by Kate Hoos | Jun 21, 2022
Thick (photo by Kate Hoos)
Pop punk greats and Brooklyn faves, Thick, have announced a new album, Happy Now, and along with it released the first single, “Loser.” The song is a catchy romp with crunchy guitars and sugar sweet harmonies, seeming at first to lament the woes of being a loser, but digging a little deeper, it’s more a song saying that it’s okay to be less than perfect and that you can find your strengths to shine no matter who you are or what other people say: “Do you think that I’m a loser? I love when people tell me I should quit,” summing it up perfectly.
The song comes with a hilarious new sports themed video that was directed by FTA contributor Jeanette D. Moses (who also directed the video for “Mansplain”) and features the band training hard for a softball game, pushing themselves to the limit while being egged on by their over zealous coach, played by Gillian Visco (of shadow monster) complete with a “There’s no crying in baseball” t shirt. If you squint behind the plate, you’ll also see more FTA crew talking smack (aka yours truly).
The full album is set for release on August 19 via Epitaph Records. The band will embark on a fall tour with Skating Polly to support the album starting September 7. Watch the video below.
by Kate Hoos | Jun 20, 2022
The Messthetics at Union Pool (photo by Kate Hoos)
In the life and times of Kate Hoos, few other bands have meant as much to me as Fugazi has. I’ve listened to them probably more than just about anyone else and being a serial completionist, I’ve also kept up with pretty much all of the various projects the members have done before and after the band—and not just the obvious ones that involve Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto like Minor Threat, Rites of Spring and Coriky. I’ve also listened to and loved the deeper cuts like Joe Lally’s work in Ataxia and all of his solo records (in particular the first two, There To Here and Nothing is Underrated), as well as Brendan Canty’s work with Lois Maffeo on The Union Themes. I’ve been invested in this group’s output for close to 30 years—be it together as a unit or as individuals or in collaboration with other groups of people. All of which led me to standing on the outdoor patio of Union Pool under the threat of impending rain (that fortunately didn’t arrive until much later) to see Canty and Lally performing in their latest creative venture together, The Messthetics.
While I’ve been a long time fan of the work of Canty and Lally, this was actually my first time getting to see either of them perform, bad timing and circumstance always finding ways to keep me from shows at previous points. (And yes, I am old enough to have seen Fugazi play, things just never worked out.) To say the wait was well worth it would be an understatement. Particularly to see Canty playing up close—and with a much busier and more intricate style than he employed in Fugazi—as well as incorporating his signature ships bell much more often, it was a true delight for a fellow drummer to see. And to witness the rock solid connection of this rhythm section was truly unparalleled. They have a musical bond that runs back over 35 years and is as deep and unwavering as any I have seen.
But though I love Fugazi, they are not the only link/attraction to this band for me because as some readers may or may not know, I also love experimental and instrumental music. Guitarist Anthony Pirog rounds out the trio and is a major figure in the jazz and experimental scene in Washington DC, adding many layers of rich nuance and colorful complexity to the air tight rhythms laid down by Canty and Lally. I’m not as well versed on jazz I admit, but I have in more recent years explored a little bit more from that world and more avant-garde genres, so getting to see his otherworldly guitar skills was also quite the treat. Pirog may just be the personification of “play a guitar just like a-ringin’ a bell” mentioned by Chuck Berry In “Johnny B Goode,” since he makes it look entirely effortless while he does things many other guitarists (including this one) can only dream of.
They have a sound that is hard to nail down as rock, jazz, and post hardcore elements are all there, with of course a strong experimental bent, and I even hear perhaps a bit of a surf vibe in the main driving riff of “Serpent Tongue.” Suffice it to say that there’s just a lot to sink your teeth into and despite the pedigree and depth of the three musicians involved, no single element overshadows another and it all blends together in a seamless and entirely unique to them way. I was pleased in particular when I first heard them that they chose to keep the band instrumental as there is just such a special and unique quality to instrumental music in general, regardless of genre or style. I love getting lost in it and applying my own feelings and emotions to the sounds I’m hearing rather than having a road map laid out for me by a lyricist.
