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]
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of 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!
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:
Big Joanie– Sainted. Ahead of their upcoming second album, Back Home, the London based trio has shared a few singles and just in time for spooky season dropped this synthy jam. “Sainted” sees them leaning a bit away from their straight ahead indie rock sensibilities and fully into an 80s inspired goth mood, echoing the electro turn of their most recent single “Confident Man.” Paired with “Sainted” is a beautifully shot, ominous and witchy themed video. Back Home is out 11/4 via Kill Rock Stars. [KH]
Black Belt Eagle Scout– Don’t Give Up. Black Belt Eagle Scout is the project of Swinomish, WA-based multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul and “Don’t Give Up,” is her first new music since 2019’s At the Party With My Brown Friends. A beautiful and gossamery indie song built around Paul’s luminous vocals, “‘Don’t Give Up’ is a song about mental health awareness and the importance that my connection to the land plays within my own mental health journey,” says Paul. She further elaborated saying: “Spending time with the land and on the water are ways that strengthen my connection to my ancestors and to my culture. It helps heal my spirit and is the form of self-care that helps me the most. The lyrics ‘I don’t give up’ mean staying alive. I wrote this song for me but also for my community and anyone who deals with challenging mental health issues to remind us just how much of a role our connection to the environment plays within our healing process. At the end of the song when I sing ‘the land, the water, the sky,’ I wanted to sing it like my late grandfather Alexander Paul Sr. sang in our family’s big drum group – from the heart.”
In conjunction with “Don’t Give Up,” Black Belt Eagle Scout is offering a special charity t-shirt design by artist Willow Tomeo benefiting the Chief Seattle Club, an organization that helps houseless Natives in Seattle get off the street. Seattle happens to be one of the biggest places for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People epidemic. Having a safe place to turn to like Chief Seattle Club could help some people have an option to get out of human trafficking. Shirts are available for purchase here.
She will also feature onDig Me In: A Dig Me Out Covers Album, the upcoming Sleater Kinney covers album out October 21st. [KH]
Bleached– Flip It. The LA based duo of sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin have released a brand new single, “Flip It,” which is their first new music since their 2020 song, “Stupid Boys.” This one is a catchy as hell slice of the brand of punky power pop that the band is known for and be warned, it will run around your head a few times after it’s over. In a press release Jessica Clavin said “I was thinking of the way I speak to myself and I never realized how hard I could be on myself,” continuing, “I’m becoming way more aware of my inner voice… When I’m going through a day and I’m just feeling extra challenged, I now think about flipping it.” Advice we can all take to heart. [KH]
Brutus– What Have We Done. The final single from Belgian post hardcore trio Brutus’ anticipated new album, Unison Life (10/21 Sargent House), this one builds slowly and is a serious emotional gut punch. You can practically feel the anguish radiating off of vocalist/drummer Stefanie Mannaerts as she delivers the line “for too long I’ve been dying inside” as it tingles all the way up your spine. She said on this “The song embodies what was going on at the time of writing, in the middle of the pandemic. It is about suffering for too long and you have had enough. The verse echoes the mutual feeling we sometimes have as humans with too much going on in our heads and getting stuck in the same loop.” And that is something all of us can relate to and find solace in after some very difficult times living through the pandemic and untold numbers of tragic events the last several years.
