New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Floatie has released the third and final single, "Castleman", from their debut album, Voyage Out, which is due out this Friday, March 26th, via Exploding in Sound.
This is the hazy math rock of Sam Bern (they/them), Luc Schutz (he/him), Joe Olson (he/him), and Will Wisniewski (he/him).
Take a listen to “It Won’t Hurt You” off the Triptides’ new album Alter Echoes and you’re sure to feel free as a bird flying eight miles high over the Sunset Strip that is until your strawberry colored alarm clock wakes you from your slumber and you rise from your mushroom-imprinted pillow to face another rainy day.
While I can’t say for sure if that’s a Rickenbacker guitar being played on the track it sure as heck sounds like it (note: now confirmed to be a Ric 360!) and either way these Angelinos have captured a certain classic LA World vibe and sound on the entire album that would no doubt have Russ Meyer salivating all over his ascot to hire these boys as the house band for the Hollywood bungalow party scene in his new movie titled The Immortal Pussycat Beyond the Motorpsycho Valley of the Mudhoney Vixens Kill Kill! were he not a long dead mazophiliac.
So, not to dwell on this one song but it’s also got bongos, or congas at least, and about 25 seconds into the thing a maraca and a guitar countermelody enter simultaneously with some sweet stereo separation and really the album is chock full of these nice arranging and production touches so you can use it to show off your hi-fi system to your honey and everybody wins.
For example you’ll hear the old we trick of feeding a vocal part through a Leslie speaker on “Do You Ever Wonder?” and then a little later the sudden transition to a half-time Floydian blissed out freakout towards the end of “Let It Go” which then reverts back to its original upbeat jingle-jangle by its conclusion and also there’s the day-glo smeared psychedelic coda to “Hand of Time” which is groovy too.
On its back half the album mellows out significantly (but what so you expect from the B-side) before the Triptides decide to end things on an up note with the frug-ready “Now and Then” sending their more dance-inclined patrons home happy. So hey, if any of this sounds appealing the Deli says ch-check it out! (Jason Lee)
Astrachan has released a third single, "Shorebirds", from his forthcoming self-titled debut album which is due to be released on May 7th.
This is the Psych Folk sounds of one half of Berta Bigtoe, Ben Astrachan, and he recently had this to say about his debut; "The creation and experimentation of this album resulted in a meditation of love, adventure, and friendship! Each song takes on the story of a moment that latched onto my heart with the tenderest of holds. The songs themselves are how I was able to make visible the sense-experience of each flicker in space that I traversed."
Photo Credit: Larissa Krysiek
There will be an outdoor, socially-distanced show at Empire Control Room on April 2, 2021 for Zach Person’s LP release. The LP features some tracks already available on the EP and special gems that he treated the audience to at Geraldine’s on March 10th.
In the wake of Texas’ reopening and lifted mask mandate, BlackDenim Records hosts a safe, socially-distanced private showing at Geraldine’s for their premiere artist, Zach Person. For all of those who feel they are still on the bizarro side of reality, Zach Person’s uninhibited rock offers an assuring remedy. Yes, rock is alive and yes, life is strange.
Doused in blue lights, the stage is set for Zach’s stellar vocals and handsome guitars with his impressive drummer, Jake Wyble, by his side. His vintage microphone projects his belting voice to fill the swanky venue. As he transitions to “Radio Man,” a new track from the LP, his crooning “ooh-ohs” and the catchy chorus capture the affection of the audience. The sound waves and sheer passion send the drapes flying and windows shaking. He moves into “How Long,” a song born from his quarantine experience — and a song worthy of bobbing, gyrating and romping about. Since the small group of invited guests are observing social distancing, dancing appears limited to clapping in rhythm and shoulder shaking for now… but the thunderous amplifiers — which are also retro — lead the imagination to wander, and crave the very near future of bodies dancing freely.
