Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of some new things that we dug this week, 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!
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:
Belaire’s– London. Indie rock with a power-pop shimmer for the last dregs of summer. They’ll be at Gold Sounds with Komodos, The Tarrys, and Gun on 9/23 (aka tonight). [CW]
City of Caterpillar– Paranormaladies. The third single from the Mystic Sisters album (9/30 Relapse) is a noisy stripped down track that reminds me a bit of Blood Brothers. Apparently the band tried to re-record the song in studio but found the original demo impossible to top, and I think they’re on to something. Catch them at St. Vitus on October 2nd with Foxtails and Michael Berdan. [CW]
Death From Above 1979– Don’t Stop Believin’ The Journey classic got a makeover from the Canadian dance punk duo who recorded the song for Amazon Music last year. The song has now made its way to Spotify and YouTube and being that I love DFA1979 and a great cover, I wanted to share it. They took it from an 80s anthem and made it sound frantic and unhinged in the best way possible. At the time of its initial release, the band said on Twitter “We made a kind of witchy version of the song that would make Steve Perry magically join Journey again.” Only time will tell if Perry heeds the mystical call, but we’ll be rocking out to this version in the meantime. [KH]
Guts Club– Cliffs/Walls. Brand new music from the New Orleans based band and the first single/title from their upcoming track album. This one is a ten minute opus of a “little doom muffin” (singer Lindsey Baker’s cheeky description on Instagram) and it’s fucking HEAVY. A dirgey drone with relentless feedback and funeral march drums, this is reminiscent of doom metal greats Divide/Dissolve, though unlike the instrumental D/D, anguished vocals really nail the massive sound home and add a nice contrast to the dissonance. The full album releases in January 2023 and is available for pre-order now. [KH]
Hammered Hulls– Boiler Maker’s Notch. The second single from Careening, the anticipated debut album from this DC punk/post hardcore super group which includes members of Helium, The Make Up, The Faith, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists and many more. This song delivers more of that classic DC/Dischord sound and ranges from experimental to full on traditional rapid fire punk. Read more on their debut album here. [KH]
Miss Grit– Like You. After two EPs, this project of Margaret Sohn has signed to Mute Records for their newest track. Featuring layered vocals weaving together with distinct bass and guitar lines over hypnotic synth, the song has a good beat without being clubby. With lyrics like “there’s no escape the world they simulate / they want a hold of you to dominate / and I try to abide so I won’t be denied like you,” Sohn muses on outside expectations and self-identity, themes they’ve dealt with elsewhere in their work. [CW]
natural born kissers– ephemeral at most. natural born kissers have described themselves as “bubble grunge” and “picnic punk,” and their newest single does justice to those descriptors, a fun fuzzy track bursting with enthusiasm, pushed along by singer Mika Itkin-Weinstein’s energetic yet emotional vocals. The band is also a great live act—check out our recent coverage here. [CW]
Sean Spada– Set Up to Self-Destruct. The next installment of the Sean Spada Doppleverse which we premiered earlier today. Read more here. [MB]
Sunnyboy– The Recipe. The debut single from NJ’s Sunny Boy aka Patrick DeFrancisci (ex Tru), it’s a catchy slice of emo power pop and if you’re a fan of bands like Tigers Jaw and Jimmy Eat World, you will definitely dig this. In a press release DeFrancisci said this project came about during the pandemic and shared that when lockdown hit “It was the first time I wasn’t actively in a band practicing and playing shows in around a decade. It felt awful, it felt lonely and I needed to do something about it,” continuing “I wanted to make sure I was being productive and doing something with all of that free time so I learned how to demo songs on my laptop and it snowballed from there.” On the future of the project, he says he’s “all in” and just recorded another song and is in the process of demoing more at home, ready to be out performing them. We look forward to what comes next for this project. [KH]
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of some new things that we dug this week, 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!
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:
Algiers– Bite Back (feat billy woods & Backxwash). 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. Band leader Franklin James Fisher goes back back and forth and trades verses with rappers billy woods (of Armand Hammer) and Backxwash, with all three vocalists pulling imbalances of power into sharp focus. On the song multi-instrumentalist and producer Ryan Mahan said: “Shit’s been so real the past few years, we really needed to grow our community of collaborators and make solid the bonds we’ve always felt, particularly with rap heads. And to have the two best rappers around, billy woods AND Backxwash, on the same Algiers-produced track? Pinch me, for real.”
