by FTA Staff | Jul 7, 2023
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 Chantal [CW], Emily [EA], Kate B [KB], Mike [MB] and Ray [RR] weighing in on some killer songs and they have the scoop on plenty of new tunes, give ’em a listen!
Anohni and the Johnsons– Why Am I Alive Now? A gorgeous and emotional third single off of My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross, released on July 7 via Rough Trade/Secretly Canadian. The new record is Anohni’s first full album in seven years and her first album in over a decade with The Johnsons. “Why Am I Alive Now?” begins with acoustic guitar and a single-note wandering piano line as Anohni’s uniquely beautiful voice floats in, singing the painful words of the song’s title. The music builds in intensity slowly, with the drums and bass joining in with a soft latin jazz groove, and electronic piano sparkling at the edges. Rob Moose—who has worked with Phoebe Bridgers, Bon Iver, Miley Cyrus—plays strings on the track. Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer directed the accompanying video which features three exquisite trans women in diaphanous gowns running through an abandoned industrial complex, a sad ocean in the distance. The song and the video are stunningly haunting and moving in that particular Anohni aesthetic that her fans have come to know and love. I can’t wait to get lost in the entirety of My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross. Welcome back, Anohni! We missed you! [KB]
Baby Got Back Talk– I’m Sorry I’m a Moron, But Also, Help. The NYC-based “D-I-why?-because-we-gotta punk party” band Baby Got Back Talk rocks out with this new single from their forthcoming EP, Wince, Repeat. The guitars jolt out from the first second, with several different catchy hooks, and vocalist/bassist G’Ra’s smooth tenor shimmers on top of this raucous bash of a song. The track takes you on a journey, playing with dynamics, with a lot of quick stops where the instruments fall away and you get to really enjoy the vocals before the band comes charging back in to shake you again.
G’Ra described the unfortunate event that inspired the song in a statement: “Rhi, our synth op, is a master baker of ~infused~ desserts by day. One time they left some of their handiwork at my apartment and I mistook a cookie that Rhi made for a normal cookie. As a result I became painfully, unbearably high for the first time in my overwhelmingly straight-edge life. When I realized my mistake, I texted the band group chat ‘I’m sorry I’m a moron, but also, help.’ We thought the immortal phrase was a fitting title for our new single, which is about hoping for compassion even when you know your problems are your fault.”
The video takes you on an adventure through one long unbroken shot following G’Ra and bandmates in what seems like a basement club, offering pool tables and spilled games of Jenga, ending with the group rocking out in a psychedelic black-and-white striped room. Wince, Repeat is due out July 21st on Wiretap Records. [KB]
Be Your Own Pet– Goodtime. Fabulous mid-aughts garage outfit Be Your Own Pet have blessed us with their third new single of the decade after what had been a 14-year hiatus. “Goodtime!” is as invigorating and spontaneous as the exclamation point suggests, and not without a healthy dose of lead singer Jemima Pearl’s classic tongue-in-cheek passive-aggressive sarcasm for good measure. “I don’t wanna be left behind / when everyone else is having a good time!” she sings, but I don’t think anyone’s getting left behind: Pearl’s iconic spoken-word rants and brilliant lack of subtly are ‘00s BYOP staples, and this catchy commentary on FOMO, aging, and responsibility picks up where they left off. “And that’s another thing,” Pearl bemoans in the song, “No one ever calls me! / Is everyone hanging out without me? What the fuck!”
It’s that familiar forthright insecurity that they have always sprinkled throughout their tracks, adolescent, almost—but apparently dreadfully grown-up too. Be Your Own Pet barely had the chance to scratch the surface of their brilliance in their short time together all those years ago, and “Goodtime!” is an example of what their unique style and killer songwriting techniques can do with a decade of new perspectives under their belts. The video, directed by Luigi Sibona, is itself ageless and vividly fun—the type of fun you might fear you’re missing out on when you’re older and saddled with responsibilities, but also the type of fun that Be Your Own Pet knows you can always find no matter how many mortgages you have. And sure, maybe the days of Becky’s envy-fueled teenage homicides are over, but I think Pearl and the band’s thirty-something punk rock shenanigans will be just as outrageous. “Goodtime!” will be featured on BYOP’s new album Mommy, out 8/25 on Third Man Records. [EA]
Becca Mancari (featuring Brittany Howard)- Don’t Even Worry. This one is a feel-good mid-tempo pop pleaser from the Nashville-based singer/songwriter Becca Mancari. Gorgeously layered strings blend with electric guitar strums, while Mancari’s voice floats over it all, supported in harmony on the verses by their Bermuda Triangle bandmate, Brittany Howard (also of Alabama Shakes). The vocals merge in unison for the reassurance of the chorus, as they both sing, “Don’t even worry, I’ve got you.” Mancari intends the song to be an anthem of support for the underrepresented, as well as a tribute to the friends who stay close in tough times. In a statement, Mancari said, “Hey, I know that the world often says it’s not made for us, and I know that this weight can be too heavy sometimes, but when you’re down and feel lost I will carry you through it, and vice versa, because we don’t give up on each other, and I got you.” The video, directed by Sophia Matinazad, features Mancari and Howard rocking out in the countryside, driving around in a pick-up truck laughing, and finally smashing glass bottles and jugs with baseball bats. It’s a lot of fun. “Don’t Even Worry” is the second single Mancari has released off of their upcoming album Left Hand, out on Captured Tracks on August 25. [KB]
