Deftones "Prayers/Triangles" Track Review

Deftones is one of those bands for me that will always be timeless and always manages to crank out solid records. I feel like I like them more the older I get and the more they progress. Their latest album, Koi No Yokan, was really solid. I feel like their records have become more of a solid unit in these later years than the older records like Around The Fur and Adrenaline. Those records are solid but they have distinct parts (songs) that stick out where as Koi No Yokan, for me, was a whole piece. There wasn't specifics that stood out, but I found that ok.

Ramble....

So the 'Tones just dropped the first song off their forthcoming record, Gore, which will be out on April 8.

The song has some great melodic delay guitar parts during the verse parts and a really great chorus with soaring guitars and drums. This band just cranks them out so hard. I remember there was a point where I thought Chino lost the classic scream, but there is this great little mellowed out / breakdown / bridge part with some heavy guitar work and that classic Chino scream.

This makes me happy.

Check out the audio / video below.




They will be touring as well!

03-05 Costa Mesa, CA - MUSINK Festival
03-16 Mission, TX - Never Say Never Festival
03-19 San Antonio, TX - Lonestar Events Center
03-20 Dallas, TX - Southside Ballroom
03-22 Houston, TX - Revention Music Center
03-24 Lubbock, TX - Lonestar Pavilion
05-08 Kannapolis, NC - Carolina Rebellion
05-13 Atlanta, GA - Shaky Knees Music Festival
06-03 London, England - SSE Arena Wembley
06-04 Nürburgring, Germany - Rock am Ring
06-05 Numberg, Germany - Rock im Park
06-09 Nickelsdorf, Austria - Nova Rock
06-10 Leicestershire, England - Download Festival
06-14 Cologne, Germany - Palladium
06-15 Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle
06-17 Aarhus, Denmark - NorthSide Festival
06-18 Reykjavik, Iceland - Secret Solstice

Twin Peaks "Walk To The One You Love" Track Review

Chicago's Twin Peaks just dropped the first track off their third full length record, Down In Heaven, which will be out May 13 on Communion.

The song "Walk To The One You Love" is a smooth driving jam from days past. It has this rocking twangy guitar riff through the whole thing that really kicks ass. The song is accompanied by some great claps, some wonderful harmonies, and it's just so damn catchy. I've been rocking this thing all day. The track has so much to offer. There are so many different pieces put together in this thing. Guitar solo, "la-la-la" harmonies, some more girthy vocal parts, some fast drumming during this little piece.

Go west right, and hit the coast, and then drive that thing with the top down. You're out there looking for her / him / whoever, and you have the sun and the surf, and you know they are there. Just go you young thing. Go. "Walk to the one you love."

Stream the song below.

Read the sweet article on NME with singer Cadien Lake James about the new album.




Tour Dates:

02-24 Madison, WI - The Frequency
02-25 Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
02-26 Sioux Falls, SD - Total Drag [two shows]
02-27 Iowa City, IA - Blue Moose Tap House
03-09 Champaign, IL - The Accord
03-10 Nashville, TN - Exit In 
03-11 Columbia, MO - Cafe Berlin
03-12 Bloomington, IN - Blockhouse
04-15 Sheffield, England - Picture House Social Club
04-16 Glasgow, Scotland - Stereo
04-17 Manchester, England - Deaf Institute
04-19 London, England - Camden Barfly
04-21 Paris, France - La Mécanique Ondulatoire
04-22 Évreux, France - L'abordage
04-23 Reze, France - Festival L'Ere de Rien
04-29 Austin, TX - Levitation 
05-13 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
06-02 Nelsonville, OH - Nelsonville Music Festival
06-09 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music Festival 

Slingshot Dakota "Paycheck" Track Review

Slingshot Dakota have a new full length coming out on the fantastic Topshelf Records. The record is called Break and 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.

Julien Baker at the Red Room. Boston, MA 1/23/16

Julien Baker played the Red Room at Cafe 939 last night 1/23/16) in Boston, MA. It was perhaps the most emotional and inspiring show I've ever been to. The snow was coming own hard outside and driving sucked but that didn't stop a packed crowd from filling up the venue.

The pop duo Gracie and Rachel (and Shawn) opened the show. The group plays really nice indie-pop with orchestral elements (violin) and minimal percussion. Definitely worth checking them out.

Baker followed soon after the duo +1 finished their set and moved their instruments.

Before I get into the show itself I just want to point out that Julien Baker is one of the most modest, genuine, artists / performers that I have seen. You can see the honesty pour out of everything she plays and sings. It's a definite breath of fresh air and based on the crowd of people who were digging the show, it's definitely noticed and felt by everyone else.

The set opened with the title track off her album, Sprained Ankle, which unfortunately for me was sold out (the LP) by the time I got to the merch table. Her voice is so good live as it is on the record. So much emotion. I brought my sister along and she couldn't get over her guitar playing. The tone and her playing is so good. She followed up with "Blacktop" and then "Rejoice" which was played due to a fan who had tweeted or Instagramed a comment about how she hoped Baker would play the song to make the night that much better. She played the song and even brought the girl a coffee but she had disappeared before she could give it to her.

