Hello and welcome to FTA’s list of what we are excited for this Bandcamp Friday, aka every music nerds favorite day! A bunch of us weighed in on what we’ve been into lately and we’ve got plenty of goodies old and new for you to dig into over a wide range of genres. But don’t take our word for it, dive into these tracks/albums and judge for yourself. Feel free to let us know what you think and tell us your suggestions.
Color Tongue– Sprouts. On the last day of a recent trip to the UK, I took the bus from Cardiff heading east bound to the airport and listened to this album front to back twice over, then dove into more of the Brooklyn based jangly indie/dream/psych pop foursome’s assorted singles; before I knew it the entire ride to the airport was done and I had barely noticed because I was transfixed. With a knack for the poppy and the experimental, they’ve tapped into something really magical, hitting moments of whimsy and sprite, which certainly improved my mood for when I found out my flight home was delayed.
Eat My Fear– New Era. The internet and specifically social media sucks a lot of the time, but it has become an almost unavoidable thing in today’s world. I tolerate it most of the time but then there are the times you discover the good shit and find things that previously would have been harder to access. Enter the Berlin based queer, feminist hardcore band, Eat My Fear, who I found on ye olde Instagram a few years ago and have been following ever since. They released their latest album, the fiery New Era a few months ago, which they describe as “Fast hardcore, aggressive, political and full of love!” I don’t know about anyone else but I need a whole lot of all of that in my life. (I’d also love an Eat My Fear show in NYC; here’s hoping 2023 sees my wish granted.)
Meatwave– Malign Hex. One of the first comments on the Chicago based band’s Bandcamp comes from someone named Jack Kelly who says “they never miss” and I’m inclined to agree, Jack. This is their brand new album, released just two weeks ago, and it nails everything this band is so good at—anxious vocals, driving bass, clever guitar and rock solid drumming. I hadn’t listened to them a lot prior to seeing them live earlier this year opening for PLOSIVS (see pics), but they blew me away that night so I fixed that mistake and got a lot more familiar with their music in a hurry. They’ve described themselves as “punk band trying to not always be a punk band” and I’ve felt that rings true as I’ve become now very familiar with their catalog, there’s a lot of indie and shoegaze peeking out in their sound and you can’t really pin it down to just one thing. Which is a-okay in my book.
Melkbelly– Nothing Valley. Even more love for Chicago with this, Melkbelly’s glorious 2017 debut full length. Described as “fusing dreamy vocal lines and cantankerous guitar racket,” it has always reminded me of The Breeders meets Hella meets a wild animal. And I mean that lovingly. I’ve been digging this one again lately, it’s a classic.
Middle-Aged Queers– Shout at the Hetero. This is the just released brand new album from the queercore band of my dreams who have been one of my favorite discoveries of 2022. I’ll repeat what I said in our September Bandcamp list because it still rings very true: Never has a band name felt closer to who I am. Proving us punx over 40 are still fun and dare I say flirty, this group hails from the Bay Area and has all the hallmarks of the classic Lookout! pop punk sound that I was obsessed with in the mid 90s (complete with a Green Day Kerplunk flower spoof t-shirt). And speaking of their merch, I’ve also very much enjoyed sporting my Golden Girls themed “go fuck yourself” MAQ shirt around town.
This new album feels a bit darker than their previous release, with the band confirming this fact, sharing that it was “written and recorded during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, our sophomore album takes a much darker turn than our debut release.” While that may be the case, the album still slays and it still fits perfectly within their body of work, the Insomniac to Kerplunk or Dookie if you will. Queer AF, sassy AF, punk AF. You all already know this middle aged queer can’t get enough.
Chantal- Contributing Writer
The Blankket– Be Your Own Boss. A now defunt project of Steve Kado that served as “a laboratory for performance ideas considered too weird for other musical projects,” The Blankket released a noisy, weird EP of Bruce Springteen covers in 2007, and you can still find it on Bandcamp.
Miguel Vela– Assorted Singles. I was handed a cassette containing many of these songs while working door at a show, and I’m happy I have a walkman again because these are fun, groovy dreampop tracks!
Noah Britton– I Love You. I caught Noah Britton at his birthday show recently, and I was impressed with his rich voice and his sincere folk-pop stylings. Truly this is some of the loveliest, most heartfelt songwriting I’ve heard in a while.
Edwina Hay- Contributing Photographer
billy woods x Messiah Musik– Church. woods released Aethiopes back in April, so I was very surprised (and thrilled) that he released another album entirely produced by Messiah Musik only a few months later.
Liars– Drum’s Not Dead. Liars third record is being re-released on vinyl by Mute on November 18th.
NNAMDÏ– Please Have A Seat. Chicago musician NNAMDÏ invites us to please have a seat with his latest release and I’m more than happy to accept this invitation.
Floatie– Voyage Out. I’m not into math rock, but really love this album by Floatie. It features fast riffs that you can never quite catch with your hands. It just keeps going like the Energizer Bunny if that thing played music and had great taste in guitar tones. I highly recommend this one to my fellow Alex G fans who love rock music with layers that run deep.
Jobber– Hell In A Cell. Jobber is a pro-wrestling themed post-grunge band new to Exploding in Sounds Records (home to Ovlov, Sour Widows, Pile, and many more). This EP has five super catchy tracks that take the listener back to 2008 in the best way. With a dynamic mixture of heavy riffs and a keyboard tone reminiscent of Motion City Soundtrack, I can’t stop listening to this one.
