Live music – 7th Level Music

Dummy release new single and begin new tour…and a new album is out October 16th.

Dummy—the Los Angeles-based band of Alex Ewell, Emma Maatman, Nathan O’Dell, Joe Trainor, and Lance Umble—release “N of 1,” the final single/video from their new album, do you love the color of the sky?, out Friday via Polyvinyl. “I liked the idea of taking glacial guitar drones and cutting ‘em up into a new context of the jungle inspired drums,” says Trainor of the new single. “To me, so much of the record is like the remixed versions of pop songs you’ll never hear.”

do you love the color of the sky? is Dummy’s most politically trenchant record, and yet their most inviting. Breakbeats and the captivating voice of keyboardist Emma belie a sleight hand—as the listener becomes enveloped by Dummy’s unshakable grooves, they’ve subconsciously accrued a vision of a new radical politic. Today’s “N of 1,” for example, discusses how we’ve been conditioned into accepting the surveillance state.

Maatman comments, “‘N of 1’ is a plea to both the proprietors and the more complacent subjects of the ever-encroaching surveillance state. Typically our videos aren’t so direct of a visual representation of the meaning of the song, but I had just gotten it into my head that the zooming action on Street View would go perfectly with the meter and energy of the song, and the rest sort of fell into place after that.”

Watch the “N of 1” Video

If 2024’s Free Energy (and its subsequent remix album, Bubbelibrium DLC) evoked the spirit of Madchester and the optimism of the rave, then do you love the color of the sky? couches itself in a lyrical skepticism that recalls the best of post-rock and drone—think Seefeel, Windy and Carl, Laika, or Disco Inferno—while playfully adorned in jubilant pop hues of early Björk, The Sundays, and Madonna‘s Ray of Light.

Despite all the allusions to futurism, Dummy are a classic band. Not in the retrofetishist, nostalgia- trapping sense, but in their work ethic and commitment to the music. As Joe recalls of their time since the release of Free Energy, “We toured a lot, around 150 days, and played approximately 113 shows,” with numerous treks around the US and two trips to Europe, “…and on larger stages than ever before,” Alex adds. “Touring has had a huge impact on us and our music.” That is a staggering amount of touring and roadtripping, a feat that can only be achieved if you truly believe in your art and the power of music itself. It stands to reason, then, that their latest release has also completely shucked the idea of being recreated cleanly in the live setting.

“Making music shouldn’t be fun.” It’s a haughty claim, but when Dummy jokingly asserts this, it comes from a sentiment of earnestness and true love for the game. The blood, sweat, and tears of ‘putting in the work’ is what propels do you love the color of the sky? to a triumph—a byproduct of shedding skins through live performance. It’s not a vast departure from their discography, unmistakably them, and yet constitutes a creative leap forward which almost sounds effortless from the group. It’s a treat to witness a band this creatively in-tune with themselves, whose experiments and ideas always hit, who, when they describe a concept, actually stick the landing. Maybe the future of music comes with the type of deep self-actualization Dummy possesses.

Pre-order do you love the color of the sky?

Stream/Watch
“N of 1”
“April Limousine” & “Alluvial Fan”
“Full Spectrum Dominance”

Dummy Tour Dates:
(New Dates in Bold)
Thu. Oct. 15 – Sacramento, CA @ Café Colonial *
Fri. Oct. 16 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project *
Sat. Oct. 17 – Arcata, CA @ Miniplex w/ Dilies
Tue. Oct. 20 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
Thu. Oct. 22 – Vancouver, BC @ The Wise *
Fri. Oct. 23 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern *
Sat. Oct. 24 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux *
Mon. Oct. 26 – Salt Lake City, UT @ International Bar *
Tue. Oct. 27 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive *
Wed. Nov. 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Sid The Cat Ballroom
Thu. Jan. 21 – Bristol, UK @ Strange Brew
Fri. Jan. 22 – Leeds, UK @ The Attic
Sat. Jan. 23 – Dublin, Ireland @ Bello Bar
Mon. Jan. 25 – Edinburgh, Scotland @ Mash House
Tue. Jan. 26 – Manchester, UK @ YES Pink Room
Wed. Jan. 27 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare and Hounds
Thu. Jan. 28 – London, UK @ Moth Club
Sat. Jan. 30 – Paris, France @ Le Chinois
Sun. Jan. 31 – Tourcoing, France @ Le Grand Mix
Mon. Feb. 1 – Bruges, Belgium @ Cactus
Wed. Feb. 3 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso Noord Tolhuistuin
Thu. Feb. 4 – Berlin, Germany @ Kantine am Berghain

* = w/ Golomb

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe.]