Fisher followed up with “Ryan showed up one day with this beautifully epic instrumental and said, “I’ve got this song and I want to call it ‘Bite Back’. It immediately reminded me why I joined this band and the rest of the song seemed to write itself. It’s a classic example of our Lenin-McCartney dynamic.” With woods adding “Working with Algiers was a dope experience on many levels, and I was even more excited when they said they were shooting a video. Plus knowing Backxwash was involved, I had to do it,” and Backxwash: “This feels like the soundtrack to revolutionary struggle. I am honored to participate side by side with an incredible array of artistry.” While as of now this appears to be a one off and no album was announced along with it, the band teased on Instagram with the song announcement “so much more to come,” exciting new indeed. [KH]
Angel Olsen & Sturgill Simpson– Big Time. Fresh off the success of The Wild Hearts tour with Sharon Van Etten and Julien Baker (see our coverage), Angel Olsen has released an updated version of the title track of her superb new album, Big Time, this time collaborating with celebrated songwriter Sturgill Simpson for a gorgeous new rendition of the song. Of the collaboration Olsen said “It’s crazy to write a song and then watch someone you really admire sing your words; kinda turns the whole thing on its head,” continuing, “I loved the song already, but hearing Sturgill’s take on ‘Big Time’ made me smile ear to ear, he made it come alive on a different level.” Olsen will soon head to the UK and Europe for a month of tour dates, with Tomberlin supporting. [KH]
Babehoven– Stand It. “Stand It,” the second single from Babehoven’s upcoming debut album Light Moving Through Time, is a bittersweet little slice of shoegaze with 90’s vibes. The lo-fi look of the video leans into this, as the visuals evoke the album title. There’s an autumnal feel to this song, perfect for moving into that season. [CW]
Bass Drum of Death– Say Your Prayers. Brand new music from the garage rock greats who just announced a brand new album Say I Won’t (1/27/23 via Fat Possum), it’s a more low-key and nuanced affair than the fuzzier chaotic rock n roll the band is known for. It was co-written with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood, his influence being very obvious on the track, but also a welcome presence in the mix, pushing BDOD to a whole different level.
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 that is absolutely evident here in this first offering. This album will also mark the first time the entire touring band was in the studio in the process of making the record rather than singer/guitarist Barrett completing the recordings alone. A compelling change for sure and one I’m very excited to hear the end result of when the album drops next year. See our coverage from their recent show at Market Hotel. [KH]
The Bobby Lees– Ma Likes To Drink. Full of fuzzy mega riffs, nasty bass and busy drums, this last preview taste of their upcoming album, Bellevue (10/7 via Ipecac Recordings), is full of goddamn attitude with an assload of swagger and we are HERE for it. The garage punk wizzes will play a sure to be raucous release show at Baby’s All Right on 10/25 with support from Native Sun and Dead Tooth. [KH]
Dehd– Eggshells. On the heals of their album Blue Skies which was released this past May, Dehd have returned with a brand new stand alone single, “Eggshells.” Expanding upon their bedroom pop aesthetic, they touch the edges of alt country and indie gloom, soaking everything in reverb along the way. Via a press release they also share that they took cues from “escapist fantasies and Jodorowsky films,” and that their “melancholic euphoria turns off all the lights and lets the Utopian tableaux come to life, with the band roaming the desertion search of catharsis and freedom.” The band will soon embark on a lengthy tour that will see them criss cross North America and Europe; they will hit NYC on 10/21 at Brooklyn Steel. [KH]
Hammered Hulls– Rights and Reproduction. The first single from the debut full length by this post hardcore/punk supergroup and it’s already one of my most anticipated records of the final quarter of the year. Read more here. [KH]
