L.A.

Iris Jupiter releases debut LP, play VLHS on 1/14

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Iris Jupiter is a fuzz rock trio out of Orange County whose mostly informed by nineties American guitar bands with some post-hardcore influences. Signed to Open Door Records, a label you should keep on your radar, the band writes feedback-friendly fuzz rock with tense, anguished confessionals that balance noise with melody. If you’ve been seeking some modern alt rock that embraces the pedal trickery of Smashing Pumpkins-era Siamese Dream with some fleeting shoegaze tones, but with a lead singer that sounds closer to early days Roddy Woomble (if you’re of a certain age, there’s a good chance you have fond memories of Idlewild’s Hope Is Important), then they deliver a dense, textural brew of riffs that emit both a potent and vulnerable aura.

Iris Jupiter are set to release their self-titled debut on January 13th, followed by a record release show the day after at VLHS in Pomona. Juan Rodríguez

 

Portland

Spellbound by Spare Spells

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Enchanting in every sense, Spare Spells stirs a cauldron full of reverby psychedelic haunt rock and dark synth wave likened to that of a dream where My Bloody Valentine and the Kills are a joint effort. Playing shows somewhat sporadically for a little over two years, the group have but one six-song-long extended play that’s kept us under their spell since its 2015 release. It will continue to do so, at least until we see their slated sophomore release The Narrows.

We’re not sure when Spare Spells will be dropping The Narrows, though we did see some demoed previews of the album back in October of last year, with a live display of them played at their show with Murderbait and The Prids in November. For those that unfortunately missed the new tunes’ debut, Spare Spells will be playing their first show of 2017 on February 23 with Los Angeles acts The Great Sadness and Spirit in the Room at Valentines.

Until then, turn out the lights, like some candles and let Neon/Noir play throughout your spell casting.

New England

Backwards Dancer Starts Off 2017 with a National Tour

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Worcester alt-quartet, Backwards Dancer, is currently preparing to hit the road for a two-month national tour in support of Texas indie outfit Eisley.  Led by Zack Shaw (formerly of The Hotelier), the foursome will be bringing the energy and emotion of their debut EP New Life in Old Shoes to new audiences across the country.  First-time listeners, expect to hear tightly orchestrated emo-punk grooves, mixed with grunge-y, emotive vocal work with the perfect amount of intensity throughout.  Catch them locally at the following dates:

Feb 26 – Mohegan Sun (Wolf Den), Uncasville, CT

Feb 28 – Brighton Music Hall, Boston, MA

Mar 02 – Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT

–Brian Varneke

 

Portland

Post Up with 1939 Ensemble’s Post Jazz Rock

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The first few days of 2017 have already been, for the most part, much better than 2016 in its entirety. Now that the holiday slump of shows is seemingly over, let’s attempt not to fall into the valley of warmth our beds provide as an incredibly cold weekend draws near. We can say that we’ve got a bit of inspiration for this with tomorrow‘s show, featuring the attention grabbing 1939 Ensemble.

Drum connoisseur Jose Medeles fronts the group and if you know anything of his history (like owning Revival Drum Shop or, I don’t know, drumming for the Breeders) the particular output of the group should be obvious. Featuring a variety of instruments including vibraphone, trumpet, Moog and general noise among the drums, 1939 Ensemble’s instrumental post rock, post jazz fusion is enthralling and captivating, making for a very stimulating production.

Again, you can see 1939 Ensemble tomorrow with Ethiopian soul seven piece Tezeta Band and KMHD jazz DJ Derek Smith at Mississippi Studios.

Philadelphia

New Track: “Garlic Soup” – Loose Tooth & Announce Album Release via Lame-O Records & Father/Daughter Records

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Philly four-piece Loose Tooth just annouced that it will be part of a split release by Lame-O Records and Father/Daughter Records. The band’s forthcoming album, Big Day, is scheduled for release on April 7. Its lead single, "Garlic Soup," is now available for streaming below, and you’ll find Loose Tooth performing next in Philly on Thursday, January 12 at Boot & Saddle as part of the Lame-O Records "Rock Residency". All proceeds from the showcase will be donated to Juntos, a community-led, Latinx immigrant organization in South Philadelphia fighting for our human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. (Photo by Craig Scheihing)

NYC

Gibbz releases “Oh My God” EP, lands Januray residency at The Knit, tours

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Gibbz is a prolific synth-soul-pop artist out of Brooklyn whose music is laser focused on the various feelings and situations triggered by love. Single “Oh My God” (titletrack of his brand new EP) is a soul and R&B tune dealing with lust at first sight, while last year’s single “Stay for a While” is a ballad (based on a… tennis table sample loop?) about getting to know in depth the person you are dating. “Someone Like You” – a collaboration with Cobryama – could be described as a breakup song that might cause heartbreak even to the happily paired (“I wanna love somebody, someone like you.”) “Bright Lights”, the most uplifting of them all, trades moody soulfulness for a catchy pop melody that feels positive and invigorating. Check out Gibbz breakout single "Love Again" below, and – if his music resonates with you – don’t miss him during his residency at the Knitting Factory on the next three Wednesday in January.

NYC

BOYTOY announces 7″ and new LP, plays Baby’s All Right on 01.09

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BOYTOY from NYC float somewhere between 60s surf jams and 90s grunge rock. Glenn Van Dyke and Saara Untracht-Oakner founded the band in 2013 with two guitars and drums, soon realizing bass wasn’t necessary. They craft catchy, fuzzy, rock nuggets that create dreamy summer vibes all year round and have been regularly apperaing in the quality small venues around New York City and LA. BOYTOY just finished their first European and Puerto Rican tours with their current line-up including Chase Noelle on drums (formerly of Thelma And The Sleeze) and Lena Simon on bass (La Luz). With a 7” and single split 7” coming out in January, the four band members continue their migratory tradition to Los Angeles this winter including a Southern, West Coast and Northern tour of the U.S.. BOYTOY plans to record their sophomore full length in LA in March 2017. You can see them live at Baby’s All Right on 01.09

Philadelphia

New Track: “22” – Narra

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Toeing the threshold between hope and reality, Narra delivers an emotively energetic tug and pull on “22”. Served up on a pop-punk platter, the song fortuitously flows lyrically, sticking on a universal tale of growing up, punctuated by accelerating, melodic instrumentation. You can catch the band as part of an Aleppo Relief fundraiser at Space 1026 on Thursday, January 26 with Shannen Moser and Loadcard.

Philadelphia

New Track: “Shorty Wanna Chill” (Feat. Peedi Crakk) – Hezekiah

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The slow recovery process from a brain aneurysm remains the primary focus for Hezekiah. However, a steady backlog of unreleased material comes in its place, including the new EP GODS, which will be released on January 20. Featuring Peedi Crakk, its lead single, “Shorty Wanna Chill,” smacks with an immediate bass-booming beat, knocking off the remains of recent past. Give it a spin, and wish Hezekiah well on his continued road to recovery.