[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Public Image Ltd. announce new U.S. tour dates.

John Lydon’s iconoclastic band, Public Image Ltd (PiL) have just announced new dates for 2027 in Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, and Indianapolis. Currently on the first leg of their North American tour, billed as ‘This Is Not…The Last Tour’, these are their first shows here in 8 years, and have included stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, New York, Detroit, Toronto, Boston, and other major cities, concluding October 9th in Nashville. Plague Vendor are special guests on all dates, and tickets are available from the venues and via the PiL website.

This year’s tour follows the momentum gained in 2025, when the band played a string of shows and festival appearances in the UK and Europe. Following the passing of his wife, Nora, and lifelong friend and manager, John Rambo Stevens, both in 2023, Lydon thought he might retire from touring. However, he was overwhelmed by the response, love, and support of fans and this year is an important one for the band.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Lydon said: “I think live Public Image is a ferocious band,” And, he adds, he still gets a blast out of performing. “I feel fear, torment, anxiety, self-doubt, all of those things before I actually get onstage. But then once onstage, you drop all the ego and all of that trepidation — there’s a nice word — and you pile into it and you find that that’s where you truly belong.”

A new live album, ‘Alive’, recorded during last year’s tour, is available via A Way With Media, and the band are working on an album of new material for release in 2027.

After fronting the Sex Pistols, John Lydon formed post-punk originators Public Image Ltd (PiL). Widely regarded as one of the most innovative bands of all time, their music and vision earned them 5 UK Top 20 Singles and 5 UK Top 20 Albums.

With a shifting line-up and unique sound – fusing rock, dance, folk, pop and dub – Lydon guided the band from their debut album ‘First Issue’ in 1978 through to 1992’s ‘That What Is Not’, before a 17-year hiatus.

Lydon reactivated PiL in 2009, touring extensively and releasing three critically acclaimed albums, ‘This is PiL’ (2012), ‘What The World Needs Now…’ (2015) and ‘End of World’ (2023).

Following the departure of long-serving drummer Bruce Smith at the end of 2023, his replacement, Mark Roberts, joins John Lydon (vocals), Lu Edmonds (guitar) and Scott Firth (bass).

2027 tour dates:

February 12 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre JUST ANNOUNCED

February 13 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown JUST ANNOUNCED

February 15 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman JUST ANNOUNCED

February 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand At The Complex

February 18 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre

February 20 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre

February 21 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre

February 23 – Austin, TX – Mohawk

February 24 – Dallas, TX – Echo Lounge & Music Hall

February 25 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall

February 27 – March 6 – New Orleans, LA – The 80’s Cruise 2027

March 8 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live

March 9 – Fort Myers, FL – The Ranch

March 10 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live

March 12 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live

March 13 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

March 14 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground

March 16 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom

March 17 – Lexington, KY – Manchester Music Hall

March 19 – St. Louis, MO – The Sovereign

March 20 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue JUST ANNOUNCED

March 21 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s

March 23 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall

March 24 – Cleveland, OH – Globe Iron

w/ special guests Plague Vendor on all dates

Keep your mind open.

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

[Thanks to Jo Murray.]

Review: Motörhead – Kiss of Death (2026 reissue)

Originally released in 2006, the new reissue of Motörhead‘s Kiss of Death is here for its 20th anniversary and includes a lot of great extras.

The album gets off to a fast start (of course) with “Sucker,” and Mikkey Dee getting you moving with his fast, sharp beats. The firearms pictured on the album’s cover fit right in with the hard and heavy “Trigger” (which has a great breakdown in it) and “Under the Gun.”

“Listen to the hundred million dead. They didn’t know it, but they died for you,” Lemmy Kilmister sings / roars on the excellent “Sword of Glory” (which features a soaring solo from Phil Campbell). “If all that slaughter doesn’t make you sad, you’ll just make the same mistake again and again,” Kilmister warns. It hits hard, like everything Motörhead does.

