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 was pretty busy for everyone with real life stuff, so this list is brief, but Kate and Mike still found a little time to weigh in on some new songs we dug so give em a listen! See you again next week with more.
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– I’m On Your Team. Talk about an uplifting motivational pep talk, the latest release by Babehoven takes the duo’s typical slowcore melancholy and flips it on its head. The lead single “I’m On Your Team” from their upcoming debut LP Light Moving Time (due out Oct 28) gives us all the warm and fuzzies we can use in these uncertain and scary times. Tucked between the sleepy shuffle and cozy guitar, singer Maya Bon wraps you in her arms and stacks melodies that slowly soar in and out of whispered lullaby. “Even if you feel so alone/Someone’s going to listen/Give you back what you’ve given.” Living lightly in the grey areas of existence when everything today has become so heavily polarized, she invites you into ambivalence with powerfully subdued harmonic crescendo to “Make a choice and then change it/ respect where you’ll take it/ In these end gamеs, we’ve got to Creatе a life that’s liveable.” It’s nice to hear a track offer up such emotional support and promote healthy life balance, and know that after a rough week or a shitty day, Babehoven’s got my back. [MB]
BLKVAPOR– Proxy. There’s a lot to BLKVAPOR’S sound—emo, punk, noise—and it all coalesces into something that is uniquely them. This Baltimore based outfit also puts on an explosive and enthralling live performance and are without a doubt a band you need to be keeping your eyes and ears on. “Proxy” was originally released in 2021 as a Bandcamp exclusive and on it they lean pretty firmly into their emo side. The song now comes with a fun music video that was just released. [KH]
Botch– One Twenty Two. Math metal greats, Botch (which features members who went on to be in Russian Circles, Minus the Bear, These Arms Are Snakes and others), have just released their first new music in 20 years, the absolute ripper, “One Twenty Two.” The band will be re-issuing their catalog on vinyl this year via Sargent House, and as of now this new song appears to firmly be a one off. Bassist Brian Cook elaborated on things on his Twitter, addressing why now and some of the apparent backlash as well as some of the hopes for more from the band. He also addressed things on Instagram saying the song is “a bit of a fluke. Originally written by David Knudson for his solo album, it eventually morphed into a Botch song as former bandmates were brought on board to add their distinctive flair to the piece. No… we’re not back together. No… there isn’t more material in the pipeline. This was just a random thing that happened over COVID and we decided to share it with the world as part of the upcoming reissue of We Are The Romans.” [KH]
The Casual Dots– Frequency of Fear. The indie punk supergroup featuring Christina Billotte (Slant 6, Quix*o*tic), Kathi Wilcox (Bikini Kill, The Julie Ruin) and Steve Dore (Deep Lust) have just released their first new music in 18 years which was quite the welcome surprise to me and I’m sure a contingent of deeply nerdy music fans of a certain age. Read more here and listen to the awesome first single, “Frequency of Fear.” [KH]
Future Teens– Team Sports (feat. Dan Campbell). This is the latest single from Boston “bummer pop” aficionados Future Teens and will be on their upcoming album Self Help (out 9/23 via Triple Crown). “Team Sports” is as catchy as the crescendo is gigantic and they also got some help from The Wonder Years vocalist Dan Campbell who really helps drive the final chorus into the stratosphere. Regarding the song, guitarist/vocalist Amy Hoffman said “The first time I bleached my hair, a surprising number of people asked if I was doing okay. I know they were just razzing me, but it struck me as such an absurd barometer for wellness, like, no! I’m not okay, but that’s not why I’m blonde now! I think it’ll always be challenging to ask for help, or to be honest when my best friend gently checks in about the motivation for my latest self haircut, but I’m grateful I’m not always white knuckling it until my next therapy session anymore.” Elaborating on Campbell’s involvement, Hoffman went on to say that the last chorus “was originally a wordless, rock out ending, but Andy [Park, who is producing the album] felt like there was something missing. Dan happened to visit us as we were working through it and was kind enough to sing on that section. All of our jaws hit the floor as soon as he started, it was such a memorable part of recording the album.” Future Teens will next be in NYC on 10/13 at The Meadows. [KH]
