Rewind Review: All Them Witches – Live on the Internet (2022)

Stuck in the middle of a global pandemic shutdown with plenty of material and energy, and nowhere to go to promote it or expend it, All Them Witches decided to record and livestream a full concert during that weird time and bring fans together in their living rooms. The result was Live on the Internet, the title of which is a play on their song “Internet” (Opening lyric: “Guess I’ll go live on the internet.”) from their excellent album, Sleeping Through the War.

Having no time restraints set by a venue or local ordinances, ATW start their live set with “Blood and Sand / Milk and Endless Waters,” which is nearly ten minutes long…and all of it is amazing. “Dirt Preachers” is fuzzy and raw, like a bison shaking frost of its body before it prepares to charge across a meadow. Ben McLeod‘s guitar work on “Saturnine & Iron Jaw” ranges from metal shredding to Helmet-like chugging to psychedelic mind trips. “41” rumbles with the pent-up energy we all had during lockdown.

This energy is unloaded with all the subtlety of a cannon on their classic track “When God Comes Back,” and their equally classic “Alabaster” (all seven-plus minutes of it) rolls in afterward like charging cavalry. It has to be the most aggressive version of it I’ve heard. “Diamond” has a brooding menace to it that seeps under your skin. Robby Staebler‘s drums on “1×1” sound like the crushing feet of a mastodon.

“I am focused!” yells lead singer / bassist Michael Parks, Jr. on “3-5-7,” making you think he’s either lying to himself…or he is so damn focused that he’s terrifying. “The Marriage of Coyote Woman” highlights their love of Black Sabbath. “Charles William” grows like a wildfire until it threatens to consume everything in its path.

“Rats in Ruin,” often a closer of their shows, drips with mind-warping vocal effects and subtle bass that purrs like a large cat. Parks takes over on guitar for “Open Passage,” and for a moment it feels like the lights are dimming are we’re about to fall into REM sleep…

Then comes “Enemy of My Enemy” with Parks yelling, “Behold my power!” as McLeod plays like he’s trying to summon something at Stonehenge and Staebler unloads drum fill after drum fill. The brief instrumental “Everest” drifts into the always lovely (and heavy) “Bulls” to close out the session with powerful riffs, beats, and vocals that hit you like sporadic thunderstorms that break out on a hot summer day.

All Them Witches are one of the best live bands around, and their catalogue doesn’t have a weak spot. Live on the Internet continues that trend.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe.]

Top 15 live shows of 2021: #’s 15 – 11

Live shows made a comeback in 2021, thank heavens, but many were still canceled or postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. As a result, I only saw 35 live bands this year. Cutting that list in half (or thereabouts) to save time, here’s the start of my top fifteen concerts of 2021.

#15: Acid Dad – Ft. Wayne, Indiana’s Brass Rail – October 08th

I’d only heard a couple tracks by Acid Dad before seeing them live, and they didn’t fail to impress everyone at the Brass Rail. It was a rocking show of groovy psych-rock with hints of surf and garage rock.

#14: Protomartyr – Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Bell’s Eccentric Café – November 12th

This was the first time I’d seen Protomartyr live as well, and it was a fine show indeed with a ton of great post-punk rock in front of an excited crowd of fellow Michiganders.

#13: Stöner – Ft. Wayne, Indiana’s Piere’s – September 29th

This was two firsts in one, both seeing and hearing Stöner for the first time. They played a cool heavy set of desert rock and won over a lot of fans (including yours truly) at this show. Their shirts and LPs were flying off their merch table after their set.

#12: King Buffalo – Ft. Wayne, Indiana’s Piere’s – September 29th

Yes, the same show. King Buffalo were the first of three bands that night (the third being Clutch). I’d heard of King Buffalo before, but only a couple songs. They played an excellent set of psychedelic rock that set the table for the rest of the night.