Kitchen– Town. The bedroom-iest of all bedroom pop, Town by Kitchen is quiet, eery, and feels like an old voice message kept from a lost lover. Filled with a lovely mixture of sonic textures, Kitchen really created something so familiar yet unique with this album. I want to draw lines to Kimya Dawson, modular chill hop, and shoegaze— but it’s so much more than that. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.
Through the Soil II– This 37-track compilation album acts as an amazing indie music sampler with everything from math rock to shoegaze. If you feel like you never have the time to find new music, Through the Soil II feels like a cheat code of an album. All proceeds go to the National Network of Abortion Funds, so be sure to check out individual bands that you like so you can support them, too.
Kate Bell- Contributing Writer
Attia Taylor– Space Ghost. I caught Attia Taylor’s live set during Radio Ravioli on WFMU this past month, and it was so good! This album released in July of this year, and Attia is also a writer, speaker, creative producer, and Editor in Chief of Womanly magazine (providing health information to women and non-binary people through literary and visual art). So basically she’s killing it on many fronts, and her music is sublime.
June McDoom– S/T. Again, big thanks to Olivia from WFMU’s Radio Ravioli for featuring yet another amazing live set this past month from June McDoom. Fantastic guitar work seeped in skilled atmospheric mixing and effects, and one of the most beautiful voices I’ve heard in a while. This gorgeous debut EP from June McDoom was released at the end of last month.
You Said Strange– Thousand Shadows Vol 1. I was introduced to You Said Strange a couple of weeks ago when I saw them open up for Slift at Elsewhere (AMAZING show, btw! See our coverage). They are from Giverny, France, and their music feels like 80s goth dipped in heavy psych. I like it!
Mike Borchardt- Contributing Writer
Beat Radio– Real Love. Singer-Songwriter Brian Sendrowitz writes heartfelt, literate pop songs and his latest release off Totally Real Records has a bit of punk wisdom mixed with anti-folk sensibilities.
Debbie Dopamine– Pets. Powerfully disarming, emotionally exposed, pink frosting and grungy guitars wrapped up in a sugar sour indie-pop spectrum of anger and sadness.
Granite to Glass– S/T. Sad musics for punks who like acoustic guitars and beautiful strings. It’ll make you cry whether you want to or not.
Kissed by an Animal– I Don’t Have to Explain Myself to You. The quartet’s second full length (on Handstand Records/EWEL Records) is just as unapologetic as it sounds. As much Walkmen as they are Dead Milkmen, this time around the band seems to take a softer, cooler, more calculated approach to their post-punk stoner dream surf hybrid musicality.
Venus Twins– Raxis. Cutting through the atmosphere like a machete in the jungle, the new record veers into some real sludgy jams but with lightning attack. Only in the moments where there’s a brief lull, do you remember that you’re listening to just bass and drums. The rest of the time you’re hanging on for dear life as everything devolves into a wall of noise.
Nick AD- Contributing Writer
Guest Directors– Oh, to be Weightless in the Sky. Like many bands, Guest Directors went about recording and writing while COVID kept them from being the same room. This latest EP represents their return to in-person playing and the exuberance is evident. While retaining their signature brand of darker-edge indie rock and shoegaze, there is an irrepressible energy to the songs, no doubt brought to the fore by legendary Seattle producer, Jack Endino. Julie D’s vocals seem particularly immediate and rich. Guest Directors continue to carve out their own path within the dreampop milieu—more edgy than ethereal, there’s a sonic spookiness and rhythmic grit that separate them from many of their peers.
Marlowe– Marlowe 3. The third full-length installment of the collab between rapper Solemn Brigham and producer L’Orange is fun, funky, and infectious as fuck. L’Orange pulls from a variety of sources to create a colorful and groovy soundtrack to the distinctive flow of Brigham. Where L’Orange’s production is warm and spacious, Brigham’s higher-range, slightly twangy vocal style contrasts beautifully, allowing his quick wit and quicker wordplay to shine through.
Sunik Kim–Raid on the White Tiger Regiment. Taking its title from a revolutionary opera during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, Kim expands on the Korean War origins of the original opera to offer a cacaphonous and chaotic dissertation on the intersection of that point in history, our current political and social existence, and the experience of immediate listening. Via the Notice Recordings Bandcamp page, Kim says: “The music is constructed with custom software I built with Max/MSP and SuperCollider that controls banks of free orchestral soundfonts at chaotic tempos.” It is at once deafening and soothing, noisy and melodic. A must-listen and one of the year’s best experimental releases.
Ray Rusinak- Contributing Photographer
Bim Skala Bim– Sonic Tonic. Having formed in 1986 in Boston, Bim Skala Bim are veteran stalwarts of the 1990’s third wave ska craze. But unlike their SoCal ska compatriots, they were never part of that cargo shorts and Hawaiian shirt crew which became synonymous with that scene and based their sound more on 2 Tone and the calypso rhythms of the West Indies vs the West Coast’s skate punk. Sonic Tonic is a UK only release out on Britain’s Specialized Records which came out last year. If you prefer your ska without the tom foolery of what became 1990’s popular third wave, then queue up Sonic Tonic and pull those Doc Martens out from the back of the closet and get ready to do some skanking.