Heavy Lag– Splitting Headache. A hot and fresh two minutes from the Brooklyn power pop meets pop-punk wunderkinds. This song is part of their debut full length, Another Year Closer to Whatever, which arrives 10/31 via Bloated Kat and though brief, it’s chock full of hooks and packs a melodic punch. Just try and listen to this without it running around your head for hours afterward. Catch the band on 9/22 at No Aloha. [KH]
Ian McCuen– Lonesome Homesteader. Buffalo based singer songwriter Ian McCuen has released “Lonesome Homesteader,” the thoughtful first single from their upcoming album, Westward, To Nowhere. McCuen tells us the album “Combin[es] elements of history, folklore, current events, and personal experience, Westward, To Nowhere is a concept album with a loose narrative that follows a drifter on a futile journey across the country; it deals with themes of isolation and searching for purpose against the desolate reality of American life.” Pulling from the deep well of Americana music, this first single shows off not only McCuen’s chops as a songwriter but also their beautifully subdued voice which is layered in parts and a single presence in others, set against the backdrop of lovely finger picked acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin. The full album releases on November 11th and is highly anticipated here at FTA. [KH]
Keefchamber– The Smoke Deity/Hands of a Wizard. NJ’s Keefchamber comes at you with a brand new two song demo that sees the band expand beyond their blackened stoner doom sensibilities. Normally a duo of bass and drums, these two songs feature guitar which adds a depth to the band’s already heavy sound and really shows off their songwriting prowess. “The Smoke Deity” recalls some of the psych drone qualities of a band like Queen Elephantine, while “Hands of a Wizard,” hits a straight up punk feel before heading into a slowed down psychy interlude before swinging back again to driving punk. I love this turn in their sound and am very much looking forward to an eventual full length from this group. [KH]
Laurel Canyon– Drop Out/Tangiers Laurel Canyon’s newest double single “Drop Out/Tangiers” would fit in well on an 80’s Sonic Youth record, with distortion, fuzz and a bit of jangle pushing forward under the shouted vocals. In fact, the cover art was done by Savage Pencil of “Death Valley ’69” fame. Their Steve Albini-recorded debut album will be out next year on Agitated Records. Catch them live on 10/1 at Sovereign. [CW]
Mauskovic Dance Band– Bukaroo Bank. A spacey, funky post punk meets dub jam from this Dutch outfit (who are all IRL family and related), it is the wonderfully weird title track from their upcoming album, Bukaroo Bank, due out 10/28 via Bongo Joe Records. Synth, sax, guitar and bongos all weave together with an incredibly infectious bass line, recalling the late 70s collision of no wave and post punk as it careened full on into the new wave of the 80s; there’s a little something for everyone in the mix here. This band is known for their unique take on post punk and “make madcap music intent on expanding musical universes,” and “ecstatic music for the body” that can be “escapist if you wish it to,” all of which feel totally on point and the most apt descriptors for this eccentric band. Keep your ears ready for this full length which is sure to be a wild ride. [KH]
Metz– Come On Down (feat. Joe Talbot)/Heaven’s Gate. Any day there’s new music from Metz is a good day for me. And combine that with IDLES, then life has just gone and made my week as both of these bands are massive in my life. The band said via their Instagram “‘Come On Down’ was originally recorded during the Atlas Vending sessions but never fully finished. During the pandemic collaboration was a way to fill the void left by the loss of live music and get that feeling of community that gigs provide. We reached out to Joe Talbot (IDLES) who is a longtime friend and who METZ has shared the stage with many, many times, and this song was a very natural and fun way to catch up with him and do something positive with our time off the road.” For fans of both groups, it is quite the treat to hear the signature raging noise of Metz with Joe Talbot on the mic, with Alex Edkins jumping in with his urgent yells on the choruses for the cherry on top. The song is accompanied by a striking music video directed by Arturo Baston.
