The first single off Metz’s forthcoming album, Strange Peace, is an absolute headbanger. The band never shy’s away from the noise and on “Cellophane” they bring it in by the truck full.
Singer / guitarist Alex Edkins creates a bleak and helpless picture of being buried alive, wrapped in plastic. “How will I know it’s real,” sings Edkins within explosive drum hits and noise drenched, sharp guitar riffs. It’s complete and utter despair while remaining as defiant as ever.
“Cellophane” is face melting, large, and noisy while managing to stay melodic at times, and more structured than some of the bands older works.
Strange Peace was recorded live to tape by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago and it will be out September 22 on Sub Pop.
Kindling is no stranger to this blog. The Easthampton, MA shoegaze behemoth is releasing their debut full length Everywhere Else via No Idea Records this Friday, August 12. What's so impressive about Kindling is their ability to take a genre of music where songs and bands can easily start to sound redundant and overused, and make it fresh. They have soaring guitars reminiscent of more post-rock bands, they have heavier riffy parts and constant driving bass like grunge bands, and they have times where the drums seem explosive, fast, and punk. Not to mention the haunting yet soothing vocals of Gretchen Williams and the 90's alt rock vocals of Stephen Pierce. Kindling is like a smorgasbord of grunge, shoegaze, and dream-pop, and it's so good!
Songs like the opener "Coma" and "Blinding Wave" are perfect examples of the soaring guitar shoegaze vibe mixed with the 90's alt rock vibe the band is absolutely nailing. The songs are dense and there's a lot there, but they aren't claustrophobic like some shoegaze acts. Then there are tracks like "Black Eye" and "Other Times" that are more heavy on the grunge side of things. Riffs, and hard hitting drums and bass, giving the record a nice contrast but one that isn't overly stark or out of place.
"Became" for me is the piece de resistance. I think it's the culmination of everything the record presents. Layers of heavy guitar, drum fills and steady moving bass, perfect vocals sitting just beyond full clarity, and high singing guitars. This is it.
Everywhere Else has the ability to play through and feel concise like a solid unit of work, but its individual tracks are dynamic and original, and can stand out on their own as well as within the whole. The record plays through so well, but the individual tracks have their own weight to them. They carry enough within them to stand on their own. I think this is what makes a perfect record. One that can play through as one solid piece of work, but can be looked back upon and specific pieces can be picked out. I think what I'm trying to say is: This record is really fucking good.
Kindling are playing two record release shows this week.
Stream the whole record on Spin. Pre-orderEverywhere Else from No Idea or go to a show and get it!
Exciting, but not as exciting as Kindling releasing their new full length Everywhere Else, on No Idea Records this August.
"Weightlessly" was premiered on Stereogum last month, and it rips. The bands wonderful shoegaze roots are still present but move aside a bit for a faster soaring element to the mix. The song rips through a great bass driven and drum bashing opening into a great soaring guitar part to the end. Gretchen Williams' vocals are haunting and soothing at the same time. Glowing yet buried. Wonderful and wonderful.
Atlanta rockers, Omni, are made up of members of both Deerhunter and Carnivores and are releasing their debut LP, Deluxe, on Trouble In Mind Records in July. The band released their first single and first song off the record the other day along with a sweet video featuring a heavy 80's influence. Geometric shapes, neon colors and signs, and a lo-fi home video quality filming style.
"Afterlife" is the musical embodiment of that description of the video. Make sense? Well think Devo inspired, minimalist, indie rock and you pretty much got it. And yes, it;s as good as it sounds. Upbeat, poppy with a lo-fi basement recording vibe. Think about death. Afterlife.
Check out the video below.
Deluxe is out on July 8 on Trouble In Mind Records.
See the band at one of these shows:
FRI 4/29/2016 The Earl Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta Mess Around SAT 4/30/2016 The Earl Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta Mess Around FRI 5/6/2016 Aisle 5 Atlanta, Georgia La Luz, Massenger SAT 5/21/2016 529 Atlanta, Georgia Henry Chunklet’s Stand Up Special
Over the course of almost two decades, six albums, and a multiple soundtrack explorations, Austin post-rockers Explosions In The Sky have managed to create a signature sound that has positioned them as masters in their field. So it's no surprise that the band decided, that within the five years since 2011's Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, that they would tear down their signature sound machine and rebuild it. The result is a record of new exploration in sound, in structure, and an exciting breath of fresh air for the band. The one thing that remains is the fact that Explosions In The Sky know how to create an emotional atmosphere that with or without physical visuals forces us to create our own. Each record narrates our own individual film, and that will never change.