Mannaerts also added that the band felt it was a “defining song” for them, elaborating “For some reason, this new piece of music felt like both a turning point and an intersection. In our history of being a band, this feeling came only a few times before, with the songs “Bearclaws,” “Justice de Julia II,” and “War.” Key songs such as these are challenging, but also feel like coming home at the same time. They define who you are as a band.” [KH]
Dead Meadow– The Left Hand Path. Heavy psych greats Dead Meadow have announced a new album, Force Free Form, and shared the first single from it,the instrumental smokey slow burner “The Left Hand Path.” The track comes paired with a hallucinatory visualizer that weaves subtle and not so subtle commentary on society and our reliance on tech into it and fits perfectly with the vibe of the song. The full album arrives on 12/9 via Blues Funeral Recordings. [KH]
Dry Cleaning– No Decent Shoes for Rain. On the latest single from Stumpwork (out 10/21 on 4AD) singer Florence Shaw’s speak-singing vocals come down on the side of spoken, delivered in a deadpan way. Is this a poem, prose, or lyrics? Either way, the words twine into the looping, yet ever forward moving music well, a bit Black Box Recorder meets Slint. Shaw says the track is about grieving, both over death of people and relationships. Dry Cleaning is currently on tour, although they won’t make an appearance here in NYC until next February when they play Pioneer Works. [CW]
Hammered Hulls– Needlepoint Tiger. The third single from the DC super group featuring members of Helium, The Faith, The Make-Up, Titus Andronicus (and many more), each one seems to get better than the last and shows off more and more of the band’s strong points. This one is driven by a lithe bass line courtesy of Mary Timony and leans very much into the groovier side of the DC post hardcore sound, a sound and ethos that the band members helped define in their past projects. The album was produced by front man Alec MacKaye’s older brother, Ian MacKaye, and drops on 10/28 via Dischord. They will next play NYC on 12/2 at TV Eye. [KH]
JFDR– The Orchid. Jófríður Ákadóttir is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Iceland with an extensive resume, both as a member of Samaris and Pascal Pinon and as a collaborator and composer. Under JFDR she has released two solo albums, and has a new single now for her signing to Houndstooth. The song has gorgeous music box like quality, and is backed up by an equally enchanting music video directed by Joseph Burgess. Ákadóttir confesses to a bit of an obsession with orchids, calling them “a very cunning flower… Fertility, creativity, beauty and mystery are all embodied by the orchid.” [CW]
Jobber– Heel Turn. Another slice of 90s inspired alt grunge perfection from this group, the third single and closing track from their upcoming debut EP Hell In A Cell (10/21 Exploding In Sound). In all the best ways this reminds me of Belly meets Veruca Salt meets Siamese Dream era Smashing Pumpkins with a wonderful push and pull between the vocals, lead guitar line and booming toms before the chorus soars and swirls around you.
The song again fits in with the pro wrestling as metaphors for life theme of the EP, with it serving as the clever framework and entry point to dealing with the bullshit of real life. Vocalist/guitarist Kate Meizner recently spoke to Paste to elaborate more on this. They will next play Brooklyn at Alphaville on 11/5 with TVOD. [KH]
LaPeche– I’ve been jonesin’ for another cool dose of LaPeche since heir last single, “Mermaid Blues,” has been wearing down my phone battery on Spotify repeat since July. Just in time for Fall, the band dropped a new single on New Grenada Records last week “Slight,” a smart and dance-y number that washes over you like saltwater on your skin. The quartet (vocalist Krista Diem, bassist Dave Diem, guitarist Drew DeMaio and drummer Richard Salino) once again shows their mastery of composition and texture in structure and arrangement, taking subtle but unexpected turns that just somehow always feel right. The most satisfying hook though lies in the guitar and vocal lines that twist and wrap around like a fuzzy blanket on crisp autumn morning. Fingers crossed this means another full length is on the way, as their last LP Blood on the Water has remained a regular favorite on our turntable since it’s release last year. [MB]
Los Bitchos– Los Chrismos. Let the (Christmas) Festivities Begin! The tequila fueled Cumbia/psych (mostly) instrumental party band have kicked off the holiday season early with their brand new Christmas song, “Los Chrismos,” which fits perfectly into their existing body of danceable work and will sure to be a hit at the club or the office holiday party. The Bitchos are also ready to stuff your stockings with Christmas themed jumpers and a special edition of their debut album, Let The Festivities Begin!, which has been pressed on a limited run 180gram red/green/white vinyl and comes with a flexi picture disc featuring “Los Chrismos,” and its b-side “Tipp Tapp,” along with a sticker sheet; the package and shirts are available for pre-order now via their Bandcamp page.
And while I personally have never been much of a fan of holiday music, “Los Chrismos” just might be the song to finally thaw this grinch out a bit because it is an ear worm that I’ve already hit repeat on more than once. I recently caught up with the band at a gig while I was in the UK and you can see pics from that here. [KH]
Roid Rage– Incision. This band just recently came to my attention and reading their self description on Bandcamp as “ragged garage punk band powered by drip coffee and cheap beer. Hailing from the epicenter of progressive culture (Akron, Ohio), they are a pure distillation of underground rock music and their grimy rust belt surroundings,” and then taking a listen to this one this was a “oh hell fucking yes!” moment for me.
