I've been a music fan since my parents gave me a record player for Christmas when I was still in grade school. The first record I remember owning was "Sesame Street Disco." I've been a professional writer since 2004, but writing long before that. My first published work was in a middle school literary magazine and was a story about a zoo in which the animals could talk.
I don’t know if you’ll be in or near Columbus, Ohio on May 19th, but it would be worth your while to check out the Columbus Psych Festif you are. It’s a free show featuring at least ten bands at the Park Street Saloon.
Many of the bands are from the central Ohio area, and I can highly recommend Brujas Del Sol. I also recently learned that Austin, Texas’ Ancient Riverwill be playing there, and they are guaranteed to warp your minds.
One of the nice things about this blog is that it sometimes takes me to music I probably wouldn’t have discovered without it. One such artist is Jake Xerxes Fussell, whose label sent me a press release about his new album – What in the Natural World. The album cover shows a lone man in rowing a canoe on a glass-smooth river while large circular objects loom around and behind him. They could be hills or cogs in a giant machine, but the result is the same. One man rows away from things bearing down on him, preferring to find his own path and his own was to solace.
“Jump for Joy” starts the album and immediately showcases Fussell’s guitar-picking skills. His voice is both relaxed and sharp at the same time as he sings about making it to the pearly gates (“Step right in, give [St.] Pete some skin, and jump for joy.”) and leaving behind a life of toil.
Fussell asks, “Have You Ever Seen Peaches Growing on a Sweet Potato Vine?” I haven’t, but Fussell seems to have knowledge of such a rarity. His guitar is amped up a bit, and the drums by Nathan Bowles will get your toes tapping whle Fussell sings about an illicit affair with a married woman.
Fussell gets back to his theme of escape from burdens and desire on “Pinnacle Mountain Silver Mine.” It’s the story of a miner, one of many, who seeks a treasure rumored to be in a mountain but has never been found. Fussell climbs rocky hills and crosses raging rivers to work the mine, “but its secret I will never know.” It’s a lovely ode to those who work hard all their lives for little, if any, reward in this world.
“Furniture Man” is one of the saddest and yet prettiest songs on the record. Fussell’s guitar work is a crisp as an origami fold on it as he sings about a man being broke and having everything he owns repossessed on a Sunday morning, including items that evoke memories of his dead wife. All he can do is ask the furniture man to take his time so he can hold onto the memories just a bit longer.
“Bells of Rhymney” is a bit funky, actually, with a nice bass walk by Casey Toll and a bit of country swing in Fussell’s guitar. His vocals get agile on “Billy Button,” as he sings about a man happy to be “bound for the happy land of Canaan.”
“Canyoneers” is a tribute to men who live, work, eat, sleep, and die in canyons and the many would only fly over in a tourist trap helicopter ride that costs nothing after you sit through a timeshare sales pitch. “What’s in a man to make him thirst for the kind life he knows is cursed? He’ll die a lonely a river rat foolhardy canyoneer.”
“St. Brendan’s Isle” brings in some Gaelic flavor as Fussell sings about brave sailors facing rough seas and literal demons trying to drag them to Davey Jones’ locker. Holy saints and angels preserve them until they not only meet St. Brendan, but even travel the world on the back of a giant fish in celebration. Could this celebration be one of realization? Are the sailors long dead and actually experiencing the joy of the afterlife? Judging by the prominent themes on What in the Natural World, the answer is probably “Yes.”
“Lowe Bonnie” closes the album. It’s another excellent display of Fussell’s guitar prowess, and his vocals remind me of Warren Zevon’s as he sings about a man slain by his angry lover who instantly regrets the decision to stab him.
Another man leaves behind a world of toil for something he at least hopes is better. The album’s title has no question mark. It’s a statement. There is nothing in the natural world that can compare with what comes beyond it. There is no toil. There is no suffering. There is joy unlike anything here.
Mr. Fussell wants us (and perhaps himself) to remember this, and he’s crafted one of the best records of the year to help us do it.
My wife let me know about a performance of classic Indian music taking place at the University of Notre Dame for free on April 27th. I love classical Indian music, so I was willing to stay up a bit late even though I had to work early Friday morning to catch this show.
The performers were a pair of brothers named Ritesh and Rajnish Mishra. They’re classically trained and singing duets in classical Indian music isn’t easy since you have to harmonize and be able to improvise at any moment. The brothers put on a nice show, and their enthusiasm was contagious as they laughed and cheered not only each other but also their backing musicians.
