Rock – Page 114 – 7th Level Music

Public Practice’s first LP, “Gentle Grip,” due May 15, 2020.

On their debut full length, Gentle Grip, Public Practice reanimate the spirit of late ‘70s New York with their playfully angular yet thoughtful brand of no wave-meets-funk and dark disco.

Magnetic singer and lyricist Sam York and guitarist and principal sonic architect Vince McClelland (who previously played together as members of the meteoric yet short-lived NYC post-punk outfit WALL) come to the table with an anarchic perspective that aims to eradicate creative barriers by challenging the very idea of what a song can be. Paradoxically, Drew Citron, on bass/vocals/synth, and drummer/producer Scott Rosenthal (both previously of Brooklyn indie-pop favorites Beverly) are uncannily adept at working within the framework of classic pop structures. But instead of clashing, these contrasting styles challenge and complement one another, resulting in an album full of spiraling tensions and unexpected turns.

Lyrically, York explores the complexities and contradictions of modern life overtop dance-inducing rhythms and choruses that disarmingly open up the doors to self-reflection. “You don’t want to live a lie / But it’s easy” York sings on “Compromised,” the record’s brisk, gyrating lead single. As York puts it, “No one’s moral compass reads truth north at all times. We all want to be our best green recycling selves, but still want to buy the shiny new shoes — how do you emotionally navigate through that? How do you balance material desires with the desire to be seen as morally good?” Towards the slinkier end of the album’s aural spectrum, songs like the supremely danceable “My Head” — which is about tuning out the incessant influx of external noise and finding your own internal groove — are more personally political while still hearkening the last days of disco.

But whether they are poking holes in commonly held ideas centered around relationships, creativity, or capitalism, Public Practice never lose sight of the fact that they want to have fun, and they want you to have fun too. After all, who wants to stand on top of a soapbox when there’s a dark, sweaty dancefloor out there with room on it for all of us?

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Karney – Better

This five-song EP from San Francisco’s Karney (sometimes also known as the Karney Band) is led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Anna Karney and was a surprise delivery to me by her label.

The title track, “Better,” is gets things off to a good start with hard-hitting drums from Jeff Herrera and Karney’s lyrics about taking charge of our lives in dark times. “Trust” is another uplifting track, not unlike a gospel song with its strong themes of acceptance and trust in something greater than the self.

Karney’s faithful cover of Led Zeppelin‘s “Ramble On” is a good one that takes on a hint of country flavor that works well (since, after all, country and blues are strongly linked). “Snake Oil Salesman,” has a bit of a psychedelic surf flair and lyrics (and a poem by Haji Hajimicheal) that I think reference a deceitful lover or the Grim Reaper (or possibly one and the same being). The closer, “Round and Round,” is a slightly mournful tune (with nice accordion work by Julie Wolf) that highlights Karney’s road-weary vocals.

Better is a nice little rock EP that would’ve escaped my radar were it not for Karney’s label sending it to me. I thank them for the gift, and Ms. Karney for the fine work indeed.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Gary Wilson – Tormented

Bedroom rock maestro Gary Wilson has returned with one of his best albums in a while – Tormented. Since the painting of Wilson on the cover shows him wearing a Carnival of Souls shirt (a ghost story movie about a woman pursued by a mysterious man as she’s drawn to a beach-side park, which could be the theme of an entire record by Wilson), I can’t help but wonder if the title of the album refers to the Roger Corman film of the same name. In that movie, a man is haunted by the ghost of his former lover, and that is certainly a theme present in all of Wilson’s work – including this record.

The album ends with the short, weird “A Special Day,” in which Wilson and other ghostly voices mention it’s his girl’s birthday again and he’s planted a tree in her honor. “Happy Birthday to My Girl” follows it, and Wilson, with a jaunty keyboard groove behind him, sings a birthday song to his lover after she’s moved far away from him, oblivious to the fact that he’s bought new shoes for a date with her that will now never happen.

The synths on “The Sin Eater” are Donald Fagen-esque and Wilson’s vocals are a plea for his mysterious girl to not be afraid of the one who can take away her pain. “Oh that sounds real nice,” he sings at the beginning of “You Looked Cool in Outer Space.” He’s right. The tune is one of his funkiest and smoothest in a while.