They played a set that was a mix of songs from their first two records 2018’s The Messthetics, and 2019’s Anthropocosmic Nest, as well as some new as-of-yet unreleased material. Special guest saxophonist James Brandon Lewis joined them for the beautiful and lilting “Once Upon A Time,” and for the final untitled song which was also new (referred to as “New Single” on the setlist). With the inclusion of that new music, one can hope that a third album is already in the works and will arrive sometime this year.
SAVAK opened the show and really were the most fitting band that could have done so with their own links back to the Dischord/DC scene. They have almost as impressive a resume as The Messthetics, featuring former/current members of Holy Fuck, Obits, the Cops and Edsel. To add to that, James Canty (aka Brendan Canty’s younger brother) filled in on drums and comes with his own long list of musical accomplishments, having played with The Make-Up, Nation of Ulysses, and Ted Leo and The Pharmacists. They always put on a great set and I was happy to hear a lot of their newer material from their latest album, Human Error/Human Delight, which was released this past April. They also hit one of my favorite of their songs, “I Don’t Want to Be Defended,” which appears on their 2017 album Cut-Ups.
I don’t tend to use words like “heroes” when I think of the musicians I love and respect the most, that feels trite at the end of the day and frankly abstract. But if I were going to use words like that to describe any musicians, the four members of Fugazi would be deserving of that title. Their music and their message shaped so much of who I am and it was a dream come true to see even two of the members perform in such an intimate setting. Even more so, it’s wonderful to see when musicians are humble and all around nice people and don’t feed into egotistical notions even when they could. I say this because I was introduced to Joe briefly by a mutual friend and he graciously chuckled when I joked that I had “maybe listened to an old band he was in once or twice” and I saw Brendan chatting with quite a few fans as he packed up. They didn’t go hide in a green room, they were out interacting and engaging with folks before and after their set. As a fellow musician I know how taxing that can often be, but as a fan I always appreciate it. There’s no bones about the fact that this show was a special day for me and one I won’t soon forget.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
SAVAK
THE MESSTHETICS
by Kate Hoos | Jun 17, 2022
The Kills at Brooklyn Steel (photo by Kate Hoos)
Long running electro hard rock duo, The Kills, made their return to NYC this past weekend, playing some of their first shows since 2019. These dates—along with a trio of shows on the West Coast (including two headline dates and one opening for Jack White)—were in celebration of the recent deluxe re-issue of the 2005 album No Wow. The time away did nothing to slow the band down and they gave a powerhouse performance built off of the undeniable chemistry of vocalist Alison Mosshart and guitarist Jamie Hince, keeping their fans locked in rapt attention with a palpable excitement buzzing in the air. They played a robust 15 song set made up of many songs from No Wow along with fan favorites from other albums, including one of mine, “Doing It To Death,” and then returned for a four song encore to close out the night.
This was actually my first time seeing The Kills play live, as I admit I was a bit of a late comer to their music, and after that I somehow always missed their shows here. But I wasn’t a stranger to Alison Mosshart and her work, as I first became aware of it all the way back in the late 90s via her pop punk band during that time, Discount. I saw them play a DIY show in NJ in late 1999 (it may have been early 2000, my memory is a little hazy on the exact timing) so it is a unique thing to be able to see one performer that early in their career and then again 22 years later, and to witness the growth in that time. Mosshart commands the stage with her slinky, smooth voice and her fervid dance moves, playing perfectly off the sultry guitar riffs that Hince lays down.
I definitely took a moment to think back to that earlier show a few times between songs, and the more reserved front person I saw at that time, and just became enraptured with the joy in seeing the exceptional and engaging performer on stage before me now. I have also very much enjoyed her vocal delivery in The Kills far more than I did in her Discount days. And not that they were a bad band, they were not by any means. But The Kills are much more my speed than pop punk these days and I must say the sound/style absolutely suits her much better as well.
