Whether the inspiration is the violence of military states, the hypocrisy of organized religion, or just the wild force of love going always wrong, the Brooklyn-based punk trio Shop Talk heaves and shakes with poetic passion on their debut EP, The Offering (out now on Mon Amie Records). I realize that “poetic” might not be the most common adjective out there to describe punk bands (or even a desired description from the bands themselves sometimes). But Shop Talk’s literary chops— paired with their blistering guitar hooks and their frantic, driving rhythm section—deliver sharp and unapologetic storytelling, where the stakes are often mythic, and the narrator’s heart is almost always hanging out of his ripped open chest, bouncing along on a few tough threads.
The eponymous first song burns creepily bright, like an incantation to a dark power. After a clamor of guitar noise from Jon Garcia, Tristan Griffin’s bass line hypnotizes with slinky zig-zags, and both of them burst into fierce unison vocals: “I’ll set your world alight / with hopes and fears of all the years tonight / creatures of the night / all burning there for you.” Alexander Perelli crashes away on the drums through it all, like a demon afire.
“Black Friar,” the second track, starts out with an insistent bass line, and the guitar rings out under the verse, until the drums really kick in with driving power in the pre-chorus, as the lyrics play with a turn of rhyme that is both playful and disturbing: “and every beatrice is a drip / a bucket of sick / a slip of the lip / draggin’ your brush stroke long.”
“Mirage of Love,” the pre-released single from The Offering, heaves and thrashes, just like the dark waves of the turbulent sea that’s featured in the video for the song. The lyrics run over the roiling ocean imagery, once again putting the band’s talent with words in the foreground: “I’ve searched across the seven seas / i’ve chased each greedy fantasy / la fata she don’t call on me / and she don’t sail for free.” Garcia offered some back story for the track: “The song is loosely based on the legend of La Fata Morgana—a sorceress blamed for luring sailors to their deaths. The narrator knows that the mirage of love ends in catastrophe, but he’s also offended that Morgana hasn’t bothered to seduce him yet. It’s sorta like 53rd and 3rd, really.”
The fourth song and my favorite, “Ramona,” surges with an infectious guitar hook out front in the mix. The moral here seems to be that falling in love with a she-wolf (or a creature of similar ferocity) is a rough road. The lyrics give voice to a desperate guy who will do whatever this lady wants: “I’ll see if you will saw / I’ll abet if you break the law / I’ll see what no one saw / I’ll hear your voice if you come to call.”
The Offering concludes with “Camp Hero,” where the spooky seaside imagery returns, and we learn of sailors being used and abused in the mythic experiment of the USS Eldridge, the song’s inspiration. In 1943, the USS Eldridge sat in the Philadelphia Naval Yard and suddenly glowed with a blue-green light and then disappeared, momentarily showing up in Virginia, and then hours later flickering back to our reality in Philadelphia. The sailors aboard reported various ailments, and the entire affair became known as “The Philadelphia Experiment,” where the US government used its navy as guinea pigs. Although various sources now call the entire thing a hoax, the tale provides fantastic fodder for Garcia’s lyrics: “man make the weather / man make your mind / forward and back again / they’re stressing time / they’re bending time / they’re splitting time.” The trio charges through “Camp Hero” like an electric bolt of twisted energy form clandestine government experiments, and boom! The Offering has run its high octane course in a lean thirteen minutes and change, and you might want to relisten to the fever pitch of the five tracks again. And again. Go ahead. I did.
The world is full of dark creepy forces, and Shop Talk weave the myriad stories found therein into some pretty unique and satisfying punk rock. Long-time Guided By Voices producer Travis Harrison recorded The Offering at his Serious Business Studio in NYC; Harrison and Garcia mixed the EP. Shop Talk will be live at Le Poisson Rouge on June 3 in NYC, supporting Pissed Jeans (w/Carniverous Bells).
According to their bio, Miranda and The Beat formed in true gritty rock and roll fashion: singer Miranda Zipse and drummer Kim Sollecito moved to NYC from small town California, where they shared a bed in an apartment, “giving up all their possessions and sacrificing a tawdry normal existence to lead a true path of illuminated rock n’roll.” They met Dylan Fernandez when he was delivering weed and added him as a Farfisa player; current bassist Alvin Jackson is his little brother, replacing former member Kate Gutwald. Their self titled debut album Miranda and The Beat is imbued with soul, brimming with garage-rock guitar, 60’s psych-tinged organ and funky beats. The overall effect is one of standing in a funhouse, floor tilting underneath and mirrors reflecting back a swirling lava lamp of colors.
The lead track “Sweat” kicks everything off with a slinky, soulful melody that evokes a hot summer night and crowded rooms, and apparently hangover sweats (“all up in my crack.”) The color saturated, out of focus music video pairs perfectly with the song, which sets the tone for the record with Zipse’s frantic guitar and strong voice punctuating the groovy beats.
The follow up single “Concrete” is more of an upbeat, dance-punk number, probably the most head-bopping track to be found here.
The songs on the album have a similar sound but are executed with different moods: “I’m Not Your Baby” and “When Are You Coming Home” slink along with an atmosphere that wouldn’t be out of place in a Bond film, and “Not My Guy” is a waltzy, jangly ballad primed for a slow dance in a near empty club under a twirling mirrorball.