I’ve spent more time listening to garage punk than most anything else the last few years so I’m always down check out new/new to me artists. This is the second single they’ve released this year after the bruising and intense “Two Ton Man,” and I’ve had fun digging into their back catalog as well. They also share their drummer, Matt Schulz, with a long time favorite of mine, Holy Fuck, who has played with SAVAK and Fake Names. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for their next stop in NYC. [KH]
Russian Baths–Done and Dead / Rise Again. Russian Baths are a two piece (Jess Rees and Luke Koz) but this remotely recorded song features 14 instruments, including strings from Julia Stein and Akita Goto. The track, the first of two singles released together, finds them in gentler territory at first glance. Yet while this post-rock tune is beautiful, paired with the unsettling lyrics it becomes a haunting tale of sleep paralysis (both literal and metaphorical?) As the band says on their Bandcamp page, “Sometimes, people are awake, but can’t move. Sometimes, you can’t do anything and if you try, it gets worse.”
The other single, “Rise Again,” is more energetic, a dark slice of post-punky shoegaze with a driving rhythm and hypnotic guitar lines. It forms a companion and a counterpoint both in music and theme, as the band notes “this song is about sole survivors, insomnia, guilt, and forced adaptation.” The dual A-sides are out now on Good Eye Records. [CW]
Sales– July. The crisp vocal production belies the bedroom pop feel of this track, which otherwise might have convinced me it came from the early cassette driven 90s era and might have been passed through zine and tape trading networks. But this is very firmly of the now and representative of the best of the dreamy bedroom style that has made a big resurgence over the past several years. [KH]
Weeping Icon– Pigs, Shit & Trash. We’re big fans of the Brooklyn based noise punk group here at FTA (see our recent live coverage) and we are very excited for this, the first single from their just announced EP Ocelli (11/18 Fire Talk) which is their first new music since their 2019 self titled full length. A rapid fire noisy ripper, it really shows off the punkier side of their sound. This band has never minced words and always packs a political punch, with this song being inspired by the fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head during the Vice Presidential debate in 2020. Drummer/vocalist Lani Combier-Kapel explained more saying :
“I was in NYC, where I was born and raised, and where my family still lives. As I watched transplants sneak away to their isolated farms or country houses, I was trapped in a crowded 4 bedroom apartment. Surrounded by death, I was confused, terrified for my aging parents’ health, and looking for any semblance of hope that things could turn around. Around that same time, uprisings and protests for Black Lives Matter were happening every day in NYC – I had good friends who were beaten by police officers and jailed for standing up for what was right. It became blatantly obvious that the government simply wasn’t working for the people and had no clue how to help. These government officials just feel so untouchable – like we can meme them and make jokes about them but at the end of the day, they get to go home to their wives and million dollar mansions and live in their own bubble, not be bothered by the troubles of the world that they created.
When the electoral debates came around, I thought it was very fitting that a fly landed on top of Mike Pence’s head, right when he was talking some bullshit about race in America. I loved that moment, that this fly just randomly shat and vomited on this guy’s head (as flies are known to do to everything they land on). I started imagining this fly as some kind of antihero, claiming one tiny bit of revenge on national TV – a heroic villain attracted to pigs, shit, and trash.”
The song is also paired with an excellent and satirical music video directed by Alice Millar. [KH]
It’s no secret that I’ve been anticipating the release of the new Venus Twins album all summer, so when RAXIS finally dropped last Friday, it didn’t feel right to review it without going to the release show the next night at Alphaville. The Denton,Texas transplants—Jake and Matt Derting—are one of those bands that you just cannot truly experience entirely without seeing them live. They embody pent up unbridled young energy unlike anyone else in Brooklyn right now. It’s for that reason they are able to hold their own sandwiched between the intense fury of Bosco Mujo and the raw visceral showmanship of scene darlings, STUY. For any other band, that would be a death slot. But for Venus Twins, it was the perfect place for them to tear through their new record.