#11: All Them Witches – Chicago’s Metro – December 16th

This was the last show I saw in 2021, and ATW put on a solid set of heavy psychedelia. It was the last show of their tour before a break until they played a series of shows around New Year’s Eve.

Who’s in the top ten? Come back tomorrow to learn!

Keep your mind open.

[Why not subscribe while you’re here?]

Top 40 albums of 2016 – 2020: #’s 20 – 16

We’re halfway through the list, and the decision of what to include gets tougher with each post. This one includes two shoegaze surprises and a legend.

#20: Cosmonauts – A-OK! (2016)

I don’t remember where I first heard Cosmonauts, but I do remember being floored by the sound of this record. The sunny, southern California shoegaze riffs and power these lads put out was nothing short of stunning. The themes of boredom, lost love and youth, and growing tired of hipsters were deftly handled and backed with a trippy sound that’s not easy to make.

#19: Hum – Inlet (2020)

Easily the best surprise of 2020, these Chicagoland shoegaze giants dropped Inlet on an unsuspecting, but wildly grateful, public and immediately became the talk of the music industry – again. It proved that they never lost anything – chops, power, influence, mystery. Let’s hope they get to tour in 2021, because they deserve sell-out shows.

#18: All Them Witches – Sleeping Through the War (2017)

Speaking of power, All Them Witches are brimming with it, and this album was like chugging psychedelic tea mixed with Red Bull. At times blistering with fury and other times a bluesy, swampy mind trip, Sleeping Through the War deals with disconnection, celebrity worship, invasive technology, and, as always with ATW, mysticism.

#17: The Duke Spirit – Kin (2016)

Kin was another surprise release. It wasn’t a surprise that The Duke Spirit put out a new record. The surprise was that, instead of their heavy, sexy, blues-influenced rock, the band put out one of the best shoegaze records of 2016. They metamorphosed like a caterpillar and emerged into something new that somehow thrilled me more than they already had done.

#16: Gary Numan – Savage (Songs from a Broken World) (2017)

The legend I mentioned at the beginning of this post? It’s Gary Numan, and Savage (Songs from a Broken World) was a great return for him. This album brims with power as hard as the post-apocalyptic landscape portrayed on the cover and in the lyrics. Numan wasn’t messing around (nor does he ever) with this record, tackling climate change, fascism, mania, despair, and dread with massive synth riffs, knock-down drums, and pure force. I was lucky to catch him at the Chicago stop on this tour and it was one of the best shows I’d seen in a while.

Next up we have dance-punk, live doom metal, stunning psychedelic jams, an EP from a band that broke up just as they were becoming popular, and an improvised instrumental record.

Keep your mind open.

[Why not subscribe while you’re here?]

Top 35 albums of 2020: #’s 25 – 21

The top 25? Already? Yep. Here we go.

#25: Death Valley Girls – Levitation Sessions: Live from the Astral Plane

Your live psychedelic rock album can’t miss when the first track is a guide to astral projection. You also can’t miss when it’s full of wild rock, passionate vocals, and, for all I know, tantric magic.

#24: Deeper – Auto-Pain

Wow. I mean…Wow. This post-punk record covers some serious subjects (suicide, existential angst, boredom, ennui, technological creep) and does it with serious chops and resolve.

#23: All Them Witches – Nothing As the Ideal

All Them Witches returned with possibly their heaviest album to date. Nothing As the Ideal is almost a Black Sabbath record in its tone and sheer sonic weight. It sounds like they were getting out all their frustration of not being able to tour on the record. It’s a cathartic gem.

#22: Protomartyr – Unlimited Success Today

Protomartyr put out one of the mots intriguing records of 2020. Unlimited Success Today is layered with stunning guitar chords, powerhouse drumming, and mysterious lyrics that sometimes read and sound like a madman yelling atop a milk crate in the middle of a busy intersection in your town.