Miranda and The Beat isn’t a long album, clocking in at ten songs with none over four minutes (the shortest, “ODR,” is a 42 second blast of quickly building garage-rock catharsis) and is pretty much the dictionary definition of “all killer, no filler.” The record sounds great too, with mixing and production from Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It’s easy to follow the line from Miranda and The Beat’s earliest singles like 2018’s “Dont Play Me” to 2020’s “Such A Fool” 7-inch that came out on Third Man, to this full length debut, and see a maturing of their sound and style.
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 two week (ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week we have Chantal [CW], new writer Emily Austin [EA], Kate B [KB], Kate H [KH], Mike [MB] and Ray [RR] weighing in on a very big list of killer songs and have the scoop on plenty of new tunes, give ’em a listen!
Amaara– New Love’s Mortal Coil. A synth-drenched song with a dancey, 80s vibe from the Canadian-born singer, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, and actor Kaelen Ohm, who you might know from the Netflix series Hit and Run. The vocals on this track are both flirtatious and slightly ominous, with lush harmonies and cheeky lyrics: “I know you think you found it / the one that you’ve been looking for / I know you think you’ve landed on a rainbow or a unicorn…It’s gonna be a hard road baby when it falls apart.” Ohm described “New Love’s Mortal Coil” as being about “the impermanence of new stages of love, and how we can get left in the dark with our emotions after the fire burns out.” Ohm also directed the video which features her and a group of talented dancers getting down in silky colorful suits. It looks and feel like 1987 on some kind of designer drug; I can’t stop watching it. “New Love’s Mortal Coil” is the first single from Amaara’s upcoming album, Child of Venus, out on July 7 from Lady Moon Records. [KB]
Bar Italia– Changer. The third and final single from the London-based post-punk trio in advance of Tracey Denim, their first LP with Matador Records, which came out on May 19. “Changer” is a song of yearning, of missing someone that you want close to you and now they are far, far away. The lyrics offer a clear lament: “Didn’t get the chance to say, I want more / Doesn’t have to be this way, it’s too pure / Now that you have gone away, I’m bored / I’m going out every day to make sure.” Every track I’ve heard off of of Tracey Denim has me wanting more, too. Their unique blend of shoegaze and dream rock is addictive. They’ve recently expanded their tour dates, too, so if you didn’t get a ticket to any of their June shows in NYC, heads up that they’re returning on December 4 to Bowery Ballroom. I want to go! [KB]
Baba Chevy– Nice Work Job. The quartet’s debut side A/side B is the latest release of NYC boutique label Fear Icon Records. Literally one half of Brooklyn band, Dad, but completely something different entirely, the band teeters somewhere between psych garage and alternative indie. Awash in smashy drum thunder and big guitar sound, they employ DIY swagger that feels almost lazy at times without ever being shiftless or sloppy. David Flick and James Watson share in the work trading of guitar and vocal responsibilities. “Nice Work Job” smashes a bottle across your face in a sea of fuzzy winding leads while PJ Levine locks in and holds down the low end on bass. B-side, “Guantanamo Dave” brings the flood waters down for a brief moment before quickly rising and drowning you in a guitar and drum scream chorus blast before you have a chance to catch your breath. It’s killer little release upon first listen and invites you back for more, signaling Baba Chevy may be offering us more here than we initially expected, and we’re pretty excited to see what’s next. [MB]
Being Dead– Daydream. A groovy, 60s-esque, surf-rock-meets-trippy-folk pleaser that puts the gorgeous vocal harmonies forward in the mix, “Daydream” is the second single off of the Austin-based trio’s debut album When Horses Would Run, out July 14 on Bayonet. Katie Cheline directed a fantastic video for the track which is a wild ride with ghosts shoplifting six-packs after being summoned by little children messing with a Ouija board (you also get the ghosts’ back story—it’s satisfyingly epic and fun!). “It’s safe to say that we’re typically ambitious when it comes to music video ideas and this one is no exception,” the band states. “We had a lot of ideas for this one and ended up just cramming them all in there. We think this is a relatively courageous attempt at a highly-condensed Pride and Prejudice 2.” I’m into the music and the visual madness, so bring it on, Being Dead! I think they’re having a lot of fun, and you will too. [KB]
Bev Rage and The Drinks– Truth or Dare. These Chicago garage-pop-punkers have released a new single/video from last year’s excellent record Exes and Hexes. This track is super fun and super fast—under two minutes!—and features a music video with party games and singer Bev Rage playing the part of both the devil and the angel on the shoulder. The group will be supporting Pansy Division and Bully on a number of dates on tour this summer. [CW]
Boris and Uniform– Not Surprised. The second single off of Bright New Disease,the much-anticipated collaborative album from Japan’s sludge metal heroes Boris and NYC’s industrial noise rockers, Uniform, “Not Surprised” sounds like the end of the fucking world. Tense and scorching, with layers of roiling guitar and synth noise, as the dueling drummers battle each other rhythmically. The pained vocals from Uniform’s Michael Berdan sound like someone possessed, wonderfully balanced with Atsuo’s sinister murmurs and wails. Berdan wrote most of the song’s lyrics and said, “I’ve struggled with mental health issues for my entire life. Although years of hard work, medication, and a support network help immensely at keeping the internal violence of my mind at bay, some days will always be a little worse than others. This song is about the inherent loneliness of those bad days. The level of antipathy I feel towards the entire human race as I’m forced to function around regular people who seem to be just enjoying their life goes beyond words, but I tried to say it here anyway.”