Speaking of hitting hard, Kilmister’s bass on “Be My Baby” sounds like an eighteen-wheeler coming at you with no brakes down a steep hill. The furious “Going Down” has a ripping outro that leaves you breathless. The album ends with the 2006 version of “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”, a fun tribute to some of their punk contemporaries…unless you get the CD version of this reissue, because that includes the gritty, dangerous “Whiplash” and a live version of “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”

The album (in both CD and LP versions) also includes a previously unreleased full live recording of a 2007 concert from the Netherlands Lowlands Festival. It includes live versions of Kiss of Death tracks “One Night Stand” and “Be My Baby,” as well as classics like “Stay Clean,” “Metropolis,” “I Got Mine,” “Killed by Death,” and, of course, “Ace of Spades.”

It’s another gem of a record for your Motörhead collection. The amount of unreleased material that’s come out in the last few years is astounding, and there seems to be no end in sight.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Maria at Adrenaline PR.]

Live: Danny Elfman – Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL, September 07, 2026

I’d forgotten until my friend told me that Danny Elfman‘s show at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom was the first of his “rock show” tour. No orchestra, no choir, just him and a group of solid musicians.

Elfman started with “Sorry,” one of his recent tracks, and mixed up songs from multiple eras. After “Sorry,” he launched two Oingo Boingo tracks to send the crowd into a frenzy – “Insects” and “Nothing to Fear (but Fear Itself).”

Another Oingo Boingo treat came after “Native Intelligence” when Elfman announced he hadn’t performed “Just Another Day” since 1994. He sounded great. More recent tracks came afterward with “Sayonara” and “Happy,” and also a brand new one called “Upside Down.”

The only song from his extensive film work he played was “This Is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was a pleasant surprise, as we didn’t expect any film music.

Even if there are ghosts and vampires in the venue.

Another new one, “The River of Life,” came afterwards. It’s an interesting, slightly psychedelic track, making me want to seek out the new album. They played “Dead Man’s Party,” of course, which sounds weird without the Oingo Boingo horn section.

They closed with “No One Lives Forever,” another one that they’ve morphed into almost a metal track. The encore was “Who Do You Want to Be,” which almost blasted the back of the building into dust.

It was a fun show, full of memories and damn loud. Josh Freese on drums puts on a clinic with each song. Also, Elfman is ripped. He looks great. I hope I’m that fit in my seventies.

Everyone now wants a full Oingo Boingo reunion tour, of course. I somehow doubt it will happen, but this might be the closest we get.

Keep your mind open.

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Live: Babymetal, Halestorm, and Violent Vira – Huntington Bank Pavilion – Chicago, IL – September 04, 2026

It was hot and humid in Chicago on September 04, 2026. The whole Museum Campus area was busy with two different crowds: One was going to see Kanye West perform his rumored AI-derived new music for the second night at Soldier Field, and the other was a bunch of metal heads and J-rock fanatics heading to Huntington Bank Pavilion to see a triple bill of female-led metal bands.

First up was Violent Vira, who all wore keen matching white cross outfits that reminded me of early goth bands.

They played a solid set of nu-metal with some slight goth touches. Their rhythm guitarist is their secret weapon. He was locked in for the entire set and glued the whole thing together. Ms. Vira has a good voice that is well-suited for angry ballads and growling love songs.

Speaking of vocal chops, Lizzy Hale of Halestorm has enough of them to power a land-mover. Halestorm put on a powerful set of raging metal tracks, most of them about crazy sex, bad love, good love, and weird love. Their wall of Marshall amps was also impressive.

Halestorm performing in the setting of your next D&D campaign.

The opening track alone was stunning, with Hale belting out her vocals so loud and proud (with just simple keyboard chords behind her) that I thought they were doing an obscure soul or gospel cover. Ms. Hale could release a soul album if she wished (and I’m surprised she hasn’t). Give her a horn section and a funky rhythm duo and you’d have a winner.

It was good to see a wide age-range of metal fans at this show. I saw plenty of eight-year-olds and a couple six-year-olds as well. An adorable girl was head-banging and dancing near my stepdaughter and I through all three sets while her parents lounged nearby. “That kid rules,” I said. My stepdaughter agreed. The future of metal is assured.