Wild Pink– Hold My Hand (feat. Julien Baker). The second single from the upcoming Wild Pink album, ILYSM (due out 10/14 via Royal Mountain), this one is a tear jerker about singer John Ross undergoing cancer surgery. On this he said “I wrote that song right after my first surgery, about lying on the operating table where a member of the surgical team held my hand right before I went under. It sounds kind of arbitrary, and like it shouldn’t have been as impactful as it was, but I felt very comforted and wanted to capture that loving feeling in the song.” The vulnerability of the subject matter is heightened by the subdued beauty of the music—piano, lightly strummed guitar, with subtle drums played with brushes accompanying—and the addition of the master of heart wrenching songs herself, Julien Baker, who sings a verse and on the choruses. On how the song came together Ross said “I knew pretty quickly that I wanted it to be a duet, and I’m super grateful to Julien for joining me on it. This was one of the first songs we rehearsed together as a band in the studio and David’s piano part felt great almost immediately. There were a couple moments like that in the recording process where a song just immediately fell into place as soon as we started playing it.” [KH]
Boris play a lot of styles: noise, stoner rock, shoegaze, industrial, ambient, punk, metal. Their Heavy Rocks series of albums tend to focus on the latter two. This latest installment is in the same mold, but the band showcases almost all of these influences as well, sometimes within the same tune.
Though not as focused as 2020’s full-on metal assault, No, or as transcendent as W from earlier this year (read our review), Heavy Rocks has a lot of killer tracks. From the jump, the band hits on a couple different heavy styles: the lead track “She is burning” is fast-paced metal with saxophone echoing the vocal melodies to exhilarating effect. This is followed by the Faith No More-esque flavor of “Cramper” and the crossover thrash of “My name is blank.”
Suddenly, we’re full-on skronking: “Blah Blah Blah” blares with saxophone cacophony before transitioning into an industrial groove, Takeshi’s fuzz bass rumbling under Atsuo’s steady drum pattern while guitar wizard Wata stabs and pierces sporadically with her angular, noisy axe work. Quite a left-turn from the first three straight-ahead rockers. This is followed by the fantastic “Question 1,” a trad metal–type offering with galloping rhythms, Wata’s shredding leads, and strong, soaring vocal melodies. Before you can get too comfortable, the song breaks down entirely, guitar noise leading to a goth-metal middle of big vocals and synth touches before returning to a faster pace.
“Ruins” is another standout cut, an under-three-minutes thrasher featuring Wata’s fast-picked chugging (reminiscent of 80s thrash guitar heroes like Hetfield or Mustaine) but with more punk rock attitude in the mix. “Ghostly imagination” brings the heavy and the speed but in a completely different way. Atsuo’s robotic stomping drumbeat is somehow danceable even at its breakneck pace.
The album is full of twists and turns that are trademark Boris, all the while showcasing the many influences. The band effortlessly steer their way through various sonic landscapes and continue to solidify themselves as one of the all-time brilliant and mind-bending guitar bands.
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 Nick weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen! Stay tuned as more of the FTA staff will be rotating in to give their thoughts on new music in the coming weeks.
