Photo Source: Kingdom of the Holy Sun

Kingdom of the Holy Sun have an up and coming performance this weekend at the Rendezvous. They are on the bill alongside Levator and Prescription Pills.

Self-dubbed as "psychedelic garage and shoegaze," their music cultivates an environment that is both raw and expressive. Every track feels spiritially imbued; they have taken the rock in garage rock, slowed it down, and made their songs self-contained rituals.

Their latest release Pharmacokinetics came out last month. Its four songs exhibit the persistent themes of exploration and wonder – there is a sense of awe planted in the singer’s voice. He immediately draws comparison to the late Jim Morrison of The Doors with his poetic, washed out vocal style. Kingdom of the Holy Sun move in a decidedly different direction musically though; their sonic experiments are less pop-focused and chorus-intensive.

The eponymous track "Pharmacokinetics" ushers itself along at a deliberate pace, unfurling amid a steady evolution of repetitive rhythms and bright melodies. Imagine the sun rising at dawn, amid a hazy film of fog blanketing the sky.

Kingdom of the Holy Sun will appear on stage this Saturday, August 4th at the Rendezvous. Doors are at 9:00pm and tickets cost $5. Give a listen to "Pharmacokinetics" below and carry onto their bandcamp to navigate the rest of the release – as well as their two other albums.

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: Nude Pop

Nude Pop played Capitol Hill Block Party this past weekend and received rave reviews. In tandem with the performance was the release of their latest song called "Lurker."

The opening riff is curious and ticklish, weaving within and without the drums and bass. The vocals blend melliflously into the fold, behaving moreso like another instrument than just someone’s voice high in the mix. 

Nude Pop composes an artful tapestry over the course of five minutes; they are adept at crafting hyponotic melodies without making them feel dull and repetitious. Be forewarned, listening to the track may leave you in a pensive and chipper trance.

Although the band hails from Spokane, WA, they continue to pick up shows, fans, and press in Seattle. Earlier this year they won the Experience Music Project’s Sound Off! 2012 competition which earns them a slot at this year’s Bumbershoot music festival.

Working on a debut EP, setting up more performances for the summer – 2012 is proving to be a vital time for Nude Pop. Stream "Lurker" below to wake up in their dream. They also have several demo tracks available on their bandcamp.

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: Orca Team

Orca Team will soon appear at The Funhouse’s annual Pizzafest; the show date is Thursday, August 2nd. They are currently touring the U.S. leading up to the homecoming performance in Seattle.

The trio released their second full-length album, Restraint, just last month. Without exception, each of the eleven songs on the new record play out under three minutes. Brevity clearly suits them well, for they waste little time in advancing their plentiful melodic hooks.

"Night Moves" enters the atmosphere with a bass riff and drum beat attached at the hip; the tune then swiftly swims into contact with a catchy-as-all guitar part. It is precise and refined, lifting the underlying rhythm with splashes of reverb.

Leif Ander’s (bassist/vocalist) voice slides words off effortlessly, painting stories that listeners will swoon to. Their sound oozes with the innocence and earnestness of 1950’s and ’60’s rock and doo wop. Combining post-punk and surf vibes too, Orca Team’s two minute pop portraits are the antithesis to noisy, sonic affairs. Grab ahold to drift off into their contemporary reveries.

Check out Orca Team at Pizzafest this year on the 2nd of August – other bands that night include Sonny and the Sunsets, The Wimps, Fuckaroos, and Brandon Daniel & The Chics. Tickets are $12 and the show begins at 9pm.

Give "Strains" a listen down below and carry on to their bandcamp to hear all of Restraint. The album is available for purchase on CD or LP over at HHBTM Records.

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: Amelia G.

Blood Orange Paradise will be performing at the Black Lodge this upcoming Friday, July 20th. The lineup also includes Prizerog, Tropical Punk, and Ubu Roi.

The band self-released their debut record earlier this year, an eight track affair eponymously titled Blood Orange Paradise. In the span of its length, they manage to distill many of their Discord Records ’90’s era influences into a unique concoction that may be the cure listeners have been searching for. Their songs unfurl by their own accord, alternatively driving and pulsing or pensive and disquieting.

"The Other End" is a notable example that refuses to stick with any one flavor. Beginning with a whistling patch of feedback, the bass riff subtly hums itself into the mix, breaking into a post-punk groove kept in check by the full crack of the snare beat. The last minute of the track channels the best of bands like Fugazi and Malady, raising the stakes energy-wise without sacrificing melodic complexity.

Lead track "Gene Roddenberry Had A Vision" is guided by thoughtful, introspective vocals that deserve praise for their confidence and versatility. Genres aside, this song and others on the album reflect a band emboldened by their predecessors rather than hindered by them.

Check out BOP – (such a beboppin good acronym for a band) – on the 20th of July at the Black Lodge starting at 9pm. Listen to "With All Due Respect" below and continue onto their bandcamp to stream the entire release. It is also available for convenient digital purchase for only $4!