“Not Surprised” has a beautifully disturbing video directed by Brooklyn filmmaker A.F. Cortes, who stated, “The overarching theme of the piece is a cycle of violence; this is my interpretation of the music, not necessarily the authors’. We live in a never-ending cycle of violence; humans are as good at creating as destroying. In the video, the hunted becomes the hunter and then is hunted again. But who wins?” Well, we do, because both the song and the video are intoxicating and cathartic. Bright New Disease is out on June 16 via Sacred Bones. [KB]
The Budos Band– Frontier’s Edge. Psychedelic soul at its funky best from Staten Island’s The Budos Band. The instrumental “Frontier’s Edge” features a hypnotic guitar hook, a super-tight horn section rocking some syncopation, rumbling bass, and funky fills from the drums. You can shake your thing or just trip out to these Afro-Soul masters, they definitely know what they’re doing. This track is the first off of their upcoming EP of the same name, due out on July 28 from the band’s own label, Diamond West Records. They will be hitting the road this summer to support the release, touring the US and Canada, and then hopping over to Japan in July for the Fuji Rock Festival. [KB]
Buggin– Snack Run. I need snacks, you need snacks, Buggin needs snacks. And the Chicago based foursome has created a heavy AF ode to many a hardcore/punk kid’s favorite off stage pastime/touring staple, you guessed it, snacking! The song is paired with a very fun video that features cameos from the members of Scowl and lots of choice snack food items. Come for the hard hitting riffs, stay for the Takis and Chex Mix. This is the final pre-release single from Concrete Cowboys which releases in full on 6/2 via Flatspot. Buggin is currently on tour in the UK and Europe and will play The Tribes of Da Moon at Bowery Ballroom in August along with Bleed The Pigs, Knife Wound, Rebelmatic, Soul Glo, Zulu and many more. [KH]
Cindy Wilson– Midnight. A shimmery techno-pop confection from vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of The B-52s, Cindy Wilson, her gorgeous alto voice entices over bubbly synth beeps and squiggles that sparkle and pop like the stars winking in a midnight sky. The lyrics are alluring: “It’s midnight again / so tell me you feel it / It’s midnight again / just say that you want to.” Wilson made this statement about the new single: “It’s an upbeat dance dream of love at a magical hour, inviting the listener to come along. Let’s go!” ’m dancing right beside you, Cindy! “Midnight” is the first single off of Wilson’s second solo album, Realms,out on August 25 via Kill Rock Stars. While she hasn’t announced any solo performance dates yet, you can catch her with The B-52s on June 17 in Asbury Park, NJ. [KB]
Groupie– No Chaser.The first new music from the band since 2021’s dynamic LP Ephemeral, Groupie’s new single packs a mighty powerful pop punch, without losing its undercurrent of the dark and dreamy. Ashley Kossakowski (bass, vocals) has spent much of the past year on tour playing bass in Cafuné but “No Chaser” signals we might be in store from a new record from Groupie soon, and that’s good news indeed. Kossakowski, a byproduct of the same Chicago punk scene from which I hail, beautifully mixes shadows of that sound with the feminine force of bands like Sleater Kinney and The Breeders. This go round, the band (Aaron Silberman on drums, Eric Rubin and Eamon Lebow on guitars) brings a newer level of raw pop to their sound that’s also at times almost Von Bondies in nature. “No Chaser” feels organic in its execution waxed over with a gloss that hits just right… straight… no chaser. [MB]
Guided By Voices– Seedling. Here we go again! In (unsurprising) news, Guided By Voices have new music out, and it’s classic Robert Pollard indie guitar rock: catchy, dynamic and driven. This one really takes me back while also sounding fresh. How the fuck does he do it? Unlike their album from earlier this year, La La Land, the upcoming LP, Welshpool Frillies, was mostly recorded live to tape, and will be out July 21 on GBV Inc. [CW]
Jeff Rosenstock– Liked U Better. With the simple acoustic guitar strum and mellow lead guitar intro riff, the first 20 seconds of everybody’s favorite DIY punkster, Jeff Rosenstock’s first new music in almost three years had one thinking that we were getting a solo acoustic song. HAAAAA! Au contraire! Rosenstock and his Death Rosenstock band recorded this rock and roll anthem in LA last year during a break in their 2022 touring schedule and have once again provided fans with a gem. Sticking to a tried and true ormula that has Rosenstock reeling off lightning fast verses, offset by the band shouting back the chorus of “I liked you better when you were on my mind” all of which is propelled by crunching, hard hitting punky rock and roll. his is certainly going to be a mosh pit favorite when Rosenstock tours later on this year. (He’ll be playing his largest ever headlining gig here in NY at Terminal 5 in September). [RR]
King Gizzard & the Lizzard Wizard– Gila Monster.The chameleonic band of Aussies return with a brand new single, and true to form and fashion, they continue to keep us guessing. Prolific in their pace and frenetic in their nature, the gang from Melbourne churns out extensive catalogs of sound ranging from expansive jazz-rock, to semi-acoustic ballads and from sci-fi prog to trippy garage rock and explorations of microtonal tunings, at an incredibly impressive clip. “Gila Monster” is heavy metal—as much Metallica as it is Dragonforce. The band never hesitates to showcase the variety of their musical prowess to flaunt their chops, and this is no exception. It shreds, and it’s fun and cheesy in all ways you want it to be. [MB]