Many of those kids, and plenty of adults, were there for Babymetal – the Japanese metal giants who haven’t been kids for a while now and are still creating a lot of interesting spins on the metal genre.

They came out to a roaring crowd, with their backing band, KAMI, delivering wild thrash metal riffs that were probably causing waves on the nearby boat harbor. “Megitsune” was a big hit only two songs in, and “Song 3” even included a story about the three singers using magic to scare off a giant bear.

A big surprise for me (but probably not for longtime kawaii-metal / “cute metal” fans) was their song “Sunset Kiss,” which, somehow, combines metal with Japanese city pop (a genre of which I am rapidly becoming a fan). The guitar solo in it is also a stunner.

“METALI!!” had the mosh pit and crowd surfers happy, and “RATATATA” was another fan-favorite that had everyone cheering. Of course, “Gimme Chocolate!!” closed the set and is still the best (only?) metal song about how good chocolate is.

Su-Metal grabbing our attention and not letting go.

They came back with the delightfully named “Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!” and “Road of Resistance.” The crowd was still buzzing afterwards, and I saw a good number of kids still bouncing (and one zonked out from so much head-banging) as we left. It was a fun night. Metal crowds are often good crowds with a lot of community in them. This one was no exception.

Keep your mind open.

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Tokyo Tea Room’s new single feels and sounds like it’s “Always in the Sun.”

Margate, UK’s Tokyo Tea Room release “Always In The Sun,” the third single from their new album, Feel Forever, out September 18th via Nice Guys. Following the “slinky, funky” (Brooklyn Vegan) “All Night,” “Always In The Sun” has future live favorite written all over it, evoking Random Access Memories-era Daft Punk with its fluid funk guitar, swaggering bass and shimmering synths. Vocalist Beth Dunn sings about a love so intense and radiant that it completely transforms her life. Almost utopian in spirit, “Always In The Sun” captures all of love’s joys.

Listen to Tokyo Tea Room’s “Always In The Sun”

Tokyo Tea Room— Dunn, Daniel James Elliott, Ben Marshall, Sam Teather, and Sam Ewens—is a timeless project whose message transcends the music itself. The band arouses passions and emotions, taking listeners on a journey within a tender, comforting bubble. Their debut album, No Rush, established them as one of the most compelling emerging acts in alternative music, resonating with a growing global audience. With millions of monthly listeners and a sold-out debut North American tour, the band are rapidly building momentum, particularly in the US, where their audience continues to expand. With Feel Forever, Tokyo Tea Room are entering a defining new chapter, evolving their sound while staying rooted in the emotional depth that defines their work.

Feel Forever was written and produced by Elliott with co-production by Kristofer Harris, marking the first time Elliot worked with a producer. Of the recording process, Elliot says, “We took a yacht rock approach to the recording, taking our time to smooth all the edges and make something that felt more polished than the last record. Both of us spent hours obsessing over the smallest detail, which felt very apt for this album. The result is something that we are all very proud of, it’s a different kind of Tokyo Tea Room that has come out the other side of it, but it feels right and I hope people enjoy listening.”

Tokyo Tea Room will return to North America this fall touring in support of forthcoming new music. A full list of dates are below and tickets are on sale now here.

Pre-Order Feel Forever

Stream/Watch:
“Always In The Sun”
“All Night”
“Eyes Off You”

