s a ton more I’m leaving out.

Tim (I'm A Bear! Etc.): I have to agree with Max on this one that an overlooked EP is Reptar and it's really a great listen. "Blastoff" and "Rainbounce" are two of the strongest songs of the year.

I'm also in the Pillage & Plunder bandwagon because I've been following these guys for years and love where they're going and this EP is just the start of what they're doing.

Bret (Hijacking Music):  Hands down my favorite EP of the year is from BOSCO. She took everything everyone was thinking about her, flipped the script, and brought out a fresh new sound.  From what I understand, she's done that yet again for her upcoming album which I am ready for!

Anything put out by Dark Room; I think he did 4 EPs this year?  All of them bring the jams.

I might get some kickback on this one, but my boys Mantis dropped two EPs this year in what they are calling Deathstep...death metal dubstep. Dubstep has definitely taken a turn for the worst in 2011, but Mantis has managed to carve out their own nitch AND keep their sounds fresh on these EPs.

Emily (Wholly Roller): YES. Reptar's EP is out of this world amazing. I can't wait to hear what they do next.

Adam (BeAtlanta): Dead Rabbits put out A Record to Break EP and I have to say I think it’s awesome. Strong, confident southern rock from a 2 piece band. A larger than life sound with depth, purpose and a certain focus that I respect. They have a signature sound that you can pick up throughout the 6 tracks (and in their other releases) that you could almost call a theme. Check it out. I really dig this band.

Other than that I really dug the Back Pockets' Bulla EP. They have a unique sound and a unique take on music that I like. It’s an acquired taste but I think it’s one that’s rarely hard to swallow.

Balkans put out a constant flow of EPs, 2 or 3 this year I think and they are always respectable, and otherwise controversial in the circles I run in. I talk to a lot of folks about local music and people either completely love or completely hate Balkans. They have a dedicated fan base in Atlanta and have garnished a bit of national attention so I think what they're doing is working for them.

The Night Meets Day EP was a substantial imprint on Atlanta. They have their 'Far Out' collective that is steadily pumping out new tracks, EPs and promoting new artists. I've worked with these dudes a few times on shows, videos and the like and they have a drive that is both professional and upstanding, something to be respected.

Again, I have to say that Atlanta provides so much awesome local music that I don't think any one source could possibly keep up with it all. I can literally come up with over a 100 local EPs that I think I could talk about on this list. There are too many to name. I encourage all the readers to check out every band and EP mentioned. On that note, I would agree with Emily and Christina that Pillage & Plunder's Look Inside for The Prize is a great effort (see them live soon too). I'd agree with Small Reactions as well. They put out a 7" that is breezy, good time summer listening. I agree with the Campaign mention as well for Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!  Dark Room, Trench Party, Carnivores with the Chandelier EP, and on and on. Good Stuff! We the Lion just put out an EP called Boy Oh Boy that you should now checkout as well.

Best Local Songs: 

Denton (Little Advances):  Gringo Star's “Make You Mine” has the distinction of being the catchiest song on an album where everything sounds like a single. Yes, the main riff does kind of sound like its “All Y'all” counterpart, but is that really such a bad thing? I've had this song wedged in my brain since the first time I heard it live, so it's nice to finally have access to a recorded version.

There's a lot of potential on Vocabulary's Faded Days, but the album's shining moment already sounds fully formed. “Children” pulls together skittering loops and lo-fi echo to make something warm and memorable. It's experimentation that doesn't abandon the traditional pleasures of a well-crafted song.

The Electric Nature's “Dungeon” might be the year's most unsettling local track. It's a nightmare of dark, rumbling tones that just keeping getting deeper and more gnarled as the track lumbers forth. The Electric Nature put out a lot of good music in 2011, but none of it pricked up the hairs on the back of my neck quite like this one.

Moe (Latest Disgrace): Okay, Denton, I’ll see your “Make You Mine” and raise you Mood Rings’ “Indian Hills.” It may not be as downright catchy and hook heavy, but it’s a huge earworm nonetheless, and the way those echoing guitars spill into the crooning chorus is as memorable a transition I heard all year, local or otherwise. “Beach Boys by way of Sonic Youth” is how I described it when it first came out, and I’m sticking to that. Wonderfully intoxicating stuff.

Completely antithetical to that is my favorite track of the year — “Daddy’s Money” from Whores. There’s nothing poppy or infectious here, just some menacing noise rock filth that is basic and brutal. The question for me has always been whether or not these guys could turn out a recording that matches the psychotic fury of their live show and with a little help from Harvey Milk’s Kyle Spence, this stands up to the test. It’s nasty, abrasive and belligerent as fuck.

Finally, I think I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up some hip hop because there were some seriously killer jams released this year. But sitting high atop all of them, king of all bangin’ joints, was the Difference Machine’s “Psychology.” Dr. Conspiracy delivers a masterwork of psychedelic beat construction while DT (also of Clan Destined) slays the track, spitting a barrage of verbal daggers that cut hard and deep. It’s almost impossible to believe this is the only track they’ve released. Seriously freakin’ untouchable.

Max (Paste Magazine): I’m definitely on board with Moe on Mood Rings, although I think the EP opener “Year of Dreams” is the go-to track from these guys. It’s laced with all sorts of vintage guitar warmth that’s on par with some of Girls and Smiths Westerns’ earlier material. I can’t wait to hear what they do next.

There’s plenty of Little Tybee tracks off their LP to choose from, but I’d have to go with “Strong Ears.” For a band overflowing with musical dexterity, it’s probably their most beautiful cohesive song on a pretty stunning record. On the opposite side of things, Balkans’ nervous energy excited me in the first half of the year, particularly with “I Can’t Compete.” Their self-titled debut caught my attention.

Turf War’s “Cheers to the Years” and New Animal’s “All I Want is Gone” also hit home, too. Some killer tracks from nationally-based Atlanta acts should be noted too: Atlas Sound - “Angel is Broken,” Black Lips - “New Direction” and Washed Out - “Eyes Be Closed” all deserve mention.

Christina (Promising Chord):  My favorite local song, which is probably not easily predictable, is “Out There” by NovaKord.  NovaKord gave out this song to show goers at multiple shows this year and since I got my hands on it I couldn’t stop listening.  Maybe it’s the positive lyrics or the unexpected powerful vocals; this song isn’t one to look over.  Cloudeater’s “Hardly Wait”, Odist’s “Pyramid Eyes”, Jungol’s “Who’s in Bed”, and Jack of Hearts “Hard Feelings” are also some of the best songs this year.

Emily (Wholly Roller): Yes, I agree with Moe on "Indian Hills" by Mood Rings. It’s a total jam in my book. And yes, I agree with Max, that Turf War track is at the top of my list for sure.

I love New Animal. Have I said that already? Well, I do. And the track that just gives me the chills, makes my chest tight, and that I just love so much is "Grow Back Out." It's just really freaking good.

"Q 'n' A" by Spirits and the Melchizedek Children is another favorite of mine. And it's an excellent start to a really fantastic album.