This is fine.
Profligate is a new to me, but not some friends in the know. Josh from Missions and Nathan from Austin Town Hall sent word of this jam. Those are two heavyweights in the industry. I’m sold. This is sparse and cold, dark synth pop from space. “Hang Up” is the first single from the pre-orderable LP on Wharf Records called Too Numb to Know. I get some Xymox and Yello (not the Ferris hit) vibes, yet having bits of playfulness peaking through.
Public Practice is offering up something I didn’t know I needed on this rainy Texas day; they’re bringing me back to the pop side of old school punk rock. This song has these frantic jagged riffs and odd little time signatures, driving the infectiousness up a notch as your toes go tapping furiously. The vocal delivery has a bit of a stutter to it, which matches the video’s aesthetic as well; there’s definitely bravado too, building on the promise of exuberant live shows we fully expect from the group. Their new album Gentle Grip will be out on May 15th via Wharf Cat Records.
Today’s one of those days when I could post just about everything that’s come my way. But, that being said, I think a good way to round out my afternoon is with this great track from Andrea Schiavelli and his Eyes of Love project. He’s played in some of my favorite acts like Punks on Mars and Nude Beach, but don’t take that as an expectation for his tunes at the moment. He’s got more of a troubadour feel on these, akin to a bedroom Silver Jews. This number fits on his debut EP, which comes out via Wharf Cat Records on August 26th.
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It’s one thing to look at all the noisy psych rock going on and think to yourself “hey, I can do that,” but it’s another thing to do that, let alone with the tenacity of Honey. Don’t let the name full you, as the band sound awfully sinister here, almost like a psychedelic version of the Misfits at times. Doesn’t seem like this Brooklyn bunch cares for much other than making great noise you’ll come back for, so be ready to come back for the band on May 6th when they release Love is Hard via Wharf Cat Records.
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Admittedly, I took some time off from the psych rock last week; too much of a good thing can be a bad thing…or so my mom said. But, I’m returning this week with a real heavy burner of a tune from Ancient Sky, who we’ve featured on these pages before. For the first two minutes, the song does read as your fairly run-of-the-mill blend of psych, but soon enough, you’ll hear the band pound on the drums, rip through the distorted guitar riffs and shout at the top of their lungs. It provides listeners with a nice little twist, leaving you with more of a sludgy rocker than a psych tune. The band will release their new album, Mosaic, on June 9th via Wharf Cat Records.
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It constantly amazes me what depth and texture can be created in the home studio nowadays, such as this new single from Jeff Zagers. His latest single has the feeling of a full-on band working at their best, yet it’s interesting to note that he recorded all parts (drums, keys, bass, guitar, saxophone) all on his own. In the end, you get this well-crafted dense pop tune, which also offers a bit of introspection through the lyrical and emotional content. It’s all part of Jeff’s new album, Still/Alive LP, which is going to be released on March 17th via Wharf Cat Records, so keep a lookout.
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Sadly, Mikey Hodges, the man behind Pop Zeus, as well as on-again off-again drummer for the Memories, was killed in a tragic accident in December. But, the Memories are offering a glimpse at his work with a 7″ they recorded with Mikey back in 2013. It’s a short 7″ being released by Wharf Cat Records, and both the songs are a great look at what the band accomplished during their time working with Mikey. If you love the song, you should pick it up soon, as all proceeds will be going directly to his family during their time of need.
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Every blue moon, or perhaps more often, I just want to find this huge expansive piece of music to get lost inside. This nearly 8 minute track from The Ukiah Drag is just the piece for me, with sprawling movements of rolling guitar riffs melding with these semi-preached vocals. It’s amazing how one just gets tossed up into their dark mess, then finds themselves tumbling all the way out. Getting lost inside the realm of this band is sure to happen quite frequently for those who choose to pick up their newest release, In the Reaper’s Quarters, via Wharf Cat on September 9th. Come on, just check the art work…something wicked this way comes.
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The last time we heard from the Ukiah Drag, the band had this devilish storytelling aspect to their songwriting. This time around, as the band readies their new album, they hold onto that demonic presence, though there’s more emphasis in the volume. It’s like a fuck all of psych and post rock, blended into this mixture of entrancing western-sludge. Their new record, In The Reapers Quarters will be released September 9th via Wharf Cat Records. From the sounds of this, it’s going to be something quite different than your average fare.
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Slow week? Kick off your afternoon with this really rad tune from La Peste. The Boston band only released two official songs, and the folks over at Wharf Cat Records have decided they’re great enough to release back into the wild world; boy are they right. It’s got the perfect amount of snarling guitars pushing the pace, and even including a nice catchy nod to the world that surrounded them, musically. The reissue will hit the streets on April 19th, and if you’re like me, I have a feeling you’ll want to pick this little gem up.
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