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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b8d069b2-370e-40e9-8a22-c52e50f0742b/pet-needs-elbow-out-this-is-capitalism.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Joyce Manor, Courtney Barnett - PET NEEDS - Elbows Out! This Is Capitalism (Xtra Mile Recordings LP) Elbows Out! This Is Capitalism is the 4th full-length album by Colchester, UK band PET NEEDS. They’ve been fairly prolific, with records released in 2021, 2022, 2024 and now 2026. And they’ve been touring relentlessly—it’s tough to make a living as a musician without that kind of effort nowadays. But that can also take a toll, beating you down. Johnny Marriott (vocalist, songwriter) addresses some of these stresses on this new record. The whole creative process can be energizing—writing the tunes, creating the record in the studio, designing the artwork. It’s what musicians do. But as Johnny sings on “Keep Eyes On,” at some point “The art of marketing has superseded the art of art.” And that can be suffocating. Elbows Out! is an album intended to be listened thru from start to finish. Yes, there are some great individual songs on this one (some of my favorites are “Tour Worn,” “Vertical” and the first single “Hey You Hey You (Are You Are You OK OK?),” but there is a theme here and the content builds on itself. On the poppy “Ducklings,” Johnny addresses his mental state: “ADHD is a real diagnosis / Don’t believe the media hyperactivity.” And I felt a strong connection to his lyrics on “The Wardrobe Song”: “The world is crumbling as I stare into my wardrobe / wondering which local band t-shirt will make it look like I support the scene most.” The band is strong on this one, led by guitar-slinger & brother George Marriott. Bassist Ryan Sharman (love his hypnotic bass-line on “Party With a Hard T”) and drummer Jules Marrison-Cheek are versatile, swinging from hard punk rock to poppier tunes. Now in his mid-30’s, Johnny sings on “Vertical”: “I’ve been singing songs down microphones since I was sixteen / in the hope that it would fix me / Nope! I still hurt.” Somehow, in spite of—or maybe because of—all the struggles and setbacks and mental challenges, PET NEEDS have released an incredible piece of art. They’ve earned any support that may come from that. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f18774e6-328e-4c93-9daa-67d412947c0d/joyce-manor-i-used-to-go-to-this-bar.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Joyce Manor, Courtney Barnett - Joyce Manor - I Used To Go To This Bar (Epitaph LP) There’s a certain kind of band that you watch closely every album cycle because you know the stakes are high. Joyce Manor is one of those bands for me. They’ve been operating at such a consistent level since Never Hungover Again that every new record feels like a referendum: can they keep threading this needle? I Used To Go To This Bar is their seventh album—and their first since 2022's 40 oz. to Fresno—and it finds Barry Johnson in a headspace that feels genuinely new for him. He’s always written about heartbreak and suburban restlessness, but here the subject is mortality. Friends dying. A drinking buddy whose funeral he skipped. The gradual realization that playing music doesn’t necessarily fix everything anymore. For a band known for making you want to sprint down a hallway at full speed, that’s a shift worth paying attention to. The back half of the record is where things get really interesting to me. “After All You Put Me Through” is unlike anything in the Joyce Manor catalog—it’s got this weird, slightly funky, bummed-out pocket to it, bongos buried in the mix, hints of strings, Matt Ebert’s bass doing most of the heavy lifting. It shouldn’t work for a pop-punk band and yet it absolutely does. It feels like the kind of song that reveals itself more on each listen, which isn’t always what you expect from a band that usually puts everything right on the surface. The leap is most obvious on “Grey Guitar,” which closes the record and is as good as anything they’ve ever written. It’s a song about imagining the different ways a long-lost friend might have died, and it doesn’t offer any resolution—just the discomfort of sitting with that uncertainty. Joyce Manor has always been great at the big anthemic closer, but this one doesn’t go out swinging. It just ends, like a conversation that didn’t get finished. I can’t stop thinking about it. What I keep coming back to is that I Used To Go To This Bar feels like a band that has finally stopped looking over their shoulder. The record doesn’t feel like Joyce Manor trying to reconcile their punk past with growing up—it feels like they’ve just accepted that this is who they are now, and written accordingly. For a band I love as much as I love this one, that’s enough to make this feel like a real moment. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b66cbd73-4920-4309-af76-5a4b492b78ba/courtney-barnett-creature-of-habit.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Joyce Manor, Courtney Barnett - Courtney Barnett - Creature of Habit (Mom + Pop / Fiction Records LP) While cementing herself as an established artist, Courtney Barnett never seems content to exist in a comfortable state. Her questioning nature and keen ability for breaking down facades has her examining life patterns and motives on Creatures of Habit. “I am exercising how good it feels to be alive, and / No surprises up my sleeve, everything is temporary,” she sings on “Mantis.” While waiting for the next shoe to drop, Barnett navigates an obstacle course beset with roadblocks and detours. A sense of doubt creeps in on “Stay In Your Lane” when she confesses “This never would’ve happened if I / Stayed in my lane, stayed the same way.” Ultimately, Barnett’s will to forge ahead, damn the consequences, provides the liberation that frees her from stasis. On the lovely duet “Site Unseen,” with Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee, she throws caution to the wind in seeking out a new landing spot: “Letting go of everything that might’ve been / And if we like it here, we’ll stay another year.” When the record wraps up with “Another Beautiful Day,” Barnett is ready to savor life’s defining moments in the race against time. “Reborn, every morning / Still somehow getting older,” comes the recognition, followed by “Lost in time / Hope that I might see you on the other side.” On Creature of Habits, Barnett doesn’t permit any self-imposed limitations from obscuring the bigger picture that life carries on and that we would all benefit from not succumbing to an eternity of regrets. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e9123294-22bf-445b-bfe8-796c3c88af34/ashtray-boy-the-honeymoon-suite.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Joyce Manor, Courtney Barnett - Ashtray Boy - The Honeymoon Suite (Feel Good All Over LP) Australian musician Randall Lee was the primary vocalist and guitarist for The Cannanes on their debut album, The African Man’s Tomato, before setting out on his own to lead the band Nice for a couple of years and then resurrecting his dormant outfit Ashtray Boy, that began as a solo project originally called Astro Boy. The band was a transcontinental endeavor with Lee splitting time between Sydney and Chicago, assembling different line-ups for each city. Ashtray Boy’s 1993 debut, The Honeymoon Suite, was recorded at Dave Trumfio’s Kingsize basement studio withDiscogs the Chicago line-up that was supplemented with Trumfio (Pulsars, The Mekons) on bass and sitar, and J. Niimi (Aden, Man’s Body) on drums and percussion. Lee’s droll, baritone delivery and divergent lyrics frame songs that are stately and baroque, yet retain an affecting intimacy. The soon-to-be sensation Liz Phair (then a roommate of Feel Good All Over’s founder John Henderson) turns up as a guest vocalist on tracks “Shirley MacLaine” and “Infidel,” duetting tenderly with Lee. “Time For a Baby” is a buoyant standout with a slow build-up that morphs into a gleeful celebration. Elsewhere, “Ananda Marga” delivers blissful zen vibes, true to its tantric subject manner. The Honeymoon Suite heralded the promising beginnings for Ashtray Boy who would go on to release an impactful nine albums over the course of their tenure before wrapping up about a decade ago. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/nothing-heavenly-cut-works-u23inrk monthly 0.5 2026-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1773708686657-M7OV39NEZ2V2EL54X3OI/nothing-a-short-history-of-decay.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nothing, Heavenly, Cut Worms - Nothing - a short history of decay (Run For Cover Records LP) Domenic Palermo has always approached his struggles head-on, sometimes plowing ahead and persevering through shear force of will. But following Nothing’s fourth album in seven years, The Great Dismal in 2020, he knew he needed to take some time to recalibrate if he was to keep the band going. What he came to realize by allowing himself to be more self-reflective is that the creative process of making music has always provided him with the greatest means of healing. On a short history of decay, Palermo lays out the realities of the physical and mental tolls that he’s encountered over the years that have come to define his midlife existence. “Essential tremors” tackles his recently diagnosed neurological condition with sobering directness: “The closer that I get / To dissecting the regret / Honesty ain’t free / And freedom isn’t me,” he reveals. Similarly, “nerve scales” is a meditation on getting down to truths, the blurring of reality and the weariness of dealing with the deception. “Cannibal world” and the title track pull listeners into the vortex with a whirling dervish mix of overdriven guitar squalor that’s intersected by breakbeats, ushering in a momentary calm before the storm hits again. Palermo retraces his steps on “never come never morning” to address the abuse that he suffered at the hand of his father, rueing an innocence lost and setting the stage for the defiance that would follow. A short history of decay is a mix of turbulence and serenity—as Palermo gains a greater understanding of the factors that have shaped his existence, truths emerge that are hard to swallow but that are no longer a threat to eat away his soul. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7a95712f-010a-4a33-87d4-6c9e852ae72d/heavenly-highway-to-heavenly.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nothing, Heavenly, Cut Worms - Heavenly - Highway To Heavenly (Skep Wax Records LP) Good news in trying times: British pop band Heavenly has reemerged with Highway to Heavenly, their first album in 30 years. Fortunately, Heavenly’s entwined hard and soft power is as tuneful, clear-eyed, and sharp-witted as ever. Founding members of the 1990s indie pop movement and veterans of the influential Sarah Records and K record labels, the group were pacesetters in offsetting trenchant social critiques with perfectly crafted pop guitar/bass melodies, jaunty keyboards, winsome vocals, and sweet harmonies. Midway through the album, “Skep Wax,” a paean to their record label (founded by vocalist/guitarist Amelia Fletcher and bassist Rob Pursey), also serves as a declaration of intent: “Let’s turn some / Old thoughts into something new.” The band still has plenty to say. For example, feminism has been a major motif for Heavenly, and here the jaunty opener “Scene Stealing” takes on a sadly still-relevant topic: toxic masculinity and online sexual predation. From there on—as was ever the case with Heavenly—catchy, hummable songs pointedly address a range of moods and subjects such as relationship power imbalance, the importance of community, fading romance, and the prevailing political madness. Particularly brilliant is “Press Return,” which admonishes greedy, manipulative tech bros, at the same time acknowledging netizens’ complicity and addiction. A simple, biting, blinking-cursor guitar line and vintage video-game organ riff serve as the baseline. Sonic layers build with increasing rapidity to a cumulative effect of tabs opening on a computer, filling the screen with frantic, ominous blinking: “No line uncrossed / Too late to change / What comes around / And we deserve it / Cos we never said the things / We should.” Insightful but never cynical, Heavenly closes the record with two really lovely tracks. “She Is the One” is a tender love story about finding quiet happiness in the mundane: “Her tiny world explodes into a scene / From any romcom you have ever seen.” And “That Last Day” follows the grief, remembered joy, and regret in saying a final goodbye to a loved one: “But the true marking of a life / Lasts longer than one day / And I’m still thinking of you now / And all the things that you went through / …And did I do all that I could?” As the aforementioned “Skep Wax” reminds us, “Songs take you unexpected ways / And break your heart on every single day...No time for sleep / When there is / Still more music to be heard.” -Tina Woelke Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4f32119b-246a-40d5-8a1e-4bd9483a469b/cut-worms-transmitter.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nothing, Heavenly, Cut Worms - Cut Worms - Transmitter (Jagjaguwar LP) Transmitter, the 4th release by Cut Worms, is the latest from Max Clarke. Produced by Jeff Tweedy and recorded by Tom Schick at the Wilco loft in Chicago, the LP also includes Tweedy on guitar and bass on a few songs and Glenn Kotche on drums/percussion on three tunes. The mix on the record nicely features Clarke’s beautiful voice with clean indie-pop melodies. Tweedy’s production is straightforward and embellishes the songs in an understated way. You’ll hear influences of Big Star, maybe some folky Kinks and a bit of mid-70’s era George Harrison (think “Crackerbox Palace”). There are plenty of acoustic guitar-driven songs – “Worlds Unknown” and “Windows On The World” are two of my favorites – and Clarke’s songwriting is very tender without being cloying. You get a feeling of staring out the front window on a sunny day and contemplating the world around you. The record closes out with Clarke on piano and vocals on the lovely “Dream.” Cut Worms will also be playing Lincoln Hall in Chicago on May 9th. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1388dce5-c897-4d07-933e-29ea7f40a685/centro-matic-all-the-falsest-hearts-can-try.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nothing, Heavenly, Cut Worms - Centro-Matic - All The Falsest Hearts Can Try (Quality Park Records LP) Although it didn’t surface until 2000, the recordings for All The Falsest Hearts Can Try were carried out in 1998 as part of an extensive session at Son Volt’s Jay Farrar’s studio that also produced Centro-Matic’s earlier albums, Navigational and The Static vs. The Strings Vol. 1.—such was the industriousness of Texan songwriter Will Johnson. That level of productivity and a penchant for the immediacy of lo-fi production drew parallels between Johnson and Guided By Voices prolific kingpin Robert Pollard. For all its ragged glory, ATFHCT is considerably more affecting than its slapdash origins might suggest. The album splits time between blown-out indie rock (“The Blisters May Come,” “Call The Legion In Tonight”) and disarming acoustic numbers (“In The Strategy Room,” “Would Go Over”). “Hercules Now!” and “Magic Cyclops” incorporate the type of pithy wordplay and hook-driven structures that are the hallmarks of Pollard. On the record’’s penultimate track, “Members Of The Show ’em How It’s Done,” Johnson proffers: “Concentrate this time / You may well soon find that we are not your kind.” It’s a defining statement that serves to separate Centro-Matic from the pack and a call to be celebrated for their utter uniqueness. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/cardinals-langkamer-remember-sports-83bi2jy52 monthly 0.5 2026-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1772550863283-75LO5WDFWSWZ5045QCEJ/cardinals-masquerade.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cardinals, Langkamer, Remember Sports - Cardinals - Masquerade (So Young Records LP) In contrast to their youthful 20-something lives, Cork-based Cardinals come across with an old soul mentality. On their full-length album debut, Masquerade, the Irish quintet ruminate more then they rage. The title track and opener “She Makes Me Real” reveal their collective vulnerabilities as they struggle with mixed messages and missed opportunities. Vocalist/guitarist Euan Manning balances a world weariness with forthright conviction. The band sound defiant on “The Burning of Cork,” which chronicles the 1920’s British torching of the city in the midst of the Irish War of Independence. Peppered with the emotive accordion playing from Euan’s brother Finn, Cardinals’ songs vacillate between celebration, mourning and redemption. The closing track, “As I Breathe,” finds Euan in search of answers. “Truth is hard to find / I have lived a life inside” comes his confession followed by: “I have so many things / That I don’t need / I need another name / That isn’t hopeless of ashamed / Or unholy.” Masquerade is about authenticity; the struggle to discover one’s true self in a sea of nameless faces. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/866c40dd-dfc1-46b3-bdf2-a14583d044b2/langkamer-no.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cardinals, Langkamer, Remember Sports - Langkamer - No (Breakfast Records LP) Bristol, UK’s Langkamer deliver an impressive array of tempos and temperament on their fourth album, No. Lead vocalist and drummer Josh Jarman sets the pace with a deft touch between pushing the beat to create urgency and pulling back to provide some slack. “Crocodile Clock,” “Easterly” and “Crows” are fine examples of the first strategy, building on escalating momentum as they ratchet up the tension. The languid and loping tones of “The Summer That I Hit The Wall” and “Split The Difference” represent the latter approach with Jarman sounding relaxed and reflective. No is rich in dualities—both a celebration and condemnation of life’s capriciousness. When fabrication threatens to overtake reality, Langkamer makes it clear that they’re not having any of it. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bc96b63b-f4b7-4877-98e8-de5a9151b87a/remember-sports-the-refrigerator.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cardinals, Langkamer, Remember Sports - Remember Sports - The Refrigerator (Get Better Records LP) Sensing that the COVID pandemic had forever altered Remember Sports’ capacity to function as a touring band, vocalist and guitarist Carmen Perry starting working as an elementary school teacher near her home in Philadelphia. Experiencing the unfiltered actions and acute vulnerabilities of her students prompted Perry to re-examine her own adolescence as a now thirty-ish adult and formed the basis for the creation of The Refrigerator. What emerges from the album often feels like out-of-body experiences with Perry hovering over her past encounters in pursuit of newfound insight. On “Fridge” she confesses: “I could spend a thousand years feeling sorry for what I did,” and later admitting that “I’m twenty-eight years old, but I’m still scared like a little kid.” “Ghost,” with its disorienting bagpipe and strings accompaniment, explores the feelings of being unseen by others despite a desire for connection. “Across The Line” and “Selfish” delve into push/pull relationships where each party proves incapable of the meeting in the middle. In the end, Perry tries to be gracious unto her younger self—“Roadkill” recalls a trip to Chicago (where the band recorded the album at Electrical Audio) and a moment of self-reflection: “The world looks different now,” she offers, “I’ve got glasses on, and the temperature’s come down.” Her vulnerability is exposed when she reveals: “Tenderness devastates me,” but she remains resilient in following with: “I tried checking out, now I’m trying to face myself.” On Refrigerator, Perry scrutinizes her past, but chooses to live in the present. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ae242338-4244-4410-8d79-605958f7351c/lyers-on-fyre.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cardinals, Langkamer, Remember Sports - Lyres - On Fyre (Ace of Hearts LP) Back in 1985 I had the pleasure of interviewing Lyres’ Jeff Conolly for the Non*Stop Banter fanzine in advance of their West End Chicago show to promote their debut album On Fyre. Conolly and his band laid waste to the stage that was then being booked by future Lounge Ax co-owner Sue Miller. When I asked Conolly if he considered Lyres a modern day garage band, he replied not technically since it had been about fifteen years since he lived at home and practiced in his parent’s garage, so he preferred just being called a rock ‘n’ roll group. Call it what you may, but there’s no denying the hip-shakin’ big-beat swagger that Conolly and company unleashed out of Boston. The knockout combo of preceding single “Help You Ann” and “I Really Want You Right Now” are part of the package—the former sounding like Iggy fronting The Sonics and the latter a ripping R&B-saturated rescue plea. The opener “Don’t Give It Up Now” is a Nugget-worthy ’60s-tinged workout, and closing track “Not Like the Other One” is a rock/soul ballad that highlights Conolly’s vocal versatility. Record dealers nicknamed him “Monoman” for his obsessive pursuit of original mono pressings from bands whose records were not readily available. In true fandom fashion, half of On Fyre is comprised of some of Jeff’s favored recordings, from a pair by the Kinks (“Love Me Till The Sun Shines” and “Tired of Waiting”) to Chicago-bred New Colony Six (“I Confess”) and obscurities from Mickey & The Clean Cuts and original Beatles drummer Pete Best. Recently Conolly has fallen on hard times with a bladder cancer diagnosis that has necessitated chemotherapy treatments and future surgery. A benefit show to raise funds is taking place at The Middle East Club in Cambridge on March 12th that will include Mission of Burma, Classic Ruins and Dogmatics among others. There’s also a GoFundMe campaign where you can donate to help Jeff’s cause. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/ratboys-ulrika-spacek-softcult-2j7yj20f monthly 0.5 2026-03-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1771425814827-U0F6WWIPUH610UC8VV1P/ratboys-singin-to-an-empty-chair.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Ulrika Spacek, Softcult - Ratboys - Singin’ to an Empty Chair (New West Records LP) We, as Chicagoans, are truly blessed with a seemingly bottomless fount of ascendant artists. Emerging artists are always finding their voice and elevating in the scene. Ratboys is one of the lucky few who, every time out, seem to surpass their last record. (Mark’s favorite topic!—bands making the leap!) They’ve embraced the city and scene, and it is clear that love is reciprocal. They’re back with their first new album in 3 years, with their New West debut, Singin’ to an Empty Chair. What I have always loved about Ratboys is their ability to effortlessly shift from alt-country introspection to expansive indie rock, complete with blistering Dave Sagan-fueled solos. I respect that Ratboys always mark their new album cycles with a song that defies what we’ve come to expect from them—2023’s The Window was led with the 8-minute rootsy explorative single “Black Earth, WI.” Not to be outdone Singin’ to an Empty Chair is led by the near 6-minute long searing “Light Night Mountains All That.” Each song sets the stage that anything and everything is on the table for the band. Lead singer, primary songwriter (and friend of the pod!) Julia Steiner continues her self-exploration of grief on this album, evolving from the swelling of childhood memories led by moving out of her childhood home on Printer’s Devil to processing death and grief of loved ones caused by Covid on The Window to processing the pain of a familial rift on Singin’ to an Empty Chair. I love every permutation of Ratboys, but I am always drawn to the ’90s-tinged indie alt-rock bangers like album opener “Open Up” and mid-album highlight “The World, So Madly.” “Open Up” starts with Julia’s seeking to understand what it would take for a loved one to open up to her, starting slowly before the back half of the song explodes open. “The World, So Madly” seeks to understand how one can love so deeply when the world around us is so unstable. This isn’t a dramatic exploration, but silently observing the chaos that swirls around all of us. With family, there is rarely an easy route; you know one another so deeply that they know how to hurt you the most. Ratboys look beyond the superficial and try to understand why it happens and how you can do the right thing even if it’s hard as they express on “What’s Right?“. This is a brave record. Few of us have the courage to expose trauma so openly, not only with friends but with the general public. I’m not surprised, as their records have constantly found them exploring grief, but this is the starkest it has ever been. A true leveling up from Ratboys. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/70e2c167-b81f-4d90-8bf7-5d0d4815e568/ulrika-spacek-expo.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Ulrika Spacek, Softcult - Ulrika Spacek - EXPO (Full Time Hobby Music LP) Feeling detached from from the increasing online arc of self-representation, the members of Ulrika Spacek leaned more heavily into electronic instrumentation on EXPO to capture that sense of isolation with a goal to produce music that’s “equal parts welcoming and altogether alienating.” The London quintet prove to be up to the challenge, synthesizing an array of tempos and textures to support their shapeshifting music. “Picto” encapsulates that approach with a dazzling array of sonic modulations. Later the title track builds upon a minimal repetitive start into a lush chorus. “Square Root of None” goes down a psychedelic rabbit hole, accentuated by clever wordplay that amplifies the feeling of disorientation. EXPO closes out with “Incomplete Symphony,” posing the question of “Who says the future’s bright?” “Not you, nor I, just them,” comes their reply, followed by “No new lens, it’s lookalike / A shitshow that I attend / In the true sense, the world’s got frightening.” The song acknowledges the dire state of the union, but also points to a future that remains unwritten, opening up possibilities for an eleventh hour change of course. Ulrika Spacek is playing the long game with an eye on going the distance. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7de46c7d-954c-44d4-9daf-c50f754080e8/softcult-when-a-flower-doesnt-grow.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Ulrika Spacek, Softcult - Softcult - When A Flower Doesn’t Grow (Easy Life Records LP) On their album debut, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, Canadian twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn aim to bridge the gap between simmering tension and boiling rage. In an interview with Consequence Media, Phoenix offered: “I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a situation where someone quietly and calmly was kind of reading you the riot act as opposed to yelling in your face, it’s like ten times scarier. I feel like that’s our vibes sometimes.” Softcult’s blending of shoegaze and dream pop with elements of punk and grunge facilitates their “speak softly and carry a big stick” approach. The atmospheric “Pill To Swallow” and “When A Flower Doesn’t Grow” are reflections on coping with challenging life lessons. “16/25" and “She Said, He Said” are more strident in tone and messaging in their attacks against toxic masculinity. “Not Sorry” perhaps best captures their aesthetic; resolutely unapologetic and ready to move on from all the annoyances that threaten to infiltrate their lifeblood. For those interested in joining the resistance, Softcult will be taking the stage locally at Concord Music Hall on March 6th. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e9d9a9c8-2c60-4c79-bdf6-1ab0bcdcbd4a/neats-1981-84-the-ace-of-hearts-years.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Ulrika Spacek, Softcult - Neats - 1981-84 The Ace of Hearts Years (Ace of Hearts compilation) There was a time where I felt that Boston’s Neats could go toe to toe with R.E.M. Spin their first EP, The Monkey’s Head In The Corner Of The Room, next to Chronic Town or their debut album, Neats, next to Murmur, and you might be inclined to agree. At that time both bands were immersed in garage-based jangle pop, with Neats sounding more sinister against R.E.M.‘s shimmer—a Beatles vs. Rolling Stones-like comparison. Their trajectories would soon drastically deviate and so the argument of who reigned supreme seems rather outlandish nowadays. The Ace of Hearts compilation is a treasure trove of Neats’ finest period, capturing the aforementioned releases plus a half dozen bonus tracks. The band’s earliest forays were penned and sung by bassist Jerry Channel—“Six,” “Sometimes” and “Do The Things” are organ-saturated psych-garage numbers that would slot in comfortably among the other tracks on Lenny Kaye’s curated Nuggets compilation. When guitarist Eric Martin came to the forefront as vocalist and primary songwriter, things shifted noticeably. His soulful baritone and the twin guitar jousting between him and Phil Caruso came to define the edgy pop that followed. “Red And Grey” and “Now You Know” are adrenaline rushes, while “Tonight” and “Sad” are set on simmer, gradually bubbling up until completely blowing the lid off. Their instrumental “Pop Cliché” hints at a level of jadedness, but delivers an ecstatic punctuation mark that’s impossible to resist. Like so many other potential contenders, Neats eventually fell by the wayside, but their moment in the sun still shines brightly. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/elias-ronnenfelt-shepparton-airplane-hot-face-7ab40l monthly 0.5 2026-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/90c9164a-202e-482c-a7ca-de65c4c31a52/elias-ronnenfelt-speak-daggers.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Elias Rønnenfelt, Shepparton Airplane, Hot Face - Elias Rønnenfelt - Speak Daggers (Escho Records LP) I always find it so interesting when musicians who are 10+ years into their careers suddenly find themselves dramatically increasing their creative output. Whether it be Jeff Tweedy finding another gear and cranking out multiple solo/Tweedy albums outside of Wilco, or The National being dormant for years and then suddenly putting out 2 albums in a year along with multiple side projects…it happens! The newest entrant into the veteran indie rocker upping their output is Iceage’s Elias Rønnenfelt. Iceage is a punk/post-punk band hailing from Copenhagen, and they have always been good for an album of great tunes every 3-4 years, last popping up with 2021’s Seek Shelter. As Iceage has slowed down their output as a band, Rønnenfelt has found himself in a creative renaissance over the past year, having put out two solo albums as well as an EP with Dean Blunt. Speak Daggers opens with a beautiful orchestral intro, which I think presents to the listener that this album is not going to be what you’d expect from Rønnenfelt. His singing has grown throughout his time in Iceage, and as a solo artist; the howl of past albums has opened to almost a Thom Yorke-style falsetto. Unlike the punk/post-punk music of Iceage, this album is churny, glitchy,and trip-hoppy. “Love How it Feels” is filled with tension—there’s no yelling—and is very personal with a minimal sparkling beat below it. To me, it’s clear that Rønnenfelt loved his collaboration with Dean Blunt—specifically Blunt’s ability to let negative space develop in his songs with a raw, almost unfinished quality to the vocals. “World Prison” finds Rønnenfelt turning his gaze outward instead of being aimed at himself. Above a muted, almost industrial loopy beat, Rønnenfelt is not speaking of a literal prison, but rather a social, societal, and spiritual one. The title comes from a Shakespearean reference, which to me reads as further proof of Rønnenfelt’s growth as a lyricist and artist. Again, whereas in his earlier days there would have been fury and a yelp behind his vocals, now it’s almost muted, like he has been beaten down by these things. This album feels like Rønnenfelt’s most ambitious as an artist, jumping across genres, not feeling settled, and exploring what he’s capable of. I am fascinated by where we go from here. If the past 15 or so months are any indication, more music is certainly on the way! -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/97bab17a-2845-4a12-bbb7-df27a679f8f5/shepparton-airplane-forecast.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Elias Rønnenfelt, Shepparton Airplane, Hot Face - Shepparton Airplane - Forecast (Wing Sing Records LP) Right from the outset on Forecast’s opening track, “Hell No,” Shepparton Airplane announce their clear intentions: “Get your affairs in order / Take the time to write / State of the art is useless / Won’t take us down without a fight.” When approaching their fourth studio album, the Naarm/Melbourne outfit were forced to change course in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Their past recordings were the result of collective jam sessions, but Forecast would emanate from individual lyric writing that the band then soundtracked when they were able to once again gather in person. With each of the four members (guitarists Matt Duffy and Ezra Dowling, bassist Stewart Rayner and drummer Steven Carter) being capable songwriters and vocalists, the creative heavy lifting was a shared endeavor. “Saw You Coming” is full of vim and vigor with vocals exploding forth in a manner that recalls Fontaines DC’s Grian Chatten. The gothic title track was inspired by a 3AM fever dream that shook Rayner awake, causing him to attempt to distinguish between reality and a slumbering state of mind. “Stereo Youth” comes on like an anthem for the ages, propelled by a motorik rhythm and the alternating contrasting vocals between Rayner and Duffy. The churning “Heaven Will Take Us In” closes the record amid turbulent seas with hopes for a celestial intervention against the rising tide. Shepparton Airplane released Forecast last August, falling under my radar at the time. It’s an enthralling work that merits more discovery. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a2a0a299-698e-4d02-8a0e-9a227beb2097/hot-face-automated-response.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Elias Rønnenfelt, Shepparton Airplane, Hot Face - Hot Face - Automated Response (Speedy Underground LP) Garage bands were ubiquitous staples for novice musicians during the ’60s & ‘70s, but they’ve become rarefied species in these current times. Undoubtedly, the ready access to digital recording has hastened their demise. Speedy Underground’s co-founder and producer, Dan Carey, maintains a credo of working quickly with laser intent, and so when he happened upon an early Hot Face gig in southwest London, he was driven by the idea of recording an album with them over the course of a single day that would capture their raw intensity. An opportunity arose to do just that through Abbey Road Studios’ annual Amplify event; an incubator workshop program designed to provide opportunities for aspiring creatives. With an edict from Carey to use a maximum of three takes to produce a recording direct to analog tape, the Hot Face trio pumped out ten impassioned numbers all in a day’s work. The immediacy is captured through accelerated tempos, redlining sonics and frayed vocals. “Sinnes” hearkens back to the opening guitar chords of The Who’s “Can’t Explain” before heading down its own path of pleasure. “Red Fuzz” and “Pink Liquor” hit back to back with a punk fervor that easily explains how Carey got caught up in the mosh pit frenzy during that initial gig according to drummer Sam Catchpole. The strutting crawl of “Cruel Tutelage” adds a measure of subtlety to their repertoire, but still maintains the grittiness of their garage origins. The underlying charm of Automated Response runs counter to its title; there’s no canned predeliberations or calling it in performances—just an authentic desire to shake, rattle and roll! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8b8a0e82-845b-4bff-805e-92d40ca94e87/beachbuggy-unsafe-at-any-speed.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Elias Rønnenfelt, Shepparton Airplane, Hot Face - Beachbuggy - Unsafe..At Any Speed (Sympathy for the Record Industry LP) The allure of car culture was synonymous with early rock ‘n’ roll. The ’50s and ’60s encompassed the later stages of the Golden Age of Automobiles when vehicles transcended their utilitarian purpose of an advanced mode of transportation to become a style statement and a symbol of personal freedom to take off and travel. “Rocket 88” released in 1951 by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, which extolled the joys of cruising in that iconic Oldsmobile, is consider by many to be the first rock ‘n’ roll record. Despite those past associations, I don’t think anyone was expecting a ’90s British indie band to base and album and tenure around a love of American hot rod culture. Unsafe..At Any Speed, which appeared in 1998, was the brainchild of Darren Belk, who performed under the pseudonym Jack Straker. Belk/Straker formerly served as a Wedding Present roadie (and would later join that band for a spell). The chainsaw guitar approach of Wedding Present and the acerbic vocal stylings of The Fall’s Mark E. Smith would come to inhabit Beachbuggy’s DNA. Belk/Straker created a vivid iconography through self-referential numbers “Kill Straker!” And “Hey! Jack.” The album is tied together with snippets of movie/TV dialogue between songs that capture the thrills of racing and living in the fast lane. Every track on the record is a pure delight. With a couple of early 7" singles to their credit and years in advance of their Unsafe album debut, Beachbuggy became known for their guerrilla approach to touring where they’d pull up at another band’s gig on the UK college circuit and perform from the back of their trailer with a group of loyal fans in tow to generate additional buzz. Unfortunately, the British press never really got onboard (apparently puzzled over the obsession with Americana and car culture), prompting the band to head over to the US where they’d record their final two worthy albums, Sport Fury and Killer B, with Steve Albini before eventually calling it a day in 2006. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/dry-cleaning-voyeur-verity-den-1r538d9 monthly 0.5 2026-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1768487873684-RH0QSBSZIND5087D8NN0/dry-cleaning-secret-love.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Dry Cleaning, voyeur, Verity Den - Dry Cleaning - Secret Love (4AD LP) When Dry Cleaning guitarist Tom Dowse invited Florence Shaw to a rehearsal of his fledging band project in hopes of getting her to sing over their instrumental music, she was uneasy about the prospect of it. It would a good hour or so of the band jamming before Shaw would utter anything. What did finally come forth was her iconic sprechgesang delivery of peculiar observational phrases that Shaw had been taking note of in recent times. A few stray snippets of traditional singing would gradually emerge from her over time, but it took coaxing from Cate Le Bon to get her more comfortable with the approach when she was enlisted to produce Dry Cleaning’s third full-length album, Secret Love. The singing is most prominently found on the tracks “Joy,” “The Cute Things” and “Secret Love” (Concealed in a Drawing of a Boy),” but even then they’re interspersed with Shaw’s spoken word recitations with the sum effect of providing a richer range of sonic textures. Overall, the instrumentation on Secret Love is more nuanced; carried out in the service of the song as opposed to peeling off on a tangent. “Rocks” and “Evil Evil Idiot” incorporate the dissonance that has been a calling card for Dry Cleaning from the get go. Shaw’s provocative turn of a phrase is as sharp as ever: “Striking while the iron is hot” from “Cruise Ship Designer” and “I don’t like to clean / I find cleaning demeaning” from “My Soul / Half Pint.” On the later number, she declares “I don’t give a fuh” in such a blasé manner that indicates that she can’t be trifled by convention and the expectations of others; a decidedly punk attitude from a literary mind! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2b697a9b-f4b0-4761-b6b2-a5f8482087b2/voyeur-the-burden-of-desire.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Dry Cleaning, voyeur, Verity Den - voyeur - The Burden of Desire (self-released LP) Fifteen years after their break-up, Sonic Youth still casts a considerable shadow over the NYC noise rock community. Voyeur lurks in those shadows, bearing a distinct resemblance while also looking to forge their own identity. The Burden of Desire was recorded and mixed by Martin Bisi, who was behind the board during Sonic Youth’s amazing run of EVOL, Sister and Daydream Nation. Voyeur is similarly fronted by the couple of Jakob Lazovick and Sharleen Chidiac, who regularly swap verses, sometimes shouting to be heard above the swirling maelstrom. Numbers like “I Don’t Want To” and “Probably” rush headlong into the fury, while “Split My Heart” stretches out and gently dissipates into the ethers. “Thorn” follows a reverse pattern; building in intensity as it progresses. Voyeur throttles back the aggression on “I Can’t Wait”—a hushed ballad featuring the yearning voice of Chidiac. With their album debut on The Burden of Desire, voyeur are serving notice of their presence and are off to a promising start with room to evolve from there. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0ed8decc-6762-45e2-86b0-dff186fdaa13/verity-den-wet-glass.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Dry Cleaning, voyeur, Verity Den - Verity Den - wet glass (Amish Records LP) On their second record release, Carrboro, North Carolina’s Verity Den cover a vast swath of territory; from ambient realms to blissed-out pop, on over to the noise rock scrap pile. “Vacant lot” kicks things off with an industrial-sounding lead-in that gives way to Casey Proctor’s airy vocals and majestic reach. On the title track, Proctor and Mike Wallace split vocal duties, working as counterparts with Wallace’s plaintive spoken delivery set against Proctor’s celestial tones. Wallace goes on the offensive during “spit red,” full of invective as he questions “So what’s the point of being seen / When you’re just something else on the wing / Walking on sunshine waiting for the man / We gotta move out but the weather’s moving in / Do you think it’s sinking, sinking in?” The pair reconnect on “green drag,” striking a more optimistic tone in noting that “Nobody knows everything / So don’t say no to anything,” Wet glass offers a glimpse of Verity Den’s worldview; things are not always crystal clear but they eventually come into focus. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/aae38c46-1cc2-4153-9fa6-e23a0fe09054/100-flowers-100-flowers.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Dry Cleaning, voyeur, Verity Den - 100 Flowers - S/T (Happy Squid Records LP) After skewering punk’s self-seriousness under the banner of The Urinals, John Talley-Jones, Kjehl Johansen and Kevin Barrett re-christened themselves as 100 Flowers to pursue a more wide-ranging art-punk platform. The change proved brief, with the LA trio splitting a month before they were able to release any recordings. In hindsight, their self-titled debut was eclectic and diverse to an extent where the band members couldn’t help but quibble over divergent viewpoints on their direction. The eclecticism is what makes the record still sound relevant forty-plus years after its creation. There’s the wiry pop of “Without Limbs” and “I Don’t Own My Own Heart” that follow a linear path, devoid of traditional choruses. There’s the New Wave/No Wave mash-up “Horizontal,” a paean to base desire as expressed by the socially awkward. “Pressing the Point” sounds like the precursor to Steve Albini’s roadmap for Big Black with a simmering tension that explodes into unmitigated rage. “Poltergeists At Home” and “Virtually Nothing” keep the neurotransmitters firing throughout, sprinting headfirst in dizzying fashion. Admirably, long after 100 Flowers had gone out of print on the band’s own label, San Francisco’s erstwhile Superior Viaduct stepped in to re-issue it thirty years from its inception. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/tinas-top-10-of-2025-2r3io4 monthly 0.5 2026-01-07 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/bruces-top-10-of-2025-j2rhla34 monthly 0.5 2026-01-07 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/marks-top-10-of-2025-j23g2of32 monthly 0.5 2026-01-04 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/toms-top-10-of-2025-90nal3y63 monthly 0.5 2026-01-04 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/sharp-pins-avec-plaisir-pot-pot-bab3920a monthly 0.5 2026-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1765854335176-J4PH6IPWL3P88SOMKRD5/sharp-pins-balloon-balloon-balloon.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sharp Pins, Avec Plaisir, pôt-pot - Sharp Pins - Balloon Balloon Balloon (K / Perennial LP) With the diversity on display across Lifeguard, Dwaal Troupe and Sharp Pins, one wouldn’t anticipate Kai Slater feeling compelled to take a more psychedelic turn with Balloon Balloon Balloon so as not to typecast the Pins as a pure pop endeavor. That intent bears out in sonorous pursuit Slater tackles over the course of 21 adventuresome tracks. The opener, “Popfangout,” sets the tone with its loopy wordplay and a buoyant melody. “Queen of Globes and Mirrors” gives it to the Soft Boys; bathed in a majestic glow that makes it apparent why Sharp Pins received platitudes from Robyn Hitchcock himself. The clipped ending of “All The Prefabs” is reminiscent of popsmith Tony Molina’s MO of condensing songwriting to capture just the essential elements. Slater leans into his psychedelic impulses with the trippy “(In A While) You’ll Be Mine” and goes mod mad on the amped-up “Takes So Long.” The tittle Balloon Balloon Balloon references the three sound interludes (titled “Balloon 1, 2 & 3") that divide the album in separate suites comprised of six songs each—for an artist that keeps expanding his repertoire it might also be construed as signaling a rising trajectory that keeps on heading skyward. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a72f7353-fa1d-4c21-b1bf-38c753709409/avec-plaisir-active-listening.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sharp Pins, Avec Plaisir, pôt-pot - Avec Plaisir - Active Listening (Sad Songs Records LP) The proliferation of Midwest Emo as a resurgent genre of music over the past 10+ years, coming from the far reaches of North America (that’s right, it has spread across borders now!) has been exciting to witness firsthand from the Midwest Emo epicenter that is Chicago. Starting with Algernon Cadwallader in the late aughts and recently reunited, the genre has continued to gain traction. How else can one explain noted Midwest outpost (heavy sarcasm here), Montreal, producing one of the scene’s best new bands, Avec Plaisir. Avec Plaisir consists of 4 self-described “30 somethings” featuring Sam Winsor on guitars/vocals, Julien Besner on bass/vocals, Maxime Verreault on drums, and Sean Kershaw on trumpet/vocals. Their fantastic sophomore album Active Listening has the touchstones of what made Midwest Emo so great; the twinkly guitars, as heard on opening track “What Does Your Tattoo Mean?,” the arpeggiated riffs, as heard on “Junket,” and the mathy time signature shifts as heard on “Final_final-vz psd.” This isn’t cribbing what Midwest Emo has been, but expanding on what it can be with some cross-pollination of fourth-wave emo with the addition of dropped-in internet meme audio for those in the know (FENTON!!). The music is equal parts contemplative, shimmering, and propulsive. These four understated French Canadians come together to craft some earworms that their emo forefathers would be envious of. One can only hope they wish to make the pilgrimage to 704 High Street followed by a show in Chicago soon enough. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ecf202bc-3a39-4f7f-9700-3c5999b77a18/pot-pot-warsaw-480km.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sharp Pins, Avec Plaisir, pôt-pot - pôt-pot - Warsaw 480km (felte LP) Frontman Mark Waldron-Hyden refers to pôt-pot’s song creations as atmospheric topographies. There’s a layering of ideas and textures to go into this Irish and Portuguese quintet’s music. Basing their concept around the repetitive rhythms from funk pioneers such as James Brown and Curtis Mayfield, pôt-pot have translated that approach to a new format, blending it with krautrock, psych and drone. The goal is to always be in motion, pushing forward and providing an enticement to dance. Second selection “22° Halo” immediately slips into motorik drive, casting a trance-like spell. The serpertine “Sextape” slithers along in darkwave fashion. A journey as a passenger in a luxury vehicle en route to pick up his father’s ashes inspired Waldron-Hyden to write “WRSW,” which ties into the record’s title and deals with the juxtaposition of being outwardly comfortable while mentally struggling. The rousing “I AM!” finds Waldron-Hyden at wit’s end, rising and falling in intensity to capture his shifting moods. “The Lights Are On” reverberates on into the distance; its sinuous journey full of tactile pleasures. Following the release of two earlier EPs, pôt-pot’s debut album Warsaw 480km functions as a signpost that opens up the possibility of multiple future directions—I’ll be along for the ride to see where they end up next. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e7c21339-bb71-4e5e-8c34-6388a8ae655b/delta-slippin-out.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sharp Pins, Avec Plaisir, pôt-pot - Delta - Slippin’ Out (Dishy Recordings / Circuitry LP) When The Sea Urchins splintered in 1992, brothers Roberts (James and Patrick) and Robert Cooksey carried on as Delta. Feted as the first band to issue a single on Sarah Records, The Sea Urchins were beloved, but never able to release a full studio album in their time together. It seemed for awhile that the same fate might befall Delta. After releasing three singles on the upstart Dishy Recordings, the band had captured the attention of Paul Weller, with his sister Nicky taking over as their manager. When Ed Piller signed them to Acid Jazz’s subsidiary Focus, it appeared greater things were in store, but after running into issues in getting a new EP released, the band eventually returned to Dishy. By the time they were eventually able to release Slippin’ Out in 2000, original guitarist Robert Cooksey had departed when it became increasingly apparent that the Roberts brothers were taking over creative control of Delta. Nonetheless, Slippin’ Out is a resplendent dose of crafted pop music. The album opens with the jaunty “Color Madré,” a pleasing mix of acoustic and electric guitars and modulation techniques. “Everybody” is a gorgeous keyboard-driven ballad with Beatles overtones. “Bra” and “L’Egohead” are swaggering rock gems, remnants of the Britpop era. In recognition of the 25th anniversary of Slippin’ Out, Circuitry re-issued the record in November with five bonus tracks (including the wonderful garage rave-up “The Bigger Picture”). -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/tony-molina-the-bats-32hiua78 monthly 0.5 2025-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ee52caea-88d9-4e8b-b83d-5e76517d696d/curtis-harding-departures-and-arrivals-adventures-of-captain-curt.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Curtis Harding, Tony Molina, The Bats - Curtis Harding - Departures & Arrivals: Adventures of Captain Curt (ANTI- Records LP) The title of Curtis Harding’s 2014 debut record, Soul Power, arguably conveyed the sound of the artist’s music as accurately as any album title ever. Harding’s songs are thoroughly modern, but they evoke the sound and key stylistic elements of early ’70s soul with an almost alchemical vividness. Harding’s two subsequent releases found him refining and burnishing his already strong songwriting, and his new record is as compelling as anything he’s done to date. Departures & Arrivals opens with perhaps its best track: the insanely catchy “There She Goes.” Over a relentlessly infectious groove, Harding belts out the song’s soaring vocal line, buoyed by satiny strings, lush background harmonies and even a brief Ernie Isley-style ax solo. It’s a masterpiece of soulcraft. Other album tracks, like the propulsive “Out in the Black,” “Time” and “The Winter Soldier” trim the instrumentation down to a simmering mulligan stew of bass, drums, Hammond organ, guitar and Wurlitzer electric piano beneath Harding’s supple and consistently emotive vocal melodies. Another disc highlight is “True Love Can’t Be Blind,” which shifts deftly between a slinky shuffle tempo in the verses and a more disco-driven chorus gliding beneath a charmingly elegant, baroque piano riff. It’s an impressive bit of composing and arranging that testifies to Harding’s skills. Departures & Arrivals is a start-to-finish blast that can hold its own against some of the classics of the original soul era. If you’re a fan of that sound, you need to check this out! -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1764647510875-QR6LCM0FF8VDNARHHQD8/tony-molina-on-this-day.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Curtis Harding, Tony Molina, The Bats - Tony Molina - On This Day (Slumberland Records LP) The album title of On This Day prefaces the ephemerality of Tony Molina’s music. Comprised of 21 tracks over 23 minutes that he recorded and produced with Alicia Vanden Huevel (The Aislers Set) in their San Francisco home studio, songs meld into each other almost as quickly as a blink of the eye. While pop music is sometimes derided for its disposability, Molina doesn’t waste any notes in executing his vision. If a certain track fails to capture you attention it’s no bother because he’s already on to the next. Molina excels at grafting ’60s/’70s pop influences into a contemporary indie approach. The staccato piano plink and surging trumpet on “Faded Holiday” showcase Beach Boys basics. His cover “Violets of Dawn” by esteemed singer-songwriter Eric Andersen (who was part of the ‘60s Greenwich Village folk collective) condenses the original with an accelerated pace while retaining the song’s inherent beauty. “Livin’ Wrong” and “Don’t Belong” revel in Byrdsian jangle and “Lie To Kick It” highlights Molina’s knack of delivering sub-one-minute pop nuggets. On This Day’s combination of brevity and tunefulness is attention grabbing and a welcome distraction from the numbing effects of stimulus overload. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/67174dac-8f88-4847-a774-9ad6b1560e54/the-bats-corner-coming-up.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Curtis Harding, Tony Molina, The Bats - The Bats - Corner Coming Up (Flying Nun Records LP) I’ve always liked the gravitas of The Bats. Over 40-plus years, even in poppier moments Robert Scott’s deliberately paced tenor and Paul Kean’s rounded-edged bass lines have grounded the New Zealand band’s discerning, dispassionate observations. The Bats’ 11th outing, Corner Coming Up, feels like a very specific, serious moment in the band’s long philosophical journey; it offers simple, muted poetry about the personal and universal aspects of life and grief. They face mortality (their own or of loved ones); they reflect on impermanence, move to acceptance, and along the way embrace and savor experience. The beautiful, melancholy opening track “The Gown” sets the story with a slow, haunting drone underlaying Robert Scott’s subdued ruminations. The setting is, I think, a hospital during tests: “Open your mind, thinking of what you think of / Lying beside the big machine, what do I feel? / It’s pretty cold and it’s so white while I lie here….” We see him face and try to alleviate the disquiet: “Making the most of every day that we have / Waiting outside the big machine, what do I fear? / It’s not so cold, I’m in a gown, dressed for now / Fear not the coming days, heal now in all our ways / In the gown for now / dressed in a gown for now….” Well-placed piano phrases add depth as the album’s tone shifts to cautious hope: “This is your lucky day, I have no doubt… You might not make it back, I don’t know where you’ve gone / But if you get in touch, we’ll sing you a song.” Malcolm Grant’s drums pound and quicken, Kate Woodward’s winding lead guitar and harmonies emerge, the rhythm guitar jangles through the lively “A Line to the Stars” (“Push your feet up against the sky, be at one with the universe”) and fuzz-laden “Corner Coming Up.” The throughline of every song is perseverance in the face of the inevitable and the importance of basking in the here and now: “Don’t forget to wonder, don’t forget to learn.” With classic Bats jauntiness, “A Crutch, A Post” encourages: “All those things you lean upon, are they running away? / Try and count the stars in the corner of the sky… / A crutch, a post, something to hold us up / I’m just outside, counting the mountains / Never know--some may be gone.” Sadness (“Some say the writing’s on the wall”) and acceptance (“You’ll find your way home”) emerge in “Smallest Fall,” and “Tidal.” The penultimate song, “Eyes Down,” is quiet and somberly repetitive, bringing peace. With eyes raised once more, the superb closer, “Loline,” chugs sturdily along like the bicycle of its title, with fuzzy reverb and a hopeful, bouncing beat. Loline is a model of road bike made by--appropriately enough--Healing Industries. -Tina Woelke Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/38981fa0-b2df-452b-9013-f6bf34ea7e82/able-tasmans-a-cuppa-tea-and-a-lie-down.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Curtis Harding, Tony Molina, The Bats - Able Tasmans - A Cuppa Tea and A Lie Down (Flying Nun Records LP) This 1987 debut album from Able Tasmans was among one the most ambitious efforts to come out of the deep Flying Nun catalog. After recording The Tired Sun EP as a trio, co-founder Graeme Humphreys was compelled to go bigger in order to execute his vision for the band. Peter Keen was added on vocals, along with guitarist Dave Tennent, organist Leslie Jonkers, and new drummer Stuart Greenway, joining Humphreys and bassist Dave Beniston. All told 23 individuals were enlisted to contribute to the record, all of them captured in a group photo on the album’s back cover. In his book, Needles & Plastic, author Matthew Goody notes that people outside of their native Auckland, “who had never seen the band live, thought Able Tasmans had come out of some hippie commune.” The expanded line-up brought a new level of diversity and eclecticism to their music. The swirling, psychedelic-tinged “What Was That Thing?” is an earlier composition that was temporarily shelved but sparkles under the new band treatment. “Little Hearts” and “Sour Queen” are baroque pop pleasures, and “Evil Barbeque” comes on like a twisted two-step country sing along. The pastoral “Fa Fa Fa Fa” gives off Fairport Convention folk vibes accentuated by the interplay between Humphreys’ piano playing and Jane Leggett’s flute interludes. After being long out of print, Flying Nun partnered with Captured Tracks in 2015 to reissue A Cuppa Tea and A Lie Down in a deluxe edition format that includes The Tired Sun EP and three additional bonus tracks. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/snocaps-the-cords-people-mover-8721tf monthly 0.5 2025-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1763433137951-7F9UURVG5S3YRGQX6QKH/snocaps-snocaps.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Snocaps, The Cords, People Mover - Snocaps - S/T (Anti- Records LP) Being a twin has to be such an interesting experience. On the one hand, you have a built-in best friend—someone who you are tethered to from day one, who gets it. On the other hand, you have someone whom you (probably unwillingly) measure yourself against. There has to be some built-in push-pull dynamic that exists there. Katie and Allison Crutchfield, I am sure, know this dynamic well. They’ve been playing music together since early high school, and until recently, they hadn’t played together since P.S. Eliot’s last tour, which occurred nine years ago. What’s happened to the sisters in the interim is remarkable. Katie continued to expand on Waxahatchee (her solo project)‘s sound and has crossed the divide into indie country with two masterpieces this decade in Saint Cloud and Tigers Blood. She’s amassed an Avengers-level list of collaborators from drummer Spencer Tweedy (friend of the pod!) to her trusted producer Brad Cook, and more recently, indie guitar god MJ Lenderman. Not to be outdone, Allison fronted the indie-punk band Swearin’ across four fantastic albums, released one solo album, and then transitioned to a successful career in A&R for Anti- Records. Something was missing for them, though. That twin feeling that only they could understand—the need to collaborate and make music together again. They wanted to return to their raw indie roots, recording an album rapid-fire together with friends close by, plucking Lendermen and Cook to round out the new band. They dropped the album the same day they announced themselves as a band. What we have here are 13 songs that trace back to their indie-punk roots with split vocals between The Crutchfields. For those of us who rode for P.S. Eliot, this was a big deal! The songs kick off with lead vocals from Allison on “Coast,” where the tension builds for the first half before opening up to a cathartic ending. Katie takes over lead vocals on “Wasteland,” which touches on wanting to be better and not be seen as in need of help—a defiant anthem of self-worth. These songs all sound great on record, and with the forthcoming tour, it’s easy to see how these songs would open up in a live setting. Luckily for us, the Crutchfields, despite not being from Chicago, love Chicago. Waxahatchee’s record release show for Tigers Blood was at the Empty Bottle in March of 2024, with a backing band comprised of Tweedy, and members of Chicago’s very own Twin Peaks. Snocaps very first tour with limited tour dates kicks off at Thalia Hall, spanning 3 nights (November 30th, December 1st, and 2nd). These shows are not to be missed, as again, these songs will undoubtedly expand and there are sure to be surprises in the setlist. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2f3c64b9-6534-41bf-9852-7bcb8c624dab/the-cords-the-cords.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Snocaps, The Cords, People Mover - The Cords - S/T (Slumberland Records LP) There’s a tangible sense of joy that pervades The Cords’ debut album by the Scottish teenage sister duo of Eva and Grace Tedeschi. The kind of joy that begins with absorbing their parent’s hip record collection followed by the giddy pursuit of learning how to play their own instruments that leads to writing and performing music that captures their unique creativity. The origins of their sound resides with the ’80s indie pop from artists like Shop Assistants, The Flatmates and Talulah Gosh. The jangle pop strumming and dulcet tones that opens the record on “Fabulist” would slot in seamlessly with any highlight mixtape from that era. “Just Don’t Know (How To Be You)” is cut from a similar cloth; registering a simplicity that doesn’t require extraneous window dressing. An eruption of intermittent guitar frenzy from Eva drives “You” down an exhilarating trail that has me wanting to retrace its steps immediately after it comes to an end. “Yes It’s True” is hard-hitting—a maximum effort workout with Grace’s forceful drumming setting the pace. “When You Said Goodbye,” the closing track among the baker’s dozen, makes for a perfect conclusion; a bittersweet parting and a longing sense to discover what’s yet to come. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f3c9d628-8b05-44d9-8ab7-f3de4ff49976/people-mover-cane-trash.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Snocaps, The Cords, People Mover - People Mover - Cane Trash (Little Lunch Records LP) As siblings, guitarist/vocalist Lu Sergiacomi and and drummer Dan Sergiacomi have a connected history of growing up in Australian’s Brisbane region that provides the framework for their debut album. As their label so colorfully details: “Shaped by the Queensland heat permeating throughout childhood homes and share houses, Cane Trash captures the messiness of being in your twenties through melodies that stick like a seatbelt in summer.” The record’s opener, “James St,” finds the pair recollecting about one such beloved share house that’s met its demise, as Lu ruefully observes, “nothing’s built to last.” On the title track, she equates a gradually deteriorating relationship with the the slow erosion of the debris that’s left behind from the ecological-friendly approach to sugarcane harvesting. Sergiacomi’s voice and phrasing is reminiscent of Courtney Barnett’s at times, and like Barnett she expresses a wariness with veiled intentions and feelings of displacement in the midst of everyday crowds. Bassist Billy McCulloch completes People Mover’s trio and their lean and catchy rock approach mirrors that of Barnett’s outfit. In the soaring “Trying,” Lu confesses that she’s “been trying too hard” in her pursuit of an elusive companion—the results may not be immediately forthcoming but goodness knows that we can fault the effort. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c9e08d8c-642d-42a3-b8b0-3e4c2bf8c7f6/love-is-all-nine-times-that-same-song.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Snocaps, The Cords, People Mover - Love Is All - Nine Times That Same Song (What’s Your Rupture? LP) In a Pitchfork interview when asked about Love Is All’s influences surrounding the creation of their 2006 debut album, Nine Times That Same Song, bassist Johan Lindwall offered up Roxy Music and the Vaselines as possibilities. While seemingly disparate pairings, the reference was pretty on point. There are shades of Roxy’s rhythmic ballast and fuck-all art sensibilities coupled with the raggedly irresistible lo-fi pop approach of the Vaselines that gestate in their music. Vocalist/keyboardist Josephine Olausson’s admiration for the post-punk sounds of Kleenex and Essential Logic spurred the recruitment of saxophonist Fredrik Eriksson into the band—a final piece to the puzzle for the Swedish quintet. For a debut record, Nine Times That Same Song displays an impressive range of sounds and textures. There’s the delirious bull rush of “Spinning And Scratching,” the shout-along pull of “Make Out Fall Out Make Up,” and the lilting beauty of “Turn The Radio Off” and “Turn The TV Off.” On “Busy Doing Nothing,” Olausson enumerates all the daily diversions (5 movie marathons, 9 times that same song, 10 hours in the bed, 4 hours on the phone, 1 hour in the shower, 2 hours trying shoes on) that have prevented her from accomplishing anything of substance—it’s a riotous confession that most listeners would likely relate to. For a band fixated on numbers (titling successive albums as A Hundred Things Keep Me Up A Night and Two Thousand And Ten Injuries), let me suggest one more for the list: a band reunion for a twentieth anniversary performance of Nine Times That Same Song! -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-telephone-numbers-good-flying-birds-dragnet-h27a9cn2 monthly 0.5 2025-11-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1762118099717-Z8HTB6Z3NWAC7760Z8PM/the-telephone-numbers-scarecrow-ii.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Telephone Numbers, Good Flying Birds, Dragnet - The Telephone Numbers - Scarecrow II (Slumberland Records LP) On the band’s second full length album, San Francisco’s The Telephone Numbers broaden their sound, adding doses of organ and violin and a pinch of trumpet and mandolin into the mix. The overall effect pulls up short of approaching orchestral territory, but does push past the footprint of spartan jangle pop. Lead vocalist Thomas Rubenstein signals a shift with the opener, “Goodbye Rock n Roll”—a lovely nostalgic number that’s softly strummed and nestled in warm violin and piano tones. The following track, “Be Right Down,” rides the supple vocal turns of Rubenstein and backing melody of Morgan Stanley (also of The Umbrellas) to power pop blissfulness. Cult Bay Area pop legend Tony Molina guests on 12-string for the energetic “Pulling Punchlines,” which also is buoyed by Anna Hillburg’s trumpet infusion. The spartan “This Job Is Killing Me” is heartfelt and affecting; chronicling the vagaries of public performance and the aftermath critical analysis. Near the end of the record, Morgan takes the lead vocal turn on “Telephone Numbers Theme,” an earlier penned number from when Glenn Donaldson (The Reds, Pinks & Purples) was a member. It’s a catchy blast of blister pop that well captures the overall infectious nature of the band’s music. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/293eae7b-fc96-4ea8-a65f-6994d1da8708/good-flying-birds-talulahs-tape.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Telephone Numbers, Good Flying Birds, Dragnet - Good Flying Birds - Talulah’s Tape (Carpark Records / Smoking Room LP) By initially naming themselves Taluhah God before switching over to their current moniker that was nicked from a Guided By Voices song, Good Flying Birds laid their cards on the table from the get go. The gambit has paid off for this now five-piece Indy/indie outfit that has embraced those inspirations for their own charming dose of lo-fi pop. After initially releasing the four-track recorded Talulah’s Tape as a cassette via the St. Louis label Rotten Apples at the start of the year, slightly revised versions were offered up on vinyl in October on Carpark and Smoking Room. The band, headed up by vocalist/guitarist Kellen Baker, navigates the pop spectrum, from the jangle of “I Care For You” and “Dynamic” to the noisier “Wallace” and “Eric’s Eyes.” Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites from Wishy (and roommates of Baker), guest on the energetic alt rock-fueled “Fall Away.” With its DIY aesthetic and unchanneled exuberance, Talulah’s Tape is a worthy listening destination for the poptimist community. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f1cece9f-e602-4274-b90a-e33e17217e3a/dragnet-dragnet-reigns.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Telephone Numbers, Good Flying Birds, Dragnet - Dragnet - Dragnet Reigns! (Spoilsport Records LP) Against an escalating beat, Dragnet’s Jack Cherry intones on the album’s opener, “What’s It Worth”: “Start now / Read it in a book / Government Secrets / Got you on a hook.” The air of espionage is thick with ill intent driven by Machiavellian forces, which certainly hits close to home here stateside. Cherry, who also fronts Aussie’s estimable Vintage Crop, cites Cold War hijinks as a songwriting launch pad for Dragnet Reigns! “Red Square” advances the theme—a blistering indictment of the impermanence of truces amongst the rancor of political divides. The rancor is turned inwards on “Alta Vista,” which chronicles a dead-end relationship due to a failure to communicate. Likewise, “Grandstand” pits incompatible parties at different ends of the spectrum; those who live in judgement of others and those that are unmercifully judged. Dragnet Reigns! serves as a reminder that the unsavoriness of our history doesn’t mean that lessons have been learned. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8c102630-1458-41ea-9c58-e9f5d261b206/terry-reid-terry-reid.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Telephone Numbers, Good Flying Birds, Dragnet - Terry Reid - S/T (Epic Records LP) When Terry Reid succumbed to cancer this past August he was fairly destitute, at one point having to hock some of his guitars to a West Hollywood pawn shop. Although he was revered among his peer musician group, he remains largely unknown to a considerable swath of listeners. All that despite being pitched by Jimmy Page to join his post-Yardbirds outfit that would go on to become Led Zeppelin (for which Reid instead recommended acquaintances Robert Plant and John Bonham due to his prior commitment to open for upcoming Rolling Stones and Cream tours). Later, Deep Purple’s Ritchie Blackmore would come calling seeking a replacement for vocalist Rod Evans, but the band’s metal edge didn’t suit Reid’s tastes. Reid was only nineteen when he recorded his self-titled second album, but his expressive, soulful voice could be easily be mistaken for someone decades older. His cover version of Donovan’s “Superlungs My Supergirl” that leads off the album would provide his future nickname in recognition of his vocal prowess. It wasn’t only his contemporaries that paid tribute to his unique talents—Cheap Trick plucked “Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace” from the record for their 1977 debut LP and Jack White’s Ranconteurs did the same with closing track “Rich Kid Blues” for 2008’s Consolers of the Lonely. After the record, Reid and his manager/producer Mickie Most had a falling out, which sidetracked a promising career with litigation that would forestall his next release for another four years. The three albums he released in the seventies failed to chart and his sixth and last studio album, The Driver, wouldn’t arrive until 1991. In 2015, music journalist Richard Frias began working with Reid on a documentary titled Superlungs that potentially could have exposed him to a wider audience, but disagreements between the pair with the project’s direction didn’t allow it to come to completion, though a promotional trailer exists for the curiously inclined. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/algernon-cadwallader-sloan-possible-humans-2rhi3ua monthly 0.5 2025-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1760625077474-B7BPZM01EGKX4X2WVS5U/algernon-cadwallader-trying-not-to-have-a-thought.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Algernon Cadwallader, Sloan, Possible Humans - Algernon Cadwallader - Trying Not to Have a Thought (Saddle Creek LP) The reunion of emo-revival forebearers Algernon Cadwallader back in 2022 was a massive deal for a certain type of music fan—the type who prays at the altar of Midwest emo. Algernon started back in 2005 when four Pennsylvania high school friends—bassist/vocalist Peter Helmis, guitarists Joe Reinhart and Colin Mahony, and drummer Nick Tazza started playing their own unique version of Chicago’s own creation—Midwest emo. Before the rise of music streaming, finding a genre like Midwest emo took some serious effort! You can hear the influence in their divergent time signatures and vocals, but this was also cross-pollinated with some math rock and post-hardcore for good measure. All this is to say that Algernon was defiantly underground during their initial run ending in 2012. Like their influences, Cap’n Jazz and American Football, they built momentum over the ensuing decade, influencing countless emo bands that came after them. What’s the saying? The first Velvet Underground album sold 50,000 copies and started 50,000 bands? That’s what happened with Algernon. They came back in 2022 to headline bigger venues than they could have ever dreamed of during their initial run, but no new music seemed imminent. That all changed back in August when they announced a tour along with their first new album in 14 years—Trying Not to Have a Thought. I was hyped, but nervous because, as they had such a storied history and their past work was so perfect, could this new album be as good? The short answer is yes, yes, it could. We take for granted that the production is immaculate, as it was spearheaded by Joe Reinhart, who, post-breakup, became a sought-after producer. This is a heavy record subject-wise. There’s the opening song “Hawk,” which is a tribute to a childhood friend who is no longer with us. There is the political “Shameless Faces (even the guy who made the thing was a piece of shit)” with its shimmering guitars talking about the fallacy of the hunky dory founding of our country. The real album highlight for me is “Attn MOVE,” which is about the mayor of Philadelphia actually ordering the bombing of a city neighborhood during an altercation with a black liberation organization called MOVE, an obvious precursor of excessive force by people in power that we see today. I applaud the band for not resting on their laurels with these reunion shows and pushing themselves to create even more indelible art. This album feels very of the past and sadly of the present with the unease we are all feeling right now with everything going on. This is a statement album; one that proves Algernon is worthy of all the praise they have received over the years. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9cdf6d19-45c8-4e18-af4b-6390b9ae74b8/sloan-based-on-the-best-seller.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Algernon Cadwallader, Sloan, Possible Humans - Sloan - Based on the Best Seller (Yep Rock LP) Long-lived bands often struggle to sound fresh. But Sloan’s Based on the Best Seller—their 14th album in 30+ years—confirms their place in the pantheon of Makers of Reliably Great Music. Sloan’s adult intelligence is fueled by teenage energy—always inventive, critical, and pointed, but loose enough to sound current. They look around, not back. It’s obvious they’re enjoying themselves. I shake my head in wonder at the consistent ability of the four band members to integrate their disparate personalities and talents as they swap composition duties, vocal roles, and instruments. Their formula is to wittily mix up the formula: Start with a base of classic rock riffs, gleefully mingle wedges of glam (yay!), punk, garage rock, and instant-classic pop melodies; fold in thrilling anthems and thoughtful ballads. (Honestly, Sloan could single-handedly fill a Top 40 radio playlist.) The album abounds with complex chords and clever wordplay; there are unexpected pacing shifts and surprising key changes, as well as scatterings of piano and trumpet. Importantly—as always—their inimitable harmonies tie everything together, lending cohesion to their entire diverse canon. “Dream Destroyer” is a barn burner, galloping along with handclaps and “yeah-yeah-yeahs.” In contrast, the vintage Kinks music-hall vibe of “Open Up Your Umbrellas” gently points out the dangers of global warming. “I Already Know” wryly narrates a know-it-all’s self-absorption: “In social situations I tend to target the taciturn / I make a monologue and I need nothing in return / ‘Cause I already know (I don’t know).” And “No Damn Fears” is a dark, seething call to sanity and political action: “It’s never been so expensive / To find the time to come to your senses…. This is the time to rise.” Every Sloan album has at least a few fling-up-your-arms-and-shout-along tracks. (Listening every day to “Spin Our Wheels,” from 12, got me through the pandemic.) Notable here are the jaunty “Congratulations,” the soaring “Live Forever,” and the exhilarating “Here We Go Again.” Sloan brilliantly demonstrates that longevity doesn’t preclude having fun and making captivating music. -Tina Woelke Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3ffc5a1a-c336-4d83-bb0b-b81e01e5d11b/possible-humans-standing-around-alive.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Algernon Cadwallader, Sloan, Possible Humans - Possible Humans - Standing Around Alive (Hobbies Galore LP) Beyond championing the local indie music scene, Bill and Lisa Roe from Trouble In Mind were instrumental in exposing emerging overseas bands to American audiences. One of those instances was their re-release of Possible Humans’ 2019 album Everybody Split after its initial run on Melbourne-based Hobbies Galore sold out. The Roe’s announcement last month that they were ceasing to operate as an active label have left many of us saddened, but highly appreciative of their sixteen year run of stellar curation. Possible Humans have remerged for their follow-up album with Alex Macfarlane (previous drummer for Twerps and The Stevens, among others) of Hobbies Galore once again recording and releasing the effort. Whereas Everybody Split elicited a nervous energy and charming twitchiness, Standing Around Alive proceeds with an assuredness in its pursuit of pop craftsmanship. The opening “Slouching Hat” spares no sentimentality in its depiction of a once optimistic life that’s gone off the rails. “Ordinary Agony” and “Feel Shit Hit” are concise compositions that showcase the sharp wit of the band’s collective songwriting. The record concludes with “Claws In” and “Akimbo” striking a reflective tone with intertwining instrumentation that captures the inner turmoil of the subject manner. Standing Around Alive makes the point that were all spectators in life to various degrees and that we can choose to either mindlessly meander or stay true to our convictions—best not to sleepwalk past the invigorating example laid out to us herein. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f4c82f6c-5778-4aa3-b21b-741ede5ce780/shocking-pinks-dance-the-dance-electric.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Algernon Cadwallader, Sloan, Possible Humans - Shocking Pinks - Dance the Dance Electric (Pinacolada Records / A Low Hum / Bone Idle LP) On vacation in Utrecht (beautiful college town in the Netherlands, if you get the chance), I found myself in a coffee shop that called itself a record store as well. And sure enough, there were a couple of finely-curated crates of new LPs for sale, mostly from Dutch bands and labels. The morass of private press and vanity project releases gave way to a mysterious album cover of a hand-drawn rose and an oddly-penned tracklist. Looking the record up on my phone, it was from the dance-pop/shoegaze project of a Flying Nun-indebted New Zealander, Nick Marte, who later recorded on DFA. The story reeled me in, and the music caught me. This is a messy, lo-fi record that begins with the snotty, anti-melodic “Lovehate” that loudly and limply bellows “Gimme some violence!” in the same voice I used to protest the Iraq War in 2003. The anger is there, in proportion to the helplessness and hopelessness. At least we can dance, which is what “Peace Out”, the second track, provides the soundtrack to. It’s a lengthy but tidy jam. If you want an aching pop song, “It’s Hard to Breathe” is here with heart on sleeve and plenty of gorgeous guitar inversions. “Affection” is the album’s centerpiece, a tribute to a failed relationship; and a building, !!!-esque dance-punk anthem that’s one nasally accent away from being an emo mega-anthem. It explodes into a noisy, cacophonous mess that this elder Millennial was 100% relating to in 2004. And this is the core of this album to this particular listener. Linking an album of the past that one has just discovered to the time it was released can be a powerful, Mandela-effecting drug. Hearing the aching, lamenting tones of “Ice” is that, as well. The final tracks squeak and squonk to a noisy finale. This is a painfully self-conscious, self-deprecating, sarcastic record that still puts its begrudging romanticism and desire to boogie upfront. The RIYLs here are myriad, from Gang of Four and Liquid Liquid to LCD Soundsystem and Guided by Voices. I would not recommend being alive and conscious of the outside world in 2004, but having an album like this as a security blanket certainly ameliorates things. -Austin Harvey Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/chameleons-magic-shoppe-cheer-accident-9h12hf83 monthly 0.5 2025-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1759287538585-8NCYMJMISOP9CS4MDO59/chameleons-arctic-moon.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Chameleons, Magic Shoppe, Cheer-Accident - Chameleons - Arctic Moon (Metropolis Records LP) It’s safe to describe a record as “highly anticipated” when it’s a band’s first release in 24 years, and Chameleons’ new disc, Arctic Moon, is perhaps even more eagerly awaited in the wake of the band’s scorching, dynamic live set in Chicago last fall. The group is still led by the two primary architects of its classic ’80s sound: vocalist/bassist Mark Burgess and guitarist Reg Smithies, with three younger members adding guitars, keys and drums. Arctic Moon is a solid return to form, with several genuinely stellar moments. If you were expecting the band to revive the delay-heavy axe atmospherics of its early records, you’ll be slightly disappointed. Arctic Moon generally features a more straightforward modern rock sound, which the band had already adopted on its excellent 2001 record Why Call It Anything. The new disc gets off to a rewarding start with its first three tunes. “Lady Strange” deftly blends an exhilarating melodic rush with a brooding moodiness, a hallmark of many classic Chameleons tracks. And it ranks with the band’s very best work. Album opener “Where Are You?” is an infectious, punchy, streamlined rocker, while “Feels Like the End of the World” is a soaring pop tune (decked out with a string orchestra) that boasts a beguiling melody over a swinging, waltz-time beat. On a contrasting note, the mid-disc ballad “Free Me” sounds strangely bland and formulaic, briefly stalling the disc’s forward momentum. Things do get a bit better on Arctic Moon’s final songs. “Magnolia” stirs a mysterious, nocturnal guitar mist in the verses into an anthemic chorus (another vintage Chameleons move), while “Saviours Are a Dangerous Thing” undergirds a lovely lattice of minor key axe lines with a rushing, propulsive groove–closing the disc with a bang. Overall, Arctic Moon is an encouraging re-start for Chameleons. Here’s hoping for more music soon. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a414d28c-69bf-4f23-9dfc-3aefcfbffde3/magic-shoppe-resurrection-machine.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Chameleons, Magic Shoppe, Cheer-Accident - Magic Shoppe - Resurrection Machine (Little Cloud Records EP) Resurrection Machine is the follow-up to Down The Wych Elm, Magic Shoppe’s seventh LP that registered among my top five favorite releases for 2024. The EP hits with a raw, punkish fervor with four of the five tracks clocking in under 3:15. Josiah Webb’s DIY aesthetic and embrace of heavy psych and shoegaze permeates throughout. The opener, “Going Nowhere Slowly,” is bathed in dense fuzz and distortion and when Webb transitions over to a pristine ringing guitar tone two-thirds through the song, the contrast brings an added dimension to the number. “Space Cadet” sounds like a spiritual descendent of Blue Öyster Cult’s oeuvre, featuring forlorn vocals and a sumptuous, spooky vibe. Resurrection Machine closes with the sparse “Little Sheep” that finds Webb trying to put his troubles to rest amongst all the uneasiness that’s infiltrated present day life—a thwarted lullaby in the midst of a national nightmare.-Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8337d5ff-f58d-4f75-b4e2-e051e5ffb577/cheer-accident-admission.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Chameleons, Magic Shoppe, Cheer-Accident - Cheer-Accident - Admission (Skin Graft LP) After 40 years and 26 albums, you’d think it would be easy to characterize what Cheer-Accident does. Think again! For sure, there’s some “prog” in their sound—the harmonically and rhythmically jagged prog of Red-era King Crimson or Van Der Graaf Generator. But there’s also lilting, lyrical piano balladry a la Todd Rundgren and Burt Bacharach. Oh, and there are occasional forays into synth pop. And did I mention the band even has a rare penchant for noise-scaping? What’s more, Cheer-Accident isn’t even really a “band” as much as an ever-shifting galaxy of musicians orbiting long-time members multi-instrumentalist/singer Thymme Jones, multi-instrumentalist Jeff Libersher and lyricist Scott Rutledge. To cut to the chase, Admission is one of the band’s best records, and it definitely leans into Cheer-Accident’s melodic pop side (but it ain’t that simple). Album opener “My Love” is an infectiously melodic, well-crafted piano-pop outing distinguished by an engaging hook, Thymme Jones’ ageless tenor and some quirky instrumental breaks in 5/4 time. “Cold Comfort” adorns a repetitive, crunchy axe riff with gorgeous layered vocal melodies, elegant piano octaves and a brass choir, creating a delightful contrast between the droning riff and the kaleidoscopic accompaniment. “Weird Organ” is lush, dark-hued synth-pop, with singer Angie Mead’s lovely vocal line gliding over a bubbling bed of synth tones that emit an appealingly mysterious vibe. Admission also veers into moments of avant-rock (“Redwood Creek”) and pensive, pristine chamber pop (“Palos Hills”). Album closer “Die for Me” is as beautiful a song as Cheer-Accident has ever produced. Three snappy, syncopated guitar chords ring out over a crisp bass-and-drum pulse, giving the verses an irresistible, almost R&B-ish groove beneath Bethany DeGaetano Smoker’s soaring vocal melody. But then the choruses melt into a beguiling wash of richly harmonic, delicately shifting instrumental chords undulating under an airy choir of voices. It’s a stunning conclusion to another rewarding chapter in the Cheer-Accident story. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/afc9fc63-779b-4bd5-b809-485f7f7f1213/flipper-album-generic-flipper.