Tabla player Hindole Majumdar put down great beats and harmonium player Anirban Chakrabarty created a hypnotic drone and bass. The four men performed for almost two hours with only ten minutes intermission. This was also the third time the Mishra brothers had performed at UND, and they certainly deserved a larger audience than the couple dozen of us who were there.
The ragas they performed were spiritual at first and then playful by the end. They also explained the beat structure of each before performing it. I love that about classical Indian music shows. The performers almost always give you a little music composition lesson at the beginning.
It was a nice way to spend the evening, and the lack of sleep was worth it.
Beach Fossils Share New Single, “Down The Line” Watch The Video Here Somersault Out June 2nd on Bayonet Records
Photo by Rebekah Campbell
Beach Fossils have shared their latest single from Somersault titled, “Down The Line.” The song features many hallmarks of Somersault – a buoyant bassline, a propulsive, wayward guitar. Beach Fossils have charted into new musical territory with a refined songwriting style. On “Down The Line,” Dustin Payseur sings, “I don’t want your Wall Street / Don’t got no degree / Written on the concrete / A.C.A.B.” They’ve expanded their range both musically and lyrically. This is a band in bloom.
The song is paired with a video directed by Payseur and features the members of Beach Fossils exploring New York City after hours. Shots of McGolrick Park, the Williamsburg Bridge, the JMZ line and the sunrise loom large. The “Down The Line” video mirrors the band’s previous video for “Saint Ivy,” which pays homage to New York City artists. Somersault captures flashes of life in New York grounded in personal experience.
Later this month, Beach Fossils will play some of their first shows in support of Somersault with a weekend in South America including a festival playing alongside Slowdive. Come July, the band will tour the west coast with support from She-Devils and Ablebody capping it off at FYF before making their way to the UK in August. A full list of dates is below.
Beach Fossils Tour Dates: Fri. May 12 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Niceto Club Sat. May 13 – Huechuraba, CL @ Espacio Riesco Fri. July 7 – Fresno, CA @ Strummer’s Sat. July 8 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore Mon. July 10 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret Tue. July 11 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile Wed. July 12 – Portland, OR @ Holocene Fri. July 14 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux Sat. July 15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court Sun. July 16 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater Tue. July 18 – Santa FE, NM @ Meow Wolf Wed. July 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom Thu. July 20 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah (early & late shows) Fri. July 21 – Sun. July 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ FYF Sat. Aug. 26 – Leeds, UK @ This Must Be The Place Wed. Aug. 30 – London, UK @ Oslo Hackney
While Levitation Austin didn’t happen this year, Levitation Franceis a go on September 15-16th! This bodes well for the Levitation shows (a small one is being held in Austin the first weekend of May) making a full return next year.
The first wave of band announcements includes the Black Angels, Slowdive, Acid Mothers Temple, and Kikagu Moyo. As usual, the Levitation festivals always have a great lineup, and this will be no exception. Get to Angers, France if you can.
THEE OH SEES ANNOUNCE AUGUST & SEPTEMBER TOUR DATES
Today, Los Angeles-based force of nature Thee Oh Sees announce a new batch of tour dates for the late summer that spans both the USA and the European continent. Could the new dates be an indicator of a busy 2017 from the John Dwyer-led outfit? Could these dates point to the possibility of a new record(s)? One can only hope…
THEE OH SEES TOUR DATES (new tour dates in bold): Sat. Apr. 29 – Norman, OK @ Norman Music Festival Fri. May 5 – Winterthur, CH @ Salzhaus Sat. May 6 – Frankfort, GE @ Zoom Sun. May 7– Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown Mon. May 8 – Berlin, GE @ Columbia Theater Wed. May 10 – Clermont-Ferrand, FR @ La Coopérative de Mai Thu. May 11 – La Rochelle, FR @ La Sirène Fri. May 12 – Rouen, FR @ Le 106
Sat. May 13 – Lyon, FR @ L’épicerie Moderne Sun. May 14 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo Tue. May 16 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City Wed. May 17 – Brighton, UK @ Clarendon Centre Thu. May 18 – Nantes, FR @ Stereolux Fri. May 19 – Rennes, FR @ Antipode Sat. May 20 – Reims, FR @ La Magnifique Society Sun. May 21 – Brussels, BE @ L’Ancienne Belgique Fri. May 26 – George, WA @ Sasquatch Festival Sat. June 3 – London, UK @ Field Day Festival Mon. June 4 – Bristol, UK @ SWX Wed. June 6 – Metz, FR @ La BAM Thu. June 7 – Milano, IT @ Magnolia Fri. June 8 – Ravenna, IT @ Beaches Brew Sat. June 9 – Dudingen, CH @ Bad Bonn Sun. June 10 – Nimes, FR @ This Is Not A Love Song Mon. June 11 – Bordeaux, FR @ le block Tue. June 12 – Tours, FR @ le temps machine Thu. June 14 – Manchester University, UK @ Transformers Sat. June 17 – San Francisco, CA @ Phono Del Sol Festival Sat. July 22 – Sun. July 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ FYF Sun. Aug. 6 – Katowice, PL @ OFF Festival Tue. Aug. 8 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Thu. Aug. 10 – Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival Fri. Aug. 11 – Gothenburg, DW @ Way Out West Festival Sat. Aug. 12 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset Fri. Aug. 18 – Saint Malo, FR @ La Route du Rock Sat. Aug. 19 – Brecon Beacons, UK @ Green Man Festival Fri. Sept. 