The Wilderness adds an element of electronic composition to the wide array of sounds the band already creates using just guitars and drums. The addition of the electronics turns the direction of the record inward instead of outward and vast. The soaring sounds are present but overall the record appears as moving inward, shrinking to the microscopic, to a whisper at times.
The albums first track and its title track "The Wilderness" begin with this electronic reverberation on the smallest level that later pushes up and out of its electronic chrysalis and into a blooming movement that fades and soars as the song progresses. "The Ecstatics" takes on a similar approach beginning with an electronic intro and building into something more full yet still subtle.
The songs don't build on each other like past albums have. Each song acts on it's own, narrating it's own journey while still keeping concise in the overall theme of the record.
Songs like "Tangle Formations" and "Disintegration Anxiety" are two of the more upbeat and open songs on the record. "Tangle Formations" has building constant snare hits with blossoming and growing guitar lines that create a brighter outlook while "Disintegration Anxiety," though still building up and outward bears a colder darker side. Opening with what I describe as an electronic orchestra, and then moving from a cold depth into a nervous bass and guitar driven experience. It's colder, it's longing, it's needy.
The Wilderness is emotional. Emotional for the listener as it demands remembrance of personal fault or victory, and undoubtedly emotional for the band. The album title itself is a testament to that. The Wilderness is unknown. It's vast, it's wild, it's cold and sometimes warm, it's new and different, it's welcoming and rejecting. It's a move into something new. It's stepping out of familiarity and safety and into a new journey.
It's a frightening and exciting transformation. It will separate and challenge. It will move and inspire. It requires attention to the finer details. It's meditative.
This is the second review request I have received. Again a humbling experience to have people dig whats going on over here.
Anyways,
Perennial are a post-hardcore, self described "art punk" band featuring members of early Topshelf Records bands Lion Cub and Aeroplane, 1929. I get a little hesitant when people use the term "art punk" because it's usually never what I want it to be. I love art. I love punk. The two go hand in hand a lot of the time, but... sometimes... not.
Perennial is not one of those art punk bands. In fact I get a really nice combination of Sinaloa and Daniel Striped Tiger. The fullness of Sinaloa's songs and the raw energy of Daniel Striped Tiger, especially Condition days and earlier, but with something new. While producing top notch post hardcore jams, the band adds the new element of keys and effects which really add something nice. What's refreshing is that the keys take an active role in the song and aren't just there to add filler parts.
We are introduced to the keys as soon as possible as the ep kicks in with the rocking groove of "La Fugue Pour Beton brut." Nothing like coming out of the gates swinging. Energetic, some cool time changes, and the keys and effects at the end add that arty-ness to the mix which is followed by the straight forward and soild "Massachusetts Scenic Byways."
The albums interlude type track, "Circle/Pivot/Circle" is really nice. I like when bands release an ep of a handful of songs where you get a good well rounded taste for what they are about and where they could go in the future with a full album. I;m really stoked on the fact that Perennial can do these interlude tracks that offer more than the normal interlude/noise/ambient track. Sometimes it gets annoying when a band does this interlude thing. I feel like it's an easy way to go when you want another tracks but the ideas just aren't flowing anymore. This is not the case. The track is deliberate and it sets the scene for the intro to the closer/title track, "Early Sounds For Night Owls." A short subtle quiet vocal part that leads into a great payoff when the tracks starts moving.
All around this is a great first effort. Very excited to see what the future holds for this band.
Grab the limited cassette off their bandcamp and listen to the ep over there.
You can see the band on 4/2 in Willimantic, CT and on 4/8 in Amherst, MA!
"Dust" is a heavy reminder that everywhere you go, no matter what you do, no matter how many showers you take or how many times you "sweep," everything is filthy. You are filthy. Everything you touch is dirty. "Dust is everywhere, sweep," the song repeats. And it's true. An uncomfortable realization projected right into your face and your eardrums. Anxious, overwhelming, driving, this song rules.
The constant thumping of bass, riffs, and monotone classic vocals give way to a heavy anxiety-filled whirlwind of decay and noise that swirls around until you inevitably crack and peel the bugs off your rotten flesh you filthy pile of perfection.
Shit got weird there.
