Friday Five: Andrew W.K., Slug Love, Mirror Monster, Shooting Stars, Oren Levin

MUSIC FRIDAY FIVE

Friday Five 06-16-2021

Friday Five highlights music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This week features headbanging from Andrew W.K., shoegaze via Slug Love, synth-pop from Mirror Monster, hip-hop by Shooting Stars, and radio-pop from Oren Levin.

 

Andrew W.K., "Everybody Sins"
First, shout-out to Wendy Wilkes—Andrew W.K.'s mom and a Pulp reader. Second, the latest video from Community High grad W.K.'s forthcoming album, God Is Partying, continues in the clean and crunchy metal sound of the prior singles, but with more clean singing. The video is a combo of headbanging live shots, mild gore, an Andrew W.K. imposter (Steev Mike??), and some smooches with his recent fiancé, actress Kat Dennings. But what does it all mean? "When we started working on the video for ‘Everybody Sins,’ the director and I were scheming and straining over some of the choreography and camera moves," W.K. in a promo statement that accompanied the video's release. "Now, I do realize some people will say life’s too short to scheme and strain like this. And others will say life’s too short not to scheme and strain. Still, other people will say both these approaches are incorrect. And what do I say? Everything I just said in the video for 'Everybody Sins.'" (Still not sure what it all means, but \m/.)

 

Slug Love, Slug Love EP
I missed this terrific EP when it came out in December 2019 because when I search for local music on Bandcamp I'm usually looking for releases tagged "Ypsilanti" or "Ann Arbor." I'll have to remember to put "Ypsilanti Charter Township" into the rotation so I don't miss any future releases from this shoegaze-y quintet. The band's strong songs, excellent vocal melodies, and layered arrangements can be heard in person on July 16 in Ypsilanti when Slug Love headlines a free show with Slim to None and DJ No Future at the Washington St. Stage in Ypsilanti. The concert starts at 7 pm.

 

Mirror Monster, "Contact"
The latest single from Ann Arbor's Mirror Monster is a beautiful throwback to '80s synth-pop ballads in the spirit of Depeche Mode. We need an all-locals synth-pop concert with Mirror Monster, Same Eyes, FFANGS, and Kawsaki.

 

Shooting Stars, Generic
The monumental debut album by Ann Arbor hip-hop artist Shooting Stars has 163 songs. It's his debut box set, too.

 

Oren Levin, "WWW"
The latest single from Ann Arbor singer-songwriter Oren Levin is pure radio-pop sweetness.


Christopher Porter is a library technician and the editor of Pulp.