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: The Fruiting Bodies

The Fruiting Bodies will unveil their latest release coming up this Thursday, July 19th at The Comet Tavern. Their first and only prior release was 2010’s simply titled EP.

The two songs on their upcoming 7" – which is named Wilderness Pill – continues their catapulting efforts of instrumental-only precision. The eponymous track "Wilderness Pill" has echoes of a Torche song if the vocalist completely slipped from view; moreover, The Fruiting Bodies concentrate their energy with an experimental-bent that makes the guitars sound soaring and curious.

"Battle Stag" carries flashes of rock ‘n roll, post-punk, and progressive rock. The interplay of melodies on this song in particular demonstrates their propensity for brewing their own intelligent amalgamation of rock frenzy and stop/start rhythms.

Check out The Comet Tavern this Thursday the 19th to see The Fruiting Bodies, as well as My Best Fiend, By Sunlight, and Pranyx. Show is at 9:00pm for $8. Wilderness Pill is already available digitally to stream; listen to "Battle Stag" below and continue onto their bandcamp for more.

– Cameron LaFlam

 Photo Source: Kyle Johnson

Pollens are the newest addition to Tapete Records, a record label based in Germany. Their appearance at Capitol Hill Block Party on July 21st ought to really bring home the excitment of this announcement.

The group began as a project between Hanna Benn and Jeff Aaron Bryant in 2008; through periods of musical experimentation and a self-released EP, they have expanded to their current six member lineup.

Pollens has three songs available for streaming as a preview for the album – entitled Brighten & Break – to come. "Helping Hand" is guided by a mellifluous, repetitive vocal melody that hooks you in with its multi-layered approach. The rhyhtmic patterns are fluid, entrancing, and will induce bouts of blissful swaying.

"Motion King" leads in with a bouncy riff and a subdued beat before gently blending into choruses and instrumental breaks. Their music maintains a quality of purity and vibrancy, uplifted by their powerful vocal ensemble without becoming maudlin. Live, the band pulls you with their energy – genuine and inclusive, but controlled.

Brighten & Break is due for a September 21st release date. Until then, give Pollens’ tracks a listen and find yourself spirited away. Listen to "Motion King" below and the other songs on their bandcamp. They will appear on the Neumos Stage at 3:00pm on Saturday, July 21st at the Capitol Hill Block Party. Be there.

– Cameron LaFlam

The Numbs has its first cassette coming out this Sunday, July 15th. The record – entitled People – will be released courtesy of Couple Skate Records. 

It is a one-man project, engineered by Jeff Johnson, the artist who is one half of the experimental and enigmatic duo U. The only track available for streaming right now, "Freaks Easy," syncs with its name perfectly. It swoons like a minitature soundtrack to someone’s odd carnival.

The sounds are peculiar, but ineffably tinged with a light and happy spirit. Almost if he were reimagining an instrumental track for Olivia Tremor Control. There are accordion-like noises, a door creaking, a small locomotive – and other repetitive, fragmented sounds which coalesce to form a twitchy, wordless song.

Stream "Freaks Easy" below and see how easily it sinks into you. Check back at Couple Skates Records website to purchase People soon.

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: Chastity Belt

Chastity Belt are going to play the venue Chop Suey a week from today on Tuesday, July 17th. The Space Needles and REDBOOK are booked to perform as well.

Originially hailing from Walla Walla, WA – (like the previously spotlighted group Dude York) – this foursome dig on some punk and rock ‘n roll mojo. Despite their claim that "Chastity Belt is the worst band to ever exist," the group’s EP effort Fuck Chastity Belt immediately undermines that statement with charm and musicality.

Opening track "God Damn" begins with Julia Shapiro (guitarist/vocalist) shouting those words with conviction before the instruments jump in. Pay attention as the song peels into a new section where the line "He’s gold" is repeated; it maintains a great, captivating melody throughout.

Lyrically, the thematic center(s) to their material seem to be sex and violence – but these motifs come off as intriguing and sincere, soaked in their fusion of pop melodies, grainy riffs and off-kilter drums. Listen to "A Bloody Spiral of Unyielding Fury" to get an idea of what these girls are capable of.

Fuck Chasity Belt came out in May of this year and features four songs in total. Stream the leading track "God Damn" below. You can follow the link to their bandcamp to hear and download the whole thing. Make sure to check them out live at Chop Suey on the 17th of July. The show is 100% free!

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: Haunted Horses

Haunted Horses are getting to ready to play Capitol Hill Block Party on Sunday, July 22nd. For those who cannot wait until then, drive north to Vancouver, BC where they are playing the Zoo Zhop this Friday, July 13th. 