“Doing It To Death”
“Fried My Little Brains”
Brooklyn post punk band Bodega opened the show and they are always a fun time, getting themselves and the audience riled up for the party. Playing many of the songs from their latest release, the stellar Broken Equipment, they did indeed get the audience riled and ready. Drummer Tai Lee is a sight to see, putting 1000% into their performance each and every time and I found myself having to remember to watch the other band members and take photos of them too. They will return to Brooklyn to play a headlining gig at Brooklyn Made on 8/27.
This show was one of the highlights of the first half of 2022. Let’s just hope another 20 years (or even three years) doesn’t pass before I’m able to see this captivating duo play again.
Setlist: No Wow, U.R.A. Fever, Murdermile, Kissy Kissy, Impossible Tracks, Rodeo Town, Baby Says, Love Is a Deserter, Telephone Radio Germany, The Last Goodbye, Black Balloon, Hard Habit to Break, Doing It to Death, Pots and Pans, Monkey 23
Encore: Heart of a Dog, At the Back of the Shell, Future Starts Slow, Fried My Little Brains
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
BODEGA
THE KILLS
by Kate Hoos | Jun 14, 2022
Viper Club (photo by Cory Davis)
Viper Club, the modern alt-rock outfit from Phoenix, AZ have released a video for their infectious new single “Come Thru” and we have your first look. The song will be on their upcoming release Club Mix, and has a gritty, sexy cool glam feel throughout, reminiscent of the 80s LA rock scene and more contemporary acts like Royal Blood.
The band had this to say about the song via a press release “At its core, it’s simply about connecting with someone and hooking up” The video was shot in Chandler, AZ, relying heavily on the visual aesthetic and performance shots instead of being more narrative, and was shot on film by Cory Davis of Yellowbox Films, a frequent collaborator with the band. Lead singer Jackson Vanderpol elaborated on this saying, “The raw, grainy aesthetic fit the vibe of the song perfectly and really ushered in the new era of Viper Club visually.”
Stay tuned for their record Club Mix which will be released later this year. You can keep up with all of the bands happenings on their Instagram page.
Watch the video below:
by Kate Hoos | May 25, 2022
Julien Baker at Electric Ballroom (photo by Kate Hoos)
After two long years of setbacks and disappointments when it comes to planning trips or getting to see live music during said trips, sometimes life does you a solid and things finally work out and even better than you originally planned. That solid came to me in the form of my twice re-scheduled trip to the UK to celebrate my 40th birthday (which was already over a year ago now) and discovering after I’d made arrangements and booked my flight that somehow it was magically lining up with Julien Baker’s first UK/European tour since before the pandemic. While this was supposed to be a vacation where I remained outside the four walls of music venues and also didn’t shoot as much, I couldn’t pass up the chance to head to a few shows and shoot a bit while traveling, this one being very high on my list. (I also shot some smaller/DIY shows in Bristol and Southampton along the way too, I had to keep it fully on brand for me/FTA after all.)
The last time I saw Julien Baker play was at Beacon Theater in NYC (see pics/words), which is a resplendent, old fashioned theater on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It is a beautiful and truly lush venue, but truth be told spaces that large (and with seats) have never been my preferred venues to see shows. I was very excited to check out Electric Ballroom for the first of Baker’s two night run though and it did not disappoint. Located in the heart of Camden Town, London, I found that it was much more my speed and despite it being a 1500 cap venue (so hardly a small affair), it managed to lend itself to a more personal feel for the audience and a more intimate vibe throughout the evening. Baker put on a fantastic show the last time around of course, but I felt far more connected at this show than I had felt in New York.
Wasting no time getting right into the thick of things, Baker and crew started their set out with “Hardline,” the harsh opening organ blare radiating from the stage to fill every inch of the room. The setlist was built heavily around Little Oblivions, hitting eleven of the twelve songs (only “Crying Wolf” was omitted), and stuck with the structure she has used for most of this tour—several songs with the band, a few older songs solo on guitar or keys, before bringing it home with the full band at the end— for a thoughtful three arc narrative. Sprinkled throughout were a number of earlier tracks and a few outliers from her catalog, the one-off singles “Tokyo” and “Red Door” both made appearances and both sounded fantastic flushed out with the full band arrangements; “Red Door” being a particular highlight for me as I’ve always loved the guitar work on this one. The audience remained in absolutely rapt attention for the entirety of her set and you could hear a pin drop during some of the quietest moments of the solo songs, fans opting to sing along mostly during the full band arrangements instead.