Tokyo Tea Room Tour Dates:
Thu. Sep 24 – Vancouver – Hollywood Theatre
Sat. Sep 26 – Seattle WA – Neumos
Mon. Sep 28 – San Francisco CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club
Wed. Sep 30 – Los Angeles CA – Teragram Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
Thu. Oct. 1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Fri. Oct 2 – San Diego CA – Quartyard
Sat. Oct 3 – Tucson AZ – Club Congress
Mon. Oct 5 – Austin TX – 29th St. Ballroom
Tue. Oct 6 – Houston TX – White Oak Music Hall
Wed. Oct 7 – Dallas TX – Club Dada (indoors)
Fri. Oct 9 – Atlanta GA – Terminal West
Sat. Oct 10 – Durham NC – Motorco Music Hall
Sun. Oct 11 – Washington DC – The Atlantis
Tue. Oct 13 – Brooklyn NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
Wed. Oct 14 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom
Thu. Oct 15 – Boston MA – The Sinclair
Fri. Oct 16 – Montreal QB – Bar le Ritz
Sat. Oct 17 – Toronto ON – Mod Club
Mon. Oct 19 – Chicago IL – Lincoln Hall
Sat. Oct. 31 – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling Festival
Sun. Nov. 1 – Hamburg, DE @ Nochtwache
Mon. Nov. 2 – Berlin, DE @ Mikropol
Wed. Nov. 4 – Cologne, DE @ Yard Club
Thu. Nov. 5 – Paris, FR @ Bellevilloise
Thu. Nov. 19 – Brighton, UK @ Dust
Fri. Nov. 20 – Southampton, UK @ The Joiners
Sat. Nov. 21 – Bristol, UK @ Exchange
Sun. Nov. 22 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room)
Tue. Nov. 24 – Glasgow, UK @ Mono
Wed. Nov. 25 – Leeds, UK @ Hyde Park Book Club
Thu. Nov. 26 – Nottingham, UK @ Bodega
Wed. Dec. 2 – London, UK @ The Garage

Keep your mind open.

[I’ll feel like I’m always in the sun if you subscribe.]

[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Dummy achieve “Full Spectrum Dominance” with their new single.

Dummy—the Los Angeles-based band of Alex Ewell, Emma Maatman, Nathan O’Dell, Joe Trainor, and Lance Umble—announce the new album, do you love the color of the sky?, out October 16th via Polyvinyl, with lead single/video “Full Spectrum Dominance” and a fall North American tour. With do you love the color of the sky? Dummy crafts the perfect anti-zeitgeist record, freezing you into their incorporeal moment of time, freed from the rat race and trendiness, embracing insularity to the point that it somehow becomes the future.

If 2024’s Free Energy (and its subsequent remix album, Bubbelibrium DLC) evoked the spirit of Madchester and the optimism of the rave, then do you love the color of the sky? couches itself in a lyrical skepticism that recalls the best of post-rock and drone—think Seefeel, Windy and Carl, Laika, or Disco Inferno—while playfully adorned in jubilant pop hues of early Björk, The Sundays, and Madonna’s Ray of Light.

do you love the color of the sky? is Dummy’s most politically trenchant record, and yet their most inviting. Breakbeats and the captivating voice of keyboardist Emma belie a sleight hand—as the listener becomes enveloped by Dummy’s unshakable grooves, they’ve subconsciously accrued a vision of a new radical politic. Lead single “Full Spectrum Dominance,” for example, comments on A.I. and the devaluation of art. Guitarist Joe comments, “ I was trying to make something just heavier, and we joked it was our nu metal song, during the recording we added the tambourine that gives it a more dancey vibe, Deee- Lite meets Deftones.”

Emma adds, “This is the Technofeudalism bop. Tech billionaires are treating AI like the new Alchemy, using it as a source of power and magic. This supposedly soon-to-be all-powerful technology could not exist without harvesting all of humanity’s intellectual property and collective work. ‘Prima Materia’ is the building block of all alchemical matter, so in the canon of the song, we humans are the Prima Materia.”

The accompanying video directed and animated by Matt Wells (POST MAN) is an experimental montage of 3D animation, found imagery, and motion graphics exploring AI as a modern form of alchemy. Wells drew on the fears and frustrations surrounding the rise of A.I. and its hostile attempt to erode the human experience. Aesthetically, the video is inspired by everything from late 90’s UK music videos and cyberpunk films to early CGI demonstration.

Watch the Video for “Full Spectrum Dominance”

Despite all the allusions to futurism, Dummy are a classic band. Not in the retrofetishist, nostalgia- trapping sense, but in their work ethic and commitment to the music. As Joe recalls of their time since the release of Free Energy, “We toured a lot, around 150 days, and played approximately 113 shows,” with numerous treks around the US and two trips to Europe, “…and on larger stages than ever before,” Alex adds. “Touring has had a huge impact on us and our music.” That is a staggering amount of touring and roadtripping, a feat that can only be achieved if you truly believe in your art and the power of music itself. It stands to reason, then, that their latest release has also completely shucked the idea of being recreated cleanly in the live setting.