Blanket Approval– Happy Alone, Pt. 2. Brooklyn indie rock band Blanket Approval’s newest track is jazzy and fresh. A pleasing blend of groovy guitar solos, moody synths, and delightful harmonies, “Happy Alone, Pt. 2” is danceable and hip, almost psychedelic in a way that reminds me of of Montreal. “Can I reconstruct this fragile self-esteem? / Can I take this moment just for me?” — A hypnotic ode to loneliness, the song is infectious in its subdued joy. It’s hard not to feel a little gleeful listening to it without anyone else around, because the lyrics are relentlessly liberating: “I wanna have some fun / with my identity,” goes one verse, “Lay bare in the sun / nothing feels so free!” Definitely the kind of thing you can dance to alone in your room. I mean, I’m not saying I did. Also not saying I didn’t. But, like, you could. Hypothetically… Anyway, you can catch Blanket Approval on tour right now, and at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC Saturday, July 22nd. [EA]
Blonde Redhead– Melody Experiment. The pensive second single off of the upcoming Sit Down for Dinner launches you into a vibrating landscape of echoing synth and staccato guitar, with Kazu Makino’s bass pulsing steadily underneath. The soft beauty of Makino’s vocals contrast with the sharp betrayal reflected in the lyrics: “How would you feel if I kept you secret? / I didn’t know what I was afraid of / Well I felt somewhat abandoned / I felt abandoned myself, didn’t I?” Makino describes the song as a conversation between two people who understand their relationship differently: “One is questioning the intentions, integrity, and consequences of one’s emotions and actions. She is hypersensitive. The other keeps things simple, allowing himself to go with the flow. Musically, I was able to find something that is quite true and natural to myself, and now I want to continue on this path.” Makino, along with her bandmates, the Italian twin brothers Amedeo and Simone Pace, will be touring the US, UK, and Europe this summer into fall to support the release of Sit Down for Dinner (via section 1 on September 29th), coming to Brooklyn Steel on November 10th, and making a special appearance at a vinyl and dinner bundle event at Public Records on September 28th. [KB]
Blur– St. Charles Square. As much as I love Blur (they are the hands-down winner of the Britpop Wars if you ask me) I never got around to listening to 2015’s The Magic Whip, and honestly forgot it existed, so news that they were releasing another album surprised me much more than it should have. But now I’m playing catch-up, and the second single from the upcoming The Ballad Of Darren is great. Featuring a Graham Coxon guitar riff that’s just as catchy as any of their vintage work, it’s fun and weird like the best Blur songs are. What do the lyrics mean? “‘Cause there is something down here / and it’s living under the floorboards / it’s grabbed me round the neck with its long and slender claws.” Who knows! What I do know is that Blur fucking rules and they don’t even seem that much older, which is kind of unfair, because I feel old as shit when I remember buying their Best Of video compilation on VHS and pausing a lot during the “Girls and Boys” video at seventeen. Godspeed, dudes. [CW]
The Clientele– Claire’s Not Real. When I pressed play on this single, I wondered if I had accidentally hit one of the “coffee shop jazz” YouTube videos I use for background atmosphere in the mornings. Very chill and very gentle, the latest single off of the upcoming I Am Not There Anymore (out July 28th on Merge) incorporates bossa nova beats with guitar and strings to evoke a hazy mood. Known for using imagery in his songwriting, singer Alasdair MacLean says of the song: “I was in Cercedilla in Spain in summer 2020…There was suddenly a rain of ash and an orange glow on the horizon, and I read on my phone that nearby Ávila was burning with forest fires. This moment found its way into several songs on the album.” Coincidentally, our own skies now fill with smoke above, so stay inside this weekend and bliss out to this track while waiting for The Clientele to stop by on tour at Bowery Ballroom on August 10th. [CW]
Divide and Dissolve- Want. The intro track to Systemic, the newest album from Melbourne, Australia’s Divide and Dissolve, “Want” uses looping, anticipatory sounds to twine into listeners ears and prime them for the record to come. Saxophonist/guitarist Takiaya Reed says: “Want’ is a deep dive into longing within a decolonial framework. We can want many things, but how will it happen? What is necessary, what systems must be broken in order for people to live?” The accompanying video drives this point home, spinning along with the music (a warning for those who may have issues with flashing or spinning imagery). Of the video, director Sepi Mashiahof says “the concept for the video emulates this kind of infant yearning for worlds beyond our current heartbreaking reality. There are so many beautiful textures above our heads that are inaccessible (as there are so many desired modes of existence that are inaccessible), and the rotation emphasizes the limbo of what that desire feels like. Trying to reach something, but succumbing to the loop of failure. Still, that infant yearning is persistent, and that compliments the need for hope and cements the importance of idealism as essential tools in our greater struggles for liberation.” Systemic is out now on Invada, and the band will be touring Australia and Europe this summer. (Watch out for North American dates; they impressed us when they opened for Low.) [CW]