Nora O’Connor– My Heart. Nora is a mainstay in the Chicago Americana scene but unless you’re paying serious attention, you probably don’t recognize her name all that much, if at all. But if you are paying attention, you might have seen her recently with Neko Case or The Decemberists, as she’s a touring member for both as a backup vocalist.
Her recently released solo album, My Heart, on Pravda Records, offers up a steady stream of relaxing peaceful tunes which will go perfectly while sipping on a hot beverage (or a sniffer of whiskey) by a warm fire on these autumn evenings.
Wild Pink– ILYSM. Hailing from Brooklyn, these guys create immersive sprawling dreamscapes much along the lines of War On Drugs. If that’s your thing this album is a thing of beauty to lose yourself in. If its not your thing I can see one being bored by it however. Oh, there are cameos from J. Mascis and Julien Baker amongst others for what it’s worth.
Pile recently played a pair of shows in Brooklyn as part of the 10 year anniversary tour for their 2012 album, Dripping, first making a stop at Alphaville on Thursday 8/27 before hitting the stage at Market Hotel this past Saturday night to keep the celebration going. They’ve made a few visits to NYC this year, with another show at Market Hotel back in May as well as a solo show from frontman Rick Maguire at TV Eye in March.
By all indication, the crowd was thrilled to have the band back so soon, the show was sold out and the audience in rapt attention, delighted to hear the album in full (and in order) as well as a few bonus songs from Songs Known Together, Alone and more, singing along throughout the night. This show also featured Alex Molini on bass special for this one night.
Pile was joined on the tour by Brooklyn locals, Maneka, the songwriting project of Devin McKnight, who put out the excellent album, Dark Matters, earlier this year. McKnight and company supported all dates (except for Boston the following evening). Frequent collaborator of the band, Oceanator guitarist/singer Elise Okusami, was on hand to play the set which also featured Maggie Toth of Leafing and Jobber on bass. Queens based group, 13th Law, opened the evening.
All in all, it was a great evening for the fans who packed the venue to give all their love to the bands and specifically to Dripping. Here’s hoping we’ll see you again very soon, Pile.
Scroll down for Audiotree Live, setlist, pics of the show (photos by Juliette Boulay)
Setlist: Baby Boy, So Hard, The Browns, Grunt Like A Pig, Prom Song, Bump a Grape, Sun Poisoning, Bubblegum, Steve’s Mouth, The Jones, Special Snowflakes, Mama’s Lipstick, Rock and Roll Forever With the Customer in Mind
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of a some new things that we dug that came out in the last week(ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Chantal, Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!
And though we can’t possibly cover all the music that is released each week (we wish!), we do get to as many songs as we can. As always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so and check back every Friday to see more:
Algiers– Irreversible Damage (feat. Zack de la Rocha). Algiers is a band that can’t be pinned down by any one sound, constantly pushing boundaries and making music that is bold and defiant. Last month they released single, “Bite Back” featuring billy woods (of Armand Hammer) and Backxwash, and at the time, it appeared that it was a standalone because no album announcement was made (though “so much more” was hinted at). Now they have revealed their new album, SHOOK (2/24/23 Matador), and released another single “Irreversible Damage.” Sonically the song recalls frantic electro clash with a gripping feature from Rage Against the Machine’s Zack de la Rocha before an instrumental break kicks in to close out the rest of the song. Frontman Franklin James Fisher explained that “The end of that song is the sound of joy. That’s what hope sounds like in 2022 when everything’s falling apart.” [KH]
Berwyn– Path To Satisfaction. A laid back infectious hip hop jam from the Trinidad born, UK based rapper who says the song “recognises the change that comes with growth. It acknowledges the path towards realising my identity and anticipates the future of Berwyn, that a man can have two homes and his body will know the difference.” I first became aware of his work when he guested on Ibeyi‘s stunning cover of Black Flag’s “Rise Above” and have slowly been making my way through his catalog. [KH]
Castle Rat– Feed The Dream. The Rat Queen herself and her medieval fantasy doom metal cohorts (The Count, The Plague Doctor, and The Druid) lead us into battle with this hazy and heavy lead single “Feed the Dream.” Full of triumphant harmonized stoner riffs and nightmare vocals, this track can be heard across the kingdom and echoed throughout all the darkest corners of the realm. Dawn breaks on the Great Rat Summoning today, and at dusk they celebrate the feast at the altar alongside Evolfo, Joudy, and Wine Lips and any other beasts and battle-babes who dare enter tonight at The Sultan Room. [MB]
Extra Special– I Can’t Say. The solo project of Amelia Bushell (Grim Streaker and Belle Mare) has released a haunting new single about love and loss. Read more about it here. [MB]
Fucked Up– One Day. The long running Canadian hardcore band are back with a brand new single, the title track from their upcoming album, One Day (1/27/23 Merge), so named because the songs were written and recorded by the band members in the span of 24 hours each. Read more here. [KH]