Tour Dates:
02-15 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall ! 02-16 Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall ! 02-18 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club ! 02-19 Calgary, Alberta - Commonwealth Bar 02-20 Vancouver, British Columbia - Rickshaw Theater 02-23 Seattle, WA - Neumos 02-24 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom 02-26 Oakland, CA - The New Parish @ 02-27 Los Angeles, CA - American Legion Hall @ 02-27 Los Angeles, CA - American Legion Hall 03-12 Marfa, TX - Marfa Myths $% 04-14 Providence, RI -The Met ^ 04-15 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club ^ 04-16 Kingston, NY - BSP Kingston ^ 04-17 Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit ^ 04-18 Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups ^ 04-20 Chicago, IL - Metro ^ 04-21 Detroit, MI - Marble Bar ^ 04-22 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Theater ^ 04-28 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater 04-30 Austin, TX - Levitation Festival 05-02 Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's 05-11 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer * 05-12 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club * 05-13 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle * 05-15 Atlanta, GA - Shaky Knees Festival 05-16 Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge * 05-17 Asheville, NC - The Mothlight * 05-18 Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater * 05-20 New York, NY - Webster Hall * 06-04 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival 06-12 London, England - Field Day 06-14 Bristol, England - Trinity 06-15 Liverpool, England - New Kazimier 06-16 Edinburgh, Scotland - La Belle Angele 06-17 Leeds, England - Irish Centre 06-18 Manchester, England - Gorilla
! with Love Of Everything @ with Chris Cohen $ with No Age % with Sheer Mag ^ with Soda * with B Boys
Slingshot Dakota have a new full length coming out on the fantastic Topshelf Records. The record is called Breakand will be released on March 11, but the band premiered the first song off the record.
"Paycheck" is a catchy as all hell, fuzzed out jam. The keys have this really great distorted, fuzz infused, effect on them and they rumble through the verses like a muddy riff and are accompanied by some great tom / cymbal work. I love that the band can capture so much and create so much fullness and layers. I'm really digging the direction this song is taking the band in and I hope that the rest of the album will follow suit. I mean just listen to that groove, man!
Slingshot Dakota will be heading out on tour in April.
I've been meaning to do this write-up for a while now. I love this record. Kindling is this noisey shoegaze band out of Western MA featuring Andy and Stephen of Ampere fame. The band blends elements of 90's grunge with think and sometimes cosmic shoegaze parts. This baby was released on the legendary No Idea Records, too. So good!
The record opens with probably my favorite track "Blinding Wave." There is this great driving bass / guitar riff that kills. When we get to the chorus part the guitar takes on this cosmic swirl that compliments the vocals so well. I love the vocals. This song moves. It kicks in right away and it's so steady and thumping throughout. I get a heavy 90's influenced grunge thing. Like if Pearl Jam had a female singer and played dirtier, or something. Oh, and towards the end where it sounds like its over with these rad spaced out hits, and it kicks back in to that opening part, yes!
"While Away" is slower and more grungy and fuzzed out. The opening is so nice. Drawn out and then the songs kicks in. Guitars are soaring again. I love that. The riffs are so cool. They are muffled and fuzzy but stand out so well among the murk. This song has some great stand out parts. They are all like small little transition fills or riffs and only happen once. It's like a whole bunch of little surprises. Andy's drumming is on point.
"Painkiller" has that nice feedback opener and then into heavy shoegaze heaven. Such a headbanger. Jamming out in the front row, pushed up against the kick drum just banging away. These songs all feel like they should be played in a film. Maybe Lost In Translation. I can picture this one during the end where Bill Murray is driving away before the credits. The chorus part in this one is so good! I get a Sunny Day Real Estate vibe and I want to watch Pete and Pete. Man, I need to see this band live. This is tied for my favorite track. They lay on that last part for a good while. Perfect amount of time and the end is so rad!
The record closes with the shortest track "Coastal." Straight forward, such great drum fills, and heavy riffs. This one needs a few listens. The vocals here too! Nevermind what I said about favorite tracks, They are all too good. This is a great ender track though and the fact that this is a 4 song 12" ep just means you need to spin it a few times!
See this band when you can.
Grab the record from No Idea!
Stream here.
Look for a full length!
The album's announcement was accompanied by the first single, "Disintegration Anxiety." The song stays consistent with the constant upward motion the band's songs have been known for while taking a step in another more abstract direction.
