Editor's Note: We always like to find new bands to listen to at Original Fuzz, and our friend Sam McAlilly recently tipped us off to Mat Cothran. Cothran comes out of the scene galvanized by the new Brooklyn-based label Orchid Tapes. Alex G is another prominent member of this scene, but Sam makes the case that you should really be checking out Mat Cothran instead...

With all this exposure Alex G has been getting over the past month, one very important person has been left out. His name is Mat Cothran. Because he unearthed Alex G's music on the internet a few year ago, Cothran is a primary reason Alex G has reached this level of hype. But Cothran himself deserves a listen. A part of the promising Orchid Tapes crew, he's one of those artists who can be considered "prolific," in the way artists used to be in the early days of rock, churning out song after song, year after year. He has two projects you should check out–Elvis Depressedly and Coma Cinema.

Elvis Depressedly is Lo-fi rock. Many artists use lo-fi to conceal their insecurities about their bad music. But others, like Cothran, use it as an intentional tool to add texture. It seems that where ever there is a lo-fi artist, a blog posts exists that uses the "I know most lo-fi music should stay in the bedroom but this artist is different" narrative. I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is Elvis Depressedly rules and you should check him out. The songs "Weird Honey" and "Thinning Out" are a great introduction.

Cothran's other moniker, Coma Cinema, is polished pop music with an amateur charm. Upon first listen of the album Posthumous Release I rushed over to the Orchid Tapes website to buy the album before I had even reached the third song. I immediately recognized this music was worth it.

My friend says his lyrics are depressing. I say the actual music and melodies make me happy. Uplifting pop with dark humor. I don't really care to make "cool" references to other bands–all I'm saying is listen to the full album Posthumous Release if you enjoy thoughtful pop music.

If you don't listen to Elvis Depressedly, I encourage you to at least check out Coma Cinema. Cothran deserves the chance, and much more credit than he's been given.