#21: Gordon Koang – Unity

Possibly the most uplifting album of 2020, Unity is the tale of refugee Gordon Koang finally becoming an Australian citizen. Koang is a musical superstar in Africa, but fled the continent due to civil war and threats on his life. Despite all his tribulations, Unity is a record full of hope (not to mention fun Afrobeat tracks) that we needed last year.

The top 20 of 2020 are coming up next!

Keep your mind open.

[Why not subscribe while you’re here?]

Review: All Them Witches – Nothing As the Ideal

Nashville power-psych trio All Them Witches came back this year with one of their heaviest and possibly most philosophical albums yet – Nothing As the Ideal. The album’s title suggest either that there is nothing ideal out there, or, as I suspect, nothingness / emptiness / stillness is the ideal. It’s what we should all dwell in at least a few minutes a day to remind us that the moment around us is the only thing there is. All Them Witches make this point by flattening you with rock.

“Saturnine & Iron Jaw” has a title like a Heavy Metal comic and hits as hard as, well, iron. It begins with creepy synths and bells, bubbling like a cauldron about to come to boil, which the song does with metal riffs that would make make many bands jealous. Singer / bassist Michael Parks, Jr. sings about higher forces of perception and nothing as the ideal as the “gentle hand of confusion” leads him back to himself. “Enemy of My Enemy” chugs along with the best doom bands out there as Parks warns us to beware his power and drummer Robby Staebler puts down serious, serious fills. “Everest” is a guitar solo from Ben McLeod that lasts just over two minutes and gives us time to breathe (and admire his playing).

The loops of someone saying hi to their friends or relatives at the beginning of “See You Next Fall” is downright creepy, and the synths that go with it are something out of a horror film. Soon, Parks is asking if he “should lay the hammer down” as he lays down a wicked bass groove. “The Children of Coyote Woman” continues the “Coyote Woman” saga that has been told across multiple ATW albums by now. It covers one of the band’s favorite topics – mythology and tall tales.

If you believe Douglas Adams, then “41” is just short of the answer to life, the universe, and everything. ATW might be looking for the answer amid their shredding riffs and thunderous drumming, but they also might not want to know it. Sometimes the mystery is better, and could mere mortals truly comprehend such knowledge? “Lights Out” chugs along like a barely controlled eighteen-wheeler hauling a tanker of gasoline while being chased by a werewolf motorcycle gang.

The closer, “Rats in Ruin,” is over nine minutes of simmering psychedelia that puts just enough reverb on Parks’ vocals to make them sound like he’s a ghost living underwater singing about the inevitability of death and the folly of worrying about it. The song almost fades out and then builds back up into a soaring, majestic track with McLeod’s guitar flying over you like a roc and Staebler’s drums roaring like a bison herd.

The album gives you a lot in a short time, leaving you with more questions than answers. The questions are ones of self-exploration, however, and, if you come up with nothing at the end of the search…Well, that’s ideal.

Keep your mind open.

[It would be ideal if you subscribed.]

Top 20 singles of 2019: #’s 5 – 1

Let’s do this!

#5 – Priests – “Jesus’ Son”

This track about toxic masculinity let everyone know that Priests weren’t screwing around this year. It was the second cut from the brilliant album The Seduction of Kansas and it knocked you down if you didn’t respect it and them.

#4 – All Them Witches – “1 x 1”

Another single that knocked me flat this year was this new one from All Them Witches. It was a pleasant surprise and ended up being one of the heaviest tracks all year. ATW are brewing up dark stuff, and it’s all amazing.

#3 – Cass McCombs – “Absentee”

Cass McCombs wasn’t on my radar until I heard this single. I immediately thought, “Wow…I need to hear more of this guy.” This song, which my wife describes as “Comfortable,” is a haunting and lovely track that’s hard to describe (Alt-country jazz? Psychedelic lounge?) but why bother? Just enjoy it.