Jeff Rosenstock– Doubt. It wasn’t long ago when cryptic “Wingding” messages started popping up on Rosenstock’s socials. After much back and forth conjecture on the interwebs, Jeff and crew dropped “Doubt,” the second single from his forthcoming Hellmode LP (release date 9/01/2023). “Doubt” starts off with an unassuming drum beat from Kevin Higuchi before we get a quiet floating guitar riff (more indicative to a band like Real Estate than Jeff Rosenstock) which proceeds into a melodic and meandering vocal from Rosenstock. It’s not until almost the 3 minute mark that we are clubbed over the head with the skronky guitar which we’ve come to know and love from him. Then it’s the sing along chorus of “You gotta chill out with the doubt, the doubt, the doubt” over and over until the song runs its course to a “slow motion breakdown”. And just like that what appeared to be a kinda big departure all of a sudden is warm, fuzzy and most importantly LOUDLY familiar. [RR]
Linnea’s Garden (featuring Carissa Johnson)- In The City. This fun psych-rock-meets-disco track will get you dancing. The song is a collaboration between Boston-based glam punk band Linnea’s Garden and the Brooklyn-based indie rock artist, Carissa Johnson. Inspired by late nights in Brooklyn clubs, the essence of “In The City” is well-captured in a dizzy video where we follow Carissa and Linnea (vocals/guitar of Linnea’s Garden) through a wild night of dance floors and graffiti-coated bathrooms in various BK hotspots (including Our Wicked Lady). The flirtatious vibe here is beckoning, as the lyrics reflect: “Come up and see what you want.” The single is out now via A Diamond Heart Production/Cocoon Songs. [KB]
Onesie– Anemone in Lemonade. A power pop pleaser that plays with dynamics, stops and starts, showing off Ben Haberland and company’s abilities to create a variety of guitar-drenched sonic landscapes. The track begins with jangly guitar and a slithery bass line, Haberland’s strong vocals sitting on top in the mix. Then all sounds drop out except for a quiet guitar, but then the band surges back, more rocking than before, the guitars more distorted. “Anemone in Lemonade” moves much like the sea creature of its title, turning in on itself to hide in some moments and then exploding out again with unexpected new color. Liminal Hiss (due out on Totally Real Records/Pillow Sail Records/Kool Kat on August 18) is the third full album from Haberland, drummer Josh Inman, and bassist Rob Lanterman, and they’ll be celebrating on 8/18 at The Sultan Room with Irrevery and Strange Neighbors. [KB]
Ratboys– The Window. The title track from Ratboys upcoming fifth studio album, “The Window” has an epic sense, building from a quiet beginning to kick into the band’s classic indie-country sound about a minute and a half in, until the climax is nearly fist-pumping. Singer and guitarist Julia Steiner uses the image of the window as something to look through and pass through but that also separates, singing “I saw you through the window / we locked eyes and the window / was open, felt the wind blow / I looked in, and I felt you with me.” Of the song’s themes, Steiner says it deals with the death of her grandmother in 2020. “She didn’t have Covid, but because of the pandemic my grandpa wasn’t able to visit her in person at the nursing home to say goodbye. He ended up standing outside her room and saying goodbye through an open window. A lot of the lyrics are direct quotes of things he said to her in those final moments.” The cinematic tone of the song is reflected in the poignant video. The Window will be out August 25 on Topshelf Records, and Ratboys will be at Bowery Ballroom on September 27th with Free Range. [CW]
Slow Pulp– Slugs. On this ode to summer crushes, the beat ambles along at a moderate pace as the song takes its sweet time, with fuzzy guitars and singer Emily Massey’s casual croon blending into each other. Apparently the chords derive from one of the first songs guitarist/producer Henry Stoehr ever wrote, one for his own sixth grade crush, something I find charming. Slow Pulp lean into the summer theme on the video as the Chicago-based band road trips through the desert. Their new album Yard will be out on ANTI- September 29th, while the band hits NYC on November 1st at Bowery Ballroom. [CW]
Two Man Giant Squid– Progress. Chalk another one up to the unpredictability of progress. One thing that is starting to become quite predictable, however, is Two Man Giant Squid’s ability to deliver sing-along bangers chock full of triumphant hooks you can move to. The Mitch Vinokur solo moniker turned-fice-piece storm of chaos, just dropped a post-punk bass drum groove driver full of big guitar slices landing somewhere between Jim Carroll Band and Vue. When dared in undertaking the follow up to their beloved Fall 2021 earworm hit “Versechorus,” Two Man Giant Squid accepted that challenge, and that’s “Progress.” [MB]
Wetsuit– Local Celebrity. This song tells an embarrassing Craigslist origin story involving a long distance relationship, an ex-boyfriend opening for Surfer Blood, and the Mercury Lounge. There’s just something about Allison Becker, vocalist and guitarist for Substitute Scene Records’ newest addition to the roster, Wetsuit, that just somehow screams good times and fond memories; past, present, and future all bottled tight, and wrapped up in a mop of curls and one hell of a powerful voice. An accompanying music video blending actual footage from her 2004 Bat Mitzvah seamlessly intercut with a faithful recreation of the momentous occasion amongst her bandmates and friends.