Cutting through the atmosphere like a machete in the jungle, RAXIS, opens with the whiplash stop n’ go movement of a six minute track “Falling On My Own Sword.” Chanting “6666667 6666666,” the dark lords of noise proceed to lay sacrifice at the altar of Venus brutally propelling the more structured but massive ripper “Return to Dust.”
Venus Twins performing summer 2022 (photos by Kate Hoos)
The high octane twin blast/noise rock duo, are expert tension builders for sure. Every time you think “Mistmistmistmistmistmistmistmistmist” is 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, is “God’s Machines.” Clocking in at over ten minutes,it 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.
To dust from bones and nuts to bolts, new record veers into some real sludgy jams but with lightning attack. It harkens back to the turn of the millennium anti-conformist sound of S.T.U.N., or the barely contained chaos of Hella with an undercurrent of early 90s The Jesus Lizard and bloodshot eyes glued to 120 Minutes at 2am. Whether subdued in the sparsely laid quieter moments tucked into the corners of “seeS recnepS” and “ANGEL32:35” or the rusted out metallic clinks and clanks that build and tear through like a tornado on “Light Catches the Rats,” Venus Twins have indeed swept in like fresh wind through the Brooklyn music scene and had a mob of kids on the the heels and tip-toes of their worn out sneakers.
I’ve said it before, but I think the sold-out RAXIS release show at Alphaville this past Saturday would only further continue to serve as a direct message to The Refused that Venus Twins are clearly the new Shape of Punk to Come.
RAXIS is available now via all major streaming platforms.
If you’ve been paying any attention to the Brooklyn music scene at all the last year or so, you’ve probably seen Whiner frontman, Cammy Baby, go solo under their own name, Cameron Castan. That isn’t news. What is news, however, is that they recently released their long-awaited, much anticipated full-length debut, Show Me.
Also a member of the Baby & Dynamite duo project with Johnny Dynamite, Castan often exists in the overlapping world of Brooklyn indie musicians bringing back an 80s retro-vibe with a modern flair mixing a hybrid of electronic elements, synth sounds and live instrumentation.
But Castan is not Dynamite. Despite the proximities of shared projects, friendships, and current geographies, Cameron Castan is an artist all their own. Show Me deploys retro-sounding synth hooks and lo-fi basic percussion loops merely as a basic foundation to build some deeper lyrical themes buried within some darker pop bangers.
First single “Bright” got some attention back in the Spring when it first dropped, and I had the pleasure of catching them perform at TV Eye with Noah Swanson on live guitar while Cammy worked the crowd. Back then he told Bands do BK the song “represents that metaphorical ‘shutting out the light’ we all sink into from time to time…that feeling where you just wanna cut everything out that is going on in your life and the world around you and just vibe. I always find myself embracing the darker parts of myself and others and I wanted to try and capture that haunting nostalgic sound I see and hear as I lay down alone, close my eyes, and let my mind unravel.”
I’d say the rest of the record to some degree takes similar cues. Whether it’s kicking it with “Lucifer” or fading into the void with “Exquisite Corpse,” this record brings a beautiful splash of the macabre, casting a deep shadow across the work, allowing perfect little spaces for the light to poke through. Those brighter moments then carry a true weight and a force as “we’re all reaching out in the dark” for something better as Castan sings on “Thriving.”
Other times “Weightless,” a standout highlight (and yes all my cross-puns here are all quite intentional), Cammy really succeeds in striking balance between catchy pop magic and introspection of detachment, isolation, and loneliness.
Castan has already proven to be a songwriter of substance on record by way of Whiner’s catalog the last few years. But on Show Me, Cameron here has stripped back the dissonance of heavy guitars, and fuzzed out synths, opting instead for a leaner skeleton to lay his skin. I think coming out of the Whiner-verse is what sets him apart from other artists of similar style. Castan lures you in with catchy somber pop music, and by the time you realize you’re listening to something deeper, he’s already sunk his teeth into your heart.
Show Me is available now on all major streaming platforms.
A funny thing about popular music is that the music rarely, if ever, stands alone. To anyone except the very casual listener, the music is completely intertwined with the story of the artist. Robert Johnson’s 1930s recordings will always be associated with the Faustian legend surrounding him and his untimely death at the age of 27. It’s nearly impossible to listen to the Rolling Stones without thinking of their hard partying, legal trouble, and the fact that they never, ever, seem to retire. Wilco’s story will always climax with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and its Tweedy/Bennett rivalry, its rollercoaster release, and spooky 9/11 connections. The artist’s story, with all the highs and all the lows, puts the music in a real life context, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst. Built To Spill’s newest album, When The Wind Forgets Your Name, will undoubtedly be seen through where it is placed in the story of the band.