The flip side of comes in the form of “Heaven’s Gate,” which the band says is a song they “wrote back in 2019 that was originally released in the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, we’re super excited for it to be widely available now.” Both songs fit in neatly within the Metz canon and come just ahead of their tour in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of their self-titled debut album. The tour will hit Warsaw on 10/22. [KH]
My Son The Doctor– Mesh. Brooklyn’s favorite power punks, My Son The Doctor, are back with a fresh new track this week. Chock full of smart lyrical humor, quirky delivery, big guitar highs, and rhythmic valleys, all wrapped up in gang vocal hooks, and neatly packed into two minutes, it fully delivers on what’s become a signature sound for the quartet. Complete with a super satisfying stop-go a quarter way thru, “Mesh” will be your go-to for all your playlists this Fall. [MB]
Niño– Call Your Number. This synth disco pop track is the latest from drummer/vocalist/producer Roger Cabrera aka Niño. An infectious bop that recalls the disco grooves of the 1970s blending seamlessly with the new wave glam of the 1980s, this is a mini party ready made for the dance floor or for getting yourself pumped up on your morning commute. [KH]
Salamander– Water. A combination of synthy glitch core meets laid back indie rock styling, Brooklyn’s Salamander brings us an ode to drinking water. Yes water—though my take is, perhaps, it’s actually a self care anthem because hydration is important after all! The band tells us “it is a unique spin on the sort of experimental pop songwriting and production that has gained momentum in the 2020s,” and indeed, it does contain a deep vein of experimentation and the nuanced layers of texture to match. They will soon release a four song EP, tooth/waste, so keep your eyes peeled on their social media for announcements. [KH]
Show Me The Body– We Came To Play. The genre bending hardcore band just announced their third album, Trouble The Water, and have shared the first single, “We Came To Play.” The song is built around acrid guitars and nu-metal inspired bass for heeeeavy feel and plenty of floor punching in the pit vibes. [KH]
Middle-Aged Queers hail from the Bay Area and are a band that we here at FTA just recently discovered, and also one that speaks to us on a deep level. If you didn’t know, this blog is run by a middle aged queer, with several middle aged queer contributors. We loved their 2020 album, Too Fag For Love, which made our Bandcamp Friday picks for September, and are beyond excited for their upcoming album Shout At The Hetero (due out 10/31). Channeling the classic Lookout! sound of the 90s and complete with Golden Girls themed “go fuck yourself” t-shirts, this truly is the band of our dreams!
They self describe as “Crawling out of the primordial ooze of punk past, Middle-Aged Queers are a quartet of Jurassic Punx barreling down Interstate 580 on a mission to save Rock and Roll with broken limbs and gear held together with duct tape,” and we were delighted that they made a tour stop in NYC to bring their queer rock show to the Big Apple.
They began their set with their singer, Shaun Osburn, sitting on stage with a bubble machine and brought fun and color to the show with Osburn’s pink hair, drummer Niki Pretti’s teal lips, bassist Josh Levine’s yellow shirt, the bubbles reflecting off the camera flash and of course the colorful tiki aesthetic of Otto’s. At one point Osburn said they were too hot and tried to lead a sing along to “it’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes.” The singalong didn’t happen but the pants came off revealing a hot pink satin jock strap which led to Osburn later asking Pretti “how does my asshole look?” after repeated bending down to check the bubble machine. The entire set was loads of fun and there was plenty of interplay between bandmates and crowd alike.
Also on the bill were lovable potty humor “satire core” hardcore punks But, Pyrite who kicked things off and who also just released a brand new album, the hilarious Get It Down. They put on an intense set, with singer Larry Spahn pacing side to side in front of the stage like he was stalking prey. This band is always lots of fun live and made sure to remind everyone to “always wipe your butt and to flush the toilet.”
Hardworking pop punk scene stalwarts, The Jukebox Romantics, closed the show, being tour and label mates (Sell The Heart Records) of MAQ, and bringing their special blend of “fun, heartfelt, sweaty punk rock!” to the evening. They’ve shared some big stages with the likes of Less Than Jake and other punk luminaries and sure Otto’s is small by comparison, but no matter the size of the room, they always give it 110%.
Read more about Middle-Aged Queers here and here and make sure you’re keeping all of these bands on your radar, tell em FTA sent ya!
Scroll down for videos and pics of the show (photos by Kevin McGann)
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of some new things that we dug this week, 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!