Zach’s artistry is immediately apparent, and so is his humble, kind demeanor. Each guest received an EP and Zach made rounds to greet each table — mask on, of course — his charismatic scorpio presence beaming through. Laudable comparisons have already been made — Zach’s name has been mentioned next to Lenny Kravitz, The Black Keys and Gary Clark Jr. — but this youthful artist is carving out his own space for his own name.
Back to the show — there is a walking disco ball and $200 martini on the menu. The experience paints an interesting contrast of a blaring rock band playing in an upscale cafe. It feels like we should be rowdy in the presence of rock and roll, and that day will come, but the event is organized, smooth and polished. Nearing the end of the set list, Zach plays a demo track that made it to the LP. It’s a softer tune without percussion that highlights his clean guitar and songwriting skills. He closes the performance with “Can’t Stop Running,” which will surely be a takeaway anthem from the album. Live, loud music is out there and making its safe way back to our city.
– Mel Green
Paper Mice have released the first single, "The Cynic Route", from their forthcoming LP, 1-800-mondays, which is due out May 7th via Three One G Records.
The single is accompanied by a NNAMDÏ directed below which is depicts a day that just keeps getting worse and worse.
This is the Post Punk of Dave Reminick (guitar, vocals, piano), Taylor Hales (bass, backing vocals), and John Carroll-drums (backing vocals, wind chimes).
Spiritual Mick has taken over the group that was once The Curls and released a new single called "Muncher Madness (Or The Democracy of Killing Everything That Moves)". The single is almost as warped and twisted as the New Trash created video which is designed to be and introductory video to gain a higher understanding on whats to come.
We are proud to be able to premiere the first single, "Bad Day", off the forthcoming debut EP "Trial & Error" from Singer-songwriter Lou Heneise.
Lou blends Americana and folk traditions with raw, honest, and endearing lyrics. "Bad Day" will be officially released on March 26th and "Trial & Error" will be out April 9th.
Photo by Paul Vriend
The Bellow & The Whale have released a new EP called "Wild Dogs Howling". This is the first new music from the duo of Bianca Bernard Black & Julia Lee Norris since the release of their debut EP, "The Noise Still Lingers", back in December.
The duo creates a sound that bends genres like soul, folk, and pop into something unique and beautiful peaceful.
The second single from their 2020 EP is called "Right By My Side" and is accompanied by an amazing video featuring the talented dancer Michaela Parks.
Post Punk group The Gelheads are celebrating 20 years as a band by releasing a new EP called "Tail Lights".
These songs are taken from a 2005 recording session that was previously thought to be lost and is the first new music from the group since 2003’s "Stars Motel".
The first Earthly arrival of Starchild was mid-wifed from within George Clinton’s Afrofuturist musical universe (which I’ll gladly take over the Marvel Universe any day, just take a look at the “P-Funk Mythology” page on Wikipedia) arriving in this world via the 1975 Parliament single “Mothership Connection (Star Child)” where our titular hero announced to Earthlings that “we have returned to reclaim the Pyramids” before introducing the “Swing down, sweet chariot” hook later sampled on Dr. Dre’s 1993 hit “Let Me Ride” which introduced P-Funk via G-Funk to Generation X.
Well the second coming has come. And Brooklyn is the lucky host to the reincarnated Starchild in the form of Bryndon Cook. Having travelled the universe and beyond before landing permanently in these parts, this Starchild keeps some pretty rarified company having logged time as touring guitarist for Solange and Chairlift and Blood Orange, while also collaborating with the latter as VeilHymn, before venturing out as front-alien for Starchild & The New Romantic—a project that melds Cook’s R&B and hip hop and indie rock ‘n pop leanings into one musical package and very effectively so on the album released last year called Forever.