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom Sat. Sept. 2 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar Mon. Sept. 4 – Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas Outside Tue. Sept. 5 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s Wed. Sept. 6 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse Fri. Sept. 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theater Sun. Sept. 10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw Wed. Sept. 13 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair Thu. Sept. 14 – Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe I Le National Fri. Sept. 15 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Theater Sat. Sept. 16 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom Sun. Sept. 17 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall Tue. Sept. 19 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Fri. Sept. 22 – Missoula, MT @ Monk’s Sun. Sept. 24 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom Mon. Sept. 25 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Kane Strang has announced his new album, Two Hearts and No Brain, out June 30thon Dead Oceans. Along with the announcement he’s sharing the new single, “My Smile Is Extinct.” It’s the follow up to lead single, “Oh So You’re Off I See,” his first taste of new music since 2016’s Blue Cheese, which was shared ahead of Kane’s first ever North American tour last month.
Recorded in his hometown of Dunedin at the notoriously haunted Chick’s Hotel studio, Kane teamed up with producer Stephen Marr from trip hop group Doprah for Two Hearts and No Brain. The collaborative result is a razor sharp blend of intelligent alt-rock, bearing the signatures of grunge/alt rock swiftly executed with careful, meticulous precision over 11 tracks. Marr’s influence brings a pristine, retro-futuristic sheen which complements Strang’s perfectionist recording style, sharp melody, and verbose lyrical neuroticism. Taking to well-worn subject matter (heartbreak, loneliness, family) with a disarmingly frank scalpel, Strang’s wryly deadpan lines never miss a beat – the results often sardonic, and always captivating.
Two Hearts and No Brain is pure pop genius from start to finish. It’s hard to imagine who else could convincingly fuse fuzzy synths with slide guitar; crunchy chords with chiming vocals in such a kaleidoscopic pop vision. The album’s cover art, featuring a refracted analogue photograph taken of Kane atop of a rocky precipice; echoes the spirit of lean guitar-pop shining through a truly contemporary, innovative lens. His attention to detail shows up the fat slack present in the work of many of Kane’s contemporaries; yet his sound remains emotive and playfully laced with a tongue-in-cheek nostalgia – timelessly old and new in the same breath.
What sets Kane apart from the rafts of DIY indie songwriters is a willingness to push further. Having mastered the lo-fi aesthetic, he’s stretched his already limber songwriting legs and production chops to new unexpected spaces on Two Hearts and No Brain. Kane’s vision of extending his sound far beyond the bedroom promises international touring and releases the world over. With a live show that exhibits his unpredictable and exhilarating command on stage, Kane’s amassed a band of cohorts to execute his vision with arresting impact, sure to charm crowds with his sideways slant of guitar pop.
Two Hearts and No Brain tracklist:
1. Lagoons
2. Silence Overgrown
3. Not Quite
4. Oh So You’re Off I See
5. See Thru
6. Summertime In Your Lounge
7. My Smile Is Extinct
8. Two Hearts and No Brain
9. It’s Not That Bad
10. Don’t Follow Me (I’m Lost)
11. Good Guy
Kane Strang UK/EU Tour Dates: Sat. May 13 – Zurich, CH @ Stall 6 (Lauter Festival) (tickets) Mon. May 15 – Manchester, UK @ Gullivers (tickets) Tue. May 16 – Leeds, UK @ Headrow House (tickets) Wed. May 17 – London, UK @ The Lexington (tickets) Thu. May 18 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape (tickets) Fri. May 19 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape (tickets) Fri. May 19 – Brighton, UK @ The Mucky Duck (The Great Escape) (tickets) Sat. May 20 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix Mon. May 22 – Berlin, DE @ Privatclub (tickets) Tue. May 23 – Paris, FR @ La Mecanique Ondulatoire Wed. May 24 – Kortrijk, BE @ De Kreun (tickets) Thu. May 25 – London, UK @ Greenman Presents Courtyard at Kings X (tickets) Sat. May 27 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Upstairs (London Calling) (tickets)
Chicago’s annual North Coast Music Festivalhas announced its (almost) full lineup. They’re still keeping some acts secret for now.