The indie rock quartet—rounded out by guitarist Anders Nils, bassist Paul DeSilva, and drummer Stephen Cadieux—lures you in with its Midwest bedroom-pop sensibilities. But there’s a fire beneath its familiarity. The guitar work between Nils and Becker burn and grumble organically ambling their way between dreamy and hazy. Relentless yet unassuming in its attack, DeSilva and Cadieux drive and shuffle the song’s pocket like pillow-fight creating space for the vocals to really shimmer. Beyond the raw force and unique quality to Becker’s voice (which brushes up against the old-school country trill and warble of legends like Patsy Cline and Rosalie Allen), she employs an impressive emotional range and lyrical honestly that cuts through the track with poise and control. [MB]
Worriers– Trust Your Gut. Following Warm Blanket, their home-recorded album released earlier this year, Lauren Denitzio and company return with “Trust Your Gut,” the title track off their first studio album in years. The high-energy song will get you bouncing with driving guitars and punchy synth lines, Denitzio’s crystal clear voice soaring over it all. They described the writing and recording process as a lot of fun, and the track has a positive message of trusting yourself. The video, directed by Chelsea Christer, was inspired by the film Empire Records, and depicts Denitzio and friends throwing a party to save a local queer bar. On the song and video, Denitzio says, “I thought it would be a good match for the video to be an interpretation of Empire Records where we’re saving a queer bar instead of a record store—just a fun way to claim space and community and see yourself in something when outside forces are working against you. Queer interpretations are some of my favorite things to talk about, and I’ll never turn down a chance to incorporate queer joy into our work!” The full album, Trust Your Gut, will be released via Ernest Jenning Record Co. on September 15, featuring band members Atom Willard (Against Me!, Social Distortion), Franz Nicolay (The Hold Steady), Frank Piegaro, and Cayetana’s Allegra Anka. [KB]
by FTA Staff | May 26, 2023
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]
by Ray Rusinak | Dec 21, 2022
Jeff Rosenstock and Laura Stevenson at Bowery Ballroom (photo by Ray Rusinak)
It was November 2019 when Jeff (Rosenstock) and Laura (Stevenson) unexpectedly released an EP of Neil Young covers called Still Young on Polyvinyl Records. At the time, Rosenstock stated that although he’d always considered Young to be an artist that he “should” like, he’d never really spent much time with his catalog. That is until his friend and sometimes collaborator Laura Stevenson encouraged him to do so. The resulting four song EP turned out to prove that Rosenstock’s sometimes scraggly voice was quite well suited to Young’s tunes, and of course Stevenson on the sweeter lead vocals, as well as harmonies, made this an ideal project. Anyway, we got a small glimpse as to what they could do with this material live when the duo did their duets of “Through My Sails” and “Harvest Moon” at Rosenstock’s December 2019 residency at Trans-Pecos.
Subsequently, Rosenstock moved to LA, Stevenson started a family and the world came to a stand still for nearly two years. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue and into the black (bonus points if you see what I did there), the two dropped a second EP of Young covers to the complete surprise of their fans. Younger Still arrived on streaming services in November of this year and with it, news of an impending limited run tour was announced. Hitting select cities on the West Coast first, then the Midwest and finally the North East, Rosenstock and Stevenson planned to do a duets tour combining the Young material along with individual solo nuggets from each of their catalogs.
The shows in LA, San Francisco and Joshua Tree went off perfectly only to have Stevenson subsequently come down with Covid and the Midwest portion of the tour having to be postponed. (Those dates have since been rescheduled for February.) Fortunately though, last weekend’s North East segment of the tour went off without a hitch, playing Boston, NY, Philly and Woodstock on consecutive nights. On this leg they were joined by opening act Gladie.
Speaking of Gladie, their opening set was a perfect prelude for Rosenstock and Stevenson. They released their second LP Don’t Know What You’re In Until You’re Out last month and if you haven’t heard it yet, what are you waiting for? It’s fantastic. Augusta Koch and Matt Schimelfenig have hit it out of the park with this on; It’ll most certainly be in my 2022 top 10 for the year. Joined on stage on bass for this show was Koch’s friend and former bandmate in Cayetana, Allegra Anka. After opening up their set with “When You Leave The Sun” from 2020’s debut LP Safe Sins, Koch and the rest of Gladie ripped through a healthy dose of material off of the new one culminating with a rocking hard version of “Born Yesterday.” I’ve had the pleasure to catch Gladie a handful of times this year and their progression as a unit is mind blowing. By all means you all should be paying attention to this band.
Gladie
After a brief break between sets (which saw Rosenstock and Stevenson doing their own setup on stage), the two came out to the walk up sounds of South Park’s Eric Cartman’s rousing rendition of “O Holy Night.” Following some tuning and a little back and forth banter, the two started things up with what I find to be the most interesting of their Neil Young covers. (Full disclosure…I am a full on Neil geek. I consider him amongst the Pantheon of songwriters, so I am by no means objective when it comes to his body of work). “Razor Love” is a relatively obscure lilting love tome from Young’s 2000 release Silver and Gold. With the opening drum machine beats and Rosenstock’s strained upper register on the opening verse followed by Stevenson’s gorgeous harmonies on the chorus, it was very clear from the get go that we were in for quite a treat.
Without missing a beat, the pair went right into “Comes A Time,” the same segue which they use on the EP. Picking the vibe of the room up at least a notch, by the time the first chorus of “oh this old world keeps spinning ‘round” kicks in, the entire venue was singing along. Now, for anyone who’s ever been to a Rosenstock show, the crowd singing along to every word should come as no surprise. But this was a Neil Young song being serenaded back, not Rosenstock’s own lyrics. Not only that, but this song was clearly written and originally released years before most of this crowd was even a glimmer in their parent’s eyes. So that was pretty cool. By the way, Stevenson absolutely NAILED the original vocal harmonies which were initially sung by Nicolette Larson on Neil’s Comes A Time album. (I warned you about my Neil geekiness.)
Jeff Rosenstock
Next up we would get Rosenstock’s “9/10,” his “classic” from 2018’s POST–, with its love song lament of riding the subway stoned “thinking of you.” Of course Stevenson sang on the original album version so no surprises there as to her harmonies. She would then pull one out of the deep cuts bag of tricks with “A Shine To It” off of her 2010 album, thoughtfully called A Record. The duo would follow this recipe of doing two Neil tunes followed by a Jeff song and a Laura song, rinse and repeat. Ultimately we would get to hear all eight of the songs from the two Neil Young EPs.