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Chameleons, Magic Shoppe, Cheer-Accident - Flipper - Album Generic Flipper (Subterranean Records LP) The passing of Flipper co-vocalist/bassist Bruce ‘Loose’ Calderwood over the past month led me back to their confounding 1982 debut album. At a time when west coast punk was transitioning into hardcore thrash, Flipper came across as slow-footed, sinking down into the muck and mire. Loose leads off the album with the sneering “Ever,” unleashing a litany of gripes, but not absolving himself from some of the offenses. Society’s ineptness comes under attack again during “Way Of The World,” and more or less is met with a shrug by Loose and the band. Flipper appear engaged at the beginning of “Life,” as bandmate Will Shatter proclaims “Life is the only thing worth living for.” As the song progresses though, things become more chaotic with the band barely holding on long enough to stumble to a finish. By the closing “Sex Bomb,” Flipper is just ready to turn things loose with a woozy sax accompaniment to Shatter’s primal screams. With their irreverence and absurdism, Flipper left a visible mark on a punk movement that was slipping towards self parody. Just like their crudely drawn shark logo, their satirical art had some real teeth to it. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/superchunk-the-beths-dancer-03j37hf monthly 0.5 2025-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1757985765924-YKQ7MIYH8DWYBI6KILXJ/superchunk-songs-in-the-key-of-yikes.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Superchunk, The Beths, Dancer - Superchunk - Songs in the Key of Yikes (Merge Records LP) Superchunk has delivered a treasure trove of power pop with remarkable consistency down through the years that places them in the pantheon of Cheap Trick-like status for the indie set. In the same manner that Cheap Trick gained notoriety with “Surrender,” a spirited anthem about preserving identity, Superchunk did likewise with “Slack Motherfucker.” One could easily envision the Rockford legends taking on a song like “Care Less,” with its power chord crunch and ringing chorus. Songs in the Key of Yikes is Mac McCaughan’s derivation of Stevie Wonder’s classic album and a commentary on the state of our times. “And every crushing night leads to another endless day,” intones McCaughan on “No Hope.” The band strikes a balance between utter distress and a guarded belief that change is possible. “Cue,” featuring supporting vocals from Quivers’ Bella Quinlan and Holly Thomas, dials back the angst and finds solace in the comforting gestures that exist between connected individuals. On the album’s opener, “Is It Making You Feel Something,” McCaughan issues a call to action: “Now fakes are faking everything / That once made your poor heart sing / If you’ve got a bell / Then ring it / Make it ring.” Being comfortably numb isn’t an option for this Chapel Hill gang, and like the words of another acerbic tunesmith, Warren Zevon, “(They’d) rather feel bad than not feel anything at all.” -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/53beddf5-5ab9-4235-811b-67e0c6fa927b/the-beths-straight-line-was-a-lie.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Superchunk, The Beths, Dancer - The Beths - Straight Line Was A Lie (ANTI- Records LP) The effects of treating the hyperthyroidism brought on by Elizabeth Stokes’ Graves’ disease diagnosis altered her more organic and immediate approach to songwriting. Having to dig deeper into her mental processing produced a record that’s more complex in tone and sound. Those detours as the album title and lead song point out proved more difficult, but not insurmountable. “When did life become so unbecoming?,” she questions on “No Joy” as the song moves towards the chorus and later becomes discordant before a soothing flute and recorder passage pulls things back together again. On “Metal,” Stokes marvels at the complexity of the human body while also bemoaning her own condition for letting her down. “Til My Heart Stops” embraces life’s simpler pleasures, offering up a wish list of tactile and sensory delights. As the album comes to a close with the sanguine “Best Laid Plans,” Stokes appears willing to let go of tightly controlling the narrative, opting instead for experiencing life as it unfolds and presents itself. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4f3f39fe-2978-4671-9d34-7b1165c67a8c/dancer-more-or-less.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Superchunk, The Beths, Dancer - Dancer - More or Less (Meritorio Records LP) Residing in Glasgow, Scotland, the rainiest city in the UK, hasn’t dampened the spirits of Dancer. The married couple of vocalist Gemma Fleet and bassist Andrew Doig were long-time London denizens before they moved up north for a fresher experience. In the brief couple of years since becoming a band, Dancer has been prolific. More or Less is the follow-up to last year’s debut album 10 Songs I Hate About You, which was preceded by a couple of earlier EPs. Their music is playful and pithy, and is definitely geared towards getting you to shimmy across the floorboards as their name would suggest. On the opener, “Legend,” Fleet declares “The future’s not written,” and then proceeds to detail a heist gone awry. “Make A Copy” captures her range of expressions; turning from ecstatic to blasé on a dime. The syncopation of “Man Of Distinction” gives the song a nervous energy that perfectly suits the tale of an awkward encounter. Acknowledging an overload of frenzied responses and frayed nerves, Dancer close with “Calm Down”—a welcome exhale from their breathless workout. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/be4a4f99-a483-457f-a4c7-302cbea9123f/we-are-the-city-violent.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Superchunk, The Beths, Dancer - We Are The City - Violent (Hidden Pony Records LP) We Are The City was one of those bands that wasn’t quite a Christian band, but was a band comprised of Christian members. I’m not sure if I still would’ve described myself as a Christian when I first heard this band back in my freshman year of high school. I did, however, still attend youth group regularly, and We Are The City gave me something to request that was much more sonically interesting than my go-to “Christians in a band” Relient K. Violent is perfect for laying on a cold concrete basement floor and staring at the ceiling. I would know, because this is how I experienced this album for the first time, and many times over. Initially released in 2013, We Are The City’s sophomore album marks a departure from the cookie-cutter indie-rock sound that dominated their freshman release, A Quiet World. With Violent, the band begins to pick up a more experimental, contemplative, percussion-heavy sound, which they continued to refine over the next five years. The album opens with rolling metallic sounds of a glockenspiel, making the listener feel like they’re floating through the water on the aptly named track “Bottom of the Lake.” The theme of water continues, with polyrhythmic drums that sound like water dripping in a cave on the track “Legs Give Out.” “King David” follows, my favorite track, but also one of the simpler arrangements found on the album. This song is angsty and loud, opening with the question “does it surprise you to know that I’m full of feelings that change?” My 14-year-old self definitely directed the sentiment of that line towards my parents. For We Are The City, this song seems more like a questioning of faith, closing with the question “should I fill my mind with God? Aren’t there better things to put inside my head?” “Everything Changes” is the album’s quietest composition. Beginning with a twinkly ambient opening reminiscent of Brian Eno’s Music for Airports and building up to heavy-handed piano chords and a call to go back to a simpler time: “I know everybody changes in some way but since I’ve been gone everything has changed and I don’t want to change.” The album ends with “Punch My Face,” a piano ballad accompanied by the slow crescendo of droning synths into a wall of reverb that completes that album. We Are The City are now defunct, ending the project in 2020 alongside the release of their final album RIP. Violent, and the rest of the band’s discography, will always hold a special place in my heart for introducing me to a world of music outside of the emo and pop punk I had known up until the time. -Safiya Ratliff Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/case-oats-water-from-your-eyes-ganser-8g169fho monthly 0.5 2025-09-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1756999475685-AXAYFHHEQNXQKAQDO4I1/case-oats-last-missouri-exit.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Case Oats, Water From Your Eyes, Ganser - Case Oats - Last Missouri Exit (Merge Records LP) What immediately strikes me about Case Oats’ debut album is how much these songs feel lived in. On Last Missouri Exit there are tales of misdeeds, misadventures and mixed signals. Casey Gomez Walker leaves everything out in the open for the listener in a plain-spoken tone that pulls no punches. There’s the unrepentant adolescent dressed down in “Buick Door,” the forsaken childhood friend of “Seventeen,” and the left-behind wishful suitor that inhabits “In a Bungalow.” Gomez Walker and partner (& recently fiancé) Spencer Tweedy allow their songs to be experienced without much window dressing—the backing provided by band members Max Sugar (guitar, pedal steel), Jason Ashworth (bass), Nolan Chin (keyboards) and Scott Daniel (fiddle) lend a meaningful heft but don’t detract from the core connectivity. Last Missouri Exit draws on Gomez Walker’s resettlement across state lines at a time where one resides is tied to identity—she’s not abandoning her past, but she’s clearly embracing her future. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bc6607b6-eefc-43ea-9b16-dc006ceb684f/water-from-your-eyes-its-a-beautiful-place.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Case Oats, Water From Your Eyes, Ganser - Water From Your Eyes - It’s A Beautiful Place (Matador Records LP) After getting their start in Chicago nearly a decade ago, Water From Your Eyes solidified their presence with their Matador debut album, Everyone’s Crushed, in 2023. Multi-instrumentalist and production guru Nate Amos along with vocalist Rachel Brown create kinetic songs that range from woozy to wondrous. “Life Signs” begins with a death spiral before pulling up the nose when Brown breaks in with her shifting vocal patterns, but by mid-song it’s quickly in free-fall again prior to a soft landing. Abrupt tempo changes has “Spaceship” flirting with the edge of nausea; the eastern influences manifest the disorientation. “Playing Classics” locks into the duo’s dance-punk descriptive courtesy of elevated BPMs, throbbing electronics and a dash of Auto-Tune. In contrast, “Blood on the Dollar” maintains a consistent languid pace, benefitting from a disarmingly naked vocal turn from Brown. It’s A Beautiful Place captures Water From You Eyes in all their eclectic glory, unconcerned with precedent and occupying a universe of their own making. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8fc4a96c-f7d7-4129-926f-88f60483ebfb/ganser-animal-hospital.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Case Oats, Water From Your Eyes, Ganser - Ganser - Animal Hospital (felte LP) After co-founder and lead vocalist Nadia Garofalo departed Ganser following the release of their 2022 Nothing You Do Matters EP, it was inevitable that there would be a shift in their musical approach. The early work on Animal Hospital had actually commenced as far back as 2020 and when Sophie Sputnik came aboard to replace Garofalo some of the songs were already part of Ganser’s live set. Further change came about when guitarist Charlie Landsman decided to step away midway through recording with Dove Hollis picking up where he left off. In the intervening years between their previous LP, Just Look At That Sky in 2020 and the release of Animal Hospital, Ganser has broadened their art-punk template, moving beyond Garofalo’s acerbic musings to more of a blended vocal approach between Sputnik and bassist Alicia Gaines. Their aggro edge is still well represented by the likes of “Black Sand,” “Half Plastic” and “Plato.” A more groove-driven approach is represented in “Discount Diamonds” and “Ten Miles Tall” builds contrast between the reverb-laden vocals and the industrial-like backing instrumentation. Gaines referenced the album title when detailing that Animal Hospital explores the co-existence of base impulses alongside controlled environments. For the members of Ganser, one characteristic isn’t superior to the other, it’s how we find balance between the two that moves us past being savages or overly-cautious—a novel thought in these increasingly extremist times. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/64dec21d-b39c-438f-8900-bbbcef37ec45/infinity-shred-sanctuary.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Case Oats, Water From Your Eyes, Ganser - Infinity Shred - Sanctuary (Paracadute LP) In my younger years, I always aspired to be that person who would go to see the opener at any show I was attending. Now, I find myself timing out how long an unknown opener will play for, posting up at a nearby bar, and showing up right before the headliner is about to go on. My interest in catching the openers predated the rise of music streaming, so if you didn’t know a band, and none of your friends knew, you relied on album reviews, or you went in fresh. As luck would have it for me, in the summer of 2013 I was in New York for a friend’s wedding, and was staying with another friend who lived in Gramercy Park. The fun wrinkle of this visit was that he couldn’t find his keys, so anytime he went out, I had to go with him, or we had to decide on a time to meet up. This particular evening, he was headed to see the farewell show of The Depreciation Guild at the venue Glasslands in Williamsburg. I was a fan of the band and figured a fun night was afoot. This was in my “you show up when the show starts days.” The thing I wasn’t expecting was to be blown away by the opener that evening, a local NYC band by the name of Infinity Shred. What I remember was seeing them set up a guitar, synths/computer deck, and drums. I was intrigued. We stood in the back by the bar, like the cool people we were pretending to be. Glasslands was a super cool space; it had PVC pipe lights throughout the ceiling, casting lights/shadows throughout the venue. What was Infinity Shred going to sound like? To be quite honest, I was floored. They were incredible—this perfect blend of chip-tune, synthy anthemic post-rock. It was equal parts synthy and heavy, but so melodic and anthemic. I was hooked. I couldn’t even tell you what The Depreciation Guild sounded like that night; I was too enamored by what I had just seen from Infinity Shred. I put their name in my phone, and when I got back to Chicago, I bought their album straight away. I played that album on loop for the rest of the summer. Just when I thought I’d locked down my favorite song (“Void Ripper”), I’d listen again, and this time it would be “Shadow Jeweler,” and the next time I listened it would be “Mapper.” Each song builds so effortlessly, and the disparate pieces blend together perfectly. Everything builds as the album plays through, and you reach some truly epic peaks throughout the record. The amazing thing, and the reason why I had to share this record with you, is that the album still hits for me just as hard as it did that night at Glasslands back in the summer of 2013. Infinity Shred has gone on to one up themselves with every subsequent release, and I’ve been fortunate enough to see them mesmerize some Chicago crowds over the years. This is a band who’s ambition is still vast, and is continuing to grow with every subsequent release. This story is my long winded way of saying that we should probably get to shows earlier and catch the opener. You never know when you will discover one of your favorite bands. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/ok-cool-media-puzzle-welcome-strawberry-h827823 monthly 0.5 2025-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1755468879941-RSK4YUTAFPUVHXT8SVKD/ok-cool-chit-chat.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ok Cool, media puzzle, Welcome Strawberry - OK Cool - Chit Chat (Take A Hike Records LP) Since crossing paths during their early college age years, Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist Waller have developed a bond that’s telepathic at times. Being in lockstep has assisted their songwriting efforts that previously focused on brevity and an avoidance of wasted notes and wayward words. On their first full-length album, Chit Chat, the pair stretch out a bit with some fuller fleshed-out compositions that still manage to sound lean and purposeful. The longest track, “Jeans (I Get It Now),” registers in at 4:38 and features a mid-song instrumental flourish that catapults the song forward to its closing stanza. The song title “Waawooweewaa” reads like gibberish, but its gut-spilling tone delivers plenty of intensity. The reverb-soaked voices of Stiebris and Blomquist Waller give “Splitting” a textural contrast to the persistent driving thrust of the rhythm section. “Loop” represents a new avenue for the pair; stripped down to piano, acoustic guitar and rolling toms, it offers a vulnerable vocal turn that didn’t previously exist in their repertoire. By way of OK Cool’s explanation, Chit Chat was built around the process of communication; its words and impact resonate with clarity and conviction that guarantee their efforts won’t fall upon deaf ears. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9f3b0f51-8b5e-4cb7-bdba-282964317a52/media-puzzle-intermission.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ok Cool, media puzzle, Welcome Strawberry - media puzzle - Intermission (Impressed Recordings EP) As a band that found inspiration in Devo, I could not help but like the Lismore, Australia outfit media puzzle, seeing how the jumpsuited Akronites headlined the first concert I ever attended. Lumped in with the Egg punk genre that was originally titled devo-core, media puzzle embrace an irreverent and whimsical approach to their music. Vocalist and guitarist Tom Peter initiated the project when he set out to record an EP’s worth of music in one day from his university dorm room that composed the first release titled 14. Reared by a father who’s a children’s music composer, Peter was well tasked at creating guileless, uncensored songs. The approach has allowed the group to pump out an abundance of material in a short time span. The five song Intermission represents media puzzle’s fifth release since their 2023 debut. “Ignorant” and “Bundy Vision” are two peas in a pod, connected by Solomon Jones elastic bass groove and a lyrical disdain for simplemindedness. Kellie Eden’s whirling synth is juxtaposed against the chicken-scratch guitars to give “The Scene” a new wave energy of decades past. Things wrap up quickly (under 9 minutes in total) with the frenetic “How Do Ya Feel?“—a risk-taking joyride that aptly sums up this whole shambolic adventure. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9624c70d-e8c5-4d46-bdbe-4e65c4b12be6/welcome-strawberry-desperate-flower.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ok Cool, media puzzle, Welcome Strawberry - Welcome Strawberry - desperate flower (à La Carte Records / Cherub Dream Records LP) Oakland’s Cyrus VandenBerghe has been creating music under the moniker of Welcome Strawberry since 2022, and cites cult film directors Jon Moritsugu and Suzan Pitt as personal inspirations on account of their distinct aesthetics. VandenBerghe distills a unique pop universe by combining elements of ’60s psychedelia, dream & jangle pop and shoegaze. While his reverb-laden vocal delivery steers hypnotic, his backing instrumentation varies in intensity. “Doings of a wraith” and “violets & honey” are shimmering and redolent. “Memory cube” and “cheek scratchers,” on the other hand, hit harder with forceful beats and serrated guitars and synths competing for space. Aluminum bassist and vocalist Ryann Gonsalves sings backup on a number of tracks, providing a welcome component with her enchanting harmonizing bolstering VandenBerghe’s yearning tone. The pair reach their zenith on the beatific title track that distills all the elements that make Welcome Strawberry such tantalizing dose of ear candy. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/227351dc-6b9d-4ab6-875b-218e7b1197ff/christ-vs-warhol-dissent.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ok Cool, media puzzle, Welcome Strawberry - Christ vs. Warhol - Dissent (Danse Macabre / Zvook! Records LP) I had a different angle when I first offered to review this album. I had been under the impression that this was the only album produced by this LA-based modern-goth supergroup, made up of members from Scarlet’s Remains, The Deadfly Ensemble and Mephisto Walz. However, it seems that they had another release, We, The Victims Of History that was initially a very limited released in 2014, but then got a reissue in September of last year. Perhaps for another one of these posts? Whatever the case, Dissent is the title of the album, and the mission statement. The band, comprised of eveghost (lyrics/vocals), Steven James (guitars), Marzia Rangel (bass) and Robert Sullen (drums) describe themselves as “a collision of post-punk edge, gothic atmosphere, and political resistance.” This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as goth is often political underneath the theatrics, the gloom, the esoterica and the black makeup. Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy and goth forebears Joy Division often used everyday life in dying industrial cities as basis for their ballads. (Northampton, Leeds and Manchester, respectively.) Despite an extremely problematic opening lyric, Christian Death’s “Romeo’s Distress” saw Rozz Williams rage against the Ku Klux Klan and his religious upbringing. Besides, goth is an offshoot of punk, so politics were baked into the DNA of the subgenre. The album starts off with the instrumental “A New Model of the Universe,” setting the stage with very John McGeochy guitars from Steven James before going right into the rocker “Cross of Lorraine,” a paean to the symbol of French Resistance during the Nazi occupation. “Paper Dolls” rages against heteronormality and society’s continuing expectations of women’s roles. The title track “Dissent” lays it all out in no uncertain terms—“Dissent is more patriotic than obedience.” The a cappella “At Exactly The Right Time” has eveghost pay tribute to an unknown singer of an unknown song that came at, well, exactly the right time. “Fool’s Gold,” not a Stone Roses cover, blasts at the superficiality of life in LA, and let’s face it, more cities besides. The closer “Robin Hood In Reverse” is another direct thesis statement, for those who “Steal from the poor, give to the rich.” Indeed these were the politics of its time. It’s interesting because whilst they are still quite relevant in all too many ways, it’s also a little quaint. This was made in the era of Dubya, Obama, the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street. Do YOU feel nostalgic for those times in these days of outright fascism? It’s a tough question.The only real duffer on this one is “The End Is Nigh,” the only track with vocals not sung by eveghost, but rather one of the men in the group (I don’t know which one), and it sounds rather stereotypical male-sung gothy darkwave. It’s a sore thumb on an otherwise good hand of an album. Dissent is a window into another time, but still somehow feels extremely relevant. -Geoffrey D. Wessel Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/wet-leg-far-caspian-jeanines-o3h8160os monthly 0.5 2025-08-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1754269341117-0S88WFZ83802VQ5JEAJ0/wet-leg-moisturizer.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Wet Leg, Far Caspian, jeanines - Wet Leg - moisturizer (Domino LP) When Wet Leg emerged four years ago with “Chaise Longue,” it took the listening public by surprise. The tandem of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers created a tantalizing level of mystique that was further enhanced by their residency on Britain’s Isle of Wight. Their self-titled debut album that came out the next year fulfilled the band’s initial promise. Moisturizer, while not as immediately striking as Wet Leg’s early forays, shows that they’re more than up to the task of maintaining their relevancy. Teasdale plays a more pronounced role this time around, and her newfound queer love relationship with her non-binary partner drives much of the album’s focus. Not one inclined to write love songs, her new pairing took her by surprise and liberated her to share the wonderment. “Is it love or suicide?” she questions on the opener, “CPR,” before definitively declaring “I- I- I- I- I- I’m in love!” “Pillow talk” is a come-hither invitation loaded with double entendres, while “don’t speak” explores Teasdale’s more tender side and is framed by a memorable shoegaze riff. Dressing down presumptuous lotharios remains on the table for Wet Leg, notably on the combative “catch these fists” and the kiss-off of “mangetout.” Moisturizer concludes with “u and me at home,” a singalong celebration of domestic bliss that recognizes that the future won’t be all smooth sailing. Risk taking is part of Wet Leg’s DNA, after all, so their journey is far from being mapped out. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/87099178-5a01-4d77-a0e8-65b4996cceeb/far-caspian-autofiction.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Wet Leg, Far Caspian, jeanines - Far Caspian - Autofiction (Tiny Library Records LP) Beset by health issues, both physical and mental, Far Caspian’s Joel Johnston nearly abandoned the work on his third album, Autofiction. Johnston tours with a full band, but records everything by himself—a solitary pursuit that sometimes leaves him second-guessing himself. Abandoning indecisiveness resulted in Johnstone becoming more transparent and direct. “Spoke to the fear / Leaving it, leaving it to tear down / I could get used to this again,” he confesses on “Here Is Now.” “Ditch” builds in intensity, starting in reverse with backwards guitar before surging ahead with a frenetic energy. “First Day” portends new beginnings filled with a hopeful, but yet unrealized optimism. In contrast, the final track “End” attempts to put to rest the negative thoughts that Johnston was encountering, closing with a maelstrom of sound that serves to blow up the vexing issues that had previously dogged him, but are now thankfully in retreat. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/05b3a0fa-c072-407d-a548-7ed4ced39035/jeanines-how-long-can-it-last.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Wet Leg, Far Caspian, jeanines - Jeanines - How Long Can It Last (Slumberland Records LP) Jeanines have never penned a song longer than 2:34. All but two of the thirteen tracks on their third full-length disc, How Long Can It Last, fall south of two minutes. Songwriters Alicia Hyman (aka Alicia Jeanine) and Jed Smith are masters of brevity; forgoing the fluff for leanness and linearity. Their minor key missives convey a range of emotions that are acutely felt, but never linger too long. The resignation of “To Fail” is balanced by the optimism of “You’ll Figure It Out.” “Feeling my way / Through liminal space / Though it’s not the time or place” sings Hyman on the striking “Coaxed A Storm.” Feelings of disconnection lend an uneasiness to what otherwise appears to be a situation of domestic tranquility captured in the song. Perhaps the best that Jeanines can offer as a solution to trying times is to just push forward as they suggest with “On And On.” How Long Can It Last grasps with an uncertain future while offering that it’ll all come to an end eventually if we just remain firm and steady towards its demise. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d401bb7c-924e-47be-a750-1f0e78aceb53/hooton-tennis-club-highest-point-in-cliff-town.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Wet Leg, Far Caspian, jeanines - Hooton Tennis Club - Highest Point in Cliff Town (Heavenly Recordings LP) Last year Hooton Tennis Club reemerged with a smattering of shows in England and issued a comeback single, “Born, Died,” on Alcopop! Records in November with a projected album to follow. It was the band’s first slate of activity since their appearance at the Liverpool International Music Festival in 2017. Their 2015 debut album, Highest Point in Cliff Town, still sounds fresh and celebratory—a summertime splash of good times and good humor. Their penchant for flippant song titles and loose vibes drew comparisons to Pavement and Guided By Voices, but the group resisted being typecast as a slacker outfit and the perception that they didn’t take performing seriously. Songs like “…And Then Camilla Drew Fourteen Dots on Her Knee” and “Kathleen Sat on the Arm of Her Favourite Chair” point to an insouciant approach, but the actual songwriting is substantial—far from a tossed-off attempt. Guitarists Ryan Murphy and James Madden sound engaged in battle against a hornet nest in the buzzing “Standing Knees,” and the sublime lead single “Jasper” is a touching remembrance of Murphy’s grandfather. While the wait is on for their new album, revisiting Highest Point in Cliff Town or the 2016 Edwyn Collins produced follow-up, Big Box of Chocolates, certainly merits a spot in your current listening cycle. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-bug-club-jack-logan-and-paul-budin-lightheaded-023hljy14 monthly 0.5 2025-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1752684217920-F7UI7P2Y5TW0O2UTOLO1/the-bug-club-very-human-features.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Jack Logan and Paul Budin, Lightheaded - The Bug Club - Very Human Features (Sub Pop Records LP) Like overhearing, at a party, tantalizing bits of interesting conversation, strands of Bug Club’s “Appropriate Emotions” keep catching in my brain: “Eternity seems long to me / And when you say I will, I hope I feel one of the / Appropriate emotions for a homo sapien to feel in situations like this.” That’s just one of many intriguing moments on Very Human Features, the Bug Club’s fourth album, wherein Welsh writing duo Sam Joseph Willmett (guitar, vocals) and Tilly May Harris (bass, vocals) wend wryly through the surreal landscape of humanity’s long crawl out of the muck, through the quandaries of adulthood, and beyond. This picaresque weaves Satan, charity bands, boredom, whammy bars, and Lieber and Stoller into a wary, literate examination of the meaning of life and our place in the universe: “I′m sure the Lord is listening / How the hell would He know my name.” The Bug Club’s defiant punk-pop exuberance and Willmett and Tilly’s rough/smooth vocal contrast are happily reminiscent of the Mekons, with soupçons of “Sweet Jane” textures and other stylistic nods. The jazzy lounge intro of “Jealous Boy” evolves into the frustrated shout, “So tell me how I am not allowed to be the jealous boy I am,” continuing, hilariously, “He sounds nearly almost exactly like Ringo Starr / Peace and love isn’t enough / To make me feel better / When I′m mad, I′m so mad I could just twist and shout, ooh!” That Beatles-y “ooh!” was a delightful surprise! As was the danceable, weird pop of “Beep Boop Computers”: “My brother’s best friend′s sister’s partner had a baby / We′ve never ever felt a love so pure and sacred / And all the beep boop computers knew the emptiness that I (Ooh) / I left in San Francisco (Ooh) / Only metaphorically, though / ‘Cuz I′ve never even been to the West Coast.” Guitar solos are spare here, but effective: melodic, barbed, or raucous, as the moment decrees. Although they do warn, in “Twirling in the Middle,” “Are we doin’ the rocksteady? Are we doin’ the rocksteady? ... Just when you’re ready for this to be over, we’ll start playing solos. Oh no….” I’m late to this party, but catching up is going to be so much fun! -Tina Woelke Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3296daaf-f01e-48c3-904f-443c2bb7c814/jack-logan-and-paul-budin-staving-off-the-decay.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Jack Logan and Paul Budin, Lightheaded - Jack Logan and Paul Budin - Staving Off the Decay (self-released digital 2-LP) What made the ’80s music scene in Champaign-Urbana so special was the sense of community that was fostered amongst its participants. That irrepressible spirit and creative incubator environment prompted New York Rocker’s Andy Schwartz to declare it “the new pop capital of Mid-America” in his review of the B-Lovers debut single back in the fall of 1982. It was during that decade that Paul Budin (The Outnumbered, The Last Straw) and Jack Logan (Lava Treatment, Liquor Cabinet) first became acquainted. Budin had traveled down from the state’s northwest suburbs to attend the University of Illinois and Logan, who grew up downstate, spent some time in C/U before eventually relocating to the Athens, Georgia area. During this period, Logan and Bob Kimbell collaborated together on some material that would later turn up on Kimbell’s Weird Summer records and the pair would go on to release two albums (1998’s Little Private Angel and 2022’s Woodshedding) together for Parasol Records. Roughly fifteen years ago, the three artists had designs on assembling a tour together that Logan had sardonically coined the “Staving Off the Decay tour.” While that idea never came to fruition, Logan’s recent return to Illinois led him to reconnect with Budin and inquire whether he had any music that he’d be interested in working together on. In the spirit of the aforementioned C/U community, the endeavor expanded to include contributions from old friends with tenure in the likes of Lonely Trailer, Weird Summer, The Martyrs and The Vertebrats. At a length of 23 tracks, there’s an abundance of variety represented here (keeping in mind that Logan’s solo debut, Bulk, contained 42 tracks that Peter Jesperson had winnowed down from over 600 songs that were sent his way). Logan’s soulful, baritone delivery shines through on numbers like “Comes and Goes” and “Roomful of Strangers.” On “Sit Tight,” he explores the murky backwaters as he’s dragged into the swamp blues by the Ant Hattie crew of Tim Stephens, Steve Burton and Joe Wachtel. Budin reaches back to his Outnumbered origins for the garage stomp of “Phoenix,” welcoming back drummer cohort Kenny Golub and Martyrs guitarist Kent Whitesell. “Cicadas” pairs Rebekah Songer and Brian Reedy (Lonely Trailer) on vocals for an ephemeral breakup song that’s disarming and forthright. The recording fittingly closes with “4 AM,” a tender ballad between Budin and his spouse, Ann Dwyer, that looks to counter life’s finite nature with an unlimited desire to make each moment count. Mission accomplished. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c2446868-13dd-4620-898a-c154e8dbc278/lightheaded-thinking-dreaming-scheming.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Jack Logan and Paul Budin, Lightheaded - Lightheaded - Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming! (Slumberland Records LP) As a similar point of origin to Robert Pollard, Lightheaded’s guitarist Stephen Stec toils as an English teacher while using his free time to construct addictive pop songs with vocalist and bassist Cynthia Rittenbach. Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming! follows last year’s promising Combustible Gems album for this New Jersey outfit with five new tracks principally recorded with Gary Olson (The Ladybug Transistor) out east and Alicia Vanden Heuvel (The Aislers Set) out west. It’s coupled on the flipside with the five songs they previously did with Kevin Basko (Rubber Band Gun) for their 2023 cassette EP, Good Good Great! “Crash Landing of the Clod” was written after an encounter with one of Stec’s disruptive students, with its dreamy girl-group delivery belying the turmoil that inspired it. The sprightly “Me and Amelia Fletcher” pays homage to the British indie pop icon (Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, The Catenary Wires), whose Skep Wax Records label is handling the overseas distribution for this disc. “Same Drop,” with a trumpet contribution from Olson, is cut from the same cloth as the 53rd & 3rd and Sarah Records catalogs that showcased Fletcher’s early creations. Their faithful rendition the obscure 1966 b-side single “Patty Girl” (that they’ve rechristened “Patti Girl”) by Franklin, Ohio band Gary & The Hornets is resplendent with the sort of lovelorn vibes that make Lightheaded so enticing and hard to resist. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/5d743418-fac8-42d0-8944-c063b995c8e7/the-vapors-new-clear-days.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Jack Logan and Paul Budin, Lightheaded - The Vapors - New Clear Days (United Artists Records LP) I didn’t know much about The Vapors when I bought their 1980 full-length debut New Clear Days on audio cassette based on how much I loved their MTV video for the song “Turning Japanese.” Nor did I understand that the single in particular was an ode to Onanism (self-love) or even what that might mean. Since then, the song’s interpretation has taken on a life of its own (now primarily referred to as an ethnic slur), but writer (and lead singer and guitarist) David Fenton has said it could have easily been turning Lebanese or Portuguese or some such, he just woke up in the middle of the night with the phrase in his head, and worked it into a song he was in the process of writing. So taking the song on its face, without any baggage, real or perceived, there’s no denying the hook, the pace, the frantic phrasing, and the outright catchiness of “Turning Japanese.” Like the music video, the song integrates some tropes from Asian music, beginning with the introduction, which during composition process was chosen to repeat throughout the song, although as Fenton told “Songwriting” in 2021, that part itself “isn’t actually Japanese—it’s Asian, certainly, but it’s more likely to be Chinese, so I got that completely wrong!” Lyrically, it’s clear that the narrator of the song is obsessed with a girl, or at least with a picture of this girl, indicating “I’ve got your picture / I’d like a million of you, all ‘round my cell” and continuing, even more creepily, that “I want a doctor to take your picture / So I can look at you from inside as well.” Thematically, “Turning Japanese” is a direct descendant of The Who’s “Pictures Of Lily” and Ringo Starr’s “Photograph,” and this begs for exploration in the vein of Susan Sontag’s “On Photography.” That is not my intent today. Like so many so-called “one-hit” wonders, there’s a lot more to love on New Clear Days than just that single, even if their other songs never had the popular traction of “Turning Japanese” (it hit #3 in the UK, #1 in Australia, and peaked at #36 in the USA on the Billboard Hot 100). The album begins with the rhythmically riveting fashion satire “Spring Collection,” leading into their best-selling song, then followed by their first single “Prisoners” on the U.S. version (the running order I grew up with), but on the original UK release, the lengthy “Cold War” and the brief “America” follow. Like the album’s title and cover artwork (a radiated weather forecaster pointing to radiation warnings on a weather map of the UK), both tracks are products of their time, the former rather boring (captured better by XTC with “Living Through Another Cuba” on Black Sea, also released in 1980), and the latter fun, but rather inconsequential. “Trains,” follows fittingly, and should have been a winning single, channeling the frenetic energy akin to “Turning Japanese,” and similarly capturing a paranoid zeitgeist, punctuated by a few dynamic guitar solos and a catchy chorus. Similarly, Fenton sings how he’s “got no idea where to go from here / Maybe that’s why we’re living in bunkers” on the next song, the next natural step when the world realized that diving under a desk in a classroom wouldn’t be much protection in a nuclear war. The Vapors’ third single, “News At Ten,” follows, referencing a popular news program on Britain’s ITV, making fun of someone turning into a homebody, “you pick up a paper and appear to be quite serious,” the narrator complains about their friend who used to “come out and play.” “I can’t hear you, you make no sense to me,” Fenton sings. This single only made it to #44 in the UK. The Vapors turn in their most The Jam-like performance on the sprawling and catchy “Somehow,” which comes next. The similarity to those UK mod rockers is not coincidental—the Guildford, Surrey band was “discovered” by The Jam’s Bruce Foxton whilst playing in a pub, and he went on to co-manage them (with John Weller, the father of The Jam’s Paul Weller), they toured extensively opening for The Jam, and the song “Turning Japanese” was produced by The Jam’s producer, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven. The meditative “Sixty Second Interval,” follows, sporting lovely vocal harmonies, electric power chords, and a cool “walking” bass line. The final single from New Clear Days was “Waiting For The Weekend,” released as such with the addition of a horn part, but it failed to chart. True, the lyrical theme is not an original sentiment, but The Vapors still conduct a mini-power-pop clinic within the song’s three minutes (and eight seconds). The lengthiest composition concludes the album. “Letter From Hiro” is an epic masterpiece, all jangly rhythm guitars, echoey vocals, powerful bass, and a guitar solo that might have made Mark Knopfler blush. Somehow the song wraps all of the influences of The Vapors, including, it should be said, more Japanese motifs, as well as all of the aforementioned influences into such a successful combination, the listener can only hold their mouth agape, and rewind the tape. Perhaps if it could have been condensed to a length less than the running time of its six minutes plus length, this could have been a successful single as well. On the precipice that would become Japan’s involvement in Word War II, the narrator receives the “Letter From Hiro,” but it came too late. Fenton alternates detached meditative vocals with passionate pleas on the song, to dramatic effect. On paper, the song and the context (bookending a new wave, power-pop record released in a pivotal Cold War year) seem fundamentally bizarre, but now it should be seen for what the song is, a masterpiece. I’m not sure where my cassette of New Clear Days is today, and even if I could find it, I’m not sure I have a working tape deck. The Vapors (and their label, as United Artists morphed into Liberty Records) rushed to capitalize on their success with Magnets a mere 10 months later, in 1981. Some fans claim that’s even better than their stellar debut—I have it on vinyl, and despite having two turntables, neither of those work either, at present, so I can’t argue that point. Frustrated with their lack of success, and blaming their label for lack of promotion (perhaps accurately), The Vapors called it quits in 1982—they lasted four years. Like a lot of ’80s acts today, of course, that isn’t the end of the story. According to Allmusic, in 2016, bassist Steve Smith was playing live with his band the Shakespearos, and Fenton and lead guitarist Ed Bazalgette joined the group on-stage to play “Turning Japanese.” Later that year a reformed version of The Vapors played a handful of shows opening for Foxton and Rick Buckler’s tribute band of sorts, called From The Jam. The reformed revision played a few dates in NYC in 2018, and recorded a third album in 2019, which was released in 2020, Together. Although scheduled to perform on “The Lost 80’s Tour” that year, it was scuttled by the pandemic, and they’ll be touring on that bill beginning at the end of this July (they’re just one of ten acts, also including A Flock of Seagulls, Big Country, General Public, China Crisis and Icicle Works). The Vapors played shows celebrating the 40th anniversary of New Clear Days in 2021, and performed at the Cruel World Festival in May 2023. When I put forward the idea of revisiting New Clear Days, I had no idea about any of this, nor that The Vapors released their crowdfunded fourth album, Wasp In A Jar, just this spring. Next year will mark the 45th anniversary of New Clear Days, and almost as remarkably, in my book, the 10th anniversary of their reunion. All of this is to say, although the music might not be as fresh and revelatory as it was in the early 1980s, there is a reason for the resurgence of The Vapors. Time doesn’t erode the value of a good song, and New Clear Days is packed with those. -Craig Bechtel Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/artificial-go-comet-gain-black-market-karma-28jaoaf monthly 0.5 2025-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1751483042472-YKTZ7G6K688WUJ9478WB/musical-chairs-artificial-go.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Artificial Go, Comet Gain, Black Market Karma - Artificial Go - Musical Chairs (Feel It Records LP) In the process of visualizing a follow-up to their Hopscotch Fever debut from last fall, Artificial Go settled on the concept of musical chairs. According to vocalist Angie Willcutt, she “envisioned it to be a world of chaos and play, where not even gum on your shoe, or a Dalmatian dog biting your leg can bring you down.” That irrepressible spirit is captured throughout the album by this Cincinnati outfit whose tongue-in-cheek approach intertwines agreeably with their art punk ambitions. With it’s numerous canine references, “Circles” explores navigating the challenges of a dog-eat-dog world. “Yaya” sports the DNA of Swiss pioneers Kleenex down to its snaking rhythms and shrieks of delight. The punk funk rhythms return on “Late to the Party,” where Micah Wu’s elastic baselines and Cole Gilfilen’s hi-hat rides intersect with Claudio Thornburgh’s guitar clang that sound inspired by Gang of Four’s playbook. “Playing Puppet” registers as the most pointed critique on the record as Willcutt recounts her childhood and the double standards that were expected from her that didn’t apply to her brother. Musical Chairs captures the frenetic energy surrounding Artificial Go; it’s a bit chaotic, but wholly worth the time to give it a sit-down and listen. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/73bbead8-7769-4bca-ae26-c4e82e3c17ae/comet-gain-letters-to-ordinary-outsiders.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Artificial Go, Comet Gain, Black Market Karma - Comet Gain - Letters To Ordinary Outsiders (Tapete Records LP) The music of Comet Gain has always maintained an intimacy that eliminates any divide between listener and performer. On the band’s ninth studio album, and first since 2019, they take that aesthetic a step further by inserting snippets of conversation between frontman David Christian and various bandmates. This warm, personable approach permeates the tracks themselves. The opener, “The Ballad Of The Lives We Led,” maintains a wistful beauty; ruing stolen time occupied by dead end jobs. “Threads!” and “Ashtray Cult” swing with irreverent glee, highlighting Christian’s sly sense of humor. Comet Gain’s mastery of indie pop turns up once again on the beatific “Do You Remember ‘The Lites On The Water’.” Letters To Ordinary Listeners closes with a measure of hope on the soaring “Maybe One Day It’ll Really Happen.” Christian is dismayed but resolute when he observes: “It’s so different these days / Yeah to live in a daydream haze / They’re putting people in prison / Just for reading poems / So find the other wayward ones / The peculiar daughters and the stumbling sons.” His wish for “every weirdo a home” expresses a utopian vision in a world where marginalization is seen as a normative process. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7315974e-92f6-47b0-889e-e13194d0c01b/black-market-karma-mellowmaker.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Artificial Go, Comet Gain, Black Market Karma - Black Market Karma - Mellowmaker (Fuzz Club LP) After dropping the intriguing Wobble last summer, Stanley Belton has delivered its bookend Mellowmaker that utilizes the same tool bag of idiosyncratic analog techniques. In the words of Belton: “With these two albums I’ve attempted to crystallise how it feels to be stuck between a feeling of amnesia of the soul and the earthly experience of piloting a meat suit... I’m still chasing that longing intangible ‘Hiraeth’ feeling. The sense of wanting to find our way home to a place that maybe doesn’t exist.” The destination he arrives at is awash in ’60s-styled psychedelia and pop filtered through a slightly more modern lens. The sound is shaped by not only his use of a vintage Vox Ultrasonic guitar and Mellotron, but also of his sometime employment of synths and a drum machine. The reverbed, double-tracked vocals add its own textural element with a murkiness that makes it sound like events are unfolding underwater. The title track advances in a leisurely, laconic fashion and is intermittently redirected with a breakbeat interlude. The third track, “The Sound of Repetition” captures a pattern that is omnipresent throughout; repeating notes that frame occasional shifts in tonality. “Jellylegger” mines Beatlesesque psychedelic pop territory; an evocation of the Hiraeth feeling that was part of Belton’s mission statement. With Black Market Karma, he’s paying homage to his guiding inspirations in an unconventional manner that both zeroes in on a targeted sound, but hangs out at the margins. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/795ff153-44a4-4d94-9e67-69fb92f7d075/spacemen-3-the-perfect-prescription.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Artificial Go, Comet Gain, Black Market Karma - Spacemen 3 - The Perfect Prescription (Glass Records LP) While The Velvet Underground’s “Heroin” captured the harrowing dynamics of a narcotic state of mind in a little over seven minutes, Spacemen 3 painted a fuller overview of drug trip turbulence with their 1987 release, The Perfect Prescription. Merging the drone elements of The Velvets with the repetitive minimalism of Suicide, Jason Pierce (J. Spaceman) and Pete Kember (Sonic Boom) mirrored the volatile creativity of Reed/Cale and Vega/Rev. Setting off their trip, the album opens with “Take Me To The Other Side,” building in pace and intensity as the substances take effect. “Walking With Jesus” arrives at a state of bliss, incorporating the religious iconography that would later be a staple of Pierce’s Spiritualized. Kember’s spoken recitation in “Ode To Street Hassle” further references Jesus, and like Reed, faces hard truths about temptation and its consequences. The calming “Ecstasy Symphony” feeds into Spacemen 3’s elongated reworking of “Transparent Radiation” off of the 1967 The Parable of Arable Land album by Texas psychedelic outfit Red Crayola. The flip side captures the fallout from the trip, notably on “Things’ll Never Be the Same” and “Call the Doctor,” where a desolate Blues element settles in. The Perfect Prescription has been reissued numerous times with additional and alternative tracks—a further testament to the impact of a record that cuts deep and leaves an everlasting mark. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/mhaol-new-candys-lifeguard-982uhni1 monthly 0.5 2025-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1750165776138-REFY7503QF6L8RSRY9B8/mhaol-somthing-soft.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: M(h)aol, New Candys, Lifeguard - M(h)aol - Something Soft (Merge Records LP) Downsizing from a quintet to a trio didn’t damper the sound or spirit of the Dublin post-punk outfit M(h)aol. The departure of lead singer Roísín Nic Ghearailt and bassist Zoë Greenway from their first album, Attachment Styles, transitioned the majority of vocal duties to drummer Constance Keane for this follow-up. On “Snare,” she lays to waste earlier assumptions about her choice of instrument when she utters: “You know I stopped coz you said it’s too masculine / Why not play something soft like piano or violin? / I know now what I didn’t know at nine / You’re talking shit and you’re wasting your own time.” During M(h)aol’s SXSW set at Hotel Vegas this past March the band previewed a good share of tracks that would come to comprise Something Soft. Keane connected with an amiable presence and insightful wit that balanced well with the band’s lyrical discourse that examines male toxicity (highlighted on “Pursuit” and “DM:AM”) and indiscriminate consumerism (“Vin Diesel”). Amidst the Sturm und Drang, the basic need for connection isn’t overlooked—be it either of human (“1-800-Call-Me-Back”) or animal (“I Miss My Dog”) variety. Something Soft is comforting in the sense that M(h)aol continue to challenge the existing hegemony in a world where dominance is perceived as a sign of strength. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d84fed48-c23a-417a-a123-c4f5fb656d90/new-candys-the-uncanny-extravaganza.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: M(h)aol, New Candys, Lifeguard - New Candys - The Uncanny Extravaganza (Fuzz Club LP) The Italian city of Venice has had an outsized impact on western art and music, which kind of makes its negligible contributions to rock so striking. That might be changing if this dynamic quartet has anything to say about it. To my ears, New Candys share a somewhat similar sonic space with mid-period DIIV. Heavily reverbed vocals, bristling uptempo riffs, and a sizzling glaze of semi-psych axe coloration are core to the Candy’s m.o. The band’s strong new disc, The Uncanny Extravaganza, is an oft-engaging effort that keeps your ears humming. Album opener “Regicide” doesn’t warm you up—it body slams you with a one-two punch of a bouncing synth bassline and a swirling, pounding chorus that makes all resistance futile. Songs like “You’ll Never Know Yourself” and “Gills On My Lungs” also boast riptide riffs over hard-driving beats and ultra-catchy choruses beneath a vaguely druggy axe glaze that’s aptly addictive. But there’s also variety here. “Aquawish” is a deep-chilled, atmospheric ballad filigreed with a lyrical vocal line and delicate guitar counter-melodies, while album closer “Final Mission” languidly draws things to a conclusion with a nocturnal, star-spattered blend of breathy vocals and shimmering, distant, chimed guitar lines. There are a couple of middling moments on The Uncanny Extravaganza, but overall this is a potent disc. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d11f1bbd-a869-49f0-bb8a-2fe9bc492872/lifeguard-ripped-and-torn.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: M(h)aol, New Candys, Lifeguard - Lifeguard - Ripped and Torn (Matador Records LP) The members of Chicago’s Lifeguard have noted how shared formative musical influences brought them together as emerging teens. Their early recordings reflected that arc of abundant discovery with each subsequent release growing in reach and intricacy. That progression caught the attention of Matador Records, who commissioned the band for the 2023 five-track Dressed in Trenches and coupled it with the preceding Crowd Can Talk EP for an initial vinyl release. Enlisting No Age’s Randy Randall to produce their album debut is an inspired choice considering both bands leading roles among their respective youth movements. Ripped and Torn is a well-considered art-punk creation that takes advantage of the growing musical diversification put forth from each member. Kai Slater’s penchant for blistering pop shines on “It Will Get Worse” and “France And.” The hypnotic “Like You’ll Lose” highlights the post-punk bass-driven grooves of Asher Case, and the metronomic beats supplied by Issac Lowenstein on “Under Your Reach” unveil Lifeguard’s Krautrock impulses. Throughout the album, Lifeguard tear down compositions and reassemble them in different ways—nothing stay linear for very long. True to its title, Ripped and Torn is stretched to its physical and musical limits and emerges frayed along the edges, but otherwise remains a remarkably resilient and cohesive work of art. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/79dd22d1-34e0-4ce4-82f5-fe511e025974/the-observers-so-whats-left-now.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: M(h)aol, New Candys, Lifeguard - The Observers - So What’s Left Now (Vinyl Warning LP) In 2004, I was in pretty rough shape. The previous year, I moved back home after a bad break up, finding myself returning to the comforting amber street lights and bungalows of the deep northwest side of Chicago. I was burning the candle at both ends, trying to figure out what was next. My life was basically work, The Fireside Bowl, work, trying to start bands, work, basement shows and buying records. It often times felt both routine and mundane, but with an explosion of new punk bands forming, there was also a sense of urgency…or maybe I was just over caffeinated? Why not both? I was neck deep into the Criminal IQ/Horizontal Action/Southkore scene as well as the exciting power pop, new wave and punk bands coming out of the Pacific Northwest—especially The Exploding Hearts, who released a single on the Vinyl Warning label. That same label was also one of the labels that released So What’s Left Now? I found that LP at the record store, and I can say with all honesty that the connection was immediate and caused a sea change in my views on where punk rock could go. The album starts with the song “Symbols, Slogans, Lies,” which is a blunt inditement of the Bush administration sending troops to die for oil in Iraq. The point is driven home with the repeating line “tell your children they have to die.” Channeling the spirit of The Wipers (who were also a cult band that were underappreciated in their time), mixing in the spirit of 1960s psych and garage with a tip of the hat to revolutionary folk singers with their heavy lean on minor chords. This leads into “Short Day,” with its classic LA punk style guitar chop that takes off with a driving and blistering Descendents style riff and an anthemic vocal style, almost like Milo Aukerman doing his best Jeff Pezzati. The song comes up for air for a few seconds—just enough for the listener to exhale—before it launches back into its fierce guitar attack. The standout track on this record is the track “State of Decay,” where they dig deep into the underground with more delicious Wipers-esque riffs, big gang vocals and a perfectly timed pause leaving enough time for singer Douglas Burns to scream “state of decaaaayyy!!” (Which I absolutely yell every time I listen to this album…or just, ya know, walking down the street or dropping my kid off at school.) “The Condition” starts as a slow burner with an intro driven by a repeating bass line, guitar noise and a tasteful, sparse melody. The gradual build up of layered guitars leads to a shout of “In life there is only one thing we know for certain!” A song about uncertainty, fear and anxiety—feelings that most folks in the underground were feeling at that time. The album is one relatable lyric after another, delivered in a unique, hard to pinpoint style, painted broadly with hooks and riffs, anthemic calls to action and shouts of concern and fear. Had The Observers endured, much like so many other bands that ended before realizing their full potential, they very well could have changed the trajectory of punk in the early 2000s. Shortly after this record was released, The Observers broke up. Burns re-formed his previous project The Red Dons with old friend Daniel Husayn. He also completed unfinished Observers songs and reimagined some earlier songs under a new name called Revisions. Members Colin Grigson, Mike Warm and Ian Kashani went on to form the equally incredible and cultish band Defect-Defect, whose song “People My Age” could be the anthem for younger Gen Xers, Xennials and elder Millennials. Other great bands worth checking out from this era of punk are Chicago’s Pedestrians, Daylight Robbery and Canadian Rifle. And from outside Chicago, Deep Sleep, The Vicious, No Hope for the Kids and Social Cirkle. -Chris Siuty Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/friendship-the-gotobeds-say-sue-me-891y53 monthly 0.5 2025-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/48e99fa1-17c5-42b4-a402-65e76c020255/friendship-caveman-wakes-up.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Friendship, The Gotobeds, Say Sue Me - Friendship - Caveman Wakes Up (Merge Records LP) Friendship is back, and that’s a very good thing for us, dear listeners. Hailing from Philly by way of Maine, this four-piece indie band is led by Dan Wriggins. Wriggins picks up where predecessors like David Berman left off; with witty lyrics sung with the backing of alt-country indie instrumentals in a deep baritone. Similarly to Berman and Aaron Dowdy of Fust, Wriggins has explored higher education and has an MFA. This is one of my favorite hyper-specific forms of music: deep-voiced, expertly crafted lyrics matched perfectly with indie instrumentals, and Friendship does it exceedingly well. Following up on my favorite album of 2022 (Love the Stranger), Caveman Wakes Up finds Friendship finding perfect arrangements that are the equal of Wriggins’ lyrics. “Free Association” is an early album highlight that has a strong back beat on top of a bed of glitchy synths. Thematically, it’s about searching for love and meaning—true introspection. This is a band in the true sense of the word. Wriggins may write the lyrics, but everyone is given their moment to shine—whether it be 2nd Grade (and friend of the pod!) Peter Gill’s synth work and guitar playing, M.J. Lenderman’s touring guitarist Jon Samuels’ steady bass lines, or Michael Cormier-O’Leary’s drum fills. “Wildwood in January” does what Friendship do best—introspection, contemplation of the beauty found in everyday moments—backed with a rich arrangement led by clean guitar melodies, piano flurries, and subtle drumming. Late album highlight “Resident Evil” explores depression through the allegory of the Resident Evil video games. This is a band continuing to ascend, and lucky for us Chicago music fans, they’ll be playing with 2nd Grade (Peter Gill pulling double duty!) at Schubas on July 9th. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/20f5d0cd-a656-49fd-a696-c2b6cb2fed20/the-gotobeds-masterclass.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Friendship, The Gotobeds, Say Sue Me - The Gotobeds - Masterclass (12XU LP) Having the recordings of Masterclass sit on the shelf for a couple of years didn’t slow the inertia of The Gotobed’s freight-train-forward music. After Sub Pop choose not to extend their initial two album deal, they circled back to Gerard Cosloy and 12XU, who had released their Poor People Are Revolting sophomore album in 2014. With an already crowded release schedule, it would take another year before Masterclass hit the market this May. The Pittsburgh outfit’s feistiness is on full display. Their John “Fante” tribute to the under-the-radar 20th century L.A. writer who profoundly influenced Charles Bukowski declares “These critics have no taste”—a retort not only in support of Fante, but also aimed at the mainstream music press. On the turbulent opening track, “Starz,” frontman Eli Kazan downplays out-of-reach aspirations; preferring to exist in the tangible here and now. “All Leaves Turn” has a smoldering intensity that wraps up with some wicked licks from new guitarist Zach Bronder. Kazan and Bronder spar back and forth on the ending “Mirror Writing”—a nearly six minute slice of aggro expression that has set closer written all over it. Despite the title’s inference, Masterclass isn’t about elevated execution, its power resides in staying true to one’s authentic self—real expression trumps expertise when it comes to music that matters. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/be5a64de-55be-478e-9ed8-8556fb8a5b9f/say-sue-me-time-is-not-yours.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Friendship, The Gotobeds, Say Sue Me - Say Sue Me - Time is Not Yours (Damnably EP) Since emerging in 2014, Say Sue Me—from the seaside city of Busan, South Korea—has readily accepted the “surfgaze” moniker, layering booming surf guitars over melancholy, murmured self-examination, a la Yo La Tengo. But experience, maturity, pandemic uncertainty, and personal loss have led the band to a deeper, more complex sound and bright sense of possibility. Building on the outward gaze of their 2022 album The Last Thing Left, the new five-song EP, Time is Not Yours, acknowledges that no one is promised tomorrow, so it’s imperative to fully engage in today. Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Choi Sumi’s diaristic lyrics still embrace doubt, but the questions aren’t rhetorical—no longer so dreamy, but rather more hopeful, self-assured. The title track resolves: “Time is not yours, is it about your future? / Your mind is yours but better not to lie to yourself / Hear what you said even when you don’t believe in yourself / Don’t be afraid, I think you know what I don’t know.” “Vacation” churns slowly and (with harmonies by Silica Gel’s Kim Hanjoo) suggests: “Take a deep breath / No more hate, no more desperation / Haste will be less / It’s time to go on vacation… / Now you know what you feel. ”New pathways wind intriguingly into the powerful surf base: indie rock drive, jangle, twangy breaks, even Ride-like treble lines. The marvelously insistent “In This Mess” has an extended, echoing opening riff and backseat driving vocals: “I’m not empty, I find my way… / Don’t you let today end, let’s drive away.” The instrumental “Mexico” steps on the gas before “Bone Pink” rests back on sweet, sinuous guitar lines and a few unexpectedly mellow “hmm-hmms” and “do-doos,” then remarks gently, “Promises I made to myself / Don’t get stuck in the past.” The ocean is ever-present, but Say Sue Me raises its confident gaze to the horizon. -Tina Woelke Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3d5b3725-277d-4768-a60d-8dddb41cd6da/minus-the-bear-menos-el-oso.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Friendship, The Gotobeds, Say Sue Me - Minus the Bear - Menos el Oso (Suicide Squeeze Records LP) Minus the Bear broke up 2018, and it hit me harder than I would have thought. They were the first indie band that felt like they were mine. They’ve announced in the past month that they were getting back together and doing a 20th anniversary tour of their sophomore LP Menos el Oso, and this has sent me back down the memory hole. I listened to them for the first time as high school was winding down, and they floored me from that first guitar tap. This was a highly skilled band that had a silly streak to them that I felt mirrored my own. Song titles like “Pantsuit...Ugghhh” and “Get Me Naked 2: The Electric Boogaloo” painted a picture of a band that didn’t necessarily take itself too seriously, but who had all the chops to make mathy indie rock of the highest order. I was all in. Each new release from This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic onwards only got better in my mind. It’s been so long since I thought about how I discovered music back then. It wasn’t via music publications or social media, which was in its infancy, yet I somehow knew when they were touring and when they had new music coming out. Seeing them in New Orleans in the fall of 2004 was a huge deal to me. I remember asking friends who’d seen them if they sounded like they did on the records, and they said better, and it was true! Menos el Oso felt like a transitional period for the band. They were making the leap, their music was leveling up, but the silliness seemed to be getting turned down a bit. The songs were tighter—gone were the minute-long segueways between songs—and the synths were turned up. I remember a friend saying their material live had a demonstrably stronger synth presence than the earlier records would lead you to think, and Menos el Oso reflected that with songs like “The Fix” and “The Pig War.” The potency of their lineup is reflected in their ability to downshift to slower tempos on the haunting “El Torrente,” but also being able to ratchet up the pace with album standout “Pachuca Sunrise” that finds our narrator thinking of a past relationship while observing a beautiful landscape, all paired with exquisite guitar playing by Minus the Bear’s not so secret weapon Dave Knudson. This record hit me exactly where it needed to. It somehow still made it to me after having ordered it to be delivered to my apartment in New Orleans the week of Hurricane Katrina. It has long held a special place in my heart, both sonically and emotionally, no doubt rooted in the surrealism and horrors that Katrina brought, but also fond memories of being in college and hanging with friends listening to music with minimal responsibilities. The boys getting back together is something I had not anticipated, and the opportunity to see them in November at The Riv is sure to bring back a lot of feels and memories for many fans who are lucky enough to attend. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/heaven-ribbon-skirt-le-pain-28hf7843h monthly 0.5 2025-06-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1747396060248-OQE7RLWE7YFFJWQYGJ68/heaven-dream-aloud.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Heaven, Ribbon Skirt, Le Pain - Heaven - Dream Aloud (Little Cloud Records LP) Context can be malleable. Take for instance the circumstances surrounding NYC trio Heaven’s recording of their third album, Dream Aloud, that was undertaken at frontman’s Matt Sumrow’s home studio during the pandemic. “It was created as a vision of hope and dreams, an escape from the reality that was before us,” Sumrow explained to Atwood Magazine. Jumping ahead from the pandemic to the current shitstorm political climate, its designs are equally applicable to both circumstances. The collective embrace Sumrow was aiming for kicks in immediately with the welcoming opener, “I’ll Let You In.” Elsewhere, the title track announces Heaven’s intentions: “Searching in the evening / Find a way to dream aloud / I don’t know what you wanted me to find / A way to break down and leave it all behind.” The band’s balancing of shoegaze textures and pop opulence ensures a soft landing. “Spinning Around You” and “A Magic All Our Own” slow the pace with a calming, hypnotic presence. Calling Dream Aloud their most somnambulistic release to date, Heaven aren’t so much sleepwalking as they are trying to settle the troubled, unconscious mind. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/474de1ad-07d1-4d71-890f-ea733f9eba26/ribbon-skirt-bite-down.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Heaven, Ribbon Skirt, Le Pain - Ribbon Skirt - Bite Down (Mint Records LP) The pernicious effects of colonialism include creating cultural vacuums, whereby historical connections are eradicated and a sense of self is manipulated. Montreal resident Tashiina Buswa is from the Indigenous Anishaabe First Nations peoples that first settled in the Great Lakes region. After previously calling their group Love Language, which also includes multi-instrumentalist Billy Riley, drummer Lan Thockchom and bassist Lucas CA, they rechristened themselves Ribbon Skirt after the First Nations garment that symbolizes cultural identity, pride and resilience. Buswa’s fighting spirit is captured on “Off Rez,” as she challenges: “They want 2000’s Buffy Marie / They want my status but they’re getting my teeth.” Sainte-Marie, a singer-songwriter and social activist who championed Native American causes, has been called out recently for her false claims of Indigenous ancestry. The driving “Wrong Planet” comes next with Buswa confessing that “It’s getting harder not to feel so abandoned.” Personal responsibility comes to the forefront on the bouncy “Look What You Did”—a forgive but not forget remembrance full of both lingering hurt and passing ambivalence. Bite Down is ripe with emotional complexity, of trying to exist in world that resists recognizing your true self—it imparts a message of being seen and heard despite all obfuscation. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d1902216-b8ac-4512-bec5-c16e0d4be50d/le-pain-dirge-technique.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Heaven, Ribbon Skirt, Le Pain - Le Pain - Dirge Technique (Slouch Records LP) Sisters Madeline and Olivia Babuka Black were enamored with Cartoon Network’s Powderpuff Girls growing up. When their father gifted them the Mark Mothersbaugh-produced compilation, Heroes and Villains, from the show it opened up a new portal for their love of music, exposing them to artists like Shonen Knife, Dressy Bessy, Frank Black and Mothersbaugh’s Devo. “I want to celebrate imagination, whimsy, and humor with our music,” Madeline explains. “Powderpuff Girls are a guiding light, reminding me that writing from a place of fun is a relevant and important approach.” Following tenures in other bands, drummer Madeline (Yucky Duster) started collaborating with multi-instrumentalist Scott Rosenthal (Public Practice) in Brooklyn, inspired by her French language lessons and admiration of Serge Gainsbourg. The pair would soon relocate to LA, where they met up with bassist Alan Everhart (Dummy) and Olivia (Peel Dream Magazine), who would serve as Le Pain’s vocalist, keyboardist and additional guitarist. After premiering a number of digital singles starting in 2021, Le Pain just released their ten-song debut, Dirge Technique, this month. True to Madeleine’s intent, Dirge Technique is a fanciful pop pleasure that alternates between French and English lyrics. The group’s beguiling blend of ’60s girl group harmonies, French pop and C86 indie sensibilities comes off as both opulent and understated. Whether they are delving into the exoticism of “Étendue,” the jaunty lilt of “Running of the Bulls,” or the breezy textures of “Is That How You Want Me To Feel?,” their music is hard to resist. As they so succinctly express themselves: “no le pain, no le gain.” -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c1fd595f-d21c-4b3e-b7b0-ec2d3b470036/pictoria-vark-nothing-sticks.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Heaven, Ribbon Skirt, Le Pain - Pictoria Vark - Nothing Sticks (Get Better Records LP) In the late ’90s there was an indie rock scene focused on introspective, emotionally raw lyrics and unconventional vocal styles, and, depending on who you were seeing, the possibility of a math rock influence with arpeggiated melodies. This scene came and went, its core audience getting older, replaced by new iterations. But the music of this era was embraced by the TikTok generation and re-named “Midwest Emo” due to a lot of the bands being scattered across the Midwest specifically. Enter Victoria Park, a young guitar aficionado who moved to Chicago from Iowa, and despite being from a completely new generation has distilled Midwest Emo to its core essence, cracking the formula and producing some of the best in its vein in a decade or better. Serving as the bass player for the band Half Gringa, Park releases music under her own songwriting project, Pictoria Vark, and on her second album has truly come into her own as a songwriter. It’s a brilliant album with twinkly guitars, heartfelt lyrics, and interesting storytelling. Park takes the reins as Midwest Emo’s heir apparent, a previously male-dominated space, conquering them as their queen. -Bobby Evers Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/momma-jetstream-pony-the-ex-8923rh monthly 0.5 2025-05-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/49c714c3-00ac-4aaa-8206-3f14acb3665c/momma-welcome-to-my-blue-sky.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Momma, Jetstream Pony, The Ex - Momma - Welcome to My Blue Sky (Polyvinyl / Lucky Number LP) Penning the song “Rockstar” for their 2022 third album, Household Name, it’s as if bandmates Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten willed the ambition into existence. During the busy year of touring that followed, an upheaval of their lives provided fodder for Welcome to My Blue Sky. Having since relocated from LA to Brooklyn was just part of the change with the major shift coming from each of them breaking off existing romantic relationships after other temptations presented themselves. “Take it apart and tear her to shreds,” the pair sing on “I Want You (Fever),” leaving little doubt about the collateral damage they’re about to inflict. Moving on also means letting go of their former selves captured in “Bottle Blonde” and the (dis)comforts of their childhoods (“My Old Street”). On the title track there’s no question that Friedman and Weingarten are traveling new paths as different choices emerge for both of them, one’s full of infinite possibilities and a host of unknowns. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/093c3a73-b644-4919-8ee2-164e13767a1a/jetsteam-pony-bowerbirds-and-blue-things.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Momma, Jetstream Pony, The Ex - Jetstream Pony - Bowerbirds and Blue Things (Spinout Nuggets / Shelflife Records LP) With the recent addition of supporting guitarist Mark Matthews (The Dentists, The Treasures of Mexico), Jetstream Pony continues to benefit from an embarrassment of riches. The band registers as an all star collection of British indie pop talent, comprised of vocalist Beth Arzy (Aberdeen, Trembling Blue Stars, Luxembourg Signal), guitarist/vocalist Shaun Charman (Wedding Present, Popguns, Turbocat), bassist/vocalist Kerry Boettcher (Turbocat) and drummer Tom Levesley. Bowerbirds and Blue Things is Jetstream Pony’s third album, coming four years after their sublime Misplaced Words. Drop the needle anywhere on the record and you’ll be ensconced in pure pop bliss. Arzy’s luminous voice provides an irresistible draw. “Bubblegum Nothingness” is true to its title; boasting an airy sweetness amidst a surging backing rhythm. When vocally matched with Charman on “Birdland ’74,” the pair have a smoldering presence of star-crossed romantics straining to connect. Charman comes to the fore on “Only If You Want To”—a supercharged jangle pop number with a call and response cadence between the two singers. “The Relativity of Wrong” features a guest appearance from former Fall keyboardist Eleni Poulou with her spoken word passages providing an air of mystery. The album’s lengthiest track, “Bonanza 2 Tango Sierra,” is zen-like in execution; leisurely building instrumentally and then snuggly settling in with Arzy’s vocal embrace wrapped along with Charman on the chorus. Bowerbirds and Blue Things is a mood elevator guaranteed to smooth life’s rough edges one track at a time. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1c020523-0c92-4e85-8a52-f972946a84c6/the-ex-if-your-mirror-breaks.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Momma, Jetstream Pony, The Ex - The Ex - If Your Mirror Breaks (Ex Records LP) Subsiding on DIY principles for the duration of their 45 year tenure makes Amsterdam’s The Ex a rare musical pursuit. It’s certainly apropos that they’ve dedicated their new album to the memory of Steve Albini, the ultimate champion of DIY ethos. The self-released If Your Mirror Breaks maintains The Ex’s penchant for collaboration and improvisation. Tracks like “Circuit Breaker” and “The Apartment Block” unwind to reveal shifting dynamics, employing repetition to then build to new plateaus. “In The Rain” finds vocalist Arnold de Boer becoming increasingly unhinged while getting swept away by the rising current, with the band’s unsettled backing mimicking the engulfing turbulence. Drummer Kat Bornefeld sounds much more measured when she takes the mic on “Wheel,” trusting her own determination to deal with life’s shifting realities. If Your Mirror Breaks wraps up with the spirited “Great,” with de Boer whipping up a frenzy, matched in kind by co-guitarists Terrie Hessels and Andy Moor. Then there’s the terrific syncopated drumming on the number from Bornefeld. More cowbell you ask? Why yes, please! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/63fd49ad-184b-4436-9434-d4ef8de45c29/pere-ubu-the-modern-dance.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Momma, Jetstream Pony, The Ex - Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance (Blank Records LP) It was reported that MC5 were playing on the radio when David Thomas passed away at home last month. That outfit’s rabble-rousing mentality is clearly present on Pere Ubu’s 1978 debut album, The Modern Dance. Morphing from their proto-punk predecessors, Rocket From the Tombs, to the post-punk of Pere Ubu, was akin to transforming a rough draft into a master thesis.Thomas’ RFTT co-hort, Peter Laughner, had departed Ubu and this planet by the time that recording of The Modern Dance commenced. A clattering retake of the Laughner-penned “Life Stinks” provides a starting point for the record’s descent into chaos. “Non-Alignment Pact” and “Street Waves” are the most approachable tracks to be found here, although they both take significant detours from conventional songwriting. Thomas’ expressive, quivering voice is matched by agitated backing of the band; synths squalls and sax blurts from Allen Ravenstine, string torture by the way of Tom Herman and the shifting rhythm patterns of drummer Scott Krauss and bassist Tony Maimone. The title track is broken up by snippets of indiscernible background conversation like a experimental film that’s been spliced to jarring effect. The technique is applied again on the musique concrète construction of “Chinese Radiation,” that closes with some sparse piano notes from Maimone, scattershot drum punctuations from Krauss and Thomas’ meditations on the impending communist wave. There’s paranoia in the air, and the decaying industrial background of the band’s hometown of Cleveland portends an uneasy future and a dance around too noticeable to ignore. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/kills-birds-black-country-new-road-mekons-629abo48 monthly 0.5 2025-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d02dc813-6fdd-4db3-80cc-15fc3fb82677/crave-kills-birds.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Black Country, New Road, Mekons - Kills Birds - Crave (Lucky Number EP) Upon hearing Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at age 14, the trajectory of Nina Ljeti’s life was forever changed. In a full circle moment, Dave Grohl became a fan of Kills Birds when a mutual friend introduced him to the band’s music, which resulted in an invitation for them to record their second album, Married, at his Studio 66 and an opportunity to open for Foo Fighters on a number of dates. Crave is the follow-up to 2021’s Married, and represents a fresh start with Lucky Number after moving on from KRO Records and being largely inactive the last couple of years. The pause did little to temper Kills Birds combustible nature as the five new tracks explode with pent-up fury. Attempting to make up lost ground, Ljeti acknowledges being “late to the party and always a little behind” on the opening number, but demands to be heard. On “Pyre,” she’s too exhausted to make her own bed, let alone shouldering personal responsibility for choices that have been dealt to her. “Trace” offers a more hopeful outcome as the song picks up steam; pinballing between Griffin Kisner’s thunderous drumming and Jacob Loeb’s expansive synth and guitar textures. The closing track, “Hollow,” struggles against emptiness in pursuit of what Ljeti’s heart truly craves—she’ll risk bleeding out as long as there’s an opportunity to keep registering a pulse. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4157442f-8933-4b6d-8cc8-6eb16e37d416/forever-howlong-black-country-new-road.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Black Country, New Road, Mekons - Black Country, New Road - Forever Howlong (Ninja Tune LP) Black Country, New Road (BC,NR) are nothing if not ambitious. Their music is sprawling; many songs feature anthemic crescendos built up from angelic beginnings. I am always here for it. Since we’ve last heard from BC,NR, they’ve regrouped yet again and coalesced around the songwriting and vocal talents of Tyler Hyde, Georgia Ellery, and May Kershaw. This is a continued departure from their previous vocal lineup featured on 2023's Live at Bush Hall album, which was itself a new start from their previous lead singer Isaac Wood’s abrupt departure in the lead up to 2022's Ants From Up There. Moving from the howling, powerful vocals of Isaac Wood to the very democratic vocal approach of three female co-lead singers could potentially derail a lesser band, but BC,NR rise to the occasion. As if there were any doubts following Live at Bush Hall, those concerns are further snuffed out on Forever Howlong. The group still revels in anthemic songs with soaring vocals layered atop intricate baroque instrumentation from the sextet. For me, it took a couple of listens for the album to settle in. I must admit I am a diehard BC,NR fan, and have thought their last two releases were easily some of the best works released in their respective years. The back half of the album is where things really take off—starting with “For the Cold Country” they rip through 4 equally spectacular songs. “Nancy Tries to Take the Night” to me is the highlight of the album. Simple acoustic strumming leads to Lewis Evans jumping in with his woodwinds creating arpeggios atop rhythmic drumming. The harmonies of the three lead singers intertwine, and each song is its own reward. Similarly to Animal Collective their live shows are used as a time to debut new material. Again, this is an equal parts ambitious and restless band. They will be playing at Salt Shed on May 13th with Chicago upstarts Friko; a show surely not to be missed. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e8cf4833-8714-45aa-9fba-65a9411070f2/horror-mekons.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Black Country, New Road, Mekons - Mekons - Horror (Fire Records LP) Tapping into a title that could be used to describe the collective revulsion of progressives to the autocratic, nationalist political landscape has the Mekons weighing in on the damage with a post-war sobriety. Having experienced the neoliberalism effects of Thatcherism and Reaganism firsthand, they’re also savvy to point out on opening track “The Western Design” that there’s been longstanding historical precedent centered around imperialism. British Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell’s colonization of Jamaica in 1654 is eerily reminiscent of Trump’s lust for present day Greenland. This line of backward thinking is challenged in the punk screed, “War Economy,” where Tom Greenhalgh intones: “On behalf of the future, I ask you leave the past alone / You are not welcome, we have no government.” The grievances persist throughout Horror; climate denialism on the mournful “Fallen Leaves,” underclass indignities via the blistering “Mudcrawlers,” and corporate greed lust permeating “Private Defense Contractor.” Stylistically, Horror expands the band’s reach with variations in pace and texture—traditional elements coexist with electronic flourishes. Despite their long track history as a performing unit, I found myself doing a double take at times to verify who was carrying a specific vocal lead; as if the voices were altered to mimic the disorientation that the record delves into. Perhaps no more so then on the closing number, “Before The Ice Age,” where Sally Timms’ surrealist recitation brings to mind the sounds of Gina Birch leading The Raincoats. It speaks to a nightmare scenario where humanity perishes at the hands of an evil empire and should serve as a wakeup call for our state of national unconsciousness. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c0c64d24-3d5b-46e3-bc0a-51a37e20f239/chumbawamba-nevermind-the-ballots.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Black Country, New Road, Mekons - Chumbawamba - Never Mind The Ballots (Agit-Prop LP) Chumbawamba’s 1997 breakthrough hit “Tubthumping” was quite the outlier for this anarchist punk collective that emerged from a group squat in Armley, Leeds circa 1982. After skewering the exploitative Band Aid record release and Live Aid benefit performances on their debut album, Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records, Chumbawanba quickly wrapped up Never Mind The Ballots to get ahead of the 1987 UK general election in the throes of Thatcherism. Neither the Conservative, Labour or Alliance parties were spared the band’s wrath who were as forthright as some of their song titles would indicate (“Always Tell the Voter What the Voter Wants to Hear” and “The Candidates Find Common Ground”). While the criticisms were scathing, they were also delivered with a dose of whimsy, such as on the terrific “Come on Baby (Let’s Do the Revolution).” Additionally, “The Wasteland” acutely hits home for these times with its fearmongering overtones exploiting economic uncertainties. Never Mind The Ballots was conceived to address a moment in history, but its relevance remains timeless and universal. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-tubs-great-grandpa-olivias-world-981tga94 monthly 0.5 2025-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/50b064c3-bf78-4052-93f9-8b1b18820b4b/the-tubs-cotton-crown.