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:
Brutus– Victoria. The third single from Brutus’ upcoming album Unison Life, this one finds the band in more melodic territory than before, but still with plenty of heavy riffs to spare. Singer/drummer Stephanie Mannaerts pushes the song to blistering heights with her urgent and soaring vocals alongside the pierce of the lead guitar line. The song comes with a video directed by Jonas Hollevoet; the album will see release on 10/21 via Sargent House. [KH]
Deerhoof– My Lovely Cat. Deerhoof’s latest single is a fun, fuzzed out track that captures the obsessive joy of having a cat (taking lots of pictures to post on social media, watching them on a pet-cam and not wanting to leave them at home) with a bittersweet ending: “one wish… make longevity longer, make you my immortal friend.” I wish cats were immortal too, Deerhoof. The song wasn’t written for Lil Bub, a famous kitty who passed away in 2019, but Bub’s human Mike Bridavsky coincidentally produced the track, so it is dedicated to her. [CW]
Dry Cleaning– Gary Ashby. The latest from Dry Cleaning is “a lament about a pet tortoise, escaped as a result of family chaos,” with the band going on to say “We wrote it in December 2020, one of the first new songs after the New Long Leg session.” Jangly and full of hooks, singer Florence Shaw gives quite the description of just what may have happened to poor Mr. Ashby and his “stumpy legs,” though in actuality does so in not many words and really leaves the mayhem of the scenario up to the imagination of the listener. This single is part of the upcoming album Stumpwork (10/21 via 4AD) and also comes with the announcement of headlining world tour which will hit Brooklyn on 2/2/2023 at Pioneer Works. [KH]
Gift– Feather. Brand new from the Brooklyn quintet, “Feather” was the result of singer TJ Freda awakening from a lucid dream. Elaborating, Freda said “This is one of the most personal songs on the record. One night I connected with a loved one in a dream, except I was in their mind. I was standing right in front of them and kept trying to call to them but the world in this dream was too loud and noisy. They couldn’t see or hear me. ‘Feather’ is about trying to help someone who can’t be helped, but in the end you accept them for who they are and love them no matter what.” The shimmery song is part of their debut album, Momentary Presence, which is due out 10/14 via Dedstrange. [KH]
Joudy– Uneasy. The Brooklyn based Venezuelan psych rock trio has just released the first single from their upcoming album Destroy All Monsters. This track features a hypnotic bass line and the intoxicating trip-hop meets rock psych blend they are known for (catch one of their shows for their amazing cover of Massive Attack’s “Angel”). The song also comes with a video directed by Gabriel Duque. Read more on the band’s story at Wonderland Magazine which premiered the track and catch the band at one of their upcoming residency dates at Berlin (9/15,9/22 and 9/29). [KH]
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard-Ice V. This new track (pronounced ‘ice five’) is a groovy ten minute cut with jazz fusion vibes, perfect for jamming while holding on to the last dregs of summer, even while the lyrics about a crystalline space queen are a bit menacing. The band has an epic three albums coming out in October— Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms And Lava on 10/7, Laminated Denim on 10/12 and Changes on 10/28. [CW]
Otoboke Beaver– Chuchu Song. A not so brand new but absolutely super fun ripper from the frantic Japanese quartet. This one was the first song they wrote and a live staple for years. It was originally recorded and released in 2019 as a subscriber exclusive on Bandcamp to fans who helped fund their trip to SXSW. Now it has seen a wider release on Spotify and YouTube just in time for their upcoming US tour which will hit Brooklyn at Music Hall of Williamsburg (with Ratas En Zelo) on 10/5. We’ll see you there! [KH]
Placebo– Shout (Tears For Fears cover). The recent announcement of Placebo being forced to postpone their North American tour certainly bummed us out here at FTA, but this was a bit of a pick me up in the wake of that news as we do love a good cover (see our list of 25 of our favorite covers). They keep things pretty close to the original, with the addition of Brian Molko’s signature warble of course, but do switch things up and bring them to a bit of a darker place in the breakdown of the song—which they also shortened—making for a nice twist. [KH]
