by Kate Bell | Nov 11, 2022
Ian McCuen Westward, to Nowhere (art by Christina Riccio)
Ian McCuen, a self-described “purveyor of sorrow,” has created a haunting musical odyssey through the broken American landscape in their most recent full-length release, Westward, to Nowhere. In addition to composing, arranging, and writing the lyrics for all eighteen of the album’s songs, McCuen also plays a multitude of different instruments here, including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, theatre organ, electric piano, banjo, mandolin, six-string electric bass, percussion, drums, ebow, harmonica, and accordion. They also provide beautiful lead and backing vocals that are often hushed but urgent, like pained melodic whispers. Westward, to Nowhere traverses both time and space (taking us across the so-called heartland with songs named for Independence, MO to Deadwood, SD). This ambitious double album combines “elements of history, folklore, current events, and personal experience,” and weaves a “loose narrative that follows a drifter on a futile journey across the country.”
The excursion begins with the opening song, “Westward,” which starts with some lovely finger-picking on banjo, creating a mood that is nostalgic, reminiscent of old Western movies. McCuen’s vocals here also sound as if they’re singing to us through time, from the past: “I hear the Iron Horse whistling, I see the locomotive’s steam as it departs right on time…’Westward ho! Westward ho!’ And I know that I must go.”
There are many standout tracks along the way in Westward, to Nowhere. “Lonesome Homesteader” offers an organ introduction that falls away into the finger-picked acoustic guitar again and gentle vocals that build to octave layers on the refrain: “And what if in the end I find that I have fucked up my life? Is it really worth it to even try??” Near the song’s end, we hear a beautiful descending cello line from Lissa Reed. Percussion kicks in as the song goes on, too, a steady beat like footsteps on the road or the bounce of a horse and buggy. “The Letter” has a similar intimate desperation in its lyrics, as the singer writes letters to everyone whom they have ever loved (and everyone is gone now). Dear Sister, Dear Old Companion, Dear Old Lover, and finally, Dear Everyone I Have Ever Known. Both “Lonesome Homesteader” and “The Letter” also have evocative videos made by 542 Films.
Westward, to Nowhere jumps out of the past on certain songs to comment on the shame, violence, and structural racism of the United States, historically and right now. “The Plea” washes over you with a twinkling mandolin in the beginning, and McCuen’s vocals repeat the plea to the people of the United States (and beyond): “This is a plea for us all: stand up and join the fight! Let’s rally behind everyone who’s been robbed of their most obvious rights…You sit on the fence, while the world still turns. Can’t you hear the chanting? ‘No justice, no peace!’” Near the end of the album, “American Retreat” has a funereal feel, almost dirge-like as the instrumentation builds from a single electric piano to layers of guitar and train-like noises. The lyrics address the United States itself, and all the false mythology surrounding the American West: “Left for dead on your battlefields. Fooled by lofty speak. Of what an infinite frontier would provide. But all to be found instead. Was a trail of genocide.”
Ian McCuen (photo by Christina Riccio)
Ultimately, the trip ends at a place called Nowhere where wanderers seek forgiveness. We hear the train whistle once more, receding into the distance, the finger-picking on the acoustic guitar slowing down. The traveler has reached his end. McCuen whisper-sings at the last: “I guess this is it, my final resting place. No tomb, no tears, no flowers, just regret for my days. Silently I whisper to no one: I tried, please forgive me, I’m sorry, goodbye.”
Westward, to Nowhere immerses you in atmospheric melancholy with a mix of nostalgia and outrage at an American dream that was failed from the start. Ian McCuen’s work here is outstanding, and they’ve also assembled an impressive group of supporting musicians including Lissa Reed on cello, Sally Schaefer on violin, and Tom Stocklosa on trombone, with mastering by Alex Wieloszynski. If you’re ready to take the beautiful but heartbreaking journey of Westward, to Nowhere, it’s available on Bandcamp and all major streaming platforms now.
by FTA Staff | Oct 21, 2022
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. Becoming releases 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 Bishara will 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]
by FTA Staff | Sep 16, 2022
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of some new things that we dug this week, quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Chantal, Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs, so give em a listen!
As always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so:
Algiers– Bite Back (feat billy woods & Backxwash). Algiers is a band that can’t be pinned down by any one sound, constantly pushing boundaries and making music that is bold and defiant. Band leader Franklin James Fisher goes back back and forth and trades verses with rappers billy woods (of Armand Hammer) and Backxwash, with all three vocalists pulling imbalances of power into sharp focus. On the song multi-instrumentalist and producer Ryan Mahan said: “Shit’s been so real the past few years, we really needed to grow our community of collaborators and make solid the bonds we’ve always felt, particularly with rap heads. And to have the two best rappers around, billy woods AND Backxwash, on the same Algiers-produced track? Pinch me, for real.”