I would also be totally remiss if I didn’t bring up the stage banter that would persist throughout the evening. Stage banter which I can honestly say was almost as entertaining and important to the overall show as the actual music itself. This duo has known each other for a very long time after all, going back to their teenage years in Long Island. They know and appreciate each other as only life long friends can. The back and forth between them throughout the evening was oftentimes hilarious. It was slapstick comedy right out of the Burns and Allen mold to the point I wouldn’t have been surprised at all if they closed the evening off with Jeff calling across the stage to Laura, ‘Say good night Laura.” For those of you who don’t know who or what I’m talking about, Google that shit.
Laura Stevenson
The main set would conclude with a couple of vintage Young tunes from the mid 70’s, “Through My Sails” from Zuma and the epic “Ambulance Blues” from On The Beach. Upon leaving the stage the crowd immediately began chanting like it normally would at a sporting event. Except in this case instead of “LET’S GO SO AND SO!” it was “HEALTHY BABY!” a reference to a comment that Stevenson had made earlier in the show that after all of them (herself, husband and baby) having Covid, they were all healthy now. Nonetheless, this chant brought the duo out again pretty quickly, both with embarrassed smiles plastered to their faces.
And the adoring crowd were treated to a two song encore which I’m not sure anyone would have guessed. First up it was a blast from the past with Bomb The Music Industry’s “Wednesday Night Drinkball” followed by “Rockin’ In The Free World” which just might be one of the most perfect encore closers ever written. It was also the only Neil Young tune performed which was not part of either of the EPs. All in all what a wonderful evening of true friendship, fantastic camaraderie, funny rambling banter and most of all, beautiful music.
Scroll down for setlist, fan shot vids, pics of the show (photos by Ray Rusinak)
Setlist: Razor Love*, Comes A Time*, 9/10+, A Shine To It^, After the Gold Rush*, Hey Babe*, Living Room NY^, The Beauty of Breathing+, Harvest Moon*, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere*, Emily In Half^, All Ages Shows%, Through My Sails*, Ambulance Blues* Encore: Wednesday Night Drinkball%, Rocking’ In the Free World*
*Neil Young cover
+Jeff Rosenstock original
^Laura Stevenson original
% Bomb The Music Industry! original
From Philly 12/17/22
GLADIE
JEFF ROSENSTOCK & LAURA STEVENSON
by Ray Rusinak | Oct 6, 2022
The Gaslight Anthem at Pier 17 (photo by Ray Rusinak)
Back in March of this year, New Jersey punk rock and rollers The Gaslight Anthem kind of blew up the internet (well at least the small segment of the internet that follows them) with news that the band was coming out of their self imposed hiatus and would be hitting the road again as well as having plans to start work on new material. The four original band members—Brian Fallon, Alex Rosamilia, Alex Levine, and Benny Horowitz—along with touring member Ian Perkins, had decided after their year long tour back in 2015 behind their fourth studio album, Get Hurt, that the band would be shutting it down (at least temporarily). Needless to say, fans of the band were crushed.
Then in 2018 the boys announced that they would be hitting the road for a very limited number of shows to celebrate their seminal ‘59 Sound album’s 10th anniversary. Initially it was going to be a one off show at NYC’s Gov Ball but that soon morphed into a string of shows mostly in the UK, the northeast US and Chicago. Unfortunately when that tour ended it became pretty clear that the band would once again be going their separate ways. All four original members had their own things going on and primary songwriter, singer and guitarist, Brian Fallon, often made it clear in both interviews as well as his onstage banter that the band would not be getting back together anytime soon. I even recall one comment which he made at a solo show at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ how he would probably be gray and bald by the time Gaslight got together again.
So when the news of a tour and new material was announced it was no surprise that TGA’s legions of fans became somewhat frenzied in terms of where they were playing, how were tickets going to be procured and which shows would be destination events. In the original announcement there was no NYC show, with the closest being Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Arts Center, a rather LARGE seated tin shed of an outdoor amphitheater. Roughly a month or so after the initial run of shows went on sale, it was announced that TGA would be playing Pier 17 in New York City along with Brooklyn’s favorite DIY son Jeff Rosenstock.
Let me first say that Pier 17 is certainly a beautiful location to see a show. With the breathtaking view of the Brooklyn Bridge behind the stage, both bands wisely elected to not use their normal stage backdrops. That being said, it is a significantly frillier venue than what Gaslight or Rosenstock normally play. Rosenstock, jokingly after hitting the stage with his song “USA” exclaimed to the crowd that he was thrilled to be back in New York but “I apologize for being so bougie.” Yes, indeed, this was quite a jump from the days of playing places like Silent Barn and Trans-Pecos in Rosenstock’s case or even New Brunswick, NJ’s iconic Court Tavern in Gaslight’s case. Nonetheless, Jeff and his band of John DeDomenici (bass), Kevin Higuchi (drums), Mike Huguenor (guitar) and Dan Potthast (keys, acoustic guitar & sax) ripped through their set with reckless abandon. While the set obviously couldn’t be as extensive as usual, being as Rosenstock was the opener, we were still treated to a set which while heavy on his latest album No Dream, and hit on material from each of his earlier offerings (with the exception of his first solo LP, I Look Like Shit).
