Today, NYC’s Spirit Animal release their 7″ “I’m Around” b/w “New Man Now” via Brooklyn indie label Mecca Lecca.
As featured in our recent Press Play, “I’m Around” showcases the smooth vocals of front man Steve Cooper over friendly instrumentals, including potent drum beats and heavy Moog-synth to create their self-described “unique and powerful blend of rock, psychedelia, and dance.”
“I’m Around” and “New Man Now,” the single’s B-side featuring Chris Garneau, are two sides of a fantasy. “I’m Around” is a love-lost lament perhaps set in Alice In Wonderland, juxtaposed against idyllic and playful musical imagery, including fairy-like background vocals. Is it Pan’s flute at the end that is trying to beckon his lover back? Is Spirit Animal really Animal Collective’s brighter, less odd, little brother?
Perhaps if we imagine the protagonist of “I’m Around” walking through lush neon-green hillsides, as in Spirit Animal’s new video for the song, “New Man Now” is his hazy discordant dream upon falling asleep under the trees, as he actually sings “I wish that I had known you/ In my dream/ Not in between.” I did actually write down “hazy discordant dream” before hearing those lyrics; as in “I’m Around,” “New Man Now” is already fully emotionally evocative in its instrumentation, with Cooper and Garneau’s vocals there to softly tug your hand and help you traipse along the musical paths.
Confession: We’re so busy here at TVD that I don’t always get to listen to everything that gets submitted to us. Head bossman Jon Meyers selects the featured tracks every #MusicMonday for Press Play, and I was delighted to realize later that we had both independently selected Spirit Animal to be featured on this humble internet outpost. That’s how good they are.
Spirit Animal has a September residency at 10pm on Tuesdays at Pianos all month. See them tonight or catch them next month at Fontana’s on October 19th for CMJ or at the Gramercy Theatre on October 26th.