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:
Automatic– Automaton. The synthy indie trio released their latest album, Excess, back in June and now have released a new video for the hypnotic “Automaton,” a song critical about the evils of capitalism and the ways we feed into it. The video features gripping, stencil-like animation by Yana Pan & Jenny Nirgends and sees the automaton protagonist in a nightmare reality aka our actual current reality. Along with the video the band has announced a tour which will hit Brooklyn on 10/14 at Market Hotel. [KH]
Big Girl– Summer Sickness. According to their Spotify, Big Girl is a “New York project conceived by vocalist and guitarist Kaitlin Pelkey,” and “A Queer-fronted, vivid, and ambitious rock band.” This was my very first time hearing them and I immediately felt transported to what it must have been like in a 1970s arena rock show. Like a Zeppelin anthem, this starts out subdued and acoustic before a sexy guitar lead kicks in and starts to amp the song up. Before you know it, the drums are massive, the riffs are giant, and the song has surrounded you. Vivid and ambitious indeed, this is the first single from the band’s upcoming album Big Girl vs. God due out in early 2023 and is accompanied by beautiful concept video produced and directed by Josefine Cardoni. (See pics from one of their recent shows in Brooklyn.) [KH]
The Beths– Knees Deep. The third single from the upcoming album, Expert In A Dying Field, “Knees Deep” is all about taking risks. Singer Liz Stokes says “I’m the kind of person who wants to go swimming but takes like 10 minutes to get all the way into the cold water, slowly and painfully. I hate this about myself and am kind of envious of people who can just jump straight in the deep end. In a shocking twist, this is also a metaphor?! For how I wish I was the kind of person who was brave and decisive instead of cautious and scared.” And take risks the band does in the video that accompanies the song, each member realllllly going for it by going bungee jumping. They are currently on tour in the US (check out pics from their recent stop at BRIC) and along with the song and video, they also announced more tour dates in the US for 2023. Expert In A Dying Field is out via Carpark Records on 9/16 with the tour hitting NYC at Brooklyn Steel 3/2/2023. [KH]
The Chats– I’ve Been Drunk In Every Pub In Brisbane. The booze loving snot noses from Down Under have a brand new record out today, Get Fucked, and this is another bratty Ramones inspired ode to—you guessed it—beer and being wasted. Not exactly new territory for them musically or lyrically but does it really need to be? Goddamn if these songs aren’t a hell of a lot of fucking fun to shout and pogo along to. [KH]
Deep Wimp– Plume. Take a little bit power pop, add in little bit more indie alt rock, sprinkle a on dash of Midwest Emo and you’ve got the recipe for “Plume,” the latest offering from Brooklyn band, Deep Wimp. The band says about the song: ”This song is mostly about recognizing the quiet comforts in your life. Navigating social situations is still challenging sometimes (even for us in our 30s), and you occasionally have to remove yourself from them and focus on the joy you already have at home, whether that’s a partner, a pet, or a pair of Star Wars sweatpants.” I can definitely get behind finding the joy in life and you can find this catchy song on all major streaming platforms. [KH]
Gun– Mark of the Beast Mode. The latest from the NYC noise punks, this song gives some big 90s vibes and is mostly structured around a grunge rock riff with snarling vocals to match and an underlying synth line complimenting the two harder elements. Then totally out of left field at 1:12min in, the unexpected happens and the song veers into an Amen Break (yes, I did in fact just say THE AMEN BREAK) interlude for a few measures reminiscent of the electro rock of bands like The Prodigy, before picking the grunge back up, hitting a quick hardcore floor punching breakdown, then back to the grunge. But instead of giving me whiplash with these wild genre/feel changes from bar to bar, somehow it all just works and makes for a fun and catchy song that would have done just fine in 1993 but also feels totally of the here and now. [KH]