Doug Martsch, the vocalist, guitarist, lyricist, and only consistent member of Built To Spill, is something of a legend of indie rock. Hailing from Twin Falls, Idaho, and forming Built To Spill in Boise after leaving his former band Treepeople, his influence is undeniable on Pacific Northwest indie rock, with Modest Mouse, Lync, and Death Cab for Cutie all citing inspiration from him. Built to Spill’s trio of albums that include There’s Nothing Wrong With Love (1994), Perfect From Now On (1997), and Keep It Like A Secret (1999), are not only definitive albums of the Pacific Northwest indie sound, but are staples of indie rock in general.
After 1999, Built to Spill have not been able to quite reach the heights of that trilogy, whether with the Keep It Like A Secret lineup (Ancient Melodies of the Future [2001], You In Reverse [2006], There Is No Enemy [2009]) or a new lineup (Untethered Moon [2015]). More than twenty years after the soaring highs of their 90s trilogy, is where When The Wind Forgets Your Name comes into the Built to Spill story.
Despite never reaching the heights of the 90s, Built to Spill have never made a bad album, or even an album that is mediocre. Although sometimes forgotten, every release from Ancient Melodies of the Future to Untethered Moon is a very well put together craft by Martsch and company, with well written lyrics and incredible guitar work. You In Reverse would be a career highlight for a band not overshadowed by that 90s trilogy, and was the closest they came to recapturing the magic they had at that time. That is until 2022. When The Wind Forgets Your Name has taken the lead for best post-90s Built To Spill album.
What made You In Reverse a great album was it found the group with a seemingly renewed, almost anxious, energy starting with the immediacy of the opening track “Goin’ Against Your Mind.” Ironically, Wind does not seem close to matching this energy. Although Martsch seems to enjoy playing with temporary bandmates João Casaes and Lê Almeida (of the Brazilian band Oruã), the feeling is more comfortable than energetic, accepting than anxious. Many times, comfort can mean the end of periods of greatness for a band. It can be argued that There Is No Enemy and Untethered Moon suffered from Martsch and the band being too comfortable with their established sound. But that’s not the case here. Wind finds Martsch more comfortable with himself and the highs and not-so-highs of his band’s story, and the album’s differences from previous records exemplify that.
The cover art of Wind, done by cartoonist Alex Graham, is much brighter and more colorful than any previous Built To Spill album. The psychedelia the cover implies is present on the album’s songs, which differentiates them from most previous Built To Spill songs. However, unlike fellow PNW indie veterans Modest Mouse’s 2021 album The Golden Casket, psychedelic rock is much more of a subtle addition to Built to Spill’s signature sound, which gives the album a familiarity that also feels fresh. Martsch’s trademark guitar solos are still here, and top notch, but it doesn’t feel like they are trying to specifically recreate the sound of Perfect From Now On or Keep It Like A Secret, as could be argued about the previous couple albums. Instead it sounds like Martsch and the band are taking that sound and doing what they want with it.
Ironically, album opener “Gonna Lose” sounds like it could be added to Keep It Like A Secret and sound completely in place, yet it seems like this happened effortlessly, especially in the context of the following tracks. “Fool’s Gold” follows, with Martsch letting his Neil Young influence shine brighter than possibly any previous Built To Spill song. “Understood” and “Rocksteady” have a bounciness to them that the band hasn’t displayed since There’s Nothing Wrong With Love, except with a subtle psychedelic twist. “Elements” is a sprawling, slow, dark psychedelic epic ending with the sound of waves crashing. “Spiderweb” and “Never Alright” are a faster paced duo, though they feel much more comfortable than the anxious, fast paced You In Reverse tracks. “Alright” is a slower, calm response to the speed of the previous two tracks. “Comes A Day” is an epic album closer, which has come to be expected from Built To Spill, with more Neil Young influence again. The song title alone gives away the influence of Young’s “Comes A Time,” but it’s also heard musically, mixed in with psychedelia and Martsch’s signature guitar playing. The differences between this album’s music with previous releases, and the diversity of tracks with Wind itself, show how Martsch is comfortable playing what he feels like, regardless of reception or the shadow of the highs his earlier work has cast.
