New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Folk group Magical Beasts are preparing to release an album, “Peninsula”, and an EP, “When Love’s a Stranger”, on May 1st. The group is led by its core of Nathan Paulus, Ethan Pikas, and Josh Miller, but these new releases feature contributions from several local musicians.
According the band, “Peninsula is a concept album that is dealing with characters who are "dead inside, devolving, or evolving". Below is a track, “Learning and Forgetting”, from Peninsula that was released last week.
Lamps, the first official LP from 20-year old Mad Squablz, was recently released via Free Soul Media. Smooth, R&B vibes simmer as an insightful, sharp-tongued attack hits with a controlled precision. Cruising in those velvety, musical pockets, one gets comfortable, and then that relentless flow takes over, exhibiting ease at upper echelon speeds of delivery, as if everything slows down, even when the outside world is flashing by. Shining a light on steadfast focus, maturity exudes from the youthful emcee.
The four guys of Nashville’s Khamsin have smartly and seamlessly combined the atmospheric vastness of guitar-driven indie rock with the passionate and catchy vocals of pop punk on their newest two-song EP, A Brief Look Down. Both "Ferment" and "Gather" show promise for this young band who have an ear for both experimentation and accessibility. Listen to the EP below and catch Khamsin at That 70’s House in Nashville on March 23rd! – Chris Thiessen
With its title referencing the biblical world without sin, Brooklyn’s Spirits of Leo‘s new track “Eden” (streaming below) creates a dreampop impression of that earthly temptation garden. Having relocated to Brooklyn from California, the band’s creative force Ryan Santos Phillips weaves in a nod to Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” as well. However, much like the human struggles in that literary tale, the prevailing focus here is of a paradise lost. Built around a driving bass line, melodic guitar riffs and clearly defined percussion, the vocals cascade in layers that create an atmospheric motion. “I wonder where we’re going again” serves as the songs catchiest repeated lyrical refrain providing a glimmer of hope for another chance at paradise. Included on the full-length album “Equinox,” the band will play its release show on March 22 at Tender Trap, with the record available everywhere on the 23rd. – Dave Cromwell
Formerly a fiddle player for The Apache Relay, Kellen Wenrich has struck out on his own as Kellen of Troy. His debut full-length Posthumous Release offers self-reflective lyricism through a fusion of indie pop, rock, and folk that draws strongly from the melodic influences of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and occasionally ’50s rock & roll, situating Wenrich nicely beside contemporaries Lord Huron and Kurt Vile. Check out the album below and be sure to look out for the next time Kellen of Troy is in town! – Chris Thiessen
Toronto garage/pysch band BBQ Pope have released a new two song…thing. It’s the “Winters of my Youth” single. This tune is very catchy and still rambunctious as you would expect from BBQ Pope. This 5 minute rocker has many layers that’ll keep you interested the whole time. The accompanying track “Before and After” kind of begins like “I Got You” by Split Enz. This tune has a more relaxed attitude. It’s the kind of tune that makes you feel sad but happy at the same time. Know what I mean? See BBQ Pope at the Rec Room on March 30th with Nobunny and Vypers. – Kris Gies
One way to describe Lavender Blush is a diamond in the rough soundscape of San Francisco shoegaze. Another, more simple (and perhaps even more meaningful) descriptor is just good. Like their sound, there’s no need for over-complication. This is the type of band that sneaks up on you, that stuns you into a silence with driving guitar parts, fuzzy production, and haunting vocals. The track “Misdirection” (streaming below) is an exercise in the genuine, one that is meant to be listened to over and over again. Lavender Blush will be playing at the EB Shoegaze Fest on April 15th at The Fireside Lounge in Alameda. – Lilly Milman
FACS will be releasing their debut album, Negative Houses, on March 30th via Trouble In Mind. FACS is the work of Brian Case and Noah Leger (formerly of Disappears) with bassist Alianna Kalaba. The first single for the LP is called “Primary” and it is a dark sonic journey symbolically represented in the new video below. The band also released an equally dark video back in January for the LP’s lead track “Skylarking.
You can help the trio celebrate the new LP at Empty Bottle on March 30th with DIM and Ethers.
Lifted Bells have released a new track, "No One Can Save Us", from their forthcoming debut LP, Minor Tantrums. The LP will be release on March 30th via Run For Cover Records.
You can catch Lifted Bells at Beat Kitchen on April 6th.
Rainy Daze is the new full-length album from synth-pop outfit The Soft Spots. Positioned underneath a soothing waterfall of dreamy psych-pop, the LP glides in a natural sway, slowing down the constant whirlwind. A sunny outlook is at the core of these songs, albeit with noise-adjusting, shoegazing moments lodged in between. One easily adjusts to the daydreaming waters. You can catch the four-piece at The Fire on Friday, April 6, where they’ll be joined by Distant Voices, The Phonies, and Tubey Frank.
No surprise, SXSW 2018 was busy. With over 2000 acts from 63 countries performing this year, Austin was jam-packed with industry professionals and music fans all week. Downtown was a human ocean in the wee hours, the crowds were rowdy at venues like Dirty Dog and tamer at the Central Presbyterian Church. I waited in line for many of our favorite NYC artists at venues that were filled to capacity hours before they were meant to go on (I’m looking at you, Anna McClellan). Here’s a short recap of my favorite performances from this year’s SXSW.
Beshken’s Ben Shirken adeptly took us far away from the noise of 6th street and into an ethereal world of eclectic dance music with a nifty setup and bassist/guitarist Ian White at Burnside’s Tavern on Wednesday.
Jukebox the Ghost is currently based out of NYC recording their fifth album Off To The Races at Studio G in Brooklyn. The band put on a stunning show at the StubHub Stage on Wednesday night, playing old songs such as "Girl" and "Somebody," and also debuting "Fred Astaire" and "Everybody’s Lonely," two singles from their upcoming record. Their final song of the night was a cover of Queen’s "Bohemian Rhapsody" that had everyone, sober and not-so-sober, singing along every word.
Soccer Mommy played songs from her acclaimed new album Clean in a great set at Cheer Up Charlie’s on Friday, followed later that night at the same venue by Brooklyn’s Topaz Jones, whose soulful, crowd-pleasing performance had us laughing and dancing alike. "Has anyone seen Stranger Things?" he asked, introducing his 2016 song "Winona."
Finally, my absolute favorite performance of this year’s SXSW was Kitten’s at Mohawk Outdoor (pictured above). Originally from LA, the band recently moved to NYC and enrolled local musicians BITS (Blu and Rex Detiger) in the live lineup. Kitten’s frontwoman Chloe Chaidez was a delight to watch: an unusual burst of energy and incredibly agile gymnast, all without missing a note or a beat. She finished out the night with a 20-foot jump (more or less) into the audience and then sitting down at the drum kit, completely nailing the rhythm section of the last song and taking us all by surprise. -Geena Kloeppel