“Making music shouldn’t be fun.” It’s a haughty claim, but when Dummy jokingly asserts this, it comes from a sentiment of earnestness and true love for the game. The blood, sweat, and tears of ‘putting in the work’ is what propels do you love the color of the sky? to a triumph—a byproduct of shedding skins through live performance. It’s not a vast departure from their discography, unmistakably them, and yet constitutes a creative leap forward which almost sounds effortless from the group. It’s a treat to witness a band this creatively in-tune with themselves, whose experiments and ideas always hit, who, when they describe a concept, actually stick the landing. Maybe the future of music comes with the type of deep self-actualization Dummy possesses.

Pre-order do you love the color of the sky?

do you love the color of the sky? Tracklist:
1. April Limousine
2. Alluvial Fan
3. Full Spectrum Dominance
4. Squeaky Wheel
5. Touch the Perfect Speed
6. Song of Mana
7. Omen Globe
8. C.B.B.S.I.M.M.P.W.M.
9. N of 1
10. Heaven’s What You Make of It

Dummy Tour Dates:
Tue. Oct. 13 – Fresno, CA @ Tower Lounge *
Wed. Oct. 14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel *
Thu. Oct. 15 – Sacramento, CA @ Café Colonial *
Fri. Oct. 16 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project *
Sat. Oct. 17 – Arcata, CA @ Miniplex w/ Dilies
Tue. Oct. 20 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
Thu. Oct. 22 – Vancouver, BC @ The Wise *
Fri. Oct. 23 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern *
Sat. Oct. 24 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux *
Mon. Oct. 26 – Salt Lake City, UT @ International Bar *
Tue. Oct. 27 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive *
Wed. Nov. 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Sid The Cat Ballroom

* = w/ Golomb

Keep your mind open.

[Achieve music news dominance by subscribing.]

[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Cor de Lux release “The Cringe” ahead of their debut album and upcoming tour.

Cor de Lux, who recently announced their signing to Ipecac Recordings, release their label debut, Year Of The Horse, on Sept. 18.

A preview of the nine-song album arrives today with “The Cringe” and its accompanying video (https://youtu.be/GL1308BBhKI). The snarling single charges forward at full blast before veering into an atmospheric passage where the intertwined guitars of Dawn Moraga and Tim Lusk drift into haunting territory.

Moraga says of the track: “Living in a developing country really engraved in my heart about knowing what is important and what is not,” referencing her time abroad in Nicaragua. “Materialism fades like bad jeans. The exploitation of the poor to make the rich richer makes my blood boil.”

Bass player John Bliven adds: “’The Cringe’ explains our disdain of the billionaire ‘elite’ and the system that keeps them rapidly gaining. ‘I make a dollar a day’ refers to CEOs giving themselves a tiny salary while obtaining massive share value. Those shares aren’t taxed unless sold, and even then, that tax rate is less than the income tax everyone else pays.”

Produced by J. Robbins (War on Women, Mary Timony), Year Of The Horse captures Cor de Lux’s competing impulses: abrasion and melody. Atmosphere and momentum, chaos and control. Across nine songs, the Kill Devil Hills quartet balances post-hardcore urgency, shoegaze bliss, and guitar-driven catharsis. Recorded with Robbins, the album preserves the raw chemistry that defines the band while pushing their songwriting into sharper, more immediate territory.

Year Of The Horse is available for pre-order now with the album available on multiple limited vinyl variants (including a hyper-limited Bandcamp exclusive swirl vinyl and Ipecac/Cor de Lux orange effect vinyl), standard black vinyl, cassette, CD, and digitally: https://cordelux.lnk.to/horse.

The band ventures out on a brief tour this Fall, joining SLIFT for a handful of dates:

October 7 Philadelphia, PA Ortlieb’s

October 8 Brooklyn, NY The Broadway

October 10 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace *

October 11 Detroit, MI El Club *

October 13 Chicago, IL Outset *

October 14 St. Paul, MN Turf Club *

October 15 Davenport, IA Racoon Motel

*-w/SLIFT

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t cringe at subscribing.]

[Thanks to Monica at Speakeasy PR.]

Protomartyr return when we need them most with tour dates, an upcoming album, and their new single – “Sounds We Cannot Hear.”