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Great Grandpa, Olivia’s World - The Tubs - Cotton Crown (Trouble In Mind LP) The death of a parent can bring about a myriad of feelings: profound grief, emptiness, and personal reassessment among them. The suicide of Owen Williams’ mother, Charlotte Greig, in 2014 following a cancer struggle had to have hit home precipitously considering that she was a noted writer and singer. Williams was starting to find recognition around that time with Joanna Gruesome, a Welsh noise pop band he formed with guitarist George Nicholls and bassist Max Warren, which included Lan McArdle on lead vocals. On Cotton Crown’s closer, “Strange,” he recounts: “The summer after was nice / Played in New York / And it was alright / There when I found out the method / From an article of Walesonline / A picture of my mother / In a weird hat / Under an overcast sky / ‘Successful music journalist, mother of two, takes her own life’ / How strange it all is.” A decade of processing has allowed Williams to unveil a complexity of emotions. Cotton Crown’s cover is culled from a promotional photo that Greig used around the time of her debut (Night Visiting Songs) album, depicting her breastfeeding Owen in the midst of a graveyard visit—capturing both an intimacy and alienness that’s reflected in the record’s theme. “Illusion” resurfaces from the band’s 2021 Names EP, capturing Williams grappling with self-identity while craving solitude. On “Freak Mode,” he’s eager to abandon his grieving persona to lay everything on the line for love, but admits his selfishness on “Chain Reaction,” in declaring himself “a scammer in the world of love.” The band’s tuneful and feverish backing (supplied in part from the aforementioned Nicholls and Warren, and supplanted with guest back-up singer McArdle) provides a counterpunch to the lyrical malaise. Both words and music reach max intensity during “One More Day,” with Williams’ lovelorn pleas escalating as the song progresses, almost willing things to happen through sheer effort. Fortunately for Chicago, that performance level is about to hit home as The Tubs will double down on appearances at Empty Bottle; first as openers for The Wedding Present (on 5/29) and then as outright headliners (on 6/14). -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b1f6acd1-c2fe-4f7b-a6d1-f7039f93645b/great-grandpa-patience-moonbeam.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Great Grandpa, Olivia’s World - Great Grandpa - Patience, Moonbeam (Run For Cover Records LP) Seattle’s Great Grandpa have admirers across the emo/indie universe, including friends of the pod Ratboys, and their newest release, Patience, Moonbeam, their first in six years, continues to expand their adventurous sonic palette. Ratboys singing their praises is initially how I discovered them, and I couldn’t stop playing their standout track (and early single) “Junior.” The song struck me with its beautiful harmonies, southern motifs that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Ratboys or Wednesday song, and finally, its build to a soaring chorus. This was firmly in my wheelhouse, and I was excited to check out Patience, Moonbeam when it came out. I have thoroughly enjoyed the indie world’s shift towards more live instrumentation and country flourishes that have found their way onto records from up-and-coming bands. This isn’t to say that all use of computers/synths has been removed from this record, “Ladybug” is anchored by strong beats that the band builds off for their harmonies and elevated choruses. “Doom” is filled with tension and instrumentation reminiscent of Radiohead, which is a stunning thing to see this band achieve. Great Grandpa has great range, and this album shows they are just starting to scratch the surface of what they are capable of. There is so much music to unpack here that repeat listens reveal lyrics and instrumentation missed on initial exposure. This is a band that has leveled up, the six years were long, with start & stops on the follow up to 2019's Four of Arrows—members moved across the globe, released solo albums, but they ultimately found their way back to one another, and we are all the more fortunate for it. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/5f63a9d7-55e3-4fc9-8c6b-a1366fc80440/olivias-world-greedy-and-gorgeous.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Great Grandpa, Olivia’s World - Olivia’s World - Greedy & gorgeous (Lost Sounds Tapes LP) Australian Alice Rezende started Olivia’s World as a solo project during a two year sabbatical in Vancouver, BC that led her to hook up with one of her idols, drummer Rose Melberg (Tiger Trap, Softies), to record a self-titled EP in 2018 along with bassist Joe Saxby. A return to Queensland produced another EP (Tuff 2B Tender) two years later with Saxby still in tow. That EP title is an apt description of Olivia’s World’s sound; Rezende fully embraces the nuances of twee pop filtered through aggressive instrumentation. She cites Liz Phair’s Girly Tapes and the Chicago trio Horsegirl as inspirations for Greedy & gorgeous. The addition of drummer Daan Steffans and guitarist Jordan Rodger for this debut album allowed her to reach her sonic vision. The record’s opener, “Porcupine Girl,” is an older composition that Rezende penned during the onset of COVID—a whimsical and charming number with psychedelic undertones. The band comes hard charging on “Baby bathwater” and Sourgum,” delivering the powerful punch that Rezende was seeking. “Empresário” is their most accomplished creation; a rhythmic labyrinth that shifts in tempo and intensity. Olivia’s World’s Greedy & gorgeous is a worthy addition to Australia’s dolewave music collective and I have a feeling that their best is still to come. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/323d85c0-1d31-4e09-b47f-75a152918b7e/unrest-imperial-ffrr.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Great Grandpa, Olivia’s World - Unrest - Imperial f.f.r.r. (Teen-Beat LP) Mark Robinson’s eclecticism often results in a thrilling, but uneven listen. His apex can be found on Unrest’s 1992 superlative LP, Imperial f.f.r.r. There’s an overall consistency at play here that doesn’t deaden the adventurousness. From acoustic ballads to instrumental excursions to flat-out pop lusciousness, Imperial is a delight that keeps you off balance and then sweeps you off your feet. “I Do Believe You Are Blushing” is a understated treasure—a Beach Boys-like construction updated for the indie era. “June,” sung by bassist Bridget Cross, provides the sensation of driving through the countryside on a perfect summer day with the convertible top down and the music cranked. Both “Suki” and “Cherry Cream On” are audacious pop gems propelled by jangle strum and persistent rhythmic drive, each highlighted by Robinson’s upper register vocals. While I’d heartily endorse a deeper dive into Robinson’s catalog, which also includes his work with Air Miami and Grenadine (with Jenny Toomey) among others, I’d suggest making Imperial f.f.r.r. the point of departure and the spot for numerous return visits. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/fust-oddly-horsegirl-g98a42a monthly 0.5 2025-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1742058933210-6LHWFKX9YSAX2ZRKW5XM/fust-big-ugly.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fust, ODDLY, Horsegirl - Fust - Big Ugly (Dear Life Records LP) The era we exist in now with the prevalence of social media has a lot of negatives, really more negatives than positives, but one positive of building these online communities/echo chambers is the occasional band/musician that makes it onto your radar. Fust is my most recent discovery via the aforementioned means. Hailing from Durham, North Carolina, Fust was initially the brainchild of Aaron Dowdy before becoming a full fledged alt-country powerhouse over the past 8 years. Their newest album Big Ugly tells stories about life in run-down small towns, like Pineville, West Virginia—where Dowdy’s grandma grew up—which itself is close to the Big Ugly Creek; the inspiration for the record title. These are brilliantly constructed tales of life in small, seemingly forgotten towns. The album opens up with the one-two alt-county blast of lead single “Spangled” with its searing fuzzed-out guitar intro, pared perfectly with Dowdy’s twangy vocals, followed by “Gateleg” with its lap steel and fiddle-led stomp. “Gateleg” sounds like an alt-country War on Drugs song, and I mean that as a huge compliment. This isn’t an album of someone judging the malaise that has befallen small towns in Appalachia, but a love letter to what once was and what could one day potentially be again. I’m already excited to see what their live set is like. Luckily for us, they will be playing The Hideout on Wednesday, April 9th with Merce Lemon. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d658b878-6b75-47cd-82e4-b8e9f813ff93/oddly-swerve.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fust, ODDLY, Horsegirl - ODDLY - Swerve (Damnably LP) ODDLY’s embrace of eclecticism serves them well on their debut album. The Kyoto band dip their toes into a myriad of indie styles yet end up establishing their own identity. Songwriters Naoko Yutani and Tomoyuki Watanabe offer up contrasting vocals that provide both softness and bite. Their coupling on “Zero” and “Easy Mark” inhabit a territory previously mined by outfits like Sorry and Water From Your Eyes. “Alligator” and “Artificial” have a punkish fervor, brushed with distortion and snarl. Watanabe and Yutani come together to harmonize on “Lozenges,” a bittersweet pop number about trying to outrun inevitable circumstances. Swerves marks a path full of exploration for ODDLY; it’s a circuitous journey with a destination still to be determined. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ae30ae81-477c-49ee-bddd-97d32524ccda/horsegirl-phonetics-on-and-on.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fust, ODDLY, Horsegirl - Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On (Matador Records LP) Horsegirl buries the key to their new album, Phonetics On and On, late in the track list, in “Information Content”: “Ooh-hoo, one step for the blatant rhyme / I tread into the vacant time, it’s due / Ooh-hoo, tick-tock on a broken line / You’ll wait until you hear a voice come through / Ooh-hoo, dead air and the humming’s high…” adding later, “I talk in tones.” Three years after the then-teenage trio of Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece bounded out of Chicago with their raucous indie-rock debut, Versions of Modern Romance, Horsegirl have slowed their pace a bit to look around and contemplate the possibilities. Recorded under the aegis of producer Cate LeBon, the new songs live in the minimalist aesthetic realm of the Velvet Underground, Raincoats, Yo La Tengo, and Pavement. But as with those groups, the restraint is deceptive. Subtle textures (tap-tap-tapping percussion, short, fuzzy guitar breaks, smidgens of synthesizer) “tread into the vacant time” of the simply structured, childlike melodies and rhythms: playful interjections into a murmured conversation. Sing-song choruses of “oohs” and “doh doh dohs” abound. The phonetic repetitions serve as ellipses, leaving space for the listener to complete the meaning. Lengthy instrumental intros and outros extend the story, evoking ambles down wintry streets, musing, circling for emphasis. The opener, “Where’d You Go?” weaves a jaunty, Feelies-like riff with blooming strands of noise. The quick-march “2468" repeats the chant, “They walk in twos / Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da.” “Julie” sombrely intones, “Julie / Da, da, da, da / Julie / I wish I could tell you what you want,” against a mesmerizing drone spiked with little guitar screeches—“brtz!“—like a sharp elbow in the ribs. The more conventionally structured “Well I Know You’re Shy” and “I Can’t Stand to See You” emerge as lively surprises. This is just the beginning of the conversation. -Tina Woelke Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/09c8f2cb-9305-476c-b909-37cd404a8bdd/scrawl-plus-also-too.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fust, ODDLY, Horsegirl - Scrawl - Plus, Also, Too (No Other Records / Rough Trade LP) Scrawl released a series of recordings in the ’80s and ’90s that merit special attention. For this piece I’m focusing on their 1987 debut that helped lay groundwork for the impeding Riot Grrrl movement. That connection was affirmed when Scrawl were invited to play the International Pop Underground Festival held in Olympia, Washington in the fall of 1991, which was considered the landmark event for the nascent Riot Grrrl scene. The Columbus, Ohio trio of Marcy Mays (vocals, guitar), Sue Harshe (bass, vocals) and Carolyn O’Leary (drums) fittingly recorded Plus, Also, Too in the basement of a friend’s house, having to monitor the volume levels so as to not unduly disturb the friend’s parents who were at home upstairs. One can’t help wonder what their expressions were like if they were in earshot when the band recorded “Slut.” “Where’s my gratification,” demands May in turning the slur into an anthem of empowerment. Years later, Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill would do the same by scrawling the word on her torso in lipstick for some of the band’s performances. “Great American Pastime” lambastes conspicuous consumption and shop ’til you drop mentality. The character in “Gutterball” exudes female empowerment, “bringing her fists down” and “meaning what she says.” The album winds down with the melancholic “Afterthought,” as Mays pleads for more white noise to drown out the discouraging sounds coming from mass media. I was heartened to discover that Mays and Harshe remain fast friends to this day, and that they have been performing near annual reunion shows in Columbus with new drummer Jovan Karcic (Gaunt). Sisterhood is such a powerful thing. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-limianas-the-murder-capital-cloakroom-2r3ohj monthly 0.5 2025-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1741115407045-CYFRBAXYVXKLCYSO9MV5/the-liminanas-faded.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Limiñanas, The Murder Capital, Cloakroom - The Limiñanas – Faded (Because Music LP) The faceless starlet images that adorn The Limiñanas’ latest record draws attention to gender inequity where female beauty is celebrated over personal accomplishments. The French couple of Marie and Lionel Limiñana synthesize the cultural revolution of the ’60s into their forward-thinking art that’s suffused in exotica and sensory delights. On the record’s title track, they carry the torch for a diminished icon, sounding empathetic and enthralled. Their passionate exchange on “Tu viens Marie ?” builds in intensity behind instrumentation that begs to be pressurized. Guest vocalists, both renowned and obscure, surface on about half of Faded’s tracks. Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie brings an unabashed swagger to the lacerating “Prisoner of Beauty” and Jon Spencer’s reverb-laden proselytizing on “Space Baby” resides in the echos of Alan Vega and Suicide. The Limiñanas’ shape-shifting versatility is on display in a sensual, but fierce-sounding “Louie Louie” that transforms the frenzied old workhorse into something fresh and delectable. In Limiñanas’ universe golden oldies are ripe for rediscover, if only to be given a chance to be observed at under a different light. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ac5c49bd-bca8-4a06-8e67-905f46c211e7/the-murder-capital-blindness.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Limiñanas, The Murder Capital, Cloakroom - The Murder Capital - Blindness (Human Season Records LP) Arriving at the title of their third record opened up a myriad of meanings for the members of The Murder Capital: blind fate, blind hate, blind optimism and so forth… Our myopic focus often impedes us from seeing the big picture, resulting in short-sighted decisions that have long-term consequences. The descent is captured in “The Fall” when James McGovern sings: “I keep my hand in the flame to find the divide / Between what’s steering my fate and what’s opposing my lines / When the pain is complete in pure decay / Don’t you wanna be smothered? / Don’t you want to betray?” Guitarist Damien Tuit said the band considers Blindness as “a needle drop into a feeling,” and with the band’s Irish heritage, those feelings are passionately expressed. They come out punching from the start, setting their sights on high on the clamoring “Moonshot.” “Love Of Country” dissects the current wave of nationalism (“Could you blame me for mistaking your love of country for the hate of men?“) with the band advocating a humanitarian approach and backing it up by donating all proceeds from the track to Medical Aid for Palestinians. As the record winds down, McGovern offers his own self-reflection: “That feeling / Oh, changed my foolish mind / It’s stranger then a vision of / Of strangers who combine.” Seeing ourselves through the eyes of others is a line of sight that we ought to bringing more in focus. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b82936aa-a13b-481b-a47b-91e5dd65a7e2/cloakroom-last-leg-of-the-human-table.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Limiñanas, The Murder Capital, Cloakroom - Cloakroom - Last Leg of the Human Table (Closed Casket Activities LP) There’s much to be said about developing a singular signature sound, but left untouched over time that unique approach can eventually stagnate and lead to listener fatigue. Cloakroom’s early forays into doomgaze and slowcore put them in rare company, but their continued artistic growth is what’s now what’s setting them apart. Last Leg of the Human Table marks Cloakroom’s fourth album release following their inception in 2012, and represents their most fully realized work to date. “The Pilot” and “Cloverlooper” are spiritual descendants of the band’s earlier works with mammoth riffs, heavy ballast and Doyle Martin’s tranquil vocals. A brewing pop presence emerges with “Ester Wind” and “Unbelonging,” with brisker tempos and ringing guitar tones. The balladesque “Bad Larry” pulls back the reins, conveying a wistful feel and an outlaw tale. “Story of the Egg” comes on high-Wired, drawing comparisons to the English post-punk legends who have vehemently resisted replicating themselves throughout their existence. The title of Last Leg of the Human Table portends some sort of finality, but hopefully for Cloakroom it’s a sign that they’re only getting started. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/716f8a98-0c16-41e9-86bd-8bb89ee7cd48/nice-strong-arm-reality-bath.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Limiñanas, The Murder Capital, Cloakroom - Nice Strong Arm - Reality Bath (Homestead Records LP) The arrival of spring sets my sights on the SXSW music festival. The festival originated in 1987, which is also the year that Austin’s Nice Strong Arm debuted with Reality Bath. The record garnered enough attention that Nice Strong Arm landed a spot on the festival’s line-up the following year. The band relocated to NYC following the recording of their second LP (Mind Furnace) when bassist Jason Asnes was offered to join Swans; a decision that was aided by Austin’s bleak financial picture at the time. Reality Bath opens with “Life of the Party—a swirling miasma of agitation that hits like a direct descendent of the Replacement’s “Color Me Impressed.” “When Truth Comes Around” rides a percussive rollercoaster engineered by dual drummers Stephen MacMurray and Jamie Seidel. The back to back pairing of “Minds Lie” and “Free at Last” on side two highlight the serpentine interplay between Asnes and guitarist Kevin Thomson and sparkle with an emo-like vigor. Nice Strong Arm eventually folded in 1991 following the release of Stress City, their third album for Homestead. Thomson continues to perform with Enablers, fronted by poet Pete Simonelli, and under his own solo project titled Hazel Atlas. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/facs-michigander-the-moles-3248f3 monthly 0.5 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/73d2060a-c64f-4152-bb9e-13e207bbbe95/FACS-wish-defense.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: FACS, Michigander, The Moles - FACS - Wish Defense (Trouble In Mind LP) Through six studio albums, FACS have developed a distinct legacy among Chicago’s rich history of punk-influenced music. One unforeseen footnote is that Wish Defense would become the last ever project that Steve Albini worked on prior to his sudden passing. While FACS had recorded nearly all their albums at Electrical Audio, it wasn’t until a preceding session for their 2024 Sub Pop single that they enlisted Albini to engineer. With nearly all the tracking completed for Wish Defense at that fateful moment, the band turned to longtime cohorts Sanford Parker and John Congleton to bring the project to completion. Brian Case regularly constructs FACS’ records around an overall theme, and his inspiration for Wish Defense came from reading Naomi Klein’s Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World in which her mistaken identity to fellow author Naomi Wolf compelled her to examine the effects of misinformation and distorted reality. For Case this also meant trying to discern his true self from his outside-influenced identity (a similar process that Albini undertook in examining his edgelord persona). On the title track, he struggles to move past his “abject self” and reliance on “a public performance.” The sonic maelstrom generated by the band (including a reunited Jonathan Van Herik on bass and Noah Leger on drums) accentuates the state of confusion and unease. “Desire Path” plays out like a tug of war with Case’s guitar veering off in one direction and the rhythm section pulling in another. “Sometimes Only” declares an impasse on a splintered society: “In a passive era / From a broken state / They made you / Chose a side,” laments Case. It’s hard to feel whole when the goodness of one’s heart has been ripped out of you. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c70a9eb0-b4b7-434e-ac4e-af4a71cbfb40/michigander.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: FACS, Michigander, The Moles - Michigander - S/T (Totally Normal Records LP) Friend of the pod Peter Jesperson sings Michigander’s praises, so if you’ve never heard of them, that is quite the stamp of approval. Michigander is the brainchild of Jason Singer, and the road to their first LP has been well traveled. Singer started putting out music as Michigander back in 2016, and a steady flow of singles and EPs have preceded this full length. Michigander shows serious chops—the dude knows his way around hooky choruses and poppy indie rock production. The album opens with “Broadcast” a song about seeking answers as to where you stand with a crush and dreaming of a future together backed by a glitchy synth piano-assisted track. Singer’s guitar playing is highlighted by the raucous early single “Giving Up” where he unleashes a blistering solo after his hooky lyrics and vocals have laid the foundation. “Spitting Image” truly shines a light on how strong Singer’s lyrics are. The song tells the story we can all likely relate to; drifting away from people you were once close to. Again, the lyrics are perfectly matched with strong indie rock, an earworm of a chorus, and a soaring vocal performance. This album is comprised of songs that I just know would slay live. They’re the kind of band that would have killed a mid-afternoon set on the Blue Stage at Pitchfork. I hope we get rewarded with a local tour date from them soon. -Mark Joyner Michigander’s Website https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/914761d1-ad7a-456d-9327-960cae4c31c4/the-moles-composition-book.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: FACS, Michigander, The Moles - The Moles – Composition Book (Splendid Research LP) Composition Book holds true to its title, offering scattershot observations and unvarnished sounds from the inquisitive mind of Australian transplant Richard Davies. Leisurely recorded on an iPad over a span of a couple years at his Cape Cod home afforded Davies time to focus on his songwriting and guitar playing without the constraints of a ticking studio clock. The parallels to Robert Pollard (who released Composition Book on his recently launched Splendid Research label) are notable—both artists were late starters, already into their mid 20s when they first surfaced with their namesake bands and each of them favors pithy, truncated pop songs full of catchy hooks. When they hooked up to collaborate on the Jar of Jam Ton of Bricks record (2009) under the the moniker of Cosmos, it seemed fait accompli. Of course, Pollard is vastly more prolific in terms of output, not surprising considering Davies’ trial attorney occupation. On the album’s opener, “Feel Like a Dollar,” he boldly announces his reemergence (following 2018’s Code Word), offering: “They said I disappeared / But I’m still here.” “Lost Generation” updates the Who’s “My Generation” by replacing the defiance of the original with disorientation and displacement of a new offspring trying to find to find their voice. Davies reaches back into the past to mine “Tragedy” and “Had To Be You” from The Bats’ classic Daddy’s Highway album with a reverence that preserves the tenderness and emotional reach of Robert Scott’s compositions. “Rattlesnakes, Vampires, Horse Tribes and Rocket Science” is resplendent with witty wordplay and the rollicking “Alvin Hollis” is an endearing eccentric character study. Davies pays tribute to Chuck Berry and Bob Dylan with the closing track, “Promised Land,” retracing his journey from Australia to the U.S. in 1992. Arriving the day before the Rodney King LA riots broke out, Davies, like Berry and Dylan before him, weighs in on the myth of a better future versus reality, navigating a path of broken dreams while knowing there’s no turning back. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3e8341b8-7fba-40c3-bcff-d338608d906d/cosmos-jar-of-jam-ton-of-bricks.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: FACS, Michigander, The Moles - Cosmos - Jar of Jam Ton of Bricks (Happy Jack Rock Records LP) The idea of uniting two iconoclastic pop tunesmiths together for a shared project is always a loaded endeavor. Expectations frequently outweigh results when judged against the artist’s peak efforts. But viewed in a lesser light these excursions can function as pleasant diversions—which is where Jar of Jam Ton of Bricks lands for me. As an admirer of The Moles, the Australian indie pop band fronted by Richard Davies, GBV’s Robert Pollard took an opportunity to collaborate with Davies, who had released a trio of sublime yet largely unheralded solo records post-Moles, but had been out of the public eye for almost a decade when this opportunity arose. Davies had settled in the Boston area for some time then and recruited local musicians Dave Mineham (The Neighborhoods), Malcom Travis (Kustomized, Sugar) and Jabe Beyer (The Benders) to assist with backing tracks, which were then sent over to Pollard in Ohio. A majority of the tracks ended up featuring Pollard on lead vocals, but four of the songs remained intact with Davies being the featured performer. The vibe is low-key and slapdash; a blend of acoustic ballads, left-field instrumentals and rock-forward anthems. Out of the creative chaos, some nuggets emerge: “Nude Metropolis” saunters and sways, Davies rises up triumphant on “Grapes of Wrath,” Pollard embodies a soulful high plains drifter for “Zeppelin Commander” and “The Neighborhood Trapeze” is bouncy and joyful as its name would suggest. The album’s title surfaces in a line from “Westward Ho,” which contrary to its directional directive leaves an uncertainty as to where things will eventually lead, opening up a whole host of possibilities for endless adventure. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/delivery-ex-void-prism-shores-2i3roa47 monthly 0.5 2025-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1738447721664-RRDD9PVA464J28KT9WL1/delivery-force-majeure.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Delivery, Ex-Vöid, Prism Shores - Delivery - Force Majeure (Heavenly Recordings LP) Melbourne’s Delivery bring a sense of whimsy and exuberance to their songs while surveying a music landscape that’s populated by garage thump and punk fervor. “Operating At a Loss” opens will a tribal beat soon met by a trio of guitars slinging riffs with reckless abandon. Vocalist James Lynch spews out corporate jargon with a caffeinated delivery to satisfy his fix for espresso shots. “Focus, Right,” on the other hand, slows down the process to concentrate on the task on hand and is buoyed by a soaring chorus between Lynch and Bec Allan. With its galloping pace, “The New Alphabet” calls out for reinvention to produce something otherworldly, devoid of rote analysis. The rousing “Put Your Back Into It” sums up the band’s approach as Lynch chastises: “Sticks and stones / and a couple of bruises / That’s the best / of your excuses.” Force Majeure shows out Delivery’s relentless pursuit of bringing the rawk with minimal fuss and max effort. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a2e3aaab-1bbc-4096-9c06-2f51305eea12/ex-void-in-love-again.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Delivery, Ex-Vöid, Prism Shores - Ex-Vöid - In Love Again (Tapete Records LP) Having initially cut their teeth in the edgy Joanna Gruesome, it took some time for Lan McArdle and Owen Williams to fully embrace their pop potential. Their contrasting voices, though, were tailor made for singing harmony duets, something both of them embraced in their love for Glasgow’s Teenage Fanclub. Ex-Vöid smooth out some of the scrappier elements from 2022’s Bigger Than Before album for more robust hooks and addictive ear candy on In Love Again. The spirited title track captures their resilience from the personal break-ups that had befallen each of McArdle and Williams and inspired some of the songwriting on the album. Strains of those dysfunctional relationships can be found in “Nightmare,” which embraces the alt-country genre that has caught the band’s ear in recent times. The inclusion of their sped-up cover version of Lucinda Williams’ “Lonely Girls” has its origins from when Katie Crutchfield introduced Ex-Vöid to the song on a shared 2018 UK tour with Waxahatchee. The reflective “Down The Drain” is Williams’ lost love lament with bittersweet tones that resonate for the jilted. The song title “Pinhead” might suggest a Ramones connection, but McArdle’s number is a gilded shoegaze treasure—sweet yet combustible. In Love Again captures the pain and pleasure of human relationships, reinforcing that what doesn’t kill us will only make us stronger in the end. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7656680c-6c33-4346-bfb6-8a504ba025e5/prism-shores-out-from-underneath.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Delivery, Ex-Vöid, Prism Shores - Prism Shores – Out From Underneath (Meritorio Records LP) Prism Shores got their start in the capital city of Charlottetown of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island before relocating to Montreal. There they befriended the members on the band Laughing, whose debut LP, Because It’s True, was on tap to come out on Meritorio Records in the summer of 2024. Sensing that the indie pop connections that the two bands shared would appeal to Meritorio head Álvaro Lissón, Prism Shores sent him the tracks they had recorded early last year for what would become their second LP, Out From Underneath. The record captures the unsettledness of adjusting to a new city at a stage of life that’s filled with opportunity, but also great unknowns. On “Holding Pattern,” guitarist Jack MacKenzie sings about “finding my footing,” only to fall into one trap door after another. “Tourniquet” attempts to stop the bleeding and get things under control as time wastes away. The band goes into overdrive on the spirited “Weightless” with guitars that buzz like an agitated beehive. “Sudden Sting” pairs jangly guitars with synth squalls and is buoyed by MacKenzie’s soaring vocal declarations. Out From Underneath chronicles Prism Shores efforts to pull through challenging times, but also heralds an emerging band that’s cracked the surface and hopefully on their way to bigger things. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a32a8476-636a-423f-ac49-433442f615de/davy-graham-he-moved-through-the-fair.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Delivery, Ex-Vöid, Prism Shores - Davy Graham - He Moved Through The Fair - The Complete 1960s Recordings (Cherry Tree 8-CD box set compilation) Davy Graham was a British, finger-picking acoustic guitar virtuoso who quickly became one of the most widely admired figures in the British folk boom of the early-to-mid 1960s. He was also among the most elusive and mercurial figures of that time due to his penchant for travel and occasional drug habit. Graham readily absorbed and channeled elements of Turkish, Arabic, Indian, Balkan and other music into his compositions and playing, and this fantastic 8-CD box set covers all of his 1960s releases, the material on which his reputation primarily rests. The music vividly captures Graham’s unique brilliance and wayward vision. Graham’s oeuvre included old American blues, jazz classics, traditional folk, contemporary pop songs and hard-to-pigeonhole originals. He was never a strong singer, and his occasional covers of songs by Paul Simon and the Beatles can sound a bit tepid. But the bulk of the music in this box showcases Graham’s dazzling technique and inspired adventurousness. Perhaps the most emblematic tune in the box (which includes multiple renditions) is his take on the beautiful, traditional Irish ballad “She Moved Through the Fair,” which Graham recasts as an Indian raga. He explores the raga form with stunning musicianship yet also keeps the lovely melody of the tune audibly intact despite the wild stylistic permutations. It’s a masterful demonstration of both genre-bending imagination and breath-taking musicality. The box includes Graham’s most highly regarded solo releases, such as Folk, Blues & Beyond… and Large as Life and Twice as Natural, along with some rare after-hours live recordings. It also includes the wonderful duo record he made with the great folk singer Shirley Collins, Folk Roots, New Routes, with boasts a singular blend of traditional and visionary music making. If you’re a fan of idiosyncratic American finger-pickers like John Fahey and Robbie Basho, you should definitely check out the music of their British contemporary and unequivocal peer! -Rick Reger Cherry Red Records https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/denude-tv-buddha-lambrini-girls-289ruj monthly 0.5 2025-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c2654b24-88da-43ce-a7e1-faef12059ab5/denude-a-murmuration-of-capitalist-bees.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Denude, TV Buddha, Lambrini Girls - Denude - A Murmuration Of Capitalist Bees (Expert Work Records / Dipterid Records LP) Milwaukee’s Denude traverse the brawny, tensile midwestern sound epitomized during the ’80s/‘90s-era output of indie labels Touch and Go and Amphetamine Reptile. The future realization of the group grew from an encounter between James David and Matt Parrish when their respective bands (Murder In The Red Barn and Piglet) were playing a gig together at Chicago’s Fireside Bowl in the early aughts. Both were drummers back then, but years later when David started writing songs on guitar he reached back to Parrish to put Denude together along with bassist Jesse Schomisch. The trio made their live performance debut at Portage Park’s Tone Deaf Records in early 2023 and recently celebrated the release of their album with a show at Sleeping Village that was sponsored by the shop and included store honcho Tony Assimos’ outfit Surgery Cult amongst the four group line-up. Band members point to “Our Friend Entropy,” A Murmuration of Capitalist Bees’ opening track, as a distillation of Denude’s aesthetic. It’s a twiny number that shifts in tempo, highlighted by David’s exasperated warnings about being nullified by a life of chaos and uncertainty. “Animal Tracks” begins with the makings of a sprightly instrumental before the vocals emerge and the songs kicks into a heightened level. Parrish’s galloping drumbeat and Schomisch’s pliable bassline drives “Phalanx,” a song that likely originated from David’s unpleasant experiences working in the banking industry. Referencing their band name, Denude strips society’s fallacies bare; “We treat the symptoms, not the cause” comes a line from “12th Battle On The Isonzo.” It’s a persistent sickness that’s unlikely to be cured until the cancerous elements in society are driven into submission. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/65d7d8f3-b187-4cb3-bd48-c2da9f8e44a5/tv-buddha-10000-buddhas.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Denude, TV Buddha, Lambrini Girls - TV Buddha - 10,000 Buddhas (Hallogallo Tapes cassette EP) 10,000 Buddhas is a promising evolution from TV Buddha’s initial 2023 release, Simple Bodies, for the pair of Eli Schmitt and Cole Hunt (aka Johnson Rockstar). Their penchant for experimentation persists, albeit with a more focused and fuller fleshed-out approach. Beyond Schmitt’s and Hunt’s constant presence, TV Buddha functions as a musical collective with changing participants based on need and availability. Members of Chicago’s Lifeguard and Twin Coast are some of the musicians that have lent their services. The four tracks on10,000 Buddhas were engineered by Kai Slater (Lifeguard, Dwaal Troupe, Sharp Pins) with a penchant for needle-pushing distortion and gauzy reverb. The guitar dynamic in play on “Sunday, Sunday” from Hunt and Jasmin Feliciano frames the number in majestic and ominous tones. “Hudson to China” is bolstered by Asher Case’s (Lifeguard) wicked string bending and woozy sax contribution from Seamus Moore. Closing number “Baby, Woah!” marries the blissed-out zen of Jason Pierce (Spiritualized, Spacemen 3) with the noise pop of Jesus and Mary Chain’s Reid brothers. After a year of heightened activity in 2024, TV Buddha appear primed for a greater ascent in the future—a band that I’d suggest keeping on your radar. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c6efb860-3885-4237-9d86-22c26c74abd4/lambrini-girls-who-let-the-dogs-out.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Denude, TV Buddha, Lambrini Girls - Lambrini Girls – Who Let The Dogs Out (City Slang LP) On their debut album, Brighton’s Lambrini Girls leave no stone unturned—a word of warning for those in society who choose to live in glass houses. While the band’s target zones of power inequity (police abuse, male privilege, monied interests) and discrimination (sexual harassment, homophobia, body shaming) can border on reductionist politics, subtlety of messaging in this age of discord hardly carries the day. Like feminist contemporaries Petrol Girls and Dream Wife, Lambrini Girls choose to scream it loud and proud. On “You’re Not From Around Here,” guitarist/vocalist Phoebe Lunny declares: “Renovate and modernise / A lick of paint revitalises / Rundown houses in that rundown town / Culturally commodified / Housing price monopolised.” She’s pointing out that not only lives have been displaced, but community identities has been swept clean. “No Homo” and “Love” turn the attention to affairs of the heart; with the former about masking true feelings and the latter about rejecting romantic falsehoods. The electro-clash groove of “Cuntology 101” closes out the record on a different note with Lunny and bassist Lilly Macieira-Bosgelmez cavorting about in the song’s video with an unbridled glee that would rival Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn of Sleaford Mods. In turning the slur into anthem of empowerment, the pair have reclaimed the language and what it means to be strong, powerful women with no fucks given. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/97ec7e19-bb2d-41d7-9000-d52b731ddeda/ut-griller.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Denude, TV Buddha, Lambrini Girls - Ut - Griller (Blast First / Out Records LP) Even in the bastion of cutting edge music culture that comprised New York City in the late ’70s, Nina Canal, Jacqui Ham and Sally Young of Ut elected to disembark for London come 1981 in order to raise their profile. Such was the fate for this uncategorizable collective that championed improvisation through a blend of post-punk, no wave, noise rock and avant-garde sound. Adopting a non-hierarchical ethos, the trio would swap out instruments frequently and rotate turns at the microphone sans a front person focal point. Griller, Ut’s third studio LP, would become their swan song after the band called it a day the following year in 1990. Compared to its predecessors, Conviction (1985) and In Gut’s House (1987), Griller leans a little further into a structured sound due in part to bringing in an additional member, Charlie D. on drums. Blast First label mate Steve Albini served as engineer (save for the title track that was recorded by Tim Hodgkinson and Charles Bullen). The record kicks off with “Safe Burning,” the voices of Young and Ham intertwining and creating a sense of chaos that’s echoed in the song’s lyrical content. “Canker,” a tale of deception, is as rock-forward as Ut gets—Young channels her inner Patti-Smith singing about horses (a Trojan one in this case), snakes and whores in guttural, poetic terms. For the churning “Dr. No,” Canal takes the mic, sparring on guitar with Young’s violin distortion. Ut would later become a rallying point for the Riot grrrl movement, inspiring Kathleen Hanna (who namechecks them in Le Tigre’s “Hot Topic”) and Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker. In 2010 they resurfaced and are still actively playing occasional gigs (almost exclusively in the UK). They also resurrected their Out Records label to re-issue their back catalog, including a remastered and expanded edition of Griller that launched on 2022’s Record Store Day. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/bruces-top-10-of-2024-iu23rhiq0 monthly 0.5 2025-01-07 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/marks-top-10-of-2024-8912he monthly 0.5 2025-01-06 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/toms-top-10-of-2024-981j3oir2 monthly 0.5 2026-01-04 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/feeling-figures-stalled-miners-ui2q98f monthly 0.5 2025-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1734453611439-DI6RJ7MBH1B5NM9QCE6S/feeling-figures-everything-around-you.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Feeling Figures, Stalled, Miners - Feeling Figures – Everything Around You (K / Perennial LP) Montreal’s Feeling Figures maintain a loose vibe that captures a spirit of spontaneity. Their shambling approach is good match for Olympia, Washington’s K and Perennial labels. Co-guitarist and vocalist Kay Moon describes her songwriting method as “an intuitive, spontaneous, disorderly process that unfolds differently each time.” Despite being a classically trained pianist, her songs connect on a basic level—“Doors Wide Open” is an addictive feminist commentary that she dashed off in all of 15 minutes. On “Swimming,” she examines the effects of perception versus reality with the snarling guitars mimicking the restlessness of the churning sea. Her partner Zakary Slax is partial to a garage punk aesthetic. On the album’s opener, “Co-operator,” he delves into a 20th century Nova Scotia grassroots collective that’s been eroded down through the years by capitalism—his demeanor becomes increasingly agitated throughout the song as he recounts tales of the citizens being shortchanged. That derision carries through to the ending “Social Anatomy,” Slax’s call for revolution that travels along of the path of The Velvet Underground. The recording sessions for Everything Around You actually proceeded those for Feeling Figures’ 2023 Migration Magic album release, but make no mistake, this is a band moving forward in time regardless of obstacles. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/cfa07bd4-383a-4ab5-916d-e470a30948f1/stalled-dust-inside-a-dream.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Feeling Figures, Stalled, Miners - Stalled - Dust Inside a Dream (Pleasure Tapes cassette LP) On their debut album, Chicago’s Stalled fluctuate between elements of metallic crunch and atmospheric expanse. “Company Time” is a tightly-coiled number with vocalist/guitarist Jack Curtin seething: “Fewer words (a fickle mind) / Unsaid curses grinding at your mantra.” Come mid-record, Curtin has decompressed a bit as he seeks to disconnect from an existence that’s coming up empty in the shoegaze-flavored “Fields of Gold.” “Eyes Like Saucers” follows in a similar vein, with Curtin, bassist Dylan Flynn and drummer Nate Whitcome riding a groove that gradually escalates to a heightened crescendo. In a whispery tone, Curtin navigates the numbing repetitiveness of everyday life in “Blue Mound” with a guest saxophone contribution from Tom Lageveen amplifying the melancholy. On Dust Inside a Dream, Stalled is exploring a litany of sounds while also searching for their true voice. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/00154c4e-eb83-46bb-b58d-84b0be806915/miners-a-healthy-future-on-earth.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Feeling Figures, Stalled, Miners - Miners - A Healthy Future On Earth (Flesh & Bone Records LP) A Healthy Future On Earth is the follow-up to Miners’ abundantly pleasurable self-titled debut album from 2021. Like fellow Wollongong, Australia residents Chimers (who they’ve shared a split single with), Miners play a streamlined brand of indie rock with an emotional resonance that connects on first listen. On the surging “Game Theory,” frontman Blake Clee is restless and flustered with the zero-sum game outcome. He duets with MFV’s Maggie Fletcher on the disarming “Collapse,” laying bare the insecurities and regrets of a crumbling relationship. Drummer Wilson Harris and bassist Nick Johnson make “Fade” swing with pleasing alacrity before the song ends in a swirling mass of backwards guitar and voice. The album closes out plaintively on “Keep Me Waiting” with Clee’s most effective vocal turn and his well-placed acoustic guitar strumming. A Healthy Future On Earth adds to the superb canon of work that’s been flowing from Australia for decades now. Here’s to a shoutout of appreciation that hopefully makes it’s way halfway around the world! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1056f040-535a-4db0-8c03-5db8c9f0e752/the-great-unwashed-clean-out-of-our-minds.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Feeling Figures, Stalled, Miners - The Great Unwashed - Clean Out Of Our Minds (Flying Nun Records LP) At The Clean’s initial peak of popularity following the release of their “Getting Older” single in 1982, David Kilgour became tired of non-stop touring and decided to pull the plug on the band (until reversing course in 1988). Bassist Robert Scott would go on to form The Bats and following months of inactivity, David would be coaxed into recording again by his brother Hamish. Desiring a pronounced break from their former outfit, the pair christened themselves as The Great Unwashed on the suggestion of Hamish’s partner Jenny Halliday. If the record title didn’t already make it abundantly apparent, a cursory listen to the new material cemented the impression that this was indeed a significant departure from The Clean’s garage, guitar-based pop, and a new direction that Flying Nun honcho Roger Shepherd struggled to embrace. Choosing to record at home on Hamish’s 4-track tape machine certainly shaped the outfit’s stripped down sound. There’s a spontaneity and looseness to the proceedings; a roll-out-of-bed and capture the moment sensibility. A lovely acoustic take of the The Clean’s “Hold On To The Rail” and a psychedelic rendering of their “Quickstep” establishes some former ties, but the majority of the music was written on the spot. David’s stunning solo turn on “What You Should Be Now” is one of the most arresting songs in his vast canon. The same recording approach on “Obscurity Blues” produces a dreamy number with Rubber Soul Beatlesque overtones. Representative of the lo-fi approach, Hamish drums on a cardboard box for “It’s a Day,” with his ominous vocal track echoing the desire to shut out the outside world. Following its initial Flying Nun release in 1982, Clean Out Of Our Minds was first reissued by Exiled Records in 2012 and then again this past October by MEDS / Noise Prints in a remastered version. In an affectionate manner, David Kilgour described it as “a really sloppy album”—a beautiful mess indeed! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/peter-perrett-chimers-wussy-9203ia7h monthly 0.5 2024-12-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1733011134546-DHN6CBF4QW20PX5RC8RU/peter-perrett-the-cleansing.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Peter Perrett, Chimers, Wussy - Peter Perrett - The Cleansing (Domino 2-LP) Best known for helming pop/rock greats The Only Ones in the late ’70s/early ‘80s, Peter Perrett has spent the subsequent decades slipping briefly back into and (mostly) out of the limelight thanks to bouts of substance abuse and related health issues. Long viewed as a pop savant who fell through the cracks, Perrett has recently bounced back into view with a series of surprisingly solid records. His sprawling, 20-track new album, The Cleansing, makes a very convincing case that he’s still got it! The opening clutch of songs, “I Wanna Go with Dignity,” “Disinfectant” and “Mixed Up Confucius” all brandish classic Only Ones hallmarks: Perrett’s sleepy British drawl, irresistibly catchy riffs studded with bristling guitars and searingly plaintive lead fretwork. There’s also plenty of variety on The Cleansing, from the beguiling midtempo acoustic strum of “Solitary Confinement” to the faintly drone-y electronic vibe of “Women Gone Bad” to the lovely, string-dappled piano balladry of “All That Time.” There’s even a series of songs about two-thirds into the album that muster the brittle beauty and strung out vibe of Big Star’s Sister Lovers. A surprisingly appealing aspect of The Cleansing is Perrett’s scathing frankness about where he is on life’s journey. Songs like “I Wanna Go with Dignity,” “Do Not Resuscitate” and the title track confront mortality with a simple directness that’s far more effective than flowery bromides or fist-shaking bravura. The Cleansing is flecked with powerful, vigorous tunes that prove Perrett’s storied songwriting gifts have survived a turbulent life intact and are more than capable of delivering. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/65638a26-a78b-4557-964c-be09ad80e9f2/chimers-through-today.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Peter Perrett, Chimers, Wussy - chimers – THROUGH TODAY (12XU LP) Spouses Padraic Skehan (guitar) and Binx (drums) pack a considerable wallop. In the realm of Party Dozen, chimers is also a New South Wales Australian duo that proves greater than the sum of its parts. Both Party Dozen members turn up on THROUGH TODAY—Jonathan Boulet serves as recording engineer and Kirsty Tickle contributes a sax part to the scorching “People Listen (To The Radio),” Binx’s tom-centric drumming has gut-punch intensity and Skehan adds to the body blows with shrapnel-like guitar licks that land with machine gun lethality. “Timber” impels listeners to seek safe cover as Skehan obliterates the surrounding sonic landscape among shouts of “Run home, run now.” The band’s pop smarts come to the forefront on “3AM” with an anthemic rush and opaline vocal coupling from the pair. While Skehan carries the bulk of the singing load, Binx shines on “An Echo,” breaking from the sonic onslaught to deliver a sultry ballad that’s paired beautifully with Jordan Ireland’s guest violin contribution. When it feels that today’s struggles have us merely treading water, on THROUGH TODAY chimers issue a call to fight the turbulence and swim upstream because getting swept away is analogous to admitting defeat. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/891a2b42-88be-497e-8ed3-e79594f6bf40/wussy-cincinnati-ohio.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Peter Perrett, Chimers, Wussy - Wussy - Cincinnati Ohio (Shake It! Records LP) While some great music can be created in a vacuum, not beholden to place or time, local identity plays an integral part to Wussy’s approach. Their heartland rock’n’roll bears the trademarks of medium: authentic, earnest and plain spoken. Wussy wears its heart on its sleeve in choosing to title their eighth album after their hometown: Cincinnati Ohio. That heart is heavy in wake of the 2020 passing of long time guitarist and pedal steel player John Erhardt. It’s fitting that the album art was created by Jon Langford, who has a history of preserving folklore and outsider culture through his punk-inspired paintings. Cincinnati Ohio opens with “The Great Divide,” setting an emotional tone with Lisa Walker’s examination of loss and picking up the pieces with what’s left behind. Elsewhere, Walker attempts to catch her breath in “Inhaler,” sounding harried and at the edge of exhaustion while traveling from town to town with little comfort other than the sounds of the car radio and the unexpected kindness of strangers. “The Ghosts Keep Me Alive” and “Disaster About You” feature disarmingly lovely duets between Walker and Chuck Cleaver that are accentuated by Mark Messerly’s melancholic accordion accompaniment. Cleaver closes thing out with “Winged” where he councils the distraught to weather the pain because while escaping unscathed is unrealistic, living to fight another day is worth holding on to. On Cincinnati Ohio, the mourning is followed by a new and different morning, providing the distance and perspective that’s required to heal our wounded, but resilient souls. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/af372184-5482-467d-9217-18e4d2d27bc1/girls-father-son-holy-ghost.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Peter Perrett, Chimers, Wussy - Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost (True Panther Sounds LP) When we look back at our favorite albums of each decade, we tend to think back on records that are monoliths—albums that make bold statements, albums that define the sound of the decade. What tends to fall by the wayside are works from bands that are short-lived, but that crush an album or two. The San Francisco band Girls fall firmly into the camp of the latter, forming in 2007, they released two albums before breaking up in 2012. We are fortunate to have had them, as Father, Son, Holy Ghost was released in 2011, and still sounds just as good today as it did when it debuted 13 years ago. It firmly still resides in my top 10 albums of the 2010s. Girls blended indie with ‘70s rock and some elements of surf rock into a style uniquely their own while paying tribute to the past. Father, Son, Holy Ghost comes out the gate swinging with “Honey Bunny,” featuring angelic harmonies and Dick Dale-sounding guitars paired perfectly with lead singer Christopher Owens’ soft vocals. This record shows a band exploring their limits, you have the surf rock-tinged “Honey Bunny,” the hard rock sounding “Die,” organ forward “My Ma,” and heroic guitar solos on songs like “Vomit.” The song that always keeps me coming back to this album is “Saying I Love You.” This song is so damn beautiful—from its instrumentation to its lyrics focused on how someone moves on from a past love. I love everything about it, the doo-woppish guitars, the beautiful solo, and Chrissybaby’s vocals. To me, it’s a perfect song. Anybody fortunate, or unfortunate enough to get a mix from me in the first half of last decade certainly had this song included on it. This album is one that I fear gets lost in the shuffle as we think of the masterpieces from that period because it doesn’t have the pedigree of some of its peers, but it is one that surely should not be overlooked. I find myself coming back to it more frequently than many albums from that decade. Do yourself a favor and spend some time with this album, you won’t regret it. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/2nd-grade-jim-nothing-mj-lenderman-8173r2ha monthly 0.5 2024-11-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1731721687992-YRMT066SEBHXX992YT74/2nd-grade-scheduled-explosions.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: 2nd Grade, Jim Nothing, MJ Lenderman - 2nd Grade - Scheduled Explosions (Double Double Whammy LP) Friend of the pod Peter Gill is back with another strong batch of power-pop-tinged tunes. For those of you not in the know, 2nd Grade sounds like a beautiful mashup of Big Star and Guided by Voices. No songs overstay their welcome—routinely clocking in at under 2 minutes, and like good power pop, focus on longing and sentimentality (right on the nose would be the song “Instant Nostalgia”). It’s been awe-inspiring to see the heater that Peter and the band have been on over the past 4 years—releasing 3 new albums, each better than the last, and a reimagining of their first album (Wish You Were Here Tour Revisited). Earworms seem to come so easily to Peter, and the effortlessness he displays certainly can’t be reflective of the ease of his creative process. You have songs like “Uncontrollably Cool” that sound like it could have been lifted right out of the mid-’60s Brian Wilson led Beach Boys, and that’s immediately followed up with (and I hate to make a second Beach Boys reference, but I can’t help myself) “Out Of The Hive” which sounds like fuzzed out Surf’s Up era Beach Boys. Peter told us in our interview that he likes to play with fidelity when it comes to recording techniques, and it shows through on Scheduled Explosions. This is a band that’s still growing and exploring their sound while remaining just as quirky as ever (I mean who else is naming a song after the obscure 1970s Jack Nicholson movie King Of Marvin Gardens!?), and quite frankly, that’s a super exciting prospect for us listeners. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/aed0d091-87d3-4efa-a24f-40087d00bddb/jim-nothing-grey-eyes-grey-lynn.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: 2nd Grade, Jim Nothing, MJ Lenderman - Jim Nothing – Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn (Meritorio Records LP) Jim Nothing is the alias for New Zealand musician James Sullivan, who’s previously drummed with Joe Sampson in the revered Salad Boys. In his conversion from group drummer to solo artist, Sullivan focused on capturing music in the moment, believing that the first take is the best take. He started that journey a decade ago, recording his 2013 debut, Death Traps, on a 4-track cassette recorder. The genesis of Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn is split evenly between sessions at his Ariki Garage home studio and those at The Audio Foundation performance space. The album title references his Grey Lynn neighborhood in Auckland that served as a backdrop during his walkabouts that he’d take to inspire his songwriting. The songs are temporal snapshots that reveal Sullivan’s processing of life’s sublime pleasures and absurdities. He captures the finite nature of existence (“Hourglass”), the folly of youth (“Wildflowers”) and the elusiveness of pure bliss (“Out of Reach”), all while pulling you in with a warm embrace of tunefulness and disarming directness. The reverberations of Flying Nun-styled kiwi pop are ever present. “Raleigh Arena” could be the spiritual descendent of the Stephen track “Tape Machine,” penned by David Kilgour; each song capturing the giddy pleasure of experiential pursuit. Grey Eyes, Grey Lynn is a mood altering record that searches the soul and tickles the senses. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/fea2ef92-9a91-48de-bee6-cb19891e1afe/mj-lenderman-manning-fireworks.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: 2nd Grade, Jim Nothing, MJ Lenderman - MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks (ANTI- Records LP) MJ Lenderman has been on a fucking roll. Boat Songs in 2022 was a huge breakthrough and his duet with Katie Crutchfield on Waxahatchie’s “Right Back To It” earlier this year was lovely as hell. And now, the Asheville, NC singer/songwriter has a wonderful new record called Manning Fireworks. Recorded by Alex Farrar at Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, this 9-songer is a little slice of alt-country indie heaven. As a songwriter, Lenderman has an off-kilter style, finding unique ways to describe the characters that inhabit his songs. On “Rip Torn”, he sings “I guess I’ll call you Rip Torn / The way you got tore up / Passed out in your Lucky Charms / Lucky doesn’t mean much.” His laid back singing fits the mood so well. “On My Knees” has a very Neil Young feel, especially the guitar solo. “Rudolph” and “Wristwatch” are both great songs. But “She’s Leaving You” really puts it all together—great sing-along chorus with backing vocals from Karly Hartzman (Wednesday), fantastic lyrics and another understated guitar solo. It’s my favorite song so far this year. Although it’s still a ways off, MJ Lenderman will be headlining at the Salt Shed on June 18th next year. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/45f42dbe-7af3-47c9-a16d-c70ae331d2cc/seam-the-problem-with-me.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: 2nd Grade, Jim Nothing, MJ Lenderman - Seam - The Problem With Me (Touch and Go LP) The Chicago music scene was having a moment in 1993 when Liz Phair’s Exile In Guyville, Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream and Urge Overkill’s Saturation were lighting up the airwaves. Somewhat lost in all the adulation was Seam’s second studio LP, The Problem With Me. Seam originated in Chapel Hill, NC when Bitch Magnet’s Sooyoung Park teamed up with Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan (as the group’s drummer) and bassist Lexi Mitchell, resulting in a single (“Day of Thunder”) and album (Headsparks) for Homestead Records. Thereafter, Park and Mitchell would depart for Chicago and record with John McEntire (drums) and Bundy Brown (guitar) for their debut Touch and Go release, the four-song “Kernel” EP. Repulse Kava alums, Bob Rising (drums) and Craig White (guitar) were then brought in for the making of The Problem With Me. Park’s angsty internal monologue was abetted by a turbulent instrumentation backing; rising and falling between bouts of defiance and resignation. Rising’s drumming builds the tension during holding patterns, prefacing the sound explosions that serve as an emotional and physical release. Their song “Bunch” typifies the approach—opening in a state of tranquility only to puncture the quietude with a maelstrom of hurtling noise. “Sweet Pea” summons a retreat, holding out for the skies to clear as the band’s playing pummels the path forward. Although Seam would go on to produce two more worthy albums, The Problem With Me would be its last with original member Mitchell and can justly be considered the apex of their efforts. While the band didn’t break into rotation like some of their peers, they’ve left a lasting impression that transcends the test of time. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/humdrum-japandroids-spiral-xp-qo2ijfa890 monthly 0.5 2024-11-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1730571946874-E3T4XOCJBK5SPX13AV01/humdrum-every-heaven.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Humdrum, Japandroids, Spiral XP - Humdrum - Every Heaven (Slumberland Records LP) Perhaps Chicagoan Loren Vanderbilt was facing a crisis of confidence when searching for a new band name as a follow-up to his previous outfit, Star Tropics. Despite the implication, there’s nothing dull about Humdrum’s debut album. Vanderbilt’s insistent jangle pop sparkles, albeit in a low-key approach. There’s clear vestiges of UK ’80s-era pop; tuneful melancholy that strikes at matters of the heart. Though not gender-specific in origin, Vanderbilt’s lovelorn missives take on added impact in consideration of the marginalization he encounters as a queer artist. There’s a tug of war between impermanence (“Wave Goodbye”) and optimism (“Eternal Blue”) that provide an emotional ballast to the record. Like the star-crossed lovers Vanderbilt projects in “Ultraviolet,” bridging the gap between desire and reality is never easy, but always worth shooting for. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/10e8efb2-42df-4fc0-9fa7-ec87d1800846/japandroids-fate-and-alcohol.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Humdrum, Japandroids, Spiral XP - Japandroids - Fate & Alcohol (ANTI- Records LP) As anyone who follows the No Wristbands crew can attest, we are serious Japandroids fans here. Celebration Rock was my second favorite album of last decade, and as far as I am concerned, it’s a perfect record. They toured for several years following its release in 2012, and then radio silence until 2017’s Near To The Wild Heart Of Life, a record with serious bangers but one that didn’t seek to replicate the formula from their first two records. Certain corners of the internet felt there were diminishing returns, but I loved the album. Once again, our friends seemingly disappeared, and I’d started giving up hope that we might get another album. Then, one glorious morning this summer, Japandroids were back, and not only were they back, but they released a song that couldn’t be more in my wheelhouse if they tried: “Chicago.” I’d be lying if I didn’t get misty-eyed as I played it on repeat on my ride to work on the L. I texted just about every bro I knew, and we were all equally pleased that our friends were back! What happened next was a bit of a mixed bag, they announced a new album —a final album—with no plans to tour. Fate & Alcohol reflects a band that has matured; if Celebration Rock was about keeping the party going and living in the moment, Fate & Alcohol deals with the next day and life as you mature and stop partying as hard (like on “Upon Sober Reflection”). You have the triumphant “Chicago,” that focuses on two people the day after an epic night talking through their feelings for one another. “Positively 34th Street” picks up in the throws of a hangover—experiencing what we’ve all done when hungover—reviewing regrets and reflecting on missed opportunities. Fate & Alcohol is a band facing down past behavior, and attempting to find a way forward, dare I say maturing. It doesn’t always have to be about chasing an epic night or partying until the break of dawn, sometimes great moments can happen when you least suspect them. It took me a few spins to get into the album, I was looking at it through the prism of Celebration Rock, but this record still fucking delivers—it feels more reflective than past releases. I’m only sad that I won’t get to sing these songs with a couple hundred of my closest friends as the boys blast away on stage, but if I learned anything from this record, it’s that it is better to live in the present than what could be. Rest in Power to Japandroids—thank you for taking such care in your craft—you will be missed! -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c85373e7-22f1-4b5d-bcfd-72edd7be666a/spiral-xp-i-wish-i-was-a-rat.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Humdrum, Japandroids, Spiral XP - Spiral XP – I Wish I Was a Rat (Danger Collective Records LP) In an ever escalating manner, capitalism has had a devaluing effect on the art of music. Streaming services and the increasing reach of Live Nation and Ticketmaster have squeezed the financial viability of independent-minded artists. Not wanting to get caught up in a numbers game, Max Keyes of Spiral XP has focused on the intrinsic satisfaction of the creative process. “Horse Money” bristles against the career path life approach and winner-take-all mentality. In the video of “Sinner,” the band is off to Las Vegas, ready to take a gamble on life even if the environment itself is illusionary. The mellifluous voices of Keyes and bassist Lena Farr-Morrissey often intertwine to compliment the hazy instrumentation, particularly on tracks like “Luna” and “Tonight.” The slacker vibe receives a jolt of stimulant from the elastic guitar jousting during “Awake.” I Wish I Was a Rat has a nocturnal feel; an escape from the daily grind and an exploration of what else may be worth discovering in our vast universe. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d9ad4033-50e5-4a89-a87d-9fb8f2950e83/kittyhawk-hello-again.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Humdrum, Japandroids, Spiral XP - Kittyhawk - Hello, Again (Count Your Lucky Stars LP) Any anniversary piece tends to work backward in giving importance to something that was mostly just friends coming together to make music. Kittyhawk sounds like that to me. It has been well-documented through a million blogs and conversations that it was a special time for Chicago. The work of bands like Cloud Mouth, CSTVT, Into it Over It, and a thriving DIY scene made the city a hub for emo revival. What some of those mentioned, it’s very easy to place some greater impact on it. Some are still active, and occasionally, I will see someone talk about CSTVT’s Summer Fences. But something about Hello, Again has been speaking to me lately ten years after its initial release. It feels unburdened by some of the tropes that make it hard to listen to tappy Midwest emo nowadays. The reference points are all familiar to some, with The Anniversary at the top of every person’s lips. It sounds distinctly 1998, just as scales for the genre would lean too hard on pop to the point where it became too cutesy in the mid-2000s. There must be some mention of emo as it stands right now. I’m not going to trendwatch or anything like that, but have seen more and more artists make a turn towards what people would describe as power pop or just more pop-forward songwriting. Fountains of Wayne is equally revered as American Football. It does bring back the key point that if you can’t write memorable songs, it does not matter how much of a virtuoso you are. And for me I think that’s the legacy of Kittyhawk. These are just good songs. You do not need any context or deep Chicago lore to find some appreciation. “Sunny Day Renter’s Insurance” and “The Petravicz Estate” are catchy enough on their own. Not every record needs to be deemed as this important tome. Sometimes, a record is just good and a fun listen. It exists in the legacy of Rockford’s God’s Reflex, a band that people adore but isn’t on the top of everyone’s mind when they talk about late ’90s emo. Give it a listen for yourself; maybe you’ll love it or shrug it off as dated. -Hugo Reyes Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/mo-dotti-the-hard-quartet-gut-health-iu2378ga monthly 0.5 2024-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1729100328323-TH6J6FL9KFB27W1S2UZS/mo-dotti-opaque.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mo Dotti, The Hard Quartet, Gut Health - Mo Dotti – opaque (self-released LP) Although shoegaze has taken a star turn as of late, LA’s Mo Dotti don’t come across as bandwagon-hoppers. Vocalist and guitarist Gina Negrini started the outfit—which took its name from photographer and political activist Tina Modotti who rose to prominence in Mexico in the 1920s—initially on her own by composing instrumentation loops. She would eventual team up with guitarist Guy Valdez to further the process and become a foursome with a pair of friends joining on bass and drums in advance of their debut EP, Blurring, in 2020. The group prefers to self-release its work and set its own timeframe for their creative process. Opaque is dense like its title, with a particular affinity for ’90s-era British noise pop. The effort is diverse within its stylistic structure. There’s the anticipated thrilling guitar squalls of “pale blue afternoon” and “for anyone and you.” The shifting pace variance plays a key role in preserving the dynamic effect of Mo Dotti’s music. “Whirling sad” pushes the giddy-up with a top-down, lean-into-it accelerator joyride. “Dead to me” alternates between blissful stimuli and snarling counterpoints. Opaque is an enveloping piece of work; inviting you to immerse yourself in its embrace while also challenging you to wrap your head around its impressive reach. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d4b17826-de03-4413-9017-7915ba757dd3/the-hard-quartet.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mo Dotti, The Hard Quartet, Gut Health - The Hard Quartet - S/T (Matador Records LP) When a supergroup is formulated there are always so many questions that fans have: How did they meet? Who’s leading the charge? Whose music is it going to resemble most closely? How long will this last? The interesting development for The Hard Quartet isn’t so much that they found each other, but perhaps it is how it took these indie lifers so long to join forces. I usually find myself overly enthusiastic at the prospect of musicians I like working together, but then find myself thinking that it doesn’t sound too dissimilar to their original material. I can honestly say with The Hard Quartet you can see some of the primordial ooze that they rose from, but this is a fresh sound for these super friends. You have the very Malkmus/later Pavement sounding (and I mean this as an extreme compliment as I count Pavement as one of my all-time favorite bands) “Heel Highway”. The band is comprised of Stephen Malkmus (of Pavement, Jicks, and occasional Silver Jew guitar virtuoso), Matt Sweeney (guitarist of Chavez and the ill-fated prime example of my above thesis—Zwan), Jim White (drummer of Dirty Three), and Emmett Kelly (The Cairo Gang, The Double). The fun thing here is how loose it sounds; these songs are jammy but still focused. Don’t get me wrong, there is still the unmistakable incendiary guitar playing and elliptical lyrics of SM, but he, along with his compatriots are all just as happy to be complimentary players as they are to share lead vocals. A perfect case in point is “Rio’s Song” featuring Matt Sweeney on lead vocals and a very necessary Malkmus solo on the back half of the song. There are Chicago cross streets called out on “Our Hometown Boy” (shoutout to The Vic located at Sheffield and Belmont!). Our boys have range on their debut! They can do the punk thing with a song like “Renegade” and do the brushed drum work folkier jam on a song like “Killed By Death.” Fascinating times are ahead for The Hard Quartet, as of now they are doing a very limited tour in the U.S. before decamping to Australia early next year. Here’s hoping we get a full-blown U.S. tour next year, and hopefully they avoid the supergroup pitfall of only putting out one album since it feels like there are still a lot of ideas left to be explored. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/fa378541-6966-4941-b33e-53956a3f2411/gut-health-stiletto.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mo Dotti, The Hard Quartet, Gut Health - Gut Health - Stiletto (Highly Contagious/AWAL LP) Melbourne’s Gut Health believe activism begins with being both physically and mentally active. It’s why their punk-funk aims to inspire you to dance, feel free and experience “the healing qualities of consensual rage.” “Let fury have the hour, anger can be power,” the Clash proclaimed on “Clampdown,” and Gut Health want to channel that emotion to mobilize their listeners. On Stiletto’s title track, Athina “Uh oh” Wilson sings: “The resolution should fade to first language / The revolution is telephonised / Under pristine sheets / White Adidas.” The song explores how Australian’s Indigenous natives have been whitewashed from history to portray a contemporary sanitized nation of upwardly capitalists that “wear tailor fit suits,” not unlike the Burton suit brethren of “(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais.” At various points in “Separate States” and “Cool Moderator,” Gut Health start spiraling out of control before pulling up the nose and steadying the path. The rhythm section of Adam Markmann (bass), Myka Wallace (drums) and Angus Fletcher (percussion) provides the ballast and drive the songs with kinetic bounce and energy. At the center of the storm is Wilson, whose shrieks, snarls and shoutouts present a dynamo to be reckoned with. Stiletto stands tall in its ambitions—it’s both alluring and a bit dangerous and, yes, you can dance to it most definitely. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bb6aeda4-8a7a-43bd-84d5-056015d79f06/pulsars.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mo Dotti, The Hard Quartet, Gut Health - Pulsars - S/T (Tiny Global Productions LP) Inspired by their father’s eclectic vinyl singles collection, Dave and Harry Trumfio got an early education and start to their music journey, first playing in bands around the time that they were completing their initial decade on the planet. Drawn to the allure of New Wave and the video images of MTV growing up, the brothers decided to ditch their mid-’90s indie noise band Larry Cash Jr. for the synth-pop flavored Pulsars. John Henderson, the label head of Feel Good All Over in Chicago, had previously released Ashtray Boy’s The Honeymoon Suite that Dave Trumfio played on and encouraged the pair to record some of their work. While the Pulsars’ debut record was initially released in 1997 on Almo Sounds, a label launched by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss (the original owners of A&M Records), it was former band manager Henderson who handled the reissue/remastering of the work this September on his new Tiny Global Productions imprint. Referring to Pulsars as “a guilty pleasure project” for them, there’s no shame associated with enjoying the undeniable charms of their music. Long before David Bowie’s “Heroes” became associated as the tunnel song in the movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower, they wrote “Tunnel Song” in appreciation of the iconic Pittsburgh throughway. Elsewhere, the dizzying effects of love (“Suffocation”), selling your soul (“Owed To a Devil”) and role-playing (“Submission Song’) are delivered in tongue-in-cheek fashion. “Silicon Teens” strikes me as self-referential with its celebration of drum machines and synthesizers. The Trumfios have been sifting through their song archives (a second album was shelved when Albert and Moss shut down Almo) and estimate that they have enough material for up to five additional releases. There were also plans to do an extended tour this fall (including an October date at the Burlington) that had to be postponed until next year when an anticipated multiple-day appearance at Risers Fest in Charleston, WV was put on hold. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/jesus-lizard-best-bets-artificial-go-98ioj12r monthly 0.5 2024-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1728052286810-BUDG4C328UYH2JP47CF9/jesus-lizard-rack.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Jesus Lizard, Best Bets, Artificial Go - The Jesus Lizard – Rack (Ipecac Recordings LP) At Jesus Lizard’s most recent return engagement in Chicago, David Yow expressed bewilderment at the sheer magnitude of the Salt Shed. The fearless performer was knee deep into the crowd almost instantaneously, but not before pausing to take a photo of the audience to mark the occasion. It was indeed a noteworthy moment since nobody had realistic expectations of hearing new Jesus Lizard material a quarter century after they initially splintered. As it turns out, the seeds of a new album began to germinate around the time the band returned to the stage in 2009. Guitarist Duane Denison and bassist David Wm. Sims eventually took the initiative to begin collaborating and later corralled drummer Mac McNeilly to record some instrumental tracks that then made their way to Yow. Now scattered across four different cities, the logistics of the project was vastly different from their Chicago headquarter days, but the quartet selected to record at Audio Eagle in Nashville, TN in the city where Dennison works as a librarian. Rack is on par with the rest of Jesus Lizard’s legacy. The most notable distinction is that Yow has set aside the guttural phrasing for more clearly defined singing, putting to use the vocal training he had undertaken previously with Qui bandmate Paul Christensen. On “Hide & Seek,” “Grind” and “Falling Down” the intensity comes in spades as the band is in lockstep and loaded. “What If?” is a fascinating outlier; ghostly and atmospheric-sounding with Yow spinning a tale of intrigue. “Alexis Feels Sick,” inspired by the societal views of Soulside/Girls Against Boys drummer Alexis Fleising, offers the most powerful statement of all on the forces of late stage capitalism. Yow’s AI-generated video of the song is grotesquely disturbing; like the corporate barons it aims to skewer. Apropos no doubt, because in times of turmoil, who’s better than The Jesus Lizard to stir the proverbial pot? -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/394d909a-bd4c-456d-a6f8-fee736be0dad/best-bets-the-hollow-husk-of-feeling.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Jesus Lizard, Best Bets, Artificial Go - Best Bets - The Hollow Husk of Feeling (Meritorio Records LP) There’s perhaps no better authority on power pop than Nick Lowe, the author of of that genre’s definitive statement album, Pure Pop for Now People. That said album was the US version of Lowe’s Jesus of Cool British solo debut and added the Rockpile-generated track “They Called It Rock” as a replacement for “Shake and Pop.” “They Called It Rock” is a tongue-in-cheek dissection of the mercurial relationship between fleeting rock and roll fandom and the capricious nature of the music industry—it could easily translate to how power pop was initially celebrated, but later denigrated as being too pedestrian. The point hits home with Best Bets as they proclaim on “Pensacola”: “I used to walk past Pensacola / With nothing on my shoulders / When a job was a placeholder / For dreams of being a rock ‘n’ roller.” The Rangiora, New Zealand-based Best Bets remain under the radar and off the charts, but shouldn’t pass without notice. The opening track on The Hollow Husk of Feeling, “Heaven,” gives a lay of the land when James Harding observes: “I remember a childish mind thinking this was paradise / An embarrassment of riches every day / Now I look back bleary-eyed to a time when life wasn’t a vice / And fun didn’t come with a hidden price to pay.” Newest group addition, bassist Joe Sampson, makes his presence felt with his first songwriting band credit on “Monster,” as he attempts to preserve a dream from going dark. By album’s end, Best Bets are taking stock in the world’s decline in “We Are Prepared,” envisioning an afterlife that transcends short-sighted earthly pursuits. Beneath the ringing guitars and adrenalized vocals Best Bets deliver a message that’s tantalizing on the ears, but far from sugar-coated. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9749a8f7-4b67-413d-ba8c-70f233e4fe10/artificial-go-hopscotch-fever.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Jesus Lizard, Best Bets, Artificial Go - Artificial Go - Hopscotch Fever (Feel It Records / Future Shock Recordings LP) Artificial Go pepper their spartan post-punk/new wave with a dose of whimsy that reveals their innate charm. Angie Wilcutt (vocals/synths) and Micah Wu (guitar) started the electronic outfit ROD in their native Lexington, KY before joining drummer Cole Gilfilen (The Drin) in Cincinnati to launch Artificial Go. The trio set about to self-record their debut and have since brought on additional guitarist Claudio Thornburgh. Clocking in at a brisk twenty minutes over eight tracks, Hopscotch Fever is boisterous and bouncy. Wilcutt borders on being bemused or blasé as she covers topics ranging from obsolete technology (“Pay Phone”) to sexual desire (“Aphrodisiac”). There’s an infectious playfulness to Artificial Go that could be easily overlooked, but ends of being hard to resist. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/fb80c2f3-9bd1-4668-91d8-bb217039cbcb/sneakers-racket.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Jesus Lizard, Best Bets, Artificial Go - Sneakers - racket (East Side Digital compilation) The bones of the dB’s, and to a lesser extent Let’s Active, can traced to Sneakers—the Winston-Salem outfit featuring Chris Stamey, Mitch Easter and Will Rigby. Friends since second grade, Stamey and Easter began documenting their work together around 1972 on Chris’ Teac 2340 4-track recording deck. In 1976 they joined up with recording engineer Don Dixon, along with Rigby, guitarist Rob Slater and bassist Robert Keely, for an eponymous six song EP that was self-released by Stamey on his fledgling Carnivorous Records label. Tracks like “Ruby,” “Condition Red” and “Love’s Like a Cuban Crisis” lay out Stamey’s twisting compositions, pithy wordplay and give a nod to the groundbreaking dynamic of Big Star. By the time Sneakers recorded their first LP, In The Red, they were essentially a duo again, and when it was released in 1978, they had already disbanded. Easter has more of a songwriting presence on this record, matching Stamey’s output of three originals. His slithering “Decline and Fall” is a precursor to buoyant pop that Let’s Active would later excel at. Likewise, Stamey’s “What I Dig” lays the groundwork for the dB’s playbook. Due to the limited availability of of these initial releases, Stamey and Easter reconvened in 1992 at Mitch’s Drive-In Studio to remaster, and in some cases to remix, material that comprises the racket compilation, as well as issuing new recordings of a few tracks that were originally slated for an unfinished third record titled Wig Cleaner. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/hinds-dummy-party-dozen-6o1il21aa monthly 0.5 2024-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bb03b63f-c21a-40a7-913f-aaaaec7a3658/hinds-vivia-hinds.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Hinds, Dummy, Party Dozen - Hinds – VIVA HINDS (Lucky Number LP) Behind the infectious joy that Hinds radiates on stage is a resilience and hardworking ethos that allows them to overcome ill-timed hardships. Releasing their third record, The Prettiest Curse, with the New York-based Mom + Pop label in 2020 seemed a step forward for the band, but in rapid succession they were forced to cancel their tour during the pandemic, parted ways with their management and label, and witnessed the exodus of their drummer and bass player. For VIVA HINDS, remaining members Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote have circled back to Lucky Number, the label that they originally began with when they were still known as Deers. The new album title reflects the affirmation they received from their fans after they were forced to change names from a competing group, yet were unsure on how the new moniker would be accepted. The pair’s fighting spirit is captured in the video of “En Forma,” as they work up a sweat in their flat during an improvised exercise regimen meant to show off their indefatigable strength. The song was prompted by Cosials being dumped by an undeserving boyfriend, and is their first song sung entirely in Spanish: “Mírame no puedo más” (Look at me, I can’t take it anymore) comes the refrain. “Coffee” also shows the duo getting the upper hand as they sing: “I like black coffee and cigarettes / And pulling you strong from that chain that’s on your neck.” Of course it never hurts to get help from a couple of friends; Beck surfaces on the club-stomper “Boom Boom Back” and Grian Chatten (Fontaines D.C.) guests on the tender “Stranger.” The album’s biggest takedown occurs on “Superstar,” where a once admired, but now freeloading musician is taken to task for ghosting the pair to become a legend in his own mind. VIVA HINDS is a testament to the power of genuine friendship—one that perseveres through thick and thin and is capable of carrying on through a lifetime. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2b6381ac-6bad-46fc-a64a-170f73f2802a/dummy-free-energy.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Hinds, Dummy, Party Dozen - Dummy - Free Energy (Trouble In Mind LP) Dummy possesses a rock band DNA that informs its electronic forays. Co-founding member Joe Trainor confessed that “a lot of the new stuff is trying to make a rock band sound like an electronic band.” Like a snug rubber band pulled back against a wrist, the music on Free Energy snaps with force and leaves a mark. In addition to Dummy’s signature guitar squalls, the synths, loops and shifting rhythms provide a thrilling rollercoaster effect with changes in direction and spiraling plunges. “Soonish” plays Emma Maatman’s serene vocals against a percolating instrumentation build-up that bursts into frenzy by song’s end. “Blue Dada” pleasantly surfs atop Alex Ewell’s kick and snare groove and then shifts abruptly two minutes in; a change announced by a sustained organ note that catapults the track forward until it collapses into discord as it starts to wrap up. “Nullspace” follows with burbling synths that provide a sensation of being underwater as Nathan O’Dell and Maatman provide a calming vocal duet. The pair reappear on “Minus World,” with Ewell’s motorik backing and a snarling guitar drop from Trainor. Free Energy is a layered achievement that will delight any listener who jumps in to peel back all the textures and revel at the rock sensibility that comprises its core. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/89fc9ffb-6893-4fda-b204-0dba1ba84de5/party-dozen-crime-in-australia.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Hinds, Dummy, Party Dozen - Party Dozen - Crime In Australia (Temporary Residence LP) Party Dozen’s last album, The Real Work, was an aggro juggernaut out to take no prisoners, which was only confirmed to me when watching them combust on stage during their tour swing through SXSW. With little use for subtlety, how would the Sydney pair of saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet return to the studio and provide a different shade of black and blue? Somewhere therein the answer lies in conceptualizing a record that could serve as a soundtrack to vintage Australian cop shows. Per Boulet: “The record feels split into two contrasting sides: The first half is ‘order,’ being as listenable as Party Dozen has ever been. Each song is law abiding and dignified in its own place. The second half is ‘disorder,’ becoming more unlawful, unhinged, louder and noisier.” Of course Party Dozen’s interpretation of what constitutes order and disorder is open to debate! On the front side of this ten track album, “Wake In Might” is a turn of phrase from the 1971 Australian new wave cult film Wake In Fright, which portrayed an unhinged outback culture. The song’s staccato piano pounding encases Tickle’s and Boulet’s attempts to break free of the structured constraints. “Money & The Drugs” follows with Tickle yelling into her horn bell and then is off to the races with Boulet laying down snare rolls with carpet bombardment frenzy. “The Big Man Upstairs” finishes off side one in cinematic scale, highlighting Tickle’s haunting vocals. The song’s video lays our the story of Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Peterson, a Trump-like demagogue known as the ‘Hillbilly Dictator’ who banned public protests and set up a special punk rock task force in an attempt to squash rebellion, and who was ultimately driven from his post in 1987 following two decades of corruption. On the backside, in “Bad News Department,” a fuzzed-out bass tangles with Tickle’s untethered sax to take the air out of the room. The biggest left turn leads into “The Righteous Front,” a polyrhythmic psychedelic-soaked number for a reinvented jazz age. Afterwards, “Piss On Earth” and “Jon’s International Marketplace” get back to harshing the mellow, full of menace and an intensity that’s physically felt to the same degree in which it is heard. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1e983fcc-d139-4e94-8fe9-0472ad8ed711/the-ghost-this-is-a-hospital.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Hinds, Dummy, Party Dozen - The Ghost - This is a Hospital (Some Records LP) A couple of recent conversations over the past few months have led me back to one of my favorite underappreciated bands from my high school years—The Ghost. No Wristband fans will recall that in our conversation with Taylor Hales, we discussed our favorite Steve Albini-produced albums, and I offered up The Ghost’s 2002 album This is a Hospital. As has regularly been the case over the past 20+ years, people weren’t familiar with the band, but that is why I am here dear reader to help you familiarize yourself with a band that was well-regarded in the Chicago punk scene. The other instance that made me think back to The Ghost was our recent conversation with Ian of Black Guy Fawkes. He was discussing how surreal it is to now be friends with Chuck from Hot Water Music—another post-hardcore band that orbited through Chicago punk stalwart venue “The Fireside.” I first heard about Hot Water Music when I was a junior in high school when a group of friends was planning to go see them at The Fireside in the city—this was a really cool trip to get to go on. I hadn’t heard them, but I trusted my friends, and off I went. At this point in time I was into music, but my concept of going to shows was going to see something at a bigger venue like The Riv, or the Aragon, or an all-day music festival like Q101's Jamboree. The Fireside was the antithesis of this—it was decidedly under produced, no frills, raw, dirty, and pure. What you saw was what you got. I was immediately hooked, I needed to go back. Later that school year I went to see The Honor System and The Lawrence Arms for their record release show for Apathy and Exhaustion. The Ghost was the opener and the one band in the lineup I hadn’t heard before. As was the case with any band that played The Fireside, they came on stage with no fanfare, and then they unleashed a set that blew me away. They were easily the best band that night. Their mixture of punk, post-hardcore, and emo exploded out of them that night through a powerful live show. These were the days when phones didn’t have internet, you had to remember a band and hope that you could find them through a computer search later that night. Luckily, I saw them several more times before I left for college, and they released This is a Hospital in March of 2002. I didn’t realize until much later that Steve Albini had actually produced the album. Like most Albini-produced albums, the rhythm section, especially the drums, sounds amazing on this record. I made it my mission to play them on my radio show out in the burbs, thinking that would help them expand their base. Very rarely did one of my shows go by without me playing “Diffuser,” a song that was propulsive as it was raw with its screamed vocals and hooky guitars. The tension ratchets up higher and higher until it explodes and you’re left with an outro that feels resolute. How could everyone not love this!? That was a thought I had a lot back then. For a long time it seemed like The Ghost was a fever dream to me. There wasn’t much press on them, their music wasn’t available online, and not many of my friends knew who they were aside from me proselytizing about them. As luck would have it, I was able to locate vinyl copies of their two albums that had been reissued in the late 2000s. With the reissue came their music being available on Bandcamp, and very recently Spotify. It has allowed me to fall back in love with this band that I feel should have hit bigger. Much as I remembered, this album is the perfect representation of what Chicago punk music sounded like in the early 2000s. There is an edge here, not just in the music but in the lyrics and their subject matter, and yet there are softer moments like the guitar solo in “The Exhibition.” The album blows open with “Death By The Bay,” a song with the screamed chorus of “I’ve seen these kingdoms rise and fall / I’ve seen these faces change with the seasons / I am your laughing shadow.” This is a Hospital is buttressed by some propulsive indie rock blended with post-punk/hardcore. I am once again captivated by how impressively this album captures their essence. Album closer “Red Slippers, Red Wheels” does what my favorite songs do—a slow build towards an anthemic conclusion. Yeah, this album still fucking rules. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/fake-fruit-ex-pilots-belong-9823jffaa monthly 0.5 2024-09-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f1ac6605-ed36-448b-bb6a-1d0b688c74f8/fake-fruit-mucho-mistrust.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fake Fruit, Ex Pilots, Belong - Fake Fruit – Mucho Mistrust (Carpark Records LP) When No Wristbands hosted a podcast with Hannah D’Amato and Alex Post in the spring of 2022, Fake Fruit had just recently concluded a spate of shows at SXSW where they were shopping demos for their follow-up to their self-titled debut of a year earlier. Sonny Smith had released that debut on his Rocks In Your Head label, yet felt the band deserved a larger platform going forward. DC’s Carpark Records proved to be a good match for the band, but the road to completing Mucho Mistrust was lengthier than anticipated. It wasn’t until D’Amato was able to extricate herself from a toxic relationship that things truly got rolling. The experience did provide grist for the mill as evident when D’Amato dishes on the title track: “I’ve got a secret / And it’s eating me alive / You want me forever / I think a want a new life.” Similarly on “Más o Menos,” she declares: “I decided to assert myself / After I lost all my sense of self,” before offering, “I hope you had a good time / On your sympathy tour.” The rhythmic post-punk of their debut remains intact, augmented at times with keyboard textures from D’Amato and sax bleats courtesy of Judith Horn. The first half of the album finds the band in overdrive and at peak intensity before gradually downshifting in pace and reflection on the back end. Post takes a lead vocal turn on the churning “Venetian Blinds,” cautioning against hiding from uncomfortable truths. It’s followed up by the go-for-broke urging of “Ponies,” which features D’Amato’s most supple and affecting vocal turn. When “Cause of Death” rolls in, it’s an open and closed autopsy evaluation for the band: “Cause of death is / Indecision / Can’t stop the bleeding / If there’s no incision.” On Mucho Mistrust, Fake Fruit pick a lane and plunge ahead fearlessly as they attempt to jettison anything that’s impeding their progress. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0f0d51f4-18b5-4d7b-8501-50e69f1654fd/ex-pilots-motel-cable.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fake Fruit, Ex Pilots, Belong - Ex Pilots - Motel Cable (Smoking Room Records LP) Back in 2022, Pittsburgh bands Ex Pilots and Gaadge put out a split C30 cassette that grew out of the friendship between Ethan Oliva and Mitch DeLong. Olivia started Ex Pilots as a solo project prior to drumming in Gaadge, which was fronted by DeLong. As Ex Pilots progressed, Olivia added others into the fold, eventually bringing over DeLong and fellow Gaadge members Nick Boston and Andy Yadeski. The group is currently six strong, with Ralph DiLullo and Mary Komondy rounding out the line-up. Nearly everyone functions as a multi-instrumentalist, resulting in a diverse array of sounds. Befitting Oliva’s solo origins, Motel Cable was crafted over a five year time span that commenced in 2019. One of the tracks, a re-recording of the lovelorn ode “Hannah,” even dates back to Ex Pilots’ initial release, Findlay, which appeared in 2015. “Motel” and “Spirits Up” shift in pace and volume with a tension/release dynamic that melds shoegaze and indiepop touches. Mary Komondy’s wistful vocals on “Dog In The Yard” give off a soothing vibe that plays against the sinister lyrical content of a family tragedy in the making. Spread out over fifteen tracks, Motel Cable is a complete team effort with each of the six members authoring at least one song contribution—it’s quite an embarrassment of riches that’s loaded with choice cuts. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bbcdde4c-4bc2-4625-a033-7807acca5724/belong-realistic-ix.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fake Fruit, Ex Pilots, Belong - Belong - Realistic IX (kranky LP) On Realistic IX, the New Orleans duo of Michael Jones and Turk Dietrich straddle the divide between shapeshifting and defined structures. Compact tracks that pull up short of three minutes are interspersed with more extended forays that spill past six and seven minutes. Their undulating soundscapes are capable of washing over the listener with calmness or tidal wave force. The ending, and longest, track “AM / PM” is an ambient drone with imperceptible shifts like what occurs immediately following the noon and midnight changeovers. The pulsating “Difficult Boy,” on the other hand, represents a tectonic shift; signaling a storm on the horizon. “Souvenir” appears headed down a similar path of turbulence, but a downshift to a lower register alters the song’s direction and dynamic. Belong’s use of a drum machine fuels a motorik groove and the incorporation of ghostly vocals provides mystique and another layer or depth to the instrumentation. With its effects-laden guitar composition on display, Realistic IX occupies a space where sound manipulation intersects with primordial rock leanings to produce a compelling sound that can stand on its own merits. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/21678651-30c0-47c1-afb3-15dd3358777f/space-needle-the-moray-eels-eat-the-space-needle.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Fake Fruit, Ex Pilots, Belong - Space Needle - The Moray Eels Eats the Space Needle (Zero Hour LP) Pilfering a record title off a 1968 release from New York’s freak-folk pioneers, The Holy Modal Rounders, provides a bit on an indication that Space Needle were a band that found inspiration from going against the grain. Contrary to the Seattle name association, Space Needle were an east coast band, started by Jud Ehrbar and Jeff Gatland in Long Island. After releasing their debut, Voyager, in 1995, Anders Parker from Varnaline joined for the making of TMEETSN. The band commissioned noted prog-rock artist Roger Dean to produce the album cover art, which ended up pushing back the release date to nearly a year’s time. Disorganization was prevalent in the Space Needle’s workings and TMEETSN would prove to be their swan song. It’s a bit of a glorious mess; a mixture of space rock, prog, free jazz, slowcore and indiepop. The lilting and disarming “Never Lonely Alone” finds the group at its zenith, and was plucked for an episode of Veronica Mars, as well as a spot in Academy Award winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki’s documentary Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street. “Love Left Us Strangers” is another touching pop number that showcases Space Needle’s ability to apply subtleness. “Old Spice” bridges the gap between the more conventionally-structured melodic songs and the band’s forays into loosely-formed sound explorations; a languid vocal track is girded by a grinding backing of processed guitar and synth. The lengthy instrumentals push the ten track album past an hour running time and highlight their diversity of styles. The violin-driven “Hot for Krishna” is notable for its middle eastern music touches and frenetic drumming. There’s a lot to digest with this album, but lending an ear to it in full helps to unveil its unique qualities. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/quivers-marcel-wave-black-market-karma-12lnlf3g monthly 0.5 2024-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1723918100958-SXK6W9U6HKMDZCO53JWJ/quivers-oyster-cuts.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Quivers, Marcel Wave, Black Market Karma - Quivers – Oyster Cuts (Merge Records LP) On Melbourne-based Quivers’ third LP, Oyster Cuts, their collective observations come across as well considered and introspective. “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” cautions Sam Nicholson on “Apparition” before offering: “Don’t patent your sorrow / If your heart’s not open yet / Just try again tomorrow.” Matters of the heart play a central role on the record, whether it be mending, nurturing or exalting. Nicholson and drummer Holly Thomas have both experienced the premature loss of a sibling. “Grief Has Feathers” recognizes the pain, but finds comfort that it will dissipate over time. “This year, I wanna be more hopeful,” Nicholson reveals in “Fake Flowers.” “Pink Smoke” is his tribute to the ever-evolving loving relationship that his parents have nurtured for over fifty years; a shared journey that wasn’t predestined but flourished nonetheless by pushing forward. Through their embrace of their self-described jangle-damaged guitar pop, Quivers offer resilience and the belief in the healing powers of music unto itself. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a9c75377-4c3c-458e-9cd9-0495c0a087a7/marcel-wave-something-looming.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Quivers, Marcel Wave, Black Market Karma - Marcel Wave - Something Looming (Feel It Records LP) Francois Marcel Grateau invented the namesake Marcel Wave as a means of softening the hard appearance of the bob hairstyle that took hold during the flapper period of the 1920s. It quickly gained popularity among Hollywood actresses like Joan Crawford and Jean Harlowe. The co-optation of the countercultural impact of the flappers resonated with Maike Hale-Jones when she was brainstorming for a name for the band she had recently formed with formers members of Sauna Youth and Cold Pumas. Marcel Wave’s debut, Something Looming, contains a pair of songs chronicling the lives of actresses. “Peg” explores the demise of Peg Entwistle, who committed suicide by leaping from the iconic Hollywood Hills sign. “Elsie,” written about Pat Phoenix, avoids a similar fate when she lands the role of Elsie Turner in the UK’s first soap opera, Coronation Street, a mere week after her own unsuccessful suicide attempt brought on by despair. The theme of turmoil extends to greater British society throughout Something Looming. The churning “Barrow Boys” rides on the back Lindsay Corstorphine’s pumping organ as Hale-Jones skewers the yuppies that have overtaken the historical blue-collar docklands enclave. “Where There’s Muck There’s Brass” starts out bouncy until Oliver Fisher imparts a spiraling guitar riff that portends the discord brought about by the municipal corruption scandal centered around architect John Paulson. “Stop / Continue” pulls in different directions, where others are left to pick up the pieces from industrial waste fallout. Something Looming effectively illustrates how the past impacts the present and how a course of correction is often put in the hands of those who are least equipped to be behind the wheel. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a7aa40a7-84f6-438c-bdd0-16745a83aedb/black-market-karma-wobble.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Quivers, Marcel Wave, Black Market Karma - Black Market Karma - Wobble (Fuzz Club LP) Stanley Benton is a bit of a mad scientist with his lab being his home studio that he’s christened as the ‘Cocoon.’ Starting out in London in 2011 and now situated in Dover, Wobble marks the eleventh studio album for Benton under the guise of Black Market Karma. It’s also his first proper label release with Fuzz Club after his long-running partnership with Flower Power Records where he would essentially self-release his work and have the them market it, initially beginning by offering free digital downloads. Wobble’s title is a nod to his analogue recording process and the imperfections associated with with it; the wow and flutter that’s the result of tape wobble. Benton assembles a backing band when Black Market Karma tours, but records on his own. He has a penchant for vintage gear and experimentation, utilizing open tunings and processing drum and bass tracks through guitar amps and effects pedals. Wobble was devised to create a feeling of ‘fernweh’—a German term to describe a sense of wanderlust or longing for the unknown. With nods to ‘60s psych and pop, there’s connective tissue in Benton’s oeuvre, but his incorporation electronica, trip-hop, break-beats and oddball instrumentation places his work in a new context. Wobble is almost equally divided between expansive instrumentals and songs framed by Benton’s soulful, reverb-laden vocals. Titles like “Sonic Broth Soul Taster,” “Puddle Eyed Sponger” and “The Death Throes Of Nuance” engender an air of mystery and exoticness. There’s an innate charm to the iconoclastic approach of Black Market Karma—an outsider perspective that gives you access to an otherworldly universe. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e99db7f8-6fdd-4161-a72c-0c9f6b7fbd53/dungen-ta-det-lugnt.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Quivers, Marcel Wave, Black Market Karma - Dungen - Ta det lugnt (Subliminal Sounds LP) I recently went down to Mississippi to prepare my dad's house for sale following his passing last year. The process included sifting through items he had left behind. This sounds like a heavy undertaking, but it was filled with a lot of great memories—seeing pictures I'd either never seen before or hadn't seen in ages made me feel closer to him. The things he chose to keep as his life shifted from the suburbs of Chicago to Oxford Mississippi were also quite striking. He was a man who LOVED music, and this was shown through the various instruments he left behind (does anybody need an accordion?) as well as hundreds of CDs. However, the thing that captured my eye was my iPod. A relic of simpler times, I hadn't used it since I got my first smartphone in 2010. Obviously it was dead, but why did my dad keep it? It felt like he was reaching out to me to remind me of who I once was, and what music I held near and dear to me in my past life as a New Orleanian. I had to know if it would still work, could it resurrected? I brought it back home with me, and procured an old charging cable, it lived! I feel like I have been reconnected with so many old friends. There are friend's bands from the 2000's that they don't even have recordings of anymore (shout out to The Easterlings!), and there are monthly mixes I made until I moved back to Chicago in December of 2010. There are so many bands that I had forgotten about, so much music that was so important to me in my late teens to mid 20s. It was like digging up a time capsule —this was my music time capsule! One of the bands that appeared on my click wheel scroll was Dungen, the Swedish psych-rock band. I first heard them at the precursor of Pitchfork Music Festival— Intonation Music Festival—with fellow No Wristbander Wade (compliments of Dig ’in legend Bruce's very generous birthday gift of tickets). In those days we'd show up right as the festival was opening and check out bands we'd never heard of before (music streaming services didn't exist back then, so it was harder to find out about bands who weren't on your radar). I was immediately captivated by these Swedish dudes despite not knowing any Swedish. They looked like what I thought Led Zeppelin must have looked like at their apex; these were cool dudes who were making some great throwback psych rock. They even made it look cool to play the flute on stage! I had to know more, I had to hear more, I had to buy their CD! Scraping together what limited funds I had as a 20-year-old, I went to Best Buy and bought their U.S. breakthrough 3rd album Ta det lugnt, which translates to "Take it Easy.” I then undertook the laborious task of uploading it to my computer and then my iPod. Listening to it then was revelatory, this was going to be MY Led Zeppelin! They never broke further into the U.S. than they did on this album, but there is so much to love then and now. There are the more straightforward rock songs like "Panda" and eternal college playlist staple “Festival," and there were instrumental songs that wouldn't sound out of place on a Sigur Ros album—songs like "Lejonet & kulan" and "Det du tanker idag ar du imorgon.” There are even songs that blend the two styles like "Ta det lugnt.” They seemed primed that day out at Union Park—Pitchfork had favorably reviewed the album (a 9.3 score), they were early in the day with a big crowd, and they even sold out of all their merch. They brought a ton of energy to the show—energy that was luckily captured on Ta det lugnt. I saw them again at Bonnaroo in 2006, and again, they had a packed set that whipped the crowd into a frenzy. If you'd asked me then what their trajectory was going to be, I would have said a breakthrough into the mainstream and headlining sets would have been easily attainable. Sometimes life doesn't quite work out the way you think it will, but at least on this transcendent album anything was possible. I'm glad my dad kept my old iPod, I like to think it is proof he is still looking out for me even if he isn't around anymore. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/nightshift-robber-robber-summer-flake-12hpf8q7 monthly 0.5 2024-08-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1722608662145-UATAJ7F7W9RUOMWLWSC9/nightshift-homosapien.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nightshift, Robber Robber, Summer Flake - Nightshift – Homosapien (Trouble in Mind LP) Societal evolution is called into question on Nightshift’s sophomore album, Homosapien. Instead of recognition of what makes us a connected species, the Glasgow quartet delve into the dehumanizing effects fostered by xenophobia and income inequality. “Crystal Ball” opens the record with a sober accounting of the escalating fascism that’s followed in the wake of Brexit. “Side Effects” equates the numbing effects of soulless work with medication that is marketed to mask the pain brought about by capitalism. Eothen Stearn’s pliable voice conveys a range of emotions—mournful, defiant and comforting. “Sure Look” and “Phone” carve out time for self-care and are enhanced in texture by the guest violin backing of Shopping’s Ray Aggs. Homosapien benefits from the musical versatility of the band as a whole. Each track takes on a feel and uniqueness of its own. The playing is consistently in service of the song, but not constrained as whimsical touches surface with varying tempos and added instrumentation (via accordion, tin whistle, melodica, trombone and so forth). Through their observations of society in regression, Nightshift are determinedly pushing forward, moving onwards to as far as their talents will take them. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4ec98ecc-867b-4d8b-a7ff-f40af1ac46c0/robber-robber-wild-guess.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nightshift, Robber Robber, Summer Flake - Robber Robber - Wild Guess (self-released LP) Burlington, Vermont has the distinction of being the least populous city of the 50 U.S. states to be the most populous city in its state. Its relative isolationist stature has engendered an independent spirit (Bernie Sanders began his political career there as city mayor in 1981) and DIY arts scene. It serves as a fitting home to Robber Robber, whose music escapes standard characterizations. The band is the project of Nina Cates and Zack James, whose musical partnership dates back a decade as rhythm section sidekicks in The Snaz when they were teenagers. The pair collaborated on a five song EP in 2019 under the moniker of Guy Ferrari before switching names to Robber Robber and adding Will Krulak (guitar) and Carney Hemler (bass) for this debut album. Wild Guess’ opening track, “Intro (Letter from the Other Side of the Operation),” sets the tone with a discordant clang and rumble contrasted with Cates’ whispered, multi-tracked vocals. “Seven Houses” follows with a sustained riff that leaves little latitude for the song diverge from its motorik path. “Mouth” employs repetition to a different end, with some shifting tempos that opens up the song for Cates to come to the forefront. A similar tactic emerges with “How We Ball,” that takes flight behind Krulak’s accelerating guitar riff before hitting up against a math rock detour and coming back full circle to a cycle of repetition. Throughout, James’ drumming defines the direction of Robber Robber with a crispness that’s continually driving things forward. His hi hat and snare integration makes “Sea or War” shine with an insistent beat that carries everything on its back. As the record title suggests, Robber Robber aren’t afraid to put things out there knowing that it’s better to try then to wait before having all the answers. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2177563c-fbd0-48dc-bd62-959ade543a4f/summer-flake-nothing-lasts-forever.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nightshift, Robber Robber, Summer Flake - Summer Flake - Nothing Lasts Forever (Rice Is Nice Records EP) Some records intertwine seamlessly with seasonal dispositions and so it can be said for Nothing Lasts Forever and Chicago’s longing for summer. That impatience we feel during the clutches of a protracted winter and the tease that follows with a few temperate spring days, only to be crushed again with another cold snap. But when our celebrated summer hits, we’re in all our glory—soaking up every bit of daylight that’s afforded us. Summer Flake hail from the rich Melbourne music scene, having started in 2012 as a solo endeavor for Steph Crase and earning accolades and airplay along the way from Henry Rollins on his KCRW radio show. The shimmering “New Day” awakens with the promise and uncertainty of what’s to come. Crase starts out singing softly as if she’s just awakened and the song continues to gain steam as she confronts the challenges that lie ahead. Drummer Joel Carey (Peak Twins, Wolf & Cub) and bassist Perry Mahoney (The Shifters, Scott & Charlene’s Wedding) shape the contours of “Bury The Lede” allowing Crase plenty of space to soar with harmony-laden vocals and a latter-half guitar flourish. The more solemn “Nothing Last Forever” is as lustrous as it is fleeting—a stark reminder of the impermanence that exists in our lives—just like the passing of another Chicago summer. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9c922306-a7d7-4cd3-8fe7-e7e7ac89d744/the-flatmates-potpourri.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Nightshift, Robber Robber, Summer Flake - The Flatmates - Potpourri (Hits, Mixes and Demos ’85-’89) (Cherry Red compilation) Railing against the predominance of British goth in the early ’80s, Martin Whitehead was determined to dial back the drama with a return to pop songs that were vivid and celebratory. When he encountered drummer Stephen Wood, nicknamed Rocker by The Blue Aeroplanes for his unique dancing style, at a Jazz Butcher gig in 1985, those hopes were realized. Though The Flatmates weren’t represented in NME’s C86 cassette offering, they nevertheless shared a spiritual connection with that indie pop community. In the words of Whitehead: “The movement that was tagged C86 was a mass reaction to the dreariness of the early ’80s. Cutie accoutrements of lollipops and anoraks was possibly taking the point too far, but 3 minute 3 chord pop and fanzines printed in bright colours was a welcome antidote to miserabalism.” Whitehead began as the band’s singer and principal songwriter, but ceded the vocal duties early on to Debbie Haynes, who along with bassist Kath Beach, was a flatmate of Rocker’s and hence the inspiration for the resulting band name. By the time of their first recording, Beach was replaced by Sarah Fletcher, and a run of 7" singles on Whitehead’s Subway Organization label over the next four years brought acclaim, if not overall success for the group. Potpourri (which was also reissued by Optic Nerve Recordings in 2013) collects all of that output, along with a couple of demo tracks and cover songs from The Ramones, Dylan and Velvet Underground. Those singles came in hot; from the blissful “I Could Be In Heaven,” on next to the giddy “Happy All The Time,” along to self-described “Shimmer,” coupled with the rock’n’roll star-inspired “On My Mind” and down through the wistful “Heaven Knows.” Tragically, a partnership with Revolver Distribution went south as decision making was undermined by staff outside of The Flatmates’ circle and Whitehead’s Subway label was sacrificed to cover outstanding debts. A few months following a disastrous London gig with the fickle British music press all turning up and witnessing a heavily-soused Tim Rippington unable to keep to his feet, let alone properly play guitar (and getting punched out by Whitehead), Debbie Haynes bowed out from the group, ending the hangover turmoil. Whitehead eventually achieved a bit of satisfaction by regaining control of his label, reforming The Flatmates in 2013 with new vocalist Lisa Bouvier and releasing their very first self-titled studio album in 2020. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/king-hannah-magic-shoppe-laughing-1290j4bai monthly 0.5 2024-08-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ad8a9240-16e0-4a35-a779-f2bc2945f01d/king-hannah-big-swimmer.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: King Hannah, Magic Shoppe, Laughing - King Hannah – Big Swimmer (City Slang LP) Touring across the US can be an arduous endeavor, especially for upcoming artists. The long treks between cities in a touring van coupled with limited nutritional food choices can tax both the body and the mind. On an east-to-west coast jaunt in the summer of 2022 to support their I’m Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me debut LP, Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle of Liverpool’s King Hannah parlayed that experience into the creation of their newest effort, Big Swimmer. On the opening lines of the expansive “Somewhere Near El Paso,” Merrick observes: “There was a vending machine / It was obscene / Sold a build-your-own tuna sandwich thing / So I had a cereal bar in my blood-stained bed instead.” Whittle’s guitar progresses from a simmering strum to full-on frenzy as things continue to spiral, summed up by Merrick’s lament of “That was a bad decision.” Her deadpan musings and Sprechgesang delivery cultivate a similar emotional resonance to to that of Florence Shaw of Dry Cleaning. The sly skewering of male corporate dismissiveness in “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” could have just as easily come from Shaw’s camp. A seemingly benign encounter takes a sinister turn in “Milk Boy (I Love You),” where Merrick’s raised exclamation of “He swung a hammer at that little boy’s face” competes for airspace with Whittle’s turbulent noise blast. On “Davey Says,” a more hopeful tone emerges built around patience and perseverance. Also, the inclusion of Sharon Van Etten on backing vocals of a couple tracks ushers in a more calming presence, such as on the title track that offers encouragement to dive in head first. In the end, Merrick and Whittle seem to suggest that we not shy away from experiences both good and bad—for to weather the journey offers hope for new adventures and further insight to our existence. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/82ac0e64-dbde-44de-87d9-ff4ffc75f2b2/magic-shoppe-down-the-wych-elm.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: King Hannah, Magic Shoppe, Laughing - Magic Shoppe - Down The Wych Elm (Little Cloud Records LP) It’s a little mind boggling to fathom how Josiah Webb is able construct the maelstrom fury of Magic Shoppe all on his own. Despite operating out of Boston, Magic Shoppe is little known in the States and typically tours in the more receptive territories of Europe with an assembled line-up of primarily Canadian musicians that Webb has befriended. Representing the 7th full length LP in their catalog, Down The Wych Elm is a buzzing blend of psych, shoegaze and distortion. Awash in the requisite levels of reverb and delay, Webb envelops his listeners with cascading waves of sonic density that will have them trying to catch their breath between tracks. There’s a gravitational pull and an undertow that’s sucks you in and ushers you along in majestic numbers like “The Field Where I Died” and “Something Hollow.” “Needle In Your Eye” is sinister-sounding with a whiplash lick that keeps you firmly in within its clutches. Webb ratchets up the tempo in “An Empty Cartridge” with a punkish fury that skitters to an end. On Down The Wych Elm, Magic Shoppe elevate to such great heights that it’s unfathomable to think that they would continue to slip under the radar. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a55157ad-9d4c-47eb-98c1-607c425cc52a/laughing-because-its-true.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: King Hannah, Magic Shoppe, Laughing - Laughing - Because It’s True (Celluloid Lunch / Meritorio Records LP) Even though the four members of Montreal’s Laughing fit like hand in glove, their connection was more due to happenstance than destiny. Josh Slater (Nap Eyes, Monomyth) encountered Cole Woods (Human Music) and Laura Jeffrey (Fountain) when their respective bands shared gigs over the expanse of Canada. André Charles Thériault hadn’t played in a formal band for nearly fifteen years when Slater happened upon him performing solo at a local Montreal bar. While each of their other projects highlighted divergent sounds, Laughing purposely choice the path of mining a power pop playbook. With each member harnessing a knack for singing and songwriting, Because It’s True is rich in melodicism and depth, following along the lines of Teenage Fanclub and fellow countrymen Sloan. The opening three tracks of “Easier Said,” “Pebble” and “Bruised” could serve as a lesson primer on pop song construction—flowing, hook-laden and infectious. The capricious nature of human interaction is explored in depth with the estranged couple in “You And I” and the non-starter denunciation that comprises Jeffrey’s “Don’t Care.” Because It’s True is steeped in matters of the heart and has a tangible presence that deserves to be held near and dear. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2dc7058a-7845-4733-a691-372dc9bea789/primitons_dont-go-away-collected-works.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: King Hannah, Magic Shoppe, Laughing - Primitons - Don’t Go Away: Collected Works (Arena Rock compilation) In an era of defining American jangle pop epitomized by the likes of R.E.M., dB’s, Let’s Active and The Bangles, Primitons tend to get overlooked, no doubt in part due to being further down on the map (Birmingham, Alabama). Like most of their brethren, Primitons made a pilgrimage to Mitch Easter’s Drive-In studio to record their self-titled debut EP. The record is loaded with frontline pop gems like “All My Friends,” “You’ll Never Know” and “Stars.” “City People” also stands out as a hushed meditation on forging a intimate connection in a crowded environment. The band’s focal points were Stockholm-expat Mots Roden (vocals, guitar & keyboard) and Leif Bondarenko (drums, percussion & accordion), but Stephanie Truelove Wright also served as a secret weapon, collaborating with Roden on songwriting while off raising a family of her own. So valued were her contributions that she appeared with Roden and Bondarenko on the the cover of the band’s second EP, that contains the splendid “Don’t Go Away.” That song also appears on their final album, Happy All The Time, released in 1987 and featuring the talents of Windbreaker Tim Lee. With an all-inclusive tracklist of 18 songs, this compilation, issued in 2012, captures an overlooked group that deserves a featured spot in the rich tapestry of ’80s pop music, Roden passed on in 2014, at the too-soon age of 54, albeit with a legacy that will be forever cherished. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/been-stellar-goat-girl-neutrals-81hei910h monthly 0.5 2024-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1720117459152-9F3L6V3TQDZCF2NAZGJP/been-stellar-scream-from-new-york-ny.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Been Stellar, Goat Girl, Neutrals - Been Stellar - Scream from New York, NY (Dirty Hit LP) When life escapes explanation and language fails us, we’re left with our internal compass to navigate the landscape. A choice must be made to either suffer in silence or scream to be heard. Been Stellar toil in this environment and they’re not about to go gently into the night. Embracing the mythology of New York as an artist incubator, Michigan friends Skyler Knapp and Sam Slocum migrated to NYU and were so determined to leave their mark that Knapp procured a slot on upcoming showcase just weeks prior to them actually fleshing out a band. That level of passion has carried forth throughout their tenure. Their debut album’s opener, “Start Again,” chronicles a city that’s drowning in its sorrows, but refuses to die off. Resilience amongst indifference and impersonalization is a coping mechanism in a metropolis like New York that can swallow you up. The cyclonic guitar squalls and thunderous rhythms accentuate the uneasiness. On the title track, Slocum posits: “If they could hear the picture, it’d sound like this / A gasping confirmation that they exist / It echoes through the city and passes on / I hear it every evening and every dawn.” When words alone can’t bridge the gap, Been Stellar knows it’s as important to be seen as it is to be heard. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/dc44424d-1e3c-4fb2-9dfc-f65a8dd8378a/goat-girl-below-the-waste.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Been Stellar, Goat Girl, Neutrals - Goat Girl – Below The Waste (Rough Trade Records LP) When guitarist Ellie Rose-Davies needed to depart Goat Girl to receive treatment for stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma just at the tail end of recording their second album, On All Fours, it added much uncertainty to the band, especially with the onset of COVID-19 to follow. Ultimately, the remaining members (vocalist/guitarist Lottie Pendlebury, bassist/vocalist Holly Mullineaux and drummer/vocalist Rosy Jones) decided to push forward as a trio, leading one to expect a leaner approach. Instead the band found freedom to pursue new avenues, incorporating even more instrumentation with a smattering of synths, strings and woodwinds. “There’s a lot of trying-to-do-orchestral or h-fi things in a lo-fi way on the album,” explained Mullineaux. Below The Waste is indeed a more nuanced effort, finding strength in ruminative numbers like “words fell out” and “take it away”—the former written by Pendlebury and the latter by Mullineaux as compassionate responses to addiction issues Jones was dealing with. Jones weighs in on the matter themselves with the more turbulent “tcnc,” short-hand for “take care, not crack.” “Ride around” leads us on a circular path while trying to break the cycle of surface observations. The theme of staying in motion reappears in “motorway,” as the beauty of exploration gives way to an aimlessness: “Driving driving / No confiding / Driving driving / Eyes averting / Where we going / No point knowing.” Goat Girl’s journey presses on, unscripted and indeterminate, but always with a purpose. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/60ec749b-589b-4a8a-b85a-31df25a2fa03/neutrals-new-town-dream.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Been Stellar, Goat Girl, Neutrals - Neutrals - New Town Dream (Slumberland Records LP) Allan McNaughton’s move from Glasgow to the Bay Area in the early 2000s was fueled by a thirst for adventure in a land that was the backdrop for the BMX bike and skateboarding culture that he read about in magazines as a kid. He had already been in a band back home (Snugglepuss), and was quick to catch on with Oakland’s Giant Haystacks and Airfix Kits, the latter of which he met drummer Phil Lantz, who he would go on to form Neutrals with. Apparently though, his homeland has stayed top of mind with the group’s second album based around the planned communities in the UK that came about as the result of the New Towns Act that originated in 1946. The ill-conceived towns meant to alleviate population overflow only led to further individual dislocation and destruction of surrounding lands. Despite the depressing loss of community, New Town Dream presents a measured view on how the town citizens comes to terms with their predicament. There’s the outrage and defiance expressed in “Stop The Bypass,” a protest against a planned motorway through Pollok Park, and in “The Iron That Never Swung,” where eminent domain killed off a planned scenic golf course. Bittersweet reflections surface in “Wish You Were Here” when a two week holiday turns into a permanent split as one of the partners gets the taste of a better life elsewhere. A feeling of ennui pervades “Leisureland,” illustrating how sanitized communities provide nothing of interest for their citizens. Throughout the record there’s a buoyancy provided by McNaughton’s ringing guitar lines, underpinned with Lantz’s spright drumming and newcomer Lauren Matsui’s bass and voice accompaniment. Their music would slot in seamlessly during the era of Postcard and Creation Records, at a time where there was a verifiable vibrancy thanks to a creative and diverse community. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/6103504c-8b0b-4e66-a558-e05686945aac/the-pastels-truckload-of-trouble.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Been Stellar, Goat Girl, Neutrals - The Pastels - Truckload of Trouble (Fire Records compilation) If you’ve ever sat thru Upside Down: The Creation Records Story or Teenage Superstars then you already know how much a connector Stephen McRobbie (aka Stephen Pastel) was to ’80s and ‘90s indie pop scene. The force behind the fanzines Juniper Beri-Beri and Pastelism and co-founder of Scotland’s 53rd & 3rd record label, McRobbie maintained a unending enthusiasm for passionate underground music. The music he created with The Pastels defined his aesthetic for the indie music he championed: bustling, imperfect and endearing. The group’s shifting line-up at various times included the likes of Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake and Gerard Love, The Vaselines’ Eugene Kelly and Annabel “Aggi” Wright and David Keegan of Shop Assistants. Notably, the band also had a meaningful co-ed presence, which, in addition to Wright, included drummer Bernice Simpson, who then gave way to Katrina Mitchell. When she was brought in the group, Mitchell had no drumming experience, but that wasn’t an impediment for McRobbie and the rest of the band that had been influenced by The Velvet Underground and Maureen Tucker’s spartan approach. While it’s no means a definitive document, Truckload of Trouble, which collects selections from their singles and EPs and a few album tracks during the period of 1986-1993, is perhaps the fullest representation of the band across a single release. There’s the motorik/drone groove of early single “Baby Honey” and the full-throttled glee of “Truck Train Tractor.” Later ‘80s tracks represented by the sumptuous, Go-Betweens-like “Comin’ Through” and the charming vocal duet of McRobbie and Wright on “Nothing to be Done.” The 1993 single, “Thank You for Being You” is lushly blanketed with backing vocals from Norman Blake. The collection is fleshed out with charming covers of “Different Drum” (Mike Nesmith) and “Speeding Motorcycle” (Daniel Johnston), which is indicative of McRobbie’s love for disarming, emotionally-direct songwriting. He and long-time partner Mitchell continue to collaborate, releasing music on their Geographic label (a subsidiary of the Domino Music Group) since 2000. Word has it that you might even be able to catch them behind the counter at Glasgow’s Monorail Music record store, which McRobbie has co-owned over the past two decades. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/richard-thompson-oolong-john-cale-1huir3b2 monthly 0.5 2024-07-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d1d9d387-4002-4220-aea5-2a3a16abdc46/richard-thompson-ship-to-shore.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ship to Shore, Oolong, John Cale - Richard Thompson – Ship to Shore (New West LP) Sometimes, renowned singer-songwriters like Richard Thompson are at a severe disadvantage. When you’ve already written a staggering number of memorable, truly singular songs, it seems like critical expectations for each new release unconsciously inch higher and higher…to the point where it’s virtually impossible to meet the standard. Thompson’s thoroughly solid new disc, Ship to Shore, may not equal or surpass past standouts like Shoot Out the Lights, but that doesn’t mean it’s a letdown. The record has plenty of engaging, high quality tunes. Album opener, “Freeze,” with its loping groove and ornately skipping melody evokes Thompson’s roots in British folk and Fairport Convention. But the record quickly settles into the familiarly sturdy and elegant songcraft that’s a Thompson hallmark. The undulant pulse and minor key harmony of “The Fear Never Leaves You” conjure up the same spooked vibe and irresistible melodic pull of past classics like “When the Spell Is Broken.” “Singapore Sadie” has an inviting sea shanty vibe with its waltz-time groove, keening fiddle and lilting, sing-a-long chorus, while “Turnstile Casanova” is the type of punchy, catchy rocker that often adorns Thompson records. Granted, a few tunes on Ship to Shore, such as “Maybe” and “Life’s a Bloody Show” are more middling than memorable. But songs like “What’s Left to Lose” pair up fiery guitar breaks with beguiling choruses in a way that’s classic Thompson. Overall, Ship to Shore is another demonstration–as if we needed one – that Richard Thompson is a master songsmith, guitarist and raconteur. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bbb28fd4-1f87-4a09-bb30-c267805e881d/oolong-oolong.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ship to Shore, Oolong, John Cale - Oolong - S/T (self-released LP) I usually know when something that’s significantly in my wheelhouse has been released when I start seeing the far corners of the emo/punk Twittersphere all talking about the same band. Oolong burst onto my radar back in April when they released their self-titled album Oolong, and it made the rounds on Twitter. Hailing from Long Island, Oolong hits a lot of touchpoints for me that are an indicator that I am going to love an album—midwest emo-infused twinkly guitars that harken back to Cap’n Jazz and Algernon Cadwallader, energetic singing and instrumentation, and tight action packed songs that don’t overstay their welcome. What blows my mind is the wide breadth of songs—there are 21 on this record! This album packs a serious punch out the gate with the first quarter of it featuring explosive songs that build on one another and are filled with energy that can barely be contained (early highlight for me is “Runtz”). Each listen reveals a new favorite—most recently I’ve been struck by the one-two-punch of late album songs “I Said Hello” and “Thesuckzone,” which are more tempered exploratory songs featuring introspective lyrics with less of the singing/screaming found on the rest of the album. You know an album is good if you find yourself bothering your friends with the degree in which you push the album on them. I can only imagine that their live show carries the same energy found on this explosive release. Luckily for us Chicago folk they will be headlining Beat Kitchen on Wednesday, July 24th. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/41f93fe0-af85-4a7c-87d9-3d5afe37c56f/john-cale-poptical-illusion.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ship to Shore, Oolong, John Cale - John Cale - POPtical Illusion (Double Six / Domino LP) Last year, John Cale ended a decade-long break from releasing all-new music with a solid, atmospheric album, Mercy. Amazingly, he’s already back with another disc, POPtical Illusion, and it shows he’s still got plenty to say. Where Mercy was a hazy, dream-y, watercolor wash of songs that seemed to bleed into one another, the tunes and arrangements on POPtical are definitely bolder, more assertive and well-defined. And some of them rise to the level of Cale’s best. “Davies and Wales” evokes the bouncy, keyboard-pounding pop of past gems, like “Dead or Alive” and “Taking It All Away.” The melodic allure of many tunes on POPtical is notably stronger than on Mercy. “Calling You Out” floats by on a lovely bed of celeste arpeggios, hazy guitar lines and chorused synth pads, while album opener “God Make Me Do It (don’t ask me again)” swirls together a gentle marimba pattern with highly atmospheric synth clouds, all topped with a lilting vocal line via Cale’s instantly-identifiable baritone. Even Cale’s most melodic records often have bristling, edgy moments, and that’s true here. “Company Commander” surveys a dystopian landscape via pounding rhythm and splashes of discordant instrumental color, while “Shark-Shark” is a clattery, fuzz-crusted, three-chord rocker. But POPtical is by and large a seductive and sonically inviting soundscape, and the somber piano chords and pensive, descending clarinet lines of album closer of “There Will Be No River” provide a fitting conclusion. Cale reportedly created the album all by himself in his home studio, and the disc has a solitary, ruminative vibe that vividly captures an 82-year-old musician taking stock of past transgressions, the troubled tumultuous present and his hope for a salvageable future. It’s often a deeply rewarding listen from a justly renowned talent. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/798dda87-e7c3-4be1-93c3-4185c57943ee/human-switchboard-whos-landing-in-my-hangar.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ship to Shore, Oolong, John Cale - Human Switchboard - Who’s Landing in My Hangar? (Faulty Products LP) Looking back on Bob Pfeifer’s songs of mistrust and betrayal, it’s not surprising that Ohio’s Human Switchboard only managed one proper studio album during their existence, but oh what what a magnificent document it is. Fueled by the Velvet Underground (Pfeifer and Myrna Marcarian attended Syracuse University following in the footsteps of Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison) and ’60s proto-punk garage music (reflected in Marcarian’s Farfisa organ embellishment), Human Switchboard were an open book with a litany of blunt midnight confessions and heartbreak outcomes. One-time partners in real life, Pfeifer and Marcarian pair up on “Refrigerator Door” to vocalize a passionate, but unfulfilled relationship with exacting detail and obsessive thoughts. Pfeifer often ends up as the spurned lover, the swirling discord in his string strangling dispensed on the title track and “(I Used to) Believe in You” matches his distemper to a T. Marcarian fares better—after standing by heartbroken in “(Say No to) Saturday’s Girl,” she turns the table on a duplicitous would-be suitor in “I Can Walk Alone,” delivering a withering kiss-off. The band did manage to record some demo tracks in late 1983 for a follow-up release on Polydor Records (some of which surfaced on an expanded collection of Who’s Landing in My Hangar put out posthumously on Bar None Records), but that cratered when their label rep was dismissed and the Switchboard took their last call in the spring of ’85. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/shellac-girls-in-synthesis-rural-france-6io4502j monthly 0.5 2024-06-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/447f0588-7f97-4ad8-90f9-6501d6dfb8b1/shellac-to-all-trains.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Shellac, Girls in Synthesis, Rural France - Shellac - To All Trains (Touch and Go LP) Maintaining an exacting code of ethics/principles represents a challenge in consistently delivering music that’s both vital and varied. Shellac, by extension of Steve Albini’s recording philosophy, had a streamlined operating approach: document first take performances in analog sans overdubs and enhancements. Seeing that Shellac was never a full-time endeavor played to their favor; releasing seven albums over a thirty year tenure allowed them to only create when they were fully compelled to. To All Trains was the culmination of four separate recording sessions between 2017-2022, as many of the songs had already turned up in their live performances. While Albini’s sudden and recent passing places the work in a different context, its difficult to speculate whether this would have represented their swan song, seeing how their release schedule had become more elongated as the 21st century rolled in. While not as groundbreaking compared to his run with Big Black, Shellac represented Albini’s most diverse and commendable period as a musician. The dynamic range of Todd Trainer’s drumming played a big part in expanding the band’s footprint. Tempos turned more variable and song structures were provided more leeway. On To All Trains, there’s the recognizable Albini signifiers that comprise tracks like “Scrappers” and “Scabby the Rat,” packing that oh so desired dose of dopamine. “Girl From Outside” represents the social evolution that he underwent, sounding playful and, dare I say, sentimental. “Chick New Wave” is nearly a straight up punk rock song, cut from the same cloth as Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime. The closer, “I Don’t Fear Hell,” is certainly fitting in retrospect of a complex soul who was never afraid to speak his mind and didn’t hedge his bets to be on the safe side of a discussion. Riposa in pace, Steve—your absence will be forever felt. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bd549d33-1aad-4227-9a06-0c48a53d60df/girls-in-synthesis-sublimation.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Shellac, Girls in Synthesis, Rural France - Girls In Synthesis - Sublimation (Own It Music LP) Settling in for a listen to Girls In Synthesis is like binging on the British series Black Mirror—both are highly immersive experiences steeped in dystopian vibes. In a recent interview with Louder Than War, vocalist/bassist John Linger spoke about the band creating a personal universe: “I think this helps us focus on creating something that is purely ours, and this leads to everything being hyper-vivid. We also don’t claim to offer any light at the end of the tunnel or balance to the darkness in the subject matter, which may be quite bleak for some people. But it has to be that way.” He also acknowledged that past records “have been fairly impenetrable and relentless.” The London-based outfit’s third LP, Sublimation, allows the band to decompress a bit with a smoldering tension as opposed to a white-hot rage. There’s more melody in the melodramas and an added keyboard presence ushers in a proto-goth element to their post-punk canon. Lead track and single, “Lights Out,” captures the group’s dynamic range opening with Jim Cubbitt’s creeping guitar strum and reverberating vocals and ending with a frenzy of noise and fury. “Semblance of Choice” rides atop Nicole Pinto’s bouncy beat with a Britpop presence and “Corrupting Memories” is a rousing, delirium-filled anthem. Linger offers a dose of identity self-reflection on “Subtle Differences,” confessing: “I was so disappointed / To be marginalized / To be polarized / To be outsized.” In an effort to just get along with society, he recognizes that normative behavior squashes our sense of self and this is what it feels to be an outsider forever looking inwards. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3bb1a2fb-5573-4713-9a8b-20dad8339690/rural-france-exactamundo.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Shellac, Girls in Synthesis, Rural France - Rural France – Exactamondo! (Meritorio Records EP) Instead of providing a hint of their geographic origin, Rural France’s band name was the result of a contribution from guitarist/bassist Rob Fawkes in response to a challenge to brainstorm a nu-folk-sounding moniker using their own initials. Fawkes and musical partner Tom Brown (vocals/guitar) actually hail from Wiltshire which is home to Stonehenge and why they label themselves as “keen preservators of outdated and inaccessible rock.” While their sound is more reminiscent of the jangle pop era, it doesn’t strike me as slavishly retro and remains undeniably catchy. “Tag Along” starts things out with Teenage Fanclub-esque splendor and “Ghost Dance” reverberates Byrdsian vibes. “Sunsplit” and “Stay Away From The Window, Sidney” encompass a summertime feel, albeit one full of misadventures. Navigating life’s speed bumps is a reoccurring refrain in Brown’s songwriting, as is the case of his solo work in Teenage Tom Petties. In “Tag Along,” a state of indecision doesn’t seem of great concern when he sings: “I can swap money for knowledge / Think I might go back to college / Yeah I need me / some bureaucracy!” Exactamondo! skirts any overall consensus and suggests that living with our differences might be the only means of getting along. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9f18efdb-8c0f-4e44-b574-655e86d62375/smudge-you-me-carpark-now.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Shellac, Girls in Synthesis, Rural France - Smudge - You Me Carpark…Now (Half a Cow LP) Needing a 4th band for a compilation 7" he had in the works to jump start his Half a Cow label, Nic Dalton convinced Tom Morgan and Alison Galloway to form a group with the sole intent of creating a new song for the release. The encounter proved fortuitous when the Lemonheads came to Australia and toured with the Hummingbirds, for whom Dalton was playing bass for, which led to an introduction between Evan Dando and Morgan involving a side project of Dalton’s called Sneeze. When Dando later returned to Australia for a solo tour, he and Morgan started gathering for songwriting sessions, with many of the songs turning up on the Lemonheads’ 1992 It’s a Shame About Ray album and the Come On Feel The Lemonheads follow-up. Additionally, Dando’s tune “Alison’s Starting To Happen” was inspired by his encounters with Galloway. Of all the albums that Smudge released during their tenure in the ’90s, You Me Carpark…Now is Morgan’s favorite. It was recorded at Idful Studios in Chicago with Casey Rice as producer and John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) contributing on pedal steel. Morgan described it as “a blowout recording” where they gave themselves over to Rice and walked away with a sprawling fifteen tracks that upped their previous lo-fi output and expanded their musical repertoire. “Mike Love, Not War” is a power pop gem that showcases Morgan’s clever wordplay and sly humor. Galloway and Morgan trade off verses on the lovely “Pedantic,” and “Ingrown (Slight Return)” is a tender country number with terrific orchestral flourishes. “Not Nearly Enough” and “Lady Let’s Not Stop the Groove” show why Morgan and Dando were such simpatico songwriting partners, with either tune favorably comparing to the Lemonheads’ finest work. After the ’90s, Smudge went on hiatus but gathered over the next decade for occasional shows, including a two month Australian support slot for the Lemonheads. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/mdou-moctar-frank-turner-stephens-shore-the-surly-bells monthly 0.5 2024-06-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/dd639c02-c480-45c4-8f61-614c01abc0a9/mdou-moctar-funeral-for-justice.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mdou Moctar, Frank Turner, Stephen’s Shore, The Surly Bells - Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice (Matador Records LP) Although sparsely populated and generally poor, the Sahel region of Africa (the semi-arid zone between the Saharan desert and the lusher grasslands to the south) has had an outsized impact on music fans in the west for several decades, beginning with gifted Malian performers like Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate. But there’s arguably been no more dazzling a musician from the region than Niger-based, Tuareg guitarist-singer-songwriter Mdou Moctar, and his new album, Funeral for Justice, should only add to that perception. The pounding chords of the album-opening title track might sound like Moctar has shifted to a more mainstream “rock” sound, but this wonderful disc quickly leaps back into the swirling, mesmerizing, Sahel-style riffing and Hendrix-worthy fretwork that are Moctar’s hallmarks. “Imouhar” is a torrid groove sirocco lashed with Moctar’s pleading vocals and truly scalding lead guitar work. “Oh France” and “Tchinta” offer comparable whirlwinds of feverishly hypnotic grooves topped with plaintive, urgent singing that will relentlessly pull in any listener. But it’s arguably the more languid, laid-back moments on Funeral for Justice that showcase the real beauty of Moctar’s songwriting. “Takoba” and the more acoustic “Imajighen” and “Modern Slaves” offer little oases of calm, gliding by with a lilting, airy grace that’s both deeply lovely and rhythmically compelling. Every tune – fast or slow – is worth a listen simply for Moctar’s riveting, fuzz-flecked guitar fury. Overall, Funeral for Justice does an indelible job of showcasing Moctar’s universally appealing, multifaceted talent. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7114310e-af46-4e86-9ed0-94a13c3992a7/frank-turner-undefeated.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mdou Moctar, Frank Turner, Stephen’s Shore, The Surly Bells - Frank Turner - Undefeated (Xtra Mile Recordings LP) This is the tenth album by Frank Turner. The 14 songs on Undefeated include a variety of styles. You’ve got some poppy rock sing-alongs with “Do One” and “Girl From the Record Shop.” There are some standard Frank Turner punk rock songs like “Never Mind The Back Problems” and “No Thank You For The Music.” And, at age 42, you’ve got some self-reflection going on here as Frank looks back in time. On “Ceasefire,” he considers what “fifteen-year-old Francis” would think about how things turned out and acknowledges the weight of those early expectations. “East Finchley” finds Frank lamenting a lost love and missed opportunity. And on the title track, “Undefeated,” Frank looks back on the twenty year battle and decides that the fight is not always about winning. “Survival adds up to something: independent, undefeated.” Some of the punk rockers will fit nicely into his setlist, but it will be interesting to see how the slower songs get featured. You can find out when he plays the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on May 31st. -Tom Novak Website https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ff3f09d7-6842-4adc-830b-cff3e6425827/stephens-shore-neptune.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mdou Moctar, Frank Turner, Stephen’s Shore, The Surly Bells - Stephen’s Shore – Neptune (Meritorio Records EP) This somewhat mysterious Swedish quintet doesn’t release records often, and when it does, the releases tend to be short, three-to-four song EPs rather than full-length discs. That’s the case with their charming new opus, Neptune. If you have a weakness for chiming, jangly, 1960’s-style pop/rock, Stephen’s Shore is one of the best things to turn up since the 12-string Rickenbacker was invented. Lead track “Garden” is vintage Stephen’s Shore: ringing, Byrds-y guitar layers, sighing vocals and a propulsive groove, all suffused with the languid beauty of a Malibu sunset. The band’s sound is kind of a sweet spot between Byrds-style fretwork and the Beau Brummel’s pensive, faintly melancholy songcraft. “Lost & Found” is another gorgeous, reverb-soaked, midtempo rocker that wraps your ears in a cozy quilt of cascading guitar lines and twilight vocal harmonies. The final track, “Under the Pine” actually samples the ocean shoreline to set the mood for a more laid-back nocturnal stroll spangled with delicately echoing fretwork, feathery vocal lines and a couple of perfectly placed slide guitar ornaments that coalesce into a real gem of a song. Great stuff start to finish. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2d403ee4-7aef-4635-9be1-c7a074a563d1/the-surly-bells-sangri-nah.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mdou Moctar, Frank Turner, Stephen’s Shore, The Surly Bells - The Surly Bells - Shangri-Nah (self-released LP) When The Vertebrats announced their demise in 1982 following a spirited three year run atop Champaign-Urbana’s DIY rock scene, it hit hard for a legion of devoted fans who had relied on the band to stuff their social calendars with surefire dance parties. It’s why subsequent reunion performances by the group retained the aura of a united music community who could never shake loose of the feeling that what they experienced had been truly unique and life altering. It’s a legacy that the band is certainly proud of, but not one that they care to be forever defined by as Ken Draznik and Jim Wald explained on a recent No Wristbands podcast. As the remaining midwesterners (guitarist Matt Brandabur and bassist Roy Axford now reside in California), Draznik and Wald reconvened over the years to create new music under the name The Surly Bells. Early recordings of the pair’s songs took place at John Richardson’s (a Champaign native) Drum Farm Studio in Menomonie, WI with Draznik laying down vocals backed by Richardson and a cadre of Nashville and Minneapolis studio musicians. Seeking something more intrinsically organic, they then paired with drummer Jeff Evans (B-Lovers/Turning Curious, The Jans Project) and multi-instrumentalist Todd Fletcher (June & the Exit Wounds, The Jans Project) for Shangri-Nah, named after the Urbana garage recording studio run by Matt Wenzel, who engineered and contributed musically to the proceedings. The material is more reflective than some of the angst-ridden Vertebrats compositions, understandable considering the different life stages of the authors. The lead track, “A Certain Something,” comes ringing in with a “Glory-ous” (Television reference intended) guitar riff, endearing Draznik vocal turn and majestic backing chorus. “Mary Confectionary” follows jauntily, fulfilling a stated intent of “syllables that fit like a puzzle” for the English major behind its creation. Wald takes a turn on the mic for “Black Crow,” a Crazy Horse-like stomp with sinister undertones. “King of the Town” is a paean for the underdog/overachiever that utilizes Draznik’s propensity to weave storytelling with a rollicking hook. Shangri-Nah marks the final studio performance for the much beloved Jeff Evans, who passed on this past August and shined as a pivotal presence, much like The Vertebrats, to the pioneering C/U indie scene. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/59d48272-841b-4aef-b027-841dabbb9151/weird-summer-cry-for-the-moon.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Mdou Moctar, Frank Turner, Stephen’s Shore, The Surly Bells - Weird Summer: Cry For The Moon (Office Records LP) Weird Summer emerged during the second wave of Champaign-Urbana’s ’80s music scene that followed the demise of The Vertebrats. The band was fronted by vocalist/guitarist Bob Kimbell and featured bassist Rick Schattnik, guitarist Nick Rudd (B-Lovers/Turning Curious) and drummer Ken Golub (The Outnumbered). While Kimball’s cited influences were commonly attributed to ’60s rock and psychedelia (Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Love, Velvets), he also had a fondness for punk-inspired music; Weird Summer covered “The 15th” (Wire) on their Homer album and “That’s When I Reach For My Revolver” (Mission of Burma) and “Non-Alignment Pact” (Pere Ubu) would sometime surface in their live sets. As a songwriter, Kimbell balanced romanticism and idealism with intriguing imagery to paint a picture that offered more than meets the eye. On Weird Summer’s debut album, Cry For The Moon (recorded over the time period of 1984-86 by Willie Wells), there’s a yearning unfulfilled, an itch that needs to be scratched. “Willow Weeps,” “She’s Got An Engine Down” and “A Knight These Days” are impassioned pleas to overcome emotional divides, punctuated in tone by Kimbell’s longing, silken voice. In “Pursuit of Happiness,” he taps into the lyrics of good friend Jack Logan: “Life and liberty and freedom / That’s something else / But where are they / when you need ’em? / “That’s how it goes.” The song is a pièce de résistance—confronting the illusion of the American Dream—as relevant today as when it was written some forty-some years ago. Weird Summer would go on to release three additional praiseworthy albums before calling it a wrap in the mid ’90s. Their catalog, while often overlooked, can’t be underestimated. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-reds-pings-and-purples-bnny-parsnip-89j203j3 monthly 0.5 2024-05-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1714621899735-QEXKQKD83ARGLGYE6K37/the-reds-pings-and-purples-unwishing-well.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Reds, Pinks, and Purples, Bnny, Parsnip - The Reds, Pinks and Purples - Unwishing Well (Slumberland Records LP) First and foremost, Glenn Donaldson is an unabashed fan of indie music. His Instagram account partially exists as a love letter to the music that’s shaped his fandom—typically in the form of a block of four record covers displayed on a fabric tapestry that invites comments from his followers. It’s a varied collection that largely runs from the punk era through the latest underground releases. For roughly the last three decades, he’s maintained a formidable presence on the San Francisco DIY scene, with involvement in the vicinity of thirty different projects. The Reds, Pinks and Purples have occupied most of his time since launching in 2018. For an individual with diverse tastes, Donaldson has chosen the lane of somber bedroom pop to growing acclaim with RPPs. Unwishing Well follows the path of his previous work, which is to say that it offers up vivid meditations of a searching and gentle soul. The erosion of civility and disregard for a universal good permeates the opener, “What’s Going on with Ordinary People.” It’s followed by “Learning to Love a Band,” a favorite Donaldson songwriting device where he marries the potential for personal connection with music memories. Similarly inclined is “Your Worst Song is Your Greatest Hit” that finds redemption in personal failures. Instead of wallowing in psychic pain, Donaldson opens himself up freely for dissection. The heartwarming “Public Art” serves as a rallying metaphor for anyone who’s dismissed out of hand due to popular belief. Since dedicating himself to RPPs, Donaldson has been on a creative roll, pumping out a couple of records with each passing year. Like the photos he uses for his record covers that document his neighborhood, he’s providing a personal snapshot of life that’s evocative and compelling. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c06ef839-9eee-4187-b892-237923eb7120/bnny-one-million-love-songs.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Reds, Pinks, and Purples, Bnny, Parsnip - Bnny - One Million Love Songs (Fire Talk LP) Love songs in commercial music tend to perpetuate a false narrative; one of fairy-tale romance and impenetrable bliss. Rather than feeling relatable, the sentiment comes off as hackneyed, a universal fabrication of happily ever after. Despite her attempts to do otherwise, Jessica Viscius can’t help but pen love songs. Her songs, though, are full of complexities. In “Crazy, Baby,” Viscius references her album title when she sings: “A million love songs / of our past / Write one quick ‘cause / nothing lasts.” “Something Blue” also examines how love is fleeting and how difficult it is to outrun your past. There’s a profound emotional honesty in Viscius’ music and she’s noted how her lyrical directness is designed to capture a distinct moment in time. Her airy voice envelops the listener and has a capacity of conveying a range of emotions, from regret to resilience. Through all the heartbreak, Viscius remains resolute that the pursuit of love is worth any collateral damage. “Yeah I’m hanging on / to the sunshine / “I’m hanging on / ’til the next time,” she proclaims in “Good Stuff.” One Million Love Songs offers a unique perspective to a format that’s been largely played out and its message is one that deserves to be truly taken to heart. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/697cbdeb-d5bb-4f6c-ae2b-0b2c13a2467a/parsnip-behold.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Reds, Pinks, and Purples, Bnny, Parsnip - Parsnip - Behold (Upset The Rhythm LP) Venturing into the world that Parsnip’s “Turn To Love” video depicts is like falling headfirst down the rabbit hole and encountering a whimsical, fairytale-like existence. The Melbourne quartet host their own play production, replete with wacky homemade costumes and unrestrained dance moves. Bassist and songwriter, Paris Richens, is enamored with children’s literature and picture books and applies that sense of wonderment in the form of cheeky songs that are full of exuberance in the face of a more somber reality. “Papier-Mâché” holds out hope in fixing recurrent problems using the principles of craft construction. Pilfering the alphabet for “L.O.N.E.” makes for a snappy number as Parsnip jump between spelling out lonesome and lone song until they sound nearly interchangeable. Fighting to be seen and heard forms the basis of “Placeholder,” with repeated exclamations of “here I am.” Behold is perhaps an ephemeral pleasure, but nevertheless capable of holding your attention if you’re willing to give into its innate charm. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/81b6eac6-5698-4bac-801e-22da26c84a9f/look-blue-go-purple-compilation.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Reds, Pinks, and Purples, Bnny, Parsnip - Look Blue Go Purple: Compilation (Flying Nun LP) When Dunedin band members Kathy Bull (bass), Denise Roughan (guitar), Lesley Paris (drums), Kath Webster (guitar) and Norma O’Malley (keyboards, flute, guitar) originally came together in 1983, they brainstormed for a fitting name. Bull was in search of some positivity after immigrating from Canada where she had grown weary of Calgary’s aggressive punk scene. The phrases Look Blue and Go Purple were plucked from a thesaurus and seemed to strike a chord with everyone, although later in the year they briefly switched to Tunnel Wives. After eventually winning over Roger Shepherd of Flying Nun, LBGP commenced recording a four song debut EP in 1985, titled Bewitched. Compilation is comprised of a trio of EPs that the band issued during their tenure, which also includes LBGPEP2 (1986) and This Is This (1988). With a diverse appreciation of underground music and modal jazz, which included women pioneers such as The Slits and The Raincoats, LBGP never considered themselves a feminist band. Their friendship rooted in equal footing did enable them to pursue a democratic creative approach that produced an organic-sounding result. No one instrument or voice crowds another one out, the gestalt born out of collaboration, not competition. Bewitched was recorded in a live studio setting with largely single takes, making the material a bit more frenetic as evidenced in the tracks “Safety in Crosswords” and “Circumspect Penelope.” As the group’s musicality broadened, a lushness and opulence took hold. The vocal mix of Roughan, Webster and O’Malley fit hand in glove. “Cactus Cat,” “I Don’t Want You Anyway” and “In Your Favour” are irresistible pop gems of the highest order. Despite a truncated tenure, LBGP proved to be quite influential to generations of female musicians that have followed in their path—the power of positive thinking, perhaps! -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/drahla-twin-coast-deep-tunnel-project-5a6432 monthly 0.5 2024-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1713474858081-WVURJE88AILQ3Z5VPE7H/drahla-angel-tape.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Drahla, twin coast, Deep Tunnel Project - Drahla - angeltape (Captured Tracks LP) Incorporating elements of post-punk, prog rock, goth and free jazz, Drahla is a hard band to pinpoint, which might be why front person Luciel Brown simply describes them as “controlled chaos.” Listening to angeltape, the followup to the Leeds band’s 2019 Useless Coordinates LP, is a challenge to equilibrium as sounds attack from all angles. “Is there an angle in which I can align? / Is there some sentiment in which I should resign?” asks Brown in “Lipsync.” The song provides a sense that things are spiraling out of control and no manner of speech can begin to make sense of it. “Under The Glass” is a call for resistance in the fight against complacency. Chris Duffin’s sputtering sax reinforces the sense of discord with maelstrom capacity. When Brown announces “Gravitational pull, it just got stronger” in “Talking Radiance” it rings out as a warning for the instrumental assault that follows as Duffin spars with the rest of the band. New guitarist Ewan Barr provides an effective counterpoint to Brown’s staccato strumming with choral tones on the intoxicating “Default Parody.” Brown has noted that angeltape “was built on a foundation of insular inspiration.” Getting a glimpse of Drahla’s collective creative mind has never been quite so fascinating! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a8cbe3f9-93ef-471a-a5c1-168c21da773c/twin-coast-noie-noie-noie.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Drahla, twin coast, Deep Tunnel Project - twin coast - noie! noie! noie! (self-released EP) With a complete year under their belts, Chicago siblings Reid and Kira Isbell of twin coast have already traversed an adventuresome amalgam of sounds. Their initial four-song EP ventured into ambient textures with a narcotic-like haze. Subsequent recordings, all self-produced by the pair, have run the spectrum form dream pop to white noise. Their latest EP, the five-track noie! noie! noie!, effectively blends all these elements into a compressed sonic symphony. The opener, “try to finally,” is a soaring shoegaze anthem with Reid Isbell’s murky vocals giving it a ghostly presence. The follow-up, “forget to know,” is an agro-noise assault, closing with a distorted snippet of “Femme Fatale” from feedback pioneers The Velvet Underground. “How we can’t” concludes the effort with crystalline lushness, drifting off into the ethers at its conclusion. Twin coast remain intent on pushing the envelope and their free fall approach makes for an exhilarating jumping off point. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2481e48f-d62f-4f25-9b67-169f739ec3bc/deep-tunnel-project.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Drahla, twin coast, Deep Tunnel Project - Deep Tunnel Project - S/T (Comedy Minus One LP) Proclaiming their debut album as “a Chicago record,” it’s only fitting that this quartet of scene veterans took on the name Deep Tunnel Project. The infamous civil engineering endeavor designed to deal with the persistent flood and sewage retention issues within this concrete jungle started construction in 1975 and remains partially unfinished and seriously over-budget. Legendary Chicago urban designer Daniel Burnham once exclaimed, “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized.” Deep Tunnel Project get right to it on the lead track “Connector,” with John Mohr proclaiming: “Our work is never done / Chicago to Calumet / We connect it / I am a connector / What is never finished will never be done.” That last phrase turns up again in both “Elysian Fields” and “Dry Spell,” serving as an overall thematic link about a race against time for the band members who are self aware enough to state that “There’s less road ahead than behind us, but there is still time left to create.” Mohr and drummer Mike Greenlees’ connection dates back to their mid-‘80s NIU days in DeKalb with Blatant Dissent, which later morphed into Tar along with a resettlement in Chicago. Co-guitarist Jeff Dean (Heavy Seas, The Bomb, Dead Ending) and bassist Tim Midyett (Silkworm, Mint Mile, Bottomless Pit) are also admitted Chicago lifers. The presence of “The City of Big Shoulders” permeates throughout the record, from geographical references down to the Naked Raygun Pezzati-inspired “whoah chorus” on “Elysian Fields.” Eleventh Dream Days’ Rick Rizzo delivers a blistering guitar lick on “Gold Standard,” which takes issue with the post-World War II Bretton Woods monetary system that fostered US imperialism. “Chapter Verse Overture” (with guest backing vocals from Rachel Drew), “When I Hit The Ground” and “Sweetest Bells” are among the most nakedly vulnerable lyrics that Mohr has penned to date. The album comes full circle with the closing cover of Breaking Circus’ “Took a Hammering”—a song written by Chicago-raised Steve Björklund, who also spearheaded Strike Under and delivered the first release (Immediate Action EP) for Wax Trax Records in 1981. Midyett steps in on vocals here and battling to the point of exhaustion it remains clear that Deep Tunnel Project can take a licking and, yes almighty, keep on ticking! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/5669bd04-7192-4e6a-b5f0-64180142c18c/arsenal-manipulator.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Drahla, twin coast, Deep Tunnel Project - Arsenal: Manipulator (Touch and Go EP) Santiago Durango has had his six string imprint all over Chicago’s initial punk scene. As a teenager in 1977 while attending Gordon Tech H.S., he was an original member of Chicago’s first punk band, Silver Abuse, lasting only two gigs before jumping ship. Along with Marko Pezzati (older brother to Jeff), he was also a founding member of Naked Raygun, penning such staples as “I Lie,” “Bombshelter” and “Swingo.” When Steve Albini was searching for additional Big Black band cohorts following his solo-generated Lungs debut, he sought out Durango for “smash guitar” duties along with Jeff Pezzati to play bass (later to be replaced with Dave Riley). Santiago’s final music endeavor prior to pursuing a professional living as a lawyer, was the formation of Arsenal. For the four-track Manipulator EP in 1988, he partnered with bassist Malachi Ritscher and also utilized a drum machine on the recording to a similar effect as Big Black. “Little Hitlers” opens with a Bonham beat, Durango’s hotwire guitar and largely undecipherable distorto vocals. “Half Control” is driven by Ritscher’s insistent bassline and strikes a more minimalist tone. A preacher’s apocalyptic sermon is plucked for the collage mash-up that comprises “Mr. Plague.” And an industrial hellscape closes out the record on “Momento Mori,” a riff on the memento mori trope signifying the inevitability of death and failures of humankind. Manipulator is a fascinating if somewhat obtuse look at society’s underbelly. Durango would return with a second Arsenal EP two years later, bringing in former Naked Raygun bassist Pierre Kezdy for Factory Smog Is a Sign of Progress, which explored similar themes and serves as a fitting bookend to Manipulator. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/waxahatchee-holiday-ghosts-dancer-1209fa34ga monthly 0.5 2024-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1c6affcd-8513-4dc4-aa3d-945dc2795bd4/waxahatchee-tigers-blood.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waxahatchee, Holiday Ghosts, Dancer - Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood (Anti-Records LP) With the breakthrough success of their 2020 album, Saint Cloud, Waxahatchee roughly doubled their audience by Katie Crutchfield’s estimate, leading to offers to headline some large-scale venues. Instead of cashing in on the opportunity, Crutchfield opted instead for 2,500-ish capacity theaters that would preserve more of an intimate connection with her audience. Chicago became the most fortunate recipient of this mindset when the band held their record release party for Tigers Blood at the legendary Empty Bottle (capacity of 400) on March 22 before they circle back for an April 20 appearance at the more voluminous Salt Shed. Having cut her teeth in the Birmingham, Alabama DIY scene with twin sister Allison, Crutchfield remains an indie performer at heart. Tigers Blood does nothing to dispel the relatability that Crutchfield has engendered throughout her performance tenure. Although her personal life has become more settled now that she’s matured, her focus of staying in the present ensures that she continues to be self-aware and attuned to life’s circumstances. On “Burns Out at Midnight” she’s fights against getting caught up in the grind by confessing: “I get home from working hard, honey / State the obvious & watch it work it’s way in / We been checked out, chasing the money / I been trying to tell ‘em it ain’t no way to live.” After catching a solo set by MJ Lenderman of Wednesday at SXSW a couple of years ago, Crutchfield envisioned one day collaborating with him and that’s come to fruition on Tigers Blood with his nuanced guitar playing running through the course of the album. He also harmonizes with Crutchfield on a number of tracks and the co-penned “Right Back to It” is a gorgeous love song reflecting on an unshakeable commitment. Tigers Blood continues the forward trajectory for Crutchfield while conceding that the future is rarely linear. “My life’s been mapped to a T / But I’m always a little lost” she concedes on “Lone Star Lake.” Taking the long route is never regrettable when the sights and sounds are as pleasing as this. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/90b5c7a5-34a4-41e1-aba4-f5a7b3e8b006/holiday-ghosts-coat-of-arms.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waxahatchee, Holiday Ghosts, Dancer - Holiday Ghosts - Coat of Arms (FatCat Records LP) One of my highlights from this year’s SXSW festival was the opportunity to catch up with Holiday Ghosts, who hail from the remote Cornwall port town of Falmouth. The performance I caught was actually an anti-SXSW showcase organized by the Austin DSA & Austin For Palestine Coalition as the official festival was boycotted by a bevy of artists due to sponsorships affiliated with the US military and defense contractors. The Holiday Ghosts’ 30-minute set provided a preview to a spate of songs that are part of their Coat of Arms album that was just released on March 29. The melding of vocalists Katja Rackin (drums) and Sam Stacpoole (guitar) provides a contrasting dynamic that gives the band an edgy bite that elevates their shambolic pop construct. Rackin uses a rapid fire delivery on the adrenalized “Sublime Disconnect,” with her motorik beat racing with the guitars and bass to a photo finish. Her exasperated tone matches the song’s theme of overcoming the barriers to cultural integration and the anxieties associated with being an outsider. The jaunty “Big Congratulations” examines how the buying public looks to reward itself with materialistic pursuits that are more attention getting than intrinsically satisfying. “Energy” lives up to its title, with Stacpoole’s and Ben Nightingale’s buzzing guitars swirling about and a ‘70s new wave feel that was born out of a fondness for the Devo track “Golden Energy.” After showcasing their stylistic versatility on previous albums, Rackin stated that Holiday Ghosts’ intention for Coat of Arms was to pursue a greater pop direction—something “short and sweet.” The results truly are worth savoring! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8d33a668-2c39-446a-b953-648da4fe0d0e/dancer-10-songs-i-hate-about-you.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waxahatchee, Holiday Ghosts, Dancer - Dancer - 10 Songs I Hate About You (Meritorio Records LP) Dancer vocalist Gemma Fleet came of age in the ’90s when technology was transforming everyday life with general access to the World Wide Web and the proliferation of consumer mobile phone service. On “Rein It In,” she reframes the discussion around “The People’s Choice” decade by questioning what gains were made when personal privacy and human interaction were left diminished. Similarly “Bluetooth Hell” explores the frustration and helplessness we feel when systems break down and we’re left unconnected. The jittery instrumentation of Chris Taylor (guitar), Andrew Doig (bass) and Gavin Murdoch (drums) drives home the point of existing on the edge of apprehension. The Glasgow band’s album art depicting a spilled glass of water eliminates a debate of whether they view things as half full or half empty. Fortunately for their sanity, Dancer maintain a healthy sense of humor. In “When I Was A Teenage Horse,” Fleet spins a yarn about her youth (“I used to run free…as a horse)—the song being inspired by Doig’s recollection of changing the lyrics of Hole’s “Teenage Whore” when singing it with a friend to avoid the scorn of their parents. The video of “Change” captures band members in the spin cycle of a washing machine—a representation that despite the turbulence surrounding them, there’s also a possibility of of changing course and emerging with a fresh outlook. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/17a83cea-6443-47df-bca9-9d275147d155/the-delgados-the-great-eastern.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waxahatchee, Holiday Ghosts, Dancer - The Delgados: The Great Eastern (Chemikal Underground LP) With their uniformly stellar catalog, choosing one Delgados album is a difficult call. Coming in the middle of their five studio albums, The Great Eastern marked a decided turn in the Glasgow band’s approach to their indie pop songwriting. Aiming for an ambitious orchestral pop opus, the core quartet of Alun Woodward, Emma Pollock, Stewart Henderson and Paul Savage enlisted the aid of accomplished string and horn musicians for sessions that carried past a year starting with producer Tony Coogan at his CaVa Studios. Smitten with his work with the likes of Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips and Mogwai, the band then brought the recordings to Dave Fridmann in upstate New York for crucial mixing. The Great Eastern arrived in April of 2000 to general acclaim, though it did find its detractors from the likes of Pitchfork and NME who criticized its “musical flummery” and “limitations as unorthodox pop athletes.” Rather than letting their ambitions get the better of them, the group created a sumptuous work of beauty that has layers of symphonic oomph to match the depth of feeling. “Accused of Stealing” and “American Trilogy” are centerpieces for the vocal stylings of Pollock and Woodward, emerging regal-like with tempo shifts and escalating instrumental flourishes. In “Thirteen Gliding Principles” the pair trade off verses in between bouts of sonic fury that push the song to the edge of a precipice. The swirling strings of “Knowing When to Run” pulls you in for a closer listen, only to be met with the jarring lyrical juxtaposition of a song confronting child abuse. Following The Great Eastern, the Delgados would go on to release two more fine albums with Hate (2002) and Universal Audio (2004) before a disillusioned Henderson departed and the band folded in 2005. Savage is now married to Pollock, and has produced her solo work among a host of other recordings. Woodward has also carried on musically under his Lord Cut-Glass moniker and in January of 2023 the original Delgados lineup reunited for five shows in their native UK. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/real-estate-mannequin-pussy-verity-den-2ihrl3 monthly 0.5 2024-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1710549323344-NLLABYHLPO2XFNPKP22Q/real-estate-daniel.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Real Estate, Mannequin Pussy, Verity Den - Real Estate - Daniel (Domino LP) In today’s pop music landscape, where bold, assertive lyrics are drenched in high tech production and drama-heavy emoting, Brooklyn’s Real Estate is like a semi-bucolic, countryside getaway where you can hear burbling streams and chirping birds. The band has long demonstrated a mastery of chiming guitar-pop supporting heart-on-the-sleeve, often introspective lyrics. And its new, sixth album, Daniel, doesn’t mess with that approach. The album’s first three tracks, “Somebody New,” “Haunted World” and “Water Underground” all glide by on gently lyrical vocal lines, flawlessly tasteful acoustic-electric guitar accompaniment and easy-going tempos. The production is a bit slicker than on the band’s early records but not in a bad or cloying way. If Real Estate’s early records reminded me somewhat of Felt, new track “Flowers,” with its snowflake-fall vocal lines and fireside strumming can evoke slightly more pop-forward bands like Teenage Fanclub or the Cosmic Rough Riders. But the band does mix things up a bit on Daniel. “Freeze Brain,” “Say No More” and “Airdrop” undergird their tuneful hooks with more muscular drum grooves, sparkling keyboard textures and even a touch of wah-wah guitar. In sum, if you’re already on the Real Estate bandwagon, Daniel gives you plenty of what you’re looking for. If you’re new to the band, its beguiling, understated yet melodious tunes may provide a refreshing tonic from the modern world’s clatter. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4b365e57-5fd8-4531-9f1e-0ad4050152c0/mannequin-pussy-i-got-heaven.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Real Estate, Mannequin Pussy, Verity Den - Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven (Epitaph LP) In the fashion world, mannequins are presented to represent a body type ideal despite the unrealistic standard of measurement. On I Got Heaven, Mannequin Pussy examine the constructs of desire and the societal shame that is imposed by existing outside the margins. Vocalist/guitarist Marisa Dabice delves beneath the surface level to search for greater truths that emerge through self-solitude. On the opening title track she rejects dogmatic ideology with self empowerment when she sings “I am spiteful like a god / I seek vengeance like the rest / For what they did to you / I will never lay to rest.” Despite the turmoil, I Got Heaven presents some of the most nuanced singing that Dabice has ever laid down. Awash in Maxine Steen’s percolating synth refrain and Kaleen Reading’s snare brushwork, “I Don’t Know You” provides a soft underlay that is simpatico with the wistfulness that Dabice projects about a regretful missed connection. When Steen kicks in with a crushing guitar riff for the chorus of “Sometimes,” Dabice contrasts it with a soaring counter melody that becomes entangled with her impassioned pleas. Come the closer, “Split Me Open,” Dabice is at her most vulnerable; prepared to offer herself up for possibility of a deep connection. I Got Heaven dispenses with living life on a wish and a prayer, its risk-taking in self-derived by a spirit within rather than one up above. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/24226dcd-8263-460e-9247-3b67d39bfb7a/verity-den.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Real Estate, Mannequin Pussy, Verity Den - Verity Den - S/T (Amish Records LP) When Haruspex Palace musician Casey Proctor approached Trevor Reece and Mike Wallace about joining their North Carolina group Drag Sounds, the pair decided to bring her in, not as a new member, but as the start of a new project. Reece had already tracked some songs on the side that become fodder for Verity Den’s jumping off point. Proctor used her record engineering and mixing experience to add layering and depth, turning the tracks into distinct sound collages. Her vocals linger just below the surface on opening tracks “washer dryer” and “priest boss,” that are bathed in shoegaze splendor. That changes on the more plaintive “prudence,” where her dreamy tone emerges notably out from the reverb-laden backing. On “other friends,” Proctor and Reese trade off vocals, maintaining a casual pace with the motorik beat before falling silent when the song drifts off pleasantly with a swirling synth matched with a sparse guitar outro. Three instrumental tracks among the seven titles showcase the band’s proclivity for shaping sound by utilizing acoustic strumming, ambient textures and noise elements. Verity Den exist outside conventional genre boundaries; their music doesn’t immediately come into focus, but is not to be overlooked. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/5c3d7d67-20f8-4347-9655-e990a26e1a19/peter-gutteridge-pure.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Real Estate, Mannequin Pussy, Verity Den - Peter Gutteridge: Pure (Superior Viaduct LP) Peter Gutteridge was a seminal and tragic figure in the New Zealand indie music scene. Along with David and Hamish Kilgour, he was a founding member of The Clean and also part of the original Chills. Looking to move beyond a pop song realm, Gutteridge pursued a more eclectic direction which is captured on the 4-track home studio recordings that comprise Pure, originally release in cassette format by Bruce Russell’s Xpressway label in 1989 and reissued last December by Superior Viaduct. While largely a solo endeavor, Gutteridge did receive some playing support from then Snapper bandmates Alan Haig, Dominic Stones and Christine Voice. A couple of demo versions of tracks (“Hang On” and “Cause of You”) from Snapper’s Flying Nun debut EP turn up here. The dissonance and drone that characterized Snapper is also in evidence on the opener “Lonely” and the instrumental snippet “Fifty-Seven Seconds.” Another instrumental, “Suicide,” might be a tip of the cap to that pioneering band led by Alan Vega and Martin Rev who were a significant influence. The lovely “Planet Phrom” and grand guitar workout on “Rubout” go to prove that Gutteridge’s pop DNA remained intact. On the back of a licensing deal of Pure by 540 Records in 2014, Gutteridge was finally able to come to the US for the first time to play a gig in New York City. Coming off recent addiction therapy, he seemed to spiral out of control when the visit didn’t lead to further opportunities. His condition became so dire that he was admitted to Middlemore Hospital on his return to Auckland due to concerns for his own safety. In a profound state of depression, Gutteridge ended his life the following day. Warts and all, Pure is a fascinating document of an artist pursuing a path that was visionary, yet largely seen or heard. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/pet-needs-ducks-ltd-mary-timony-iu453b monthly 0.5 2024-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/75b50c7f-f1fd-4868-9359-2b3a68cddd9d/pet-needs-intermittent-fast-living.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Ducks Ltd., Mary Timony - PET NEEDS - Intermittent Fast Living (Xtra Recordings Ltd LP) Intermittent Fast Living is the third long-player from PET NEEDS and this one has exploded out of the gate. The Colchester, UK quartet has been touring the world the last two years and has built a loyal following—enough so that this release opened at number 17 in the UK charts. Led by brothers Johnny (vocals) and George Marriott (guitar), PET NEEDS have filled this 34 minute, 11 song record with energetic, guitar-driven punk rock. The album starts with “How Are You?“, a mainly-spoken-word rant by Johnny which really sets the stage for the record. Launching directly into “Separation Anxiety” (a chaotic/frenetic love song to Johnny’s wife), we get a string of fast & loud punk rockers (“Fingernails,” “The Age That You Were” & “Self-Restraint”—a nod to Johnny’s dog Eddie). Brother George gets to show off his chops on a few guitar solos along the way and the band (including Jack on drums and new bassist Ryan) even launch into a bit of Black Sabbath punk-metal on “The Optimist” and arena rock on “Trip.” With this new album, PET NEEDS have added a bunch of songs that are going to take their already fantastic live show to another level. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/46946bef-c134-41b7-ad4a-8b17d9d46d73/ducks-ltd-harms-way.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Ducks Ltd., Mary Timony - Ducks Ltd. - Harm’s Way (Carpark Records LP) Beneath their buoyant arrangements, Ducks Ltd. unveil a more downcast sentiment. On the album’s opener, “Hollowed Out,” Tom McGreevy despairs: “All we ever do is leave / A slow retreat / Through same old scene forever / Darker at the city’s seams / Collapse the street / A world unseen whatever.” As society becomes more polarized and futures hang precipitously in the balance, the anxiety ratchets up and lines are drawn between fight and flight, leaving others in limbo. “Living like a middle reliever / Innings eater on a losing team / Showing up and doing what I get paid for / Yeah, we’re all just playing out the string,” observes McGreevy on “The Main Thing.” Previously McGreevy and co-songwriter Evan Lewis retreated to their Toronto basement studio to create and record, but being on the road constantly last year exposed them to new connections and ideas. Developing an affinity with a number of Chicago artists led them to venture down to Public House Sound Recordings in Pilsen to track this new record with Dave Vettraino, bolstered by contributions from a host of Chicago indie scene notables, such as Ratboys’ Marcus Nuccio and Julie Steiner, Dehd’s Jason Balla and Finom’s Macie Stewart. The results are exhilarating; after an initial listening don’t be surprised if your find yourself repeating the cycle—these are songs that are likely to reside in your head and heart permanently. Clocking in at 28 minutes over 9 tracks, the pace is brisk, conveying an urgency akin to The Feelies or The Wedding Present. “Knowing that we’re moving, but feeling like a passenger / There are places that we went to / But I’m not sure that we meant to,” comes a revelation on the record’s title track. With no predetermined destination, all one can do is strap in and appreciate the journey, bumps and all. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/700cabc1-6235-40da-abf0-e354020f4395/mary-timony-untame-the-tiger.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Ducks Ltd., Mary Timony - Mary Timony - Untame the Tiger (Merge Records LP) I first encountered Mary Timony’s music when I heard her band Helium’s The Magic City in 1997. I was instantly charmed by the way she integrated bits of prog rock and old English folk music into the indie rock template of the day. Her 2002 solo album The Golden Dove was equally alluring, but I lost track of Timony’s music after that. Well, I’m happy to say that the track “No Thirds,” which opens her strong new album Untame the Tiger, shows that Timony remains in wonderfully fine form. Winding stream-like above a propulsive groove and a beguiling electric guitar figure, Timony’s lilting vocal line weaves melodic magic before giving way to a wordless, string-drenched chorus. It’s instantly captivating and close to a perfect track. The prog-y elements that filigreed Timony’s earlier work aren’t in evidence much on Untame the Tiger. But tunes like “Dominoes,” where a sinewy bass line in the verses leads beautifully into a bold, brightly strummed chorus, or the more acoustic and folkie “Looking for the Sun,” prove that Timony still knows how to craft a gorgeous hook. (By the way, the British folk aspect of the record is bolstered by the appearance of none other than renowned Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks on five of the tracks. Wow!) The tunes “Summer” and “Don’t Disappear” both take a more straightforward rock approach but still pay ample dividends with cool main riffs and crunchy, highly catchy choruses. Timony’s deft touch with a hook fades just a bit on the album’s last couple tracks, but this is an emotionally powerful effort from a gifted, distinctive talent. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ff11d7e8-0e1c-4373-ba70-2c5608091d14/helium-the-dirt-of-luck.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: PET NEEDS, Ducks Ltd., Mary Timony - Helium: The Dirt of Luck (Matador Records LP) Mary Timony stands out as one most inventive guitarists in indie circles, exercising her talents both as a solo artist and in such influential outfits as Autoclave, Helium, Wild Flag and Ex Hex. In a 2017 interview with AV Club discussing the reissue of Helium’s catalog, Timony proclaimed: “I was trying to get away from the classical guitar that I studied and approaching the guitar in this simple but destructive way. I was basically trying to unlearn things.” On Helium’s first full length album (originally released in 1995), The Dirt of Luck, her instincts are spot on. Progressing from the rawness of their Private Prude EP, the compositions on The Dirt of Luck are well planned and executed. Her coupling with bassist Ash Bowie, the former Polvo guitarist, spurred new avenues to song construction and experimentation. Key to their execution was to overload her voice and all the instrumentation in distortion to create a dynamic contrast between a range of frequencies. It’s an aesthetic that proves out over the entirety of the record. “Pat’s Trick” sets thing off, lumbering at the start before picking up steam and spiking into red by mid song with Timony’s vocals alternating between soothing and harsh. “Baby’s Going Underground” is a tour de force; shifting between Shawn Devlin’s rolling toms and Timony’s xylophone inserts before being enveloped by her circular shoegaze guitar pattern in dizzying fashion like a dog chasing its tail. Incorporating a woozy organ riff in “Superball” makes the listener do a double take to make sure the record is still playing at the proper speed. Towards the end, “Honeycomb” seemingly comes in as a warm embrace wrapped in a lulling slide guitar, but when the gist of the song becomes apparent about an unrepentant streetwalker, things again get turned on its head. Down through the years, Helium and Timony’s other music endeavors have been inspirational to a new generation of musicians. Her desire to pay things forward has resulted in her becoming a guitar teacher in her native Washington, D.C. home and one of her past pupils was Lindsey Jordan, just then emerging with her band Snail Mail! Now, how cool is that? -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-smile-liquid-mike-sprints-oi2j378g7 monthly 0.5 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1708178917959-MXFQ0XTCDIO5R2QXFRMQ/the-smile-wall-of-eyes.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smile, Liquid Mike, SPRINTS - The Smile - Wall Of Eyes (XL Recordings LP) November 2022, Nashville. In for a weekend to meet friends and hang free. Uh oh, what’s this? The Smile are playing Ryman Auditorium tonight?! Sold out...(never). Gulp...let’s do it! (this will never happen again). And so there’s Thom and Johnny from Radiohead and superlative skins man Tom Skinner previewing several songs from what would eventually become Wall of Eyes, and absolutely thrashing highlights from their debut A Light For Attracting Attention, which had come out the previous May. Live, the band expands and contracts the recorded versions, finding blend and nuance within an absolutely master class of live sound and mixing. After a couple of breezy, if somewhat forgettable openers, Wall Of Eyes middle four songs are more than worth the price of admission. “Friend Of A Friend” nods politely towards mid-seventies Wings, complete with string swells and lovely piano, while “Read The Room” has angular guitar circles, undergirded by an ascending bass line that grounds the funk and swing of Skinner’s drums. The song plays out down a sonic tunnel with Yorke’s voice reverberating all the the way. The groove, man! “I Quit” opens with the evocative words: “I quit / My head is lit / A piece of me / This is my stop / This is the end of the trip / Conscience / And brotherhood / And brotherhood.” Moody and beautiful. An interlude of strings nestle in and the journey continues. Woah! Will there ever be another Radiohead album? Maybe doesn’t matter. Yorke ends the song with these words: “And wherever it goes.” Indeed. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/01b4e982-a6b6-40bc-a0dc-2a3c65bf889d/liquid-mike-paul-bunyans-slingshot.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smile, Liquid Mike, SPRINTS - Liquid Mike - Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot (self-released LP) When you think of music hotbeds, Marquette, Michigan isn’t exactly a spot that comes top of mind. Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, it isn’t exactly close to bigger cities with more robust music scenes, but that is exactly where Liquid Mike hails from. Liquid Mike taps into a form of music that I hold near and dear to my heart—punky power pop. Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot’s 13 songs clock in at just a hair under 26 minutes—all killer, no filler here! The interesting thing about Liquid Mike is that their previous album, S/T arrived with a buzz spearheaded by like-minded music fans across Twitter. By that I mean there wasn’t a lot of mainstream coverage, that is until the buzz started growing rapidly. Now you will find Liquid Mike reviewed in Rolling Stone of all places. Early album highlight “K2" taps into anthemic power pop complete with a soaring guitar solo all packed into 2 minutes and 15 seconds. The good news is that Liquid Mike’s lead singer/songwriter Mike Maple is constantly writing while out working for the US Postal Service, so they have amassed quite a collection of songs from which to choose. As I’ve written about several times in this column, the ’90s are cool again, and here you will find grungy alt-rock mixed with power pop, like on album cut “Pacer.” Liquid Mike portray a true DIY spirit with hooks for days aimed at slice-of-life moments and figuring out one’s place in the world. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/cbb663c8-98af-47c4-8dbd-1bd28ae282dd/sprints-letter-to-self.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smile, Liquid Mike, SPRINTS - Sprints - Letter To Self (City Slang LP) Karla Chubb resides among the top ranks of powerful female howlers, reminiscent of Nina Ljeti (Kill Birds), Alicia Bognanno (Bully) and her noted personal inspiration, Jehnny Beth (Savages). In a nod to the latter, Letter To Self contains the track “Adore Adore Adore” that echoes the title of Savages’ 2016 album Adore Life. When the chorus hits, Chubb repeats: “They never called me b-b-beautiful / They only called me insane.” Throughout Letter To Self, Chubb is documenting slights and inequities. The Dublin quartet rounded out by Colm O’Reilly (guitar), Sam McCann (bass) and Jack Callan (drums) often pushes the pace to near exhaustion. On “A Wreck (A Mess),” Chubb grapples with her ADHD and reveals: “Life’s a party but I didn’t ask for a dinner date / My mind is starved / For better days.” By the closing title track, she vows to overcome in stating: “I don’t have to take the path that was carved in front of me / I always had the willing / Now I’ll find the way.” Contrary to their name, Sprints knows that there’s no quick way to the finish line but their perseverance might just pay off in the long run. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/701b15ad-0759-4726-8698-ae194826bdd4/that-petrol-emotion-manic-pop-thrill.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smile, Liquid Mike, SPRINTS - That Petrol Emotion: Manic Pop Thrill (Demon Records LP) In retrospect it’s clear to see that Feargal Sharkey and the rest of The Undertones were headed in vastly different directions when Sharkey departed the band in 1983. Despite penning BBC Radio DJ John Peel’s all-time favorite song in “Teenage Kicks,” the band’s chart success gradually dissipated over the course of their four albums. Following the split, John O’Neill went back to Derry and hooked up with fellow guitarist Raymond O’Gorman and then drummer Ciaran McLaughlin before coaxing his brother Damian O’Neill to join in on bass. American Steve Mack, then living in London, was the last member to be drafted to handle lead vocals. Because all five members participated in the group’s songwriting, their 1986 debut album, Manic Pop Thrill, is a wildly diverse affair that holds up remarkably well amidst all of its contrasts. “It’s A Good Thing” sounds like a radio ready pop hit that never was. “Blindspot” is a touching ballad that would slot in seamlessly on Velvet Underground’s third album. Considering the band’s Northern Ireland roots, political post-punk is ever present, turning up on numbers like “Fleshprint” and “Tightlipped.” With its serpentine and squalling guitar jousting, carnivalesque breaks and stretched-out vocal gymnastics from Mack, “Lifeblood” exists in its own dimension, sounding like something under the influence of Captain Beefheart (whom the band paid homage to with a cover of “Zig-Zag Wanderer” on the b-side of their excellent “Keen” single). Sadly, Manic Pop Thrill never received a U.S. release (although the band’s subsequently albums did) and remains an under-appreciated gem. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/finnoguns-wake-capsuna-the-umbrellas-23a67u33ra monthly 0.5 2024-02-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/913241aa-ced1-4141-bb84-a7d6ee6d3fd1/finnoguns-wake-stay-young.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Finnoguns Wake, Capsuna, The Umbrellas - Finnoguns Wake - Stay Young (What’s Your Rupture? EP) When Sydney’s Royal Headache announced their demise in 2018 it seemed premature to their avid and growing listener base. In hindsight, it had been a tenuous decade of existence for the band and they were thoroughly cooked by the end with guitarist Lawrence Hall and drummer Chris Shortt bailing almost a year prior to their final performance. With two defining albums to their credit, their 2011 self-titled debut and 2015’s High, Royal Headache had left us wanting more so when Tim “Shogun” Wall re-emerged with a new project, Shogun and the Sheets and a debut single in late 2018, hopes were renewed. That ended up being a short-term affair, and things remained silent until a year-and-a-half ago when Shogun partnered with Finn Berzin to start Finnoguns Wake—a moment, if you’ll forgive the pun, to reJoyce! Finn was the younger brother of Shogun’s good friend who had decide to depart Australia, and despite their roughly two decade age gap, they bonded over Hüsker Dü and Oasis’ debut Definitely Maybe. By time Royal Headache broke up, Shogun had forsaken punk rock for all of its inherent trappings, nevertheless Stay Young bursts with the type of energy reminiscent of the birth of that genre. Admirably, this is a true partnership between Shogun and Finn so lead vocals are evenly split between the two of them. The band is rounded out with past Shogun collaborators Gabrielle De Giorgio (keyboards), Campbell Troy (bass) and new drummer Liam Hoskins (DMA’s). The opener, “Blue Skies,” soars with Finn’s squalling guitar and Shogun’s majestic Pollard-esque vocal take. The middle tracks, “So Nice” and Lovers All,” ride more of a pop crest behind Finn’s passionate pleas, registering in the territory of Bob Mould’s Sugar phase. “Strawberry Avalanche” closes out the record in anthemic fashion—a Gallagher brothers-like fist pumper that’s addictive to its core. After feeling ruined by the relative success of Royal Headache (an “emotional holocaust” period according to Shogun), let’s hope the modest aspirations of Finnoguns Wake is a reward in and of itself so that he and Berzin remain compelled to carry on the pleasure. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e65188f3-17bf-48f5-b0dc-4bf07f63529d/capsuna-capsuna.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Finnoguns Wake, Capsuna, The Umbrellas - Capsuna - S/T (self-released cassette) While based out of Brussels, Belgium, Capsuna also contains members with origins from New Jersey, Ohio and Suffolk. Their name is derived from the Romanian word for strawberry. Fittingly, there’s an underlying (bitter)sweetness to their low-key songs as expressed through the enchanting vocals of Louise Crosby. Like their playful collage cover art, Capsuna borrows from existing mediums with bit of jangle strum, French pop and bedroom recording aesthetics that are rearranged into their own shifting patterns. Basic song structures are tweaked at times with subtle but significant touches. The album’s opener, “asymmetrical,” bursts forth with a gorgeous melody and rhythm that’s carried out through much of the song before Damien Rixhon’s contrasting keyboard emerges to tussle with David Enright’s driving guitar to close things out. Upbeat vibes are pitted against more sinister leanings that are expressed in songs like “horrorscope” and “penitence.” Capsuna provides many pleasures on a surface level, but a deeper dive into their music also reveals untold surprises. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b1bd9e1d-3d89-49d1-9af7-35015f86d541/the-umbrellas-fairweather-friend.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Finnoguns Wake, Capsuna, The Umbrellas - The Umbrellas - Fairweather Friend (Slumberland Records LP) The transition from scrappy and charming indie status to a more refined sound often trips up nascent groups of promise. Call it the sophomore slump or perhaps just the law of diminishing returns. The Umbrellas’ self-titled debut album from 2021 struck a blissful note, mining elements of C80s-era pop craft with a DIY sensibility. Fairweather Friend shows that the band’s song construction prowess remains firmly intact, not at the expense of a more robust sound. With its insistent adrenaline rush and breathless vocal exchange between Matt Ferrara and Morgan Stanley, “Gone” is a sheer delight—the most dynamic number that the Umbrellas have written to date. In “Goodbye,” Stanley uses a variance in inflection to add texture and richness to an unsentimental tale about a relationship that’s outlived its welcome. The versatility of either Ferrara or Stanley sliding in to assume primary vocals duty while the other one harmonizes creates a pleasing variety and contrast as evidenced by such numbers as “P.M.” and “When You Find Out.” There’s an overall shimmer and vitality pervasive throughout Fairweather Friend—this is the type of progression that has you savoring the moment while also excited about the possibilities that are yet to come. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ac449137-6e96-4163-bda4-35ec742e910c/shop-assistants-shop-assistants.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Finnoguns Wake, Capsuna, The Umbrellas - Shop Assistants: Will Anything Happen (Blue Guitar LP) It seems inconceivable to the degree that Edinburgh’s Shop Assistants have influenced indie pop that a compilation archive doesn’t exist to represent their full recorded output. Their first incarnation was under the name of Buba & The Shop Assistants and consisted of three lads and a female singer named Aggi (Annabel Wright). That outfit’s only single released in 1984 was produced by Stephen Pastel, who also contributed backing vocals. Aggi would soon follow Stephen to the Pastels and the rest of the band would ultimately move on as well with the exception of guitarist David Keegan. The line-up eventually settled again, this time with Keegan being the lone male representative. After a couple more singles, their sole LP came out in 1986 featuring Alex Taylor on vocals, Sarah Kneale on bass, dual drummers Laura MacPhail and Ann Donald plus the aforementioned Keegan. The Shop Assistants were at their best in combining distortion with melody. Keegan’s guitar grinds away on “I Don’t Wanna Be Friends With You” while Taylor demurely delivers the ultimate kiss off in proclaiming: “If you don’t love me anymore / Just tell me you don’t want to know / But I don’t wanna be civilized / You leave me and I’ll scratch your eyes out.” In a similar vein, “All Day Long” pleasantly bounces along, belying the growing agitation that Taylor expresses to an oblivious cad. Not to be overlooked is the mellifluous beauty the band was capable of conjuring up as witnessed in “Before I Wake” and the especially resplendent “Somewhere in China.” The year following Will Anything Happen, Taylor departed to join the Meat Whiplash crew to form a new band called The Motorcycle Boy that were reminiscent of Shop Assistants. Most of the other members later reconvened to record a couple of singles that came out on Avalanche Records in 1990. As a testament to how unrecognized the band had become, Alex Taylor’s passing in 2005 didn’t become publicly known until 2020 when a fellow Motorcycle Boy band member tried to track her down to tell her that he’d be releasing the group’s debut recording that had been previously shelved when that band split up. - Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-sundae-painters-barbara-manning-guided-by-voices-o23rnqftv monthly 0.5 2024-02-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1705541165902-TU2PC05J6W6POTPIQO99/the-sundae-painters-sundae-painters.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Sundae Painters, Barbara Manning, Guided By Voices - The Sundae Painters - S/T (Leather Jacket Records LP) The music community centered around Flying Nun Records in the ’80s/’90s was notably tight, with band members regularly pitching in to support each other’s projects. So it came about naturally when Paul Keen (Toy Love, The Bats), Kaye Woodward (The Bats), Alec Bathgate (Toy Love, Tall Dwarfs) and Hamish Kilgour (The Clean, Mad Scene) got together between 2019 and 2021 to rehearse and record as The Sundae Painters. Following Kilgour’s death in December of 2022, Kean gathered his recordings of the band to assemble this release of eight tracks. The record reflects the camaraderie of a group of tight friends intuitively playing off each other with nothing particular to prove. Parts psychedelic, drone and folk, there’s an endearing ramshackle approach in which one might imagine that songs were hatched over the course of communal conversations and casual drinks. With a couple of instrumentals thrown in, it’s clear that part of the pleasure was just the joy of performing together—unspoken or otherwise. The vocals tracks are split between Kilgour’s mystical-sounding forays and Woodward’s soothing ballads. As his last recorded output, it’s comforting to know that Hamish was among treasured friends doing what brought him a great deal of joy. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ab69ace2-de62-4b1a-83cb-f9cd589ca4f8/barbara-manning-charm-of-yesterday-convenience-of-tomorrow.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Sundae Painters, Barbara Manning, Guided By Voices - Barbara Manning - Charm of Yesterday…Convenience of Tomorrow (Ba Da Bing! Compilation) The blend of pop tunefulness and acerbic wit that Barbara Manning showcased on her initial solo releases, Lately I Keep Scissors (1988) and One Perfect Green Blanket (1991), could serve as a template for the path Liz Phair took with Exile in Guyville. After being cut free from Matador Records following 1997’s 1212, Manning entered a period of economic challenge and self-doubt. Posting her music to Bandcamp offered her an opportunity to get back in the game. With the assistance from some local musician friends, Manning cobbled together a dozen songs for a 2016 digital self-release titled Chico Daze. Three quarters of those numbers turn up on the Ba Da Bing! compilation, highlighted by the scathing “Reverse Disguise,” a driving “Tape You To A Star,” and wistful “Wishes Don’t Tie You Down.” There’s also a handful of acoustic covers that Manning dubbed The Porch Series due to the backyard setting that served as a recording base during the pandemic. They reflect the discerning taste and eclecticism that she is know for, ranging from Elliot Smith and Galaxie 500 to Edgar Winter and The Handsome Family. The most recent recordings emanate from 2021 with her outfit The Go-Luckys and include “A Mountain,” a song about overcoming life’s struggles and featuring a brief guitar blast as big as its title. A recent East Coast tour with Codeine has solidified Manning’s desire for a comeback, including additional recording and plans for a new record. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/85383e59-4193-4d5e-ba64-c0eb9a1f69e6/guided-by-voices-nowhere-to-go-but-up.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Sundae Painters, Barbara Manning, Guided By Voices - Guided By Voices - Nowhere To Go But Up (Guided By Voices Inc. LP) To label a band as indie forty years into their tenure seems misguided, but the description remains apt for Guided By Voices. After being vetted by a couple of industry heavy hitters (Matador & TVT), GBV has spent the last twenty five years pumping out product on their own imprint, a collective umbrella that also supports Robert Pollard’s solo endeavors and side projects. Over half of their catalog has come about in the last ten years, most of them created by the current lineup that’s been in place since 2016. Nowhere To Go But Up represent their third effort of 2023—a pace in stark contrast with other bands of their longevity who are content to rest on past achievements when their creative juice starts to trickle. While its undeniable that listener fatigue was inevitable with the sheer volume of output, GBV continue to exist because they’re compelled to for creative reasons and their fanbase is rewarded by their tenacity to remain relevant by not sounding like a broken record. As with most any of their releases, you could do a random needle drop on Nowhere To Go But Up and become smitten with the glorious song craft that’s embedded in Pollard’s DNA. If you choose to start from the beginning, “The Race Is On, The King Is Dead” is a prime table setter; bolstered by Pollard’s detached, but cutting observations and an ascending/descending pattern that creates a pleasing pathway. “Puncher’s Parade” and “Stabbing at Fractions” trade on his penchant for intriguing wordplay and catch phrases that continue to playback in your mind. The back half of the record is where the band flexes its muscles to a greater degree. “Jack of Legs” melds metallic riffs with prog stutter steps before cutting loose into symphonic overdrive. “For the Home” breaks into a gallop and steadies the reins for a blissful ride. If you’ve fallen off the GBV bandwagon in recent years, Nowhere To Go But Up presents a compelling case to come back on board. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/eadc78b6-5e7c-44ef-82f9-21c4cef1237a/acetone-im-still-waiting.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Sundae Painters, Barbara Manning, Guided By Voices - Acetone - I’m Still Waiting (New West box set compilation) Much like the nearby Pacific Ocean, California residents Acetone combined transcendent moments of stillness and overwhelming moments of power and release. Coming of age in the mid ’80s and forming in 1992 after releasing one record as Spinout, they re-configured as a trio and early recordings brought on a bidding war which found them signed for $400K to Vernon Yard, a subsidiary of Virgin. Their debut album Cindy (1993) encapsulates a soft-hard dynamic that became popular throughout the ’90s, and which they continued to mine and refine until their last record York Blvd. (2000). In 2001 lead singer and bassist Richie Lee took his own life and thus, Acetone was done. In 2017 author Sam Sweet chronicled the Acetone story in his superlative book Hadley, Lee, Lightcap (All Night Menu), and a fuller picture of the band and their journey emerged; one marked by critical acclaim, small audiences, and an ongoing heroin problem within the band. Despite the fact that they offered a distinct and unique take on the history and many hidden corners of rock music and more exotic fair, they never reached popularity afforded many lesser bands of the time. The alternative rock and grunge heavy airplay of the time crowded out a band as singular as Acetone, and only in death did Acetone receive any national press. Thus, it is amazing that New West has collected the entirety of their output and released a deluxe 11 vinyl box set: all four LPs, two EPs, and a disc of rarities, demos, and live cuts. The large format booklet contains photos, an appreciation by admirer and friend Jason Pierce (Spiritualized, Spaceman 3) and an extensive album by album consideration by Drew Daniel (Matmos, The Soft Pink Truth). As of this writing, the first edition of 750 is sold out on the New West website. Superficially lumped in with the ‘slowcore’ movement, Acetone were heavier not only in their quiet moments, but able to bring the rock and roll in classic power trio style, with Richie Lee’s Rickenbacker bass rumbling through an 8x10" speaker cabinet, whilst Hadley’s cymbal wash flow and jazz stylings on drums provided the perfect bedrock for guitarist Lightcap’s nimble and frequently wicked and astonishing fretwork (imho a case can be made that he was one of the elite guitarists of his generation and indie rock overall). After a four song self-titled EP, Acetone released their debut album Cindy (1993) later the same year and toured in the coming years with Oasis (then unknown in the U.S.), Verve, Mazzy Star, Garbage, and Spiritualized. A covers EP followed titled I Guess I Would (1994), which leaned into Americana and country, recorded amongst difficult circumstances in Nashville, out of which the next full-length also emerged, If You Only Knew (1995). Despite positive notices, the dark and idiosyncratic moodiness of the record saw them dropped from Vernon Yard. Back home in Ca. and in debt, they all found part-time work and new sobriety for Richie and Steve, out of which came the excellent Acetone (1997) on Neil Young’s Vapor Records. In the liner notes Daniel sees this as “outpacing everything” that had come before. York Blvd. (2000) would become Acetone’s swan song, utilizing the studio and expanded production to realize what may be their definitive recording; deeply soulful, crunchy, with the band never sounding or playing better. All of their influences from a lifetime of close listening coalesce here; unfortunately, it broke the band, with drummer Hadley leaving. Though Acetone toured to support YB with radar brother Steve Goodfriend filling in on drums, another end was coming, of the most tragic and unfortunate kind. I saw Acetone on four occasions—the last of which was on May 9, 2001 at Schubas. After the show, I spoke with Richie, and he told me that they “played the shit out of” the cassette I had made for them on their previous visit—Eno’s Another Green World and Before and After Science. As it happens, I recorded that 2001 set onto minidisc, which subsequently made it to Mark Lightcap after Richie’s passing. I heard back later it was the second to last show they ever played. So, what are we to take from the Acetone story and how is it different from say, other artists who have been overlooked in their time? Perhaps there is nothing different, but maybe the common thread of ‘missing’ has to do with individual consciousness and the speed and comprehension we afford to listening and perceiving music and art in general. For example, consider the nature of vinyl itself; in my musical awakening the act of hearing a record involved the time and space to listen, intentionally, and largely, uninterrupted. This is no longer the case in our digital and streaming age, and in fact, there is research to suggest that consciousness itself has been altered. The upside? The history of music recording and sound is accessible at a second’s impulse. Thus, there is no small irony in the fact that I was mistaken in understanding that I’m Still Waiting would include digital streaming. Nope. I reached out to New West, and they said they “do not have the licensing clearances.” How queer that a band so little heard in their lifetime gets an absolute peach of a career box set and, still, their complete discography is scattered about in the digital universe. Nevertheless, the records remain and at least Acetone and York Blvd., along with the Light in the Attic compilation Acetone: 1992-2001 are readily streamed. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/wades-top-11-of-2023-183h3-2iuhro monthly 0.5 2024-01-06 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/wades-top-10-of-2023-238h-34uhqot monthly 0.5 2024-01-04 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/bruces-top-10-of-2023-9283rh-23f245g monthly 0.5 2024-01-04 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/marks-top-10-of-2023-2j3rpo32-a32uihlo monthly 0.5 2024-01-03 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/toms-top-10-of-2023-2894htqrh-12u3i2hq monthly 0.5 2024-01-02 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/cafe-racer-the-sleeping-souls-wurld-series-82cnqp monthly 0.5 2024-01-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/074553f4-78a4-4bf7-8f87-e98119c4158a/cafe-racer-worlds-in-error.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Café Racer, The Sleeping Souls, Wurld Series - Café Racer - Words In Error (Limited Language LP) The swan song of Chicago’s Café Racer traffics in a similar way to their previous recordings—a heady melodic mixture of indie rock psychedelia that ventures into shoegazey territories and heavier fare, as heard in the instantly catchy “The Wall,” and the slow burn builder “Cannonball,” While their records focus a bit more on the dreamy harmony vocals of “Split” and “Material,” “Words In Error” combines both loud and soft facets and seems a pretty neat summation of what they achieved. A couple weekends ago they played their final shows at Empty Bottle and on the first night, the three guitar frontline attack ascended to levels Sonic Youth would be proud of. Fans of early ’80s L.A jangle (e.g. The Three O’Clock/Rain Parade take notice), while current fans of Kurt Vile/Yo La Tengo/Wilco should also appreciate this wonderful band. The only mystery is how these guys were never signed to a larger label, they deserved more. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0bfc440b-a31b-4141-b043-99001009434f/the-sleeping-souls-just-before-the-world-starts-burning.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Café Racer, The Sleeping Souls, Wurld Series - The Sleeping Souls - Just Before The World Starts Burning (Xtra Mile Recordings LP) The Sleeping Souls are normally busy on tour with Frank Turner, but they’ve managed to find enough free time to put together a fine new album—Just Before The World Starts Burning. The Souls are joined here by Cahir O’Doherty (from New Pagans) on vocals & guitar and he puts in a strong performance. The results are a nicely polished mix of ’90s indy/alt-rockers (“Rivals”), thoughtful pop songs (“Scared Of Living”) and delicate folky love songs (“Steal Some Time” & “Liar Lover”). Matt Nasir (keys/guitar), Ben Lloyd (guitar), Tarrant Anderson (bass) and Callum Green (drums) are all talented musicians and it’s fun to see them stretch out on their own material here. I’d love for them to find a way to play a few shows in the US, but if not, we’ve got this lovely document of their combined talents. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0a65d619-1ae4-4d09-9018-46970076fa6f/wurld-series-the-giants-lawn.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Café Racer, The Sleeping Souls, Wurld Series - Wurld Series - The Giant’s Lawn (Meritorio Records LP) Vocalist/guitarist Luke Towart of Wurld Series likens psychedelic music to the wonder and innocence of childhood. The band’s third LP, The Giant’s Lawn, is imaginative and quizzical in that sense. Composed of 17 tracks of varying lengths, there’s plenty of pop pleasures interspersed among the endearing tangents and musical left turns. Having grown up in rural northern England but later relocating to Christchurch in New Zealand, Towart has fashioned British psych folk with kiwi jangle in an unforced and intriguing manner. Expanding their boundaries with added instrumentation (mellotron, sax & synths) and incorporating field recordings, the band captures the spirit of experimentation where no whim or idea is outrightly dismissed. The Giant’s Lawn is the kind of record that reveals added layers with each subsequent listen, giving it an extended shelf life and freshness beyond typical cycles. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9ee06e06-6fea-4c8c-ab83-433d9b7736e3/leicester-square-the-best-of-yeah-yeah-noh.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Café Racer, The Sleeping Souls, Wurld Series - Yeah Yeah Noh - Leicester Square: The Best of Yeah Yeah Not (Cherry Red Records compilation) In America, the ’80s psychedelic revival was defined by the west coast Paisley Underground movement with its notable participants comprised of the Rain Parade, Dream Syndicate, the Bangles, True West, Long Ryders and the Three O’Clock. In contrast, the English psychedelic revivalists came across as more eccentric typified by artists like Robyn Hitchcock and Julian Cope. Also in that camp would be Leicester outfit Yeah Yeah Noh. Derek Hammond (vocals) and John Grayland (guitar) initially crossed paths working at a the White Horse pub in 1981 and a couple of years later formed the band and contributed the song “Bias Binding” to a compilation of local acts that Grayland and Sue Dorey put out in conjunction with their Printhead fanzine. Following the release of the band’s first single, Dorey replaced Graham Summers on drums, teaming with bassist Adrian Crossan in the rhythm section, and by the time the band was on to their first album, Tom Slater was brought in as an additional guitarist. The compilation sources from their singles, EP and LP, along with material pulled from their four Peel Sessions and a few unreleased tracks. Hammond projects a unique presence, with his regal baritone voice and dry wit repertoire. Yeah Yeah Noh’s songs are quite varied, ranging from the caustic groove of “Prick Up Your Ears” to the spry shimmer of “Temple of Convenience.” As the group progressed, their songs only got more hallucinatory and trippy with fantastical tales like “Another Side To Mrs Quill” and “Crimplene Seed Lifestyle.” By 1986 Grayland was off to London and Dorey to Egypt, ending the band’s brief but noteworthy tenure. Hammond, Grayland and Slater did regroup with an updated Yeah Yeah Noh lineup in 2012 that resulted in a new record, Automatically Saturday, getting released in 2015—a far less idiosyncratic affair, but worth a listen for the curious minded. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/squirrel-flower-rat-columns-rmfc-234iq89yf monthly 0.5 2023-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1701533367706-Y5CMH290TMU6BLXCFO6O/squirrel-flower-tomorrows-fire.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Squirrel Flower, Rat Columns, R.M.F.C. - Squirrel Flower - Tomorrow’s Fire (Polyvinyl Record Company LP) Tomorrow’s Fire abounds with literary influences. The title is a nod to Ella Williams’ great-grandfather’s novel that was derived from a quote from the French poet Rutebeuf: “Tomorrow’s hopes provide my dinner / Tomorrow’s fire must warm tonight.” The forces of nature found in the work of poet Mary Oliver, whom Williams’ mother introduce her to, also provides context for the album’s connectivity between the physical and spiritual worlds. To further emphasize their bond, she relates a childhood tale relayed to her for the song “Canyon”: “When my mother was fifteen / Full of fire and nicotine / She said, ‘Fuck the DMV’ / Drove down to see Springsteen.” That rebellious spirit was also fostered by Williams’ impression upon reading Kim Gordon’s autobiography, Girl in a Band. “You hate when I do that / But I hate when I change / So I won’t be changing / I will never change,” snaps Williams to a combatant in “Stick.” After growing up near Boston, and attending school in Grinnell College in Iowa, Williams eventually settled in Chicago in 2021. Part of Tomorrow’s Fire was incubated during jam sessions at a warehouse living space that allowed the music to be cranked up without intervention. The aggressive and freeing approach is evident in her solo transformation of “I Don’t Use a Trash Can” from her 2015 debut, and “When a Plant is Dying” that was recorded in a live setting with Dave Hartley (War on Drugs), Matt McCaughan (Bon Iver), Jake Lenderman (Wednesday) and Seth Kaufman (Angel Olsen). Tomorrow’s Fire brings together Williams’ inherent strengths as an insightful songwriter and compelling vocalist and peppers them with an edginess that transcends her folk origins. She admires artists that are able to turn indie rock on its head and the direction Squirrel Flower is headed is dizzying and exhilarating in that exact sense. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4532b9b4-d109-4470-91e4-c9abed3c0c39/rat-columns-babydoll.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Squirrel Flower, Rat Columns, R.M.F.C. - Rat Columns - Babydoll (Tough Love Records LP) David West, the principal behind Perth’s Rat Columns, has a vast swath of experience in his home country and stateside playing with the likes of Total Control, Lace Curtain, Rank / Xerox and Scythe. Of all those endeavors, Rat Columns is where he’s left his most noticeable mark over the last decade. Babydoll is the fifth Rat Columns full-length album, with West serving as the lone mainstay. The record opens with the blissful “Cerulean Blue,” finely navigating the space between jangle pop and shoegaze that nicely dovetails into the sparkling splendor of “Life In The Jungle.” By track three on “Heavenly Assault” the guitar crunch and fuzz has been kicked up a notch to heightened effect. Deeper cut “Bees Make Honey” ebbs and flows, featuring a pleasing duet between Taylah McLean and West. Over the course of Rat Columns existence, West has presented a varied representation of indie pop and Babydoll is testament that his creativity continues to evolve. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8296a12a-6b3e-43d7-9436-e659836de88c/rmfc-club-hits.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Squirrel Flower, Rat Columns, R.M.F.C. - R.M.F.C. - Club Hits (Anti Fade / Urge Records LP) R.M.F.C., shorthand for Rock Music Fan Club, isn’t a collective, but rather the sole creation of Australian Buz Clatworthy, who started the project as a teenager in 2017. There’s a lot of unbridled energy and directness in his music with 1970s-era Wire-y textures. Clatworthy records everything himself in his home studio, and double-tracked the instruments and vocals to provide a fuller sounding affair. His experience playing guitar and synthesizer for fellow Sydney artists Tee Vee Repairmann and 1-800-MIKEY (whose leader Michael Barker sits in with Clatworthy’s touring band) informs his own take on garage punk that feels primal in origin, but not primitive in execution. Clatworthy closes out the record with “Rock Tune,” and at a running length of 4:46 easily surpasses all other tracks in length and scope, yet by choosing such a simple title he lets it be known that ambition will never get the better of him. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4ef56fb6-b4ed-4430-bfca-c0c252a949a1/the-spook-school-dress-up.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Squirrel Flower, Rat Columns, R.M.F.C. - The Spook School - Dress Up (Fortuna Pop! LP) The Spook School formed out of University of Edinburgh in 2011 through mutual involvement in the local comedy scene. Judging by his stage hijinks, drummer Niall McCauley must have stood out as an enamored class clown. After releasing three albums, the quartet amicably closed the chapter on the band only to announce two return engagements (in Dublin and London) this December to commemorate the tenth anniversary of their Dress Up debut. The record’s title refers to how gender is a social construct that can be manipulated by outside appearances. Gender identity and fluid sexuality were recurrent themes in their songs and an affection for the Buzzcocks permeated in both sound and spirit. Siblings Nye and Adam Todd were their principal songwriters, with Nye identifying as transgender. On the opener “Are You Who You Think You Are?“, Nye observes” “I know who I am and I know what I feel / So I have a problem accepting what is real / And are you who you think you are?” Bassist Anna Cory wistful voice provides a nice counterpoint to the Todd’s adenoidal registers and her self-penned “You Make It Sound Easy” shines in a ’80s Flatmates/Shop Assistants manner. In keeping with their initial introduction, absurd humor is not lost amidst their more serious observations as evidenced in the playfulness of “Can You Ever Trust a Man Who Thinks Matt Damon’s Really Cool?” and “Who Ya Gonna Call? Goat Buster!” Feeling marginalized by society at large, it’s refreshing to know that the members of Spook School continue to push back on irrelevancy and this current victory lap of sorts is recognition well deserved. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/sun-dial-slow-pulp-the-american-analog-set-uiae672 monthly 0.5 2023-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/68ba8ffe-7f01-481d-ab1f-8ebc11ce5f4b/sun-dial-messages-from-the-mothership.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sun Dial, Slow Pulp, The American Analog Set - Sun Dial - Messages From The Mothership (Sulatron Records LP) This on-again, off-again vehicle for British guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Gary Ramon first made an impact in the late 1980s with Other Way Out, a collection of catchy, heavily psychedelic rockers that turned more than a few heads (in every sense of that word!). A slightly later high watermark, Acid Yantra, from 1995, boosted the hard rock vibe in Sun Dial’s oeuvre while still nodding in a deeply lysergic direction. Since then Ramon and Sun Dial have alternately explored instrumental electronica, straight ahead guitar-pop and Hendrix-y hard-rock, to the occasional bewilderment of some fans. But Messages From The Mothership is a stirring, vibrant return to the band’s psychedelic rock roots, and fans of Other Way Out will be delighted! The disc kicks off with the aptly titled “Echoes All Around,” which vividly recalls the early Sun Dial classic “Exploding in Your Mind,” with its Leslie-warped lead vocals and fuzz-laced axe work. Similarly, “New Day” entwines the listener in sinewy Farfisa organ lines and heavily reverbed wah-wah guitar leads that ooze the 1960s. Elsewhere on the disc “Edge Of Light” evokes the chug-y drone of mid-70s Hawkwind, while “Look Up To The Skies” definitely has the DNA of Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” in its musical genome. If you love early Sun Dail or the neo-psych of outfits like the Bevis Frond and Plasticland, Messages From The Mothership will deeply resonate with you! -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f8f40673-f722-4157-be0f-99ce4cb182b6/slow-pulp-yard.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sun Dial, Slow Pulp, The American Analog Set - Slow Pulp - Yard (Anti- LP) Slow Pulp’s recent ascent with a sold out headline gig at Thalia Hall is fairly remarkable when I think about purchasing their self-released EP Big Day four years ago at a Scubas Tavern gig. The band had moved to Chicago from Madison prior to then but the origins of Yard were formed when Emily Massey began constructing the album’s songs while hunkered down over winter at a friend’s cabin in northern Wisconsin. There’s a conversational tone and relatability to her missives that supply the connective tissue to the band’s widening audience. On the title track which functions as an apology to her younger sister for her past neglect, she remarks “They put the house for sale sign up / Did you know that I card that much / Tell my sister that she’s good enough / For me.” And on “MUD” she laments “I know I’m not where I said what I’ve been / Getting older but I still play pretend / I don’t want this to end / I’m stuck in it again, again.” Slow Pulp was born out of a friendship forged between guitarist Henry Stoehr and drummer Teddy Matthews at an early age long before playing music became an aspiration. It was until the age of ten when they came across future bassist Alex Leeds while taking music lessons that there would be any inkling of what was to come. Massey was the last to join as rhythm guitarist and has been influential in the band’s ongoing trajectory. As such, Slow Pulp come across as committed to preserving their unique bond versus coming out on top. It’s a dynamic that’s apparent listening to Yard and one that should continue to serve them well as time passes. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/158735b9-6b94-47a8-8021-022ea29ded20/the-american-analog-set-for-forever.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sun Dial, Slow Pulp, The American Analog Set - The American Analog Set - For Forever (Hometown Fantasy LP) The American Analog Set is one of my favorite bands, and one that I don’t feel like got their due during their initial run (1995 - 2005). Andrew Kenny and the rest of the band crafted warm slowcore indie rock that hit just the right place for me. Their music has soundtracked so much of my adult life even including a prominent place on my wedding playlist! I was devastated when they originally broke up but eventually was buttressed by the fact that Andrew Kenny continued to put out music in his new band The Wooden Birds. I was lucky enough to see The Wooden Birds play at The Hideout in the summer of 2011, and they even played my favorite AmAnSet song “Aaron & Maria” during their set. Then, The Wooden Birds went silent, not releasing any music after 2011. Despite my best efforts over the years, I could not locate any news about Andrew Kenny’s comings and goings. I kid you not, I scoured the internet just about every six months hoping for news that one of my favorite bands was once again making music together, and on October 18th news came out that not only was AmAnSet back together, but they had a new album coming out, their first in 18 years, on October 27th. Dear reader, I’d love to tell you I played it cool, but that would be a lie. I lost my mind! I pre-ordered the album the second I could and devoured the two singles they were gracious enough to release. My friends were back! It turns out that the band has been back together and playing new music in Kenny’s garage for years, so the idea that they finally felt it was time to put out new music meant it had to have been worthwhile. For those of you who were already fans of AmAnSet, this album has touchstones of their previous work, while still pushing and evolving their sound. The warm keys are still ever present, as featured on “Konika & Maliko,” and Kenny’s voice sounds just as good as it sounded on their last album, Set Free. Those new to the band will enjoy the more propulsive angrier sound the band harnesses like on the second track “Screaming For Vengeance.” There is the jammy 12-minute epic “For Forever” that isn’t in a hurry to lull you into its trance, but once you are there, you won’t want to leave. In my opinion, they save their best song for last, “Mountain” does what my favorite AmAnSet songs do, and that’s perfect synergy amongst the band—warm keys, and impressive interplay, all leading to the surging chorus. All of this is to say that the wait was definitely worth it. I’m just hopeful my friends keep playing together and give us some more music when the time is right. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e8623939-f718-4922-abea-ac65ab513f3e/bedhead-bedhead-1992-1998.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sun Dial, Slow Pulp, The American Analog Set - Bedhead - 1992-1998 (Numero Group compilation) Bedhead is an apt name for the Texas quintet whose music maintained a leisurely pace and revealed itself in layers with subtle shifts and gestating build-ups. Originating from Wichita Falls, two hours northwest of Dallas, the band was started by brothers Matt and Bubba Kadane, who were exposed to music at an early age from their drumming-obsessed father. Although Bedhead would eventually relocate to Dallas, it was the barrenness of their hometown that interjected itself into the sparsity of their music. Defined by the three guitar line-up of the brothers Kadane and Tench Coxe, the band could mix tones and textures or go all in with a maelstrom of noise. Vocals were usually hushed, though not buried in the mix, and lyrically existential thoughts pervaded. The excellently-archived Numero box set is comprehensive, collecting all the band singles, EPs, a few outtakes and three studio albums. Later job commitments compelled various group members to disperse to different parts of the country, which ultimately led to a shutdown following the final album, Transaction De Novo, in 1998. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/melenas-lower-plenty-hidden-eyes-2oj3ir monthly 0.5 2023-11-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2535c366-fe41-4228-95af-046e1da73528/melenas-ahora.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Melenas, Lower Plenty, Hidden Eyes - Melenas - Ahora (Trouble In Mind LP) Melenas’ 2017 self-titled debut held promise of an upstart garage band with pop harmony inclinations that was learning on the go. Chicago’s Trouble In Mind took notice and signed the group for the subsequent Dias Raros album, which furthered their progression with layered textures elevating their previous skeletal framework. Ahora completes the transformation taking the band’s initial basic beat to a motorik zone while the electronics ebb & swell, gurgle & grind to interactive effect. “K2,” “Bang” and “Tú Y Yo” come off like a Spanish take on the French-influenced vibes of Stereolab. Melenas’ pop sensibility remains firmly intact; “1986" is a finger-snapping pleasure bomb with an insistent organ riff and a sugar-coated melody. The group continues singing all their material in Spanish, perhaps a nod to their strong Basque heritage. Often times the varied vocals function as another sound element in the overall resplendent tapestry. Ahora translates to now in English and judging by this record I would safely say that Melenas are living large in the moment. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d069f871-80e5-41c7-9091-7dea6295c7d3/lower-plenty-no-poets.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Melenas, Lower Plenty, Hidden Eyes - Lower Plenty - No Poets (Bedroom Suck Records LP) Melbourne’s Lower Plenty has a way with fusing indie folk and pop that reveals a spontaneity that keeps their work sounding fresh and endearing. Listening to the group feels like pulling up a chair and dropping in on an intimate fireside conversation where everybody is lending their thoughts and no single person is dominating the discussion. While No Poets is their fifth LP, all four members of Lower Plenty continue to play in other Australian indie bands that highlight their versatility and also indicates their willingness to be deferential to the project at hand. The group functions as a collective with each member contributing to the songwriting process and vocalization. Acoustic guitar strum coupled with brushed percussion makes for an unfussy presentation with a tangible directness of a passed along musical language that doesn’t require intense deciphering. Some of the more sublime moments come about when Lower Plenty employ their tag team vocal approach on numbers like “Cold Room, Shut Blinds,” “The Great Pretender” and “Back to the Foldout.” No Poets is loaded with inornate charm doled out in casual fashion, inhabiting a comfort zone that encourages you to give way to its enduring pleasures. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9ff44ee2-b798-4e90-97d7-67d9000ca886/hidden-eyes-too-small.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Melenas, Lower Plenty, Hidden Eyes - Hidden Eyes - Too Small (self-released LP) One of the wonderful aspects of the decentralization of music distribution is the opportunity for artists of all stripes to have their work heard. And so it is for Hidden Eyes, a sibling duo from the town of Market Harborough (population of approximately 25K) situated in the Midlands territory of England. Too Small may signify their stature in the music industry, but it more accurately reflects a cozy intimacy born out of a passion for pop songcraft and emotionally-delicate lyrical observations. They’re well-suited for the home recording process, starting out last year with minimal gear and a smartphone to capture their work. Dylan, the brother of the pair, delivers the instrumental backing via diamond guitar tones and lean percussion while his sister Lou sings tenderly and wistfully, capturing the mood of the violet hour. Hidden Eyes may go gentle into the good night, but clearly not unnoticed. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/921d5c49-5943-4e34-b664-e5c30731c87c/oister-pre-dwight-twilley-band.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Melenas, Lower Plenty, Hidden Eyes - Oister - Pre-Dwight Twilley Band / 1973-74 Teac Tapes (HoZac Records 2-LP) When Dwight Twilley died this October from a vehicle crash while experiencing a stroke, he went down as much of a cult artist as anyone could be with two top twenty hits to his name. Along with Phil Seymour (who passed in 1993 from lymphoma), the pair put Tulsa on the pop world map after meeting in line for a screening of The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night in 1967. That fateful encounter launched a home recording partnership that was a harbinger for the DIY approach that’s now prevalent in indie circles. Starting out with an Akai 2-track deck, they eventually graduated to a Teac A-3340 4-track unit with multi-channel recording being exclusively the providence of professional studios prior to then. To further their DIY cred, Twilley and Seymour went so far as pressing up acetates of conceptual albums that they would then sell to schoolmates. Fittingly they choose the name Oister as the perfect metaphor for a clamshell-like partnership of two equals. When the band signed with Shelter Records in 1974, it was label executive Denny Cordell who pushed for renaming them the Dwight Twilley Band, which never sat well with Seymour and contributed to his premature departure in 1978. The 20 tracks on the HoZac archival release were the ones used out of nearly 100 recorded to sway the signing to Shelter. Despite finite recording restrictions, what’s immediately apparent in listening to the material is how seamlessly the duo’s voices function together with each capable of carrying the lead or providing spot-on backing. The arrangements also belie so-called demo conventions; a factor of their skill of bouncing down individual tracks to provide room for additional sound enhancements. “You Were So Warm” and “Release Me” would get re-recorded for their debut album, but the structure of what would make them so addictive was firmly in place from the get-go. A Sun-soaked rockabilly influence also surfaces on “Hot Mama” (as it would later on in their hit single “I’m on Fire”). The self-recording knowledge that Twilley and Seymour gained with the Teac would later be put to use on the extravagant “Sincerely,” a masterstroke of reverb-laden vocals and backwards guitar produced under the luxury of a forty-track console. Despite the immediate success of “I’m of Fire,” which reached number 16 on the Billboard’s single charts in 1975, Twilley and Seymour didn’t earn the recognition they were due (discounting Twilley’s other top 20 hit “Girls” off of his 1984 solo release, Jungle, which benefitted from backing vocals from friend Tom Petty). A rift between Cordell and partner Leon Russell halted Shelter’s record distribution and by time Sincerely was released a year-and-a-half later the momentum had been squandered and the album failed to chart in the top 100. The follow-up, Twilley Don’t Mind, peaked at number 70 and Seymour left the following year effectively bringing to an end one of the most perfect pop pairings that ever existed. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/sincere-engineer-teenage-fanclub-the-treasures-of-mexico-89rqahi monthly 0.5 2023-11-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d1bee032-365c-4892-a581-d2d3b70c9a18/sincere-engineer-cheap-grills.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sincere Engineer, Teenage Fanclub, The Treasures of Mexico - Sincere Engineer - Cheap Grills (Hopeless Records LP) Chicago punk is something near and dear to all the No Wrisbands crew—I’m talking Slapstick, The Broadways, The Lawrence Arms, Rise Against, The Honor System, Alkaline Trio—punk with soaring choruses and just the slightest hint of pop melodies— and we have the newest entry into that pantheon, Sincere Engineer. The band started as a solo project of lead singer, main songwriter, and guitarist Deanna Belos, and has morphed into a tight band featuring Nick Arvanitis on bass, Adam Beck on drums, and Kyle Geib on guitar. We recently interviewed Deanna on the pod, and only having heard two of the singles felt confident saying these were the band’s best songs yet, and I can say after hearing the whole album, it is even better than we could have imagined. I know I talk a lot about my affinity for bands leveling up, but it never gets old, and that’s exactly what happened here too. Deanna said in our interview that working with their producer Mike Sapone helped push the songs up a level. He encouraged the band to retool some of their songs, add some choruses and additional verses, and the finished product is astounding. I am admittedly biased, I love hearing songs that shout out Chicago and drinking, but these are great songs! Telling stories of not fitting in, unrequited love, stories of new love, it is the work of a band confident in who they are, and swinging for the fences (as called out in album closer “Blind Robin”). Belos’ range has improved over the years—there are still the anthemic punk songs like “Scratched” but there are also softer vocals on songs like “Blind Robin” and “Inside My Head.” These songs are more filled out with keys being added by The Hold Steady’s Franz Nicolay—like on the early single “California King,” whose keys remind me of the late ’90s/early 2000s Chicago band, Sig Transit Gloria. The standout song on the album for me is “Old Coat Pocket,” a fitting telling off of an ex with my favorite lyrics: “I stood out like a dad on the porch just to be / Ready to watch you roll through my goddamn city.” The image of that hasn’t left my mind in a while, it’s just so good. Make sure you check out their album release show at the Metro on December 23rd. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a4b74bae-ab4f-4890-97c3-6b24b9a471df/teenage-fanclub-nothing-lasts-forever.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sincere Engineer, Teenage Fanclub, The Treasures of Mexico - Teenage Fanclub - Nothing Lasts Forever (Merge Records LP) It’s no surprise that the new Teenage Fanclub record, Nothing Lasts Forever, doesn’t deliver any big surprises. For some time now, the Fanclub has settled into a signature sound of easy-rolling, mid-tempo strummers laced with subtly enticing hooks and layered vocal harmonies. And that sound is signed, sealed and delivered here. The song “Foreign Land” kicks off the proceedings with a laser beam of fuzz-tone guitar before settling into a harmony-drenched hook-slide that’s irresistibly catchy. The tunes “Tired of Being Alone” and “Falling into the Sun” beautifully show off one of the Fanclub’s more unique skills: the ability to turn a gentle cascade of minor chords and introspective lyrics into something that makes you want to tap your foot and sing along with, rather than cry in your beer. “It’s Alright” is another buoyantly melodic, infectious gem that ranks with the band’s very best. While there are a couple numbers on Nothing Lasts Forever that end up sounding more pleasant than truly compelling, the quotient of hits-to-misses on the record is high. It’s true that nothing lasts forever, and neither will Teenage Fanclub. But they’ve been delivering the goods for over three decades now, so savor the magic while it’s still here! -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3ec9702e-4b2a-4b90-b458-d92cfa1f94f1/the-treasures-of-mexico-burn-the-jets.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sincere Engineer, Teenage Fanclub, The Treasures of Mexico - The Treasures of Mexico - Burn the Jets (Spinout Nuggets LP) This British quartet boasts the best band name I’ve heard in a decade and two former members of beloved ’90s pop/rockers The Dentists: guitarists Mark Matthews and Bob Collins. Although chiming, ’60s-influenced guitar-pop was a Dentists strong suit, they could also roll out some murky psychedelia, folky acoustic strumming and even the occasional hard rock explosion. However, The Treasures of Mexico’s delightful third album, Burn the Jets, keeps infectious pop nuggets flowing start to finish. Ultra catchy album opener “Beaming” sets the tone for much of what follows: a gently propulsive groove buoying harmony vocals (a Dentists staple) sighing over sparkling guitar hooks that glisten like morning dewdrops on a cobweb. The semi-acoustic “I’ve Got Everything That You Need” offers another quick dose of melodic charm, while “Monday Morning” kicks the volume up a bit without minimizing the blissful guitar hooks. I should add that bassist Nick Rice and drummer Russ Baxter are more than up to the job of pumping occasional, ample muscle into the songcraft. “Halo” and “Moon Landing” start with gentle, melodic guitar lines before their choruses burst with a powerhouse rhythmic crunch. “Fate Was Out to Get Me” even turns the axes and intensity up into the metallic range! But if you love the Dentists—or any classically melodic, hook-y songwriting—Burn the Jets provides a wonderfully warming pop bonfire. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/416cfcb3-bd4e-4f50-87e6-8e3ccc17f6ee/the-dentists-behind-the-door-i-keep-the-universe.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sincere Engineer, Teenage Fanclub, The Treasures of Mexico - The Dentists - Behind The Door I Keep The Universe (EastWest Records LP) Weary of the early ’80s manufactured pop from the likes of Duran Duran and Culture Club, Medway musicians Bob Collins and Mark Matthews set out to recapture the energy of ’60s-influenced garage and psychedelia in combination with a post-punk angularity. Things coalesced when Mick Murphy came aboard in 1984 as lead singer and additional guitarist. It wouldn’t be until 1991, though, when an opportunity presented itself to gig in the US when a couple of New York devotees brought the band over for a performance at CBGB as part of CMJ’s Music Marathon. Influential US indie label Homestead Records then inked The Dentists for a pair of albums (Dressed and Powdered Lobster Fiasco) that compiled prior material. A seemingly big break presented itself when Atlantic subsidiary EastWest Records scooped up the group and proceeded to release Behind The Door I Keep The Universe in 1994. BTDIKTU is arguably The Dentist’s most complete and endearing record. “This Is Not My Flag” opens the album with an urgency and statement of intent that fulfills the group’s founding mission. It gives way to the winsome “Space Man,” an imagined exit strategy to flee a suffocating relationship. Throughout BTDIKTU Murphy’s voice comes to the fore; varied in inflection and tone but never short of captivating. Whether luxuriating in harmony on “Brittle Sin and Flowers” or racing with breathless abandon on “Apple Beast,” the effect consistently triggers auditory pleasure receptors. The album rose to Number 8 on the CMJ College Radio charts, but after the follow-up, Deep Six, failed to build on that momentum Bob Collins put them to rest and The Dentists joined that legion of unsung bands that deserved much more than what they ever got. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/flat-worms-slaughter-beach-dog-deeper-5r61wa3 monthly 0.5 2023-10-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/26938be2-5229-4aa3-a193-047a0be98829/flat-worms-witness-marks.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Flat Worms, Slaughter Beach, Dog, Deeper - Flat Worms - Witness Marks (God? Records LP) Will Ivy, singer and guitarist for Flat Worms, views the creative options of music making as infinite and feels it’s essential to set parameters in order to achieve an agreeable balance between technical execution and creativity. With its tightly-coiled intensity, Witness Marks pushes against those boundaries like a pressure cooker waiting to blow its lid. The title track is in recognition of the unborn son he and his wife lost; a soul neither of them was afforded to be with yet one who had such a profound effect on their lives. The couple was able to regroup and were expecting the birth of another child around the time of Witness Marks’ release, which Ivy considers part of the painful but beautiful complexities of life. After recording their previous album, Antarctica, with Steve Albini in Chicago, Flat Worms circled back to work with Ty Segall, who had engineered much of their earlier catalog. God? Records, which has served as the band’s label since 2019, is Segall’s personal imprint that he established through Drag City. As a trio that includes bassist Tim Hellman and drummer Justin Sullivan, Flat Worms employ a less is more approach by creating a lean dynamic that doesn’t unduly muddy the waters. Each instrument emerges on equal footing so that their individual presence is noticeable but remains part of the whole. Above the fray, Ivy’s voice emerges, much like Protomartyr’s Joe Casey, to expose society’s foibles—human nature in full view and all a part of what we’re resigned to live with. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4abbf655-3c83-474d-b2e1-d0082a143f0e/slaughter-beach-dog-crying-laughing-waving-smiling.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Flat Worms, Slaughter Beach, Dog, Deeper - Slaughter Beach, Dog - Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling (Lame-O Records LP) Alt-Country seems to be having a moment right now with indie bands like Ratboys, Wednesday, and Slaughter Beach, Dog embracing country twang in their music. Slaughter Beach, Dog may be the most surprising of the aforementioned bands to embrace country as they started life as a solo project of Jake Ewald from Philadelphia 4th wave emo band Modern Baseball. As MoBo wound down Slaughter Beach, Dog picked up momentum and Ewald continued to write songs focused on introspection, growing up, and yearning. Slaughter Beach, Dog grew into a full-fledged band, and across 5 albums they have continued to explore their sound from emo to indie to acoustic, leading up to Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling’s embrace of alt-country. You’ll hear some lovely slide guitar on “Summer Windows” and twangy guitar playing on “Bobcat Club,” a song that tells the story of a couple Ewald observed at a favorite local bar. The show stopper on this album for me is the 9-minute Wilco-tinged “Engine.” The track moves along at a deliberate churning pace before opening up to a bed of synth and keys on which guitar explorations rest. It feels ethereal; it could come apart at any moment, but for this moment it is holding together and it’s perfect. Quite frankly, I cannot wait to see them perform it in person, as I’d imagine it gets longer and jammier live. Luckily, we will have that chance as they are playing at Thalia Hall on November 5th with Bonny Doon. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/cc460b96-b54e-40d6-9890-ff2365ec5e49/deeper-careful.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Flat Worms, Slaughter Beach, Dog, Deeper - Deeper - Careful! (Sub Pop LP) On their Sub Pop debut, Careful!, Chicago’s Deeper tread trepidatiously—always looking over their shoulder and waiting for the next shoe to drop. In the opening song, “Build a Bridge,” Nic Gohl intones “Everyone is sleeping / I’m sold-out on sound / Ominous music / no, it won’t let you down / It’s the right kind of rhythm.” Gohl regularly stares down his neurosis on the record, daring not to blink despite the discomfort. Abetted by co-guitarist Drew McBride, bassist Kevin Fairbairn and drummer Shiraz Bhatti, the instrumentation of Deeper is pulsing and serpentine. A judicious use of synths adds an element of dark wave and a smidgen of sax ups the discordance. With its stripped-down, repetitious structure, “Airplane Air” could have co-existed along with the rest of the tracks on Wire’s 154, down to Gohl’s disembodied refrain of “I couldn’t relate.” At the culmination of the album, on “Pressure,” the relief valve is finally activated when Gohl spills affection upon his spouse for being his saving grace. As McBride has pointed out, “Careful, is about looking out for one another.” Knowing someone else has your back makes it more comfortable dealing with whatever lurks behind in the shadows. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/eac431b0-dfad-419e-b620-f4252e40fd0e/colin-newman-a-z.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Flat Worms, Slaughter Beach, Dog, Deeper - Colin Newman - A-Z (Beggar’s Banquet LP) What was planned to comprise Wire’s 4th album following 154, resulted in a solo release after EMI cancelled studio time when negotiations with the band fell through. As Newman explained to Trouser Press at the time: “We’d worked out a sales strategy for 154 that EMI couldn’t see at all. They couldn’t understand a rock band that wanted to do a week in a theater as an event, and wanted to promote 154 with videos or left-field TV adverts. We wanted to help them sell records: they thought we were simply being intransigent.” Hardly an unreasonable request considering Wire’s stance of not performing prior material live and the profound influence videos would soon have when MTV launched in the fall of 1981. Beyond the EMI label issues, Wire were also splitting in factions during this time, with Newman and drummer Robert Gotobed favoring a more pop approach while bassist Graham Lewis and guitarist Bruce Gilbert skewing towards more dissonance. Fittingly, Gotobed joined Newman for A-Z’s recording along with bassist Desmond Simmons and trusted producer Mike Thorne, who also contributing keys & synths. Newman’s pop element was most notably on display with “& Jury,” which he co-wrote with Simmons. In keeping with Wire’s adventuresome bent, A-Z cobbles elements of post-punk, industrial and ambient soundscapes for a fly-in-the-ointment agitation effect. “Troisième” comes crashing down in dizzying discordance and at one point the synthesizer morphs into what sounds like an air siren, beckoning us all to seek cover. With an uncertain future, Newman appears to be trying things on for fit; on “Inventory” he confesses “I’m testing the temperature, one foot in the water / A splash makes me gnash my teeth in horror.” It would be some time before Wire found some common ground to stand upon again. The realization that they’re producing some of their most vital music as of recent years points to how fortunate we should feel to be experiencing their lasting effect. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/damon-locks-rob-mazurek-versing-edging-af67gy2 monthly 0.5 2023-10-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9d5d2dae-e54c-4da8-8266-5462dcaed2c3/damon-locks-rob-mazurek-new-future-city-radio.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek, Versing, Edging - Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek - New Future City Radio (International Anthem LP) Thank a higher power that there are labels such as International Anthem to release such eclectic records as NFCR. Masquerading as an underground pirate radio broadcasting “24/7 from unknown rooftops,” well pedigreed artists Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek gather samples, grooves, beats, voices, and their own instruments to cook up this multihued affair. Mazurek’s exotic trumpet arrives with “Breeze of Time” juxtaposed with spoken word and drone…ending with MLK intoning “grappling with problems… we are all here this evening.” Simply, this is audio painting, impressionistic strokes of sound dialogue-ing and questioning. A muted social conscience threads throughout the record with positive messages and good times vibes. The DJ announces “Let’s remake the city using our own design,” as a prelude to another standout track “The Concord Hour.” Seamlessly, it all flows on and after 18 songs and 40 minutes, I hit repeat. “Redirect explanations—suspense in the grip of suspense!” -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/42e07a7c-1995-4546-9aaa-59877d075f0f/versing-tape-ii.