Tough Love Records / UK / 2020
Peel Dream Magazine is the musical vehicle for NYC's Joe Stevens, who launched the band in 2018 with the critically acclaimed album "Modern Meta Physic," a mysterious, liminal tribute to the hazy end of ‘90s dream-pop that found its place on numerous "Best of 2018" lists. Now Peel Dream are back with "Agitprop Alterna," an album that pays homage to sonic and spiritual influences ranging from early Stereolab and Broadcast through stateside groups like Lilys and Yo La Tengo.. "Agitprop Alterna" finds Stevens channeling the collaborative spirit of the band's live incarnation in the studio, deepening the connection between the existential and the interpretive first explored on "Modern Meta Physic." It is a rejection of manipulation in all its forms and a buzzsaw against complacency; it's a rare trick to agitate without being obvious, and perhaps that makes "Agitprop Alterna" the most Peel Dream Magazine-like statement yet.