Preeminent prophets of societal decline Protomartyr announce their new album, Hotel Usona, out September 25th via Domino, and release the lead single/video, “Sounds We Cannot Hear.” Recorded with legendary producer Dave Fridmann (Sleater-Kinney, MGMT, The Flaming Lips) at his own Tarbox Road Studios in western New York, Hotel Usona is an effort that finds the Detroit post-punk outfit reckoning with the horrors of our current moment. It is not easy listening. It’s essential.

Over the last two decades, Protomartyr—vocalist Joe Casey, drummer Alex Leonard, bassist Scott Davidson, and multi-instrumentalist and co-producer Greg Ahee—have built one of the most rewarding and often exhilarating bodies of work in recent memory by veering in and out of darkness, grappling with what most frightens us, saddens us, disgusts us, embarrasses and enrages us, and with a gallows humor for the ages, gives a sense of the comedy inherent in so much that we encounter. Essentially, the stuff that makes us human.

Casey has imagined his country as an aging hotel here, each song a room haunted by its own troublesome guest, as on today’s “Sounds We Cannot Hear,” which arrives with a video starring Nate Varrone (Maddie’s Secret and “The Bear”). The song finds Casey examining the slow paralysis of modern life: “The scroll deforms the day // Poet screamed, “Goodbye everybody!” // Leaping from the liner Orizaba // As it traversed the Caribbean Sea // A new vulgar company is targeting me.”

Watch the Video for “Sounds We Cannot Hear”

Musically, Ahee has built worlds within a world, drawing new influence from the Middle East and ‘50s exotica, finding common ground between dread and joy, a speciality. All of it—Leonard’s drumming in particular—is rendered more tangible and terrifying by Fridmann, whose son, Jon, contributes horns. You can feel the stakes in every song, feel the band levitating to meet them. They’ve never sounded more powerful. Take it from someone who knows: Iggy Pop.

What is a Protomartyr? I don’t really know, but I imagine it may refer to an earthly being who wants a little more than the usual shit out of life. A person or persons who want to be part of something beautiful and interesting, with the understanding that you may pay a price for that, and that others who come after will have an easier time. Kind of like Jesus.

So then there is Protomartyr the band. Four guys who are very, very skilled musicians and creators who I suspect would be totally fucked without the intervention of their talents, which are considerable. They are, to put it crudely, a kind of rock band out of Detroit. That’s a subject I know something about. And they’ve made a new album. It is highly themed and symphonic in its reach. I could call it a kind of drive-through Sgt. Peppers, but that would miss the mark. This record is Wagnerian, it reminds me very much of the Opera Tristan and Isolde (by Richard Wagner). Musically, it sounds modal, and kind of chromatic, like I imagine Celtic war horns might sound in some forgotten battle. The singer, Joe Casey, is blessed with a beautiful voice that you want to listen to, but he stays perverse enough to keep things interesting when he wants to get petulant or a little bitchy.

One of my favorite moments on the record is when he simply announces, all alone, “We got a bad review.” Which presides a furious outpouring from the entire group. Wow! I wish I thought of that! And in today’s world, how relatable! Who hasn’t gotten a bad review? Plumbers, shoe salesmen, etc etc etc. right up to Influencers. All is reviewed… I’m trying hard not to let this attempt at biography turn into a review, but hey, I’ve been listening to these guys for quite a while now and I get the feeling that they are a slow growth item, something that is gaining followers, listeners, and respect little by little, over the long haul. There’s a lot of content here. The four of them can shift rhythms and harmonics very, very smoothly in a way that seems effortless. It’s the mark of fine arts in a popular group.
— Iggy Pop

Pre-Order Hotel Usona

This fall, Protomartyr will embark on a world tour, making stops in major cities throughout the United States, EU/UK, and Canada. Tickets are now available here. Protomartyr will also support The Jesus and Mary Chain in Austin. A full list of tour dates is below.