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek, Versing, Edging - Versing - Tape II (self-released cassette EP) Poking up from the flood of releases that is Bandcamp Daily, Seattle indie rockers Versing get it all right on this self-released 5 song. Kicking around since at least 2016, which saw the release of their debut, Nude Descending, Versing traffic in noisy power pop that on Tape II (release #4), stretches into woozy My Bloody Valentine territory. Not a dud in the bunch, “Circles” is great, as well as “Distractions,” but the standout is “Nowhere,” which has radio hit written all over it. Alas, as their unsigned status reflects, no rhyme or reason exists in the independent music world; who gets signed, who secures good support gigs, representation…it’s an arbitrary world, largely. Nonetheless we have the gift of music from Versing. “When you’re out / On your own / You’ll get nowhere”…never sounded better. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a2489b5e-b206-4870-a897-61a8e7b17e99/edging-good-sex-music.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek, Versing, Edging - Edging - Good Sex Music (Dick Jail Records LP) Edging resides in the company of fellow Chicagoans Spread Joy, Cel Ray and Heet Deth, trafficking in a warped and unhinged post-punk apocalypse. On their second album Good Sex Music, following 2021’s Concrete Cumming, Edging deviate from the norms of society. It’s a wearying route to take, symbolized by the downtrodden circus clown in the animated video of their song “Post People.” Thought crimes have become a reality in a nation that’s increasingly attacking personal liberties. As a transgender artist, vocalist Faith Callaway has dealt firsthand with the culture of oppression and discrimination, and along with her partner and bandmate Will Sallee, they continue to kick against the pricks. Packed with pummeling riffs, punk fervor and agitating sax courtesy of Tyler Meneese, Good Sex Music brazenly announces itself to the world, unconcerned about carrying on with anything that passes for polite conversation. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/78430221-9c9a-4e80-8628-bcd31f27c1d2/the-sonics-here-are-the-sonics.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Damon Locks & Rob Mazurek, Versing, Edging - The Sonics - Here Are The Sonics!!! (Etiquette Records LP) Imagine, if you will, spilling into Tacoma’s Red Carpet club circa 1964 and crossing paths with the Sonics. Initially, renderings of “Do You Love Me” and “Walkin’ the Dog” catch your ear, but before you’ve had time to throw back your first beer you’re jolted unexpectedly by the unholy racket and a lung-shredding singer who’s picking his own poison and losing his mind. Launched in 1960 by teenage guitarist Larry Parypa as an instrumental combo, the Sonics underwent a makeover in 1963 with the arrival of keyboardist Gerry Roslie, drummer Bob Bennett and saxophonist Rob Lind from another local outfit, the Searchers. In due time, Roslie came to the forefront as the group’s unhinged singer. Their debut album, Here Are The Sonics, captured on a two-track recorder is as raw as tartare. Bennett’s drumming is barely contained; his snare rolls explode with machine gun-like carnage. Unlike most white musicians of the day that approached black soul and r&b songs with with the intent of making them more palatable to a wider audience, the Sonics’ renditions give no quarter to please milder tastes. The lasting point of distinction though can be found in the Roslie-penned originals—their titles alone portend something wicked coming your way: “The Witch,” “Boss Hoss,” “Psycho” and “Strychnine.” Nearly sixty years on, few things sound more reckless than being under the influence of the Sonics. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/ratboys-rebuilder-dippers-23jiorq monthly 0.5 2023-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/08e52d5f-2ea6-4049-8d41-dc41e007c998/ratboys-the-window.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Rebuilder, Dippers - Ratboys - The Window (Topshelf Records LP) The Pandemic impacted so many bands when life went on hold in March of 2020, but few bands seemingly got as raw a deal as Ratboys. Fresh off of dropping their best record to date, Printer’s Devil, Ratboys were primed to hit the road on their first headlining tour and soak up the adulation from not only the favorable reviews but their expanding fan base. The band pivoted during the pandemic to go on virtual tour dates and reinterpreted their first album Happy Birthday, Ratboy, but that’s not all, they were hard at work at crafting their strongest album yet. The Window is the best distillation of the various components that make Ratboys great—country-tinged guitar-based indie rock with strong introspective and empathetic lyrics from guitarist and lyricist (and friend of the pod!) Julia Steiner. The lead-up to the new album featured the single “It’s Alive!” which immediately feels very Ratboys with strong guitar work, driving rhythm section, and soaring chorus. The song sounded great on its own but sounds even better in sequence on the record. There is variety here that we’ve come to expect on a Ratboys album, but even more diversification than before. You have the raucous fuzzed-out opener “Making Noise for the Ones You Love,” the aforementioned “It’s Alive,” a story of loss on “The Window,” a Neil Young-like 9-minute guitar epic “Black Earth, WI,” and potential Ratboys origin story “I Want You (Fall 2010).” All of this adds up to an album that is more than the sum of its parts, a true leveling up for them. Most importantly, they now get to go on their first headlining tour across the U.S. to support it, including a stop at Thalia Hall on Friday, December 22nd. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0ac9f9a5-e0b9-4aa8-abba-c69acd5a366c/rebuilder-local-support.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Rebuilder, Dippers - Rebuilder - Local Support (Iodine Recordings LP) I feel bad for Rebuilder—I really do. After signing to A-F Records earlier this year, things were looking up. They had a great new single out, “Hold On,” and were preparing to release their sophomore album—and first LP since the great 2015 offering Rock & Roll in America. And just as the new record Local Support was about to come out, A-F imploded—leaving all their bands in the lurch. But that’s exactly what this record is all about. Dealing with disappointment, overcoming shitty things that happen in life and relying on your friends to help you rebuild. Hailing from Boston, Rebuilder features Craig Stanton and Sal Ellington trading off lead vocals over high energy pop-punk backing of guitars/bass/drums. Having formed in 2013, they’ve been doing this for 10 years now—and it can often feel like a grind. And it’s only gotten harder in the last several years. On “What Happened to Me?,” Sal confesses “I’m already too old to become anything” and on “Another Round,” Craig remarks “Too old to be reckless, too young to die.” But these guys have a lot to say about struggle and perseverance and overcoming setbacks and depression. On “Stayin’ Alive,” Sal sings about his mental health issues, but ends the song with “We always find our way home.” Rebuilder has dealt with some crap and they’re still here to sing about it. And they do it damn well. You can catch them in Chicago for a Riot Fest Late Night show at Chop Shop on September 15th opening up for Frank Turner. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/6f064bff-0401-49c5-9e0f-ffa893b5a8ca/dippers-clastic-rock.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Rebuilder, Dippers - Dippers - Clastic Rock (Goner Records LP) Clastic rocks are formed from broken fragments of existing weathered and eroded rocks usually as a result of water turbulence, such as in a river bed. The description is apt for the music of Dippers; a woozy, winding amalgamation of indie pop and rambunctious wit. After performing under the name Thigh Master during the previous decade, the Australian duo of Matthew Ford and Innez Tulloch are back with a new branding, but their scrappiness remains intact. On the album’s opener, “S.I.M.,” Ford declares “Thoughts do come more clearly / when I’m face down on the lawn” before hitting the chorus of “It mainlines to amygdalae.” References to the brain’s anatomy aren’t common fare in pop music, which gives an indication of where Dippers reside on the musical map. Ford takes the vocal lead with some accompaniment from Tulloch, and his unconventional delivery may not appeal to all listeners but it largely suits the left-of-center music orientation. Clastic Rock inhabits its own universe and conveys a language that’s unlike what we’ve become accustomed to. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bc5a11df-2907-417d-973c-c7b0f4a29119/chook-race-around-the-house.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Rebuilder, Dippers - Chook Race - Around The House (Trouble In Mind LP) Inspiration often comes from the everyday things that surround us and Chook Race’s 2016 second LP, Around The House, is a testament of that. Drummer Carolyn Hawkins’ cover illustration of her grandparent’s house conjures up a cozy and vibrant setting that’s echoed in the group’s music. Their straightforward and snappy pop songs are comprised of first-hand observations and first-take recordings that come off true to their life experience. Hawkins shares vocal duties with guitarist Matt Liveriadis and Chook Race’s overall aesthetic is reminiscent of fellow Australian DIY predecessors The Cannanes. While attending an urban planning course at University of Melbourne, Hawkins had Cannanes drummer David Nichols as a lecturer, which led to her contributing an essay for his Urban Australia and Post-Punk Exploring Dogs in Space book. After departing Chook Race, she went on to play in School Damage and Parsnip. Tam Matlakowski (aka Tam Vantage) was brought in to join Liveriadis and bassist Rob Remedios, although the band’s Facebook page indicates the last show they performed at was July of 2021. Remedios also hooked up with Matlakowski in Permits and recently guested on Dippers’ Clastic Rock album. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/gaadge-oxbow-famous-mammals-4l56w4ou monthly 0.5 2023-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/cc7259fb-fb6a-4555-897c-4a905adcfb68/gaadge-somewhere-down-below.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gaadge, Oxbow, Famous Mammals - Gaadge - Somewhere Down Below (Crafted Sounds LP) Gaadge slot nicely between the garage punk of The Gotobeds and the shifting shoegaze pop of Feeble Little Horse among their DIY Pittsburgh contemporaries. Yeah?, their 2021 debut album for Crafted Sounds, found them in slack attack, whereas Something Down Below applies more finesse and production values. There’s a pleasing balance between blister pop and atmospheric exploration. The warped groove of “Candy Colored” delivers carnival ride exhilaration; twisting and turning on the edge of disorientation. The shoegaze guitar jousting of Mitch Delong and Andy Yadeski never overstays its welcome, as evident on the taut tracks of “Komarov” and “Mundy’s Corner.” The closer, “Turning,” starts out with Delong in a moment of reflection and feels headed towards decompression before the whole band explodes in a fury of combustible sound. Somewhere Down Below rings the bell, signaling a five alarm fire—the rubbernecking is warranted because this is one record that you’ll want to stay glued to. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/90c9a0c9-5eca-4fd5-8d61-71cda783864c/oxbow-loves-holiday.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gaadge, Oxbow, Famous Mammals - Oxbow - Love’s Holiday (Ipecac Recordings LP) “We love and move together / But what does he say when the monster comes to stay?” Think on that line for a moment, and feel what arises… This is from “Lovely Murk,” a song from superlative avant noise rock band Oxbow, who have now released 8 records since forming way back in 1988 out of the ashes of post-hardcore band Whipping Boy out of Stanford University. Oxbow?…I’ve heard the name… Singer Eugene Robinson and guitarist Nikko Wenner—the core and writing duo of Oxbow—released their debut album Fuckfest in 1989 to rightful acclaim, and have never looked back. To these ears the most striking thing about their latest, Love’s Holiday, is the lovely, highly nuanced, and effective use of orchestral strings and voices—what? Oxbow?—check “All Gone” and “1000 Hours.” 35 years in, and Oxbow continue to expand their palate, and continue to rock heavy balls. “Icy White & Crystalline” is a high-five down the years from Jesus Lizard or Fugazi…but Oxbow is clearly their own proposition, and one of the most fascinating art rock and roll bands going, if not ever. Robinson—onstage and acting from the age of 2, and professional writer at 14—is that rare artist whose artistic expressions all seem to be of a piece, coming from a deeply felt, life-living place. Perhaps Nick Cave is a close peer; and like Cave the writer Robinson has a forthcoming memoir A Walk Across Dirty Water and Straight Into Murderer’s Row. Lyrically sophisticated and with a poet’s pen, Robinson’s voice easily moves between whisper in your ear intimacy, to a full on roar and howl, as heard on “The Second Talk.” In the wonderful recent cover story from the July issue of The Wire, a candid and clear eyed Robinson mused “When people expect very little of you, you feel a sense of freedom.” Amen. Let freedom ring and long live Oxbow. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a9faf6c3-476a-4dd6-a616-7ffa75b4954c/famous-mammals-instant-pop-expressionism-now.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gaadge, Oxbow, Famous Mammals - Famous Mammals - Instant Pop Expressionism Now! (Siltbreeze Records LP) It’s not difficult to imagine a Famous Mammals track turning up on the 1980 Rough Trade sampler compilation Wanna Buy a Bridge? were they transported to the UK some five decades ago. Their self-titled debut release after all included the track “Ode To Nikki,” in acknowledgment to Monsieur Sudden of Swell Maps. The members of Famous Mammals reside in Oakland and also appear in other bay-area groups (Non Plus Temps, Naked Roommate, Children Maybe Later), which showcase their pursuit of various music styles. Instant Pop Expressionism Now! is rooted in the arty post-punk movement and comprises 18 tracks, which makes it somewhat cumbersome to parse, although its lengthiest titles are barely over 3 minutes. Stanley Martinez delivers most of the vocals in a dry, sing-speak manner against an intentional rudimentary instrumentation backing, although a few oddball embellishments appear by the way of melodica, harmonium and vacuum! Sometimes the material fails to develop enough inertia to push it past passing interest level, but the sheer volume of work ensures that there’s more than enough to capture one’s interest. Famous Mammals most often hit their stride when they ratchet up the tempo on numbers like “Private Anchor” and “Like a Shadow.” Instant Pop Expressionism Now! comes out of left field and is captivating when viewed as one of life’s little surprises. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/648d206f-8b5d-43f1-8b3c-2e50a950f794/the-three-johns-volume.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gaadge, Oxbow, Famous Mammals - The Three Johns - Volume (Buried Treasure Records 3-CD compilation) It may strike you as absurd, but there was a period of time that I felt the Three Johns were the most relevant group that Jon Langford was involved in. Following a string of wicked singles in the early ’80s, the group delivered the stellar Atom Drum Bop album in 1984. The Mekons, in my estimation, didn’t start hitting their stride until 1985 when Fear And Whiskey started an incredible string of releases that soon eclipsed the the 3J’s output. Anyone who caught the Johnnies’ performances back then can attest that they possessed the power to move your mind and body involuntarily, much like their fellow Leeds cohorts Gang of Four. Volume doesn’t quite cover the band’s entire recorded output—bypassing their last two releases, The Death Of Everything and Eat Your Sons, but captures them in their prime. It’s been noted that despite all three members being competent percussionists, they opted to use a drum machine that they affectionally named Hugo. That element added a frenzied, manic edge that seemingly drove the trio to the precipice at times. Langford (guitar) and John Brennan (bass) were masters of clipped efficiency, allowing John Hyatt (vocals) to pepper their provocative tunes with his iconic warbling pipes. Shades of Captain Beefheart vocal lunacy emerge, intermixed with Andy Gill-styled string torture to provide a unique take on post-punk music. Family obligations brought an end to the group in 1990, although there have been a number of UK stage reunions over the years that Langford relishes for the pure joy of wigging out on guitar. American audiences though still get treated with renditions of “Death of the European,” which has become a semi-staple of some of Langford’s other musical endeavors. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/lifeguard-sweeping-promises-bush-tetras-78yracu monthly 0.5 2023-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/6c10313e-40c6-49b3-bcdf-aff7b6875e4b/lifeguard-dressed-in-trenches.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Lifeguard, Sweeping Promises, Bush Tetras - Lifeguard - Dressed in Trenches (Matador Records EP) I experienced an unsettling sense of place and time when I realized a couple of decades ago that the youngest performers and audience members at shows were now half my age. It felt strange to continue to identify with music without having a tangible social connection to the people who were creating it. That hasn’t deterred me from continuing to seek out new music even though my generational experiences are removed from what now comprises youth culture. When considering Lifeguard, I do find parallels to the social circles I inhabited in a similar stage of life—finding an alternative music community, immersing oneself in a DIY culture of fanzines and self-taught musicianship, and reveling in the power of live performances. On the strength of last year’s Crowd Can Talk EP, Lifeguard were signed to Matador and Dressed in Trenches is the bookend to that record that was originally released by Born Yesterday. Collectively, the band’s creative neurons continue to fire at a rapid pace—it’s a dizzying and sometimes breathtaking ride as guitar, bass and drums wrestle each other until one momentarily emerges victorious from the pile-up. To their benefit, Lifeguard come across as still unsettled, searching for sounds not yet realized and meaning not clearly apparent. They have a whole lifetime ahead of them to figure things out, and there’s little doubt about what they’re capable of achieving. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b2c0aa70-b560-47be-889b-2a5917fedb64/sweeping-promises-good-living-is-coming-for-you.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Lifeguard, Sweeping Promises, Bush Tetras - Sweeping Promises - Good Living Is Coming For You (Feel It Records LP) With a name like Sweeping Promises you can guess that this is band that’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. The duo of Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug have endured a nomadic existence of late, relocating from Massachusetts to Texas before currently residing in Lawrence, Kansas. Settling in somewhere comfortably has proven elusive as they reveal on the title track: “It comes and goes, and comes again / The thrill of changing, rearranging / But it gets hard by the year / Estranging, it’s stranger.” The bouncy backbeats, snappy refrains and percolating pop touches outwardly convey a celebratory vibe, but behind the curtain Sweeping Promises reveal something more sinister. The title of “Connoisseur of Salt” initially strikes one as a playful jibe until Mondal sings “You’re filling up your cabinets / With spices and salts to cover up / The bitter taste.” The sting of disappointment collides with practicality on the closing track, “Ideal No” when the duo conclude “There ain’t a place left on earth to be alone / Wish on a star won’t take you far, won’t take your home.” Their life journey continues with a roadmap of possibilities but no clear destination in sight. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/64a60b03-9b96-414f-a475-00fbb89bf9a3/bush-tetras-they-live-in-my-head.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Lifeguard, Sweeping Promises, Bush Tetras - Bush Tetras - They Live in My Head (Wharf Cat Records LP) Bush Tetras are a band that can’t be denied. Perhaps the most representative group emerging from NYC to capture the urban decay of Manhattan’s Lower East Side as the ’70s ground to a close, those very same mean street perils had put them down by 1983. A reunion of the original line-up in the mid ‘90s spurred a second wave of creativity with the album release of Beauty Lies on Tim/Kerr Records in 1997 and the recording of its follow-up, Happy, the next year with Don Fleming producing. Disillusioned that Happy got shelved when Tim/Kerr’s parent company Mercury Records was sold, Bush Tetras fractured again. A post-punk revival in the aughts provided fertile territory for a return and a posthumous release of Happy on ROIR. They went back in the studio with Fleming for their Take The Fall EP (Wharf Cat Records, 2018) and seemed poised for greater things before drummer Dee Pop perished a month prior to the release of their Rhythm and Paranoia box set in November of 2021. Undeterred, Bush Tetras enlisted Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley to fill in on drums and produce the album that they had begun to write prior to Pop’s demise. There’s a remembrance of years past on the haunting “Ghosts of People” and “Bird on a Wire” grapples with the recent passing of vocalist Cynthia Sley’s mother. Pat Place’s guitar continues to lacerate and launches into overdriven frenzy on “2020 Vision.” There’s more crunch in her playing than the syncopation and starkness that she once utilized, but she remains as true pioneer as evidenced by the shrapnel shredding she releases on the album closer “The End.” They Live in My Head showcases a band that feels invigorated, and as we’ve witnessed previously, it’s hard to keep the Bush Tetras down. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9bfca9ac-0bde-4c75-9c9c-239f6f94e311/contortions-buy.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Lifeguard, Sweeping Promises, Bush Tetras - Contortions - Buy (ZE Records LP) Minutemen poised the question “Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth?” to its listeners on their landmark 1984 Double Nickels on the Dime release. A half-a-decade earlier in New York City, a group of avant-garde performers had already unequivocally answered the query for themselves. The No Wave scene was an attack on the failed delivery of punk rock and its co-optation to the more commercially successful New Wave genre. Inspired by the atonality of free jazz musicians and combining it with unstructured elements of noise and dissonance, No Wave performers danced to a different beat. Framed by the ersatz sax stylings of leader James Chance, Contortions provided the soundtrack for full-out spastic abandon on Buy. Drummer Don Christensen and bassist George Scott brought the funk and Jody Harris and Pat Place were hard wired for slash-and-burn staccato and slide guitar. The physicality on the record is impressive considering the genre might be perceived as overly conceptual. “Contort Yourself” is like James Brown gone mental; careening like a madman and commanding the rest of us to get twisted. “Design to Kill,” “Throw Me Away” and “Roving Eye” also crackle and leap forth from the speakers to live wire effect. Buy continues to sound otherworldly and remains as vital today as when it first appeared nearly 45 years ago. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/queens-of-the-stone-age-far-caspian-martin-frawley-6i12eg monthly 0.5 2023-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/261e88ad-23e0-48b0-8243-f176289fa755/queens-of-the-stonage-in-times-new-roman.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Queens Of The Stone Age, Far Caspian, Martin Frawley - Queens Of The Stone Age - In Times New Roman (Matador Records LP) Head Queen Josh Homme has had a pretty rough time in the six years since QOTSA last record Villains; a bitter divorce and custody battle, and the deaths of three close friends, Anthony Bourdain, Mark Lanegan, and Taylor Hawkins. While Homme has always been a bit of a bully—often using the gay slur f-word for unruly and ignorant audience members—Queens remain the premier hard-rock band in all of music. In Times New Roman is their 8th record in 27 years, and Homme has remained the sole member, building an incredible band around him, much like Jeff Tweedy has done with Wilco. Always a clever lyricist, Homme’s lyrics are particularly strong this time around. “Every living thing will die / From the king of the jungle to butterfly / Only sin is waiting too long”(‘Carnavoyeur’); “I don’t care what the people say / Going deaf deliberately / And the wolf’s on the creep with the sheep on the merry-go-round” (‘What the Peephole Say’); “Use once and destroy / Single servings of pain / A dose of emotion sickness/ I just can’t shake” (‘Emotion Sickness’). Notably, all members get song writing credits, a first, and the results are the most consistently outstanding Queens record since 2013’s Grammy nominated Like Clockwork. For a band composed of outstanding and sympathetic musicians, to these ears it’s bassist Michael Shuman who’s arisen to become the indelible structure and punk rock energy of QOTSA. Listen to how he glides underneath the one and only(!) guitar solo on the outstanding “Paper Machete,” and follows that with high melodic figures that wrap the main verses of “Negative Space.” So coolBeginning their tour in Europe a couple weeks back, Homme was all smiles and seemed genuinely—grateful—and gracious, onstage. Evolution. It’s good to see. -Wade Iverson Matador Records Link https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/464bdbd1-1996-4be9-a1c3-8b4716f9a93e/far-caspian-the-last-remaining-light.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Queens Of The Stone Age, Far Caspian, Martin Frawley - Far Caspian - The Last Remaining Light (A Tiny Library Recording LP) Predisposed to a perfectionist personality, Joel Johnston struggled to finish his first Far Caspian LP, Ways To Get Out, back in 2020. Functioning as a self-recorded solo artist, it’s easy enough to image him getting caught up in his own head without outside reassurance. He was just passing his mid-twenties then and hadn’t anticipated the pressures of adjusting to young adulthood with an arts degree that offered little in the way of job prospects. When final mixes for the album were submitted nearly a year later, Johnston was re-energized and immediate set out to start working on the follow-up. With the lessons he learned previously, the creation of The Last Remaining Light took a much more relaxed approach, filled with a lot of single takes. That said, the new album is an accomplished achievement—crisp sounding with a sense of dynamic not usually present in solo efforts. Johnston found inspiration from his daily commute, which brought a fresh perspective to his native Leeds cityscape. The record reflects that free-flowing mobility and serves as an intimate viewfinder into his life. Johnston revealed listening to Eno’s Discreet Music during his trips into the studio and like that effort, The Last Remaining Light gently infiltrates your consciousness before settling in with a comforting embrace. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1e2ae193-0a18-4292-92f4-6cc89357dd21/martin-frawley-the-wannabe.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Queens Of The Stone Age, Far Caspian, Martin Frawley - Martin Frawley - The Wannabe (Trouble In Mind LP) When Martin Frawley put out his first solo album, Undone at 31, after the demise of Twerps, the raw aftermath of the break-up permeated the record. While Frawley described it as therapeutic to be writing and playing again, the residue of crumbling relationships and pain-numbing drinking were plainly in sight. Four years on, Frawley has been able to process more of the fallout and The Wannabe is a more self-reflected take on addressing life decisions and prioritizing family. His perspective is informed by a recent marriage and the birth of a son, along with coming to terms with his relationship with his father Maurice, an admired songwriter and guitarist, who passed away at age 55 in 2009 from liver cancer. The album’s opening track, “This Is Gonna Change Your Mind,” was originally hatched as a plea to keep Twerps together, and its resurrection here plays out as a fond remembrance and recognition for a need to carry-on. Frawley expresses redemption and wonderment in “Lola” for the new found happiness he now shares with his wife. “5th Of The 5th” looks back on the struggle to follow in his father’s footsteps and the hope that he’d be proud of who he’s become. The Wannabe closes out with a heartfelt “Given Everything,” a song that was co-written by Frawley’s father and bandmate Charlie Owen. In a moment of self-deprecation on the title track, Martin sings “I’m the wannabe / A half-arsed musician that no one wants to see.” All comparisons aside, he’s more than proved his worth and forged his own way forward, no longer needing to be looking back. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4581f95d-f9ea-4ce0-9638-74f678c6d291/twerps-range-anxiety.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Queens Of The Stone Age, Far Caspian, Martin Frawley - Twerps - Range Anxiety (Chapter Music/Merge Records LP) Bands born out of romantic relationships are a difficult thing to navigate. Martin Frawley and Julia MacFarlane were smitten with each other when they met and their creative collaborations gave juice to the Twerps when they formed out of Melbourne in 2008. By time the band wrapped up in 2017, the creative tension had become too much to bear. Despite being tagged as part of the Australian dolewave movement, ascribing them a melancholic disposition, Twerps buoyant melodies and jangly rhythms belied that categorization. When it was released in 2015, Range Anxiety became the band’s second and final full length album. While it caught listeners off guard when Twerps imploded afterwards, there were indications of an uncertain future to be found. When speaking about the record at the time, MacFarlane divulged “To me it’s just terrifying—how does everyone stay happy and at the same time how do you be honest with what you want to do?” In the track “Simple Feelings,” Frawley sings “You were up / You were down / You weren’t always around / We were in / We were out / We’re always in doubt.” The inner turmoil served Twerps well with a suite of songs that land as bittersweet rather than outright bitter. By time Range Anxiety wraps up with the appropriately named “Empty Road,” Frawley is transfixed with a crush that he’s only comfortable tracking from a distance. He repeats over and over “That’s when I knew / I was following you.” When things feel unobtainable, who’s to fault the decision to just let things go? -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/tough-age-feeble-little-horse-wireheads-62456af3 monthly 0.5 2023-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2349c728-2d50-4806-83da-c5abe24ffa44/tough-age-waiting-here.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tough Age, Feeble Little Horse, Wireheads - Tough Age - Waiting Here (Bobo Integral LP) Jarrett Evan Samson’s and Jesse Locke’s relocation from Toronto back to Vancouver, where Tough Age started out, also saw them reuniting with original bassist Lauren Smith. Judging by the ebullient sounds they hatched for Waiting Here, the reintroduction was a seamless transition. Smith makes her presence immediately apparent with a lead vocal turn on “Paradise by Another Time,” and fetching back-up to Samson on “Time & Again.” Samson sparkles on the jaunty “Give It a Day” with its insistent jangle strum and punchy beat from Locke. Part of Tough Age’s appeal is not allowing their songs to go on for too long, generally clocking in between two and three minutes in length. The six-minute-plus “Getting Closer” is an album highlight though, with a lengthy instrumental lead-in that segues perfectly with Samson’s vocals that emerge nearly halfway through the song, creating a zen-like feel with a dynamic ebb and flow. There’s pure pop bliss residing throughout the record that’ll trigger a dopamine release to serve your body and mind oh so well. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/13d9a3cd-9d51-4e50-b9c5-3387956531d8/feeble-little-horse-girl-with-fish.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tough Age, Feeble Little Horse, Wireheads - Feeble Little Horse - Girl With Fish (Saddle Creek LP) Emerging from Pittsburgh’s DIY community and having self-recorded and produced their second LP, Girl With Fish, Feeble Little Horse has needed a reset. Scrapping their summer 12-date tour for a mental health break indicates the perils of young adulthood where jobs, education and performances are all competing for time and attention. On their song “Healing,” Lydia Slocum observes “My skin still left a mark / Even after the healing stops / How long until it scars?” For Feeble Little Horse, definitive answers aren’t always forthcoming. With a religious upbringing, Slocum has struggled to reconcile issues of faith and hypocrisy. That dynamic gives the band’s songs a feeling of turbulence that’s echo’d in the shifting guitars of Ryan Walchonski and Sebastian Kinsler. Recorded piecemeal over several cities, Girl With Fish is a satisfyingly polished-sounding record with grit to go along with pop sensibilities. It sounds like the band we’re in a good state of mind during its creation, so hopefully it’s a place they’re able to revisit again soon. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/70bece41-857f-401b-b4cf-e820d8fbe95e/wireheads-potentially-venus.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tough Age, Feeble Little Horse, Wireheads - Wireheads - Potentially Venus (Tenth Court LP) The city of Adelaide in South Australia gets overshadowed by its more buzz-worthy counterparts of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. All of which seems to suit the non-conventional outfit Wireheads just fine. The sextet is fronted by Dom Trimboli, who’s wry observations and matter-of-fact delivery provide an element of edginess to the band’s versatile sonic palette. After recording five albums in relatively quick succession starting in 2014, Potentially Venus arrives six years following their last release, Lightning Ears. That record, and the preceding Big Issues album, were recorded in Washington state with Calvin Johnson as producer, who’s spartan approach appealed to Wireheads’ sensibility. Potentially Venus continues their analog recording approach, but utilizing Castlemaine, Victoria’s Sound Recording studio instead of trekking out to Johnson’s compound. The album highlights Wireheads’ ability to vary tempos and texture. “Hook Echo” and “1000 Red Venomous Snakes” are accelerated and agitated. “Hanging Garden” exudes a serene beauty with striking pastoral observations and “Life After Winter” is charmingly unhinged to match its lyrical content. Potentially Venus is diverse but cohesive—the kind of under-the-radar effort that deserves to be explored and exalted. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/49b5e5b4-7951-4a17-9dcf-ebdc9ddb0455/x-ray-spex-germfree-adolescents.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tough Age, Feeble Little Horse, Wireheads - X-Ray Spex - Germfree Adolescents (EMI LP) Like other societal outcasts at the time, Marianne Joan Elliott-Said was inspired to form a band after witnessing a Sex Pistols show on her 19th birthday. Rechristening herself as Poly Styrene, she carved out a unique presence, even for the anything goes attitude that defined the advent of punk. As a mixed race child of a Somalian father and Scottish-Irish mother, she never fit in with her peers and left home as a teenager to pursue a hippie lifestyle. That was the beginning of her journey towards self-discovery, which also found her joining the Hare Krishna movement after the dissolution of X-Ray Spex. Styrene’s struggle to find her place in conventional society played out in her songs, notably in “Identity” where she observes: “When you look in the mirror / Do you see yourself / Do you see yourself / On the T.V. screen / Do you see yourself in the magazine / When you see yourself / Does it make you scream?” After releasing their defining single “Oh Bondage Up Yours!” backed with “I Am A Cliché,” the band followed with their powerhouse debut album Germfree Adolescents in 1978. It remains one of the most influential and iconic punk records of all time, highlighted by Styrene’s expressive wail and crack backing from the band that surges and swings, supplanting their guitar/bass/drums set-up with saxophone for frenzied affect. In addition to exploring identity politics, Styrene also rips into consumerism, science ethics and ecological destruction on the album. Certainly the type of stuff that can send a person over the edge, which happened to her when she suffered hallucinations following a gig and was misdiagnosed as schizophrenic instead of receiving treatment for a bipolar disorder that wasn’t properly identified until over a decade later. She never found much favor thereafter with her sporadic solo efforts and passed away too soon in 2011 at age 53 from breast cancer. Having been reissued numerous times down through the years, Germfree Adolescents represents a tremendous legacy and has served as lasting inspiration for marginalized artists and feminists the world over. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/rvg-dream-wife-tears-from-your-eyes-89ahiusfn monthly 0.5 2023-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/44baab27-e832-42f3-aee3-760d61c56e3b/rvg-brain-worms.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: RVG, Dream Wife, Water From Your Eyes - RVG - Brain Worms (Fire Records LP) When I caught RVG’s set at Lazarus Brewing Company this past March as part of their SXSW appearance, it was an emotionally charged event. In the light of day on a late afternoon here was this goth-inspired band from down under led by their namesake vocalist Romy Vager ripping it up as if their lives were at stake. As a trans woman from a country that is awash in macho culture, Vager brought a raw intensity that was somewhat unsettling but impossible to look away from. The set was a preview of many of the songs that would comprise their Brain Worms album that dropped this month. Vager has mentioned that she’s always thinking about writing for her 16-year-old self; a period in her Adelaide upbringing where there was zero representation to guide her through the gender dysmorphia that she was experiencing. On the record’s most harrowing track, “Squid,” she reveals “I didn’t intend to be / Some hideous turquoise thing / Some hideous third thing.” Acceptance both inside and outside music circles hasn’t been readily forthcoming. “Well, it’s easy / It’s not easy / It’s easier to get things over and done,” Vager confesses on “It’s Not Easy.” Goth and glam music was a saving grace for Vager growing up, providing an outlet for her to slip into androgyny and escape gender norms. An eventual move to Melbourne also fostered a more empathetic community. On the concluding track, “Tropic of Cancer,” an inner peace appears to have settled in when she sings “Leave the light off me / Let me carry on / No more memories and no more / Sad songs in my head / The big moon has left.” Life outside the spotlight is a good way to go knowing that your visibility doesn’t need to be sacrificed along with that decision. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d3c1cfc4-c25c-45da-8ca1-9ae6e89ef42e/dream-wife-social-lubrication.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: RVG, Dream Wife, Water From Your Eyes - Dream Wife - Social Lubrication (Lucky Number LP) On “Who Do You Wanna Be?” Dream Wife issue a call to action. Vocalist Rakel Mjöll remarks: “When I see another empty slogan tryna dictate my life / Can’t you see my pockets are running dry? / A consumer consumed with the idea of a good time.” For a band that makes it a point to empower their “bad bitches” community, it’s clearly evident they’re done buying into false narratives. In an illusionary world, Dream Wife find strength in following their hearts and minds. They unabashedly confront masculine toxicity in “Leech” and expose the folly of being in a band with “Hot (Don’t Date A Musician).” In addition to Mjöll, the members of Dream Wife—Alice Go (guitar), Bella Podpadec (bass) and Alexander Paveley (drums—all display a physicality on stage that has them preparing beforehand as if they’re readying themselves for a sporting competition. The music on Social Lubrication is meaty, big and bouncy. The narrator of the tender track “Mascara” finds pleasure and meaning in living in the moment and ends up dancing until 3AM at the bar with their partner before concluding “I’ll romanticise, this life / As though we, could live it twice.” For Dream Wife, the essence of life is what’s worth living for, however ephemeral and fleeting that may be. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f07b20bf-5e75-4f10-ba5c-9102f6b1c29c/water-from-your-eyes-everones-crushed.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: RVG, Dream Wife, Water From Your Eyes - Water From Your Eyes - Everyone’s Crushed (Matador Records LP) Water From Your Eyes got their start in Chicago in 2016 when Albany Park native Rachel Brown met Vermont transplant Nate Amos, who had played in This is Lorelei and Opposites previously. Brown attended New York University and Amos would follow in time with both settling in Brooklyn. Their genre-blurring indie pop mashes elements that transcend the sum of its parts. Digging into Everyone’s Crushed’s tool bag reveals drone, distortion, electro-bursts & blips, dance rhythms, breakbeats and lyrical abstraction. Amos describes his song creation methodology as “editing chaos.” The duo have come to embrace the chaos and address it in an absurdist manner. Everyone’s Crushed examines feelings of disassociation created by work (“Barley”), isolationist living (“Out There”) and consumerism (“Buy My Product”). On the closing track, Brown intones “There are no happy endings / There are only things that happen.” Whether guided by fate or circumstance, Water From You Eyes are on a path without a verifiable ending, but one that guarantees an amazing journey. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9c8368bb-1cb4-44fc-96dd-7143f7ac0e07/the-gordons-the-gordons-plus-future-shock.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: RVG, Dream Wife, Water From Your Eyes - The Gordons - The Gordons + Future Shock (Flying Nun LP) In his memoir, In Love With These Times, Flying Nun founder Roger Shepherd recounts the Gordons’ sonic oppressiveness in remarking: “I witnessed punters pushing over tables trying to get to the doors and away from the noise at their first Gladstone show.” The band’s inception came about after the club’s promoter, Jim Wilson, asked guitarist John Halvorsen to form a band to fill in a fast approaching schedule opening. Word must of spread quickly because numerous pubs refused to book them because of their intense volume and take no prisoners approach. The trio of Halvorsen, fellow guitarist Alister Parker and drummer Brent McLachlan were fiercely independent and self-released their 3-song EP Future Shock in 1980. The next year they returned to the studio with the intention of recording three albums’ worth of material, but settled on seven tracks after time and money ran out. Shepherd emerged to offer the band a distribution deal, which aided in giving them greater visibility. The clanging guitars, booming bass, leaden drums and high-strung vocals paint a post-apocalyptic landscape where survival instincts are put to the test. Unsurprisingly, the Gordons imploded shortly thereafter when Parker abruptly left, only to be replaced by Vince Pinker for a time to deliver the Volume 2 album in 1984. Parker re-emerged to put out the Nelsh Bailter Space EP in 1987 with Hamish Kilgour. Halvorsen joined for Bailter Space’s Tanker LP the following year, and when Kilgour departed for a re-united Clean, McLachlan returned full circle to make an extended run with his old bandmates in that subsequent outfit that have mightily delivered on the Gordons’ immense potential. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/bar-italia-display-homes-guadian-singles-3o2irj monthly 0.5 2023-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f9ffe064-afc9-4bf6-bcf7-3238bf672ad3/bar-italia-tracey-denim.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: bar italia, Display Homes, Guardian Singles - bar italia - Tracey Denim (Matador Records LP) London trio bar italia maintain a low profile in terms of self promotion, and are very much defined by the sum of their parts. Nina Cristante, Jezmi Tarik Fehmi and Sam Fenton possess distinct voices that provide the band with a beguiling brew of contrasts. Tracey Denim plays out like a record drenched in atmosphere; fully of sultry vocals, cool detachment and sinuous rhythms. Like fellow Londoners Asha Lorenz and Louis O’Bryen of Sorry, their unique pairing produces unexpected delights. Just when you think one member is taking a lead vocal turn, another voice emerges to take the song in a new direction. The effect is similar to film editing’s jump cut technique that was a staple of French New Wave directors to break up continuity. By not offering up interview explanations of their art, bar italia leave a lot open to interpretation and thankfully Tracey Denim provides an abundance of compelling twists and turns to sift through for those us willing to explore. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9f07a319-89e0-460f-b6a2-7b7d9bfe596b/display-homes-what-if-youre-right-and-theyre-wrong.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: bar italia, Display Homes, Guardian Singles - Display Homes - What If You’re Right & They’re Wrong (Erste Theke Tontrager LP) The constantly impressive German label ETT releases another gem of a record with Australia’s Display Homes. Imagine a young (resurging!) Siouxsie fronting first album Cure, and marvel at how this all sounds so fresh again. A razor sharp bass-guitar-drums trio with singer Steph handling vocals and drums, opener “Nitty Picky” is a highlight, along with the Slits-esque “Neenish.” Funnily enough, I hear an “underlying space” (lyric) of Replacements in “Proofread,” along with “Shiver.” Clocking in at an economical 24 minutes, this is a punk shot of espresso, straight up. Which makes it even sadder reading on their bandcamp page that guitarist Darrell passed unexpectedly last June. I bet they were great live—condolences to the band family and here’s hoping they carry on in another form. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8a6aba52-4fdb-418c-8659-e206b3c4884b/guardian-singles-feed-me-to-the-doves.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: bar italia, Display Homes, Guardian Singles - Guardian Singles - Feed Me To The Doves (Trouble In Mind LP) When Perry Mahoney and Thom Burton met up at Whammy Bar in Auckland where Mahoney worked, they would end up dancing to Bailter Space and Wire after closing time and hatched talks about forming a shoegaze/post-punk band. Drummer Fiona Campbell (Vivian Girls, Coolies) just happened to be back in town from the US to visit family and friends and jumped aboard for the nascent project. Their self-titled debut was recorded in the summer of 2017 and later licensed for distribution by Bill and Lisa Roe of Trouble In Mind after they caught a remote livestream of the band’s performance for Gonerfest during 2020’s pandemic. When Mahoney moved on to start Crash Material, he was replaced by Yolanda Fagan on bass. Filled out with additional guitarist Durham Fenwick, the foursome enjoyed some extended performance time together before returning to the studio to record their Feed Me To The Doves follow-up. Whereas the debut was assembled to capture their existing live repertoire, FMTTD represents a broadening of the band’s capabilities. There’s still traces of the raging post-punk in tracks like “Manic Attraction” and “Com Trans” that play off of Burton’s raspy delivery. “Pit Viper” and “Metal Fingers” venture into the shoegaze territory that was part of the original concept and introduce a new dimension that portends further exploration. Feed Me To The Doves scratches an itch for a comforting outcome, now as to whether Guardian Singles have only begun to scratch the surface of their potential, that’s another matter that I’ll look forward to revisiting in due time. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bd956964-04a6-4b96-a8b0-4495ef75a877/brutus-unison-life.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: bar italia, Display Homes, Guardian Singles - Brutus - Unison Life (Sargent House LP) The other night I soloed my way over to North Milwaukee Avenue to Concord Music Hall to witness—again—one of the heaviest bands of all, CONVERGE. Watching top flight hardcore can be a thrilling experience, and there was no sign of weakness anywhere on this particular night. 30+ years into their careers, it’s no hyperbole to note that Converge carry a torch not dissimilar to the late great Jesus Lizard (dang—why aren’t…?), and it’s a gift this kind of musical art still lives. However, what I was really curious about was Brutus, a post-hardcore trio from Belgium, highlighting selections from their latest LP, Unison Life from 2022. Singer and drummer(!) Stefanie Mannaerts could be PJ Harvey’s little sister, with an often full-throated tenor voice that can send chills up the spine. Sample lyric: “For too long / I’ve been dying inside / For too long / could’ve been wrong / rather been right” from standout track “What Have We Done.” Meanwhile, her mates Stijn (g) and Peter (b) conjure a nimble and dynamic wall of sound specializing in dramatic shifts of volume and tone. Ace players all, Stefanie really drives “Dust” and by the end, her exhortation of “Are you ready? / Why are you running? / I am standing over here” socks me in the jaw. “Liar” has New Order bass, U2-like guitar chime, the drive of X, and so on. Certain traces may be noted, but Brutus make something truly original. Pitchfork festival take note; they would be a perfect edition next year. (PS: opener Frail Body was terrific, and kudos to staff and Concord Music Hall for great sound and service.) -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/blair-parkes-black-country-new-road-house-of-all-12uilnrq monthly 0.5 2023-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/05146fd6-ef11-473f-8695-0f738bea5dd6/blair-parkes-breezy.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Blair Parkes, Black Country, New Road, House of All - Blair Parkes - breezy (Seaside LP) Christchurch native Blair Parkes is a bit of a modern day renaissance man, maintaining a vast portfolio that encompasses music, painting, digital arts, photography and writing. His first musical endeavor was with the band All Fall Down, who released My Brand New Wallpaper Coat on Flying Nun in 1987. His most recent output has primarily been under his own name, although he did team up with Steve Reay (formerly of The Subliminals) to form Running Club and deliver the crystalline pop delight, beach glass, in March. Breezy catches him hooking up with long term collaborators, vocalist Miss Mercury (Helen Greenfield), and drummer Ryan Fisherman (aka Ryan Chin). True to its title, this is ephemeral, gratifying pop of the two-minute-in-and-out variety. Parkes and Mercury harmonize hand-in-glove with a breathless immediacy, ensuring that there’s never a dull moment. Production is crisp and bright, reminiscent of Mitch Easter’s Drive-In Studio punchiness. Breezy is a top-down, wind-in-your-face adventure set on getting your senses working overtime. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3fcdabc4-0fda-4a9d-bc32-a34652ba4463/black-country-new-road-live-at-bush-hall.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Blair Parkes, Black Country, New Road, House of All - Black Country, New Road - Live at Bush Hall (Ninja Tune Records LP) Black Country, New Road has proven since their inception that they will do things their way, so it should come as no surprise that their live album is unlike traditional live albums in that it is made up entirely of new songs. Since we last heard from our friends in BC,NR they have been hard at work crafting new material and splitting the lead singing duties amongst the band following the departure of former lead singer Isaac Wood just after the release of their second album, my favorite LP of last year, Ants From Up Here. Vocal duties are now split amongst bassist Tyler Hyde, piano player May Kershaw, and saxophone and flute player Lewis Evans. To match their art-rock ambitions of previous releases, a simple coming-out party of new songs sung by three new singers wasn’t enough for BC,NR, so they also staged three different theatrical sessions each having its own back story. The lead song on the album is sung for the first time by a female singer, “Up Song” delivered by Tyler Hyde, comes accompanied by an ’80s prom theme called “The Taming of the School.” There’s still the earned build of the anthemic release as Hyde sings “Look at what we did together! / BC,NR friends forever!” My favorite song on the album is “Across the Pond Friend” which is sung by sax player Lewis Evans, and is set in a farmer gathering titled “When The Whistle Thins.” Evans details a long-distance relationship that settles into a real relationship. The music still has the anthemic quality of their past two releases, but with more tender vocals. Last but not least, the final theme is a haunted pizza parlor titled “I Ain’t Alfredo No Ghosts” featuring May Kershaw’s lead turn on the song “Turbines/Pigs.” This song features somber, almost balladry piano playing before doing with BC,NR do best; building to a cathartic crescendo. What makes this release so compelling is how disparate their new sound can be depending on the vocalist, all while still feeling like BC,NR. If anything, Live at Bush Hall makes me even more excited for their future. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ca970731-8433-4188-93a4-8b4fd020c890/house-of-all.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Blair Parkes, Black Country, New Road, House of All - HOUSE OF ALL - S/T (Tiny Global Productions LP) Upon his return to Manchester last year, Martin Bramah, a founding member of the Fall with Mark E Smith and Una Baines, reached out to Marc Riley and Craig Scanlon about starting a new project that would honor the tenants of that landmark band. In particular he envisioned a creative process with no advance preconceptions or planning. While neither Riley or Scanlon jumped on board, Bramah was able to recruit a stellar lineup that represented the entire span of the Fall’s existence (1976-2018) by bringing in brothers Paul and Steve Hanley, Si Wolstencroft and Peter Greenway. True to his intentions, the record was created in three days time at Hope Mill Studio in Manchester without any prior songwriting or rehearsals. The work reflects Bramah’s creative thrust with Blue Orchids as much as it does with his tenure in the Fall. It’s more congenial than caustic, guided by Bramah’s evocative wordplay and deliberate pacing. The combo drumming of Paul Hanley and Si Wolstencroft adheres to a metronomic pulse, allowing the rest of the instrumentation to swell and recede. Instead of feeling pressure to live up to expectations, HOUSE OF ALL seem at ease with each other, something that was hard to come by with the persnickety Smith. There’s a palatable joyfulness emanating from the track “Magic Sound” with it’s sing-along chorus and Bramah’s humorous exclamations. Despite the short recording window, two album’s worth of songs were apparently delivered—signaling that while this chapter is complete, the book is not yet closed on this unexpected union. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4586be0a-2014-4053-9302-51ff468e984a/blue-orchids-the-greatest-hit.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Blair Parkes, Black Country, New Road, House of All - Blue Orchids - The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain) (Rough Trade LP) When Martin Bramah departed the Fall in 1979, he re-connected with another original member, keyboardist Una Baines, to set up shop as Blue Orchids. Their name was derived from a jumbled recollection of a suggestion from cult poet/performer John Cooper Clark, who had offered up ‘The Blessed Orchids.’ Their 1982 debut album, The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain), is a distinctive treasure; a bit unlike anything else that emerged from the post-punk creative canon. The band announces their presence in grand fashion with the opening track, “Sun Connection,” that has the effect of the sky opening up to reveal the celestial heavens. Bramah’s vocal intonations retain a theatrical opulence and his narratives are poetic in nature. Baines’ organ is prominent throughout, sounding both majestic and off-kilter in equal measure. Her connection with Bramah is noteworthy; she contributes songwriting to half of the album’s tracks and later the two of them were married for a time. She provided the lyrics for the endearing “Low Profile,” an outsider tale about escaping notice. The human condition is scrutinized throughout the record. “Dumb Magician” chronicles the price to be paid for deception and leaves Bramah to conclude “the only way out is up.” The Greatest Hit (Money Mountain) didn’t cash in on its aspirations, peaking at number 5 on the UK Indie Chart, but to this day it makes its mark profoundly—leaving on a high note so to say. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/terry-deerhoof-holiday-ghosts-ji2378 monthly 0.5 2023-05-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/285bfd7b-d96a-4a11-86da-c2c696d197d3/call-me-terry.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Terry, Deerhoof, Holiday Ghosts - Terry - Call Me Terry (Upset the Rhythm LP) For the members of Melbourne’s Terry, power resides in their voices. Featuring lineage from Total Control, Dick Diver, UV Race and Constant Mongrel among others, each of the quartet contributes vocals. Furthermore, those vocalizations are rather pointed; critical of their native land’s checkered history of colonialism, corruption and class privilege. Amy Hill and Xanthe Waite often sing together with well-paired voices that provide a double track-like effect. On the other hand, Al Montfort and Zephyr Pavey operate in a baritone speak/sing style that contributes to the band’s unique presence. “Gold Duck” is a prime example of this dynamic as the contrasting vocals develop a call and response cadence that pairs agreeably with a woozy mixture of synth modulation, guitar strum and woodblock-sourced rhythm. There’s a similar dynamic in play with “Jane Roe,” with Hill’s and Waite’s serene voices masking the underlying disdain for Operation Rescue’s bribe to flip Norma McCorvey’s abortion stance in the ’90s, which wasn’t made know until after her death in 2017. For Terry, truths are often uncomfortable, all the more reason that they need to be told. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d19defcc-7457-4270-aa48-4c05f0965e93/deerhoof-miracle-level.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Terry, Deerhoof, Holiday Ghosts - Deerhoof - Miracle-Level (Joyful Noise LP) A few summers ago I brought my friend darkymarky to see Deerhoof at DoDivison Street festival. Mildly prepping him for what may be in store, it was particularly joyful to see his eyes grow big and jaw drop again and again as we both witnessed the controlled maelstrom and musical art that Deerhoof has been generating for the past 20+ years. They seem to achieve a new musical iteration of what Buddhists refer to as “beginners mind” with each successive record. As instrumentalists they are master level and the intricate interplay between guitarists Ed Rodriguez and John Dieterich—astonishing. Meanwhile percussionist/drummer Greg Saunier—who frequently plays with a kick drum and snare, along with a cymbal, finds more color, drive, and finesse than most drummers ever achieve. Satomi plays her Hofner bass whilst jumping in synchronized patterns, delivering her melodic vocals spot on. Deerhoof is simply one of those bands that need no introduction or “prior knowledge.” No wonder that the likes of Questlove have called them the best live band in the world and Radiohead had them opening shows. On Miracle Level Satomi delivers her lyrics throughout in her native Japanese, a first. There’s a pleasant optimistic vibe throughout this record which displays loud soft dynamics and out of left field interludes and repetitions that are all part of the experience. Standouts include “Sit down, let me tell you a Story,” the loungey groove of “The Little Maker,” the shred of “And the Moon Laughs,” and “Everybody, Marvel,” which brings to mind peak period Shudder to Think. Deerhoof play Lincoln Hall on July 14. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/654233e4-25a1-475c-bd7b-1c0ca978e287/holiday-ghosts-absolute-reality.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Terry, Deerhoof, Holiday Ghosts - Holiday Ghosts - Absolute Reality (FatCat Records LP) Holiday Ghosts favor an unadorned sound, relatively free of effects pedals and studio embellishment. It’s a retro aesthetic utilized by K Records founder Calvin Johnson, whom the band have toured with and greatly admire. Guitarist and vocalist Sam Stacpoole started Holiday Ghosts as a solo endeavor after departing the Falmouth, UK garage punk outfit The Black Tambourines (not to be confused with the American Slumberland Records band, Black Tambourine, from the early ’90s). Katja Rackin came aboard shortly thereafter as drummer and co-vocalist, and their spartan approach carried forth even after the later additions of bassist Ryan Cleave and guitarist Charlie Fairbairn. Absolute Reality marks the band’s fourth album and continues to highlight their knack for combining restraint with an emotional pull that invests you willingly into their songs. When Stacpoole and Rackin sing in tandem, the effect is endearing, whether emanating from the simmering “Vulture” or the meditative “Big Cold River.” In moments where he takes the lead, such as in “B. Truck” and “Again and Again,” Stacpoole comes across edgier, swept along by brisker tempos. In contrast, Rackin’s vocal take on “Blue” is gorgeously wistful, yearning and unhurried. Holiday Ghosts keep to the basics of directness and melody, and in their case, it’s all that’s needed to coax listeners along for the journey. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4b67752b-1f15-4fcc-bc8f-4a43ea6afcae/carsick-cars-carsick-cars.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Terry, Deerhoof, Holiday Ghosts - Carsick Cars - S/T (Maybe Mars LP) Understandably, indie music in China underwent a different gestation period than the rest of the modern world. With the Ministry of Culture having oversight on lyrical content and performance permitting, music counterculture was bereft of the volume of labels and venues that we benefit from here in the States. Wider access to the internet changed the dynamic in the early aughts, and when Michael Pettis opened Beijing’s D-22 club in 2006, it was a catalyst for the expanding underground scene. Pettis, a renowned economics professor, had arrived from New York a few years earlier and brought some experience in club management. He also co-founded the Maybe Mars label the following year with Kevin Domer and signed on Carsick Cars as one of their earliest acts. Carsick Cars 2008 debut album was a landmark document to the Chinese indie music scene, inspiring countless acts to follow in the manner of which the Velvet Underground influenced generations of punk-minded musicians. Of course, the Velvets themselves were a jumping off point for Carsick Cars, along with successors such as Sonic Youth and Suicide. Guitarist and vocalist Zhang Shouwang was attending the Beijing Institute of Technology in 2005 when he met bassist Li Weisi and drummer Li Qing through a mutual acquaintance. Their name was derived from the smoke-infested perils of a congested city of over 14 million residents. They capture the exhilaration and anxiety of growing up in a big city environment with music that is in turns melodic and discordant. Their debut record was primarily sung in their native Mandarin and was produced by Yang Haisong, vocalist of P.K. 14, who inspired the band, With the support of Sonic Youth, Carsick Cars became one of the greater known bands around the world to emerge from China. They subsequently released a couple of more albums (including a 2014’s 3 produced by the Clean’s Hamish Kilgour and Sonic Boom) and occasionally still perform and put out a random single here and there. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/waco-brothers-wednesday-facs-23ohia monthly 0.5 2023-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/455df80d-17de-4e1a-9701-1e8f246a907c/waco-brothers-the-men-that-god-forgot.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waco Brothers, Wednesday, FACS - Waco Brothers - The Men That God Forgot (Plenty Tuff Records LP) On the chorus of “Alone and Forsaken,” Hank Williams sings “Alone and forsaken / By fate and by man / Oh, lord if you hear me / Please hold my hand / Oh, Please understand.” Undoubtedly the Waco brethren are familiar with the song (it was plucked as a b-side for the Mekons’ “Hello Cruel World” 1986 single release) and profoundly relate to its depiction of desolation. Throughout The Men That God Forgot, a theme of alienation pervades the band’s observations. Seven years removed from their last album, Going Down In History, the Wacos have plenty of fodder to dispense over the course of TMTGF’s 15 tracks. Vigilantism, white supremacy, blind justice, Big Pharma, PTSD and ecological ignorance are met with a jaundiced eye. They’re well aware that in a world detached from reality, fake news functions as populist propaganda. When ’nothing is true; everything is permitted,” but the wild western world doesn’t suit these good guys that don’t always wear white. Thank goodness for the men in black, godforsaken as they are. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/37ea566b-60e6-4841-a408-80f817e45df0/wednesday-rat-saw-god.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waco Brothers, Wednesday, FACS - Wednesday - Rat Saw God (Dead Oceans LP) I know I’ve talked of this often, so reader please forgive me this indulgence when I say again that there are few things more exciting to me than a band leveling up. Who’s the most recent band in my mind that has leveled up you ask dear reader? Why it’s Asheville’s very own Wednesday. Wednesday started as the brainchild of lead singer/guitarist Karly Hartzman and has quickly established itself as the flag bearer of that ’90s grunge/guitar-rock with a mix of country for good measure. None of this should be too surprising given 2021’s Twin Plagues was great, as was guitarist MJ Lenderman’s 2022 album Boat Songs. Wednesday also laid their influences bare on 2022's cover album Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling ’Em Up, showing their equal appreciation of power pop (Chris Bell), country (Gary Stewart), and ’90s grunge (The Smashing Pumpkins). The thing that sticks with me on Rat Saw God is the writing. Hartzman’s gift is letting the listener into her world, offering a true glimpse into small-town life, captured perfectly in album highlight “Chosen to Deserve.” Hartzman tells stories stripped of any semblance of charm talking about drinking to excess and drug use, and the impacts of those events. The thing that makes this album a creative leap forward is the matching of Hartzman’s words with the perfect mixture of things that at first glimpse don’t seem cool musically right now—grunge and guitar-focused indie rock. The words have sharp edges, and so does their sound; every high is earned, and you’re allowed to feel the emotion of the words Hartzman sings. Please make sure you check out their headlining show at The Metro on June 26th and see guitarist MJ Lenderman’s set at Pitchfork Music Festival on July 22nd. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/783ac4f0-e5a4-4c37-96f9-855d0212bb08/facs-still-life-in-decay.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waco Brothers, Wednesday, FACS - FACS - Still Life In Decay (Trouble In Mind LP) Running down FACS’ recent album titles gives you a pretty fair approximation of where their headspace reside—Void Moments, Present Tense and now Still Life In Decay. Brian Case has pointed out how the band uses their music to process their feelings and hash out what reality is. On SLID their conclusion is that the truth is ugly, characterized by rampant greed and class warfare. On the opener, “Constellation,” Case laments “I woke up / On the wrong side of time.” Musically the song pokes and probes to try to free itself from constraint and the line “The whole point of no return / Is don’t come back” leaves no doubt what direction they’re headed. When second guitarist Damon Carruesco exited Disappears in 2017, it opened up more sonic space for the newly-formed FACS to operate. The rhythm section of drummer Noah Leger and bassist Alianna Kalaba (since sub’d out with the return of Jonathan van Herik) provide a rock solid foundation for Case’s guitar to paint the corners and splatter drop for effect. FACS’ songs unfold more than they unleash—there’s a palatable discontent simmering underneath that rarely boils over. On the album’s closer, “New Flag,” the band contemplates picking up stakes for a more just reality. Their ensuing journey will certainly be one worth tracking. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4017b4ca-684e-47ac-b2da-ca1fe2bc84a4/the-julie-ruin-hit-reset.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Waco Brothers, Wednesday, FACS - The Julie Ruin - Hit Reset (Hardly Art LP) Following the disintegration of Bikini Kill, Kathleen Hanna morphed into her alter-ego Julie Ruin and recorded a solo record in 1998 that captured her raw emotions and foretold a lo-fi electronic dance-punk direction that would provide the basis for her next band, Le Tigre. After an impactful three record run, Hanna’s chronic health condition attributed to Lyme disease forced her to the sidelines. When her struggles seemed to subside, she resurrected Julie Ruin as a full band with former Bikini Kill bassist Kathi Wilcox along with guitarist Sara Landeau, drummer Carmine Covelli and keyboardist Kenny Mellman. A relapse of her Lyme disease resulted in the band cancelling a 2014 tour in support of their Run Fast debut album. One of the cancellations was for an appearance at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival, which the band was able to eventually fulfill the following year. Hit Reset, released in 2016, was acutely impacted by Hanna’s health struggles. It found her jettisoning negative influences while also celebrating life-affirming relationships. Nowhere is that more apparent than on the tracks that bookend the record. The opening title track puts the terror of her abusive father behind her and the closing sparse piano ballad “Calverton” fondly recalls the encouragement she received from her burgeoning feminist mother. The record captures the most comprehensive overview of Hannah’s musical interests—’60s girl group harmonies, bubblegum pop, disco funk, surf riffs, new wave electronics and punk fervor intersect throughout. Finally free of the scourge of Lyme disease, Hit Reset jumpstarted a new creative phase for Hannah that has carried forth with two scheduled Chicago appearances this year; an April date with Bikini Kill and a July return with Le Tigre. Considering that, I certainly wouldn’t say that we’ve heard the last of The Julie Ruin either. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/sleaford-mods-flyying-colours-physique-the-eyelids-892hr1ft monthly 0.5 2023-04-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/c141bac6-a004-48fa-8b6d-b08cd476d2d3/sleaford-mods-uk-grim.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sleaford Mods, Flyying Colours, Physique, The Eyelids - Sleaford Mods - UK Grim (Rough Trade LP) The most entertaining duo in music is in top form with their latest album, and expanding yet again into new musical terrain as Andrew Fearn, resident beat maker and musical architect of the group, provides a clever and expanding canvas for Jason Williamson’s verbal shenanigans, still bilious and frequently hilarious. Florence Shaw from Dry Cleaning adds a great counterpoint to JW’s vocal in highlight “Force 10 from Navarone,” while Perry Farrell mimics Williamson ably in “So Trendy” with fellow Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro adds Gang of Four-like guitar. Pretty cool. In fact, there’s more of a live band feel with what sounds like live drums on a few tracks. Interestingly, two of the most affecting tracks are “Smash Each Other Up” and “I, Claudius,” which both have a wistful feel and may be some of the mellowest tunes the Mods have ever done. A look at Williamson’s Insta feed reveals an affection for street fashion and in “Pit to Pit” he barks “Pit to pit / Cause I know how to wear it / Pit to pit / I look better than you!” Two live experiences of the Mods; first at Metro, second at Thalia, both great—but unfortunately their US spring tour is a select few dates on the east and west coasts with two dates at Coachella. Good for them. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/01ec7ad5-8c22-4be3-88af-efe4e0188db1/flying-colours-you-never-know.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sleaford Mods, Flyying Colours, Physique, The Eyelids - Flyying Colours - You Never Know (Poison City LP) Some bands conjure up bold, new sounds; others take an existing blueprint and breathe fresh life into it. Melbourne, Australia’s Flyying Colours is the latter, blending buzzing axes with sighing, heavily reverbed vocals pushed low in the mix. That combination emits powerful echoes of past acts like early Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and even neighboring New Zealanders Snapper. But as the quartet’s infectious new record, You Never Know, demonstrates, Flyying Colours’ hook-heavy songwriting compensates for the familiarity in their sonic template. Album opener “Lost Then Found” spins cycling guitar arpeggios beneath the paired vocals of Brodie J Brümmer and Gemma O’Connor before bursting into a sizzling chorus that flashes you back to the British indie bands of the late-’80s-early ‘90s. A bit derivative? Yeah, but the hook is so damn catchy you just don’t care. That’s the vibe that suffuses the whole record. “I Live in a Small Town” and “Do You Feel the Same?” whoosh by in a blur of high-watt chords, double-time tempos and feathery vocal harmonies that pull you into their vortex. But there’s also refreshing variation in Flyying Colours’ approach. The song “Bright Lights” takes you on a more relaxed stroll amid sparkling guitar jangle and silky synth lines, while the easygoing “Hit the Road” and “Goodbye to Music” ride sumptuously tuneful guitar riffs and fetching vocal lines into the land of pure pop bliss. You Never Know is like driving on familiar roads but in a swell new ride. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/93355d3a-fdac-44ee-b284-106d1b5df7ac/physique-again.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sleaford Mods, Flyying Colours, Physique, The Eyelids - Physique - Again (Iron Lung LP) If there’s a category labeled punk/hardcore/metal, Physique should be the poster child. I first became aware of them with their second LP Punk Life Is Shit from 2018. Brutal and ferocious, this is protest music, and there’s no let up on Again, their fourth record. War, oppression, and the “soul crushing realities of everyday life” provide the inspiration for “Rhythm Of Brutality,” “Hell Is Real” and “Yesterday’s Anguish, Tomorrow’s Despair.” 14 songs in 23 minutes that say more than most bands ever do. The last song “Again (Reprise)” brings the album to a close at the 30 minute mark. The album is “name your price” on bandcamp. So thank you Riley Chaos, Bouncing Bee, Victim Of, and World Bastard. The cassette sounds great. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b4421c65-627c-4a11-8843-a279cc518db6/eyelids-a-colossal-waste-of-light.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sleaford Mods, Flyying Colours, Physique, The Eyelids - The Eyelids - A Colossal Waste of Light (Jealous Butcher LP) If it’s possible for a bunch of people you may not have heard of to constitute a “supergroup,” well, Portland, Oregon’s the Eyelids are exactly that. Band members John Moen and Chris Slusarenko, (guitarists/main songwriters), Victor Krummenacher (bass), Jonathan Drews (guitar) and Paulie Pulvirenti (drums) boast current and past stints in indie-rock luminaries such as the Decemberists, Camper Van Beethoven, the Dharma Bums, Guided By Voices, Monks of Doom, the Minus 5, etc. The band’s fourth album, A Colossal Waste of Light somehow captures the most savory elements of all those influences and whips them into a melodically rich rock smoothie that tingles your taste buds start-to-finish. “Swinging in the Circus” is a mid-tempo rocker that channels the Posies, the Records and prime era Cheap Trick into a propulsive, hooky delight. In contrast, the gently pulsing, minor key “Only So Much” is swathed in shimmering, tremolo guitars and rich vocal harmonies that evoke a summer night gazing at the stars. Throughout the disc, the Eyelids expertly balance introspection and ebullient rocking, contrasting the gorgeous, ‘60s-saturated, nocturnal lilt of “Lyin’ in Your Tomb” with the torridly hooky rock of album closer “I Can’t Be Told.” A Colossal Waste of Light is a gigantic joy to listen to and an easy-to-overlook gem. So don’t let it slip by! -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/dd4a5490-71e8-4e71-a026-f3bef983592d/pete-townsend-ronnie-lane-rough-mix.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sleaford Mods, Flyying Colours, Physique, The Eyelids - Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane - Rough Mix (MCA Records LP) Word has it—down on his luck after blowing through much of his money—Ronnie Lane hit up Townshend for a loan but Pete suggested making a record together instead that also would fulfill a pre-existing album obligation that Lane had to Atlantic from a failed Small Faces reunification. Lane had departed the ensuing Faces after their final studio album, Ooh La La, in 1973 and solo success had proved elusive for him, while Townshend sought a break after a relentless touring grind with The Who. Lane pitched a songwriting collaboration but that wasn’t in keeping with Townshend’s mode of creation and the instrumental title track was the only shared credit among the eleven tracks. Needless to say, the pair didn’t always see eye to eye as Townshend revealed in the liner notes: “Ron and Pete play various Acoustic & Electric guitars, mandolins & bass guitars, banjos, ukuleles & very involved mind games.” Nevertheless, the dichotomy between their approaches eventually coalesced; Townshend leaning more spartan in this setting and Lane playing the part of a folk troubadour. Townshend’s jaunty “My Baby Gives It Away” (with an uncredited Charlie Watts on drums) received some commercial airplay, but the record peaked out in the mid 40s on both the US and UK charts. Lane had developed a friendship with Eric Clapton, who played on some of the tracks, including a striking dobro part to Lane’s touching “April Fool.” “Street In The City” is the album’s outlier with an orchestral score from Townshend’s father-in-law Edwin Astley. “Heart To Hang Onto” fittingly has a shared vocal lead and provides ballast for the two artists who had experienced their share of turmoil at that stage in their careers. Lane was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during the recording session, which curtailed his future output and contributed to his death in 1997. Townshend’s penance remained perpetually living down his “My Generation” proclamation and the inevitable trappings of The Who juggernaut. In hindsight Rough Mix provided a welcome respite from two artists heading in different directions and a treat for a listening audience that was fortunate to bear the fruits of their labor. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/gina-birch-neon-kittens-the-church-65rfy3t1 monthly 0.5 2023-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ade8970c-6d35-420c-a628-17f262f8f58d/gina-birch-i-play-my-bass-loud.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gina Birch, Neon Kittens, The Church - Gina Birch - I Play My Bass Loud (Third Man Records LP) I’ve waited 25 years for this album. It’s been that long since Birch’s fine album Slow Dirty Tears by her band The Hangovers, which came out in 1998 on Kill Rock Stars, a couple years after the Raincoats reunion that produced the underrated (and currently non-streamable) album Looking at the Shadows. Luckily it’s worth the wait. I Play My Bass Loud is a part studio/part bedroom creation. Sound quality is clear, but is laden with echoey electronic effects that sometimes distract from the song. But the songs are excellent—personal, anthemic, polemical, uplifting, and a bit off the wall. The joyous title track opens with Birch’s unmistakable bass tone familiar from Raincoats albums, but then is followed by 5 other bassists over the course of the track. Next, the doomy “And Then It Happened” rolls right into “Wish I Was You,” a Breeders-style rocker with a guitar assist from Thurston Moore. Moving between uptempo rock, reggae, and electronic inflected mid-tempo songs, I Play My Bass Loud projects a proud strength alongside a winning vulnerability. Birch isn’t a storyteller—she’s not metaphorical but blunt and direct, and her vociferously pro-feminist stance is treated with both gravity and humor. In “Feminist Song” she sings “When you ask me if I’m a feminist, I say why the hell should I not be?” And from the song “Pussy Riot”: “Some people think we’re trouble / Dangerous, profane / But we are doing our best / To be free, wild, sane.” Words to live by. -Jon Ginoli Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/88fad685-0aba-47f1-a698-da193a249744/neon-kittens-no-drugs-required.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gina Birch, Neon Kittens, The Church - Neon Kittens - No Drugs Required (Metal Postcard Records LP) On the opening track, “451,” Nina K from York’s Neon Kittens wastes no time getting down to business when she proclaims: “I just don’t have / a word to say / the thought police came / and took them away / burnt my bridges / burnt my books / set fire to my dreams / drove away in their fire trucks / in their fire trucks.” The group’s detached delivery echos their take on an impersonal, alienating universe. Guitarist Andy Goz serves as songwriter, creating dystopian tales that blur the line between reality and paranoia. Neon Kittens marry the jaggedness of post-punk (Gof4, PiL, Bush Tetras) with the dissonance of No Wave and the avant-garde (Contortions, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, Lizzy Mercier Descloux). Their serpentine riffs and syncopated rhythms pair with blasé vocals to create a hypnotic, narcotic state of mind. Doubt creeps in their universe with a trust factor near nil. When the moment arrives to go all in, Neon Kittens are betting on themselves as Nina K reveals: “I am a monotheist / I believe in me! / I am a monotheist / the one god is me and I am god.” -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e78fbafa-ad8a-4158-91ec-a844de0bfbbc/the-church-the-hypnogogue.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gina Birch, Neon Kittens, The Church - The Church - The Hypnogogue (Communicating Vessel LP) These esteemed Aussies seem to have the extended lifespan of their fellow antipodean, the lungfish. And, like the lungfish, the Church has demonstrated multiple modes of existence. It began life in 1980, sounding a bit like a distant cousin of energetic American indie rockers, such as R.E.M. But starting with the band’s 1988 U.S. breakout record, Starfish, the Church began shifting to more languid songs bathed in a hazy shimmer of guitar harmonics that can evoke a kind of modern psychedelia or an understated prog. Album number 26 (!!!), The Hypnogogue, doesn’t really mess with that trademark, often beguiling sound. Bathed in reverb and draped in heavily sustained guitars, there’s a cathedral-like vibe throughout the record. The title cut is classic Church. A gently chiming guitar figure kicks off the track, and as the rest of the band enter, they slow-build a dark, propulsive energy as an aurora borealis of minor key guitar lines glitters over Steve Kilbey’s subtly intense singing. “Aerodrome” is a sunnier, mid-tempo acoustic strummer with a charming swing-and-sway chorus, while “Albert Ross” offers a lovely, all-acoustic, pastoral interlude. If there’s a flaw in some of the Church’s more recent work, it’s that sometimes the songs are heavier on atmosphere than on memorable hooks, and there are some of those moments on this lengthy record (see “Antarctica,” “Succulent” and “Ascendence”). But tunes like the brooding, proggy, string-and-synth drenched “Thorn” and the brighter, airier, hook-y lilt of “I Think I Knew” give The Hypnogogue enough freshness and quality to reward longtime fans. -Rick Reger Discogs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/41ad3c02-7579-4f01-8c71-fd6f50821256/frisbie-the-subversive-sounds-of-love.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Gina Birch, Neon Kittens, The Church - Frisbie - The Subversive Sounds of Love (Hear Diagonally Records LP) Steve Frisbie and Liam Davis had a fortuitous introduction to each other while performing separately at a “Hoot Night” musical revue at Schubas that was curated by Poi Dog Pondering’s Susan Voelz. Shortly thereafter Davis was brought in as a lead guitarist and vocalist into Frisbie’s existing band that was soon rechristened under his name. Sharing a fondness for the Beatles and Big Star, the pair fit like hand in glove due to their harmonizing talents. Their 2000 debut, The Subversive Sounds of Love, is loaded with addictive tunes that Frisbie describes as progressive power pop. Davis revealed that he would constantly challenge himself to write a song better than Matthew Sweet’s “Evangeline.” I dare say there are a number of tracks on TSSOL that reside in that territory. His vocals maintain a yearning soulfulness that pairs seamlessly with Frisbie’s higher register. Original drummer Zack Cantor also played an integral role in the band as a third songwriter and vocalist, but departed after this album due to a bipolar condition. With a new line-up surrounding Davis and Frisbie, the group released the treasured New Debut in 2007, and have teased about an upcoming third album release. -Bruce Novak Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/surgery-cult-new-pagans-xpiral-xp-en-attendant-ana-1209j monthly 0.5 2023-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/09cdc978-33e3-4382-89bb-83dde5fbd05a/surgery-cult-torso-exchange.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Surgery Cult, New Pagans, Spiral XP, En Attendant Ana - Surgery Cult - Torso Exchange (self-released cassette LP) Surgery Cult bears a name that might suggest that they exist on the industrial side of the spectrum. While distortion infiltrates their output, the overall effect of their music tilts towards a melodic psychedelic vibe. Vocalist and guitarist Paul Foreman (Salisman, Soft Speaker) elicits a forlorn feeling with a wistfulness that captures life’s disappointments and disillusionment. He and bandmates Tony Assimos (guitar/owner of Tone Deaf Records), Evan Berodt (bass) and Bill Brown (drums) recorded Torso Exchange over the past two years with Doug Malone at Jamdek Studio in Humboldt Park. There’s plenty of reverb-soaked goodness to be found, punctuated at times with a maelstrom of guitar howl. The songs stretch out comfortably, but the band remains aware not to linger in one place very long. Torso Exchange maps a journey that gives way to some adventurous sonic exploration. It’s a trip truly worth taking. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f7813a67-0ba2-4748-bd3f-3314c6573d07/new-pagans-making-circles-of-our-own.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Surgery Cult, New Pagans, Spiral XP, En Attendant Ana - New Pagans - Making Circles of Our Own (Big Scary Monsters LP) The second album from Belfast, Ireland’s alt-punk quintet New Pagans is an impressive slice of guitar-driven post-punk/indie rock. Making Circles of Our Own is propelled by the twin guitar attack of Cahir O’Doherty and Allan McGreevy. The rhythm section of Claire Miskimmin (bass) and Conor McAuley (drums) combines to provide the perfect palette for singer and songwriter Lyndsey McDougall. O’Doherty does a fine job producing this one. “Better People” kicks things off in high gear and songs like “There We Are John” and “Karin Was Not A Rebel” showcase McDougall’s unique view of the world. There is a definite vintage late ’80s/early ’90s Pixies vibe to these ten songs—not surprising since they are one of McDougall’s influences. The record closes with the dreamy/folky “The State of My Love’s Desires” showcasing the range of New Pagans. Definitely one of my favorite records of 2023 so far. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3a9eeabb-0f86-41e4-9195-08cc41d2fd7a/spiral-xp-its-been-a-while.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Surgery Cult, New Pagans, Spiral XP, En Attendant Ana - Spiral XP - It’s Been a While (Danger Collective Records EP) Spiral XP has been a welcome addition to the Seattle scene, and a bit of a godsend for those awaiting more recorded output from the beloved Versing. Max Keyes, Versing’s drummer, heads up Spiral XP, who are back with EP number two following 2021’s Drop Me In. It’s Been a While raises the aggression and tempo, employing repetition and release patterns. “The End” simmers in a trance-like vibe before uncoiling with a guitar squall that turns things topsy-turvy. “Deja Vu,” on the other had, is buzzy from the start and is finished off in under two minutes for a dizzying sugar rush. Last time Spiral XP tried to break out of the state of Washington they were thwarted by their faulty van—here’s hoping that the new record leads them far and wide this time. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/82ae003b-35e1-40d5-ac62-fc2a87349142/en-attendant-ana-principia.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Surgery Cult, New Pagans, Spiral XP, En Attendant Ana - En Attendant Ana - Principia (Trouble In Mind LP) Margaux Bouchaudon has described Principia as a lighter album, with deliberate attention paid not to clutter up the instrumentation by having everyone play simultaneously. Undeniably, Principia sounds more crystalline—Vincent Hivert’s elastic bass playing is particularly distinct and Camille Fréchou’s horn work embellish the songs like never before. There’s nothing on the record that provides the frenzied rush of “In/Out” from their prior album, Juillet, but there are plenty of highlights that showcase the inherent strengths of this French pop quintet. “Same Old Story” reinforces Bouchaudon’s selective approach with dynamic syncopation dished out by Hivert and drummer Adrien Pollin supporting a tussle between Max Tomasso’s guitar and Fréchou’s sax. “Wonder” flows gently until it gives way to a motorik pace framed by swirling synths and phase-shifting guitar. “The Cut Off” is like a gleeful skip down the sidewalk, breaking out a bubbling keyboard to bolster its punchy arrangement. Throughout, Bouchaudon’s voice is resolute, setting the tone for a range of emotions. Lighter though it may be, Principia carries its weight remarkably well. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/eca94dcf-21d3-4d91-893d-a42d9e5476e9/no-4-christina-vantzou.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Surgery Cult, New Pagans, Spiral XP, En Attendant Ana - Christina Vantzou - No. 4 (Kranky LP) Brussels based composer Christine Vantzou works within a largely classical context using voice, acoustic instruments, and electronics to construct an ethereal world that is equal parts sound exploration and melody. On No. 4 she uses space and stillness to compelling effect, and a couple of pieces here recall Eno’s Music for Airports and Discreet Music albums. In fact, the opening of “Some Limited and Waning Memory” could almost be a sample of “2/1" off of MFA. No matter, this is beautiful and patient work, perfect for an overcast afternoon of reading and reflection. It’s hard to gauge how well her work is known, but a quick glance at her discography reveals an active practice with numerous collaborators along the way. I look forward to exploring her entire catalogue. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/sprints-anything-is-everything-aluminum-ph2u38 monthly 0.5 2023-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/663a6b8d-d8e8-43be-9fd3-da07f85d8edd/sprints-sprints-back-catalogue-lp.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sprints, Anything is Everything, Aluminum - Sprints - Back Catalogue (Nice Swan Records LP) While it would be a reach to label Dublin’s Sprints a pub rock band, much of their material has emanated from conversations group members have had over a pint of Guinness. There’s an unvarnished honesty and insight in their songwriting borne out of their desire to take the piss out of everything. Coming across as regular blokes, it’s easy to identify with them and feel part of the conversation. Back Catalogue is culled from the singles and EPs they’ve released since forming in 2019. Vocalist/guitarist Karla Chubb is a force of nature—pushing the band to the brink of collapse with her impassioned singing and biting observations. She dissects the world with candid clarity—attacking inequity and misogynistic culture with unrelenting abandon. In “Modern Job” she goes all in, confessing “I wish I was bolder / I wish I was brave / And I wish I didn’t count my days / By the things I didn’t say.” By song’s end Chubb is in hot pursuit of everything that’s eluded her: a girl, marriage, a modern job and money. More than a sense of regret, you get the feeling that being denied these things has emboldened her to make a claim for justice. Anybody would be foolish to try to stand in her way. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a087233e-0c0a-4ae5-bf03-00bd6f83f41f/anything-is-everything-a-tragic-optimism.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sprints, Anything is Everything, Aluminum - Anything is Everything - a tragic optimism (Beef Cake Records LP) Anything is Everything is the latest Chicago indie-punk band to hit the scene. The four-piece was formed in 2018, and just released their first album a tragic optimism on Beef Cake Records. The album kicks off with the propulsive heartbreak song “Headspace” featuring back-and-forth vocal interplay, and the music doesn’t let up from there. Anything is Everything calls themselves “Chicago’s Wurst Pop-Punk Band,” a tongue-in-cheek reference to their love of hotdogs. I love a band that wants to let their music do the talking while being goofy, and this band fits firmly in that mold. They cite early Blink-182 as an influence, and you can draw that comparison in the early album highlight “9 to 5” with its staccato vocals and driving bassline. What I really enjoy about this debut is that the band is clearly willing to explore their sound and aren’t stuck in one lane—you’ll hear some synths in there on “Where We Are” and a well-earned instrumental outro on “Half of Me.” I’m very interested to see where this band goes from here. Their foundation is strong, and well worth catching at one of their local shows over the next couple of months as they celebrate the release of a tragic optimism. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f8bfbdc3-83f2-41ba-a370-0de63e3edd2c/aluminum-windowpane.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sprints, Anything is Everything, Aluminum - Aluminum - Windowpane EP (Dandy Boy Records EP) Bay Area’s Aluminum was born out of a bedroom recording project of Marc Leyda after the dissolution of his prior band Wild Moth. Eventually Leyda recruited former bandmate Austin Montanari to supplement on guitar, and bassist/vocalist Ryann Gonsalves, who also performs in Torrey. Eric Mohammed was the original drummer for the Windowpane sessions, but has since been replaced by Chris Natividad of Marble Eye. Leyda and Gonsalves create a compelling dynamic—he generating the more plaintive and discordant elements and she countering with crystalline melodicism. The combination is reminiscent of the interplay between MBV’s Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher or Slowdive’s Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell. For a six-track EP, there’s an impressive variety on Windowpane; “Solar” and “Red & Gold” crackle with fierce intensity, while “With You” and the title track are buoyant and wistful. Two short ambient interludes point towards Leyda’s studio experimentation and provide overall texture. Windowpane is an impressive debut and a harbinger of a promising future. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/073f803b-6192-45c2-a533-0f0f77e4dc01/volcano-suns-the-bright-orange-years.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Sprints, Anything is Everything, Aluminum - Volcano Suns - The Bright Orange Years (Homestead Records / Merge Records LP) When Mission of Burma closed up shop in 1983 due guitarist Roger Miller’s escalating tinnitus, it left a gaping void in post-punk circles. With advances in onstage sound technology they were able to reform nearly twenty years later for a second chapter that rivaled their first phase. Mercifully, drummer Peter Prescott stepped up to soften the blow with his new outfit Volcano Suns, which initially included guitarist Gary Waleik and bassist Steve Michener before they left to spearhead Big Dipper. Volcano Suns were a bit of a revelation in that the majority of Burma’s songwriting was carried out by Miller and Clint Conley—Prescott’s singing was primarily on backing vocals and only one of his songs (“Learn How”) had appeared on an official release by time the band shut down. Jeff Weigand (bass) and Jon Williams (guitar) joined Prescott for the recording of The Bright Orange Years, which would be the first of a trio of albums that the Suns released through Homestead Records before moving on to SST. Prescott proved his mettle as a dynamic band leader through tracks like “Jak,” “The Mouth That Roared” and the stunning “Balancing Act.” The Weigand instrumental composition “Truth Is Stranger Than Fishing” is a masterful manipulation of tension, gradually uncoiling until the final minute of glorious outburst. Merge Records reissued the record in 2009 with nine bonus tracks that includes a couple co-compositions from Waleik and Michener. The additives rival most band’s primary output, which just goes to show how special the Suns truly were. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-tubs-sloan-glyders-john-cale-392hola3 monthly 0.5 2023-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/43a0c87c-7a3e-4527-8cb1-e12063e0a183/the-tubs-dead-meat.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Sloan, Glyders, John Cale - The Tubs - Dead Meat (Trouble In Mind LP) There’s always been an element of edginess in the bands that Owen Williams has performed in (Joanna Gruesome, Ex-Vöid, Sniffany & The Nits). On Dead Meat, Williams seeks out mental stability in a world he views as less than hospitable. During the pandemic he was literally holed up in an abandoned mental hospital with fellow members of The Nits. A quick scan of Dead Meat’s song titles is an indication that it’s been a trying time—“Illusion pt. II,” “Sniveller,” and “Duped” portend a rocky existence. The percussion section of drummer Matthew Green and bassist Max Warren push the pace to reinforce the urgency of matters at hand. Williams and fellow guitarist, George Nicholls, riff with a mixture of jangle and jagged, combining elements of roque folk, eclectic pop and punk fervor. With a litany of influences stretching over multiple eras of musical movements, Williams has described their sound as postmodern. While the proper descriptive might be hard to pin down, it’s easy to give way to the inherit charms that lie within. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0a25712d-9fb8-4e0c-a6a8-356235aa81c8/sloan-steady.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Sloan, Glyders, John Cale - Sloan - Steady (Yep Roc LP) Nova Scotia’s greatest gift to rock is back with its 13th record, and the aptly named Steady finds Sloan again doing what it does best: hammering out hooky, harmonious, often hard-charging guitar pop. Unlike many bands that blend into the faceless guitar-pop slough, Sloan has an ultra-rare hallmark in that all four of its members—Jay Ferguson (guitar), Chris Murphy (bass), Andrew Scott (drums), Patrick Pentland (guitar)—contribute sterling songwriting and lead vocals to their records. That invariably lends a wonderful stylistic diversity and variety to most of the band’s recordings. Steady kicks off in classic Sloan fashion with the topical “Magical Thinking” and “Spend the Day,” which slather singalong melodies and thick vocal choruses over buzzing axes and driving grooves. Elsewhere, “Scratch the Surface” ranks with the very best of Sloan’s anthemic rockers, but there’s also the woozy, Revolver-ish jangle of “Panic on Runnymede” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” which glide by in a pot-scented harmony haze. It wouldn’t be a Sloan disc without a couple gentler acoustic numbers and “Simply Leaving” and “Close Encounters” gorgeously scratch that itch. Steady is another strong Sloan outing that confirms the band’s creative trajectory is, indeed, steady as she goes! -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/04ab86ac-13ef-4ea9-b4fc-e8699338d9ed/glyders-marias-hunt.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Sloan, Glyders, John Cale - Glyders - Maria’s Hunt (Drag City / Country Thyme LP) A generational divide was never a barrier for Joshua Condon growing up. Gifted a wealth of records for his birthdays by his grandmother set him on a path of discovery of the ’60s/‘70s music that would serve as inspiration for the creation of Glyders along with cohort Eliza Weber. Maria’s Hunt maintains a comforting familiarity without devolving into strident replication. “High Time” kicks off the journey with a psych freak-out hatched from a Bolan boogie riff. The tempo shirts abruptly with “Wrong Sometimes Right,” combining Everly Brothers-style crooning with Gilded Palace of Sin accoutrements. “Golden Hour” is trippy with an itchy guitar finger that gradually breaks loose by mid-song. “Shoreline (Reprise)” closes out the record in grand and celebratory fashion. When Condon proclaims “What a time to be alive,” it’s both an observation of situational wonderment and an acknowledgement of good fortune. Either being reason enough to count one’s blessings. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8690140b-321e-4b64-91ef-fbdaebe8cc20/john-cale-mercy.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Sloan, Glyders, John Cale - John Cale - Mercy (Domino LP) Mercy would be a remarkable record simply for the fact that it was completed and released after John Cale turned 80! But Mercy is also remarkable for both its quality and the way furthers one of the most adventurous, questing careers in rock. At first listen, the disc’s vaporous atmosphere and somewhat ghostly vibe recall two of Cale’s 1980’s releases, Music for a New Society and Artificial Intelligence. But the new disc is more rhythmically propulsive than the former and more consistently engaging than the latter. Mercy drifts by in a reverb-heavy, watercolor wash of keyboards, occasional strings, layered voices and chill grooves. The title track is a hypnotically lovely swirl of sound, with a gentle pulse supporting willowy synth chords and Cale’s distinctive baritone, which variously emerges/submerges across the sonic mist. Other tunes, such as “Marilyn Monroe’s Legs (beauty elsewhere)” and “The Legal Status of Ice,” are more phantasmal, as fragments of melody and rhythm swirl about in an aural eddy that seems more improvised than structured. But the record isn’t all shadow and suggestion; “Noise of You,” “Story of Blood” and “Night Crawling” are hazy yet gently grooving, alluring pop songs with strong, classic Cale hooks. There’s also “Moonstruck (Nico’s Song),” a moving, lilting, string-dappled reminiscence of the song’s titular subject and inspiration. Overall, Mercy is a spectrally beguiling opus and a worthy addition to Cale’s striking, vastly underrated, 50+ year solo career. -Rick Reger Buy it over at Domino https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/792b353b-b38b-4c3c-ad76-942d56dd03b3/dick-diver-melbourne-florida.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Tubs, Sloan, Glyders, John Cale - Dick Diver - Melbourne, Florida (Chapter Music / Trouble In Mind LP) To my knowledge, Dick Diver never officially closed the book on performing together again, though their most recent shows with The Stroppies and RVG date back to December of 2018 in their native Melbourne. The band had discussed a new album back then with local Triple R radio station, but outside of bassist Al Montfort, the members have maintained a low profile in recent years.So if their third LP, Melbourne, Florida from 2015 ends up as their swan song, it’s a helluva way to go out. Building on their beginnings as a scrapy indie-pop band with 2009’s Arks Up EP, Melbourne exudes a confidence and sophistication with expanded instrumentation and measured pace. Rupert Edwards’ and Alistair McKay’s woven guitar interplay is embellished with synths, sax and trumpet for a grander reach without sacrificing the group’s innate warmthness. The tag-team vocals of Edwards and drummer Steph Hughes on tracks like “Competition” and “Blue Time” have a hand-in-glove fit and McKay’s “Waste the Alphabet” tumbles along with blissful delight. With each member providing songwriting input, the album remains cohesive—lyrically the overall feeling of discontent echoes the existential diatribe that was penned in the liner notes. It’s fair to wonder if that state of mind convinced the band that it had delivered all they were capable of doing and continuing on would’ve been unwise under such circumstances. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-smashing-times-whelpwishers-dead-roo-o12jr389fha monthly 0.5 2023-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/15259dc3-42ad-45b0-8a76-3d066f07b34f/the-smashing-times-bloom.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smashing Times, Whelpwishers, Dead Roo - The Smashing Times - Bloom (Meritorio Records LP) If placed in the context of the west coast ’80s paisley underground era, Baltimore’s Smashing Times would align most closely with the Rain Parade. Their music is infused with a comforting psychedelia woven into trippy interludes and framed by requisite Rickenbacker guitars. Taking inspiration from a Television Personalities track for their name, Smashing Times follows a similar shambolic approach to crafting their songs—their comfort zone resides in their rehearsal basement instead of a decked-out recording studio. They leverage a bit of surrealistic songwriting akin to the Soft Boys, albeit without the colorful cast of characters that spill forth from the brain of Robyn Hitchcock. Listening to Bloom is like exploring a forest by abandoning the main path—at times meandering but full of unexpected returns with a bit of perseverance. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/5da96d79-cf01-40d4-a17e-4122321a3d82/whelpwisher-cool-good.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smashing Times, Whelpwishers, Dead Roo - Whelpwisher - Cool Good (self-released EP) Whelpwisher is the solo project of Ben Grigg, who also splits time co-fronting Chicago-based Babe Report with Emily Wrong. Cool Good is comprised of four tracks—one instrumental and three edgy pop compositions. Grigg’s material here is more aggressive than his last record, Eerie Dearie, released in 2021. The opener, “Universal,” sets the tone when the elastic bass collides with tensile guitar bursts that pull up abruptly when Grigg approaches the vocal mic. “Lloyd Have Mercy” seeks more expansive territory with a brief backwards guitar intro and slow burn lament before kicking it up a notch with a six string traverse that stretches out into the stratosphere. The record closes out “Juice 2” that shape-shifts in tempo and emits a shoegaze vibe that’s more reminiscent of the Eerie Dearie material. Cool Good takes the listener to a lot of different places over a short set of time, which makes the excursion a dizzying but delightful encounter. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ec88696f-313b-4817-8022-e0ab549af905/dead-roo.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smashing Times, Whelpwishers, Dead Roo - Dead Roo - S/T (self-released EP) Since forming in 2017, Adelaide’s Dead Roo have been fairly measured in their career trajectory—playing gigs largely on a monthly basis and putting out a split single in 2020 via the Swirl Records label that’s co-managed by their drummer Hamish Gibson-Smith. Alas, their debut seven song EP that arrived last month is an indication that their time has been well spent. Dead Roo’s music is unhurried, but doesn’t lack urgency. In the opening track, “Nick of Time,” Jason Katsaras intones “Everything’s falling apart / Should have known right from the start / Jobs are scarce and so am I / Everything’s up in the sky.”Katsaras and fellow guitarist Jess Johns compliment each other in playing style and tone, and their voices nestle comfortably side by side—each capable of taking the lead when needed to deliver a varied approach. During an initial pub encounter, the pair discussed starting a country band, but those formal elements have given way to a more pop-based sound that still sometimes emits a high and lonesome vibe. Despite the outward angst of being twenty-somethings in a recently shut-down society, the members of Dead Roo can take comfort in the realization that time is undeniably on their side. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/5509ccba-0b25-4143-ae01-9377b6e619f3/rain-parade-emergency-third-rail-power-trip.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Smashing Times, Whelpwishers, Dead Roo - Rain Parade - Emergency Third Rail Power Trip (Enigma LP) David Roback achieved infamy by co-writing “Fade into You” with Hope Sandoval on Mazzy Star’s 1993 album So Tonight That I Might See. A decade prior, he, along with the other members of Rain Parade, delivered a pièce de résistance with their debut album Emergency Third Rail Power Trip. It would be Roback’s only appearance with the band, who continued to release two additional studio albums after his departure.Of course the record is very much the sum of its parts. David’s brother Steven was also a principal songwriter, as was Matt Piucci. Of all the paisley underground groups, Rain Parade was the most ambitious in terms of orchestration. In addition to the twin chiming guitars of David and Matt, Will Glenn provided sophistication on keyboards and violin, pairing well with the sitar bits that were courtesy of Piucci. Because of budget constraints the recording session was carried out swiftly, but you’d never sense that based on the result.While the album maintains a dreamlike quality, it marked a dark period for the band members. Vocalizing that collective state of mind through the songwriting proved therapeutic in a music as healing capacity. After the pain of losing David Roback to cancer nearly three years ago, listening to this record gives me great comfort and remains utterly profound in its impact. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/mikes-top-10-of-2022-h2hkha8-3uhqp-1fa monthly 0.5 2023-01-07 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/bruces-top-10-of-2022-2j32riaji4-2oahp monthly 0.5 2023-01-06 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/marks-top-10-of-2022-28392-2hyuqg-13f monthly 0.5 2023-01-06 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/toms-top-10-of-2022-23jr8923hr-2j2q5g monthly 0.5 2023-01-02 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/wades-top-10-of-2022-2h2367-6bp11h8-3uh32 monthly 0.5 2023-01-02 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/smut-the-cool-greenhouse-gut-health-32jio89h monthly 0.5 2023-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d92a896c-362d-4b5f-8f70-26a559397284/smut-how-the-light-felt.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smut, The Cool Greenhouse, Gut Health - Smut - How The Light Felt (Bayonet Records LP) Vocalist Tay Roebuck characterizes their sophomore album as centering around grieving and loss. “Let Me Hate” specifically addresses the therapy that she underwent after the passing of her younger sister.Roebuck initially formed the band with guitarist Andrew Min out of Cincinnati before relocating to Chicago just prior to the start of the pandemic. On the title track it’s hard to discern whether the change of scenery provided any more comfort with Roebuck singing “I’ve seen flowers / Bent at ugly angles / Killing hours / On the floor / Wires tangled.”There’s a pervasive melancholic feel throughout the record, but the music remains warm and inviting. Ethereal guitars and synths intertwine effortlessly and the rhythm section provides a soft landing for an overall immersive experience. How The Light Felt shows us that coping with pain is at difficult and harrowing, but it’s vastly preferable than feeling nothing at all. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/458e53cd-1d57-4e16-a3d1-ff3be4869310/the-cool-greenhouse-sods-toastie.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smut, The Cool Greenhouse, Gut Health - The Cool Greenhouse - Sod’s Toastie (Melodic LP) In deciding whether I like a band, a lot of it has to do with the vocalist. A good one elevates the music, but others have me moving on to the next thing at top speed. This is especially true of the current crop of British post-punk bands, many of whom are fronted by talk-singing front persons. Yard Act? Not buying it. Sleaford Mods? Yes please. It’s a big yes for the Cool Greenhouse, fronted by one Tom Greenhouse. His voice resonates with me; I find his oddball lyrics and his delivery of them compelling, and the music, a kind of semi-lo-fi kitchen sink approach with lots of Fall-influenced off-kilter guitar scrapings, really does it for me. Sod’s Toastie (lousy title, great title song), is their second full-length, following the hysterical 2020 single “Alexa,” which has befuddled and irritated listeners with Amazon’s digital assistant. “Play the song ‘Alexa’ by the Cool Greenhouse” he declaims; “Hm, don’t know that one” comes the reply. But it will call greenhouses for you. Hooks are present, and some songs are really catchy, serving as a simpatico backdrop for Greenhouse’s orations. The many references to isolation and solitude mark it as a pandemic album, but with a sense of humor and plenty of quirky asides. Non-sequitur lyrics like this grab my attention: Googling questions like “Should I start microdosing?” And “How come I'm standing in front of Four Seasons Total Landscaping?” That’s from my favorite track “Get Unjaded,” with its killer guitar riff, during which Greenhouse calls for a guitar solo and is instead rewarded with a brief keyboard solo right out of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. Bitchin’! And that’s not to mention references to the fly on Mike Pence’s head, the interjection “It’s like Windows 98 in here,” a smackdown of Jordan fucking Peterson, and a Talking Heads lyric reference and sample (I guess they really like Remain in Light). “Hard Rock Potato” probes the bamboozling investment schemes of the bitcoin era, and “The Neoprene Ravine” is a like a dream channeling the “alien equivalent of the Velvet Underground.” I do wonder how much these punch lines will stick after numerous listens or whether they will wear out their welcome, which can happen more quickly when things are spoken rather than sung. For the moment I’m loving it, one of my favorite albums of the year. -Jon Ginoli Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/beffd444-d588-4c25-9966-fac362d78114/gut-health-electric-party-chrome-girl.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smut, The Cool Greenhouse, Gut Health - Gut Health - Electric Party Chrome Girl (Marthouse Records EP) Pete Townshend once said that “Rock ’n’ Roll might not solve your problems, but it does let you dance all over them.” Taking inspiration from queer rave culture, Gut Health’s singer Athina Uh Oh aspires to bring people together to dance as a means of fostering community, finding catharsis or just enabling escape. While the Melbourne-based band members come from varied musical backgrounds, their sound gestates in the dance punk realm of artists such as Le Tigre and Lizzy Mercier Descloux. Electric Party Chrome Girl is the band’s debut—comprised of four tracks that clock in just shy of ten minutes. The music is brisk and urgent with the rhythm section firmly in the driver’s seat while the rest of the band careens along the pathway. Gut Health seek to confront accepted norms across gender and class lines. “Put your money where your mouth is” comes their challenge in the song “Shut Down.” Whether the audience is up to the task or not, they won’t be taking it sitting down—which clearly suits the band just fine. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e4e8c891-a4da-4f5b-b92a-2dbaac0112ec/doublehappys-nerves.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smut, The Cool Greenhouse, Gut Health - DoubleHappys - Nerves (Flying Nun compilation) Matthew Goody’s new book Needles & Plastic: Flying Nun Records, 1981-1988 is a comprehensive examination on the influential New Zealand label that was founded by Roger Shepherd. It follows Shepherd’s own memoir, In Love With These Times: My Life With Flying Nun Records, which was published in 2016. While Shepherd derived his book title from a song first written by label mainstays The Clean (and later recorded by Bailter Space), Goody tapped the short-lived DoubleHappy’s song for his naming inspiration. The DoubleHappys came together in 1983 when Shayne Carter departed Bored Games to team up with Wayne Elsey who’d previously played in Dunedin-based The Stones. The band hit their stride when acquaintance John Collie was recruited on skins replacing the faulty drum machine that they had nicknamed Herbie Fuckface. The twin guitars of Carter and Elsey brought an intensity to the band that was matched by their on stage presence. Flying Nun was able to release a 7” single (Double B Side) and a 12” EP (Cut It Out) during the band’s tenure. In addition to those tracks, Nerves also collects two live tracks from a Windsor Castle taping and two practice space demos featuring the infamous Herbie. The DoubleHappys reached a tragic end in June of 1985 when Elsey died in a train accident. Carter collaborated with Peter Jeffries to pay tribute to his bandmate with the harrowing “Randolph’s Going Home” single. He and Collie eventually moved on to Straightjacket Fits and achieved a bit of notoriety in the American market through their 1993 Blow release on the Arista label. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/smirk-magic-shoppe-meat-wave-8743hy0-2h3uri monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ac3f0c91-728d-477e-9bba-90d9dba7ac3d/smirk-material.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smirk, Magic Shoppe, Meat Wave - Smirk - Material (Feel It Records LP) You may know Nick Vicario’s name as a member of Portland Oregon’s punky Public Eye, but Material is from Vicario’s occasional side project Smirk. The semi-deranged cartoon clown on the cover of Material definitely captures some of the record’s slightly warped, humor-slashed, punk punch. Many of the tracks traffic in an amped-up, beat-hammered punk strum that never quite overshadows an underlying pop hookiness. Tracks like “Material World’s Unfair” and “Symmetry” fly by with a taut, brusque, slightly claustrophobic pull that can evoke echoes of touchstones like very early Wire, the Fall or some of the more rough-and-tumble Flying Nun bands. But then in the middle of the record, the pulse downshifts and more crafty melodies begin soaring up. Songs like “Hopeless” and “Souvenir” stick with surly lyrics, but they deck the snarly verbiage in shimmery guitar chords and vocal melodies that gracefully arc and float rather than bark. This push-pull dichotomy between pop hook and three-chord chug on Material at times reminds me of a similar tension in the music of Australia’s Royal Headache. Then there’s the song “Total Reality,” which traffics in ultra-catchy, mid-tempo, hard-rock that even throws some cowbell into the final verse and chorus. Overall, Material does an invigorating job of tossing both your inner punk and inner popster some tasty red meat. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2462d362-decd-47be-8f13-76684e069a29/magic-shoppe-patty-hearse-ep.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smirk, Magic Shoppe, Meat Wave - Magic Shoppe - Patty Hearse E.P. (Little Cloud Records / Cardinal Fuzz EP) Conjuring a sound as dense as London’s fog, Boston’s Magic Shoppe follow up their Mono Lake LP from earlier this year with the provocatively titled Patty Hearse E.P. With each of the four tracks clocking in under two minutes, the release is an adrenalized take on their more typical ambling pace. The trio of guitars emerge unshackled with cataclysmic force and whiplash effect. As expected, the reverb is laid on thick and Josiah Webb’s vocals maintain their ethereal quality. True to its title, Patty Hearse will hold you captive and maybe even slightly unhinged. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8756dd7e-943a-4ae2-8a7c-a6f60265e510/meat-wave-malign-hex.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smirk, Magic Shoppe, Meat Wave - Meat Wave - Malign Hex (Swami Records LP) The short fuse assault that defined Meat Wave’s earlier work has largely given way to a slow burn approach. Advance tracks “Ridiculous Car” and “Honest Living” reside in the ninety-second/two-minute rapid fire territory, but the rest of Malign Hex traffics in more expansive environs while still preserving the band’s trademark agitation. “Disney” opens the record with a loping beat and gradually ratchets up the intensity before everything comes crashing down within a portrayal of family dysfunction. “Waveless” and “Jim’s Teeth” extend this patient exploration—confident in where they want to arrive, but in no hurry to get there. By the closing track, “Malign,” Meat Wave are in full decompression mode—vocalist Chris Sutter languidly repeats the album’s title phrase over repetitive, textured instrumentation. Malign Hex admirably tries to come to grips with the anxious times we currently reside in without resorting to knee-jerk reaction. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/416ab27f-c05c-4ac9-b6f3-afe0406768ed/honor-role-album.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Smirk, Magic Shoppe, Meat Wave - Honor Role - Album (Merge compilation) When Pen Rollings (guitar/vocals) and Steve Schick (drums) formed Honor Role in the early ‘80s there wasn’t much taking place in Richmond, Virginia to garner even a passing notice. After an initial EP release in 1984, Steve’s brother Bob joined to become the group’s vocalist. That switch unlocked a profound dynamic for the band as Schick’s hyperventilated delivery and cutting lyrics melded seamlessly with Rollings’ twisting guitar excursions. A pair of singles functioned as a clarion call to their noteworthy debut LP, The Pretty Song, which led to a signing by the influential Homestead Records. By then Steve Schick had departed and Seth Harris from Kepone took over drum duties. Another 7” followed and then the Rictus album was released in 1989, which proved to be Honor Role’s swan song. Album essentially collects just about everything other than the aforementioned EP and an earlier split record with fellow Richmond hardcore outfit Graven Image. While the band’s run was relatively brief, their material remains distinctive among a punk genre that’s often overrun with imitation. Bob Schick would go on to form Coral and then Dynamic Truths—worthwhile listens in their own right. Pen Rollings turned his attention to his then side project Butterglove, later moving on to instrumental trio Breadwinner that featured Bobby Donne on bass who thereafter became a founding member of Labradford. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/girl-in-synthesis-burial-eggs-09238hui monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e806cb10-236e-4728-a863-6c2168e83bd3/girl-in-synthesis-the-rest-is-distraction.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Girl in Synthesis, Burial, EggS - Girl In Synthesis - The Rest Is Distraction (Own It Music LP) When No Wristbands hosted Tony Assimos of Tone Deaf Records on the pod this summer, he was effusive in his praise for this London trio and they immediately garnered a follow from me on their Bandcamp site. With their DIY mentality, Girl In Synthesis place their focus on their creative output—self financing their recordings and gigging as their work allows it. This has permitted them to operate free of compromise, which is key for a band set on exposing the underbelly of injustice and the false narratives behind the premise of a new world order. Girl In Synthesis are confrontational, but not didactic. Vocalist/guitarist John Linger chronicles the impact that isolation has towards festering a climate of dissociation and distrust. Drummer Nicole Pinto and bassist Jim Cubitt provide density and manage to tether the aggression that feels ready to spiral out of control at any given moment. Like Wire, GOS are dead set against complacency—a commitment that’s reflected in their ever developing sound and substance. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ada6bb85-a0ce-41aa-b127-dec77012c1f4/burial-streetlands.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Girl in Synthesis, Burial, EggS - Burial - Streetlands (Hyperdub EP) South London native William Bevan is the enigma behind Burial, whose Wikipedia listed instrument—computer—has made some of the most fascinating electronic music of the 21st century. After debuting with South Borough London EP in 2005, he released two full-length records to world wide acclaim—Burial (s/t 2006), and Untrue (2007). Originally placed within dub-step, Bevan’s expression proved to be more expansive, idiosyncratic, and dread than that label, and has since released no less than 15 additional records, mostly two and three song 12” vinyls, which has become a comfortable format for his work. Streetlands follows Anti-dawn from January of this year, and mines an even deeper ambient/soundtrack direction. This music evokes imagery of empty streetscapes and long shadows, woozy lights and flickering atmospheres. “Hospital Chapel” and “Streetlands” sound mysterious and surprise even after repeated listenings; while the third track “Exokind” finds some keys based arpeggios that evoke a bit of space odyssey type work. Near the end, a deep stuttering beat is looped and a beautiful ethereal voice appears and sings repeated lines that leave it up to the listener to discern what is actually being said. Burial’s work with vocals has always been unique and blurry in its beauty. The beats and momentum of Burial’s early work and collaborations with Thom Yorke, and FourTet, among others, has given way to disembodied, impressionistic voices and strings, church organs and the like. While the familiar Burial space still crackles and resonates with vinyl pin pricks, Bevan continues to find infinity inside his machine. Oh, if he would only perform this magic live… -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/84cb9d87-dc06-478b-a5b1-f9955a1bed7e/eggs-a-glitter-year.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Girl in Synthesis, Burial, EggS - EggS - A Glitter Year (Prefect / Howlin Banana Records LP) After the release of last year’s terrific 3-song EP, the optimistically titled Greatest Hits, I fretted that EggS might not be around long enough for a return engagement due to their preference for anonymity. Fortunately, A Glitter Year has put those fears to rest with with a dozen tracks of endearing shambolic pop. While the band always harbored reservations about putting out a full-length LP, they decided to take the route of a couple of their beloved inspirations—The Replacements and Guided By Voices—whose focus was on crafting indelible singles with heady lyrics that eschewed an overall thematic element. Guitarist Charles Daneau possesses an atypical voice, not unlike The Mekons’ Tom Greenhalgh, both heartfelt and passionate that trumps pristine melodicism. Margaux Bouchaudon (En Attendant Ana) provides an ideal vocal counterpart with a soaring presence that elevates the compositions and allows proper latitude to Daneau’s zig-zagging. A Glitter Year is a step up from Greatest Hits four-track charm—with a more insistent backbeat (due to a drums and guitar realignment) and a prominent sax presence with Camille Fréchou also joining in from En Attendant Ana. There’s been discussions of further expansion beyond the current seven member line-up, which suggests a promising future—as tenuous as that may sound. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/20d688a4-29c9-44e6-8497-6bc0f191cf8c/brakes-give-blood.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Girl in Synthesis, Burial, EggS - Brakes - Give Blood (Rough Trade LP) Some debut releases come out of left field to defy expectations. After being dropped by BMG Records, brothers Alex and Thomas White of the nuanced psych pop outfit Electric Soft Parade caught a solo gig from Eamon Hamilton, who was also part of British Sea Power at the time. Enlisting the gregarious performer to front Brakes proved to be an inspired choice, and soon fellow Brighton musician Marc Beatty was brought over from Tenderfoot to play bass. Give Blood is a rollercoaster ride—madly racing ahead in spots, taking unexpected turns and ending in good time before nausea has time to set in. Sixteen tracks under thirty minutes, some mere seconds long. Hamilton’s biting wit surfaces throughout, no more so than on “Heard About Your Band” in which he dresses down a pompous scenester with a closing retort of “whatever, dude.” There’s an insurgent country element that surfaces in “NY Pie” and the band’s take on the Johnny Cash/June Carter classic “Jackson.” In contrast with Hamilton’s extrovert inclinations, “You’re So Pretty” is a disarmingly gorgeous pop song full of adoration and vulnerability. By the end of Give Blood there’s nothing left to squeeze out of the band’s performance—they’ve poured it all out and left us with everything they’re capable of. Take it for all that it’s worth. -Bruce Novak Discogs Link https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-bug-club-robyn-hitchcock-bill-callahan-yhgf2376 monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/76f71d6f-811c-4611-ab28-9b6641f182dd/the-bug-club-green-dream-in-f-sharp.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Robyn Hitchcock, Bill Callahan - The Bug Club - Green Dream in F# (Bingo Records LP) The world is in terrible shape, I may be suffering from election anxiety, but if super-catchy, fun-minded indie guitar rock is just what you need right now, you've come to the right place. Green Dream in F# is full of ridiculous, not to be taken seriously lyrics, deadpan vocals (a la Syd Barrett, albeit without the darkness or mania), and melodic fast-paced tunes to keep it rolling. There are couple of slower songs, my least favorites; overall I like the energy and the joy of the uptempo nature of this album. Clever they are not; there are a couple times where a funny line or a chorus gets repeated into the ground, but that's OK. The Wedding Present would call them "really daft." This Welsh trio landed on my Spotify list one week in early 2021 and I've been hooked ever since. That first song, unfortunately not on this album, was "We Don't Need Room For Loving" (because their stereo takes up most of their bedroom), in which they charmingly sing the (British) alphabet. Though this may be their debut LP, they've already put out more than an album's worth of singles & EPs. Sadly, none of those songs are on here, and those are a lot of my favorites, and I would recommend you seek them out. A few comparisons come to mind—Wet Leg, for their laissez-faire approach (though they can be more introspective); the awkwardly sincere British band Art Brut; and naive Australians The Goon Sax, though they try to grapple with issues the Bug Club are studiously ignoring. This is low-stakes rock, not intellectually challenging, not to be reviewed by Pitchfork, but to be enjoyed as a simple pleasure. As the late much-missed punk sage D. Boon of the Minutemen once sang, "there are still lofty dreams, meager desires, and still silliness." This is silly, goofy, wonderful nonsense, an island of fun you might want to escape to right now. -Jon Ginoli Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/89868289-b481-4b1f-9605-4b4fb3df8d18/robyn-hitchcock-shufflemania.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Robyn Hitchcock, Bill Callahan - Robyn Hitchcock - Shufflemania! (Tiny Ghost LP) Many singer-songwriters with Robyn Hitchcock’s creative longevity have diverse stylistic phases (e.g., Bob Dylan’s “gospel” phase or Johnny Cash’s late, stripped down “American Recordings” phase). But over a 40-year span, Hitchcock’s style has barely budged from the surreal, acid-cracked lyrics and mid-to-late ‘60s-style songcraft that marked his 1981 solo debut Black Snake Diamond Röle. While he can vary his presentation from spare, folky ambience to full-on, modern rock production, the music itself is always stamped with Hitchcock’s singular fingerprint. That’s OK, and it’s certainly true on his new disc, Shufflemania! Recorded in various locations during the pandemic, the 10 new tracks serve up classic Hitchcock elements. Album opener “The Shuffle Man” is one of those frenetic strummers strewn with breathless, whimsical imagery that pops up on many Hitchcock discs. But “The Inner Life of Scorpio” quickly shifts things back to what’s made Hitchcock a legend. It’s a tapestry of gentle, midtempo chords falling as elegantly as a slow snowfall piling up to a chorus of sighing vocal harmonies. Elsewhere “The Feathery Serpent God,” with its gentle sitar drone, lets the psychedelic DNA in Hitchcock’s songcraft bleed through, while “The Man Who Loves the Rain” is every bit as gorgeous as his 1980s classic “Raymond Chandler Evening.” Then there’s “Noirer Than Noir,” which alternates marimba-flecked spy movie ambience with a shimmery chorus of flecked notes like handfuls of glitter tossed in sunlight. “Shufflemania!” may not be Hitchcock’s very best, but it ranks with his stronger discs for sure. -Rick Reger Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0eaa5225-7dd6-493d-8475-e0018c42bf9d/bill-calahan-reality.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Robyn Hitchcock, Bill Callahan - Bill Callahan - YTI⅃AƎЯ (Drag City LP) Bill Callahan is a mysterious man. His early work under the name Smog was lo-fi and experimental, and he was a hard to pin down. Over the past decade or so as he's started to release music under his own name, Callahan's music has started to become more polished, specific, and happy, which is a definite departure from earlier work. He's settled down in Austin Texas, and has been experiencing a creative flourish over the past 3 years having put out three solo albums, and one collaborative album with Bonnie "Prince" Billy. YTI⅃AƎЯ is his latest offering, and it continues the exploration of his place in the world while trying to get listeners back to pre-pandemic ways of life. Backed by a full band this time, the album flows from the somber "Everyway" to the expansive, open-ended “Planets,” and concludes with a lament to a man gone too soon in "Last One At The Party.” Bill Callahan albums are always growers for me, and I look forward to getting to live in this album more over time. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b72534e5-db14-4fd9-8106-48a6ba11ddd7/embarrassment-heyday.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Bug Club, Robyn Hitchcock, Bill Callahan - The Embarrassment - Heyday 1979-83 (1982 - 2002) (Bar/None Records compilation) While it’s still difficult nowadays to garner attention for a band outside a major metropolitan area, consider the plight of The Embarrassment. When they formed in Wichita, Kansas in 1979, there were few lifelines available to connect with what was happening in the alternative music scene. Perhaps a decent record store or two, a college radio station, and a few fanzines to keep tabs on bands that were never destined to get any ink from the mainstream press. Some musicians are celebrated by elitist followers for their obscurity, but the Embos never had a choice in that matter. Nearly forty years after their original dissolution, they’re being feted with their own documentary, sarcastically titled We Were Famous, You Don’t Remember. Operating in relative isolation on the Great Plains ensured that the band wouldn’t be beholden to any trends. They were inventive and geeky, with all four members bespectacled in a manner of a later day Buddy Holly—whom they honored by covering “Maybe, Baby.” Their music was a product of sci-fi & horror films, lurid pulp fiction and whimsical sitcom TV with a ‘60s garage band foundation and skewed pop sensibility. They were whip-smart, but never took themselves very seriously. Comprised of over forty tracks, Heyday is nearly an exhaustive account of their recorded output with nary a lackluster song in the bunch. Guitarist Bill Goffrier would go on to form the superlative Big Dipper, briefly joined by drummer Brent “Woody” Giessmann before he departed for The Del Fuegos. Being reunited with singer John Nichols and bassist Ron Klaus for a show in their hometown in conjunction to the documentary premiere had to have been a source of immense satisfaction. Evidence that great music perseveres—regardless of where it comes from. -Bruce Novak Discogs Link https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-homeless-gospel-choir-2nd-grade-ganser-21hu12t monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9abd5f75-fd41-4f87-a87f-2384f732ec16/the-homeless-gospel-choir-fourth-dimension-intervention.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Homeless Gospel Choir, 2nd Grade, Ganser - The Homeless Gospel Choir - Fourth Dimension Intervention (Don Giovanni Records LP) Derek Zanetti is always someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. Long known for his “This Is A Protest Song!” acoustic punk rock anthems, he’s put together a kick-ass band for his last two records. On the latest one, Fourth Dimension Intervention, they add a heavy dose of fuzzy psychedelic sound to the proceedings. Derek is still on his quest to find himself/love himself/improve himself/accept himself. On songs like “Hey Judas” or “Cow People” or “Leaving Hazelwood,” that journey sounds pretty familiar to THGC fans. But on much of the new record, that “trip” gets further out there. The punk rocks a bit harder and freakier on “Brainwash Brainwash,” "A Chameleon, Sometimes” and “Sensitive Type.” Throw in a rocking alien love song—“Tender Hearted Jellyfish Alien Boyfriend”—and you’ve got a lot to like here. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d3a8cc6b-6931-4959-bfe7-682673af7407/2nd-grade-easy-listening.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Homeless Gospel Choir, 2nd Grade, Ganser - 2nd Grade - Easy Listening (Double Double Whammy LP) 2nd Grade is admittedly my favorite new band I've discovered in the past couple of years, so I was very excited when they announced Easy Listening was coming out September 30th. 2nd Grade is the brainchild of Peter Gill, and they are a beautiful power pop blend of Guided by Voices with Big Star. Gill's fondness for GBV is shown in 2nd Grade's ability to craft ear worms that will stick in your head for the rest of the day in under 2 minutes. Early album highlight "Me and My Blue Angels" perfectly encapsulates what 2nd Grade does so well. Harmonies influenced by Gill's love of The Beach Boys abound as he sings about loving his band and bandmates. I must admit I've played this song more times than any other song since it came out as their second single for the album. One interesting thing to note with this record is that it was recorded in different fidelities. Some songs sound more pristine, and recorded in an actual studio ("Strung Out On You”) while others were more DIY recorded at home ("Hand Of The Brand”). These varying levels of audio quality make the songs stand out from another. Truly, if you are a fan of short, well constructed pop songs with jingly guitars that sing with a sense of longing and nostalgia, this album is for you. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/97760321-b87c-4d1b-a261-6da6adb29abb/ganser-nothing-you-do-matters.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Homeless Gospel Choir, 2nd Grade, Ganser - Ganser - Nothing You Do Matters (Felte EP) Ganser partnered with Liars producer Angus Andrew on two new tracks for a somewhat grander sound since 2020’s Just Look At That Sky. “People Watching,” with its “No one is asking / Everyone’s taking” refrain, ratchets up the paranoia with Nadia Garofalo portraying an uncaring world with no escape. The Liars remix version heightens the impersonalization by incorporating IDM elements. Bassist Alicia Gaines steps in to handle vocals on the second track “What Me Worry?” What starts as a percolating chill-out quickly intensifies into into a dense miasma of lacerating guitar, Chamberlin keyboard effects and bombarding drum beats. Gaines is no less agitated as Garofalo was on the prior track, as she questions the situation that’s been imposed upon her with a retort of “When did I agree to this?” Ganser’s worldview is being formed from the outside looking in—what they’re observing is an alien landscape that’s appears increasingly unfit for habitation. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e66ca7fd-eb6c-40af-99da-b56e90da5862/the-windbreakers-time-machine.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Homeless Gospel Choir, 2nd Grade, Ganser - The Windbreakers - Time Machine (1982 - 2002) (The Paisley Pop Label compilation) Beloved among their peers, the Windbreakers didn’t find the commercial success that R.E.M. and the dB’s enjoyed despite having a slew of radio-ready pop classics. Hailing from Jackson, Mississippi, the duo of Tim Lee and Bobby Sutliff were a bit removed from others who emerged from the ‘80s pop underground. A common bond was forged around Mitch Easter’s Drive-In Studio that became the de facto HQ for the southern and east coast pop aspirants. While a number of those bands were indoctrinated to Easter’s experimental wizardry, he primarily played to the strengths of of Lee and Sutliff—a more ragged, intuitive musicianship captured by their ringing guitar interplay and contrasting vocal styles. While their tales of romantic entanglement might strike some as pedestrian, the rawness and sincerity in which they were delivered remains unassailable. The release of their fifth LP, Electric Landlady, in 1991, pretty well ended their partnership with each artist subsequently pursuing solo careers and collaborations with other musicians. The Time Machine project did reunite them briefly to record two new songs with True West’s Russ Tolman producing. Sadly, Sutliff just passed away from cancer at the end of August. Tim and his wife Susan Bauer Lee remain active performing under the name Bark since 2014. -Bruce Novak Discogs Link https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/tony-molina-pink-frost-pet-needs-no-age-28gabu1 monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bb505e96-ea7b-4091-bbd8-7d4e19d79b18/tony-molina-in-the-fade.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tony Molina, Pink Frost, Pet Needs, No Age - Tony Molina - In The Fade (Run For Cover Records LP) While most musicians strive to reach the largest possible listenership, it seems Tony Molina can take it or leave it. Since his first recordings in the mid-aughts with his former band Ovens, few have maintained as low a profile as Molina. He releases his music on tiny Bay Area labels, sometimes on cassette only; apparently Slumberland, with three of his releases during the 2010s, were too big a label for him. He has barely toured, and only occasionally plays live locally. This is a shame, as Tony has been one of my favorites for over a decade now. In The Fade is his 7th studio solo release, but all of his LPs are EP length. This is his longest album so far, 14 songs in 19 minutes. It contains the same elements present in all of his records since his days with Ovens--brief songs with memorable melodies and catchy hooks, simple but sincere lyrics beautifully sung (with the occasional British accent), and guitar sounds ranging widely between overdriven, emotionally cathartic guitar solos to quiet acoustic gems with dreamy guitar picking. I'm often thinking Beatles (obvious Beatle and George Harrison homages abound), Zombies (mellotron that summons up Odessey and Oracle every time), and Thin Lizzy (those '70s style twin-lead solos). The hard rock side is mostly sidelined on this album, with a mellower vibe that feels like a continuation of earlier releases like Kill the Lights. He pulls out two Ovens songs to re-do, but they don't sound much different from when he first recorded them. There are minor variations and nuances from record to record, like a little more piano this time, but he's extremely consistent. There's still distortion, but it's not foregrounded against a wall of feedback like on Dissed and Dismissed. While I admit I miss this and would vote for Dissed as his best record, the brevity of the songs here, and that feeling of incompleteness, will keep me going back for more, just like all of his other releases. -Jon Ginoli Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f33f84c9-32cc-4e1c-8b4e-0ecb3b366b27/pink-frost-until-the-summer-comes.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tony Molina, Pink Frost, Pet Needs, No Age - Pink Frost - Until the Summer Comes (Under Road Records LP) A key, relevant element of rock ’n’ roll is its immediacy—the ability to capture the here and now. The pandemic has critically tested that attribute with in-person live performances ceasing for a time and record releases forestalled by supply chain logistics. Pink Frost were poised to introduce Until the Summer Comes after recording wrapped at Chicago’s Electrical Audio with their mainstay engineer Gregoire Yeche. Plans to reconvene to mix the record with Yeche in France during the Spring of 2020 fell by the wayside with newly enforced travel restrictions. Initially discouraged by the delay, the band refocused its efforts to scrutinize the tracks to arrive at what vocalist/guitarist Adam Lukas describes as their “dream record.” Yeche’s return to the States in 2021 restarted the process and the results proved worth the wait. Until the Summer Comes finds the group at their sonic zenith, exhibiting varied dynamics infused with full-throttle psych rock, shoegaze glaze and a judicious pop veneer. Welcome back to the fold, Pink Frost, your dream is our reward. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bdc54d58-ffc1-47cb-a63f-b846d7c74a2e/pet-needs-primetime-entertainment.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tony Molina, Pink Frost, Pet Needs, No Age - Pet Needs - Primetime Entertainment (Xtra Mile Recording LP) Very excited to see this new one, Primetime Entertainment, from Pet Needs. When I saw them opening for Frank Turner this summer, they were only playing one of the new songs live—“Get on the Roof” which is a great sing-along high-energy rocker. Now we’ve got the entire record of 12 songs. And they do indeed (punk) rock. Singer Johnny Marriott leads the charge here—pleading, screaming, cajoling with a steady word stream. Brother George is a talented guitarist and cuts loose on songs like “Spirals,”“Thanks for the Invite” and “Ibiza in Winter.” Drummer Jack Lock and bassist Rich Gutierrez hold down the driving beat. Two songs feature guest vocals, with Micah Schnabel joining in on “Only Happy” and Bridget igniting “The Argument.” Behind the full frontal sonic assault, this group of songs features very introspective, personal lyrics—Johnny had to give his mother a warning in advance. This one’s produced by Frank Turner and he does a nice job of bringing out the best in Pet Needs. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0b4d13ce-2c8d-448b-b3fa-d39e2a80c92d/no-age-people-helping-people.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tony Molina, Pink Frost, Pet Needs, No Age - No Age - People Helping People (Drag City LP) Randy Randall and Dean Spunt have never had an issue generating ample sound despite functioning primarily as a guitar & drums duo. On People Helping People, their third LP with revered locals Drag City, they’re more discerning in picking their spots to rev up the amplification. Whereas previously, ambient textures were primarily utilized as preludes to ensuing noise outbursts, on this release most of those constructs exist on their own. While undoubtedly more conceptual, the work remains cohesive; a journey with off the path detours that serve to break up a lengthy road trip. Left to their own devices this time out in Randall’s home studio, the pair embrace expanded instrumentation and varied tempos. While that may strike some as an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach, rest assured that No Age’s DIY ethos remains firmly intact. People Helping People reflects an improvisational nature—following an impulse without prior regard to where it may lead. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/101a7997-ddd0-48b4-a25a-7f0e7116b9ef/dog-faced-hermans-those-deep-buds.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Tony Molina, Pink Frost, Pet Needs, No Age - Dog Faced Hermans - Those Deep Buds (Alternative Tenacles LP) Dog Faced Hermans were spawned out of Edinburgh in 1986 and then relocated to Amsterdam in 1990 after befriending the Dutch outfit The Ex. Both groups trafficked in a shared aesthetic of leftist politics delivered in a post-punk amalgam of abrasive fretwork, horn skronk, and Middle Eastern folk stylings. Marion Coutts made for a riveting front person with a distinct voice and an unhinged trumpeter persona. When the group debuted at Lounge Ax in the Spring of ’93, the tenacity of Coutts, guitarists And Moor & Colin McLean and drummer Wilf Plum was astonishing with a physicality that brought their message home with authority. For their fourth and final album, These Deep Buds, the group signed on with Jello Biafra for the wider reach of his Alternative Tenancles label. By this time, Dog Faced Hermans were at the peak of their powers and the record reflects the ambitious and edgy sound that they had cultivated. “Keep Your Laws / Off My Body” is relevant as ever with the observation: “Clear as glass is my decision / What I have I’ll not return / I will fight this territory / It’s mine to fight.” Those Deep Buds captures the divisions of a post-industrial society with unblinking candor and is a precursor of our modern day dilemmas. The faces have changed, but the oppression remains all too familiar. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/thee-sacred-souls-stella-donnelly-the-eastern-dark-83h1ug monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/93ee2e88-b9fe-4218-bd9d-cfbad6277cfa/thee-sacred-souls.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Thee Sacred Souls, Stella Donnelly, The Eastern Dark - Thee Sacred Souls - S/T (Daptone Records LP) Question: when’s the last time you saw a new band perform at a small club and it felt so special and unique that you had the overwhelming feeling that this opportunity will never present itself again?!? On a recent Sunday night at the sold out Empty Bottle, the San Diego based soul/r&b band Thee Sacred Souls achieved just that, and brought every single person in the club along for one of the sweetest, most positive sets of music I have seen in years. Led by estimable singer Josh Lane, and supported by the ace rhythm section of Alex Garcia and Sal Samano, Daptone offered them a recording deal on the spot after seeing the live show, and they have racked up over 10 million streams and caught the attention of the recording industry. At the Bottle they were sharp and fresh from the previous nights gig at the Thalia Hall Block Party, and the rapturous reception they received was thrilling. When Lane came down into the crowd the love in the room was vibrating. With 12 songs expertly arranged and produced—not nearly a dud in the bunch—and at a modest length of 39 minutes, Thee Sacred Souls is my front runner for album of the year. They deserve to be huge. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/858cd071-7656-48a9-8210-582458f71cbb/stella-donnelly-flood.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Thee Sacred Souls, Stella Donnelly, The Eastern Dark - Stella Donnelly - Flood (Secretly Canadian LP) Stella Donnelly describes her sophomore album as more trial and error than the streamlined effort that went into creating her Beware of the Dogs debut. For one, band members were encouraged to explore secondary instruments, which for Donnelly resulted in the majority of the compositions being written and played on piano. At one point, the track inventory swelled past forty numbers and additional time was required to pare down to the ending eleven. The revised working arrangement went outside the group’s comfort zone and allowed for more vulnerability in both song structure and lyrical content. There’s a serenity to Flood that reflects the leisureliness in which it was created, and while Donnelly still finds plenty of injustices to take issue with, she knows that the endgame will take more patience than what a knee-jerk reaction provides. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f5f18703-1986-4d8c-8be7-de2655dfeae2/the-eastern-dark-where-are-all-the-single-girls.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Thee Sacred Souls, Stella Donnelly, The Eastern Dark - The Eastern Dark - Where Are All The Single Girls? (Half A Cow Records compilation) The Celibate Rifles culled their name from The Sex Pistols, but when James Darroch departed the band in 1984, he had another iconic punk group in mind to serve as an inspiration point. Sydney’s The Eastern Dark were renowned for opening each set with a different Ramones cover that they dispensed of in chronological order. Some of their originals also bore tracings of the Queens natives with titles like “Julie Is a Junkie,” “Johnny And Dee Dee” and “Julie Loves Johnny.” Enlisting Radio Birdman’s Rob Younger as their producer, The Eastern Dark shot from the hip with a ragged intensity, highlighted by Darroch’s irresistible guitar hooks and passionate singing. He was never fond of the excessive padding that could be found on most full-length releases, so the band opted for a debut single, and followed-up with a five song EP that hit hard and fast. Life in that fast lane came to a crashing end when Darroch lost control of their van en route to a slate of Melbourne gigs in March of 1986. The accident claimed his life and hospitalized bassist Bill Gibson and drummer Geoff Milne, who eventually recovered to resume long-standing music careers. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/kiwi-jr-the-lounge-society-pit-pony-37gvqoq monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0cef4947-4fc3-4b4d-a636-7ed7c1190524/kiwi-jr-chopper.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kiwi jr., The Lounge Society, Pit Pony - Kiwi jr. - Chopper (Sub Pop LP) Toronto's Kiwi jr. are back continuing their prolific pace with their third album in four years. One of the greatest parts about this band is their desire to explore new frontiers on each new release. They initially caught my interest on their last album Cooler Returns when it was likened at various points to YHF-era Wilco and the jingle jangles of Pavement. And while this album continues their evolution beyond those bands, it still does the trick. The sound is a bit beefed-up this go round with more synths, and more of a push towards Strokes-ish power pop, as heard on "Parasite II.” Luckily vocalist Jeremy Gaudet's lyrics maintain their Stephen Malkmus-like impressionistic quality and the band can still create the jangly atmospherics, like on album closer "The Masked Singer.” -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a85a727c-c0b8-49b1-b318-9b54932cf9d4/the-lounge-society-tired-of-liberty.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kiwi jr., The Lounge Society, Pit Pony - The Lounge Society - Tired of Liberty (Speedy Wunderground LP) The Lounge Society hail from the town of Hebden Ridge in the county of West Yorkshire. It’s a picturesque region with lush valleys and rapid streams and holds the distinction of being named the fourth quirkiest place in the world by the British Airways flight magazine High Life. There’s certainly a bit of quirk in the band’s music—characterized by jittery tempos, spastic vocals, and an occasional punch of punk-funk via syncopated bass and chicken scratch guitar. “Boredom Is A Drug” chronicles the group’s love/hate relationship with their hometown as they metaphorically scale the chasm of insularity that threatens to consume their souls. Growing up in the midst of Tory rule and Brexit has shaped their youth culture to the extent that teenage kicks takes on an added significance of fighting back against the political power structure. Tired of Liberty closes out with a new version of their 2020 debut single “Generation Game” that places them dead in the line of sight of the ruling elites. “You’re just a cog in their golden machine,” confesses vocalist Cameron Davey before adding “What will the US do to save our souls, to save our dignity?” For Lounge Society, coming of age is no longer a welcome rite of passage when the other side is clearly marked as hostile territory. -Bruce Novak Soundcloud https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/90a5b70c-a980-420c-aee9-09f13876924f/pit-pony-world-to-me.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kiwi jr., The Lounge Society, Pit Pony - Pit Pony - World To Me (Clue Records LP) The debut album from Pit Pony out of northeast UK (Newcastle Upon Tyne) announces its presence with an expansive, but nuanced sound that is capable of blowing the roof off the proceedings, but also dials things back at times to avoid turning blister into bluster. Jackie Purver withstands the instrumental barrage with a powerful and versatile voice that sits front and center regardless of changes in volume or tempo. Her tale of youthful optimism in “Best Is Yet” expresses the perfect sentiment without becoming overly sentimental. The title track hits home the hardest as a love letter to the child that she and her partner, guitarist Garth Purver, are raising. After singing tenderly through much of the song, her voice falls off and fittingly the guitar re-emerges in a frenzy of exaltation. In pre-industrial times, a pit pony was an animal bred for working underground in mines, but unlike their namesake I doubt this band will toil in a subterranean existence. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/52c673a7-72c6-4bf8-b0e6-57ba58f4cdf8/tall-dwarves-unravelled.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kiwi jr., The Lounge Society, Pit Pony - Tall Dwarfs - Unravelled: 1981-2002 (Merge Records compilation) On a purely social level, Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate made for a strange partnership—Knox uninhibited and at times antagonistic, Bathgate measured and somewhat reserved. After cutting their teeth together with Dunedin’s pre-eminent punk provocateurs The Enemy, and followed briefly by their tenure with the New Wave-oriented Toy Love, the duo recorded and performed for over the course of three decades as the Tall Dwarfs. Knox’s Teac four-track tape recorder provided an essential resource for Roger Shepherd’s cash-strapped start-up label Flying Nun Records. In his memoir, In Love With These Times, Shepherd devotes a full chapter to the significance of Knox to the label’s direction—describing him as a “charismatic lunatic.” Freed of a conventional band structure, Knox and Bathgate were able to explore their more experimental and organic impulses using the Teac at times as a field recorder to document their music in simple terms, while also tapping into the creative process pioneered by Beatles masterminds George Martin and Geoff Emerick of bouncing down multiple tracks for a more orchestrated effect. A kitchen sink approach that might turn into a recipe for chaos, but often came out deliciously creative. Comprised of fifty five tracks, Unravelled is a rather deep dive into the Tall Dwarfs oeuvre, but its warts-in-all approach is consistent with the duo’s aesthetic that was manifested through shambolic inspiration and Knox’s offbeat album artwork. When Knox was felled by a major stroke in 2009, innumerable artists rallied to provide support in contributing to Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox, a benefit album organized by Merge Records, including Neutral Milk Hotel’s reclusive Jeff Magnum who surfaced to play tribute with a rendering of the Dwarfs’ “Sign the Dotted Line.” -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/post-office-winter-lifeguard-party-dozen-238hab3aop monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8c58c180-5bd7-4833-a95c-173099cf7657/post-office-winter-music-box.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Post Office Winter, Lifeguard, Party Dozen - Post Office Winter - Music Box (self-released LP) I don't know about you, but at 17 I hadn't accomplished anything as impressive as putting out a second album, but that's what we have here. Post Office Winter is the brainchild of Chicago neighbors (living one block away from one another counts as far as I'm concerned) Charlie Johnston and Will Huffman. During the height of Covid, Johnston and Huffman would meet in Johnston's garage and play music together. Soon, they were DIY recording their own music on a seemingly daily basis. Post Office Winter is the antidote for a cold winter day that inspired the band's name with their warm production of their jingly emotive pop. Each song is anchored by Johnston's soft vocals, which are surrounded by found recordings, acoustic and electric guitar, percussion, and synths/keys. The results are thrilling like in album highlight “Veil/Chapel." It’s great to see another young Chicago band crafting their own unique spin on indie music. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/71f49282-68a0-4f1d-8422-302266d453c2/lifeguard-crowd-can-talk.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Post Office Winter, Lifeguard, Party Dozen - Lifeguard - Crowd Can Talk (Born Yesterday EP) Crowd Can Talk sucks you in swiftly with a maelstrom of aggro noise—guitar shrapnel that will have you ducking for cover and rhythm section jousts of push/pull dynamics. Since forming in 2019, Lifeguard has built on their tensile, adrenalized beginnings for a lockstep confidence that explores a wider post-punk spectrum. While their ten song debut LP, Dive, was tracked over a single day at Chicago’s Electrical Audio, the Crowd Can Talk EP was executed in a more leisurely three days. Opener “New Age (I’ve got a)” is a clarion call for a reboot following a period of relative stasis and gives way to “I know I know,” which further cements the full speed ahead approach. “Fifty Seven” lessens the pace with a slithery Wire-esque delivery that highlights Kai Slater’s nuanced vocals. “Typecast” wraps things up in a rollercoaster journey of hairpin turns before a final descent where the wheels nearly come off as the instrumentation becomes more loose and fractured. When the final cymbal crash comes down, don’t be surprised if you’re eager to jump back in line to experience things all over again. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8d6362cf-d296-4228-a165-21456cd8d405/party-dozen-the-real-work.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Post Office Winter, Lifeguard, Party Dozen - Party Dozen - The Real Work (Temporary Residence Limited LP) The video for Party Dozen’s “Macca The Mutt” is set in a junkyard with percussionist Jonathan Boulet and saxophonist Kirsty Tickle laying waste to a dilapidated auto with bludgeoning sledgehammer blows. Fellow Aussie, Nick Cave, turns up in the last minute of the song to deliver the refrain about ownership of a dog who’s name was nicked from Sir Paul McCartney. The imagery and sound adeptly encapsulates Party Dozen’s universe—born out of the grimy depths inhabited by The Birthday Party, Bad Seeds, Dirty Three and Grinderman, Party Dozen unleash a clatter racket from an industrial wasteland. The duo mine free jazz, metallic bombast, and sound loops in a cataclysmic manner that will have you lunging for the volume control moments after settling in for a listen. Tickle employs an effects arsenal that manipulates her sax range from soulful to soul wrenching. Occasionally, she’ll wail into the instrument’s bell end for added distorted texture. Throughout it all, Boulet hammers his kit into submission and triggers an array of samples that propels the compositions into a heightened sonic realm. True to the record’s title, there’s some heavy lifting going on here—best to keep a safe distance and give the band room to operate because the destruction is too close for relative comfort. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2927a81f-30d3-41c3-b268-eb8dc31e329c/nikki-sudden-dave-kusworth-jacobites.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Post Office Winter, Lifeguard, Party Dozen - Nikki Sudden & Dave Kusworth - Jacobites (Glass Records LP) This debut record by Jacobites, comprised of Nikki Sudden and Dave Kusworth, was originally released in 1984. In my mind, it’s their finest record. The interweaving guitars and vocals between Sudden and Kusworth are just magical on this record. They are augmented on this one by Epic Soundtracks (Sudden’s brother) and Mark Lemon. The overall sound is reminiscent of those folky Rolling Stones songs that we all love. The record opens with the eight minute guitar opus, "Big Store (Orig.).” Over the plaintive, searching vocals —“Oh, I’m looking for the girl from the big store / Oh, I’m looking for the girl who never called” —the guitar solos weave in and out, culminating in a final epic frenzy. Following that one, the songs shift to a softer/folkier version of their longing vocals. Side one closes out with the incredible “Kings And Queens.” Acoustic guitars strum behind soaring vocals from Sudden and Kusworth. “Where the rivers turn to sands / I will hold your hands.” Just lovely! Flipping over to side two, “Silver Street” begins with a church-like hum, before rolling into more acoustic magic. The record closes out with the beautiful “For The Roses.” I’ve got a t-shirt (by the wonderful artist Vanessa Jean Speckman) that says “Sad Songs Make Me Feel Better.” I often think of this song when I wear it. Unfortunately, both Sudden and Kusworth have passed on—so Jacobites are no more. And although this record has been re-issued in the past, I don’t think it’s currently available on Spotify. Oh well, go find yourself a copy. -Tom Novak Discogs Link https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/charlie-reed-friendship-ty-segall-512tygy1 monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9e433842-788e-41d3-88a3-4f9e886fa68a/charlie-reed-eddy.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Charlie Reed, Friendship, Ty Segall - Charlie Reed - Eddy (Earth Libraries LP) By way of comparison, Luke Trimble equates the transition from his ‘60s-saturated garage rock outfit Uh Bones to present day Charlie Reed as akin to The Beatles morphing into their solo phase. The timeline holds parallels as Eddy is much more indebted to a ‘70s pop vernacular, echoing shades of Dwight Twilley, Alex Chilton, Gram Parsons and yes, George Harrison. Trimble “wanted the record to feel classic, familiar, but refreshing”—hitting “that sweet spot of nostalgia for something that never existed.” His lilting vocals project a world weariness, but welcoming tone. Charlie Reed’s seven member ensemble creates an often twangy, mellifluous backdrop with a well-rounded representation of some of Chicago’s notable instrumentalists; Divino Nino’s Justin Vittori (guitar), Twin Peak’s Colin Croom (pedal steel/guitar) and Spread Joy’s Nick Beaudoin (bass). Tyler Bixby maintains a pleasing balance of punch and restraint on drums, and siblings Nolan and Nora Chin add effective accompaniment on piano and backing vocals. True to the album’s title, there’s an underlying magnetism to Charlie Reed that pulls listeners in and envelops them in a whirlpool of sound that’s both pleasing and provocative. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f18c529c-065a-409d-9a43-b80a955153e8/friendship-love-the-stranger.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Charlie Reed, Friendship, Ty Segall - Friendship - Love The Stranger (Merge Records LP) There are few things I enjoy more than when you hear a band's singles for an upcoming album, and each one gets you more and more hyped for the eventual release. It's even better when the hype you've built in your head ends up being matched by the album, but that's the great news here, Love The Stranger delivers. Friendship traces their origins back to growing up together in Maine, including a summer spent working on a lobster boat. They eventually decamped to Philadelphia, and have been making slow-burning countryish indie over the past seven years. Lead singer Dan Wriggins has a deep, twangy voice that captures observations of everyday life and perfectly counterbalances the musical backing. There is experimentation here, "Alive Twice" was initially Wriggins' vocal take with a Wurlitzer underlay that was then passed to the rest of the band, who in turn layered their own improvised spin onto the track. What we are left with is an atmospheric song that sounds fragile while still driving forward. This album is perfectly paced with several short interludes (less than a minute each) taking you along on the journey. Love The Stranger has both slow burners like "No Way" and more propulsive songs like “Ramekin." If you like what you hear, please make sure you check them out at The Hideout on Sunday, August 14th. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a75a1926-aea6-4abb-bc60-9f1afa441a66/ty-segall-hello-hi.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Charlie Reed, Friendship, Ty Segall - Ty Segall - “Hello, Hi” (Drag City LP) While it’s not uncommon for rock artists to produce acoustic versions of previously issued plugged-in songs, it’s quite rare for musicians known for their string bending prowess to release a predominately acoustic album of new material. Neil Young’s Comes A Time, Springsteen’s Nebraska and J Mascis’ Seven Shades of Why come to mind in that regard. Considering his prolific output, perhaps it was inevitable for Ty Segall to join those ranks. His jumping off point hearkens to nascent T. Rex, Marc Bolan in folk mode—more troubadour than space trooper. Hello, Hi, which was recorded at Segall’s Harmonizer home studio elicits a casual vibe; a day-in-the-life reveal. Even the one cover song, “Don’t Lie” off the Mantles’ debut album, hits close to home coming from a contemporary fellow Golden State outfit. Strangely enough, the outlier on the album is the title track which brings Ty’s trademark fuzz and distortion to the fore. That level of diversity speaks volumes about Segall’s talents—immeasurable regardless of any decibel reading. - Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/cff77d36-63a1-407c-8ea9-4ca303c9736e/johns-children-theres-an-eye-in-the-sky.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Charlie Reed, Friendship, Ty Segall - John’s Children - There’s An Eye In The Sky (Easy Action compilation) After initial consideration of placing a teenage Marc Bolan in the Yardbirds, legendary English manager Simon Napier-Bell switched course and inserted him as a guitarist and songwriter for John’s Children. The openly gay Napier-Bell was an ideal agitator to guide the theatrics of the band, going so far as penning their song “Strange Affair” under the pseudonym Fingers Groin and titling one of their albums Orgasm! His influence carried forth into the punk and new wave era, with managing gigs for British bands Ultravox, London and Japan, before striking it big with Wham! In the spring of 1967, John’s Children went on tour in Germany with Track Record label mates The Who. After a mere five dates, they were summarily dismissed by The Who’s manager Kit Lambert following a gig where the riot police were called in amidst the band flogging their instruments and each other with chains and shredding pillows filled with feathers into the audience. After having their equipment confiscated by German authorities and getting deported back to England, Marc Bolan left the band and soon thereafter hatched his plans for T. Rex. Incorporating mod, psych and freakbeat stylings, John’s Children also provided a foundation for the glam rock that Bolan popularized. As the band’s vocalist and provocateur, Andy Ellison was the focal point and along with bassist John Hewlett authored a majority of their songs. After having little commercial success with the release of half a dozen singles and one album, the original John’s Children called it a day in 1968. But then again, when you’re referred to as being “too loud and violent” by the seen-it-all Pete Townshend, well you know you’ll forever live in infamy. -Bruce Novak Discogs Link https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/viagra-boys-momma-oren-ambarchi-johan-berthling-andreas-werliin-jawef91ui1 monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/104377d9-433e-4e59-8f03-6f9fb9960b46/viagra-boys-cave-world.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Viagra Boys Momma Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werliin - Viagra Boys - Cave World (Year0001 LP) Viagra Boys chronicle a world in reverse, where base guttural instincts overrule evolved thought. Cave World is a primitive, scuzzy document that inhabits the murky waters where The Cramps, Butthole Surfers and Jesus Lizard surreptitiously reside. Vocalist Sebastian Murphy is a man unhinged, ranting about creepy crawlers, troglodytes and monkey men between slugs of 7UP spiked with promethazine. The band is intent on pushing him over the edge with singeing guitars, squalling electronics and pummeling beats. By record’s end on “Return To Monke,” all hell has broken loose—the song’s protagonist has checked out of society and gone ape-shit in a Darwinesque stab at survival. In a world gone mad, Viagra Boys have presciently scripted the horror show. It’s not a pretty sight, but then again, it’s also hard to look away from. -Bruce Novak Get a copy at Discogs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7d8a570f-d524-48b7-8fd6-70223c724b4e/momma-household-name.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Viagra Boys Momma Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werliin - Momma - Household Name (Lucky Number LP) Momma’s “Rockstar” video is bursting with the type of iconography that provides a fitting insight into their tongue-in-cheek careerist statement—bedroom posters of Bowie and Cobain, faux MTV career doc, flakey drummer and singer with Smashing Pumpkins and Elton John obsessions. Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten started the band during their LA high school years with self-taught technique and modest ambitions that have given way to a “why not us” mentality. Household Name becomes their third long player and positions Momma for elevated notoriety with unabashed brashness and a bolstered sonic presence abetted by the full time presence of producer/bassist Aron Kobayashi Ritch. Conceived as a summertime road trip record, it’s a top down singalong adventure with hooks and harmonies galore. In chronicling life’s ephemeral moments, Momma aim to leave a lasting impression. “I wanna make a hit and run,” comes a loaded line from “Rockstar,” an indication that there’ll be no looking back from here on out. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/6e30ad13-5989-4028-be12-9fab480bd445/oren-ambarchi-johan-berthling-andreas-werliin-ghosted.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Viagra Boys Momma Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werliin - Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin - Ghosted (Drag City LP) I was first tipped off to this release by our friends at Smashed Plastic (they pressed it!). I know we are never supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I decided to give this album a listen because its cover photo of a relatively empty city basketball court lit up at night struck such a chord with me. Going in sight unseen was a great experience, I didn't even know what kind of music these musicians made. Turns out it is some great experimental jazz. Ambarchi, Berthling, and Werliin are veteran experimental improvisors who have worked on and off with one another over the past 20 years, and to me it is not hard to see why they come back to one another. This is an extremely tight album, where they lock onto a groove early in each track, and then proceed to let the composition grow at its own pace. Berthling's bass is the standout for me across the album laying the foundation for Ambarchi's guitar and Werliin's drums to drift in and out and flutter about, especially on album highlight “II.” It turns out sometimes you need to trust your friends when they say something is worth listening to, and it can be a blessing to go in knowing nothing of what you are about to explore. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4125cf24-73b5-496b-9a42-f48cecf653f3/eddy-current-suppression-ring-primary-colours.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Viagra Boys Momma Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werliin - Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Primary Colours (Goner Records LP) This week’s Dig ‘in featured artists Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Oren Ambarchi were spawned from the Melbourne indie music scene, but perhaps no one is more connected with the movement than Mikey Young. As a recording and mastering engineer, Young has worked with such Australian luminaries as Dick Diver, Stroppies, Royal Headache, feedtime and Amyl and The Sniffers, among countless others. He’s also a founding member of Total Control and Eddy Current Suppression Ring. Performing as the group’s guitarist under the pseudonym Eddy Current, Young helped fashion ECSR’s primitive, garage soundscape. Primary Colours, released in 2008 as the band’s second LP, is a classic that would slot comfortably next to (I’m) Stranded and Fun House. The band’s creation was pure happenstance—the result of an impromptu jam among the members following an alcohol-fueled Xmas party at the vinyl pressing plant where they worked. Primary Colours mirrors the spontaneity and fun-fueled joyride of that first outing. Brendan Huntley (aka Brendan Suppression), with his signature gloved mic grip and marbled-mouth delivery, presented an intriguing stage presence likely emboldened by Dutch courage. His neurosis effectively plays out over the albums’s ten tracks, cementing an identifiable listener bond. The opening track, “Memory Lane,” was even plucked for an AT&T Halloween commercial, which is rather hauntingly beautiful if you consider the odds of that ever happening! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/petro-girls-rlyr-melts-je3h2ha18qn monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f1cc6415-7c7f-4fb6-9263-ef53f0be1603/petrol-girl-baby.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Petrol Girls, RLYR, MELTS - Petrol Girls - Baby (Hassle Records LP) With the conservative faction feeling emboldened in these times of social divisiveness, Petrol Girls are on high alert, relentless kicking against the pricks. The mixed-gendered UK/Austrian quartet remain pissed off politically, but not at the expense of taking the piss out of their targets. In “Clowns,” Ren Aldridge ransacks the lyrics of “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel when she sings “We are the clowns from the left / But they ain’t joking on the right.” “Preachers” decries the absence of altruism and skewers the self-appointed didactic moralists who believe no socialist good deed can be left unpunished. “I don’t wanna be saved / I guess I’ll be damned,” is a message of resistance, not resignation as the band closes out the track in defiant fashion. Petrol Girls reclaim the body collective on “Baby, I Had An Abortion,” which should serve as a rally cry following the overturn of Roe v. Wade with Aldridge questioning “Whose life are you pro? / Whose do you want to control? / You want to come inside / Tell me how I’m traumatized.” While lately we seem to be a world in reverse, Aldridge is confident in the direction she’s headed by declaring “I’m a god-damn incubator / “But baby I’ll see you later.” -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/da407072-c9ec-4244-9cec-0188dd4921c7/rlyr-rlyr.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Petrol Girls, RLYR, MELTS - RLYR - S/T (Gilead Media LP) RLYR is a Chicago experimental post-rock/metal instrumental band formed in 2016 by Chicago music scene lifers Trevor Shelley de Brauw of Pelican, Steven Hess of Locrian, and Colin DeKuiper of Bloodiest, and they are back with their third album, RLYR. Despite their other projects, I truly believe it is time to stop thinking of RLYR as a side-project and think of it as its own stand-alone band. This album continues their evolution deeper into the murky waters of anthemic post-rock/doom metal. RLYR brilliantly captures in the studio what those of us who've been fortunate enough to witness them live over the years have seen—which is a tight band that builds songs to their anthemic breaking point, and then eases you off the gas as the track reaches its endpoint. Each composition is given room to breathe as they work together to see where the song will go. “Head Womb” starts off as almost math-rocky, with what sounds like tapping, then swerves into a propulsive thundering mid-point, and as if that wasn't enough the song again shifts to more open sludgy terrain, and finally ratchets the tension back up before coming back down to earth and fading out. Truly the work of masters of their craft to capture all of that in 8 minutes. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/72672fd2-899b-4cad-9e3f-eaf5532647e1/melts-maelstrom.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Petrol Girls, RLYR, MELTS - Melts - Maelstrom (Mother Sky LP) Dublin’s Melts churn out an epic sound as vast as Ian McCulloch’s moptop. With a footprint anchored in neo-psychedelia and goth, the band reaches out to the heavens and beyond on their 8 track debut LP that examines the fallout from upheaval and displacement. Hugh O’Reilly and Robbie Brady provide the sturm and drang with squalling guitars and swirling keys, while Gaz Earle’s metronomic beat and Colm Giles’ elliptical basslines propel things forward. With arms motioning like a marching marionette or a swimmer trying to save himself from drowning, Eoin Kenny belts out lyrics with eye-closed intensity. Maelstrom is capable of sweeping you off your feet or knocking you on your ass—either way, it’s not something you could have easily predicted. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/410541a6-3934-4e9e-afe7-4b4ea6ff3cb9/the-wrens-the-meadowlands.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Petrol Girls, RLYR, MELTS - The Wrens - The Meadowlands (Absolutely Kosher Records) In now what appears to have been their swan song, The Meadowlands is the Wrens’ finest achievement, but also proved to be their albatross. Thwarted initially by the failed dalliance from a couple of label suitors that resulted in wasted up-front costs, the band opted to carry out the recording in their home studio—in a rather painstaking process that took four years to complete. Fearing that they’d become an afterthought seven years following the release of their second album, Secaucus, the Wrens’ expectation for The Meadowlands was that it would be of little interest beyond a smattering of dedicated fans. Of course, when one of those fans is Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber, that’s a real game changer. His championing of the record introduced it to a new and expanded audience that the band never would’ve fathomed. So instead of coming across as musicians whose time and relevance had passed them by, listeners connected with the Wrens’ heartfelt earnestness and creative drive that teetered on the edge of desperation and obsessiveness. When your aim is to produce something that sits alongside London Calling and the White Album, no small plans are in for the making. The Meadowlands still sounds fresh and urgent nearly 20 years on—knowing that a follow-up won’t be forthcoming is bittersweet but doesn’t diminish this extraordinary effort. -Bruce Novak FInd a copy at Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/horsegirl-cola-weird-nightmares-23uhi18we monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bd60bd09-b79f-4970-9db3-15622490645a/horsegirl-versions-of-modern-performance.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Horsegirl, Cola, Weird Nightmares - Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance (Matador Records LP) Conventional wisdom would point to an upstart band getting out in front of listeners in order to garner notice. With Horsegirl the competition isn’t for the forefront, but rather what goes on below the surface. Versions of Modern Performance is a layered and textured record that benefits most from an ear to the ground approach. The songs with vocal tracks are intersected at chosen intervals by three instrumental passages that reset the tone by letting things meander a bit with languid guitar strumming or plinking piano. When the singing resumes it’s often structured as a repetition of phrases and marked by a contrast in vocal inflections from Nora Cheng and Penelope Lowenstein. Like their post-punk icons, Horsegirl’s lyrics are largely observational and impressionistic. “World of Pots and Pans” turns a phrase from Gang of Four’s “Damaged Goods” inside out by slightly reordering it to “Sometimes I’m thinking that I lust you / But I know it’s only love.” It’s a significant gender realignment akin to The Raincoats making a run at The Kinks’ “Lola.” When you consider those sort of comparisons, Horsegirl couldn’t help but find themselves in any finer company. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/9fe2e8da-bd97-44f0-bb82-8fcbc8b5474a/cola-deep-in-view.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Horsegirl, Cola, Weird Nightmares - Cola - Deep in View (Rough Trade LP) When the decision was made to wind down Ought, their label, Merge Records, suggested that they delay their announcement lest they have second thoughts after fulfilling their remaining tour dates. While there wasn’t a reconsideration, guitarist Tim Darcy and bassist Ben Stidworthy did eventually reunite with new drummer Evan Cartwright (U.S. Girls/Weather Station) for the nascent Cola. While Ought might be characterized as quick twitch reflex, Cola pursue more of a path of muscle elongation. With a greater range of (e)motion, the band still examine the perils of modern society but leaven some of the paranoia. On “Water Table,” Darcy intones “I am that technology now / I am that technology allowed / I think I’m doing alright / I don’t need additional lives.” And on “At Pace,” he confesses to being centered again after rediscovering past passions. Deep in View is rife with pensive analysis, but along with the scrutiny comes a greater understanding of life’s foibles and, dare I say, a greater acceptance. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/25606093-8383-4d9f-9633-c11d1741738f/weird-nightmare.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Horsegirl, Cola, Weird Nightmares - Weird Nightmare - S/T (Sub Pop LP) With his band METZ sidelined from touring, Alex Edkins became compelled to take his talents in a different direction. His love for melodic pop and garage rock simplicity formed the idea behind the solo recording project he christened as Weird Nightmare. While some of the album’s songs started gestating in demo form as far back as 2013, it was the indeterminate downtime that afforded Edkins the opportunity to really flesh out his songwriting without the usual schedule pressures. So while the creative process was leisurely, the resulting ten song record hums along in brisk overdrive. Edkins’ voice wrestles for space against distorto guitars and leaden drums. An inspired vocal pairing with Bully’s Alicia Bognanno on “Wrecked” proves a welcome palate enhancer from the fellow noise merchants. The album closes with “Holding Out” in a measured pace that suggests Edkins is in no hurry to shut things down. And sure, why not savor the moment when you’ve come this far? -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8aee2083-f795-40de-80ba-82d122c6fcf6/the-vertebrats-a-thousand-day-dream.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Horsegirl, Cola, Weird Nightmares - The Vertebrats - A Thousand Day Dream (Parasol/Reaction Records compilation) The Vertebrats were a huge deal in my Central Illinois college town from ’79 to ’82. A great band who basically created our local scene, they could have put Champaign-Urbana on the national map a la Athens, GA or Minneapolis had they stayed together. But they were just a hair too early, breaking up before the ‘80s indie label juggernaut that allowed American bands from local scenes to release records and gain recognition outside their local area. The early ‘90s archival CD A Thousand Day Dream collected studio recordings from a band that never made an album, who had released a 45 and a few tracks on compilations. The VB’s were punk-influenced but not punk. They took from classic ‘60s garage rock, British Invasion bands a la the Stones and Kinks, and a specific vein of classic rock like CCR and Neil Young’s records with Crazy Horse. They were that rare thing that is essentially now extinct—a rock band whose shows people attended so they could DANCE. They had a powerful lead vocalist, a teenage whiz kid lead guitarist, and most importantly three great songwriters. They had a drummer who was really a guitarist and thus kept his drumming simple, utilizing a steady danceable beat that would keep people on their feet for 2 or 3 sets a night. One of the comps they were on was Bomp Records’ Battle of the Garages, from 1981, featuring their tour de force “Left in the Dark,” later recorded by The Replacements, Uncle Tupelo, and Courtney Love. But the ‘Mats put it on a limited live cassette, Tupelo didn’t release it until an expanded CD reissue 25 years later, and Courtney’s version was never released (though it’s on YouTube and it’s great). It’s one of the secret hits of rock & roll, a classic but an almost invisible one, not even to be found on streaming services. The Vertebrats were our local stars, an unpretentious, fun, no-frills, solid rock band, and this fine comp sounds as good as it did then. They might be a secret, but it’s a secret worth sharing. God I miss them. - Jon Ginoli FInd a copy at Discogs https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/bob-vylan-spread-joy-porridge-radio-32huir98h monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/bda17ffe-ed43-4ccc-b334-3545c43de582/bob-vylan-price-of-life.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Bob Vylan, Spread Joy, Porridge Radio - Bob Vylan - Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (Ghost Theatre LP) I first became aware of BV via Instagram and some terrific pics of a young dreadlocked dude crowd surfing and raising hell. What’s this? Described as a “punk/grime duo,” they have been tearing it up around the UK the last few years, all DIY and self-managing. This first full-length record landed in the the Top 20 upon its release. Imagine the fury of Bad Brains crossed with another astonishing English band—Sleaford Mods—and you start to understand BV. “Big Man,” “GDP,” and “Phone Tap” are excellent examples of a literate, focused, and aware voice that is sounding off in direct opposition to the hypocrisy’s of British society in the 21st Century, rife with racism, economic deprivation, police brutality, etc. “If you deny a problem, you don’t have a problem, then it doesn’t exist” front man Bobby Vylan has stated. Musically stretching out here with spoken word interludes, horn samples, and general sonic fuckery, repeated listenings reveal more and more. Vylan has offered that “these are the stories of my life…what can I do? There’s ‘nuff kids out there who are going to have to grow up in the rubble of everything we’ve destroyed…” Shits real. Everywhere. Next? Let’s hope the fury and art of Bob Vylan can come bomb stages in the US. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/ba11207a-2d0e-4a93-9a14-99e953d414bb/spread-joy-ii.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Bob Vylan, Spread Joy, Porridge Radio - Spread Joy - II (Feel It Records LP) Briana Hernandez’s neurotransmitters are once again in overdrive as Spread Joy return in mach 2 pace with their second go-around. The inertia from last year’s self-titled debut carries forth with their trademark shrapnel guitar bursts, lockstep rhythms and her frequent indecipherable vocal yammering. Like its predecessor, the record includes one German-language track, “Ich Sehe Dich,” that translates to “I See You,” which is in juxtaposition to the opaque and dense overall content. In contrast, that track and the closer, “Language,” expand upon the band’s typically abbreviated song structures to clock in and around the three minute mark—feeling rather epic in Spread Joy’s universe. Perhaps their biggest departure can be found in “Excesses,” where Hernandez’s spoken word narrative is buoyed by supporting vocals that push it towards the realm of a pop song and make it a distinctive earworm to what was already a quite memorable effort. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/41c6e8ca-de83-48e0-a060-4b07ae9d8ec6/porridge-radio-waterslide-diving-board-ladder-to-the-sky.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Bob Vylan, Spread Joy, Porridge Radio - Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky (Secretly Canadian LP) Coming off the breakthrough indie success of Every Bad, Porridge Radio were driven to create a “stadium epic” recording. That ambition could easily have steered things in a bloated, pretentious direction that would diminish the band’s tight connection to their audience, but Dana Margolin has repeatedly stated that she strives to be totally vulnerable and open in her songwriting and performance. Because of that, Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky succeeds in sounding immensely grand while it draws the listener in to Margolin’s intimate universe. The album’s theme, represented by its title, covers the balance between joy/fear, play/work and the infinite possibilities or the greater universe. It’s an ambitious and diverse undertaking, representing some of the band’s most nuanced arrangements that admirably balances a mixture of guitars and electronics. There’s also a noticeable confidence of allowing the songs to breathe at an appropriate pace—having a restraint that doesn’t diminish their emotional punch. Regardless of one’s interpretation of epic, there’s no denying that Porridge Radio has produced a record that is in turns visceral, honest and empathetic—which registers as pretty huge in my listening experience. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/fce40c32-11a4-441a-94e2-b77b80a60241/neu-neu.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Bob Vylan, Spread Joy, Porridge Radio - Neu! - S/T (Grönland Records LP) While Kraftwerk is the most well known purveyor of krautrock, Neu! certainly left a unique imprint on the iconic genre. The group surfaced in 1971 upon the departure of Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother from the aforementioned Kraftwerk. Their debut album was recorded at that year’s end with Conny Plank serving a vital role as engineer and co-producer. Metronome’s Brain label originally issued the record in 1972 and it has been re-released multiple times over the years—Grönland Records being the most recent to do so stateside. The group combined elements of electronic avant-garde, psychedelic drone, ambient composition and prog rock into a free-flowing mixture. Neu! pioneered the motorik beat; an insistent 4/4 rhythm that mimicked the sound of traveling on the German Autobahn. There’s no greater representation of this groove than in the album’s epic opener “Hallogallo.” For most intents and purposes, their third release Neu! 75 marked the end of the duo’s creative collaboration with subsequent releases being mostly archival in nature. Sadly, Klaus Dinger died of heart failure in 2008. Their legacy though remains astounding, with Bowie, Eno, Public Image, Sonic Youth and Stereolab being just a few artists who fell under their influence. Locally in Chicago, a whole new generation of musicians have rallied under the banner known as the Hallogallo collective, ensuring that Neu! will have a shelf life for the ages. -Bruce Novak https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/the-stroppies-stephens-shore-the-most-distant-object-h2762g4yuba monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/a88565be-daf9-4888-93f4-d97ef48fbea1/the-stroppies-levity.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Stroppies, Stephen’s Shore, The Most Distant Object - The Stroppies - Levity (Tough Love Records LP) Behind Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Australia implemented a “covid zero” policy committed to tracking down the origin of every breakout source and setting up lockdowns and quarantine zones. The protracted isolation undoubtedly created some mental health challenges, and so Levity became The Stroppies’ antidote to a vexing situation. Listening to the ten track release, the effortless pop vibe runs counter to the labored process of creating the songs in piecemeal fashion with members exchanging sound files prior to being able to convene properly to finalize their construction. With alumni from the likes of The Stevens, Twerps and Possible Humans, The Stroppies are well versed in the rich guitar pop culture that Melbourne has spawned. Angus Lord and Claudia Serfaty provide the bulk of the songwriting and comfortably wrap their voices together on the majority of Levity’s songs. What they started in 2017 as a bedroom pop project recording at home on a Tascam 4 track, has now bursted out to greater notoriety. I think they’d agree that it certainly feels good to get out of the house for a change! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/2f9c333e-c076-49cd-9e28-7f540bc0eed5/stephens-shore-green.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Stroppies, Stephen’s Shore, The Most Distant Object - Stephen’s Shore - Green (Meritorio Records EP) There must be something in the water in Sweden that helps Swedes continually craft some of the best pop music in the world. That Sweden would produce a band like Stephen's Shore that makes perfect jingle jangle indie pop music shouldn't surprise us. Stephen's Shore has been honing their craft since 2014, and this may the best distillation of their talents yet. Each song on Green sounds fully realized while feeling light, almost effortless—the beauty of jingle jangles at it's finest! Early highlights for me include bookends "Ocean's Calling" and "Turn Things Around.” "Ocean's Calling" starts off with a steady beat and right amount of jangles while also having the right amount of dream pop, while "Turn Things Around" has sun soaked vocals perfectly matched with twangy guitar work. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0c8ed48d-855f-48fb-a5e2-b269047e26ce/the-most-distant-object.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Stroppies, Stephen’s Shore, The Most Distant Object - The Most Distant Object - S/T (Ernest Jenning Record Co. LP) Surveying the album artwork courtesy of Bird Machine printmaker Jay Ryan provides a good indication of what lies ahead with The Most Distant Object’s debut recording. A solitary space explorer drifts amongst the cosmos, observing the enveloping beauty and stillness but aware of not being the center of this universe. TMDO music collaborators Jason Harvey and Tom Fitzgerald have performed previously with Ryan in Whelms, and Harvey also teams with him and Kip McCabe in the long running Dianogah. Here the duo have expanded their horizons to produce an ambient, meditative soundscape that luxuriates in pulsating bass lines, gentle guitar embellishment and electronic flourishes. Emphasis is placed on experiencing a journey, not reaching a specific destination. Parts of the journey are devoid of narration and others pushed along with succinct vocal accompaniment that feel like they’re originating from a travel conductor. When guest vocalist Nora O’Connor pops up on the track “Ghost,” the effect is like witnessing a shooting star; undeniably beautiful yet fleeting. Yet those are the moments we long for. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e5eccfed-b36d-47cf-a779-41f4d0751455/the-saints-know-your-product.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Stroppies, Stephen’s Shore, The Most Distant Object - The Saints - Know Your Product - The Best Of The Saints (Harvest compilation) Chris Bailey’s passing in April closed the final chapter of The Saints, who originally formed in the hardscrabble Australian city of Brisbane, but were never particularly embraced in the country outside of an insular music community that included The Birthday Party and Go-Betweens. Bailey, himself, was an ex-pat—born when his parents were traveling in Kenya, he spent his early childhood in Belfast before the family emigrated to Brisbane when he was 7. Being the son of an IRA supporter helped shape his rebellious nature and socialist beliefs. Bailey teamed with the versatile guitarist Ed Kuepper, and hard-hitting drummer Ivor Hay to form the core responsible for their initial trio of transcendent albums—(I’m) Stranded, Eternally Yours and Prehistoric Sounds. The Know Your Product compilation covers the span on 1976-1978, and best captures The Saints’ acute influential period shaped by Bailey’s enormously soulful voice that was equally suited for R&B as it was for punk. With commercial success not forthcoming, Harvest dropped the band in 1979, causing the original members to splinter and Bailey assuming Kuepper’s guitar and composing duties to carry on thereafter with a rotating cast of support musicians. While the two of them had a contentious breakup where Kuepper for a time performed the band’s material under the sardonically named group The Aints, they did reconcile later and got back onstage for a few gigs in Australia in 2007 and 2009. The Chicago-born music program Sound Opinions, in homage to the band, leads their desert island selection segment with “(I’m) Stranded.” Which is another way of pointing out that there’s just some treasures in the world that we couldn’t possible envision being without. Rest in power, CB and The Saints. -Bruce Novak https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/freakons-otherpeace-best-bets-the-klittens-32hiurq6a monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/cb47190c-b3e1-4b5a-9f5e-962de984840c/freakons-freakons.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Freakons, OTHERPEACE, Best Bet, The Klittens - Freakons - S/T (Fluffy & Gravy Records LP) Upon initial examination, coal mining seems like a fairly nebulous concept to inspire a band start up. Granted, the occupation’s history has had a profound impact in Kentucky, Wales and Leeds, where Freakwater’s Catherine Irwin and Janet Beveridge Bean and Mekons’ Jon Langford and Sally Timms grew up respectively. But beyond that commonality, the mining trade is representative of greater world issues—ecological harm, government repression and exploitation of the working class. Taken in its entirety, that’s more than enough fodder to support Freakons’ self-titled release. The distinct voices of each participant adds richness and texture as they intertwine and harmonize. The tracks are at turns defiant, mournful and cautionary. Instrumentation, while sparse, frames the compositions appropriately and is bolstered by the string playing of Anna Krippenstapel and Jean Cook with Jim Elkington providing his distinctive fretwork. In altruistic fashion, Freakons are putting their money where their mouths are by donating a portion of the record’s proceeds to Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, an organization promoting economic, environmental and social justice in Appalachian region. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/09986871-d7bc-4626-a7cf-312dbb01191f/otherpeace-capitalism-blues.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Freakons, OTHERPEACE, Best Bet, The Klittens - OTHERPEACE - Capitalism Blues (self-released LP) You probably know Matt Clark's work even if you don't know that you know it. Clark, who's now putting out music as OTHERPEACE is a former member of the long running indie art project Joan of Arc, and is a musical contributor for NPR's This American Life. Hearing those disparate outputs, at first glance you might not expect a beautiful, contemplative slow burning record, but that is exactly what you get here. Produced by former No Wristbands guest Mark Greenberg at Wilco's Loft, Capitalism Blues has that meditative quality of Neil Young at his most ditchy (check out the Neilish solo in "Set Aside Your Fear"). I like how much room he gives songs to breathe, an early album highlight is "Fifty-Foot-Long List of Boundaries" with its earned outro that moves at just the right pace with the right amount of ambient noise. This album feels immersive, and lived in, somewhat familiar, but also thrillingly new, all captured in album closer "Blind vs. Prologue.” -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/da1cb4c0-4889-4bb4-91a2-d1e11bc32888/best-bets-on-an-unhistoric-night.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Freakons, OTHERPEACE, Best Bet, The Klittens - Best Bets - On An Unhistoric Night (Meritorious Records LP) Best Bets deliver a bevy of infectious pop songs that are more spit-shined than studio polished. Songwriting partners, Olly Crawford-Ellis and James Harding, originally formed the New Zealand garage-punk outfit Transistors in 2009 while in high school. Their adrenalized approach carries forth with Best Bets where they are joined by Salad Boys’ Joe Sampson (bass) and Matthew Phimmavanh (guitar/keys). The band most comfortably resides in the sweet spot of mid ‘70s to mid ‘80s, inspired by a time when bloated musicianship gave way to a succession of power pop, punk and new wave with glam and garage rock as their forebears. To be sure though, On An Unhistoric Night is a product of its own time. On “Whataworld” Best Bets survey the current social climate and conclude: “Oh what a world it is, oh what a time / Oh what a world it is, I can’t survive / Oh what a world it is, oh what a time / Oh what a world it is, barely alive / Tell me when it’s over.” There may be no easy escape from our predicament these days, but spending time with this record is a respite worth living for. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8c388d4e-f5da-4603-bae7-cba81713e568/the-klittens-citrus.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Freakons, OTHERPEACE, Best Bet, The Klittens - The Klittens - Citrus (self-released LP) Prior to forming their band, the five members of The Klittens would gather to bounce around political ideas that aligned with their growing sense of feminism. That train of thought became a source for their DIY approach to music where the personal is political. Citrus marks the Amsterdam band’s first extended effort following 2020’s Pigeonhole three-song EP. Referencing the record’s title, The Klittens are a combination of sweet and sour—their tag team vocals luxuriate in melody and counterpoint while their lyrics chronicle disappointment and failed connections. “Herkenbosch” is a bittersweet reminiscence of vocalist Winnie Conradi’s childhood hometown that bounces between affection and ambivalence. Listening to the song, it’s evident that while we’re all a product of our upbringing, there’s a larger world that awaits us and finding our place starts with pursuing the ideals that matter to us the most. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3a3b1b0e-d9fd-4712-93da-65741cc8ba3c/didjits-hey-judester.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Freakons, OTHERPEACE, Best Bet, The Klittens - Didjits - Hey Judester (Touch and Go Records LP) Formed in 1983 in Mattoon, Illinois, the Didjits put out a couple of self-released cassettes, as well as their debut album Fizzjob. But the release of Hey Judester in 1988 found the band really hitting their stride—and to my mind, this is their best record. Produced by Iain Burgess, it’s their first LP on Touch and Go Records. With 12 songs clocking in at a breakneck 26 minutes and 10 seconds, this one grabs you from the get-go and doesn’t let up. The trio of Doug Evans on bass, Brad Sims on drums and wild man Rick Sims on guitar and vocals created a punk rock record that is definitely influenced by midwestern classic rock and raw 1950’s rock & roll. Rick’s guitar fires off right from the start to get things rolling on “Max Wedge” and the bass & drums jump right in. They shotgun into “Stingray” before dialing down from 11 to 10 on “Plate In My Head.” The middle of the record finds Rick channeling his wildest Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis on a few deranged songs. Wrapping things up with the fabulous “Stumpo Knee Grinder” and the cathartic “Dad” (“but you know I really hated you when you hit me with that belt”) and you’ve got yourself a helluva record. -Tom Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/papercuts-ex-void-wet-leg-12hobq5 monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b7d63864-3198-4dda-bc57-bf2db7c07bd6/papercuts-past-live-regression.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Papercuts, Ex-Vöid, Wet Leg - Papercuts - Past Life Regression (Slumberland Records LP) In the simplest sense, Past Life Regression references Jason Quever’s return to San Francisco following time spent living in LA. But on another level, it reflects his outlook of world in reverse where political dogma has impeded the desire for social gains. While past encounters resurface across the course of the record, the reminiscing is bittersweet. Quever’s music conveys an intimacy with its gentle textures and reverb-laden vocals enveloped in opulent melodies. Largely working on his own, Quever is unhurried in his process and his recordings are reflective of his auteur approach. When life itself appears to be running off the rails, it’s not unreasonable to want to create a world of one’s own doing. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/421925bc-500f-4d3f-b8cc-4b2712ffbb7a/ex-void-bigger-than-before.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Papercuts, Ex-Vöid, Wet Leg - Ex-Vöid - Bigger Than Before (Prefect Records LP) When Alana McArdle walked away from Joanna Gruesome in 2015, she was well in need of a mental break. The band was celebrated for its aggressive noise pop with McArdle leading the charge behind an unhinged stage presence. Suffice to say, the hiatus has proved to be regenerative. Her presence in Ex-Vöid is less crazed, but still suitably edgy. Fellow Gruesome alum, Owen Williams, joins in on guitar and often pairs with her on vocals. The coupling produces an energetic burst of shimmering pop that spills forth with an urgent pace that makes you envision the band pausing to catch their breath after all is said and done. Short and sweet and more than deserving of your time. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d1308a83-c200-4cd4-b758-0aeceaf36877/wetleg.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Papercuts, Ex-Vöid, Wet Leg - Wet Leg - S/T (Domino Records LP) After debuting last year with “Chaise Longue” and “Wet Dream,” anticipation was through the roof for Wet Leg’s full length record. A few more songs trickled out this year in advance of the album’s April release date that further bolstered their indie cred. Now that their twelve song offering has finally arrived, we have a fuller picture of Wet Leg’s creative scope. While not everything’s on the level of the aforementioned songs, the irreverence and jubilation that characterized those original creations remains a core component of their sound. There’s a welcome variance among the tracks and creative partners, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, provide even more of their razor-sharp wit. They give off the impression that they’re having the times of their lives, and who wouldn’t like to feel the very same thing in this day and age? -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/148a2bf2-cc1f-4f8c-a51c-fc3a9fb0bb7a/syd-barret-an-introduction-to-syd-barrett.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Papercuts, Ex-Vöid, Wet Leg - Syd Barrett - An Introduction To Syd Barrett (Harvest Records compilation) It makes for interesting speculation on how Pink Floyd would have evolved had Syd Barrett been able to continue as principal vocalist and songwriter beyond the band’s debut album. Despite Johnny Rotten sporting a doctored “I Hate Pink Floyd” t-shirt around London during the advent of punk (a proclamation that he’d later walk back), Syd’s presence in the group was an inspiration for a generation of musicians that followed. He had an active imagination and a knack for introducing off-kilter characters and settings in his songs. An accomplished musician and painter, his approach to art was highly intuitive. While the Crazy Diamond box set is the most exhaustive document of Barrett”s solo work, An Introduction… is the only compilation that combines some of his early Pink Floyd tracks with material from his two solo albums (The Madcap Laughs and Barrett) and functions as an appropriate primer. When he performed on stage with Pink Floyd, Barrett outfitted his Telecaster with a series of mirrored discs which would reflect the psychedelic lighting back upon the audience with dazzling effect. It seems incomprehensible that such a talented individual would be out of that spotlight in a few brief years, but his ensuing mental illness proved to be too incapacitating and he eventually succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2006. -Bruce Novak https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/seatbelts-camp-cope-king-hannah-our-lady-peace-32h32aqo monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/82803d43-7ccd-4626-8c68-f81c975ca3e6/seatbelts-aworldinbetween.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Seatbelts, Camp Cope, King Hannah, Our Lady Peace - Seatbelts - A World Inbetween (Picadilly Records LP) While contemplating a new artistic outlet after honing their craft in Hooton Tennis Club, Ryan Murphy and James Madden had a libation-fueled phone call that eventually led them to trying to spell ‘The Beatles’ backward. Flustered by the absurdity of it all, they settled on ‘Seatbelts’ a the closest approximation, which then stuck as their new band name. The pair reached out to fellow Liverpool denziens Abi Woods (vocals/keyboards/guitar) and Alex Quinn (drums/percussion) to round out the group. Seatbelts are just as likely to cite literary (Vonnegut, Miller, Steinbeck) and film (Godard, Truffaut, Leigh) inspirations as they are to point out musical ones (Go-Betweens, Talking Heads, Lee Hazelwood). Unsurprisingly, their material is a combination of heady pop with diverse stylings and gorgeous instrumentation. Their debut LP, A World Inbetween, collects some prior material that initially surfaced on EPs that the band released since their 2018 inception along with new compositions for a ten song effort that’s consistently engaging. A few of the tracks originated from a recording session with Edwyn Collins of Orange Juice at his Scotland studio and others back in Liverpool with Chris Taylor (Our Girl, The Coral). Both engineers do a fine job in capturing the whimsy and wistfulness of a group that has a head full of ideas and the smarts to fully execute them. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/0c40509a-f84e-4f74-a821-61d19bdeff94/campcope-runningwiththehurricane.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Seatbelts, Camp Cope, King Hannah, Our Lady Peace - Camp Cope - Running with the Hurricane (Run For Cover LP) A lot has changed for Camp Cope since 2018's How to Socialise and Make Friends, For one thing, the pandemic spread band members across Australia, for another, lead singer/primary songwriter/guitarist Georgia Maq has fully embraced her longtime love of pop music. Camp Cope are still vulnerable, but they've moved beyond the rage with society and the music scene that permeated their first two albums to a gentler sound. Maq's exploration of pop music truly started to emerge on her 2019 solo debut album Pleaser, a time during which she took vocal lessons to learn how to sing without hurting her voice. What has emerged is not quite punk and not quite pop, it's truly her own. Kelly Hellmrich melodic basslines and Sara Thompson propulsive drumming still round out Camp Cope's new songs, but whereas there was fury before, there is hope now. Camp Cope will be featured at this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival playing on Friday, July 15th. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/406a317f-990e-4c51-86cc-45a1cfe062ec/kinghannah-imnotsorryiwasjustbeingme.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Seatbelts, Camp Cope, King Hannah, Our Lady Peace - King Hannah - I’m Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me (City Slang LP) A year ago, Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle tapped into Bruce Springsteen’s iconic Nebraska to release a cover of “State Trooper” that they recorded from their spartan home studio. Much like how Terrence Malick’s Badlands film portrayal of the Charles Starkweather/Caril Ann Fugate killing spree provided the framework of Springsteen’s stark and desolate album, Merrick and Whittle were drawn to its visceral elements. In crafting the follow-up to their 2020 Tell Me Your Mind and I’ll Tell You Mine EP, the pair decided to strip things down even further by pairing back on the layered textures of the previous recording. The new album captures the feeling of wandering amidst the high plains; where solitude and existentialism creep into consciousness. Merrick’s vocals are haunting and forlorn, framed appropriately by Whittle’s simmering and judicious fret work. The sound is evocative and immersive compelling listeners to open their ears, close their eyes and take a leap into the great unknown. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/4ce670a1-703b-44c8-bdf1-9153760aace8/ourladypeace+-+spiritualii.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Seatbelts, Camp Cope, King Hannah, Our Lady Peace - Our Lady Peace - Spiritual Machines II (Shelter Music Group LP) Our Lady Peace’s original Spiritual Machines album released in the year 2000 capped off one of my favorite 4 album runs of all time. The albums that followed have generally left me less enthused and often disappointed. So when OLP announced that they were releasing a sequel this year titled Spiritual Machines II, I was both excited and concerned. While the second Spiritual Machines album doesn’t have the highs of the first album (songs like “Life,” “Are you Sad” and “Middle of Yesterday”), it does have some of the most interesting songs that OLP have released since that time period. The album starts with “Stop Making Stupid People Famous,” which features Pussy Riot and has a funky feel with an immediate hooky guitar riff. Some other stand-out tracks include “Holes,” “Wish Your Well” and “Future Disease.” If you haven’t listened to OLP in awhile then Spiritual Machines II is a solid place to jump back in. -Ross Tolinski Website https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b58d206f-e905-4f4d-a49b-58984c95798a/fireengines-hungrybeat.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Seatbelts, Camp Cope, King Hannah, Our Lady Peace - Fire Engines - Hungry Beat (Acute Records compilation) Hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland contributed to Fire Engines being less visible than post-punk contemporaries The Fall, Gang of Four, Public Image and the like. But there were also other factors that kept them under the radar. They dismissed the use of barre chords and cymbals in their music, and performed live sets that never surpassed twenty minutes. Some of their primary influences were non-traditional artists, like Captain Beefheart and James Chance & The Contortions. Originally pursued by Alan Horne, who co-founded Postcard Records with Edwyn Collins, they instead came aboard with Bob Fast on his Pop Aural imprint. With their primitive, dissonant sound, Fire Engines were first rate provocateurs. Getting an earful of their song “Meat Whiplash,” it’s easy to envision why Jesus and the Mary Chain’s Reid brothers were so besotted with their fellow Scots. Franz Ferdinand were in attendance when Fire Engines came back to support The Magic Band (Beefheart’s original backing group) for some Edinburgh shows in 2004, invited them to open for their own tour and shared a split single with each group covering a song from the other’s catalog. This renewed notoriety helped pave the way for the Hungry Beat compilation which collects Fire Engines’ sole LP and singles that had long gone out of print. It makes for a fascinating collection, culled from a time when musical conventions were being widely challenged under the maxim that “nothing is true; everything is permitted.” -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/public-body-gang-of-youths-young-guv-hh2378ar monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b3a473eb-939d-44b9-8ab4-1a448c14940b/public_body-flavour_of_labor.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Public Body, Gang of Youths, Young Guv - Public Body - Flavour of Labour (Six Tonnes De Chair Records EP) Playing in an indie band frequently entails maintaining a primary job for economic support. If one is lucky, this might involve an arts-related occupation or something that aligns with an area of study or interest that the person pursued. Often times though, it’s employment in the service industry or an office day job. For vocalist/guitarist Seb Gilmore of Public Body it’s been a succession of soul-sucking desk assignments that have provided fodder for the band’s Flavour of Labour release. Citing primary influences of Uranium Club and Devo, Gilmore pursues a similar route of mockery and disdain for conventional practices. The title track highlights twisting guitar interplay between Gilmore and Theo Verney, while giving pause to the idea of upward mobility. Joe Stevens’ insistent bass line opens “Reset My Password,” and the song is propelled forward by Thom Mills frenetic drumming that mirrors the agitation brought about by the aforementioned annoying computer prompt. A common word of advice when someone goes all in on pursuing a dream endeavor is to not give up your day job. For the sake of his sanity, let’s hope Gilmore disregards the suggestion, just like the other pontifications that he’s so frequently shot down. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/8b793311-3d3c-4fc7-baaf-8676ab842040/gang_of_youths-angel_in_realtime.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Public Body, Gang of Youths, Young Guv - Gang of Youths - angel in realtime (Warner Music LP) What do you do when your world gets turned upside down? More specifically, if you are Gang of Youths' David Le'aupepe, what do you do when your father passes away, and you find out he wasn't the man you thought he was? Le'aupepe and Gang of Youths' answer to this question was to scrap their long-gestating follow-up of 2018's Go Farther in Darkness and start over. angel in realtime. builds on what makes Gang of Youths special—anthemic, introspective songs that champion life, but this time with the focus turned inward on Le'aupepe's feelings about his father, and his father's double life. As you might expect, this is an emotionally fraught album that expands on the band's already diverse sound. I always respect when a band really goes for it, and Gang of Youths have never lacked for ambition, and I think they've reached a new level. Make sure to catch them (and The Wristbands) at the Metro on May 3rd. -Mark Joyner Website https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7f755204-d5cf-45d1-bb40-106014e05484/guviii-young_guv.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Public Body, Gang of Youths, Young Guv - Young Guv - Guv III (Run For Cover LP) Sometimes pop musicians can fall victim to overindulgence in their creative process. Ben Cook’s involvement in punk outfits No Warning and Fucked Up has enabled him to approach Young Guv’s songwriting in pure fashion, valuing immediacy over belabored thought. In the lead-up to creating Guv III, Cook and his bandmates spent a year hanging out in Taos, New Mexico, essentially living off the land. As a result, the record is an unadulterated pleasure, littered with ringing guitars, insistent harmonies and genuine romanticism. At a brisk running time of 34 minutes spread out over 11 songs, Guv III never loses its momentum with an uptempo approach and sequencing that render each song as distinctive. Sounds simple is the best way imaginable! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/54b56d79-ffe5-4acf-91cf-c6820aac24d4/the_reivers-translate_slowly.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Public Body, Gang of Youths, Young Guv - Zeitgeist - Translate Slowly (DB Recs LP) In recognition of the SXSW Music Festival that just kicked off again this week, we’re paying tribute to one of Austin’s very own, Zeitgeist, who later changed their name to The Reivers following a threat of copyright infringement. The release ofTranslate Slowly in 1985 actually predates SXSW’s debut by two years and 1989 marked The Reivers first appearance at the fest. While their Texan influences are present on the record via cover versions of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and “Hill Country Theme,” their thematic reach was less localized and in ways reflected the complexity of literary icon William Faulkner’s prose, who inspired their name change and songwriting (“Sound and the Fury’). Listening to the record, there’s a sense of worldliness—a journey mixed with exhilaration and despair. John Croslin serves as the narrator, with a relatable voice and a knack for conveying keen observations. Kim Longacre functions as an ideal counterpoint, with her alto presence creating equal parts melancholy and unbridled joy. Garrett Williams’ drumming is consistently in service to the songs—propulsive when needed but patient when a languid approach is better suited. There’s a deep intimacy that the band affords the listener on Translate Slowly, the record functions as a late night conversation—emotional, intense and coming straight from the heart. -Bruce Novak Website https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/black-country-new-road-frank-turner-nicfit-j327hgy monthly 0.5 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/f17f080e-0174-4de9-8185-438d09e7402a/ansfromupthere.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Black Country, New Road, Frank Turner, Nicfit - Black Country, New Road - Ant From Up There (Ninja Tune Records LP) Black Country, New Road returns with their second album, and once again it is led off with a strong dissonant instrumental track to prepare you for what lies ahead. BC,NR hails from London and falls in with the new wave of experimental/post-rock/post-punk British bands like Black Midi and Squid. Expanding on last year's For the First Time, Ants From Up There continues the group's exploration of anthemic, expansive, melodic songs. Half of the album features songs six minutes or longer, you definitely get the opportunity to live in these songs, as they shift in unexpected directions. Early album highlight "Concorde" starts as a more traditional indie song before reaching its climax featuring band member Lewis Evans' sax accompanied instrumental breakdown. Lead singer Isaac Wood announced he was leaving the band less than a week prior to this release, adding another layer to what was already an album of yearning and loss. As bombastic as they can sound at various points across the album, they still have the ability to produce somber moments such as "Haldern" and "Mark's Theme,” Definitely looking forward to seeing how they progress after the departure of Wood. -Mark Joyner Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/7afb22e7-e6a1-4606-a94c-72834b346911/fthc.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Black Country, New Road, Frank Turner, Nicfit - Frank Turner - FTHC (Xtra Mile Recordings LP) Full disclosure here—I’m a member of the cult of Frank Turner. I love seeing him play live and I thoroughly enjoyed his last two records—Be More Kind and No Man’s Land. But his newest release, FTHC, is a bit of a return to “vintage" Frank Turner and I think it’s going to make a lot of people happy. It’s his 9th LP—and the first to make it to number 1 on the U.K. charts. Kicking things off with the hardcore “Non Serviam” certainly signals Frank’s intention for this record. “The Gathering” and “Haven’t Been Doing So Well” follow and they are the type of audience participation songs that he does so well. But he’s also spent the last two years taking a closer look at some of his deep personal issues and songs like “Untainted Love” and “Fatherless” deal with those topics. On “Miranda” Frank is forced to address his long-standing resentment of his father when the two meet and Miranda is now a transgender woman. And “A Wave Across A Bay” is a heartbreaking tribute to his friend Scott Hutchison from the great band Frightened Rabbit. All in all, this is a helluva record and I can’t wait to see Frank and the Sleeping Souls playing these songs on stage. -Tom Novak FTHC Link https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/6e2d89b1-a7c3-48c4-9cb5-ba94b202f723/fuse.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Black Country, New Road, Frank Turner, Nicfit - Nicfit - Fuse (Upset the Rhythm LP) In punk rock circles, loud and fast typically rules the day. Japan’s Nicfit deviate from the formula with songs that aren’t always linear and more often than not veer closer to three minutes and up than ninety seconds screeds. Additionally, Fuse represents the band’s debut LP, arriving about twelve years after the group initially formed when their guitarist Charlie moved from San Diego to Nagoya and partnered with fellow punk enthusiasts Hiromi (vocals), KenKen (bass) and Kuwayama (drums). A demo tape and a couple of singles surfaced in the intervening years and while the album is well considered in execution, it doesn’t come across as belabored, instead retaining a rawness and authenticity characteristic to the genre. Their cover of the Urinals’ “Ack Ack Ack” closes the record and seamlessly connects an aesthetic that still resonates across continents and cultures. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/dfb407e4-9973-4521-9624-0c5a3934efaf/urinals.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Black Country, New Road, Frank Turner, Nicfit - Urinals - Negative Capability…Check It Out! (Amphetamine Reptile compilation) Because of the fury and discontent that spawned punk rock, one aspect that tends to be overlooked is the humor that many of its early practitioners brought to the table. There was more than one way to skewer constrictive society. When they emerged from UCLA’s campus in 1978, the Urinals were already indoctrinated in marxist philosophy and dadaist absurdity. Their crude, minimalist take on punk was reflected in two chord compositions, typically well short of the two minute mark, conceived by minds saturated in b-budget horror movies, Mad Magazine degenerative laughs and sci-fi outlandishness. Their original run consisted of three 7” records covering ten songs that they self-distributed on their Happy Squid label. Those songs comprise the first third of Negative Capability, with the middle consisting of outtakes and compilation tracks, before closing out with archived live material. The Urinals DIY aesthetic was influential in emergence of the Minutemen, and their irreverence filtered down into the likes of Descendents, Flipper, Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid and U-Men. Original members Kjehl Johansen, Kevin Barrett and John Talley-Jones morphed into 100 Flowers, producing an eclectic catalog in their own regard. Later on Barrett and Jones unexpectedly resurrected Happy Squid Records and partnered to produce What is Real and What Is Not in 2003 and Next Year At Mairenbad in 2015 under the Urinals umbrella, refining the execution but keeping a bit of their spirit intact. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/partner-look-modern-nature-silverbacks-2hbk23 monthly 0.5 2022-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/abcc8dc6-2779-4dfb-96b4-75c8c71f6b58/partner_look_by_the_book.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Partner Look, Modern Nature, Silverbacks - Partner Look - By The Book (Trouble in Mind LP) Inspiration can be found in unlikely circumstances, which is how Partner Look came to be when the flatmates penned their first song as a wedding gift tribute for a family friend whose ceremony in Germany was beyond their travel capabilities from their Melbourne perch. Not that the quartet wasn’t already well versed in the creative process as various members had previously released recordings with the likes of Cool Sounds, Studio Magic, The Ocean Party and Pop Filter. Beyond the band’s coordinated outfits (that reflects their name choice), there’s a shared pop sensibility that runs through their songwriting. But by giving voice to all four members (German sisters Ambrin & Anila Hasnain, and Australian natives Dainis Lacey & Lachlan Denton), By The Book remains textured and varied as it plays to the strengths of each musician. One can only hope that travel for the band doesn’t persist to be an obstacle and that Chicago-based Trouble In Mind can coax a performance in our fair city. - Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/05f6a8eb-9971-4169-9af6-e8f630706353/island_of_noise_modern_nature.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Partner Look, Modern Nature, Silverbacks - Modern Nature - Island of Noise (Bella Union LP) After closing the chapter on Ultimate Painting in 2018, the sublime pop outfit Jack Cooper formed with James Hoare (The Proper Ornaments, Veronica Falls), he’s invested his talents into Modern Nature. Island of Noise marks the third album release for this outfit, that also incorporates past collaborators Jeff Tobias (sax, bass clarinet) and Jim Wallis (percussion). Cooper was inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, in creating the record’s theme of island discovery and mystery. It’s an ambitious undertaking in which he mined the talent pool of noted British classical and free jazz musicians to create an amorphous, yet cohesive suite of compositions. A limited box set edition further upped the ante with a companion instrumental version (Island of Silence) and a corresponding book that collects an interpretation of one of the album’s tracks by ten of Cooper’s admired fellow artists from all walks of the creative and analytical community. If that strikes you as high-minded, rest assured that Island of Noise retains a gorgeous, meditative quality that works on many different levels of engagement. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/e0841a91-34c1-427e-9cb6-3baec8780c1f/silverbacks_archive_material.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Partner Look, Modern Nature, Silverbacks - Silverbacks - Archive Material (Full Time Hobby LP) One of the joys of of rock music can be found in its ephemeral nature; catching a moment in time before it’s here and gone. On Archive Material, Dublin’s Silverbacks try to balance ingratiating themselves in the present while offering something more substantial that will be remembered over time. Their shifting and aggressive three guitar attack garners immediate attention, but they’re also astute enough to vary pace and texture across the record so as not to appear to be just a one trick pony. The adenoidal vocals turns of brothers Daniel and Kilian O’Kelly are leavened by Emma Hanlon’s mellifluous singing, which comes to the fore in “Wear My Medals” and “I’m Wild.” Lyrically, Archive Material deals with assessing the complexities of life during a pandemic and the band hopes that their work will be viewed with significance when people look back at that point in time. Perhaps nothing quite captures the uneasiness of circumstances as well as the second verse on the title track: “Sweating buckets in the restroom / Getting high on the archive / What a time to be alive.” Sometimes just surviving is enough of an accomplishment; the Silverbacks are well aware of this and will be ready to fight again some other day. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/487f33d0-e8dc-43ab-8c11-872dafa75b36/delta_5_signles_and_sessions.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Partner Look, Modern Nature, Silverbacks - Delta 5 - Singles & Sessions 1979-81 (Kill Rock Stars compilation) During the initial punk era, the 7” single was transformed from a mechanism for chart topping aspirations to an economical platform for delivering the immediacy and timely messaging of that DIY genre. Such was true for the co-ed quintet Delta 5, who emerged out of the gate with three outstanding singles before recording their only LP, See The Whirl, in April of 1981. Eschewing the streamlined recording approach of the previous singles, the band elected for more experimentation in tracking the album and seemed regretful of the decision as they packed it in shortly after the record was released that fall. Upon their inception, Delta 5 shared an aesthetic with fellow Leeds outfits Gang of Four and The Mekons. Their drummer Kelvin Knight had briefly replaced Gof4’s Hugo Burnham before reuniting with guitarist Alan Riggs—the two of whom had previously played together in another outfit from York. Mekons mainstay Jon Langford also contributed artwork, songwriting and additional guitar to the band’s efforts. While the three groups shared certain stylistic elements, Delta 5 distinguished themselves with the twin bass arsenal of Ros Allen and Bethan Peters, who also assisted Julz Sale (RIP) with the band’s acerbic, deadpan vocals. Forty years following their dissolution, the band’s debut single, “Mind Your Own Business,” was plucked for Apple’s privacy campaign commercial (courtesy of a former Kill Rock Stars staffer). Mercifully, Delta 5 maintained the song’s copyright, so not only were they able to approve its use, but also benefit from the resulting renumeration. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/cloakroom-yard-act-honey-radar-8h23ryhf monthly 0.5 2022-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/048ae6e3-6006-4f62-b6cc-559158958055/cloakroom.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cloakroom, Yard Act, Honey Radar - Cloakroom - Dissolution Wave (Relapse Records LP) It’s fitting that the esteemed and increasingly broad metal label Relapse hooked up with Indiana’s Cloakroom for their second and widely admired 2017 LP Time Well. With Dissolution Wave this versatile power trio have further deepened their unique blend of heavy rock, leavened with an ever increasing pop sensibility, that fans of grunge, shoe gaze, doom metal, and indie rock will appreciate. Imagine a heavier version of the late great Acetone, or Chicago’s own Seam, and you start to get the idea. Guitarist and singer Doyle Martin’s guitar work is both sophisticated and economical with lots of color, supported melodically and nimbly by bassist Bobby Markos, who has a wicked low end sound, and now joined by new drummer Tim Remis, who possesses an admirable feel and can step down on the snare at will. Amongst this eight song collection, “Lost Meaning,” “Lambspring,” and “Doubts” are three stand outs, but there’s not a weak offering in the bunch. Ten years on as a band, Cloakroom is evolving and distinguishing themselves as something special. At the recent sold out record release show at Empty Bottle, they were truly appreciative of the enthusiastic reception, and damn, do they rock. -Wade Iverson Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/20ef30b5-7fca-4946-97d0-50a9c958c9c2/yardact.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cloakroom, Yard Act, Honey Radar - Yard Act - The Overload (Island Records LP) Vocalist James Smith has a fascination with human nature and a cast of characters permeate his songs with questionable intentions. Tragedy seems to be lurking around every corner abetted by grifters, bigots, narcissists and the like. “Dead Horse” paints a grave picture for post-Brexit Britain: “So bold it is in its idiocy / So bound by its own stupidity / It does not realize it has already sentenced / Itself completely to death.” The band comprised of fellow Leeds mates, Ryan Needham (bass), Sam Shjipstone (guitar) and Jay Russell (drums), is agile and able to seamlessly transition from funk, punk and jazz stylings. Smith largely sticks to song narration, relying on the rest of the band members to provide the singing via intermittent choruses. He has an uncanny ability to twist and shoehorn his profuse lyrics into shifting song structures. The Overload plays out like a satirical piss-take of a divided society from a band that doesn’t have all the answers, but is willing to put out the questions. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/163cd90e-b1c9-4f19-8525-d122f71045f9/honeyradar.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cloakroom, Yard Act, Honey Radar - Honey Radar - Play-Box Relay (self-released EP) Jason Henn, the driving force behind Philly’s Honey Radar, prefers the sub-underground descriptive for his music, occupying a space out of the public eye and paying homage to the unheralded but influential artists that have defined the movement. The band’s latest offering, Play-Box Relay, is worthy of such company with a suite of eight songs whose urgency matches the brevity of the compositions. There’s an abundance of pop melodies underpinned by raw fretwork that’s by equal measure jangly and grimy. In a world where upward mobility is viewed as aspirational, I’ll gladly follow the path of those who chose to remain underground. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/04bdd2a9-913a-4529-ade4-cdeee4f22226/lotusplaza.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Cloakroom, Yard Act, Honey Radar - Lotus Plaza - Spooky Action at a Distance (Kranky LP) As the band’s principal guitarist, Lockett Pundt’s presence in Deerhunter has been essential to shaping their distinctive sound. After developing a friendship in high school, Bradford Cox brought Pundt permanently into the fold for Cryptograms, the band’s indie breakthrough. In between the recordings of Microcastle and Halcyon Digest, Pundt made his first solo foray with The Floodlight Collective, which served as a sounding board for his elliptical, plangent compositions. He would revisit the Lotus Plaza moniker three year later with Spooky Action at a Distance, based on the themes of connection and separation. The sound is immersive; wrapped with warm textures and lush melodies. The record reflects Pundt’s daydream persona, and when his character remarks that he hasn’t slept for days on “Jet Out of the Tundra,” it’s because he’s looking forward with eager anticipation and not due to lingering insomnia. If this record has managed to escape your notice, do yourself a favor and get woke to its existence! -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/jetstream-pony-modern-nun-18iuhhy2 monthly 0.5 2022-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/00897a18-7755-4ba8-95ea-0208856e89e5/jetstream_pony.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Jetstream Pony, Modern Nun - Jetstream Pony - Misplaced Words (Spinout Nuggets/Shelflife Records LP) The members of Jetstream Pony come from a strong lineage of groups (Wedding Present, Aberdeen, Luxembourg Signal, Turbocat, among others). Misplaced Words is the follow-up to their impressive self-titled 2020 debut. Beth Arzy leads the vocal charge with a lovely lilt that’s sometimes balanced by guitarist Shaun Charman’s and bassist Kerry Boettcher’s additional melodies. Jetstream Pony’s songs drift pleasantly above the atmosphere, but are anchored by a propulsive rhythmic drive that provides for a wonderful push/pull dynamic. Misplaced Words provides the feeling of waking from a pleasant dream; things appear slightly hazy in recall but there’s no denying the euphoria you’ve just experienced. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/28cb067b-7ca1-4bc1-a44e-b72ab5444b0d/modern_nun.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Jetstream Pony, Modern Nun - Modern Nun - Name (self-released EP) The members of Modern Nun (Edie McKenna, Lee Simmons & Haley Webster) experienced similar religious upbringings around the Chicagoland area while yearning to redefine their identities as young lesbians. Their chosen band name is reflective of a desire to preserve their own spirituality while liberating themselves from the institutional dogma that previously surrounded them. The songwriting of McKenna utilizes a host of metaphors in both coy and earnest fashion. Their music remains largely unadorned, befitting of the emotional directness they wish to convey. Name makes for a good opening calling card for a band that I’d expect to hear plenty more from in the future. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/b94f4e4f-c10e-4384-a9be-58f6918567af/aberdeen.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Jetstream Pony, Modern Nun - Aberdeen - What Do I Wish For Now? (Singles & Extras 1994-2004) (Used Bin Pop Music compilation) Beth Arzy first dipped her toes in the water with Aberdeen before later surfacing with such outfits as Trembling Blue Stars, The Luxembourg Signal and Jetstream Pony. Together with her partner, John Girgus, they started the band as a duo and released a couple of singles with Sarah Records right out of the gate. A personal split between the pair ended the group a couple years into their tenure, only to have them reconcile six years later to pick up where they left off with Aberdeen. What Do I Wish For Now chronicles most of the group’s highlights and suitably captures Arzy’s wistful songwriting and singing backed by shimmering guitars and punchy rhythms. Albeit somewhat ephemeral in terms of its day in the sun, Aberdeen’s music has stood the test of time and still shines brightly within the pop stratosphere. -Bruce Novak Bandcamp https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/bruces-top-10-of-21-jufy2738ryhqu monthly 0.5 2022-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438946774-NWUNWKJZ0UGPSW2KHOK4/modernfiction.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438947387-1TW8KM88EI4XWEDCJLYI/newlongleg.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438945617-D0XMB06Z1KEWYTTTIVRI/heywhat.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438948374-0MOH1K9FQ16NUD184YIT/vyvyd.png Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438947915-2F68UXTV1VVPKU7HKDIG/theredspinksandpurples.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438947775-TX0ZS4KCUOUVNG0DGSDE/spreadjoy.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438945692-30BXH7EVW7YXXPQ3GIYQ/fantasycountry.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438946227-6JQCVB39M7NXAWTS3WQI/married.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438946796-7YGJKVMBVNRJY8XVP54C/miners.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641438946121-DPHRWKGXV3G7BMT8IU6T/littleeden.jpeg Blog - Bruce’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/marks-top-10-of-21-27hfquoi3 monthly 0.5 2022-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355074262-00EZPJCNFIJ47AFKXVB6/abillionlittlelights.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355074674-EXC3MON4N2U2L7YJV17G/idontlivehereanymore.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355076101-8W29AHXTH0AOMUDW9QN0/letmedoonemore.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355075589-GPG1M00NMIL3WC5KQJ4N/infinitegranite.png Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355075176-NFQ7WBDBKLXCJPCUAM9P/io.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355075648-UIWW5AHXGPTP4LISNK56/jubiliee.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355076443-U4SIR7IJ0FAZB9VU1L22/tethers.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355074630-3H0Z3KX4UJAD5VPFCE0S/happybirthdayratboy.jpg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355076563-SFYFUMDBHUDLUFGFASIV/toseethenextpartofthedream.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641355074272-U6EL7Q4RQK75N7L64YUV/godstrashmensenttorighthemess.jpeg Blog - Mark’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/toms-top-10-of-21-8923rh7q3ury monthly 0.5 2022-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263273525-8EAP8KZ1PMBDBNZR1QHF/comforttome.jpeg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263276477-T8M6JNE685DPOMLNN6RO/theholearoundmyhead.jpeg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263275958-Q1UVS9P0A2IOQOK4KXJ3/tethers.jpg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263276649-CEJX98BR5RVG2372TXI0/happybirthdayratboy.png Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263273910-7B7UFREIZI4I05LJATC1/fromdreamstodust.jpeg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263273032-URZM5ENPFYB8CP6HGCDD/bloodharmony.jpeg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263273236-V5O8DHSSL62435PCVGIK/blinddateparty.jpeg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263275446-DX397BVKI7X0H740F42D/swimoutpastthebreakers.jpg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263274846-ECEC2CDSGFZFJZPJO2XQ/sincegrazed.jpeg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641263274042-MV3CL55ULB034I9GT5EL/georgiablue.jpeg Blog - Tom’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/mikes-top-10-of-21-8384h7ufw monthly 0.5 2022-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174663410-9RX2EYBCCWGZIBD37EK1/squint.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174933381-E7IPNZHQZ123U6YZZ1KW/oncetwicemelody.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174662783-AEUOWP98GVNEPRJ3U0VR/localvalley.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174663962-HUO57M3K9NR0ZUUR8Q4L/thingstaketimetaketime.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174662339-9LOZZHT2S334CZO8A9TM/goinggoinggone.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174663679-0EH807N7O03RWJGCNUTP/thefeelingoflove.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174664224-7LH08HIE3XIDQQ804DY1/timetomelt.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174664509-QEW8SH8V2HC8BJ0JE549/trumptetsandsirens.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174662253-UT3OKGJCT9UNYAZ8TBO3/9.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641174662978-YPLRT5LKCJLV6DEM4VQH/loveistheking.jpeg Blog - Mike’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/wades-top-10-of-21 monthly 0.5 2022-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090759419-3JMX6BDHVB58FEPBTSUD/sour.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090759422-VGGOVBF5WFLAJRLKP13I/everything.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090797332-VQTUJPX9ZN1UY6Q9OSEU/jubilee.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090990445-IJV6URPISCQVOPAX9CB3/takethesadnessoutofsaturdaynight.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090989794-SFRLR0MWRVWPCBZD666Y/homevideos.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090990427-D8LJ2CDT7RFG4DHNHM8K/red.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090990119-QYCFJH66TXOWBMKZ26Y5/ignorance.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090989784-3FISXT6V09TADJL9NSAL/idontlivehereanymore.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090990745-OWP1LXV2X8HTZJAAJ34W/valentine.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1641090990153-LX625KCRB0ZZDJULAH64/letterblue.jpeg Blog - Wade’s Top 10 of ‘21 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/makthaverskan-tweedy-the-moles-823huif monthly 0.5 2021-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1639625308951-9ZBCHXUT64SIDXASX1L7/a2323248164_16.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Makthaverskan, Tweedy, The Moles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1639625308597-9WPNYBKK87ZOW4WJ9Z1Z/a1538414423_16.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Makthaverskan, Tweedy, The Moles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1639625308971-VYHWWMOR0WAEVNGZK40X/a3801209337_16.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Makthaverskan, Tweedy, The Moles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1639625308543-1A6CWB19YY973U4V6A2N/a0296184716_16.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: Makthaverskan, Tweedy, The Moles https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/pip-blom-melkbelly-eton-crop-9183bg monthly 0.5 2021-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1638454990178-ZPIPWXQUFHUU2WITZL4G/pip_blom.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Pip Blom, Melkbelly, Eton Crop https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1638454989712-SFGHZ1KJ7Z3XERMDGP40/ovlov.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Pip Blom, Melkbelly, Eton Crop https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1638454989669-R55HUE0Y5V1UMVIO9APG/dead_finks.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Pip Blom, Melkbelly, Eton Crop https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1638455428461-J55UJKFMY5MCW71EEL7O/eton_crop.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Pip Blom, Melkbelly, Eton Crop https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/kills-birds-poster-children-green-83h2-a8h monthly 0.5 2021-11-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1637117423721-S8J8KOOJGF5I7SYQMRXA/kills_birds.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Poster Children, Green https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1637117423225-1BRENB0BVFRVC8A7ERMQ/dummy.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Poster Children, Green https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1637117423149-8LWLG6RYLW9K5M6I7AL3/eggs.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Poster Children, Green https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/war-on-drugs-protomartyr-liliput-h72h3 monthly 0.5 2021-11-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1635824772967-H0B9BQPWHM616A9DZDFL/war_on_drugs.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: War on Drugs, Protomartyr, LiliPUT https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1635824771374-F2EWUL9BC08U90TN972E/peel.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: War on Drugs, Protomartyr, LiliPUT https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1635824771374-CXJH1902U4RDQ3N1UNLL/onetwothree.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: War on Drugs, Protomartyr, LiliPUT https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/brnda-ohmme-stephen-83hau3i monthly 0.5 2021-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1634349677858-TGT2CTGSFTGXAQXIQJ41/illuminati_hotties.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: BRNDA, Ohmme, Stephen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1634349677850-CROWTDVML5AL56FGU0PU/brnda.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: BRNDA, Ohmme, Stephen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1634349678348-16JX5QMSW2NPA1ENDALK/smile_machine.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: BRNDA, Ohmme, Stephen https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/spread-joy-deeper-pylon-8j3q monthly 0.5 2021-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1633135824578-BR9LCXOH004IR924LXH1/spread_joy.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Spread Joy, Deeper, Pylon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1633135828960-5KW4EJNE6PZTW9SRSNCD/bevis_frond.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Spread Joy, Deeper, Pylon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1633135832634-P5VIO0NGMVPFWF5DJKPK/modern_fiction.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Spread Joy, Deeper, Pylon https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/low-ratboys-joanna-gruesome monthly 0.5 2021-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1631743328525-ZYH6UWOU85ABDNG9YK1H/central_heat_exchange.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Low, Ratboys, Joanna Gruesome https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1631743328705-BMBBU729VQIL9M7VO27W/low.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Low, Ratboys, Joanna Gruesome https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1631743329256-IJ2YD9UNSFLJVIAT5ELF/the_tubs.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Low, Ratboys, Joanna Gruesome https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/naked-raygun-bnny-hop-along monthly 0.5 2021-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1630543914588-DWLIAO32WAMAELV7T6TK/naked_raygun.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Naked Raygun, Bnny, Hop Along https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1630543918754-QHK4Z434J6VETA2J3JCR/bnny.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Naked Raygun, Bnny, Hop Along https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1630543923763-EFL087S66LQ77YOYL93W/marriage_license.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: Naked Raygun, Bnny, Hop Along https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/aug-15-the-lipschitz-cloud-nothings-the-vaselines monthly 0.5 2021-08-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1629078634901-MUTSDKI5H28HRF625JV5/the-lipschitz.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Lipschitz, Cloud Nothings, The Vaselines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1629078644326-XXL0Y2GQ27GWV1YFH3TC/delivery.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Lipschitz, Cloud Nothings, The Vaselines https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1629078648033-YN4JIWKF7BPY3SD3G3GO/the-umbrellas.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Lipschitz, Cloud Nothings, The Vaselines https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/aug-01-goon-sax-whitney-thecannanes monthly 0.5 2021-08-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1627828787668-S6M4DXH9VV36QTZGOWYB/new_candys_vyvyd.jpg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Goon Sax, Whitney, The Cannanes - New Candys Vyvyd https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1627828689759-W2ZEFXPMR8GGOF2GDU7D/goon_sax_mirror_ii.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Goon Sax, Whitney, The Cannanes - The Goon Sax Mirror II https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1627828750309-6PIXZ6ALURM4WN8ZVQ2W/the_cannanes_a_love_affair_with_nature.jpeg Blog - Dig ‘in: The Goon Sax, Whitney, The Cannanes - The Cannanes A Love Affair With Nature https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/iceage-meatwave-the-art-museums monthly 0.5 2021-07-17 https://www.nowristbands.com/blog/dig-in-flyying-colours-john-langford-horsegirl monthly 0.5 2021-07-17 https://www.nowristbands.com/about daily 0.75 2023-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1626318252190-2HQW657NGAILPYD6UOYR/mark_about+copy.jpg About - Mark Joyner Mark grew up in a very musical household, his dad can play just about any musical instrument, and some of his earliest memories are of sitting with him in their living room as they talked and he strummed a guitar. Mark was lucky enough to live in an area that had a high school radio station, and his older brother joined WLTL and eventually was on radio management, giving him early exposure to getting on air. Mark thoroughly enjoyed his years on the radio and radio management eventually filling the role as Program Director, and always enjoyed the opportunity to get downtown to see shows. During his junior year, he had a music awakening when he saw Hot Water Music and The Honor System play at The Fireside in Chicago. It was so visceral, so raw, so no-frills, he was immediately hooked on The Fireside, and local music. He started going to shows in the city any time he could and started listening to a lot of Chicago indie and punk bands. Fast forward 20 years (how is that possible!?) and he is still a true believer in Chicago music, the local scene, and local venues. Live music is one of his favorite things, and any chance he gets, he’s am at the show, if he’s lucky, I'm running into Bruce there! He’s been to too many shows to count on all ends of the spectrum (stadium to someone's basement), but has always leaned into the little guy, the smaller venue, the local band on their way up. So, he wants to share that passion with all you listeners out there! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1626318285394-7YGWPYPHR0L86UN7BDGE/tom_about.jpg About - Tom “Papa” Novak Tom’s love of music really started during college in Champaign, Illinois - seeing Talking Heads and the Ramones at the Auditorium and Iggy Pop and Gang of Four at Mabel’s was a revelation. Moving back to the Chicago area in the early ’80’s, he got a chance to see bands like The Clash and U2 at the Aragon Ballroom and The Replacements and Husker Du at the Cubby Bear (back when the Cubby Bear was a cool shit hole). Helping his brother Bruce and his wife Debbie with local fanzine non•stop Banter, they got a chance to watch a great local Chicago scene featuring bands like Naked Raygun, Big Black, Material Issue, Green, 11th Dream Day and many more. He’s looking forward to working with Mark on the No Wristbands! We Drink For Free podcast and sharing some stories with their friends. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1626318309813-FV4RL0J1MXBZ70ZXWLMF/bruce_about.jpg About - Bruce Novak Like others of his generation, some of Bruce’s earliest pop music experiences were from tuning in for the weekly hijinks of The Monkees and Partridge Family. To this day, he remains an active listener and participant; eagerly awaiting the arrival of new bands and releases, and pining for the next explosive concert experience. From 1985 - 1988, he was one of the principal forces behind the non•stop Banter fanzine, which covered the independent music scene during the burgeoning DIY movement. He’s pleased to be writing and interacting again with the music community through this site's Dig ‘in blog, and hopes to impart some of the joy and wonder that this art form has provided him onto a new audience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/d6bab65d-a780-4b7c-bfec-fa326e3ef7d2/wade+iverson.jpeg About - Wade Iverson Wade first met Bruce Novak—we think—on September 24, 1982 in Champaign, IL at a show for a new cool indie band called REM playing at Huff Gym, with locals the B-Lovers opening. Wade’s musical passion, and mind, was blown that night… Over the past 30+ years Wade has been a committed DIY artist, musician, and Dj, playing in cow punk band Recreational Bones from Charleston, IL (1984-86), and forming rock band Throw in Chicago (1991-97) who, had the privilege, and utterly forgotten distinction, of opening Wilco’s first show in Chicago at Lounge Ax. Along the way Bruce invited Wade to contribute photos and reviews for non•stop Banter, and later he wrote for YOUR FLESH. After a long break from music, Wade has returned to recording with a new organic electronics based project, and album, under the name Dj Baby Chocolate. These and other recordings can be found at eartrumpetrecordings.bandcamp.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/3fa2786c-9722-4b2e-b0dc-9733dc8a6e69/rick-reger.jpeg About - Rick Reger Rick Reger is a musician and music writer in the Chicago area. He has written extensively about the local and national music scenes for a number of publications, including the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Tribune. As a musician he has played in several local Chicago bands, and from 2012-2015, he was a member of The Margots, which included Ken Vandermark (reeds) and Tim Daisy (drums). The band made two records, Pescado and Sople′ on Okka Disk records. Rick’s original instrumental music is available at regermusic.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1626318352976-5Q20ARN9JIPX4H6D3SOW/wade_about.jpg About - Wade Novak Wade shares a last name and a love of music with a few other members of the No Wristbands! crew. As a kid he used to fall asleep to the sounds of Tom and Bruce jamming away in the basement. Eventually he found his way behind the drum kit and formed his own bands, playing around the Chicago scene for over 10 years in various bands (Empty Bottle is his favorite venue he’s played). He still believes one night at a venue can change your life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1626486644014-5PO3T75ET7TXSOFVSS1G/mike_about.jpg About - Mike Moran Mike realized his disdain for wristbands at an early age, after it took him weeks to remove one from a Sugar Ray concert he attended in the 6th grade. Growing up in the suburbs, he frequently ventured into the Chicago city limits to hear live music at the multitude of venues, dive bars, and street fests the city has to offer. Since attending college, he has made a hobbyist's run at playing guitar and drums in a variety of bands, while continuing his lifelong pursuit of engineering the silky-smooth sound that all podcasters dream of. https://www.nowristbands.com/home daily 1.0 2026-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1772724932472-E0M6487DYPH86F3DR5VB/Rob+Miller.jpeg Home - The Podcast Rob Miller co-founded Bloodshot Records in 1993 and ran the label until it was sold in 2021. He recently published a great new book, The Hours Are Long But the Pay is Low - A Curious Life in Independent Music. Rob joined Mark and Tom to talk about his history with Bloodshot and to share his thoughts on the book. Of course they spent a lot of time talking about their mutual love for Chicago as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60984ecae6751b5b3a7de6fa/1621808175174-IH4F2SIYBD9TQK9INVST/dig-in-florencia-viadana-F7W1QP62psQ-unsplash.jpeg Home - The Blog Dig what we’re listening to and what’s on our show calendar. https://www.nowristbands.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-07-16