Horsegirl– History Lesson Part 2 (Minutemen cover). This Chicago based trio has had a big year with the release of their debut album, Versions of Modern Performance (Matador), and they have now made their Minutemen cover available digitally for the first time (it was previously only available on a 7inch). Their version is a pretty faithful note for note cover and they had this to say “‘History Lesson Part 2’ has always been a punk manifesto for us. It was an unusual pick to cover considering the lyrics are so specific to Minutemen, but we thought there was something appealing too about recording a ‘History Lesson’ that doesn’t actually give you any history on us.” [KH]
HOST– Tomorrow’s Sky. Old goths and metalheads alike rejoice: Nick Holmes and Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost have a new project. Inspired by the Paradise Lost album of the same name, HOST finds the two band members in more modern territory. This first single from their debut album IX (2/24/23 via Nuclear Blast) is a dark, punchy synthpop song laced with sharp guitar, and is perfect for your spooky playlist this Halloween weekend. If mannequins creep you out, avoid the music video! [CW]
Interlay– Androgynous. I’m not shy about the fact that I was a big fan of grunge/alt rock in the 90s. That love never left me, so I have also a big fan of the new crop of bands that have recently been bringing the style back and I have welcomed hearing fresh takes on a genre/style that shaped a lot of who I am as a person. In a press release the band tells us they draw influence from 90s shoegaze and grunge bands from Nirvana to Drop Nineteens, and while those influences do make their presence known, they don’t overpower the band’s music and it stands on its own. The heavy riffs and catchy lead guitar lick warrant repeated listens and while this single appears to be a stand alone at the moment, I certainly am looking forward to whatever comes next from the Madison, WI based group. [KH]
John (Times Two)– Theme New Bond Junior. Is this the usually abrasive (in a good way) band showing their softer side? It’s not a “soft” song by any means but for this rip roaring two piece punk band, it does show off a bit of a more subdued sound and a more nuanced approach to the studio. No complaints here though, it’s an exciting prospect and a growth in their song writing. I love everything this band does and have been anxiously awaiting them playing US dates for some time now. Perhaps the release of this new music, part of a 7inch due out in January 2023, is a prelude to the NYC show of my dreams. Here’s hoping! Pre-orders for the record are up now. [KH]
Pohgoh– Over/Under. The Florida based veteran emo band is set to release a new full length du und ich (11/4 Spartan Records) and have just released the deeply personal third single “Over/Under.” Singer/guitarist Susie Ulrey explains the meaning behind the song saying, “‘Over/Under’ is about the random uncertainty of odds while living through a traumatic experience. In the fall of 2018 I spent 3 terrifying weeks in the hospital (including a stint in the ICU) due to a very rare reaction to an MS (Mulitple Sclerosis) treatment I had taken years prior. The odds eventually tilted in my favor when I was finally sent home, though in a pretty fragile state with a slow, months-long recovery ahead of me.” She continued, “Part of the healing process was writing about it. We wanted to reflect some light out of the tunnel through the upbeat ending and my self-assuring, if not tentative declaration of, ‘I’m happy to be here.’” [KH]
Quasi– Queen of Ears. Though they released some demos over the pandemic and the stand alone song “Last Days of the Thin Blue Line,” it’s been almost a full ten years since the long running Portland duo have released an album—years that saw drummer Janet Weiss shockingly leave her other longtime project, Sleater-Kinney, and suffer severe injuries in a car accident—but now they have made their triumphant return with Weiss back on the kit and better than ever. They have announced a new album, Breaking the Balls of History, which will also be their debut for Sub Pop, along with the first single “Queen of Ears.” This first single hits every thing I love about this band—the quirky organ, the harmonies, the cool drum fills—and I can’t wait to hear what else they have in store for the rest of the album. Along with the album announcement comes a tour that will see the duo hit NYC at TV Eye on 3/16/23. [KH]
Quicksand– Felíz. The NYC post hardcore greats are back with another stand alone single (so it appears) after the recent release of “Giving The Past Away,” which was a leftover track from the Distant Populations sessions. This one is a rager that showcases everything this band does so well and why they have had the staying/returning power that they do. Available now on streamers via Epitaph. [KH]
Sour Widows– I-90. The Bay Area group is back with an emotional new single that deals with the death of Maia Sinaiko’s partner in 2017. Sinaiko said “I wrote “I-90” at a time when all I could do was make music alone in my room. Day to day life was a constant cycling through memories of places, feelings and experiences of which I was now the sole keeper. I found that the most mundane memories—driving in my partner’s car, the rural midwest landscapes of my college town—felt priceless, acting as vivid portals into what was now an irrevocable part of my life. The endlessness of grief supersedes the normal passage of time and the people we lose remain in places we can never go back to. It’s magic and terrible all at once; that is what this song is about.”
