It’s cathartic to hear those feelings rendered against Parquet Courts’ celebratory, animated dance-rock, which adopts its eponymous fast pace, yet never comes across as rushed or harried.
Though the band say they completed their new record pre-pandemic, lead single “Walking at a Downtown Pace” could not be more on point in capturing the feelings of this fraught time period, from the yearning to recapture day-to-day joys (“I’m making plans for the day all of this is through / Seeing my path and hearing the song I’ll sing and / Food that I’ll taste and all the drinks that I’ll consume”) to the cabin fever and isolation (“Pick out a movie, a sandwich from a screen / How many days of life will I spend underground?“). Brooklyn’s own indie-rock cult heroes have announced their first new album since 2018’s acclaimed Wide Awake!, Sympathy for Life, coming Oct. The Parquet Courts boys are back, and with one of Paste‘s most-anticipated 2021 records in tow. Parquet Courts: “Walking at a Downtown Pace” The singer/songwriter sounds overwhelmed, yet strangely at peace: “I cannot contain the way I feel for you / Or anything / I ride the wave,” she sings, making a friend of her own internal turbulence instead of fighting it. The song layers Korkejian’s wistful vocals over a fingerpicked acoustic guitar, minimalist percussion and subtle keys, which fill the negative spaces around her heartfelt emotion. Tender and tranquil, “The Wave” is inspired by “the loss of a close friend, specifically the swell of emotion I try to resign myself to when thinking of her premature absence,” according to Korkejian. Los Angeles-based folk singer/songwriter Azniv Korkejian, who performs and records as Bedouine, has announced her third album, Waysides, set for an Oct. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Bedouine: “The Wave” Come on down to Paste today and end your summer in style. Cheese? Don’t forget to bring Remi Wolf with you! Whatever you’re looking for, we have. Want to blow out your car speakers with that bass on high? Check out the latest Denzel Curry! We also have the finest selection of summery jams from Future Islands, Low and Miloe. Huge hot girl summer blowout sale happening now at Paste Magazine! As this season comes to an end, we’re offering some of the best tracks available to listen right now.