The beginning of the song is this odd orchestra sounding, robotic, muffled rhythm part which then breaks into to this mathy bass line section. The drums kick in at this weird time and it almost doesn't sound like it fits, but it does, Oh, it does.
From there the tracks flows into to this great groove. It's kind of crunchy and the drums really stand out. The guitars have this flutter and jumbled rhythm to them. Like a constant skipping heart beat. This and some variations of it play out through the rest of the track. There is this sweet surge part with either keys, or a synth, or the guitar acting as one. It's really trance-like, but not in that weird dance, rave way. Not trance like that. It's, well, it's Explosions In The Sky. Do you need more?
Stream the song and watch this cool video below! Pre-orders for the record are up now!
With the recent news of the re-issue of this tape onto wax I figured it would only be right to write about this beast by Boston's powerhouse, Raw Blow. The band is made up of members of other local heroes Luau, Now Denial, and Furnace.
The release starts off with the 90's inspired title track, "Slow Choke." The vocals really give me a Nirvana vibe and the song in general has a heavy post rock vibe. This may be my favorite track on the album. I love that riff at the beginning and how it comes back in later on in the song, and that little single note solo thing going on. Real nice.
"Buzzards" kicks in really heavy and reminiscent of Furnace, but with singing which I think rules. This song turns up the rocking and the post-rock vibes are strong here.
"Most Days" is similar to "Buzzards" but I get this weird post-pop-punk vibe in the beginning. It's weird. I can't help but think of a harder, heavier, less shitty New Found Glory. Maybe that doesn't make sense. I'm just giving it to you as I see it, man. The drumming kills me towards the end. There's this constant thumping with that sporadic guitar strumming and it's a cool contrast to the lyrics, "Most days go by so slow."
"All Kinds Of Garbage" is by far the heaviest song on the album, and it kicks so much ass. This one brings me back to the old days. Basement shows, sweating ass, screaming at the top of your lungs. This one is really chaotic too, but it always stays so concise in its mayhem.
The album closes with "Don't Try" which brings the album full circle as this song is similar in style to the opening track. There are these great "whooah" parts. This is the shortest song on the release too and it feels quick but nails it and just makes me want to rock it all a few more times.
Stream / buy / download the album on their bandcamp here.
Make sure you check out the Tor Johnson store and get the 7" bundle with a sweet new T-shirt.
Ampere is forever. Everyone knows who they are and what they mean to the current punk scene and the punk scene in general, both past, present, and future. This split has been in the works for a long time and the songs were birthed back in 2012 after the release of Like Shadows.
Ampere has always been consistent while still progressing. "Parallels" is no exception. There is that classic Ampere chaos but with more structure to the individual parts. There is this slower riffy part in the middle that is so good. This band will never cease to amaze me with their musicianship, and Stephen's vocals and lyrics will always be top tier for me. This song is my favorite by them, and somehow they always manage to take a minute and a half song and make it so full.
"Holding Pattern" is a little slower in the opening and it's really nice. I love Andy's drums at the end where he does those insane drum roll fills. I love that so much.
Ampere close out with "On Form & Function" which is a great way to end it. Real chaotic and wonderful and then this great slow fade to the end. Really melodic and trance-like. Just follow them.
Raein is one of the best screamo bands, and I hate using that word because its meaning has changed so much, but this is REAL screamo. They are from Italy and have members of one of the greats, La Quiete. The band has been around for a good bit and went quiet back in 2008 before coming back in 2011 with a new album followed by a split with Loma Prieta, and most recently a new ep titled Perpetuum, and this awesome split.
Raein's sound has matured over the years. I'm sure everyone remembers "Tigersuit." It's a great song and fun as hell but these Italian's have grown a bit since then. Their sound is more post-rock / post-punk, and it's so good.
"Comete" has this great shoegaze vibe to it with these really great high guitar parts followed by a really strong steady bass-driven instrumental part. The lyrics have that great chant aspect to them. Like everyone is singing and the shows would be so fun to be a part of. This song is so solid. That little riff at the end too. Yup.
Only two tracks from Raein and "Spaccare Il Mondo" is their last effort. Again we get a great shoegaze vibe. The guitar and really spacey. It's so nice. I love the direction the band took. I love that they are taking the shoegaze / post-whatever sound that is going wild, and they did it in their style. It still says Raein all over it, but new Raein. I think this is their best stuff to date. I'm excited.