Hunx & his Punx– White Lipstick b/w Losing My Mind. This new double single is part of the Sub Pop singles club and is the first release from the band since 2013’s Street Punk. Both songs feature the signature bubblegum girl group inspired easy going brand of punk the band is known for and both are fun summertime bops perfect for cruising on your bike to the beach. “White Lipstick” also comes with a video that looks like it was shot with a 1980s camcorder, an excellent pairing as far as I’m concerned. [KH]
Konjur Collective– George Jackson. The inaugural release on cow: Music (an imprint of the terrific Astral Spirits label), this lead cut from the forthcoming Blood in My Eye (A Soul Insurgent Guide) brings a different sonic palette to the free jazz realm. Loops and synth noise join the usual maelstrom of crashing drums and skronky brass, creating a swirl and depth of sound that is absolutely infectious. Snippets of improvised melody are looped, offering the occasional hook within the cacophony. Named for the Field Marshall of the Black Panthers, this tune is full of beauty, rage, uplifting spirit, and exuberant joy. [ND]
LAPêCHE– Mermaid Blues. This is the latest from the Brooklyn indie rockers, a catchy stand alone single, which the band says “expands and contracts around the experience of heavy seasonal depression,” continuing “hope is an imperfect skill that may guide you out.” While the subject matter may be bleak, musically the song features effervescent guitars, dreamy vocals from singer Krista Diem, and is filled with big hooks and dare I say, brushes just at the edge of power pop? Maybe that’s just my take but I can definitely hear the influence here and it sounds great. While this song is not part of a full album, the band is in fact at work on a new record, collaborating with producer Alex Newport (Death Cab for Cutie, At the Drive-In) and that is definitely something to be hopeful for. [KH]
Meat Wave– What Would You Like Me To Do? The latest from the Chicago indie punks, this is a driving fast with the windows down, fist pounding on the wheel affair, no time to wait around, get in and let’s go! As with all things Meat Wave, I love the driving bass, love the drumming, love the guitar work and love the way they all perfectly meld together for a sound that is uniquely them with singer/guitarist Chris Sutter’s anxious yells over top. This is the first official single from their just announced upcoming album Malign Hex due out 10/14 on Swami Records after two stand alone singles were released earlier this year (that will in fact appear on the album as well). If this is a taste of how the rest of it will go then I’m very ready for more. [KH]
Psalm One X Custom Made– Shadow Work. Psalm One has been busy! She recently put out a book, Her Word is Bond, detailing her triumphs and travails as a woman in hip-hop (also get hip to the #BoycottRhymesayers movement she is leading against her former label, Rhymesayers), and now has a new collaboration album with Custom Made called Bigg Perrm due out on Filthē Analects Record Company Sept. 2. Lead single, “Shadow Work,” is part confessional, part manifesto. Psalm One raps openly about her personal shortcomings and her determination to keep improving and thriving: “I am a reformed fuckgirl/I mean it/If that shit don’t line up with my purpose/then I leave it/Had to see my inner demons just to get a little peace.” Custom Made creates an uncluttered groove for Psalm to flow, mixing up her rhythms and cadences and peppering in unexpected hooks. Very stoked for this record to come out! [ND]
Thus Love– In Tandem. Agothy, lustrous offering from this Vermont based queer post punk outfit, it’s hard not to be reminded of a more upbeat Bauhaus here. But that’s certainly not a bad thing because I love Bauhaus. I really like the interplay of the drums with the bass, both driving the song as the guitar shimmers over top. This is the second single from their upcoming album Memorial, due out on 10/7 via Captured Tracks. See pics from their recent show at The Sultan Room. [KH]
Behold! Enjoy the return of our weekly singles column! It’s been a minute but we are back 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. Singles coverage is something that has been sorely lacking from our offerings and we want to fix that so keep your eyes on this space as we continue to build it up and recommend more new music. This week Kate and Mike weighed in on some songs and soon we will be joined by more folks from the FTA crew.