Jeff Rosenstock at Pier 17
Gaslight Anthem took the stage around 8:20, jumping right into it with what has been the regular show opener “Have Mercy,” a bonus track off of the deluxe version of 2014’s Get Hurt. Now let me get this out of the way right now: As excited and anxious as Gaslight’s fanbase was when the tour was initially announced, is exactly how critical, disappointed and downright fickle many of the more vocal fans have been throughout the tour thus far. “The sets are too short”, “the sets are too mellow,” “the sets aren’t varied enough,” “Brian talks too much,” etc. These comments have been flooding the Gaslight facebook groups, Twitter and Reddit since the tour began. And these are the band’s most vociferous fans by the way. Unfortunately, I exposed myself to too much of this stuff prior to the show, so I came into the evening with jaded and confused eyes.
Next up was one of my favorite songs off my favorite album of theirs, “Old White Lincoln” from ‘59 Sound. With its classic line “you in your high top sneakers and your sailor tattoos” along with Alex Rosamilia’s cascading guitar fills it has always made this one of the band’s quintessential songs to my ears; to me it almost perfectly defines the band. Well at this show the boys crushed this one. Was the tempo slowed down compared to the album? Yes, but damn, it sounded great! Following that was another bouncing rocker, this one from American Slang, “The Sound Of Jazz.” Using the line about meeting on the New York streets as a segue, Fallon would go on his first extended monologue of the evening waxing poetic about how beautiful the view from the stage was, with the downtown Manhattan skyline in front of him and the Midtown version behind him. It was around now where he made the first self deprecating joke about mistakenly thinking the Empire State Building was in front of him (downtown). This same joke would be repeated a couple of times throughout the evening.
The next couple of songs were a mix of tunes both slow and uptempo from Get Hurt and Handwritten. It was during this section of the show where we did get some more of Brian’s rambling. This time about drummer Benny Horowitz having celebrated a past Rosh Hashanah at Jeff Rosenstock’s house. Not to be one upped, Fallon made it known that all he ever got to do was go to a BBQ at Bruce Springsteen’s, who, by the way was not going to show up this evening. And no, there would be no refunds for disappointed fans. No malice intended whatsoever, it really did come across quite hilariously.
The Gaslight Anthem at Pier 17
We would get a ‘sign’ request next. (NOTE: The band had made it known that they would not respond to any vocal requests during any of their shows. However, song requests presented via a sign or poster, preferably one with lots of glitter would be entertained). This evening’s sign request was “Blue Dahlia,” another tune from Handwritten.
After doing “Halloween” (along with a somewhat bizarre Jeffrey Dahmer intro) the show really began to get interesting. With a piano intro from Bryan Haring (who is helping out on this tour with keyboards and backup vocals) that was both familiar yet uncertain, the band went into Mother Love Bone’s ”Chloe Dancer” which they would segue right into Pearl Jam’s “State Of Love and Trust.” It was during SoLaT that one could notice Fallon’s throat issues for the first time that evening, which had previously caused the band to have to cancel their show a couple of weeks back in Denver. Honestly though, the rasp in Fallon’s voice actually sounded great on this one since Eddie Vedder’s original vocals are pretty scratchy to begin with.
From this point on the show truly took off. Where the first part of the show arguably might have been a bit disjointed and lacking in flow, the second half was pure unadulterated Gaslight New Jersey rock and roll. Coming out of the two grunge songs, Fallon and crew offered up a trio of songs from ‘59 Sound, “The Patient Ferris Wheel,” “Miles Davis and The Cool” and “Film Noir,” followed by the oldest song of the evening, crowd favorite, “Blue Jeans and White T Shirts” from the 2008 EP Señor and the Queen
“Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts” live in 2012
Finishing off the evening, the band offered up another half dozen or so of their choicest and most raucous tunes from a cross section of their albums. The crowd which for most of the evening had been relatively subdued (at least in comparison to what I’ve experienced at past Gaslight shows) but were totally into things at this point. With a circle pit to my right, and everyone singing and jumping up and down all around me, it finally felt like TGA was back. The night finished off with a killer version of “‘59 Sound.” With Fallon’s feedback laced behind the head guitar solo coupled with Rosamilia’s perfectly placed arpeggios and Horowitz’s and Levine’s thundering backbeats on drums and bass, the band couldn’t have ended the evening any better.
With that conclusion (no encore), I for one, knew The Gaslight Anthem as a band was indeed back. Was it the best show I’d ever seen from them? No, probably not. Have they slowed down the pace on much of the material? Absolutely. But for fucks sake, who amongst us hasn’t slowed down in the last 15 to 20 years? Speaking for myself, I know that after a couple of go ‘rounds in the circle pit I need to pull out and recover. I can only imagine what its like attempting to put out 100% on stage for an hour and a half, night after night is like for these guys. So if Fallon goes off on one of his patented rambles as a possible means to let their bodies catch up throughout the evening, so what? If they have to slow some songs down just a bit, so what? Let’s all remember the feeling of elation we felt back in March when we heard the band was getting back together. We’re all older and maybe a little wiser but lets not forget that most importantly we’re all here. Gaslight Anthem is here again with us and to this we should all be jumping up and down yelling and screaming lyrics right along with them.