And more recently Starchild was shot back out into outer space ET-style to perform a couple live-streamed sets on Elsewhere Sound Space, a monthly series broadcast on the über-äwesome nightclub’s Twitch channel, all originating from an undisclosed location aboard a spaceship marooned in a galaxy far, far away. And lucky for us the Starchild episode is still available to stream and you won’t regret the alien encounter because Bryndon Cook’s heartfelt musical vignettes set in the midst of some pretty trippy sci-fi visuals is likely to make your soul leave your body especially on his final number “Silent Disco,” a transcendent ditty during which Starchild’s soul does in fact visibly leave his Earthbound bodysuit behind and enter another dimension.
Based on the first couple of episodes of Elsewhere Sound Space with their eerie eye candy tableaux and occasional space lizard appearances combined with cosmic musical numbers interspersed with broad comedy segments (double entendre not intended) the overall effect is like a surrealist mashup of the movie version of Dune and the notorious Star Wars Holiday Special, except that the campiness found on this mothership is clearly neither unintentional nor apolitical (take that Susan Sontag!) and instead of Bea Arthur serenading the Cantina Bar you get Princess Nokia and Starchild and in the next installment this Tuesday Brooklyn rapper and NYC mayoral candidate Paperboy Prince serenading all of us pod people out here wandering aimlessly in cyberspace.
And isn’t it about time someone presented a compellingly queer vision of outer space and damn if the team at Elsewhere Sound Space–fronted by the program’s emcee Peter Smith who as "a music deity marooned in space" radiates warmth into the coldest reaches of universe, check out the profile published in the NY Times titled “Five Nonbinary Comics on This Moment”—haven’t done it. Because c’mon even your neighborhood quantum physicist knows that outer space is all about relativity and multi-dimensionality and the bending of timespace which all sounds pretty queer to me. (Jason Lee)
Psych rock trio, Dayeater, stay true to their roots with their latest single, “Sweet Earth.” The track pays homage to classic bands such as Black Sabbath and AC/DC while sprinkling in their own unique psychedelic twist. “Sweet Earth” features piercing vocals, bluesy guitar licks and bolstering drums, along with some very sharp production from Chris “Frenchie” Smith at the Bubble Studios.
Within the first thirty seconds of the song, they manage to transport you straight into the 1970’s with Jesse Lee’s vintage guitar sound and gritty vocals. Landry Jackson’s drums remain simple and understated — yet serve as a powerful driving force to the song. Complementing all of these parts perfectly are Christopher Brockett’s groovy bass lines and nuanced vocal harmonies that adds a polished layer to the track’s catchy hook.
As soon as you think you know the direction the song is going, they throw a curveball with multiple clever breakdowns. The dynamics range from loud and thrashy to soft and sweet, with an outro reminiscent of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” The killer instrumentation is paired with thought-provoking lyrics that speak out against humanity’s inability to protect the earth and the environment.
It’s clear that Dayeater’s sound is locked-in and their artistic integrity never seems to waver. They are a true rock and roll band and their latest single perfectly embodies what they are all about. Listen to “Sweet Earth” on Bandcamp today!
– Quinn Donoghue
Check out the second advance single by Acid Dad in advance of their upcoming album Take It From The Dead coming out early this summer (6/11) on Greenway Records and Reverberation Appreciation Society.
The song is called "BBQ" and it’s a muy fuego scorcher that’ll remind you of Homer Simpson lighting up the grill with an entire can of lighter fluid and sending a fireball careening into the sky, or it does me at least, with its steady driving psych riddims and heavy duty riffage and blunted out vocal spliffage (I had hoped this may be a neologism but Urban Dictionary proved otherwise of course) declaiming "I will be there / I wanna be there in my head / I can take it / I can’t take it for the dead" or something damn close to that.
And then once you’re done with your first listen you may want to check out the song’s "visualizer" on Levitation’s YouDoob page (or witness it above) which’ll give you a sensation something like staring into your dad’s old lava lamp after dropping acid with dear ol’ dad.
And wouldn’t you know it "to accompany the new record, the band spent the last year collaborating with video artist Webb Hunt producing psych and glitch art videos that form a visual counterpart to the dreamy distortions of their sound" so look for lots more LSD-infused lava lamp action coming soon. (Jason Lee)