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:
Alvvays– Easy on Your Own? Alvvays is set to release a new album, Blue Rev, their first in five years, and this is the second single. Equal parts indie and shoegaze, there’s no shortage of fuzz or angst, the lyrics touching on singer Molly Rankin’s dissolution and worries for the future, something we can all relate to. Blue Rev is due out 10/7 via Polyvinyl. [KH]
Heatblush– Radio Stars. 80s crunchy chorus-dipped guitar in all the right places, with a dash of Veruca Salt style pop hooks for good measure. This is the kind of song Billy Idol wishes he wrote and a track that belongs to the end of the cruel summer and binge watching Stranger Things. [MB]
Pohgoh– Weeds. Superchunk meets Hey Mercedes with a sweeter touch and powerpop guitar hooks that would make OkGo blush, Pohgoh’s new single “Weeds” tackles serious sentiment with sugar melody ahead of their newest release “du und ich” (German for “you and I”), due November 4 via Spartan Records. [MB]
Russian Circles– Gnosis. The title track from their new album (due out 8/19 via Sargent House), it clocks in at over eight minutes and shows off all of the things the band is best at—a quiet and gloomy build to a sludge fuzz crescendo before heading into firm chuggy metal territory to bring things home. The song also comes with an official music video, a first for the band. [KH]
Santigold– Shake. Musically this feels like quick “feel good in the summer time” style bop but while that is true, it belies the true meaning of the song which Santigold says is about human resilience. She again worked withSBTRKT on the track and had this to say “I can’t say this song is about one thing, as much as it’s about a feeling. It’s about flow, about riding the ebb and flows of life, it’s about rolling with it, moving through it, letting it all move through you. And it’s about the feeling in that moment when you feel life flowing through you, the rapture of it all. It’s about our resilience as humans, and our ability to keep rising back up in the face of hardship and moving forward.”
The song comes with an accompanying music video directed by Frank Ockenfels and features images inspired by Civil Rights protestors with Santigold adding “The strength and fortitude that it took for them, many just teenagers and young adults, to endure what they did and keep going, is monumental. This video is an homage to them, in which I try to power through singing this song while enduring the pain of a high-pressure water hose.” Santigold’s new album Spirituals is due out on 9/9. [KH]
Sleepy Kitty– Bigger Picture. Paige Brubeck (vocals/guitar) and Evan Sult (former Bound Stems and Harvey Danger on drums/tapes), Sleepy Kitty releases their first new music in almost 6 years. The duo combines modern pop sensibilities with a twinge 90s layered garagey distortion that meets somewhere near the intersection of Elastica and The Breeders. Described by Nylon Magazine as “rainbow-tinged indie pop,” Brooklyn Vegan calls them “a grungier, more layered Best Coast.” Lead single “Bigger Picture” coincides with the band’s long-awaited return to the live stage at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC Friday August 12th. [MB]
Surfbort– Never Gonna Be What You Want Me To Be. The latest from the rowdy trash punk quintet, it’s equal parts raucous and actually a little on the subdued side for the band (in parts) and builds nicely off of the slightly more refined sound they began exploring on last year’s Keep On Truckin’. They will soon embark on a fall tour with Me First and the Gimme Gimmies which hits NYC on 10/14 at Palladium Times Square. [KH]
Trash Moth– Roleplay. Trash Moth, which is the Brooklyn based solo project of Amelia Hazen self describes as “Garbage indie power pop for trashy saturniids and other crepuscular dwellers,” and I’ve got to say that feels pretty spot on here. This single is part of the upcoming self titled album due out on 8/19 and features some nice 90s alt vibes and sultry to soaring vocals from Hazen. [KH]
Venus Twins– God’s Machines. Deftly leaning into their metal and sludgier influences, the noise rock duo—and real life twins— show off their full songwriting range on this ten minute opus, loud to quiet to loud to quiet and back again dynamics with fuzzed out interludes featuring more intricate bass work and a few fakeout endings along the way. Stay tuned for their new full length due out in October. [KH]
Vial– Embryo. A bashing floor tom and driving bass line intro sets the tone right before the acidic guitars kick in on this rager which is a response to the cruel overturning of Roe v. Wade and the loss of reproductive freedom for those who can get pregnant in the US. The lyrics mince absolutely no words and make clear how dangerous this decision is and how hypocritical the people who made it/support it are. On their Instagram the band shares “On June 24th, 2022, the Supreme Court made the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, thus removing the constitutional right to CHOOSE to have an abortion. We are dedicated to donating all profits from “Embryo” to Gender Justice, a nonprofit dedicated to “creating a world where everyone can thrive regardless of their gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation by dismantling legal, structural, and cultural barriers that contribute to gender inequity,” and the National Network of Abortion Funds, who “builds power with members to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access by centering people who have abortions and organizing at the intersections of racial, economic, and reproductive justice.” The powerful new single is out now via Get Better Records and comes with an accompanying lyric video. [KH]
Yeah Yeah Yeahs– Burning. The YYY’s came blazing back in 2022 with a new single in June and a new album Cool It Down—their first new music in 10 years—due out at the end of September. “Burning” is the second single from the album and interpolates “Beggin” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The YYY’s take sees them building on the classic song and strutting their more soulful side. [KH]
From the very first track, A Reckoning, the debut album from Leathered, arrives with understated swagger, like an outlaw emerging from a cave in the desert, strolling through the shadows. With enough chorus to be shoegaze and enough twang to be country, Leathered straddle the line between genres to present their own unique vision. Self-described as “noirish, psychic rock & roll” on their Instagram, the Brooklyn band consists of Amanda B. Jun on vocals and guitars, Edward Anthony on bass, and Carter Logan on drums.