“The Merry Go Round” is a piano-backed poem about Wilson spending another lonely night at his favorite park, where he goes every single night to think about the girl he mentions in “Midnight and You.” She’s another girl he can’t have or who he knew once but has long forgotten him. “I Married Lisa Last Night” is a brief instrumental that reminds you that Wilson is a fine pianist indeed.

“It’s Almost Midnight” is another ode to the nightlife Wilson loves so much, but he promises he’ll have his girl home before then. “Frank Roma Is Tormented” is a plunge into saxophone riffs and eerie madness. “Where Did You Go?” reminds us that “Every night is Friday night” when you’re with Mr. Wilson as it bops along a quiet, lonely road into outer space or through the North Side Park in Wilson‘s hometown of Endicott, New York (which, in case you didn’t know, is a very small town).

The title track is another creepy poem that drifts into a question Wilson asks on every record – “Where Is Linda?” It’s a hip track with more smooth synth work from Wilson, and once more the question goes unanswered. ‘The Wind” is the third poem on the album, with Wilson calling for various women as he hears their voices from afar.

The title of “Gary Lives in the Twilight Zone” could be an understatement. His albums indicate he lives in a mysterious place that shifts from dreams to reality until they are blurred and merged. Each one of his records lets us explore this odd place with him. His synth solo is great and the drums on the track are particularly snappy. The album closes with the fourth poem – “A Sad Town” – in which Wilson tries to swim to Toronto but ends up at an amusement park, tries again, but doesn’t make it – leaving us to wonder if he drowned in Lake Ontario and if Tormented is actually an album made by a ghost (a ghost who is currently touring, by the way).

I’d be fine with that. Ghosts follow Wilson around all the time, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been one all along.

Keep your mind open.

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Flat Worms push back against “Market Forces” with their new single.

Flat Worms, the Los Angeles-based trio of Will Ivy (guitar), Tim Hellman (bass) and Justin Sullivan (drums), announce their new album, Antarctica, out April 10th on Drag City Imprint, GOD? Records, and share lead single, “Market Forces.” Antarctica is for people invested in the future, despite a world in flames, deserts in permafrost, and everyone in their own corners, looking down into their hands. It considers the chaotic, dysfunctional contemporary landscape and reflects a situation that’s dire, but not hopeless.

Since the release of their 2017 debut LP – even since last year’s “Into the Iris” mini-LP – Flat Worms’ sound has hardened, with the polarities of psych and post-punk smelted into a brutal cobalt alloy. No doubt they’re aided by the Steve Albini-engineered sound rendered at Electrical Audio, where the album was recorded and mixed (in collaboration with Albini and Ty Segall) in six days. The rest of the evolution is down to Flat Worms, whose world view and musical viewpoint pulse with a remorseless drive and a sense of collaborative unity. Ivy’s cortex-scorching guitar leads are in united space with the full-body rhythm of Hellman’s bass and Sullivan’s drums.

Flat Worms’ social comment, bleak, yet earnest, is leavened with bone dry humor (the title track’s isolation conundrums: “My dog is smiling as I drive her to the park / we sit together in the kitchen after dark / I ask her questions / She just barks”) and caustic pronouncements. Lead single “Market Forces” kicks the modern malaise of alienation from our over-commodified social media mirror image. As market forces drives feels to capitalize on later, Flat Worms ask: Are you really helpless in this dynamic?

Listen to Flat Worms’ “Market Forces”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z73PY-bCUaY

Commitment. Intention. Collaboration. And a sense that we’re meant to enjoy what we’re doing. Even in the desert of Antarctica, Flat Worms are looking for the upside.

Flat Worms will play select shows throughout California and the UK this spring. All dates are listed below.

Pre-order Antarctica
https://ffm.to/antarctica

Antarctica Tracklist:
1. The Aughts
2. Plaster Casts
3. Market Forces
4. Antarctica
5. Via
6. The Mine
7. Ripper I
8. Condo Colony
9. Signals:
10. Wet Concrete
11. Terms of Visitation

Flat Worms Tour Dates:
Thu. April 30 – Oakland, CA @ Crystal Cavern
Fri. May 1 – Long Beach, CA @ Alex’s Bar
Sun. May 3 – Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress
Fri. May 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon
Thu. June 4 – Manchester, UK @ Pink Room @ Yes
Fri. June 5 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sat. June 6 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
Sun. June 7 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast
Tue. June 9 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
Wed. June 10 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
Thu. June 11 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
Fri. June 12 – London, UK @ The Garage

Keep your mind open.

