New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Worm have released their debut EP which is called "Where Have You Been". This is the solo project of Tom Riordan, formerly of Secret Science, who is bringing a warmer, almost tropical sound to the tail end of this cold Chicago winter.
On this EP, Riordan is finding himself at home with a keyboard and a drum machine and a desire to put something warm and positive in the world.
As anyone who has ever studied singing can tell you, music fans often define stellar singing according to whether they are partial to singers in the big voice belting camp (Pat Benatar, Brittany Howard) or the sweet, feminine, clear as a bell camp (Diana Ross/Emily Blunt/Katy Perry.) Austin favorite Cari Hutson is however a vocalist bridging both preferences, unexpectedly Carrie Underwood-like for someone who once played Janis Joplin for six months in a very credible off-Broadway production.
On her first EP since winning a coveted Black Fret artist’s monetary grant in late 2019, she sings romantically about domestic bliss, finding me-time as a mom of a four-year-old during a pandemic and the callousness and dishonesty of Donald Trump and Governor Abbott in the funk-blues-dance tune, “Blame”, a throwback to the Stevie Wonder/Sly Stone era where a protest song could be funk and blues to which a person could dance. Hutson’s sweet voice and her rocking gritty voice possess so much impact that her few over-the-top wails seem just sort of there.
On her video for “My Breath”, the 42-year-old Hutson, backed by her good-natured band (which includes her husband on guitar), takes the stage with the face of a cherub, softly arranged ginger curls, perfect makeup and a tasteful pantsuit that would be so Hillary Clinton if it weren’t for the shawl with vertical black and white stripes. In true Stevie Nicks fashion, complete with sweet sultry looks, she beckons the audience to come into her spider web. If “My Breath”’s Melissa Etheridge hooks and guitars don’t make it to modern rock radio in 2021, I would be very surprised.
The ironically encouraging thing about the times our society is in is that there is an increased awareness of a seriously flawed America. An EP like Salvation & Soul Restoration, just like a Biden presidency, would be good at any time, but in 2021, the second year of pandemic hell, an artistic AND obviously appealing album release that sounds like the Refinery 29 blog would sound if it was a pop album is going to speak to many, many diverse fans while keeping its integrity and edginess.
– Jill Blardinelli
AZITA is preparing to release her first new album, Glen Echo, since 2012’s Year. The album’s lead single, "Shooting Birds Out of the Sky", was released almost a year ago to much acclaim and found Azita bringing a funky, slowed down groove under her raw and honest lyrics.
She recently released the album’s second single, "If U Die", which is accompanied by the video below. You can preorder Glen Echo, which will be released on March 5th via Drag City, here.
Punk trio Nonagon are set to release their debut full-length album, They Birds, tomorrow, March 3rd, via Controlled Burn Records. The trio of Tony Aimone, Robert Wm. Gomez, and John Hastie have been together for more than decade, releasing their debut EP back in 2008.
The album’s lead single is called "The Family Meal" and can be streamed below.
Thompson Springs has released a new single called "Fayetteville Hotline" via Dropped Beauty Recordings. This is the first new music from the Matt Smith project since the released of his 2020 album, Undertones.
On this single Smith, who plays acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, and sings, is joined by Jake Bicknase, David Thrift, Jeff Sullivan, Bailey Bigger, and John Pirruccello.
Mitchell Jay of The Weekend Run Club recently released his debut solo EP, "DEARMAN Down".
The EP’s lead single is called "I Don’t Know" and is accompanied by the video below.
Mother Nature is back with a new single and video called "MOMENTZ". This is duo of Klevah and TRUTH and they find themselves ripping into a tremendous new beat from fellow Chicagoan BoatHouse.
This is the first new music from the duo since the release of their highly acclaimed 2020 Portalz.
Metal brand From Those Ashes have released the opening track, "Drown The Earth In Sorrow", from their forthcoming EP, "Lamentations", which set to be released on February 26th.
From Those Ashes is the work of Aaron Pokoj (Vocals/Guitar), Jose "Mop" Valles (Lead Guitar), Ryan Compton (Bass), and Omar "Pockets" Diaz (Drums).
Sean McCole of Life of Death has released a new single called "Fade Away". This is his second single since the release of his debut EP, "The Color, Envy", back in 2020.
Life of Death also released a new single, "Disco Decor", earlier this month. Here he is joined by Andrew Green, Dan Silberman, Sean Jacobi, Ben Norsworthy and Sonya Major.
Horsegirl has released a new video for their debut single single "Ballroom Dance Scene". The single will also see its official 7" vinyl released via Sonic Cathedral on April 2nd and be backed with "Sea Life Sandwich Boy".
This is the youthful Indie Pop trio of Penelope Lowenstein, Gigi Reece, and Nora Cheng. This single has taken the world by storm since first being released digitally back in November.
At first I thought Charismatic Megafauna must be the name of a rubber-suited mecha monster featured on an old episode of Super Sentai which would be pretty exciting. But instead it’s the name of the new Psymon Spine album which is nearly, if not equally exciting, depending on your feelings about the hyperkenetic Japanese teen superhero live action TV drama versus the Brooklyn-based band that co-founded the Secret Friend immersive art and music party series alongside POND magazine.
Anyhow the album in question strikes me as sounding just like the cool airport lounge music of the future we were all promised as children. But instead we got phone charging stations and Cinnabon franchises rather than having sleekly-funky space-age psych-pop bands paid to serenade harried travelers and to maybe even make them dance.
But going to airports isn’t too appealing these days so it’s all good. We’re all far better off sitting at home in front of our computers and luckily that’s just where Psymon Spine is playing an album release party to be livestreamed tonight at 8PM EST as the most recent installment of BABY TV alongside openers Dream Chambers and Hypoluxo, the latter of whom were featured not so long ago on this very blog. (Jason Lee)
Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble has released visuals for the title track from their forthcoming, NOW, which is set to be released via International Anthem on April 9th.
This is the work of Angel Bat Dawid (clarinet), Ben LaMar Gay (cornet & melodica), Dana Hall (drums), Damon Locks (samples & electronics), and Arif Smith (percussion).
Locks had this to say about "Now (Forever Momentary Space)"; this "is about the moment outside of the timeline where everything is possible. That moment is now."