Kitba–My Words Don’t Work.The lead single from singer-songwriter and harpist Rebecca Kitba Bryson El-Saleh’s debut LP is a simultaneously simple and intricate work of self-reflection, as Kitba asks “what’s my worth if my words don’t work?” The song, they said, is “about an inability to articulate oneself and the yearning felt when trying to convey anything that means anything.” The track builds piece by piece, first a synth here, now some percussion there, until Kitba’s airy yet rich distinctive voice is soaring over the music, which quiets again at last. Kitba will be out July 21st on Ruination Record Co. [CW]
Louise Post– What About. This is a softer song than the first single “Guilty,” and a very poignant one that Post says is about “navigating the world without someone you thought you would spend an eternity with” and “the regret of things left unsaid and things left undone.” With delicate acoustic guitar mixed forward and a melodic, fuzzy one in the background, it’s catchier than the sad subject matter might let on. Sleepwalker will be out on June 2nd on El Camino, and Post will be at the Bowery Ballroom on July 15th. [CW]
Lovecolor– Pure Love.The alt-pop, dark synth wave rock duo comprised of Vanessa Silberman and Ryan Carnes are back with masterfully crafted atmospheric pop banger that showcases yet another hue in the palette of love. Rich with layered textures of live and electronic instrumentation, the pair elevates the medium. You can feel the weight of its intention as it manages to take you lovingly by the hand and pull you back into the future. The A Diamond Heart Production outfit are currently on their national “Pure Love” tour that has them spreading their sound from coast to coast throughout the Spring and early part of the Summer. [MB]
Pissed Jeans– No Convenient Apocalypse/Bathroom Laughter (Live in Allentown). The kings of sludge/punk/noise from Allentown are back at it with a split 7-inch from Sub Pop, their first release since 2017’s Why Love Now. “No Convenient Apocalypse” comes at you with brutally thick guitar sounds and frontman Matt Korvette’s gravelly rage-fueled yell. “No simple Armageddon / no easy way out,” Korvette growls as the band thunders beneath him. Originally recorded six years ago for the video game Cyberpunk 2077, the single captures the group’s frustration at the absurd mess that is the world today. Pissed Jeans have never brought rage without humor, however, and that dark wit is very apparent on “Bathroom Laughter,” originally released on their 2013 album Honeys. If you missed the original video for the song, I strongly suggest you check it out. This special live version of the song in their hometown captures the band’s frantic energy perfectly. [KB]
Rancid– Devil In Disguise. Rancid’s new track “Devil in Disguise,” off their upcoming album Tomorrow Never Comes is endearingly simple. Well, maybe “endearing” is too sweet a word for what’s really a grim warning about trusting people too closely, but something in its upbeat directness that almost mimics a sea shanty just puts a smile on my face. The third track we’ve heard off the new album, this one’s a little longer (it actually hits two minutes!) and a little warmer, the guys chanting together as if over a pint of mead in some old-timey tavern, but it still has that angry, distorted, Rancid-y punkness to it. And the tune’s simplicity spills right into the video, directed by Tim Armstrong himself and Kevin Kerslake, just a few shots of the band playing in high-contrast monochrome, like a zine page come to life. The title track’s video is similar, and while VFX artist Jason Link’s faux-damaged film might make you think the band is stuck in the 90s and reaching desperately for some obsolete aesthetic, I’d argue that, still going strong following 2017’s Trouble Maker, Rancid is striding confidently into the 2020s, and “Devil in Disguise” is definitely something new. [EA]
Still– Crushed. This single from St. Louis four piece Still is a perfect mix of shoegaze tones and dynamic and post-rock driving beat, with a lovely vocal melody hovering between the layers like flowers pressed between pages of fuzz, and lyrics evoking the same (“we leveled out / into the edge / it’s not the same but here we go again / another ride, a change in tides / but it’s alright because I don’t seem to mind / being in-between, incomplete / but it’s alright because I don’t seem to mind.“) “Crushed” is out now on Sunday Drive Records. [CW]
Suzie True– Sentimental Scum.LA trio Suzie True is a band sprouted from friendship, so Get Better Records says, and their new track “Sentimental Scum” embodies that wholeheartedly. An upbeat yet nostalgic tune about getting older but still having fun anyway, the accompanying video sees the band splashing each other in a pool, drawing on the walls, and smiling together all the while. This one needs no ramping up—the track throws you right into a catchy electric guitar riff that’ll get stuck in your head and fill you with energy. An anthem in a way, with its simple, relatable hooks and clever lyrics that invoke an aging but tireless generation (“I was raised by MTV so you know that I’m a fuck up now!“), it makes sense that “Sentimental Scum” is the title track for their new album, releasing on June 30th. This is the third song the trio has released off the LP, and it certainly drums up a childlike excitement. After all: what’s more sentimental than chanting “Life’s not fair!” at the world with your friends? [EA]
Teenage Fanclub– Foreign Land. This is classic Teenage Fanclub, with the gorgeous, full jangly guitar sound we are used to from these Scottish rockers and filled with glorious harmonies. They aren’t leaning solely on nostalgia, however, singing “it’s time to move along / and leave the past behind me.” The track has a sort of rambling feeling to me, evoking images of green, rolling hills, although the video shows the band in the beige, domed structure of the Hamilton Mausoleum in Hamilton, Scotland. Nothing Lasts Forever will be out via Merge and PeMa Records on September 22nd. [CW]