Martsch explores this theme of highs and lows of life lyrically as well on Wind, singing about how he has gone through them, and that he’s come to a more accepting place, which coincides with the comfort of this album. “Answers materialize, then they’re gone” Martsch sings on the opener, and then opens “Fool’s Gold” with “I’m gonna keep tryin’, keep tryin.’” This duality of emotion, hopelessness versus persistence, is present throughout the album. It’s no accident “Spiderweb” ends with “and we’ll be alright in this spiderweb of love” only for him to sing “it’s never alright” repeatedly on the next track and “we can make it alright” on the song following that.
Martsch is sharing the fact that through life’s ups and downs, emotions and perspectives constantly change. One day it seems like it’s time to give up, the next to keep trying. On “Rocksteady” he sings “high low, high low, I guess that’s just the way we go. I don’t wanna be constantly taking these long hard looks at myself… I don’t know how to be anybody else.” This line is a thesis statement for the album itself. Martsch is accepting of the ups and downs, and although he may never find the answers to regain the highs of the 90s heyday, which will feel discouraging some days, he is going to be himself and not try to recreate that album trio anymore. This acceptance of where Built to Spill is in their story is why they were able to create a comfortable and unique record that is their best in over 20 years.
Despite the comfortability that the album conveys, Martsch stated in a recent interview with Inlander that the recording of the album during the COVID quarantine wasn’t fun. But it seems that accepting the unfortunate circumstances of the lockdown and pushing through brought out Martsch being more himself in years. Yes, given the story of the band, When The Wind Forgets Your Name, will always be in the shadows of their 90s trilogy, but more importantly is the fact that it is a new high point for the band’s later career, a big high in their story of highs and lows. And hopefully the future holds even more high points for this storied band. But in the meantime, both casual and hardcore Built to Spill fans can enjoy an excellent new record.
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of 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 and Kate 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:
Babehoven– Often. The closer for the upcoming debut album, Light Moving Time, from the Hudson, NY band, “Often” is a subdued and dreamy offering built around an acoustic guitar and Maya Bon’s vocals with subtle bass and other instrumentation augmenting. The song is about loss that frames pain as a person sitting in the backseat of her car. “‘Often’ is a song about grief, about holding love for a person I’ve lost, about trying to let go and find new paths for myself,” says Bon. “This song changed my life when I wrote it and has provided clarity for me in times of chaos. I hope that, through sharing it, others will find in it comfort and clarity, too.” The song comes paired with a video that was directed by Kevin Prince and features footage from around the Hudson Valley, loosely following two characters through various moments in time. Light Moving Time is out 10/28 via Double Double Whammy. [KH]
GIFT – Share The Present. This ode to the present and intentional presence of mind is a slice of brightly melodic 80’s tinged dreampop that puts me in mind of a synthy Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Their debut album Momentary Presence will be out on new label Dedstrange on 10/14; catch the release show at The Sultan Room next week as well (10/15). [CW]
Jobber– Hell In A Cell. If I didn’t know any better and no one told me, I could listen to this song and think I was listening to a band directly out of 1993. And I consider that a good thing because the golden age of early 90s alt rock/grunge (and the year 1993 in particular) was my first real intro to rock music which went on to shape a massive portion of my life/who I am as a person. So I’ve very much enjoyed this recent resurgence of grungier bands. This is the title track from their upcoming debut EP and it seems as if this song (and the EP as a whole) are built around references to pro wrestling…yes, pro wrestling. The song even comes complete with a wrestling themed video directed by Steve Marrucci.
