Look, we know we throw a lot of new music at you. We also know that not everyone who comes to this site has the time to be as involved with or informed about the local scene as maybe they’d like to be. So for those casual readers who either can’t or have no interest in keeping up with the parade of artists we try to cover, who may not know the difference between Bitter and Biters, we have created our TRIPLE THREAT feature. The premise is simple: every Friday our writers will put their heads together and come up with three tracks that grabbed our attention over that week. Then we tell you why the songs are great and worth listening to. That’s it. Maybe some weeks we’ll have a guest commentator come in and share their favorites, but the format will always remain the same: three songs, some words, and we out. Enjoy.
Post Hunk – “Sleep”
From the EP, Post Hunk
So you wanna write a new wave song? Simple: start with some deep-seated anxiety or complex dilemma, boil it down, and make it catchy. The entity that is Post Hunk (i.e. John Pierce) must’ve steeped himself in such advice for ages, waded deep in until he could recite an Elvis Costello line for any occasion, to craft such a keen single like “Sleep” all by his lonesome. Unresolved issues and uncertain loyalties hang at every verse, yet his jaunty jangling and breezy synths keeps the pace brisk and the mood light, even when those keys strike dissonant chords. Don’t ask me exactly what’s happening here, but I suspect that Pierce understands just how unnervingly difficult “love without hesitation” is to secure, and any perceived cheeriness in “Sleep” serves to temper that frustration just enough to keep him on the rails for the song’s three-minute duration. Which means, at any rate, that Pierce has passed songwriting 101 with an A++. — Lee Adcock
Post Hunk will perform on Thur., September 7 at 529 alongside Grand Vapids, Oginalli, and the Titos. Doors open at 9 p.m. $5-7 suggested donation. 21+ to enter.
More Info
Bandcamp: posthunk.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @PostHunk
Civil Writes – “Z6MF”
From the EP, Fake News
A cursory listen to Fake News, the new EP from Southern rap duo Civil Writes, reveals a group that’s hungry and willing to mix it up. Over six fiery tracks, Sean Emcee and Draft skillfully blend hazy trap grime with classic soul-funk beats, no nonsense sociopolitical consciousness with take-no-prisoners muscle flexing. The “Z6MF” finds the pair at their most powerfully introspective, shining a light on their Atlanta roots while throwing stiff jabs and sharp uppercuts at the corrupt politicians and corrosive power structures that serve as bulwarks against cultural progress. Fire one up, and let the truth bombs fly. — Avery Shepherd
More Info
Facebook: @civilwritesmusic
SoundCloud: @civilwrites
Twitter: @civilwritesatl
RobOlu – “Gettin’ 2 It”
From the EP, Super Nova
An American rapper by way of Nigeria, Rob Olu planted sonic roots within super producers Marcus Dominic and Popstar Benny’s sound long before “Gettin’ 2 It” was conceived. That doesn’t stop the cut in question from assuming a position comparable to pinnacles of mastery or the “flow state” alluded to in a recent Pigeons and Planes article. A five-song project, Rob gets the first plate of the glittering synths and trap influences laid out like a five-course meal for fellow cohorts Tony Shhnow, 645AR, 10KDunkin, and Mahalo on Popstar Benny’s brand new EP Super Nova. On the opening track, Rob handles both verse and hook with the breath control and flow of a seasoned veteran, which bodes well for his upcoming LP, Bigger Than Reality. “Gettin’ 2 It” sounds like Nightmare on Elm Street, a good sign for rap music coming out of Cobb County. — Mus Abubaker
More Info
Instagram: @1robolu
SoundCloud: @robolu
Twitter: @1RobOlu