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RidingEasy Records releases first track from remastered rare Randy Holden album.

“Population II is considered one of the world’s first doom albums of all time.” — Metal Injection

RidingEasy Records proudly announce the official reissue on physical and digital formats of the extremely rare 1970 proto-metal album Randy Holden – Population II. Considered one of the first doom metal albums ever, the ex-Blue Cheer guitarist’s solo debut has long been sought out by collectors. The remastered full length will be available on all streaming platforms for the first time, with a master more true to the original mix on LP, CD and streaming.

Metal Injection has the first taste of the remastered album, “Blue My Mind” to hear & share HERE. (Direct Bandcamp, YouTube.)
“Godzilla just walked into the room. People just stood there with their eyes and mouths wide open.”

To hear Randy Holden describe the audience’s reaction in 1969 to his solo debut performing with a teeth-rattling phalanx of 16 (sixteen!) 200 watt Sunn amps is about as close as many of us will get to truly experience the moment heavy metal music morphed into existence. However, at last we have unearthed the proper fossil record.
Population II, the now legendary, extremely rare album by guitarist/vocalist Holden and drummer/keyboardist Chris Lockheed is considered to be one of the earliest examples of doom metal. Though its original release was a very limited in number and distribution, like all great records, its impact over time has continued to grow.

In 1969, Holden, fresh off his tenure with proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer (appearing on one side of the New! Improved! Blue Cheer album and touring for the better part of a year in the group), aimed for more control over his band. Thus, Randy Holden – Population II was born, the duo naming itself after the astronomical term for a particular star cluster with heavy metals present.

“I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before,” Holden explains. “I was interested in discordant sounds that could be melodic but gigantically huge. I rented an Opera house for rehearsal, set up with 16 Sunn amps. That’s what I was going for, way over the top.”
And over the top it is. The 6-song album delves into leaden sludge, lumbering doom and epic soaring riffs that sound free from all constraints of the era. It’s incredibly heavy, but infused with a melodic, albeit mechanistic, sensibility.

“At the time, I was hearing these crazy melodies everywhere I went,” Holden says. “I thought I was going crazy.” For example, one day he slowly rooted out a powerful sound that had been nagging him and discovered it coming from a ceiling fan. “Machinery all around us doesn’t turn in a perfect rhythm. That’s what I was tuning into, I heard the music and the discordant sounds coming from the machinery. It was perfect for rendering the machine we built.”

Troubles with the album’s release bankrupted Holden, who subsequently left music for over two decades. It was bootlegged several times over the years, but until now hasn’t seen a proper remaster and has yet to be available on digital platforms. “The original mastering just destroyed the dynamics of it,” Holden says. “They flattened it out. Now we got a really nice remaster that should be the closest thing to the original recording.”

Population II will be available on LP, CD and download on February 28th, 2020 via RidingEasy Records.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Cosmonauts – Persona Non Grata (2013)

The title of Cosmonauts‘ 2013 album Persona Non Grata is Latin for “Person Not Appreciated.” In the world of politics it refers to someone prohibited from entering or staying in a country. Cosmonauts are known for wall-to-wall shoegaze riffs that highlight lyrics of alienation and dissatisfaction (from the world in general to something as simple as the effort it takes to go to a party), so it’s a perfect title for an album reflecting themes of not fitting in anywhere.

The album starts with “Shaker” (which does indeed have a shaker prominent in its sound), in which the band sings about uncertainty and being dumbfounded by one’s own willful ignorance (“I can’t believe that I can’t believe that I can’t believe.”). “Sweet Talk” brings in psychedelic reverb to the rolling riffs and a solid rock groove in a song about murder.

“Wear Your Hair Like a Weapon” was the first single from Persona Non Grata. It’s a crunchy, echoing blast that tells the tale of a dangerous woman. The drum beat on it is wicked and the way it drifts into a trippy section near the end is great. The guitars on “My Alba” have a Middle Eastern sound that I love and might make a lava lamp materialize in your office or bedroom while you’re not looking.

“What Me Worry” was the slogan of Mad Magazine‘s Alfred E. Newman whenever confronted with something out of his control – particularly in the world of politics. The song keeps this attitude throughout it, but focuses it toward a relationship coming to an end (and the killer bass line and shredding guitar solos only make it better).