Musically the song ebbs and flows through quiet and loud dynamics, perfectly emphasizing the emotional weight of the subject matter. There is no word yet if this song (and the preceeding single “Witness”) are part of an album to come or are stand alone works. [KH]
The Tubs– Sniveller. This Welsh four-piece are finally releasing their debut album after forming in 2018, and the first single is a slice of angular post-punk tinged with jangle and crisp drumbeats. Singer Owen Williams notes “I wanted to write about how love can turn anyone into a Sniveller.” Dead Meat will be out January 27th. Hopefully they make it stateside for a show soon. [CW]
Toebow– Kitchen. This is the first new music from this eclectic/genre defying group since 2019. On their Bandcamp and Instagram the band shares “Kitchen” is a triumphant groover about getting through your worst times and coming out on top. The song touches on issues surrounding over-indulgence, substance consumption, and getting past unhealthy and toxic periods of one’s life. “Kitchen” was initially tracked in 2018, then overdubbed, mixed & mastered in 2021-2022. It is a stand-alone single, also featured on the limited edition (100 copies) Toebow cassette Resting Joy Selects.” We were recently wowed by their performance at Lincoln Center, see pics here. [KH]
T.S. Tadin– Killin’ Rock ‘n’ Roll. A fun little romp with an old school feel which serves as the third single from the upcoming album by crafty pop songster T.S. Tadin who said “This one is a bit of a departure from my other stuff sonically. It’s got a variation on the Bo Diddley beat. [I] was trying to go for something sounded like early Lou Reed. Do the Ostrich!” [KH]
TVOD– Mantis. The explosive party punx are at it again with an infectious new single “Mantis.” This crunchy synth pop freak out party track has a bit of a classic retro sci-fi vibe that would feel quite at home on The Lillingtons’Death by Television. Read more about it here. [MB]
Who doesn’t love a great cover song? We here at FTA loooove covers and a few months back three of us—Chantal, Hoos, and Rebecca—collaborated on a big list of covers which you can read here. We have all played in various cover bands over the last several years—all of us together in a Hole cover band and also in separate projects that have gigged together. We all know how fun it can be to interpret another artist’s work and make it your own, so here we are with a whole new round of cover songs that we adore. Crack on in to see what we picked in celebration of cover band season in NYC!
Chantal
The Dirtbombs– Sherlock Holmes (Sparks). This Detroit band is an enigmatic group, moving from style to style with ease and excelling at them all. They show their emotional side on this gorgeous rendition of Spark’s “Sherlock Holmes,” a strange song that feels more romantic in the garage rockers’ hands.
The Mountain Goats– Lucretia My Reflection (Sisters of Mercy). John Darnielle is a not-so-secret fan of goth music, even dedicating an entire album to songs about the gloomy rockers. His voice is surprisingly suited to this song. This one might be polarizing – if you like Sisters of Mercy and not TMG, well, you might find this sacrilegious. But I love them both, and I love this.
The Blankket-Badlands (Bruce Springsteen).I have a confession: this weird stripped down version of one of the greatest songs the Boss ever wrote was my first time hearing the song. Sorry, Bruce. This is a charming version that comes from Be Your Own Boss, a 4 song cover EP released on Toronto’s Blocks Recording Club.
Calexico– Guns of Brixton (The Clash). This cover of a Clash favorite is dark as all get out, exchanging the reggae flavor of the original for a Southwest twist.
Girls Aloud– I Think We’re Alone Now (Tommy James and The Shondelles). Girls Aloud were a British pop group formed from a reality show —not standard FTA fare. This is… not a great version, actually, of the oft-covered Tommy James and The Shondells song. But I love the strange descending synth line the arranger(s) of this alternate mix chose to use. BONUS: Arctic Monkeys actually tried their hand at a Girls Aloud original during a live performance on Radio 1, and it’s both charming and hilarious (they start cracking up near the end.)
Rasputina– If Your Kisses Can’t Hold The Man you Love (Then Your Tears Won’t Bring Him Back.) (Sophie Tucker). Rasputina have adopted a vintage style and sound, so it’s only fitting they put their own spin on this Sophie Tucker song about the joys of catting around town for revenge. Neglected girls shouldn’t worry, that’s what God made sailors for!
Lana Del Rey– Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana). Sorry, I fucking love her voice on this song, and I wish she would record an album version. (Although I’ve got a (new) complaint- brush up the guitar solo, it’s a classic.) Courtney Love also tweeted at Lana to remind her this song is about her vagina, and I’d expect nothing less.
Hole– Gold Dust Woman (Fleetwood Mac). Speaking of Hole, you didn’t think I’d leave them off here, did you? It’s the spooky season and this Fleetwood Mac cover from the Crow City of Angels soundtrack is a suitably grungier version. (The soundtrack was better than the movie.)
Kate
Atom and his Package– Alpha Desperation March/Going to Georgia/Seed Song (The Mountain Goats). It’s a bold move to include three covers by another artist on one of your albums, but that’s exactly what Atom did on his 2001 album, Redefining Music, when he played three Mountain Goats songs over the course of the record. I absolutely LOVED Atom at the time (I still do) so I definitely took notice and dug up the original songs as fast as I could. I had previously been totally unfamiliar with the prolific and captivating songwriter John Darnielle/The Mountain Goats, but I pretty quickly fell in love and started grabbing up as many CDs as I could.
While I’m not the super fan that Chantal is (see her recent MG coverage), I am a huge lover of all of Darnielle’s very early work, aka the songs that you can hear the gears/motor of the tape recorder running on as they play. Adam Goren aka Atom and his Package delightfully recreated these songs in the awkward, geeky, synth punk/new wave way he approached his own songs too and I still count them among my favorite covers more than 20 years after the fact.
Big Joanie– No Scrubs (TLC). I absolutely love a cover that changes things up and Big Joanie has taken the R&B/hip hop classic (which was a number one hit for TLC in 1999) to a lofi punk rock ripper with perfectly executed “NO!” screams in the background, reinterpreting this era defining song into their own instant classic version.