But of course, all is not as it seems and these aren’t actually songs directly about Hulk Hogan and Co. The wrestling framework serves as the entry point through which we see Jobber’s worldview, with the songs actually being about deeper topics, vocalist/guitarist Kate Meizner explaining via a press release “‘Hell In A Cell’ is basically an allegory. On its surface, it’s a narrative about a fictional wrestler mentally preparing for a match and questioning whether it’s worth it to put her body on the line for the sake of spectacle” continuing, “Pulling back the curtain a bit, the lyrics are pretty personal and came out at a time when my job was having an especially negative impact on my health. I wanted to quit so badly, but in the midst of Covid-19 related layoffs and economic downturn, everyone was being bludgeoned with anti-labor talking points like “why are you complaining about your job? You should feel grateful to even have a job!” The lyrics “Am I ungracious?/ Because I won’t turn water into wine/ Am I buried forever?/ If I start speaking my mind” are from the POV of the wrestler, but also came from a personal place, expressing my anger toward workplaces and their horrendous, exploitative treatment of workers.”
Meizner also said she drew inspiration from Helmet’s Betty which is obvious but not overbearing and the band has lots of pop sensibilities too which shine in the quieter passages of the song. Hell In A Cell is due out on 10/21 via Exploding In Sound.
Junior Boys–Waiting Game. Junior Boys continue to deliver their brand of darkly catchy synth pop, albeit a bit moodier and less dancy, on this single from their first album since 2016. The chilled out vibes pair well with the theme of waiting around with time on your hands. Listen while watching the John Smith directed music video, an homage to Michael Snow’s ’67 experimental film Wavelength. [CW]
Moon Walker– Turn Off This Song (Before It Takes Your Soul). This 5th single from Moon Walker’s sophomore LP The Attack Of Mirrors is a disco-flavored warning about surveillance and propaganda. (“Can’t trust no radio, cause they got something to sell you / And don’t pick up the telephone cause you never know who’s calling you, do you?”) They’ll be at the Bowery Electric this Saturday (10/8) with The Crystal Casino Band, Sauce City, and Tender Glue. [CW]
Sharon Van Etten– Never Gonna Change. When I saw SVE play at SummerStage back in August as part of the breathtaking Wild Hearts Tour (with Angel Olsen and Julien Baker, see our coverage), it took me a while to get over her set, her performance of “Headspace” alone had me reeling for a solid week. Now she has announced a deluxe edition of her wonderful album, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong, which will compile the stand alone singles “Porta,” and “Used To It,” along with two previously unreleased bonus tracks “When I Die,” and “Never Gonna Change,” for the “most complete presentation of Van Etten’s 2022.”
“Never Gonna Change” was co-produced by Van Etten and Daniel Knowles, and in a press release she says the song “is about managing depression and anxiety in the midst of isolation,” continuing “Coping with recurring fears throughout adulthood, acknowledging that flaws, fears and triggers can’t be overcome, they are a constant part of one’s identity to learn to be at peace with,” making for powerful and cathartic song we can surely all relate to on a deep level and find solace in as we continue to navigate a confusing post-pandemic world. We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong deluxe edition will be out 11/11via Jagjaguwar. [KH]
Special Interest– Foul. A little more forceful than some of their groovier tracks, this song features call and response style vocals over a blast of minimalist fuzzy punk that makes me wonder if this is about an awful service industry job – 86 hope, hey we’ve all said that. (ETA: yep, according to the band this is indeed “a dispatch from the dish pit.”) They’ll be in NYC on 12/8 at Bowery Ballroom. [CW]
T.S. Tadin–It’s a Drag. This Canadian-turned-New Yorker (Pleasant Valley, to be exact) brings us a catchy piece of pop with jangly piano and winding fuzzy guitar lines. Tadin mixes singer-songwriter sensibilities with a classic full band sound on this first single from his upcoming album Pretty Boring. The single release is this weekend (10/9) at Pete’s Candy Store. [CW]
TVOD– Alien. The latest from one of the most energetic and exciting bands currently gigging in Brooklyn, this one has been a live staple for a while, and is one that always gets the crowd amped up and jumping around. Capturing the dynamic energy of this band in the recorded setting surely isn’t an easy feat but one that producer Michael Abiuso deftly pulled off. I love this song musically and also can’t help but really relate to the lyrics “And when I dream I think I’m somebody else, somebody with better mental health.” After the last few years we have all collectively lumbered through, I think most of us are in the same boat. As of now it’s a stand alone single not attached to a full length, but here’s hoping there is more soon in the works. The band kicked off a tour this week and will be playing dates across the northeast and Canada. [KH]