“Red Door” from night two of her run at Electric Ballroom
While I do very much enjoy the glimpses at seeing Baker solo in her current set (since I never saw a full solo set, having managed to miss every single NYC show when she was still playing solo due to many of my own touring commitments at the time), I do think that the addition of her live band does add a significant depth that really allows her work to shine to its fullest. To quote myself from my writeup of the last show I saw: The interplay with her band on stage show they are obviously a tight knit group, she didn’t just hire some touring musicians to come along for the ride, this is a group of friends doing something they love together. You could particularly see this in her interactions with drummer Matthew Gilliam, who keen observers would remember played with Baker in her very first band that she started as a teenager, The Star Killers, who later changed their name to Forrister. She has now brought him into her touring band and with every crescendo and particularly intense moment, she turned towards the drum riser to lock in with him; their bond tangible and undeniable. This is an assessment I still stand by, even more so now as this unit has been out on the road for several months getting stronger with each show no doubt.
Baker’s humble and delightful nature came out throughout the night in between songs when she addressed the crowd with a certain shyness, at one point filling an extended period of silence by saying “I didn’t think of anything to say here” and later poking fun at herself saying “I know my banter is second to none.” Her endearing charm was perhaps on fullest display during the solo portion when she made a mistake during “Sprained Ankle” while setting up the loops and hit a wrong note. She immediately stopped and said “I think it’s worth it to admit that that was not the right note,” before jokingly saying “What if I just let that go? Yeah it was the right note…” before starting the song over.
I may be among the minority of people who actually like these moments at shows, when artists are less than perfect and show their human sides, because it is far more of an authentic moment and the most realistic/honest performance you could ask for really. (It also makes me feel better as a musician remembering every wrong note I’ve ever hit during a show too.) Someone later called out “you’re beautiful” and Baker was seemingly taken aback for a moment, before saying bashfully, but with a distinct hint of cheek, “you know, I’m realistic.”
I’ve been vocal before about never liking to miss openers because you often get treated to something very special when you head to shows early (or on time as it were), and this show was the perfect example of that being an excellent habit to stick to. Keeping with Baker’s knack for picking really great and well-matched support acts, she again nailed it with having Ratboys out on the road with her. They opened the show with a set of affable and relatable indie rock songs that perfectly set the stage for the evening. I’d heard a few songs here and there before the show, but this was the first time I really got a good listen to them, which I now have realized was a glaring error on my part not digging in sooner.
The big stand out for me was “Elvis in the Freezer,” the tale of singer Julia Steiner’s dearly departed cat, Elvis, and how she said goodbye. This was something that had particular emotional resonance for me after losing two cats six weeks apart less than a year ago, and in fact having come face to face with the absolutely unbearable yet unavoidable situation described in the words I’m not trying to mistreat you/ But the nurse says, “Here’s the needle.” The song is sad yet in a way silly, the absurdity of a cat in a freezer helping to ease the blow of losing said cat, because after all, if you don’t laugh, you cry— laughter being something that has helped me as I continue to heal from my own losses.
Ratboys- “Elvis is in the Freezer” at Electric Ballroom 5/17/22
Indeed life did do me a solid in making sure I was there for this night, to greet spring in a city far from home, and to find a little slice of queer joy in the process. A really big solid if you ask me.
Setlist: Hardline, Bloodshot, Shadowboxing, Favor, Relative Fiction, Highlight Reel, Red Door, Heat Wave, Ringside, Sprained Ankle (solo), Happy to Be Here (solo), Song In E (solo), Faith Healer, Tokyo, Repeat, Sour Breath, Appointments, Ziptie
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
RATBOYS
JULIEN BAKER