Scroll down for setlists, fan shot videos and pics of the show (photos by Ray Rusinak)
Jeff Rosenstock setlist: USA, Pash Rash, Scram!, Wave Goodnight to Me, State Line, All This Useless Energy, Festival Song, 9/10, N O D R E A M, Monday At The Beach, Honeymoon Ashtray, Nausea, You In Weird Cities
Gastlight Anthem setlist: Have Mercy, Old White Lincoln, The Spirit of Jazz, Mae, Get Hurt, Stay Lucky, Blue Dahlia, Halloween, Chloe Dancer (Mother Love Bone cover), State of Love and Trust (Pearl Jam cover), The Patient Ferris Wheel, Miles Davis and the Cool, Film Noir, Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts, Stay Vicious, American Slang, Great Expectations, National Anthem, 45, The ’59 Sound
JEFF ROSENSTOCK
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM
by Ray Rusinak | Nov 30, 2021
Jeff Rosenstock at Warsaw (photo by Ray Rusinak)
Anyone familiar with the Brooklyn DIY punk scene of the past 10-20 years is well aware of the name Jeff Rosenstock. From his early teen years on Long Island with Arrogant Sons Of Bitches to his seminal, yet underappreciated (at the time) Bomb The Music Industry!, to his current rise to fame as a solo artist, he has defined what it means to be DIY. (OK, maybe “rise to fame” is a little over zealous. Most people you meet in the street have never heard of him, but in this little neck of the world known as DIY Punk, he sure as hell is most famous.)
So this past weekend Rosenstock returned home for three nights at Warsaw. A homecoming on multiple levels after moving to California in January 2020; these were his first shows back in Brooklyn since the move. And what better place to do it than in his old Greenpoint neighborhood Polish music hall, Warsaw. As he said from the stage on Friday night, this venue means a lot to him both on a professional level, as he’s graced its stage many times over the years and on a personal level as well since he and his partner Christine were married there a few years ago.
Opening night of the three night run was Friday and it promised to be a special evening since it was billed as one of a handful of Ska Dream shows which he was doing on this No Dream tour. For the benefit of those who might not be familiar with Rosenstock and his life over the last two years, he moved to California in January 2020 and then released his 5th solo studio album, No Dream in May 2020. Plans were to tour the world on the back of this album but alas, we all know by now how touring in late 2020, early 2021 went. So with touring off the table and lockdowns in place, what does one do during a global pandemic? They call all their friends and reinvent that very album, doing it as a ska album. Thus in April 2021, the world was graced with Ska Dream. And to these ears, as good as No Dream is (it was a top five album in 2020 for me), Ska Dream is even better. (FULL DISCLOSURE: I’ve been a huge ska fan ever since the first time I saw the movie The Harder They Come at the midnight showing at The 8th Street Playhouse. Then The Specials and English Beat and the other 2 Tone bands took over in ‘79 and there was no looking back).
Jeff Rosenstock at Warsaw
The tour itself had Slaughter Beach, Dog and Oceanator as support bands and Friday’s show had an additional act added to the bill in the name of JER. And to once again bring the uninitiated up to speed, ska is enjoying a revival the last year or so and one of the people (along with Mike Park of Asian Man Records and Mike Sosinski of Bad Time Records) responsible for this resurgence is Jeremy Hunter, trombonist in ska band We Are The Union, who created a YouTube channel called Ska Tune Network where they feature ska cover versions of all kinds of popular songs. Effectively JER, the band, is a present day ska rotating supergroup consisting of members of We Are The Union, Kill Lincoln, and Catbite to name a few. Regrettably, entry into Warsaw on Friday was not a smooth process. I arrived at Warsaw at about 7:45 (my bad for cutting things close) to find the line for entrance out the front, down Driggs Ave., around the corner to Eckford St, and then stretching all the way to Engert Ave., something which I’d never seen before in my countless shows I’ve been to there. As such I missed all but the last song of JER’s set.
Second on the bill was a favorite band of mine, Oceanator. I’d gotten to see Elise Okusami of Oceanator back in August do a solo set at Trans-Pecos and was thrilled that her set had grown in leaps and bounds from when I’d last seen her play (opening for Rosenstock at Trans-Pecos in December of 2019). Anyway, Okusami and her band came out on stage at Warsaw and immediately killed it. Jumping onto the ska bandwagon of the night they opened up their set with a ska version of “Hide Away” from 2020’s Things I Never Said. Also in the ska vein was the band’s latest single which was released last week, a collaboration with JER called “Too Late.” All told, they played a great set to which I commented afterwards how Oceanator, be it a solo set by Elise or a full band gig, just gets better and better every time I see them.
I will admit that Philadelphia’s Slaughter Beach, Dog isn’t a band that I was at all that familiar with. I know that lead singer Jake Ewald formed the band after his old punk/pop band, Modern Baseball called it quits. While their recorded output has never quite resonated with me, I must say that their live set was quite enjoyable. Their live sound had a bit of a mellower alt-country feel to it which reminded me of bands like Shakey Graves or Houndmouth.
Rosenstock took the stage at roughly 10:30 and without batting an eye immediately jumped right into “No Time To Skank,” (in addition to reworking the songs from No Dream, each song is re-titled with a ska themed title), followed by “Airwalks” and “SKrAm” (which he brought out Elise Okusami to sing harmony on). The set pretty much was following the song order of Ska Dream (more or less) until the 9th song of the evening when the band kicked off “ACAB” from 2020 Dump which he recorded remotely with help from Jeremy Hunter. Speaking of Hunter, in addition to regular band members John DeDomenici, Mike Huguenor, Dan Potthast, and Kevin Higuchi, the band also had a horn section consisting of Hunter on trombone, and two of Rosenstock’s former band mates from ASOB, Dave Renz and Chris Valentino on trombone and sax.
