Sniffle Party, Choir Boy to play Madison
New EPs from According to What, Slow Pulp
If you ask most people to name a famous Madison musician or band, you’ll get a lot of blank stares. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t incredibly talented musicians here paving new roads in modern music.
According to What puts out first EP
For example, April 24 saw the release of a new EP from Madison-based band According To What. The record, “Punk Songs To Hold Hands To,” is a whirlwind of exciting, punk-influenced guitar and rhythms alongside quaint vocals that give the project a whimsical, nostalgic feel. This is the only EP According To What has released thus far, so soak it up.
New EP a tease for Slow Pulp
More recently, on May 17, up-and-comers Slow Pulp released the EP “Big Day.” With just four tracks and a total run time of only 11 minutes, the project gives a brief glimpse into Slow Pulp’s evolving sound. The opening song “Do You Feel It” is a gradual and thrilling crescendo of spacey synths and driving guitar chords. From that point on, Slow Pulp takes the listener to shoegaze paradise.
Front woman Emily Massey’s voice glides over the glossy instrumentation with ease while reminiscing on past mistakes and future plans. Over the past year, Slow Pulp has developed a widespread national fan base, which makes it more and more likely that they blow up sooner rather than later. They’re most definitely on the verge of something very big, and “Big Day” is the perfect prologue for their next chapter.
You can catch them playing at High Noon Saloon on May 30, the first of a 26-date national tour in support of Remo Drive.
Sniffle Party at Tip Top Tavern, June 1
One of the events in the coming weeks for which I’m most excited is a concert at the Tip Top Tavern. From Eau Claire comes Sniffle Party to perform alongside D. Janakey and Supper Club. Sniffle Party’s dreamy, glitchy electronic music and angelic vocals that make for a thrilling combination. The band has only released one EP and a handful of singles since 2016, but a song placement in the HBO show “High Maintenance” and a short tour make me wonder if there might finally be new music on the way.
Choir Boy on the Terrace, June 7
The dream-pop group Choir Boy is playing at the Memorial Union Terrace after an opening set from Fearing on June 7. Choir Boy brings a fun mix of mellow instrumentation, blissful vocals and melodies that could fit an ’80s pop ballad. As one of the earliest summer shows on the Terrace this season, odds are it’ll be a very busy night. So if you’re keen on catching this show as the sun sets behind the stage, make sure to get their early.
With the start of summer concert series like Concerts on the Square and Live on King Street and the arrival of nice weather, we can finally expect a constant flow of concerts under the sun and stars. I’m looking forward to all of the exciting time ahead, and I hope you are too.
Tweet me @loganrude_ with any critiques, recommendations or to debate. I’m always looking for more music to explore.
Logan Rude is a 2019 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an editorial intern at Madison Magazine.
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