North Coast is a mostly electronic music festival that’s promoted as the last fling of summer (It’s the first weekend of September.) before another depressing Chicago winter and Bears season wallops the city.
Some of the biggest names on the bill are Deadmau5, Damian Marley, Big Boi, Gucci Mane, and Ween. They’re already offering tickets and layaway plans, so get your tickets while they’re cheap and still available.
“This is a video for anyone who’s ever been sober at a party. It can be a strange and isolating experience to watch everyone getting gradually more intoxicated and their judgement getting cloudier without experiencing the same effects. Sometimes you have to get creative to make it fun for yourself too.” – Kieran Heilbron (Yeomans)
Yeomans
Garage rock bands always tend to weigh heavily on the retro vibe and Toronto’s Yeomans are no exception, naming themselves after the hardworking farmers of colonial America. However, their music isn’t quite that ancient. Glimmers of 60s fuzz pedals, melodic surf, psych grooves and reverb soaked vocals haunt the Yeomans’ sound.
The band formed in 2013, during the height of the Rob Ford crack scandal. Guitarist Kieran Heilbron met then Yeomans’ drummer Jocelyn while selling “Rob Ford Smokes Crack” t-shirts to raise money for the Gawker “Crackstarter” campaign. Realizing they were both into psych and both looking for a new project they started jamming and Yeomans was born, joined by Calgarian Ian Kilburn on vocals & guitar.
They do their heroes proud, throwing nods to The Chocolate Watchband, The 13th Floor Elevators and The Masters Apprentices.
Yeomans released their first EP in 2014, recorded in a ghostly church in a small town called Little Britain (not to be confused with the highly entertaining TV show). It has a powerful sound with remnants to an earlier time. Soulful lyrics and reverb-drenched grooves fill the listeners ears with tales of prophets, greek gods and revolutionaries.
Signing with NYK Records in 2016, Yeomans released “My Fish Got Drunk”, a shimmering surf instrumental, as their first single with the label in November 2016.
“Just as You Want” is their second release on the label and will be released on April 30th on the NYK mixtape “Now You Know: Volume 1”.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Ty Segall has more side projects than a street hustler. Fuzz is one of his loudest and best. Along with Roland Cosio (bass) and Charlie Moothart (guitar), Segall (on vocals and drums instead of his usual guitar) and his pals created an album of metal distortion that was hard to match in 2013 and is still hard to match today.
The band is appropriately named, as the opener, “Earthen Gate,” starts like a bluesy heavy metal ballad but transforms into a heavy chugging fuzzed-out battle hymn. “Sleigh Ride” has, as far as I can tell, nothing to do with Christmas and jingle bells, but everything to do with the band’s love of Cream and Black Sabbath. This love of 1960’s metal bands continues on “What’s in My Head?”, in which Fuzz drifts back and forth between psychedelia and stoner metal.
“HazeMaze” hits hard right out of the gate. It’s like the soundtrack to a battle between giant robots. Seriously, someone needs to put this in the next Pacific Rim movie. “Loose Sutures” is excellent stoner metal. It’s full of reverbed vocals, heavy guitars, and pounding drums that sound like Segall decided to skip a day at the gym and made up for it on his kit.
“Preacher” is Cream mixed with Blue Cheer. “Raise” is Cream if Clapton, Bruce, and Baker said, “Screw it, turn up full volume on everything.” when recording (which, actually, I’m sure they did now and then). The rhythm grooves in it are superb. The album ends with “One,” the longest track on the album at just over six minutes (Fuzz doesn’t mess around.). It’s glorious, hard-hitting controlled instrumental chaos. The mosh pit this must induce is probably batshit crazy.
This record would’ve been in my top 10 of 2013 had I been keeping lists back then. They’ve put out a second record by now, II, so I need to seek it out pronto. You should, too. Seek out both. Get fuzzy.
Keep your mind open.
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