#2 – Cosmonauts – “Seven Sisters”

I’m not sure I rushed to buy an album so fast after hearing one track from it than when I heard this track from the new Cosmonauts record, Star 69. I blasted this thing in my wife’s car, possibly making her wonder if I was having an out-of-body experience based on my reaction to it. I think I was. I don’t quite remember because I think the wall of shoegaze sound that assaulted me knocked my brain into the back seat.

#1 – Kelly Lee Owens – “Let It Go”

This song will make you stop whatever you’re doing and dance. It was an instant club classic as soon as it was released. Kelly Lee Owens inspires me to make electronic music, and almost intimidates me to the point of not bothering – which is what a good teacher should do, inspire and challenge. She does both for all of us with this track.

There you have it. My list of top albums of the year is coming soon!

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe.]

All Them Witches unload heavy new single, “1×1,” ahead of European tour.

Nashvilly psych-rockers All Them Witches have released a new single, “1×1,” ahead of a European tour with Ghost and Tribulation and well as three shows to finish the year at Nashville’s Exit/In. Tour dates are below.

The new single is almost doom metal in its weight and is available on most streaming services. Give it a listen. It’s great.

NOV 16 – Motorpoint Arena – Nottingham, United Kingdom
NOV 17
 – Motorpoint Arena – Cardiff, United Kingdom
NOV 18 – SSE Hydro – Glasgow, United Kingdom
NOV 20 – 3Arena – Dublin, Ireland
NOV 22 – The SSE Arena, Wembley – London, United Kingdom
NOV 23 – First Direct Arena – Leeds, United Kingdom
NOV 25 – Black Box Pangea – Kobenhavn, Denmark
NOV 28 – Hartwall Arena – Helsinki, Finland
NOV 30 – Spodek – Katowice, Poland
DEC 1 – Universum – Prague, Czech Republic
DEC 3 – BSA – Budapest, Hungary
DEC 4 – Močvara – Zagreb, Croatia
DEC 5 – Palabam – Mantova, Italy
DEC 6 – Halle 622 – Zürich, Switzerland
DEC 8 – Palau Sant Jordi – Barcelona, Spain
DEC 10 – Altice Arena – Lisboa, Portugal
DEC 11 – WiZink Center – Madrid, Spain
DEC 13 – Zenith Of Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France
DEC 14 – Stattbahnhof – Schweinfurt, Germany
DEC 15 – Zenith – München, Germany
DEC 17 – Rockhal – Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
DEC 18 – Zenith Nantes Metropole – Saint-herblain, France
DEC 19 – Zénith de Toulouse – Toulouse, France
DEC 27 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
DEC 28 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
DEC 29 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

Top 30 Albums of 2018: #’s 25 – 21

#25: Protomartyr – Consolation – This EP from these garage punks is solid and intriguing. Sporting two tracks with the Breeders’ Kim Deal as well, the record hits hard but knows when to be soft.

#24: Steve Hauschildt – Dissolvi – I hadn’t heard of Steve Hauschildt until this album somewhat fell into my lap. It’s intriguing electro that reveals more layers with each listen.

#23: Bev Rage and the Drinks – Cockeyed – Besides having the naughtiest album name on this list, Cockeyed is also one of the best punk records I’ve heard in a long while. Queercore punk is back in business, bitches!

#22: Public Practice – Distance Is a Mirror – This post-punk EP from prior members of WALL was a welcome addition to my collection of post-punk records. It’s full of razor sharp lyrics and equally sharp guitars, bass, and beats.

#21: All Them Witches – ATW – These Nashville psychedelic blues rockers upped the volume and fuzz and became a three-piece to get back to basics and melt faces.

The top 20 is up next!

Keep your mind open.

[How about a subscription before you split?]

Top 30 Concerts of 2018: #’s 10 – 6

We’ve arrived at the top 10 shows I saw in 2018! Let’s get to it!