A Very Special Episode– Neon Stars.Visual whiz and true master of image and color, Jen Meller, has teamed back up the Brooklyn noise rock trio to direct yet another chapter within the mysterious cult-o-verse surrounding A Very Special Episode. Starring Kristi Sun, “Neon Stars” quickly spirals itself downward into the stuff from which nightmares are made. The song feels like Twin Peaks crossed with Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” in a realm that’s slowed and warbled as though trying to run through molasses. The video itself takes place over the course of a creepy dream-like state that seeps into your synaptic membranes like a mouthful of Quaaludes. Between the eerie tone of the song and the psychedelic spaced out tin-foil outer space, Eyes Wide Shut meets Sleep No More sex cult treatment of a completely unrecognizable East Williamsburg Econolodge, never before have I so badly needed an adult. The ominous triangular crystal from “Heaven’s Gate” returns once again to remind you’re simply on a terrifying journey into self-discovery. Even the demon Steve Perry (of The Planes) makes his “bringing the fire” cameo appearance unnervingly reminiscent of the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ video for “Hell.” Meller and the band have once again nailed it here by bringing a whole new twist on their own concept, and it’s subtle inferences that make it one of the most terrifying things I’ve watched in a long time. [MB]
The Murlocs explore new countrified territory on their seventh LP, Calm Ya Farm, now out via ATO Records. While their previous album, Rapscallion, rocked out with garage-psych flair, this newest offering from the eclectic Melbourne-based quintet delivers a sound with much more bluesy twang and butt-shaking stomp. But this is no earnest and starry-eyed hoedown either. Frontman Ambrose Kenny-Smith (also of the prolific psych-rock project King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard) delivers satirical and at times surreal lyrics full of world-weariness, but never without his mischievous sense of humor. The band’s overall sound, too, could never come across as just straight ahead country rock. The personnel here (including the bassist Cook Craig, Callum Shortal on guitar, drummer Matt Blach, and Tim Karmouch on keys) bring a lot of experience and mastery in the garage, punk, doom, and psych realms. (Craig is in also King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard with Kenny-Smith; Shortal plays with Orb, and Blach drums for Beans.)
The overall effect of Calm Ya Farm makes you dance away the absurdity of a world on edge. Kenny Smith described the process and product of this most recent record: “With this record we tried to steer away from all the distortion and dirt and grit, or at least let the grit come off a bit more clean-sounding…Instead of a bunch of people bashing away, it’s more intricate and precise—but at the same there’s a warm, summery, youthful feeling to most of the songs.”
Calm Ya Farm starts off with “Initiative,” a song focused on wobbly desires toward stereotypical adulthood. “It’s about recognizing the need to start taking responsibility for your life instead of always living in the now and killing all your brain cells along the way,” Kenny-Smith explains. “Not in the sense of dropping everything and getting an office job, but just trying to take things more seriously and making sure you’ve lived a life that’s full.” “Initiative” also has an intriguing video directed by Guy Tyzack, where the viewer follows Kenny-Smith wandering through the hills of Australian suburbia.
Another standout track is the recently released single, “Undone and Unashamed,” featuring Kenny-Smith’s first-ever sax solo! In contrast to “Intiative,” where having the “rebel spirit” seems to be celebrated, “Undone and Unashamed” dips into the darker side of committing your life to the endless party. The lyrics say it all: “Strutting down the sidewalk, hopscotch footpath with your wrist in a cast/Whiskey cigarette breath toothless sipping from his hip flask.” The video for “Undone and Unashamed” (directed by Jack Rule) will turn you upside down, or at least try to.
My favorite songs on Calm Ya Farm, though, are “Queen Pinky” and “Catfish.” “Queen Pinky” motivates me to strut around pushing all the bullshit out of my way, like a queen does. Kenny-Smith’s lyrics are all a-glow with love for the queen in question here: “Count your blessings and be thankful for the queen / She’s just doing what she can to work her routine…All hail queen pinky.” According to the band, “Queen Pinky” is a romantic serenade to Kenny-Smith’s new wife, which makes it seem even more special.
“Catfish” musically captures the longing of online catfishing, with all the sonic seduction you would expect. The chorus stretches out, wiggling its fishy whiskers at you, a lush soundscape glittering, full of Craig bringing layers of mellotron, strings, and other equally alluring instruments. Kenny-Smith’s vocals, too, on this track, sink into the lower range of his tenor talents, and the effect is hypnotic.
The Murlocs will celebrate Calm Ya Farm by touring the UK and Europe in September, and I have no doubt these gents put on a fantastic show, so if you’re on that side of the pond, check out their tour dates and get there. (See our coverage from their Nov. 2022 stop in NYC) For the rest of us stateside, take a dip this summer into the sunshine sounds of Calm Ya Farm, and hopefully The Murlocs will come visit us again soon.
Calm Ya Farm is available now via ATO Records and is available on all major streamers.
If you cue up Antarctica, the latest record from Connecticut- based waveform*, you’ll find dream-pop, shoegaze, emo, bedroom-pop, even country. As you can maybe guess from that sentence, it can be hard to pin down a “sound” to describe waveform*. There definitely is a mood here, though: the sun setting through the window of a lonely bedroom, a long drive alone, a casual jam with stoned friends in a basement. RIYL nostalgia, ennui, great guitar work, and “Everything’s Ruined” by Fountains of Wayne, basically.