The set also included "Vessels" and "Something" which were both super fucking good.

My favorite moments of the night were her performance of "Everybody Does." She got so into the song that they end turned into a full out rock out as she began to yell the vocals. The crowd sang along and everyone was really feeling it. "That was cool... thanks for keeping it real Boston," Baker said as the song ended.

My other favorite moment was when after a quick 30 second break after her set, Baker came back for one more and played my favorite song on the record, "Go Home." I have been watching live videos of her past performances and have not seen that one live. It makes sense due to the piano, but when she hit a pedal and I heard the piano track I almost lost it. Super emotional, super clean, super feels.

A great show from beginning to end. It;s always great to dig an artist and see them live and witness that they are not only extremely talented but genuinely humble and real.

I highly recommend seeing Baker play whenever you can and make sure to grab the record asap!
Read my review of Sprained Ankle.

Check this video of Julien Baker playing "Vessels" from the show.









*Photos taken by Adam W Gerhold (me).

Frameworks "Time Spent" Review

This record is so damn good. Frameworks blasts out two songs of the most kick ass post-hardcore, punk... whatever you want to call it. It's just insane. If you read the piece by The Fader you will also know the the songs are deep as hell too. So not only are they flipping' hard as fuck, but they are heavy as fuck, like meaningful!

"Worn Out" has this great intro part and it's almost like a heavy pop song when the band and vocals kick in. There are some great soaring guitars throughout. I love the tone of the guitar. It's clean and clear while staying hard. There is great tom work in this jam too. The end has some cool synth work going on. It's really intricate and there is this overwhelming feeling of urgency. Put this on repeat.

The title track, "Time Spent," goes so hard. It has such a sweet groove to it in the beginning. The guitars shred so hard and the drums are bombarding. The songs slows den for a bit and there's time to take a short breath of air and then jump back in the pit, kid. The end has this quick punk part and then some twinkly beautiful guitar work with some heavy synth flow.

Shit. I'm a mess. This one got me all wrecked.

Grab this record from the mighty Topshelf Records.
Stream it here.
See them on tour with Donovan Wolfington next month!

Fucko "Demo" Review

Fucko recorded this demo back in 2014, so it's a bit old, but they are releasing a full length early this year on Black Numbers and it will feature re-recorded versions of these three songs. The band is straight out of Boston and features siblings Sarah and Jacob Desmarais and newly added drummer Derek Desharnais of Sneeze-fame. 

Fucko is great grunge-pop, alt-whatever. Shit just rules.

"Buzz" is my favorite song I think. I always do this. I'll say which song is my favorite and then I take it back like two songs later, so whatever. It rules. Great riffs right off the bat and then the guitar fades to some light feedback as Sarah sings the verse. Then it kicks back in so good. I love the recording. It's dirty but clear. The cymbals have that rawness to them but without being way too fucking harsh and overpowering. There's this sweet guitar lead part towards the end of the song where everything stops except this single note part and then the song rolls on until it kicks back in with the chorus part. A little pause and some feedback. Yes!

"Shitty City" is a solid 90's pop rock slayer. The guitar is so sweet in this one. Sarah's vocals kill me too. So nice! That bass as well. A nice solid crunch to it, and it stands out among the other instruments which I really appreciate. Dig the little into part too. "You are perfect."

Look, I'm going to do it again. "Kind Of Mean It," might be my jam. Shit, I need to stop doing that. I won't though. Whatever, this song rules, and I don't kind of mean it, I really do mean it. See what I did there? Yup. This one is really intricate. The drum fills are so fast and smooth. The riffs too. When Sara sings "I could fall in love," I get the feels. Makes me start thinking, you know. Thinking about stuff. Anyways, this is the one. I'm going to day it. My favorite track. There, last words.

Stream the demo on bandcamp.
Get the full length Dealing With The Weird when it comes out on Black Numbers.
Go see them live!

Culture Abuse "Spray Paint The Dog" Review

I posted Culture Abuse's video for "Perfect Light" on my Facebook page because not only is the song super flippin' kick-ass, but the video is wild as hell. I got one comment from someone I used to work with that said, "What the fuck did I just watch?" I responded with a simple, "You're welcome."

Culture Abuse is a monster, drug infused, punk band from the Bay Area.
This two song 7" is too good and too short. Another great record on 6131 Records.

The record starts off with "Nicotine," a real banger. The beginning really sets the scene great. It's creepy, and dirty. The riffs are wicked, and the production of this record is so good. It's clear and clean while keeping it grimey and punk a.f. Towards the end there is this nice sludgy slow part with some overlapping vocals and some real noise. The chaos is so wonderful.

"Perfect Light" is my jam. I've played this song so many times over and over again rocking my face off. It's this great, weird, dance jam. I love the vocals so much and the direction this song takes. It's steady, rocking, and fuzzy. The parts before the verses with that chanty thing they do. I dig that so hard. "Love's not the answer," but Culture Abuse is definitely the answer. Get weird. Do whatever.

Grab the record from 6131.
Stream it here.
Look for a full length in the future!

Peep the video for "Perfect Light." And hey, it's totally NSFW. Bomb!