Ruth Radelet– Stranger. Best known for fronting the influential group, Chromatics, Radalet has announced her debut EP, The Other Side, which is due out on 10/7. “Stranger” is the lead single and a song the artist says is “a love letter to LA.” The song is accompanied by a stark black and white video made with director James Manson and cinematographer Freddie Whitman that features Radelet exploring the city alone. Expanding on the concept, she said the song is “about a specific kind of loneliness that I have only felt in Los Angeles. Although the song is very much about longing, it’s more about a place than a person.” The song is cinematic and sweeping and something anyone who has felt lonely can relate to, even in places like LA or NYC, surrounded by millions. [KH]
Sean Spada– The Wild Ride. This is the title track and first taste from Brooklyn based pianist Sean Spada’s upcoming solo album. If you love slightly spooky lounge vibes, this track delivers. Spada softly croons about a crazy trip that stretches the imagination sprawled over his dynamic tickling of the ivories. If you’ve ever half woken from a dream that’s just escaped your fingertips and you’re stuck somewhere between two realities and can’t seem to find your way back to either, well then you may have just taken your first steps on “The Wild Ride.” Read more here. [MB]
Smut– After Silver Leaves. Smut has announced a brand new album, How the Light Felt, and along with the album announcement comes the news tour dates and the first single “After Silver Leaves,” a song singer Tay Roebuck says is about “a former relationship I was in, it was really horribly abusive. But the approach to this one was to just spell it all out and see how silly it feels once shit really hits the fan.” Musically it’s a glinting, pretty upbeat song which belies the dark subject matter, Roebuck elaborating that “The song sounds so happy, but I’m talking about driving someone to the hospital when they’ve overdosed. And having to detach myself and realize that maybe it’s not my job as a teenage girl to save some sad sack of a guy. I think a lot of young women will relate to that, unfortunately.”
Indeed, the album (which follows up their 2020 EP Power Fantasy) is deeply personal and will touch on the death of Roebuck’s sister with the singer saying “This album is very much about the death of my little sister, who committed suicide a few weeks before her high school graduation in 2017. It was a moment in which my life was permanently destroyed, and it’s something you cannot prepare for.” The sure to be emotional album will be released on 11/11 via Bayonet Records and the tour will hit Brooklyn a day later at Alphaville. [KH]
Sun Ra Arkestra– Chopin. This first studio recording of the celebrated groups elaboration of “Prelude in A Major” from the Frédéric Chopin Opus 28 No. 7, which had previously only been heard at performances or live recordings. Baritone sax player Knoel Scott says of the song “This freshened arrangement of this Sun Ra classic is a testament to the vintaged mastery of Marshall Allen and is truly reflective of his position as a keeper of the Sun Ra Legacy.” This interpretation is part of their upcoming album Living Sky due out 10/7 via Omni Sound. [KH]
Strange Neighbors– Whoa! Is Me. The newest Strange Neighbors single is “a song about catching yourself in the act of being the bad guy” and was apparently inspired by Jefferson Airplane but ends up being truer to the jangly power-pop the band is known for. Catch them on 9/15 with Creek and Kills at Mama Tried.[CW]
Tom Skinner– Bishara. The prolific British drummer of The Smile and formerly of Sons of Kemet (who recently completed their final tour and disbanded) has just announced a brand new solo album, Voices of Bishara, and released the first single “Bishara.” The album features contributions from his former bandmate and SoK bandleader Shabaka Hutchings on tenor sax and bass clarinet as well as from Kareem Days on cello, Nubya Garcia on flute and tenor sax and Tom Herbert (of The Invisible) on bass. The album is due out on 11/4 via Brownswood Recordings/International Anthem/Nonesuch. [KH]
White Hills– Oceans Of Sound. This group has put out an astonishing amount of music over the past couple decades, and their newest single “Oceans of Sound” is a slab of buzzy, throbbing stoner psych, replete with wah-wah guitar and accompanied by an equally trippy music video. Their newest LP The Revenge of Heads On Fire will be out on September 16th. [CW]
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of some new things that we dug this week, quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!