The band, composed of members Colin Dawson and Myke Pelly, forge an unholy alliance between rhythm and noise. Dark noise is a more apt descriptor; the mood that pervades their music is one of sinister intensity and confusion. The possible comparisons to noise rock duo Lightning Bolt do not hold much weight because Haunted Horses trajectory appears fundamentally different: one of raising, praising and agitating spirits from the next realm with a calmness in their chaos, rather than all-out dance shreddage and ceaseless throttling of the drums.

Chanting moreso than shouting plays a role in the songs – such as in "The Veil," the closing track of their January release EP They Set Us Fevered Water. It is on the track "Pariah" that their signature concoction of tom-heavy rhythms melt together with wave upon wave of distorted guitar and shouts. 

The bandmates cite their influence as "a woman who died in 1976 after unsucessful attempts to perform an exorcism upon her with psychotropic drugs." Perhaps a fitting image for listeners to plant in their mind as they navigate the band’s challenging and curious material.

Haunted Horses play at 5:45pm on the 22nd of July on the Cha Cha Stage. Stream "Pariah" below for an idea of the aural explosion to come. You can listen to They Set Us Fevered Water on their bandcamp page; it is available for digital download or cassette purchase. It is the last in a series of three cassettes that band released.

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: The Apollos

The Apollos are playing Chop Suey next Tuesday, July 10th; Parts and Conduct Party are also set to perform.

This rambunctious group brings a raw fervor to their music that jives with the energy of old time rock ‘n’ roll. Last year’s set of Portland Demos – recorded in less than 24 hours, no less – illustrates a band of cosmically-inspired psychedelic rockers.

"Tractor Beams from Mars" sets the stage with a few seconds of guitar feedback before breaking into a string of catchy wails and riffs. This uptempo garage ‘n’ roll cut fades away about two minutes in as the band ascends into space. In the remaining minutes, strange feedback and buzzing and warbling noises lead you through what feels like the galaxy’s silent catacombs; as if an alien from Mars is really trying to communicate with you.

In contrast, the song "Hold Me Tight" is a relatively more straightforward reincarnation of soul ‘n’ roll. The call and response between vocalists yelling "Hold Me Tight" is anything but trite though – you just want grab onto that someone in your life and dance around.

One looks forward to the day they bring new material to the fore. Until then, next Tuesday on the 10th of July is a great opportunity to see the band at Chop Suey. The price of the show is zilch, nada, nothing – go see them for free! Their exuberant collaboration of music-making is even better served live.

Listen to "Tractor Beams from Mars" below and continue onto to their bandcamp for the rest of their tunes.

– Cameron LaFlam

Photo Source: Red Liquid

Red Liquid are set to play alongside Gibraltar, Kingdom of the Holy Sun, and Black Nite Crash this upcoming Saturday at Lo-Fi Performance Gallery.

Formed in 2009, the band released their debut EP I Wanna Be Yr Victim last year. They meddle with haunting and industrial-like sounds frequently, like at the start of the eponymous song "I Wanna Be Yr Victim." The tune – which begins with synths that recall rippling tides, engines and sirens from some doppelganger world – suddenly morphs into a relentless hybrid of punk and post-hardcore.

Led by vocalist and guitarist Lee Cizek, Red Liquid sinks deeply into sonic chambers of repetitive churning riffs that reverberate off into space with echoing synth waves; this interstellar effect can be heard prominently on "Neptune Massive." The vocals on this song especially display similarities to Nick Cave and Michael Gira of Swans. The track lulls you in with its mantra-like effect before tearing into a heavy, psychedelic rock section halfway through.

Their nightmarish, futuristic plunge into music pulls from post-punk, psychedelia, electronic vibes, and more. Visit Lo-Fi this Saturday, July 7th for the show – it costs $7 and will begin at 9pm. Until then, check out "Neptune Massive" below and give their bandcamp a visit to hear the whole EP. Word is Red Liquid is releasing a new cassette very soon too.

– Cameron LaFlam

 Photo Source: The Hoot Hoots

The Hoot Hoots are playing with Caught in Motion and The Torn ACLS at The Sunset Tavern on Saturday, July 21st; it is the latter group’s CD release show.

This band is, in a word, delightful! Their tunes are driven by floating, bubbly synth arrangements, energetic drums and playful harmonies. Their lyrics are often quirky, like they are reeling off their own versions of bedtime stories. At times, the words take a turn towards poignance, like the Broken Social Scene-esque song "Brighter" – (although still retaining their decidedly power pop flavor).

You will inevitably hoot, stomp, surf, and cheer your way through their full-length Appetite For Distraction, which came out in December of last year. "Do You Know What They Say About the Pacific?" is anchored by a voice that sounds remarkably akin to Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes; they then promptly guide it out of bucolic territory with a happy, buzzing synth melody.

Songs like "Mr. Ghost" and "Scully" show they can rock their fuzzy pop with the best of them. Listen to the former track below, and take care to visit their bandcamp to stream the whole album. The Hoot Hoots will be at The Sunset Tavern on the 21st of July – tickets cost $8 and the doors open at 9pm.

– Cameron LaFlam