Green Day– Outsider (The Ramones). I famously am not much of a Ramones fan, but they have a few songs I really dig, I mean how can you not love the biggies like “I Wanna Be Sedated” “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”? This is one of them too. Green Day does a faithful note for note recreation here but for some reason it just hits different than the original and I actually like it more. I think probably because the recording quality is better and I love Billie Joe Armstrong’s voice much more than Joey Ramone’s (don’t hate me for that one but it’s true).
Ibeyi– Rise Above (Black Flag). I love Black Flag and I think anyone who has devoted their life to punk rock can say the same. So I don’t take covers of their music lightly. This version though….this stopped me in my tracks, an absolutely breathtaking version that gorgeously reimagines a song that is foundational to punk and hardcore. The twin sister duo of Naomi and Lisa-Kaindé Díaz make it sound absolutely nothing like the original and sure, a lot of punk/hardcore fans probably (definitely) wouldn’t like this version, but I could not shake it for weeks after first hearing it. Trinidadian rapper BERWYN also adds some new lyrics with a short verse in the middle of the song for an emotional gut punch.
Interestingly, the sisters admitted in an interview that they had never heard the song before making their version, so unlike legions of crappy punk bands who bashed through covers of this long before they did, they were not fans of the band and had no stake in them whatsoever. (And yes, I played drums in a Black Flag cover band so I’m among those legions of crappy punks.) So why do a cover of an iconic song at all if you don’t know the artist or the role they played in shaping an entire genre of music? It turns out that the sisters were captivated by the lyrics alone, which they first learned of in the studio while recording with producer Richard Russell; they were moved enough by the words to want to record their own version. Read more to see their process and why they chose not to listen to the original even after learning of its existence, a pretty bold and unique move.
This was my first introduction to Ibeyi’s music and I now firmly count myself as fan. Punk rock is the lens through which I have interpreted so much of my life so it’s pretty cool when it can also lead to discoveries like this through it too. Ibeyi will perform at Brooklyn Steel on 3/23/23 and I can’t wait to hear this song performed live.
IDLES– Damaged Goods (Gang of Four). The brash five piece punk/garage/post punkers interpretation of the masterful 1978 debut single by legendary post punk group Gang of Four is a wonderful and abrasive rendition of the classic song. They change it up with the structuring of the guitars to keep it to a highly motorik syncopated approach that mimics the intro of the original, pulsing around that while Joe Talbot growls the lyrics over top, never breaking into the more intricate bass groove or flashier guitar lick like the original. But it’s no matter, it more than gets the point across. With the high energy blast of the guitars bouncing back and forth and Talbot’s distinct vocal delivery, they make the song their own.
It was initially released on a compilation album, The Problem of Leisure, which is a tribute to the late guitarist/founding GOF member, Andy Gill. At the time of the release the band said “IDLES does not exist without Gang Of Four. ’Damaged Goods’ still sounds new and exciting after the millionth listen. We jumped at the chance to just to play it, let alone record it. It was an honour, a joy and a privilege.”
L7– Let’s Lynch the Landlord (Dead Kennedys). How many boxes can one cover song tick? As it turns out, many! One of my favorite bands…covering one of my favorite songs….by one of my other favorite bands, how can I not love it?! L7 amp it up from the already zippy original and make it grungier, but largely keep to the same structure. The song was released as part of the Virus 100 comp of Dead Kennedys covers released on Alternative Tentacles in 1992 to celebrate the 100th release on the label. I recently scored a copy off Discogs when I was reminded of it by FTA contributing photographer, Ellen Qbertplaya, after we shot L7’s Bricks Are Heavy anniversary show in NYC (see my pics). There are some solid offerings on it including Sepultura doing “Drug Me,” and Napalm Death‘s interpretation of “Nazi Punks Fuck Off,” as well as another radically different take on “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” by Faith No More. I’ve included that one too so you can enjoy them both back to back.
Bonus fun: An old band of mine, Lady Bizness, learned this song to play specifically at one of the final shows at Trash Bar, a Williamsburg bar that was home to some of the first shows I ever played in NYC and many great punk shows during its lifespan. But like many other small music venues in New York, the landscape around it drastically changed over the years as gentrification took hold and the location grew exponentially in value, so it fell victim to a greedy landlord who quadrupled the rent when it came time to renew the lease, forcing it to close in 2015. But karma is, as they say, a bitch, and the spot sat empty for the next few years when no one could afford to take it over, earning them zero dollars in the interim. Serves ’em right for trying to suck the blood of small business owners! As for the band, we had so much fun with this song we kept playing it for the rest of the time we existed. (Sadly a recording does not exist or I’d share it here.)
Los Bitchos– Tequila (The Champs). This has been the closer of the Bitchos set both times I’ve seen them (see pics from NYC and Bristol, UK) and they do a fun, punked up version of the 1958 party classic. They’re also a (mostly) instrumental band like The Champs, but for their take, they add a twist of actually including lyrics on it for an extra bit of flair. I’m hoping a studio recording of this eventually happens but for now, this live YouTube video hits the spot.
MXPX– Take On Me (A-ha). I have very fond memories of loving both the original 1985 one hit wonder (and it’s iconic video that was a cornerstone of the 80s) as well as this cover that came ten years later from the Washington pop punkers. A little kid turned teenage love. Though in retrospect, and upon re-listening with more mature ears, I have to say that the execution and recording of this cover both leave a bit to be desired. But hey, they were barely out of high school when this was released, so I think we can cut them some slack.