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:
Dentist– Check the Calendar. Forgot to check the calendar? Better late than never. End of Summer track by Asbury Park, NJ’s jangle fuzz darlings, Dentist, reminds us of all the possibilities that await us when Summer first begins. With a big satisfying fuzz pop chorus laid over delicate and deliberate musical interplay between Emily Bornemann (bass,vocals), Justin Bornemann (guitar), and Matt Hockenjos (drums), “Check the Calendar” has enough sugar to keep us bouncing off the walls well into next Summer. [MB]
Faderdaze– Break! The latest from Amelia Murray’s Faderdaze and the title track from her first release in five years, a new EP due out October 14th via section1. The song is a grungey alt jam that would have fit wonderfully in 1994 but still feels fresh in the moment of 2022. On the subject matter Murray says “I wish I had broken earlier because it was one of the truest things I ever did for myself. This EP is about finally allowing myself to give up. It’s about severing from the false parts of myself that were conditioned and not authentic to me. It’s everything I wasn’t allowing myself to feel over the past few years; angry, disappointed, cynical, exhausted and over it.” Very relatable indeed and very anticipated by us here at FTA. [KH]
Ghost Funk Orchestra– Scatter.Ahead of their upcoming October 28th release A New Kind of Love, a teaser single “Scatter” dropped this week along with a slick music video that gives nod to the classic bygone age from which it draws influence. Think sparkles and spotlights surrounded by cigar smoke and thick curtains, this new track grooves along the funky beat that’s become almost signature inside the mind of multi-instrumentalist/composer/producer, Seth Applebaum.
The former Mad Doctors guitarist/singer never completely abandons his 60s garage/psych influence when writing, composing, and performing over a dozen different complex musical components, blending it all with the big band orchestras of parallel era. Applebaum has once again enlisted his junkyard gang of mostly current and former King Pizza Records musicians to round out Ghost Funk’s spectacularly talented live band, currently on tour across the U.S. And if the occasionally frantic oft lazy stride of “Scatter” is any indicator of what’s to come, we are all in for a crisp and hazy ride through space and time. [MB]
Gloin– Shoot To Kill. Brand new music from the Canadian noise rock quartet who have also just announced their debut album, We Found This (due out 10/21 via Mothland). I discovered this band when I saw them opening for the wonderfully weird Snapped Ankles (see pics) back in March and they were the perfect pairing, also making for one of my favorite discoveries of the year thus far. They’ve drawn comparisons to Sonic Youth meets Lightning Bolt which I’d say is spot on and I hear some distinct goth influence in there as well.
This song is a fun dancey groove, showing off their post punk sensibilities quite nicely with a driving, dirty bassline and plenty of noise to spare. Accompanying the song is a music video directed by Chris McCluskey who says it was intended to “support the energetic style and sound of Gloin,” a goal they definitely achieved. The band told me they aim to return to the States and New York specifically in March 2023, wonderful news and something I’m definitely very much looking forward to. [KH]
Goat– Under No Nation. The return of the masked Swedish band that effortlessly blends funk, psych and jazz. The song will be on their first album in six years, Oh Death, and hits all the hallmarks of their signature sound. Also accompanying the song is a trippy animated video which was producted/animated by John-Mark Lapham. The album is due out on 10/21 via Rocket Recordings. [KH]
Gorillaz– New Gold (feat. Tame Impala & Bootie Brown). For lots of 90s kids, Blur is the be all end all as far as Damon Albarn is concerned, but not for me. I’ve always loved his work in Gorillaz the most which usually comes as a surprise to people who know me. But it’s the truth, I do love laid back electro music in this vein and have loved Gorillaz since their very first album. This latest track is the second from their just announced 8th album, Cracker Island, which is due out in early 2023. The song doesn’t break a lot of new ground from previous releases, rather it has a comfortably familiar feel, but honestly that’s what I love about it. Bootie Brown (of The Pharcyde) and Kevin Parker (of Tame Impala) provide guest vocals alongside misty vocals from 2-D (the alter ego of Albarn) accompanying a bouncy beat, lithe bassline, and fun synthy production which all coalesce in a nice late summer heading-into-fall jam. [KH]
Native Sun– There’s Revolution. The lead off single from the just announced a brand new EP Off With Our Heads, due out 10/14 via Grand Jury. Big big riffs, sexy guitar leads and loads of fuzz make up the core of this fuzzy psych jam from Brooklyn’s Native Sun. [KH]
