These New Puritans have skyrocketed to cult status with their groundbreaking 2010 album, Hidden. This record seamlessly combined Jack Barnett’s murmured mantras and medieval compositions with brother George’s impactful beats. Their subsequent releases have taken this innovative approach down wildly different paths, blending Talk Talk and Depeche Mode influences to create a definitive sound in their latest work, Crooked Wing. This standout album features the mesmerizing “Industrial Love Song” with Caroline Polachek. It’s an exploration of contrasts—epic yet intimate, beautiful yet raw. As George Barnett succinctly described, “Jack on a piano, me smashing the living daylights out of some drums.”
Home Is Where: Hunting Season [Wax Bodega]
Home Is Where has made a mark with their dynamic, anthemic hardcore. Their latest release, Hunting Season, serves as the follow-up to 2023’s The Whaler and showcases a more relaxed, experimental sound. Written during a period of homesickness for frontwoman Bea MacDonald, the album draws inspiration from the melodic vibes of Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Despite its laid-back feel, the tracks still deliver energetic thrashing moments, embodying the spirit of an adventurous road trip.