“I don’t worry about the other guys, ’cause they know me well and I’m cold as ice,” they sing at the beginning of “Pure Posture” – a song about posturing masculinity to hide insecurity. The opening guitars on “I’m So Bored with You” sound like saw mills in full operation. “Vanilla” is the song that follows. “Vanilla” is another term for “boring” or “plain,” especially in the bedroom. The song bounces along like a groovy dream and is hardly boring. The wink of it following “I’m So Bored with You” is inescapable as it tells the tale of girls coming to Los Angeles (the band’s hometown) and them pleading for her to go home and avoid the pitfalls of the city and new relationships there

“Dirty Harry” moves along as fast as an action film and almost dares you to keep up with it. The closer, “Summertime Blue,” ends the album with southern California shine that turns into prismatic colors swirling around you, even as the band sings, “Nothing ever seems to turn out right, and I’m staring at the sky…”

It’s more disconnection. Cosmonauts knew in 2013 that we were all racing down a road of distancing ourselves from others because we were too afraid to embrace the present and the light within us and everyone else. We made ourselves into persona non grata, never at home anywhere because we were too busy being elsewhere with our phones and computers. They, in the meantime, were using rock to propel into orbit and encourage us to kick down the barriers we’d created.

Keep your mind open.

[I feel like persona non grata when you don’t subscribe.]

Caroline Rose gets freaky on her new single – “Freak Like Me.”

Caroline Rose presents a new single, “Freak Like Me,” from her forthcoming album, Superstar, due March 6th on New West Records. In conjunction, she announces the west coast run of her North American tour. “Freak Like Me” follows lead single/video “Feel The Way I Want,” in which Rose “walks a fine, funny line between embodying and parodying Kanye-size arrogance” (Rolling Stone).

As described by Rose, “‘Freak Like Me’ is a S&M-themed love song about falling in love with your dominatrix. The song’s melody is very floral and beautiful. I imagine it as some sort of delicate dress dancing around 17th century Versailles. I wanted to juxtapose this daintiness with grotesque lyrics. I’ve always wanted to write a pretty song with the word ‘vomit’ in it. Paradoxes are fun.”

“I had been wanting to sample Aaron Embry’s ‘Raven Song’ in a beat for the longest time. Then I had this kind of ‘ah ha!’ moment while working on the song on tour. I chopped up the sample, pitched it and it just fit perfectly. It really took the song to another level and completed the paradox.”

Listen to Caroline Rose’s “Freak Like Me”
https://youtu.be/QfV4-v7l5dA

The follow up to 2018’s acclaimed LONER, Superstar is a bigger, badder, glitter-filled cinematic pop record. It’s a semi-autobiographical story of a shamelessly odd hero, or rather anti-hero, on a quest to become a someone. One part satire, one part self-reflection, Rose’s anti-hero personifies much of what we as casual on-lookers are wont to poke fun at, dismiss or denigrate, yet deep down likely aspire to be. Someone who, whether warranted or not, refuses to let anyone dictate their own life’s narrative.

Rose will embark on a lengthy North American tour this spring in support of Superstar. A full list of dates can be found below. Newly-announced shows go on sale this Friday, February 14th at 10am local time.

Watch the Video for “Feel The Way I Want” –
http://newwst.com/crftwiwPR

Pre-order Superstar –
http://newwst.com/superstar

Caroline Rose Tour Dates (new dates in bold):
Fri. March 6 – Albany, NY @ The Hollow
Sat. March 7 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Wed. March 11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
Thu. March 12 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
Fri. March 13 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
Sat. March 14 – Columbus, OH @ Skully’s
Wed. March 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Thu. March 26 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Fri. March 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
Sat. March 28 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Wed. April 1 – Iowa City, IA @ Mission Creek Music Festival
Thu. April 2 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Fri. April 3 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Sat. April 4 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Hall
Fri. April 24 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Sat. April 25 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall: Upstairs
Sun. April 26 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s
Tue. April 28 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
Wed. April 29 – Oxford, MS @ Proud Larry’s
Thu. April 30 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
Fri. May 1 – Sun. May 3 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
Wed. June 17 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird
Thu. June 18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ State Room
Fri. June 19 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
Sat. June 20 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Sun. June 21 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Wed. June 24 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Fri. June 26 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Sat. June 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Priests – Bodies and Control and Money and Power (2014)

The first record by Washington D.C. post-punks Priests, Bodies and Control and Money and Power, was a great kick in the junk in 2014 and is still hits hard now.

