The beat goes on

Another roundup of recent Madison area music

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Bandcamp has announced that the streaming/download service will be waiving its revenue share on the first Fridays of May, June and July. As the platform is one of the easiest ways to track down and check out new local music, buying some music there right now (or from other platforms) is a great way to support performers while no one is able to play shows. Here’s another quintet of recent local releases for your quarantine listening pleasure, including three that can be snapped up on Bandcamp. (Pro tip: explore releases tagged “Madison” here.)

Many of us have been trying new things to get through the isolating aspects of Wisconsin’s safer at home order. Erik Kjelland, a member of The Mascot Theory and Kerosene Kites, has been playing weekly shows on TMT’s Facebook page, and spending his time figuring out how to record music on his own. His first solo release is The Andromeda EP, recorded, mixed and mastered at home by Kjelland. His using digital elements to create some of the music gives the EP a different texture than the roots rock of The Mascot Theory, in a rewarding way that works well with these songs of self-reflection. “Comatose at 2:33” will resonate with many listeners experiencing similar moments of doubt in the wee hours. The EP also provides an example that even during quarantine times we aren’t alone if we reach out; collaborations here include lead guitar from Gabe Burdulis and a rap on one song by Tyler Durdin. (Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music)

Madison gypsy jazz trio Harmonious Wail is maintaining a weekly livestream concert schedule (Fridays at 7 p.m.) and has also started releasing some new singles. Blossoming in mid-April was “The Dance of the Cherry Trees,” a gentle ballad from the band’s folk side about spring’s annual rebirth and the passage of time. And another new song is on the way; a “pre-save” option for “Beyond the Pale” is here, with the track set to release on May 22. Also announced this week: The trio's January single, "Move" won in the acoustic song category at the 2020 Independent Music Awards. (Spotify, Apple Music)

The Moguls’ Streamline is described in the notes on Bandcamp as being “the album that almost killed us, brought us back from the dead and took us forever to release.” I’m glad they did, because this new album from The Moguls is the kind of music I need right now: unabashedly snarky pop-punk. Who doesn’t love a sing-along chorus with some well-placed F-bombs? Or a song about wanting to befriend Kids in the Hall member Dave Foley? As a bonus for longer-term local scene listeners, there is a cover of Sparklefuck’s ode to H.H. Holmes, “Murdercastle,” with a bit of assistance from two members of that inimitable band. (Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music)

Veteran Madison guitarist and songwriter John Masino has posted a pair of new songs on his Soundcloud page over the last month. “It’s Just a Matter of Time” features some very timely lyrics and tasty guitar soloing. “Rock n Soul Music” is a slice of retro funk-rock, featuring Masino on all the instruments. Keep ‘em coming! (Soundcloud)

While searching the internet for music is perhaps not as fun as sifting through a pile of unheard dollar records (at least, for me), the thrill of discovering a previously unknown gem is the same, no matter the medium. The Semifinals by Aden definitely fits that bill; I had to listen to this short EP a few times in a row after stumbling on it. Aden is the musical alias of Eden Girma, a Madison native and multi-instrumentalist who recently completed a master’s degree (music in creative practice) at Goldsmiths, University of London. The Semifinals was released in November through Goldsmiths’ own NX Records label in London. The four tracks are somewhat mysterious, intensely personal and immersively beautiful music, tracks you can’t do anything else but listen to. (Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Spotify)

[Editor's note: Updated to include Harmonious Wail news.]