“It’s My Time” is a perfect lead track, as it showcases much of what makes this album great: spooky dessicated guitar full of reverb and jangle, thick bass that bounces along smoothly, with crisp drums holding everything together. There are the occasional dissonant guitar notes to add a bit more tension. Jun’s vocals are on the softer side but straightforward rather than breathy, and mix exceedingly well into the music. A band statement on their Bandcamp page states that A Reckoning is Leathered’s “aural effort to rebuke the banality of evil, the seductive appeal of apathy” and that the songs “appeal to one’s innate capacity for lightness and joy.” Lyrically, that is evident here from lines like “There’s a darkness breaking into my soul / and it’s taking its toll, I can feel its pull / I need to tune in, hear the words of my sister, sing the songs of my mother’s eternal embrace / we gotta break in, wake up, break down / I know that it’s my time.”
Some tracks are more pop tinged, like “Hours,” while others veer into the country side of things, like “Strawman.” “Prayer” finds itself in more aggressive territory, with biting percussion from Logan (who is also a member of SQÜRL, a band I’ve always loved for their atmospheric qualities, especially on the soundtrack to Only Lovers Left Alive). The rollicking “Superstition” is downright sexy, and songs like “Bones Of The Dead” (“I hear the bones of the dead dancing on my grave / I see the setting of the sun counting down my days”) guarantee the goth cowboys among us a good time.
Fans of Nick Cave, The Cramps, or Dum Dum Girls will find a lot to love on this album. I imagine jamming this while driving across a dark desert, sunglasses on at night, dressed all in black with a cigarette and a guitar instead of a shiny pistol.
Kissed by an AnimalI Don’t Have to Explain Myself to You (art by Dima Drjuchin)
There are only a few bands I follow as closely and laud as loudly as I do Kissed by an Animal, comprised of Dima Drjuchin (guitar/vocals), Jon Daily (drums), Tsugumi Takashi (bass, vocals), and Hiro Williams (guitar, vocals). Over the years, our bands have played a lot of cool shows together, and we’ve gotten to know them as great people and friends. But also, they are just a really goddamn good band!
The quartet just released their second full length I Don’t Have to Explain Myselfto You on Handstand Records/EWEL Records, and it’s just as unapologetic as it sounds—though maybe not in the way you’d expect. As much Walkmen as they are Dead Milkmen, this time around the band seems to take a softer, cooler, more calculated approach to their post-punk stoner dream surf hybrid musicality. As Greg Barris writes in the band’s press release, this record is “is a love song from our present spirit to our past identity. Touching on the existential nature of living and growing older while existing in the body of your 20 year old self running through the streets of New York, invincible but not reckless. Past feeling like you don’t fit in, past finding your purpose, and entering the solid foundation of just being the most you you have ever been.”