Hotel Usona Tracklist
1. The Old Hotel
2. Sounds We Cannot Hear
3. Converts
4. Exalted Eagles
5. The Knife Dream
6. Feed the Sewer
7. Lavender – Gospel
8. Third Country
9. Checking Out

Protomartyr Tour Dates:
Mon. Oct. 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom *
Tue. Oct. 20 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah *
Thu. Oct. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Regent *
Fri. Oct. 23 – San Jose, CA @ the Ritz *
Sat. Oct. 24 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall *
Tue. Oct. 27 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
Wed. Oct. 28 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl *
Thu. Oct. 29 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin *
Sat. Oct. 31 – Austin, TX @ Far Out Lounge ^
Sat. Nov. 7 – Toronto, ON @ Concert Hall #
Sun. Nov. 8 – Montreal, QC @ Les Foufounes Électriques #
Tue. Nov. 10 – Boston, MA @ Crystal Ballroom #
Wed. Nov. 11 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Thu. Nov. 12 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall #
Fri. Nov. 13 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat #
Sat. Nov. 14 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle #
Sun. Nov. 15 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy #
Tue. Nov. 17 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East #
Wed. Nov. 18 – St. Louis, MO @ Duck Room #
Thu. Nov. 19 – Chicago @ Metro #
Fri. Dec. 4 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic
Thu. Feb. 11 – Leeds, UK @ Irish Center
Fri. Feb. 12 – Glasgow, UK @ The Garage
Sat. Feb. 13 – Manchester, UK @ Band on the Wall
Mon. Feb. 15 – Bristol, UK @ The Lantern
Tue. Feb. 16 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton
Thu. Feb. 18 – Lille, FR @ L’Aeronef
Fri. Feb. 19 – Paris, FR @ Le Trabendo
Sat. Feb. 20 – Brussels, BE @ Le Botanique
Mon. Feb. 22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
Tue. Feb. 23 – Hamburg, DE @ Bahnhof Pauli
Wed. Feb. 24 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset
Fri. Feb. 26 – Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu Club
Sat. Feb. 27 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
Sun. Feb. 28 – Prague, CZ @ Meet Factory

* w/ Accessory
^ w/ the Jesus and Mary Chain
# w/ J.R.C.G

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe!]

[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Deux Visages release “Always You” ahead of summer tour.

Just off the heels of their soaring single “Always You”, burgeoning trio Deux Visages has announced a direct support slot on Sweet Pill‘s upcoming Summer run in addition to joining The Linda Lindas as special guests on the East Coast in October. The dates cover Los Angeles, New York City, Texas, the Pacific Northwest and more. See below for a full list of dates, and find more info on tickets here.

Deux Visages is vocalist Daphney Hanono, guitarist Jack Chiu and bassist Tony Jouvin. Their emergence has been a whirlwind. Founded over a thread of DMs in high school, they were hastily signed to Atlantic Records after word of their rampant and immersive live shows hit. Fast-forward >> a series of singles, an EP, support tours with Mannequin P*ssy, julie and Wunderhorse, plus an uproot from Miami to Philadelphia >> the three have now perfected their chemistry and eclectic, earnest dream-pop rock that is singularly Deux Visages.

Last month they announced their signing to Pure Noise Records alongside their sentimental, infectious track “Always You”. Frontwoman Daphney Hanono enthuses “’Always You’ is the song that we always wanted to write. It’s about being a fly on the wall and watching over someone you love. It’s about longing, uncertainty, and fear. Essentially, a song that’s written to be a cry for someone that won’t hear.”

“Always You” taps into Deux Visages’ visceral experience of grieving your childhood – and the duality of trying to hold onto it while also tearing yourself away from it. It’s the first preview into their debut studio album which is due Fall 2026.

Watch / Share / Playlist “Always You”

Deux Visages Live Dates:

Aug 17: Dallas, TX – AM/FM *
Aug 19: Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall *
Aug 21: Austin, TX – Mohawk *
Aug 22: San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger *
Aug 25: Mesa, AZ – The Nile *
Aug 27: Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre *
Aug 28: San Francisco, CA – August Hall *
Aug 30: Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre *
Aug 31: Seattle, WA – Neumos *
Sep 03: Denver, CO – The Oriental Theater *
Sep 05: Omaha, NE – The Slowdown *
Oct 02: Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre ~
Oct 04: Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts ~
Oct 06: Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club ~
Oct 07: New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place ~
Oct 08: Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel ~

* w/ Sweet Pill
~ w/ The Linda Lindas

Keep your mind open.

[I’m always hoping you’ll subscribe.]

[Thanks to Bailey at Another Side.]