Fisher followed up with “Ryan showed up one day with this beautifully epic instrumental and said, “I’ve got this song and I want to call it ‘Bite Back’. It immediately reminded me why I joined this band and the rest of the song seemed to write itself. It’s a classic example of our Lenin-McCartney dynamic.” With woods adding “Working with Algiers was a dope experience on many levels, and I was even more excited when they said they were shooting a video. Plus knowing Backxwash was involved, I had to do it,” and Backxwash: “This feels like the soundtrack to revolutionary struggle. I am honored to participate side by side with an incredible array of artistry.” While as of now this appears to be a one off and no album was announced along with it, the band teased on Instagram with the song announcement “so much more to come,” exciting new indeed. [KH]
Angel Olsen & Sturgill Simpson– Big Time. Fresh off the success of The Wild Hearts tour with Sharon Van Etten and Julien Baker (see our coverage), Angel Olsen has released an updated version of the title track of her superb new album, Big Time, this time collaborating with celebrated songwriter Sturgill Simpson for a gorgeous new rendition of the song. Of the collaboration Olsen said “It’s crazy to write a song and then watch someone you really admire sing your words; kinda turns the whole thing on its head,” continuing, “I loved the song already, but hearing Sturgill’s take on ‘Big Time’ made me smile ear to ear, he made it come alive on a different level.” Olsen will soon head to the UK and Europe for a month of tour dates, with Tomberlin supporting. [KH]
Babehoven– Stand It. “Stand It,” the second single from Babehoven’s upcoming debut album Light Moving Through Time, is a bittersweet little slice of shoegaze with 90’s vibes. The lo-fi look of the video leans into this, as the visuals evoke the album title. There’s an autumnal feel to this song, perfect for moving into that season. [CW]
Bass Drum of Death– Say Your Prayers. Brand new music from the garage rock greats who just announced a brand new album Say I Won’t (1/27/23 via Fat Possum), it’s a more low-key and nuanced affair than the fuzzier chaotic rock n roll the band is known for. It was co-written with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood, his influence being very obvious on the track, but also a welcome presence in the mix, pushing BDOD to a whole different level.
On their website the band says of the new album “The music still rips, with blown-out guitars and drums that sound like bombs going off, and the melodies are catchier than ever, hollered in [John] Barrett’s trademark yelp. But the music hits differently now, more at peace with itself, propelled by a new swagger,” and that is absolutely evident here in this first offering. This album will also mark the first time the entire touring band was in the studio in the process of making the record rather than singer/guitarist Barrett completing the recordings alone. A compelling change for sure and one I’m very excited to hear the end result of when the album drops next year. See our coverage from their recent show at Market Hotel. [KH]
The Bobby Lees– Ma Likes To Drink. Full of fuzzy mega riffs, nasty bass and busy drums, this last preview taste of their upcoming album, Bellevue (10/7 via Ipecac Recordings), is full of goddamn attitude with an assload of swagger and we are HERE for it. The garage punk wizzes will play a sure to be raucous release show at Baby’s All Right on 10/25 with support from Native Sun and Dead Tooth. [KH]
Dehd– Eggshells. On the heals of their album Blue Skies which was released this past May, Dehd have returned with a brand new stand alone single, “Eggshells.” Expanding upon their bedroom pop aesthetic, they touch the edges of alt country and indie gloom, soaking everything in reverb along the way. Via a press release they also share that they took cues from “escapist fantasies and Jodorowsky films,” and that their “melancholic euphoria turns off all the lights and lets the Utopian tableaux come to life, with the band roaming the desertion search of catharsis and freedom.” The band will soon embark on a lengthy tour that will see them criss cross North America and Europe; they will hit NYC on 10/21 at Brooklyn Steel. [KH]
Hammered Hulls– Rights and Reproduction. The first single from the debut full length by this post hardcore/punk supergroup and it’s already one of my most anticipated records of the final quarter of the year. Read more here. [KH]
Heavy Lag– Splitting Headache. A hot and fresh two minutes from the Brooklyn power pop meets pop-punk wunderkinds. This song is part of their debut full length, Another Year Closer to Whatever, which arrives 10/31 via Bloated Kat and though brief, it’s chock full of hooks and packs a melodic punch. Just try and listen to this without it running around your head for hours afterward. Catch the band on 9/22 at No Aloha. [KH]
Ian McCuen– Lonesome Homesteader. Buffalo based singer songwriter Ian McCuen has released “Lonesome Homesteader,” the thoughtful first single from their upcoming album, Westward, To Nowhere. McCuen tells us the album “Combin[es] elements of history, folklore, current events, and personal experience, Westward, To Nowhere is a concept album with a loose narrative that follows a drifter on a futile journey across the country; it deals with themes of isolation and searching for purpose against the desolate reality of American life.” Pulling from the deep well of Americana music, this first single shows off not only McCuen’s chops as a songwriter but also their beautifully subdued voice which is layered in parts and a single presence in others, set against the backdrop of lovely finger picked acoustic guitar, fiddle and mandolin. The full album releases on November 11th and is highly anticipated here at FTA. [KH]