Rebecca
Nilüfer Yanya– Rid of Me.(PJ Harvey) This is a new artist to me, and I’m delighted to see that PJ Harvey still resonates with the youths. I love the alto sax player mimicking the high vocal parts.
Screaming Females–Because the Night. (Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen) Jesus fucking christ. Two amazingly energetic, dynamic bands cover a song co-written by two likewise energetic, dynamic performers. Check out the ripping solos by super-shredder Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females.
Shonen Knife– Top of the World. (The Carpenters) This cover by Shonen Knife never fails to cheer me up when I’m having a bad day. They keep the light poppiness of the Carpenter’s version but give it a punky punch.
Wye Oak– Running Up That Hill. (Kate Bush) Indie rockers Wye Oak cover what is undoubtedly the comeback song of the year, thanks to its prominence in Stranger Things. This one isn’t as synthy as the original but the duo usher it into the bedroom pop realm with minimal instrumentation.
Yola– Yellow Brick Road. (Elton John) Yola explores the depths of her voice on this Elton John cover. I have absolute chills when she soars into the chorus.
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of a some new things that we dug that came out in the last week(ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Chantal, Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!
We get to as many songs as we can each week (though can’t possibly cover all the music that is released) and as always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so and check back every Friday to see more:
Bass Drum of Death– Find It. Garage rock aficionados BDOD have released the second single from their upcoming album Say I Won’t (1/27/23 via Fat Possum). On their website the band says of the new album “The music still rips, with blown-out guitars and drums that sound like bombs going off, and the melodies are catchier than ever, hollered in [John] Barrett’s trademark yelp. But the music hits differently now, more at peace with itself, propelled by a new swagger,” and I found that to be true of the lead single “Say Your Prayers” and definitely true here on this latest track. It’s hardly a bad thing though and it sees the band heading into newer refined territory with better production overall. See our coverage from their June 2022 show at Market Hotel. [KH]
Blink 182– EDGING. The classic lineup of the bratty pop punk trio is back together again, with original guitarist Tom DeLonge officially back in the fold, new music announced and a tour to support it coming. And if my social media feeds are any indication, lots of my friends of a certain age (and younger) are pretty damn excited about all of those things. As for this song, it hardly breaks new ground for the group but at this stage of the game, it really doesn’t need to. Their fans go to them for exactly this—upbeat, bright punk rock songs that tap into your feelings of disaffected youth (err middle aged-dom) and aren’t shy to be crude. This is not the most crude song they’ve ever done but there is a line about fucking in church so yeah, Blink is back for sure. [KH]
Dead Tooth– Sporty Boy. Once again, Dead Tooth drops a real racer in our laps, just in time to heat things up for the Fall. The post-wave art punk track released on Trash Casual, worms and swirls it’s high sonic tones in and out of thumping bass melodies, pushing the kick-snare-vocal attack that drive the song right to the brink of unraveling. With this single they’ve unleashed a tightly honed focused fury of sound that pummels your chest like a jackhammer on the loose. “Sporty Boy” simmers on the edge of boil teetering along that line for three minutes and change, killing the heat every time it’s about to lose total control.
Spin Magazine nods “The single’s quick internal rhymes pile on its assonance like the pig-on-sheep pyre displayed on the cover of Dead Tooth’s 2022 EP Pig Pile. What’s more, “Sporty Boy” plays out like the soundtrack to a nearly successful high-speed chase, made all the more real by its accompanying art – an old-school digital car-stereo display.” Catch them playing on 10/25 at Baby’s All Right with Native Sun and The Bobby Lees. [MB]
Grade 2– Brassic. Cockney rhyming slang for being “skint,” which for us Americans who don’t spend a lot of time in the UK, means being broke. And who can’t relate to that? I know I sure can. This song reminded me of punk rock meets Britpop in all the right ways and is a catchy slice from the Isle of Wight based band. [KH]
Green Day– You Irritate Me (demo). I’m a lifelong unabashed Green Day fan and I’ve enjoyed just about every era of the band, but by far my most favorite is the 90s trifecta of Dookie, Insomniac, and Nimrod released in 1994, 1995, and 1997 respectively. They were hugely influential albums to me when I was a teenager and I still regularly listen to them front to back today, well into my adulthood and my 40s. So you can certainly imagine I was more than thrilled with the recent announcement of a boxed set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Nimrod (which true story, I hand wrote a review for in my very first zine) and the inclusion of the demo tracks for several of the songs on the album as well as songs that never got released. “You Irritate Me” is one of those songs.
On one hand, it’s hard to believe this sat in the vaults for more than 25 years, it is after-all that classic 90s era early Green Day sound that would have been right at home in those days. But on the other hand, compared with the strength of the songs that did make the album, this song is fun for sure but doesn’t hold a candle to the hit single “Hitchin’ A Ride” and certainly not the era defining “Good Riddance,” (which was actually written in 1990) or even the deeper cuts (and hardcore fan loved tracks) like “Haushinka” and “Prosthetic Head” (both favorite tracks of mine).