Waveform* aren’t unknown around these parts of Brooklyn, but I personally heard of them for the first time when I spotted a flyer on my street. The night was still and cold, I was probably a bit too drunk; these are perfect vibes for Antarctica. Jarett Denner and Dan Poppa are the duo behind the band (it’s a short list of personnel: Denner, Poppa, bass on “Antarctica” and “In My Drink” by Sarah Widmann and a co-writing credit to B. Reid Dyer on “Freak Me Out) and they’ve managed to concoct an album that’s both catchy and hard to pin down.
Antarctica opens languidly with the single “Lonely,” a dreamy song with a gorgeous country-tinged guitar solo that sets the tone for the rest of the songs. Next up is “Firework,” a harder-edged grungy track with a crescendo that hits, recedes, and then returns (and also features a great solo.) These first two standouts were also the first two singles, and they were well chosen.
Other highlights on the album include “Ocean” which is airy and cold with a syncopated drumbeat, and “Ballroom,” a surreal whirling 6/8 tune. “In My Drink” is a lazy waltz with one of the prettiest slow guitar solos I’ve heard in a while layered over acoustic strumming and lyrics that sound personal but puzzling: “in the morning we laughed and pretended / that we could love each other again / don’t let yourself confuse wind with the rain / my promise to you.”
In fact, the lyrics in many of these songs are poetic but difficult to tease meaning from, like in “Firework” (“all the bees in the world give a shit / and the flowers always take a hit / for the world you don’t let go / could you benefit a crow”). There are more universal feelings here as well, though, like on “Lonely” (“come home early in the morning / kiss me when you go / i get happy when you call me / on the telephone”).
Overall this record has a lot in common with waveform*’s previous albums, although Antarctica is a bit more expansive, with the band well settled into their sound, however you choose to describe it. With four albums and a split since 2017, waveform* show no signs of slowing down, and their creativity seems to know no bounds.
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 we have a full house and lots of the crew—Chantal [CW], Kate B [KB], Kate H [KH], Kevin [KM], Mike [MB] and Ray [RR]—weighed in on some killer songs and have the scoop on plenty of new tunes, give ’em a listen!
Beach Fossils– Seconds. With yet another single from the upcoming Bunny, Beach Fossils continue to build anticipation for their first studio LP since 2017. This track is the band at their most classic dream pop sound, verses interspersed with instrumentals, and along with a video of candid tour footage edited by singer Dustin Payseur it shows the band in their element. Bunny will be out on Bayonet Records, the label co-founded by Payseur, on June 2nd. [CW]
Big Bliss– Tether. Somber in nature yet almost joyous in tone, Big Bliss released a new single about letting go, and like most of the work from their forthcoming record Vital Return (8/18 Good Eye Records) it lives somewhere enveloped inside the storm of active addiction and it’s aftermath. Singer/guitarist Tim Race shares with us:
“I’ve learned one of the most harmful things an addict/alcoholic can do is to disintegrate in front of the people who care about them. I’ve been on both sides of the coin. In these situations, love breeds fear, which breeds frustration; helplessness breeds rage, and then rage breeds contempt. We try everything: we try boundaries, begging, or bargaining, but eventually we learn that the only person who can save an addict is themselves.”
Race, who’s often very open about his struggles through addiction—along with his brother Cory (drums) and Rose Blanshei (bass)—create soundscapes often as complex as their lyrical content. There’s an airiness due in large part to the wonderful bass melody (provided here by former bassist Wallace May) punctuated by angular beat disruptions by the elder Race. In Big Bliss the guitar often serves to fill and smooth washing over the band’s cool rhythmic textures. Lyrically, the band has never shied away from the deep dive: “I am on your side. Untying the tether. That is a deeply tragic notion, but there is also a complicated catharsis in knowing and accepting that a situation like this is out of our control.” [MB]
Big Girl– Instructions 2 Say Sorry. Big Girl is a band that should always be experienced live. The larger than life sextet, led by wild front-woman Kaitlin Pelkey, knows how to command a stage and quite frankly any room they occupy with their wonderfully electric and often times frenetic live sets. But short of that, cranking the newest single full volume while sliding across your kitchen floor in your socks will definitely suffice. From the onset of its first piercing note, it’s a helluva banger that holds no punches, immediately siren-signaling itself as a call out track for those who refuse to take accountability in both form and fashion. Weaving between impassioned sarcasm, frustration, rage and rhetorical disbelief, Pelkey makes it clear she’s not relinquishing her power in face of other people’s bullshit.
The song’s release coincides with a raucous music video (directed by Sydney Tate) that gets up and close with the band who in turn get up and close with each other and bunch of their friends. This prog-jazz-pop opus manages to create movement in its sound that’s become so intrinsic to their live shows. The hard-panned interlaced guitar chop, the driving drag n’thump of the rhythm section, and escalating urgency in vocal discharge will leave you sorry you haven’t yet caught them live, but there’s still time to rectify such a mistake… with or without instructions. [MB]
Debbie Dopamine– Swimming Pool. We here at Full Time Aesthetic got an early quick peek at the new Debbie Dopamine video for their latest single, “Swimming Pool,” and we are thrilled that it’s now officially out for public consumption. Directed by guitarist/vocalist Katie Ortiz herself and the ever-skilled purveyor of image, John Burgundy Clouse, it’s all the perfect feels for warm weather, swiftly ushering us in to the summer season. Constructed around the ebb and flow of a galloping guitar riff, it finds the trio—rounded out by Dylan LaPointe (bass Debbie) and Zach Rescignano (drum Debbie)—filling misguided space, occupying their time between bleachers and goal posts, and trying to make sense of a lazy summer afternoon in the middle of nowhere USA. Full of adolescent angst and tension, the song’s lyrics throw back to a world of high school summer breaks, curfews, flip phones, and swimming pools.