As anyone who is familiar with a “Death” Rosenstock show is well aware that they are frenetic and bordering on just plain crazy. However, Friday’s show took things to a whole other level. First of all, let me just say that Jeremy Hunter is a bundle of energy that can’t be slowed down. They were jumping and skanking all over the stage, 100% of the time, and oh by the way all the while playing a sweet ‘bone. Rosenstock, for his part, was equally manic. I think his decision to not play too much guitar and to focus on the vocals for the evening had a lot to do with it. Not that the guitar is usually very constraining for him, but without it he was freed to roam and do whatever he wanted and for the most part what he wanted was to go completely ballistic. I mean Rosenstock is normally a non stop whirling dervish but whether he was feeding off of Hunter’s energy or he was just completely possessed by a higher being, he (and the band) were at a place I’d never seen them approach before.
The set continued with the rest of Ska Dream and the addition of the slower reggae song, “Collapse!” which is another tune from the 2020 Dump collection as well as “The Creek Is Everywhere,” from the Craig of The Creek animated TV program of which Rosenstock is the musical composer. The crowd throughout this onslaught of musical mayhem was pretty much a wall to wall mosh pit from start to finish. The fact that the crowd was SOOOO into it makes what happened for the encore even more spectacular. After the last song of the regular set, “Ohio Porkpie,” the crowd was clearly whipped into a skanking frenzy but during the encore break you could just tell that the room was exhausted and somewhat drained. That’s what I thought at least. The band returned and the second they played the first notes of ASOB’s anthem “So Let’s Go Nowhere” from 2006’s Three Cheers for Disappointment, the crowd erupted into one large skanking amoeba with a life of its own, flowing in every which direction.
It was a fitting end to what was clearly a very special night. As the sweat soaked crowd spilled out onto Driggs Ave, I pondered two thoughts. The first was, “When is the SKA Dreams show hitting Tipitina’s in New Orleans and how can I get there for it”? The second was “how was the show the following evening possibly going to compete with this one?”
Which brings me to Saturday night. Somewhat fearful of the debacle of getting into Warsaw on Friday night, I hoped to get to the venue much earlier than the night before I but got there only slightly earlier than the previous evening. Fortunately, the hiccups of entry which security dealt with on Friday had been cleared up by the second evening and entry went much smoother.
Jeff Rosenstock at Warsaw
Oceanator was the opener on Saturday being as JER was only on Friday’s ska lineup and they once again played a stellar set, albeit one which was more traditional in style to what they usually play (i.e. sans any ska flavored arrangements). While Saturday might have lacked some of the energetic pace of the previous evening, it certainly didn’t lack in any spot on musicianship as Elise Okusami and the band opened things up a bit with a noticeable extension of solos throughout the set.
Slaughter Beach, Dog were next up and their set on Saturday I felt was even stronger than their Friday set was. I think Friday’s ska themed show wasn’t the best fit for them and their set indicated this. But on Saturday they seemed looser and more relaxed, ready to just go with the flow. Going with the flow is much more in line with what they do. Ewald’s vocal style which is almost a talking blues thing sounds like a flowing of words to the backdrop of the bands mellifluous rhythms. I don’t know the name of the song but about midway through their set they invited Okusami to help out with a little bit of tambourine work. Again, as I said earlier, while I couldn’t consider myself a SBD fan coming into the weekend, they definitely won me over with the two sets I got to experience.
Which brings us to what everyone was waiting for, another Jeff Rosenstock set. The room, although sold out, was noticeably less crowded than it had been the previous night but that didn’t diminish the excitement in the air. Saturday’s show opened up with the interesting choice of “Illegal Fireworks and Hiding Bottles In The Sand,” a slow dirgelike tune from the 2020 Dump collection. This opener had me scratching my head even further as to what kind of set lay in store for us but my curiosity was soon assuaged when Rosenstock jumped into the opening notes of the opening track off of No Dream, “No Time.” And it was then that it dawned on me that we’d never heard most of No Dream live before and this was going to be a kind of coming out party for the album. In a lot of respects it has become overlooked by the (for lack of a better word) novelty, not to mention complete rad-ness of Ska Dream. After a blistering “Nikes (Alt),” Rosenstock brought out Laura Stevenson to help him out with the vocals on “Scram!” I am a huge fan of Stevenson’s and make no attempt to hide it (see pics from her show last month in Brooklyn) so it was fantastic to see that she’d been able to make it here to help out. She would be on and off the stage throughout the evening to the utter delight of virtually everyone in the building. Watching her calmly and at times almost awkwardly stand in front of her mike while DeDomenici and Rosenstock are prancing around the stage like crazies was such a fun and pleasant dichotomy; a great contrast to get to watch.
The rest of the evening brought a perfect mix of old (“Nausea,” “9/10,” and “Festival Song” to name a few) with the No Dream material. They closed out the regular set once again with a raucous, albeit straight version of “Ohio Turnpike.” Rosenstock and Stevenson kicked the encore off much like the night started, with the ballad off of 2020 Dump, “Caring.” But this was merely the calm before the storm as things closed out with a furious flurry of “U.S.A.” from Post-, followed by Worry’s “We Begged 2 Explode,” before closing out another glorious night of moshing and crowd surfing with “No Time For Skanking,” which turned out to be the only real duplicate song between the two nights.
I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Jeff’s fantastic wife Christine who single handedly worked the merch table all weekend (amongst many other duties I am sure). The line to that merch table seemed never to get shorter but Christine kept it moving, always as pleasant and as friendly as humanly possible. Thanks Christine (and Jeff too).
All in all spending my Friday and Saturday nights with a couple of thousand sweaty adrenaline fueled strangers while dancing and screaming like fools turned out to be the perfect way to spend my Thanksgiving weekend.
Scroll down for pics from the shows (photos by Ray Rusinak)
SLAUGHTER BEACH, DOG
OCEANATOR
JEFF ROSENSTOCK