Ok Cowgirl– Just Friends.The latest single “Just Friends” by Brooklyn indie-dreampop quartet, Ok Cowgirl, serves up a powerfully moody mix of almost Colatura style melody, dirtied with a touch of Dilly Dally, poured over a Flashdance backbeat that makes you wanna just dance it all out. The lyrics penned by vocalist/guitarist Leah Lavigne, confidently address when an ultimately unsatisfying relationship has run its course. “You ever try to be just friends with the devil /You ever try to be just friends with an angel /You ever try to be just friends/with a girl who breaks your heart/Over and over again”
The song’s unique approach to romantic misfire plays as genuine and organic in its execution as well. The group rounded out by Matt Birkenholz (drums), Jake Sabinsky (guitar), and John Miller (bass) sound like a band who have evolved together as writers and players completing each other’s musical sentences. The places where the guitar and vocals fill and create space feels just as confident as it’s lyrical content would suggest. Meanwhile the entire track drives and punches relentlessly with an underlying bass/drum rhythmic spine that hits like velvet hammer. I’ve always appreciated Ok Cowgirl’s ability to identify an emotional pressure point and proceed to assert strength in the complexities of ambivalence, and am really looking forward to hear what’s next from the band. [MB]
Quicksand– Giving The Past Away. The post hardcore greats are back with a new song, a track that is reminiscent of all the things this band does best and comes ahead of their tour with Clutch and Helmet which kicks off on 9/13 in Toronto. This song was left off of their 2021 album, Distant Populations, and on this the band said “The working title for this song was “Greatest Quicksand Song Ever” so you can imagine it was a very tough call leaving this song off Distant Populations. The only reason we could agree on to leave it off was that we wanted to have some really strong material in reserve for later in the year. Ultimately the title came from the most prominent line in the song which is an embrace of the present which is very in line with our thinking with Distant Populations, we’re super proud of this one and are very psyched to share it with the world.” [KH]
Rube– Disco Italo. The debut single from NJ’s, Rube. The instrumental quartet is made up of members of other bands (Keef Chamber, Fang Gang and more) and the title for this song is apt, it does hit quite the disco groove along with quieter proggy interludes. This is the first recorded output from the band and an EP will soon follow. [KH]
Upchuck– Facecard. A fun, bouncy alt rock meets garage punk bop from the Atlanta group and the second offering from their upcoming debut album Sense Yourself. The album is due out September 30th via Famous Class and if the first two songs are any indication, this is sure to find it’s way onto my Best of 2022 list. [KH]
Venus Twins– Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist Mist. Jake and Matt Derting’s high octane twin blast/noise rock duo, Venus Twins, released this new single just in time for September to pull its dark cloak over Summer’s tail, and it’s a tension builder for sure. Every time you think it’s about to boil over into total madness, they pull back the heat and allow the beat to simmer.
The real prize however, if your ticker can handle it, shows in the perfect juxtaposition with the two previously released singles, “God’s Machines,” the ten minute opus that is just as powerful and thunderous as its title would suggest. Providing very little room to catch your breath, the twins frantically weave in and out of time signatures with monstrous force. 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. “Return to Dust,” is a quick but massive ripper, serving as a direct message to The Refused that Venus Twins are clearly the new Shape of Punk to Come. And more is coming soon in the form of an anticipated full length due out in October. [MB]
Weep Wave– My Desire (Tour Song). Hot on the heels of the bands 2022 EP “Join Our Cult”, Seattle’s Weep Wave drops their new single “My Desire (Tour Song)” as an end of Summer anthem for being on the road. “I need to stretch my legs/Gotta strut my stuff/ Leave it all behind if you think you got the guts.” Fitting for a band that seems to have been on an endless DIY tour of the US all Summer long. With its blend of electro and post-punk live instrumentation, it’s a bit of a shift for the rock band that almost feels like it was written and recorded in the backseat of the van after long hours on the road. Really excited for these guys to roll through Brooklyn on Saturday 9/24 at The Tubs. [MB]
Work Wife– Ride, Ride. If there was a soundtrack sitting passenger-side for a road trip across the US, “Ride, Ride,” the latest single by Work Wife is it. Feet up on the dashboard, window down, hair blowing in the wind. As the dusty gas station shrinks in the rear view mirror, this track can take you through the forests of Pennsylvania, the rolling foothills of The Ozarks, winding up the mountain passes of Wyoming, and cruising down the PCH at sunset. It’s a beautiful track with subtle strings behind layers of soaring vocals, and a super catchy guitar hook that begs for you to never come home. [MB]