There’s a ongoing sense of chasing time and grasping at fleeting unfocused freedom. Ortiz (guitar Debbie) sings “In a borrowed car, we wander thru the dark. Let’s get drunk and climb the roof of the high school.” The guitars are impressively clean yet incredibly full, the bassline ultra smooth and melodic, and the drums are quick and crisp. The humid sticky haze to the tone and coloring feels just like a hot August day, as the three Debbies grow restless and make their way thru the fields, scampering through the brush and swept up by the ocean waves. Debbie Dopamine is a band that always finds a unique twist on the smart and clever, asserting here that you’re doing well whether or not you actually are, and that’s just goddamned okay. [MB]
Fishbone– Estranged Fruit. With help from Fat Mike of NOFX, Angelo Moore and Fishbone have released the second single from their upcoming LP, an homage to Billie Holiday’s immortal “Strange Fruit,” a song which came out in 1939 that addressed racially motivated violence and in my humble opinion is one of a very few that should never be covered because it’s just not possible to do the original any justice. I don’t know if Moore feels the same way (I’m going to guess that he does) but his “Estranged Fruit” is what I would consider a reprise to Holiday’s tune (read more about the original here). And unfortunately, we still live in a world where such racial, economic and societal injustices still need to be brought to the forefront so they can end once and for all.
“Estranged Fruit,” with its muted trombone, is a vampy jazz romp that ought to have fans of ‘Bone sashaying and second lining in the aisles; this is even before the song’s closing verse which breaks into a classic Fishbone free-form crescendo. For these ears, we have a potential anthem for the summer of ’23. [RR]
Geese– Mysterious Love. The latest single from NYC’s own Geese, “Mysterious Love,” from their forthcoming album, 3D Country packs in so many styles it’s amazing that it comes in just slightly over three minutes. From its aggressive 90’s era opening punch to the mid-song jam that goes from spoken word to dreamy backing vocals, while frontman Cameron Winter wails “Some people are alone forever,” to the final series of hits that closes it out, their latest release is a banger. And check out the wild video that accompanies it and find out what happens to their poor drummer, Max Bassin. [KM]
Gouge Away– Idealized. The crucial Florida hardcore band (whose 2018 album Burnt Sugar was one of my favorite of that year and would have been on our list had FTA existed then) has just released a new song, their first in three years, that sees them exploring more airy territory, leaning more towards post hardcore and even post rock than straight up hardcore. No complaints from me though, this is an exciting development and direction to see the band going in. The band shared in a statement:
We wrote this song in a Florida storage unit, somewhere on the timeline between tons of touring and the world shutting down. It’s a culmination of everything we like and always wanted to write, and fits the vibe of where we were at mentally at the time. “Idealized” almost never saw the light of day but we like this song so much we felt the need to properly record it and put it out into the world. We have been absolutely dying to play it live.
And you’ll soon have the chance to see them play it live as they also announced an East Coast tour along with the single. They will hit the stage in Brooklyn at Market Hotel on 8/5. [KH]
Happy Death Men– Trying To Say. Picture it, Queens, NYC 2023. It’s late at night and I’m doing some photo editing listening to music when via the Spotify “radio” feature, the shriek of feedback and buzzsaw bass hits my ears. I was intrigued and as the song progressed, I took pause and absolutely had to look up more music by the band coming through my headphones right away. It turns out it was the Portland based band Happy Death Men and the song was called “Kyle.” It stopped me in my tracks and I listened to the rest of the EP, Famous Plane Crash, right away (which incidentally had come out mere days before me finding it). I loved every moment of it but was bummed that it was only five songs long and hated that the band lives on the other side of the country from me because I immediately wanted to see them live.