All that being said, I am glad to have it now and I am intrigued to hear what the rest of the demos sound like because I definitely consider Nimrod a transitional album. It held a lot of the early era hallmarks of what established Green Day as a band, but it also was the first album that showed they could be more and strongly hinted towards the more nuanced and flushed out entity they would become by time American Idiot rolled around seven years later. The boxed set, which features the album along with extras (the demos and a live album recorded in 1997), drops in full on 1/27/2023. Bonus- read my track by track breakdown of Dookie here. [KH]
Guided By Voices– Queen of Spaces. The fountain that provides inspiration to Robert Pollard will seemingly never stop flowing. A spare, ethereal song featuring a gorgeous string section, this is Pollard in ballad mode, and paired with the angular, rocking first single “Instinct Dwelling” from the upcoming La La Land, it bodes well for the album as a whole. GBV will be at Terminal 5 on December 3rd in support of Dinosaur Jr. [CW]
Gun– Evermore. This band is one of my favorite discoveries I made this year, having first seen them at a house show over the summer (see pics). They have a sound that can be hard to pin down and often changes from song to song, sometimes even within the same song as was the case with their last single “Mark of the Beast Mode” (read my thoughts) and can range from punk to grunge to nu metal and noise. This latest track sees them showing off their more sensitive emo side and while I prefer them at the noiser end of the spectrum, this song is a strong showing of their range. Their debut full length is in the works and should be released soon. [KH]
Hit Like A Girl– Dismay. In a drastic turn from their usual sound and certainly from their most recent release, the acoustic EP, Heart Breaker, HLAG—the recording project of NJ based musician Nicolle Maroulis— returns with a blistering and HEAVY hardcore track “Dismay,” which is the first track from their upcoming EP, Becoming. Maroulis’ vocals are brutal and the riffs are massively metallic, leading us in an intriguing new direction for the project. Time will tell if this is something they explore more on other releases or if they will go back to the emo/indie pop sound they are more known for. Either is an exciting prospect. Becomingreleases in full on 11/18. [KH]
Ian McCuen– The Letter. Buffalo based singer songwriter Ian McCuen and self proclaimed “purveyor of sorrow” is back with the second single from their upcoming album, Westward, To Nowhere. McCuen certainly nails the sorrow aspect and really taps into an emotional vein here as they defly channel the spirit of Elliot Smith on this mostly quiet contemplation, detailing a strained familial relationship. Westward, To Nowhere releases in full on November 11th. [KH]
Pearla– The Place With No Weather. A bit less structured than the preceding single “About Hunger, About Love” (which we included here), this spacey song is both dreamy and aching. Intriguingly, it has both lead and final track energy to me, so I’m interested to see where it actually is placed on Oh Glistening Onion, The Nighttime Is Coming, which drops on February 10th. Pearla will be at Union Pool on October 21st. [CW]
Plasma Canvas– Blistered World. Plasma Canvas is now a four-piece, and their fuller sound is reflected in this rip-roaring slice of driving punk rock, which is also an anthem of trans defiance and joy. Their new album DUSK will be out on SideOneDummy in February, but for now you can catch their high-energy music video for the single below. [CW]
Slaughterhouse– Halloween. Some spooky self referential fun from the LA punk group, this one comes just in time for the biggest punk holiday of the year. I love the ending as most of the instruments and vocals fade out (but don’t completely disappear) and the guitar lead takes on a creepy horror movie quality with the vocals bouncing around and echoing in the ethereal distance. [KH]
Smut– Unbroken Thought. Coming at us with the third single from their upcoming album, How The Light Felt, Smut again hits us with plenty of emotions on this gossamer track about relationships. Singer Tay Roebuck elaborated in a press release: “This is a love song! It stretches from pre-relationship to mid-relationship and the sort of mystical destiny that can bring people together. The first verse is before our couple has met, where they don’t realize that they are wandering and lost. Not necessarily looking for each other but when they finally meet? They are done for. The second verse is about them finally feeling the missing pieces filled. They are doing mundane day-to-day life but new life is given to it just by holding hands and knowing they’ve found each other.”
I’ve loved having the album slowly revealed with each new track and am looking forward to hearing the entire collection upon its release on 11/11 via Bayonet Records; the band will play Brooklyn a day later at Alphaville. [KH]
Tenci-Sour Cherries. This innovative, slightly country-tinged tune features guitars and droning saxophone all woven together behind the compelling voice of singer Jess Shoman as they muse on the bittersweet nature of love. Find their new album A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing on November 4th, and check them out in person on November 12th at Baby’s All Right. [CW]
Tom Skinner– The Journey. Former Sons of Kemet/current The Smile drummer turned bandleader has released a second song from his upcoming debut solo album, Voices of Bishara. On this moody contemplation Skinner is joined by collaborators Tom Hebert (upright bass), Kareem Dayes (cello), Chelsea Carmichael (tenor sax), Robert Stillman (tenor sax) and Paul Came (samples) for an intriguing and mesmerizing song that indeed feels like a journey. Voices of Bisharawill release on 11/4. [KH]
T.S. Tadin– Better Cry Yourself To Sleep. Another slice of well crafted singer songwriter styling meets lush indie pop, T.S. Tadin really nails you in the gut emotionally with this one. The second song from the upcoming album due out 11/18, we’re intrigued to hear more (see our thoughts on the lead single “It’s A Drag”). [KH]
