Embracing at once gentleness, distortion, reverb and feedback, NYC trio Wild Pink crafts dreamo-pop that’s enjoyable and varied. And in case you are wondering what "dreamo-pop" is, it’s dream pop with traces of emo in it (you should have gotten that one!). After two EPs released in 2015 and 2016, the band dropped their debut, self titled full length earlier in 2017, and it’s a record of rare songwriting consistency. They have two pretty solid local shows coming up, one at Baby’s All Right on April 18, and one at BK Bazaar on May 20th. Check out single "Great Apes," streaming below
Austin
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Crooked Bangs Tease New Album, II, with Riotous Single “Rabbit Hole”
A dark gothic atmosphere serves as the backdrop for the new single "Rabbit Hole" from Austin angst-punkers, Crooked Bangs. The immediate differentiator for Crooked Bangs amidst the sea of punk bands, is that lead singer, Leda Ginestra, oscillates between laissez-faire French murmurings and incisive English punctuations. The bilingual vocal stylings evoke francophile nostalgia for bands like Metal Urbain and Plastic Bertrand, but Crooked Bangs brings a contemporary laser-like focus that eviscerates their predecessors in favor of their own unique sound. The trio’s second full-length, II, is out April 21st on Nervous Intent Records with much touring to follow. While pop, new wave, hardcore have strands of DNA within II, the wide umbrella of punk envelopes Crooked Bangs for the most part. Though this album seems a bit more polished and fine-tuned than the band’s debut, the band doesn’t sacrifice its acerbic angst or visceral primality in the process. "Rabbit Hole" teeters on a steady backbeat as guitars whirr like a diesel-fueled chainsaw, and Ginestra’s vocals swirl above the melee with an almost aloof objectivity as the vortex dips in and out of the chorus. Crooked Bangs have the deadly triumvirate of technical precision, vocal uniqueness, and a wanton ethos of unpacifiable rage which will make, II, a highlight of this crop of Spring album releases.
-Lee Ackerley
NYC
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Night Birds to bring their dirty surf punk to St. Vitus 4/6
For old-school punk purists, Night Birds might just be the dirty, crunchy, return-to-form punk rock you’ve been craving. Taking cues from punk/hardcore favorites of the ’80s, Night Birds put their own delicious surf spin on their tunes, delivering compact, high-energy hits that feel inspired rather than regurgitated. And with names like "Born to Die in Suburbia" and "Mutiny at Muscle Beach" how can you possibly resist a listen? Check out Night Birds streaming below and catch them live at St. Vitus on 4/06 alongside the Marked Men and Honey. – Olivia Sisinni
New England
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Atlantic Thrills Hits AS220 4/24
With their most recent album, Providence surf-garage rockers, Atlantic Thrills, re-embrace the Vices and excesses of American rock n roll. Harkening back to the psych/surf rock bands of the 60s and adding a modern indie/garage flavor, Thrills challenges the need to wait for the weekend to indulge in some…..extracurriculars. Classic vocal melodies and blistering guitar riffs make Vices the perfect soundtrack for all your iniquitous behavior. Check them out at AS220 in Providence on 4/24 with RIPS and Midriffs. –Brian Varneke
Philadelphia
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Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Bardo Pond (Record Release), Sparrow Steeple, SUN Upperfields
Weekend Warrior, March 31 – April 2
Released last month via Epitaph, The Menzingers’ latest album, After The Party, finds the quartet in a reflective realm. Maintaining a melodic, polished sense of exuberance, the album stews on reminiscent tales of young adulthood, steadily driving ahead while peaking out from within those narratives to inject crowd-charging, catchy choruses. After numerous nights of travel, their destination is the inviting return home as they set up shop, intertwining Americana-punk sounds at The Fillmore, joined by Jeff Rosenstock, and Rozwell Kid.
