Setlist from p 37 Wet Leg, ‘Ur Mum’ In recent months, England’s own Wet Leg have made quite the waves. It helps that they’re one of those hugely online bands; their single “Chaise Longue” became a viral hit across TikTok. But they’re no one-hit wonder (if those still exist), nor are they just the happy byproduct of obsessive internet tweens. Case in point: the arguable true standout of their debut self-titled album, “Ur Mum.” Get past the LOL-worthy title as quick as you can, because what waits beyond is a delightfully bonkers pop-rock jam that’s either about the meaningless of commercial music, escaping one’s circumstances, or the power of mayonnaise. Secret Attraction, ‘Trust/Forget’ Anyone who has read Phoenix New Times for the last few years will know about Secret Attraction. Derek Wise’s ’80s-inspired synth-pop project has spent this same time doling out a series of sexy, super nostalgic EPs and LPs, with the latest, Replica, debuting in late February. That album’s first single, “Trust/Forget,” is an interesting addition to the nine-track collection. Is it necessarily the best? No, and you could give those honors to the infectious “Fade” or the sensuous “Control.” It is, though, a powerful reminder of Wise’s skills and a great preview of how he both refines and expands his retro-leaning skillset. Dunza, ‘Star Client’ Was Ist Das? describes itself as the “best record label from Yorkshire with a German name in all of Arizona.” None of that really matters beyond the fact that they’re right here in our fair city, curating some really interesting and off-kilter music. That includes the work of James Jackson Toth, who in addition to projects like One Eleven Heavy and Wooden Wand, releases music as Dunza. That project’s entire four-track Star Client EP is worthy of your time, but pay heed to “Disowned.” It’s eight minutes of sprawling ambient-meets-dub-meets- krautrock, and it’ll have you joyfully exclaiming, “What is this?” indeed. 38 Tegan and Sara, ‘F*****g Up What Matters’ The new era for Tegan and Sara seems to be a simpler one. Earlier this year, the twins signed to indie label Mom + Pop, where they’ll release their as-yet-untitled tenth studio album. In the meantime, however, they debuted a brand-new single, the amazingly-titled “F*****g Up What Matters.” Here, the siblings Quin tackle life amid COVID-19, forging a power-pop banger with signature witticisms like, “I treat you like a cigarette, such a bad habit/ Avoid you like alcohol, I can’t really stand it.” If we can expect more of this from the record proper, we may come out of the pandemic era with a tad more sanity than we’d ever expected. Tegan and Sara. Trevor Brady Mississippi Nova, ‘No Time For Buffalo’ In January, Phoenix blues rockers Mississippi Nova released their latest album, The Desert in Winter. There were a few standouts on the 11-track album, including the nihilistic, Candlebox-esque jam “Sunrise Rider.” But in the months since, it’s been the album track “No Time For Buffalo” that’s helped encapsulate the group’s brand of “swampy space blues.” Maybe it’s the extra crunchy guitar; those big, brash drums; or a certain undeniable swagger — either way, it’s the perfect barn-burner anthem for our weird and wild times. Katastro, ‘Give You My Love’ In May, Andy Chaves, frontman of Tempe- based reggae-rock band Katastro, died following a car accident. In the days after the incident, fans and friends alike released a series of touching tributes, celebrating the great music released over the band’s near-decade-long career. One of the last such contributions was “Give You My Love,” which was released back in February as part of a deluxe edition of Sucker. The track itself feels, at least in hindsight, like an extra powerful send-off, as Chaves and company have forged a truly poignant ballad that still permeates with their trademark intensity and charisma. It’s a song that proved Katastro had more than enough love to offer to anyone who dared to stop and listen. Tears for Fears, ‘The Tipping Point’ Tears for Fears remains one of the most important and influential bands of the ’80s (and that’s, again, saying a lot). So it felt like something of a celebration when earlier this year they released The Tipping Point, their first new album in some 18 years. The record itself was another triumph for the band, filled with lost of earnest songwriting and genuine vulnerability. Case in point: the title track, a sweeping, wonderfully melo- dramatic synth-pop anthem that balanced the band’s core while breaking new grounds in terms of scale and structure. With any luck, maybe we won’t have to wait almost two decades for the follow-up. JUNE 23RD– JUNE 29TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