All other commentary on Spotify (and weird algorithms) aside, I do still use it precisely because I need it as a tool for running a blog and I actually kind of like that feature because it’s led me to some cool discoveries of bands that I might not have found otherwise, this one being a very big highlight of that. (The internet/technocratic world we live in fucking sucks in general and it often feels like there’s no escape. But there can be upsides like this that make it more bearable sometimes.) That’s not the point here though, the point being that this week, the band put out a video for one of the other tracks on the EP, another highlight of the release, “Trying to Say,” and it gave me the excuse to talk about them more in FTA (I listed them as a BC Friday pick for April). Soaked in big dirty bass riffage, pounding drums and as much feedback as a noise punk’s little heart can desire, this one is an absolute fucking ripper. Like I said before in the BC post, this may have just come out, but my greedy ass is already ready for a full length and a tour to NYC. Fingers crossed that all comes to pass soon! [KH]
Hnry Flwr– Cathedral of the Pines. Hnry Flwr frequently draws influence from all over the place, and on their newest single takes us back with a concertedly more retro vibe than on previous endeavors. Chunky synths are married with distorted electronics and overblown percussives, forcing the guitars deep into the background layers. Frontman David Van Witt’s vocals majestically ride the taut bassline allowing them to soar together. The song, quite rich lyrically on its face, draws upon seemingly spiritual components, ideas of Mother Earth woven into imagery of traditional middle America. It’s got an almost Springsteen quality with a Johnny Dynamite delivery with a bit of a Billy Idol twist. It’s a bit of a shift from their earlier material, even from last month’s “The Mystery,” but if there’s one thing I’ve come to expect from Hnry Flwr over the years, it’s to never stop guessing. [MB]
La Sécurité– Serpent. The Montreal-based art punk five-piece La Sécurité creates an angular layered groove here, catching you immediately with driving drums and tambourine shakes with bass, guitar, and synths playing with syncopation, and light and flirtatious vocals in French— it gets you bouncing from the first beat. As for the lyrics, Google translate to the rescue: “I am not the herd. I am the storm serpent.” Complicated friendships are the inspiration for “Serpent,” when words fail and all you can do is have a dance battle. The band says in a statement, “The person it is directed towards loves dancing. It’s a pretty dancy song. We hope they dance to it.”The song also has a fun video of the band playing live and running around Austin at SXSW. Their upcoming debut album Stay Safe! is out June 16th on Mothland. [KB]
Leathered– Prayer. The jangly Americana twinged band from Brooklyn released one of my favorite albums of 2022 and this week FTA premiered their new video for the single “Prayer.” Read more here. [CW]
Night Beats– Thank You. The latest single from the upcoming album Rajan is a psychy tune with a groovy slither and funky beats that when paired with the mysterious Jowdorosky-esque video directed by Vanessa Pla takes on a surreal edge. Night Beats maestro Danny Lee Blackwell writes of the video “Vanessa’s vision… was to highlight the power of transformation as an alchemical process, which reinforces the significance of the simple gesture of saying “Thank You.” Rajan will be out July 14th on Fuzz Club and Suicide Squeeze Records. [CW]
Petal– You Really Love Me. Petal, the musical nom de plum of Philadelphia’s multi talented Kiley Lotz just dropped their latest single, “You Really Love Me” on May 5th. With the help of multi instrumentalist and producer Zack Robbins, “You Really Love Me” has been transformed into a fun bouncy pop tune which ought to be included on everyone’s Summertime Playlist. Long a staple in Petal’s live setlists, “Really Love Me” according to Lotz is a song about them coming to grips with their need for external validation of their artistry. And while previous live iterations of the tune were slower and more somber, this single version clearly reflects Lotz’s appreciation of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac and thus is a lively soundtrack for fun in the sun. [RR]
Safe Houses– Someday Is Starting Now. This Brooklyn based quartet are stalwarts of the Brooklyn DIY scene and this week we premiered their brand new video “Someday Is Starting Now.” Read more about the song here. [KH]
Tightwire– One Foot in the Grave. Heavy and fast, and clocking in at under two minutes, “One Foot in the Grave” encapsulates the adrenaline and violent fun of a moshpit. But as the song’s title reveals, the frenetic energy here is pushed by dark thoughts. The lyrics reveal a desperate desire to give up: ”’Cause every time I try it just gets worse, can someone please just put me in a motherfucking hearse?” This is the second single off of Tightwire’s new album Head Full of Snakes, out on June 9 via Red Scare Industries, and is the first full-length release from the Minneapolis-based pop punk band since 2018. The band shot and edited the video for the song themselves, where we see them rock out thoroughly inside what looks like a plywood shed. Fuck yeah! [KB]
Tilden– Alone with Someone.Brooklyn’s resident groovemasters are back with a smooth dark funk that feels like it belongs to the late night world from which the Brooklyn collective hails. But eventually the sun comes up and Juju and the gang will make you want to grab a tambourine, head to the beach, and fall asleep in the sunshine. With an almost 60s mod spy-track in feel, Jenna Mark carries this one on the keys, with a cold melancholy yet incredibly powerful lead vocal delivery that will make you shiver. Masquerading under the cover of sonic espionage, you can literally hear the casual tension of Di’s fingers on the bass strings while Kallan Campbell and Ryan Laetari’s delicate guitars play like echoes on glass, before tearing thru the ice with a ripping lead to carry you out of the track and back into the light. Tilden is no sleeves on your shoulders, warm sand between your toes, and cool hangs with the real homies, and that’s why we keep coming back. [MB]
Water From Your Eyes– 14. Plucky string-like synths tiptoe at the beginning of “14,” the electricity building and pulsing under Rachel Brown’s vulnerable vocals. “I traced what I erased…I’m ready to throw you up,” they sing. The song feels like reaching back in memories, searching for reasons why. The band describes the song as a “quasi-serial inkblot signifying submission to personal demons and the realization that change is both necessary and inevitable.” Brown also directed the haunting black and white video, featuring them and bandmate Nate Amos contemplating existence on the precipice of waterfalls, while close by masked figures lurk. This the third single from the Brooklyn-based duo’s forthcoming album Everyone’s Crushed (May 26 Matador). They will play a free show at SummerStage with Horsegirl, Iceage and Lifeguard on 7/20. [KB]
Wombo– Slab. Pairing jagged post-punk guitar riffs and percussion along with singer Sydney Chadwick’s smoothed out vocals, “Concrete Slab” manages to create an aural version of the song’s title object, while lyrics like “I was in a field, I had a camera on me / I was practicing balancing for everyone but you / on a wire crossed way up above a building / and when I come down, I’ll be a different person” hint at something deeper than just construction materials. The Slab EP will be out June 9th on Fire Talk. [CW]