Meanwhile, right down the road at Johnny Brenda’s, the engulfing fuzz-torching psych rock of Bardo Pond blazes an invigorating sonic trail to commemorate their new release, Under The Pines, available via Fire Records. They’ll be supported by Sparrow Steeple and Eric Arn so step out of the rain and soak in some replenishing sounds. – Michael Colavita
Other places to hit this weekend…
The Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal St.) FRI The Menzingers
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Bardo Pond (Record Release), Sparrow Steeple, SUN Upperfields
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT Phantasm, The Tea Club, Something Like A Monument
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Fame Lust, SUN Geo Metro, Ryan M Todd
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) FRI Aphra
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Full Bush, Grace Vonderkuhn, Sheena & Thee Nosebleeds
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Lupe Garu/Superstar Yay, Brucey Da Rapper, Yog JP, Reek Ivan, Stizz Gambler, Elijah Royce, O Dollaz, Burn The General, City Rominiecki
The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) FRI Dirty South Joe, Gianni Lee, Heaven in Stereo
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Flannel, White Limo/(Downstairs) La Giara, The Water Jug: Musical Memoir/Book Presented by Minas Ensemble, SAT (Downstairs) Rockin’ Docs for Diabetes Cure: Sounds of Society, Runnin’ Late, RD Sting, Rightback, SUN (Upstairs) Nik Greeley & The Operators
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Bern The Bastard, Ezekiel Crow, B. Temporary, Fallible Being, Guillotine Tongue, Malcolm Culleton , SUN Kevin Ripley, Trash Boy, Blushed
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) SAT Lightning Jones, Civil Holdup, SUN Police/Sting Tribute: Thorazine, Boy Wonder, Coco Sol, Lou Lanza, Monopop, The Quirktones
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Square Peg Round Hole, The Vernes, SAT Oolala, Grubby Little Hands, Ton-Taun, Red Queen Lilith, SUN Community Center, Dirty Purple, Burned Out, Still Glowing
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Ed Christof, SAT DJ Deejay
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI I Think Like Midnight, Conversations, The Deadeyes, SAT The Orange Drop, Satellite Hearts, Dot.gov
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Hired Guns Blues Band, SUN Rusty Cadillac
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Legion 76, Duffy’s Cut, SAT Dr. Beardfacé and the Spaceman, Sweet Eureka, Venice Sunlight, Molly Rhythm
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Young Graves
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Sixteen Jackies, Slomo Sapiens, Slophouse, The Primaries, Falang, SAT Spaghetti Vacation, Local Smokes, Stargazer Lily, Matt Gauss Band, Tony Ukes
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI West Philadelphia Orchestra, SAT AM Radio, SUN The Grizz Band, Vilebred
Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Agent Moosehead, Mage Hand, Blümntl
Space 1026 (1026 Arch St.) FRI The Whips, Gavin Riley Smoke Machine
The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Downtrodder, Hells, Dunning Kruger, SAT Manic Pixi, Moonroof, Honeytiger, SUN Cllctyrslf, Here/Now
Philadelphia
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New Mega Ran LP Available for Streaming & Download
Twenty years to the day that Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G., passed, Mega Ran released Notorious R.A.N: Ready To Live. Produced by Fresh Kils and DJ DN3, the album re-samples tracks that have become cornerstones of hip hop. The LP is a nostalgic tribute, while simultaneously providing a modern reimagining. It’s a tough task to step into the shoes of a legend; however, this release offers an invigorating, lyrical wit in the midst of a timeless backdrop.
NYC
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Bucolic’s woodsy musical world
Simple guitar chords and slow, rusty drums are the first elements that catch the ear in New Jersey’s Bucolic‘s single "Slow Words" (streaming below). But it is Seth Carpenter’s confident, pressing vocals, drenched in reverb, that really hone in on the ambient nature of the music. Similarly, the six-minute "Great Miles Old," punctuated by a recurring, shimmery guitar riff, lifts us into Bucolic’s sweeping, woodsy world with ease. The music is minimalistic but takes ownership of the hollowed-out textures, so that each sound in the recordings has room to breathe. Listen to Bucolic, and inhale deeply. – Geena Kloeppel
Philadelphia
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New Honey Radar/Telepathic Split Available for Streaming
The forthcoming Honey Radar/Telepathic split, which will be released on limited edition cassette on April 20 via Third Uncle Records, is currently available for streaming/pre-order below. Honey Radar continue to percolate in their raw-riff, reserved, lo-fi, psych station, while Telepathic pushes the pace in controlled, melodic aggression. Honey Radar is slated to perform at The Storefront on April 19, on a lineup that also includes Faults, Daytime Cleaners, and The Red F.
NYC
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Talay promotes music video for “Parents’ House” tomorrow at Arlene’s Grocery
Megan Talay — a.k.a. Talay — never fails to put on a good punk rock show. She’s captured that electric energy into the music video for her song "Parents’ House", a witty track about trying to live an adult life while living in a childhood home. To celebrate the release of the video, Talay will perform with Narc Twain and Mae Capozzi at Arlene’s Grocery in the Lower East Side tomorrow night at 8:30 pm. If you can’t wait to see the video, though, you can stream it below. – Will Sisskind
Chicago
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Song Premiere: The Thin Cherries
We are proud to premiere the first single, “Dorian Gray”, from the self-titled debut album from The Thin Cherries. The band is the latest project from Steven Delisi (Phenomenal Cat) and Mark Lofgren (The Luck of Eden Hall). Dorian Gray’s official release is tomorrow and the debut album will drop on Friday, April 21.
You can help the band celebrate the release of the single The Hideout on March 31st with The Lawsuits and Luke Henry.
Toronto
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ROOFTOP LOVE CLUB – DOOM BLUES ROCK
Watch out folks…I think we got some stoners playin’ music here. Rooftop Love Club are a two piece dirty blues rock band. Lo-fi fuzzy guitars and Sabbath-like drums. There’s nothing not to like. The guitars laid down by Jake Hock are DEEP to a doom-rock level. Along with drummer Jacob Weiss they may have invented Doom Blues Rock. I dunno but I hope they tell me when their next show is. The album "Get Outside" is available now on their bandcamp page. – Kris Gies
Philadelphia
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New Kerin Maguire LP Available for Streaming & Purchase
Kerin Maguire explores personal philosophy and emotional intimacy in her recently released full-length album Self-Titled. Minimally adorned in folk instrumentation, the songs gravitate toward an ever-evolving understanding of the world and one’s place in it. Exhibiting an essence of hope for the future and an honest evaluation of past moments through narrative vignettes, Maguire finds a mechanism to relate on a universal note without sacrificing communicative closeness. We’re all just trying to figure things out one day/moment at a time.