Keefchamber– The Smoke Deity/Hands of a Wizard. NJ’s Keefchamber comes at you with a brand new two song demo that sees the band expand beyond their blackened stoner doom sensibilities. Normally a duo of bass and drums, these two songs feature guitar which adds a depth to the band’s already heavy sound and really shows off their songwriting prowess. “The Smoke Deity” recalls some of the psych drone qualities of a band like Queen Elephantine, while “Hands of a Wizard,” hits a straight up punk feel before heading into a slowed down psychy interlude before swinging back again to driving punk. I love this turn in their sound and am very much looking forward to an eventual full length from this group. [KH]
Laurel Canyon– Drop Out/Tangiers Laurel Canyon’s newest double single “Drop Out/Tangiers” would fit in well on an 80’s Sonic Youth record, with distortion, fuzz and a bit of jangle pushing forward under the shouted vocals. In fact, the cover art was done by Savage Pencil of “Death Valley ’69” fame. Their Steve Albini-recorded debut album will be out next year on Agitated Records. Catch them live on 10/1 at Sovereign. [CW]
Mauskovic Dance Band– Bukaroo Bank. A spacey, funky post punk meets dub jam from this Dutch outfit (who are all IRL family and related), it is the wonderfully weird title track from their upcoming album, Bukaroo Bank, due out 10/28 via Bongo Joe Records. Synth, sax, guitar and bongos all weave together with an incredibly infectious bass line, recalling the late 70s collision of no wave and post punk as it careened full on into the new wave of the 80s; there’s a little something for everyone in the mix here. This band is known for their unique take on post punk and “make madcap music intent on expanding musical universes,” and “ecstatic music for the body” that can be “escapist if you wish it to,” all of which feel totally on point and the most apt descriptors for this eccentric band. Keep your ears ready for this full length which is sure to be a wild ride. [KH]
Metz– Come On Down (feat. Joe Talbot)/Heaven’s Gate. Any day there’s new music from Metz is a good day for me. And combine that with IDLES, then life has just gone and made my week as both of these bands are massive in my life. The band said via their Instagram “‘Come On Down’ was originally recorded during the Atlas Vending sessions but never fully finished. During the pandemic collaboration was a way to fill the void left by the loss of live music and get that feeling of community that gigs provide. We reached out to Joe Talbot (IDLES) who is a longtime friend and who METZ has shared the stage with many, many times, and this song was a very natural and fun way to catch up with him and do something positive with our time off the road.” For fans of both groups, it is quite the treat to hear the signature raging noise of Metz with Joe Talbot on the mic, with Alex Edkins jumping in with his urgent yells on the choruses for the cherry on top. The song is accompanied by a striking music video directed by Arturo Baston.
The flip side of comes in the form of “Heaven’s Gate,” which the band says is a song they “wrote back in 2019 that was originally released in the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, we’re super excited for it to be widely available now.” Both songs fit in neatly within the Metz canon and come just ahead of their tour in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of their self-titled debut album. The tour will hit Warsaw on 10/22. [KH]
My Son The Doctor– Mesh. Brooklyn’s favorite power punks, My Son The Doctor, are back with a fresh new track this week. Chock full of smart lyrical humor, quirky delivery, big guitar highs, and rhythmic valleys, all wrapped up in gang vocal hooks, and neatly packed into two minutes, it fully delivers on what’s become a signature sound for the quartet. Complete with a super satisfying stop-go a quarter way thru, “Mesh” will be your go-to for all your playlists this Fall. [MB]
Niño– Call Your Number. This synth disco pop track is the latest from drummer/vocalist/producer Roger Cabrera aka Niño. An infectious bop that recalls the disco grooves of the 1970s blending seamlessly with the new wave glam of the 1980s, this is a mini party ready made for the dance floor or for getting yourself pumped up on your morning commute. [KH]
Salamander– Water. A combination of synthy glitch core meets laid back indie rock styling, Brooklyn’s Salamander brings us an ode to drinking water. Yes water—though my take is, perhaps, it’s actually a self care anthem because hydration is important after all! The band tells us “it is a unique spin on the sort of experimental pop songwriting and production that has gained momentum in the 2020s,” and indeed, it does contain a deep vein of experimentation and the nuanced layers of texture to match. They will soon release a four song EP, tooth/waste, so keep your eyes peeled on their social media for announcements. [KH]
Show Me The Body– We Came To Play. The genre bending hardcore band just announced their third album, Trouble The Water, and have shared the first single, “We Came To Play.” The song is built around acrid guitars and nu-metal inspired bass for heeeeavy feel and plenty of floor punching in the pit vibes. [KH]