#10: All Them Witches at Nashville’s Exit / In – I don’t have a full review of this show up because it happened so late in the year (December 29th – my birthday and the birthday of ATW‘s bassist / singer Michael Parks, Jr.). I also have no photographs from it because my phone was undergoing repairs at the time. I can assure you, however, that it was a loud, powerful show. Parks did a solo set of “sad stuff” to start off the show, and the rest of it was them burning off energy like they needed to sleep well that night.

#9: Public Image Ltd. at Chicago’s Thalia Hall – I had waited (though not by choice) for thirty years to see PiL. It was worth the wait and the short night of sleep before work afterwards. I got chills during “Rise” and was happy to finally see John Lydon live.

#8: My Bloody Valentine at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre – This was, without question, the loudest show I attended all year. It was like a crushing wave that almost never ceased. Friends of mine left early from the intensity of it. My arms were trembling by the end of their set. One guy behind me on the way out told his friend he thought he was going to die during one point of the show. It was a wild experience to say the least.

#7: Slowdive at Levitation Austin – I’d heard nothing but good things about these shoegaze legends and their live shows. They didn’t disappoint. It was a beautiful set with a psychedelic light show under a warm Texas sky. I saw fans in Slowdive shirts leaving early, however, which boggles my mind. It was one of the best sets of the festival.

#6: The Flaming Lips at Fort Wayne’s Clyde Theatre – Shame on you if you live within a couple hours driving time of Fort Wayne, Indiana and you missed this show. There was plenty of room in the theatre for you, but thanks for leaving the room for us and the Flaming Lips. They provided one of the happiest shows my wife and I saw all year in an intimate venue.

The top five are coming up tomorrow. Come back to see who topped the list!

Keep your mind open.

[I’d love it if you subscribed.]

Review: All Them Witches – self-titled

Nashville’s psych / blues rockers All Them Witches (Jonathan Draper – keyboards, Ben McLeod – guitar, Charles Michael Parks, Jr. – bass and vocals, Robby Staebler – drums) have come back from a long road tour to do what any other band would do after a long tour – release a new album.

Opening with the wild, almost manic “Fishbelly 86 Onions,” the whole band goes bonkers, especially McLeod – who shreds more than usual while Parks yells out twenty counts.  “Workhorse” could be considered “classic” ATW (if there is such a thing).  It hits all the notes you love from the band – psychedelia, obscure lyrics, a bit of outlaw country flavor, and plenty of mystery.  Plus, Staebler’s tick-tock beats are excellent on it.

“1st vs. 2nd” could almost be a Thin Lizzy track, and Parks’ bass melds so well with Draper’s keys that it’s almost impossible to tell them apart.  It evolves into almost a heavy metal chug by the end.  “Half-Tongue” gets us back into a psychedelic jam groove as Parks sings about, I think, a relationship that didn’t end well.  I could be wrong.

“Diamond” is one of those ATW songs that you should play when people ask you to describe them.  Draper’s keys move like wisps of incense smoke, McLeod’s guitar prowls like a tiger, Parks’ bass moves like a robed wizard through a library built inside a dark cave, and Staebler’s drums drive forward like a Viking boat along a bubbling river.

The band’s blues influences come out with swagger on “Harvest Feast.”  “By the time I got back to my mountain, I was uninvited from the harvest feast,” Parks sings.  He can only walk away dejected as he’s spurned by his family, friends, and culture.  The song flows into a delightful instrumental jam highlighting Draper’s keyboard work and McLeod’s trippy riffs.  “HJTC” nearly has them playing stadium rock riffs, but they hold back just enough to keep it linked to their smoky Nashville club roots.

The album ends with “Rob’s Dream,” which one can’t help but think is about something drummer Robby Staebler dreamed one night.  He apparently dreamed of powerful guitars, even stronger drumming, and flying out of orbit (judging by how the track ends).

It’s another solid record from one of the best bands out there right now.  While All Them Witches aren’t ruling the airwaves is beyond me, but I think they enjoy being a bit of a mystery and a treasure hunt.

Keep your mind open.

[You’d be as precious as a diamond to me if you subscribed.]