When you stack it up against their 2019 self tilted debut LP (with fuzz stomp hits like “Lemonade” “Floating Head” “The Good Times Are Here Again” and “In the Clouds”) first impressions suggest maybe the band dialed back the punk a little this go-round. I had thought maybe 2020’s bedroom EP Stoned Eagle (a beautiful piece of musical work in it’s own right and a haunting snapshot of inside Dima’s mind during the darker days of the pandemic) may have bled into and softened the edges of I Don’t Have to Explain Myself to You. But when you actually line up these 2 masterpiece LPs side-by-side, you see that simply isn’t the case. KBAA somehow manages to expertly rearrange the same components, stretching gritty overdriven punk guitar over ethereal dream scapes in order to tell a whole new story this time around. It’s cut from the same cloth of the KBAA imagination; the only difference being where and how they punch the holes in the canvas.
Kissed by an Animal performing in 2021 (photo by Kate Hoos)
From the very start of its deep pocket bass/drum intro, the unassuming lead single “Be” immediately grabs you, hooking you in like an earworm even before Drjuchin’s quirky vocal inflection proceeds to burrow its way into the back of your brain. Both Drjuchin and Williams execute the guitar work with impressive technique. The attention to texture and tasteful interplay between the two is almost surgical in its delivery, both often playing far below their individual skill set to perfectly suit the needs of the song. Takashi’s picked basslines drive the entire operation with a thick clean melody that ties all the other lines together while anchoring it like bunches of bright balloons to the unbridled raw force that is Jon Daily behind the kit.
The result here is by far greater than the sum of its parts, and the entire record tugs and pulls you between quick tempo drivers like “Songs About New York” and spacey cruise control coasters like “Lack of Plan and Attack,” it often switches those gears and pace literally mid tune. This is particularly impressive given the fact that almost every track on the record clocks in anywhere between a minute and a half and three minutes in length.
Much like their live shows, where it often seems they deftly smash like 45 songs into a 30 minute set, I Don’t Have to Explain Myself to You obviously follows a carefully laid road map leaving little room to breathe, though you never really notice because you’re already strapped in for the ride. And when it’s over, you wanna go again.
Kissed by an Animal performing in 2021 (photo by Kate Hoos)
This LP (much like their last) tends to live on my turntable and spend a lot of time in my Spotify rotation. As a result the record grows with me and my favorite songs tend to change more often than I change socks. At the time of this writing, however, the powerfully haunting “Unicorn Baby” intro track trods with its percussive slam thudding over the “I don’t wanna die” vocal crescendo into a wash of cymbals and ringing guitars usually saved for the end of an LP or live set. It is an oddly effective and obvious fakeout into the up-tempo “Negative Joy” signaling we’ve officially strapped in for the ride.
I could write an entire other piece on the color explosion artwork that runs a direct line through every piece of the KBAA brand straight into Dima Drjuchin’s imagination. Also a visual artist his entire life, Drjuchin has mastered an extremely unique and recognizable style that can be seen all over NYC via countless show flyers and artwork for local musicians and around the world, having done art for musicians ranging from Father John Misty to Tool, The Flaming Lips and many more. So while the music grows out of the collaborative relationship between its four extremely gifted players, the visual component of the band has always been pure Dima Drjuchin. Both frantic and reflective at the same time, there is a meditative quality to its balance or maybe lack thereof. I personally purchased a stunning, rare and unique hand-painted test pressing of I Don’t Have to Explain Myself to You from the band before its release, but then upon seeing the official finished artwork, I was completely compelled to buy another copy. It’s just that good.
The record, just like the title, and like the band itself is reflective and true to its core. Beyond pretension and without bullshit, this is a band that knows exactly who they are. There is a quiet confidence that connects these four friends, and that comes across in how they carry themselves as a band, as artists, and as people. They no longer feel the need to try and impress you with how hip and cool they are, but at the same time probably exude the most genuine gratitude when you appreciate the caliber of their work. And it’s really hard not to.
I Don’t Have to Explain Myself to You is out now via Handstand Records/EWEL Records and is available on all major streaming platforms.