The opener, “Design with Reach,” has blaring guitar by G.L. Jaguar while vocalist / firebrand Katie Alice Greer reminds us all of our mortality and Taylor Multiz‘s bass is the rumble of a hearse and Daniele Daniele‘s drums are the footsteps of the Grim Reaper. “I’m not sure I should be talking to you,” Greer sings on “Doctor” – a witty tune about how words can quickly trip up a relationship (“You put your fingers in other people’s mouths all day. Don’t you, Doctor?”).

“New” is blaring punk rock that has some of Greer’s most dangerous vocals and riffs from Jaguar that almost clang like a skillet hitting you in the head. “Powertrip” is even faster. Mulitz’s bass runs all over the room and Daniele’s drums are pure punk bliss.

“Modern Love / No Weapon” dares you to tame it. It just comes at you like a four-headed hydra while you’re armed with a toothbrush. “I think about you all the time,” Greer sings / yells in a tone that’s more menacing than seductive. The groove on “Right Wing” (on which Jaguar and Multiz swap instruments) is great while Greer tells us to “Worship me, politely.” and that she’s “not trying to be anything.”

The album ends with the bonkers “And Breeding,” with Greer chastising all of us for spending most of our time “fucking and breeding” and “trying to understand” why we’re so attached to our cubicle mazes. “I know what we gotta do,” she says before she proceeds to verbally trash Elvis Presley, Madonna, and other icons to which we compare ourselves for no good reason whatsoever.

It’s seven songs of rage, riffs, and rock. What more could you want? Priests have, for the time being, amicably called it quits, but at least we have this and other fine records from them to appreciate.

Keep your mind open.

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Live: BODEGA, The Wants, Jungle Green – Schuba’s – February 10, 2020

It was a chilly Monday night, but not unbearable. It was downright balmy for a Chicago winter. Despite the cold and the early night of the week, Schuba’s had a good-sized crowd for the art-punk / no wave night of music featuring Chicago’s own Jungle Green and Brooklyn bands The Wants and BODEGA.

Jungle Green took the stage first with a dizzying set of no wave bedroom rock that instantly reminded me of Gary Wilson tunes with their themes of love and romance and performance art strewn throughout the show. The lead singer spent the whole set in the crowd and the rest of the band swapped instruments so many times that I lost count of how many times who played what. In other words, it was a lot of fun.

The Wants played a stunning set of dark shoegaze that reminded me of a mix of Joy Division and The Fixx. Heather (bass and vocals), Madison (guitar and vocals), and Jason (drums) made jaws drop for their whole set and had everyone eager to hear their full-length album due next month.

BODEGA (which includes The Wants’ Heather and Madison in its ranks) wrapped up the night with a wild, fun, fiery set peppered with brief, amusing discussions on Oscar Wilde, advertising, and film. I think the audience was secretly thankful for these funny chats lead singer Ben Hozie had with the audience because the talks gave us all time to breathe. BODEGA let up during these breaks from a pedal-to-the-metal set of post / art-punk and no wave bangers like “Name Escape” – which featured their friend / fellow Brooklynite / rapper Kaheim Rivera (who played Chicago’s Empty Bottle two nights later) doing two freestyle riffs during the song – and the always wall-flattening “Truth Is Not Punishment.”

It was a great way to spend a Monday night and worth the drive in the cold. Catch BODEGA if you can, and look for The Wants to tour the UK later this year.

Keep your mind open.

[Thanks to Patrick Tilley for setting me up with press credentials for the show.]

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Live: Leones, Diagonal, Necromoon – The Brass Rail – February 08, 2020

For a small place, Ft. Wayne, Indiana’s Brass Rail can pack in a lot of sound. This show of indie shoegaze and psychedelic acts was no exception.

First up was local band Leones, who played a good set of bass-forward shoegaze with thick Latinx psychedelic touches.

Second on the bill were Chicago’s Diagonal. I’ve been a fan of the band for a while now and was happy to finally catch them live. They played a sold psychedelia set of mostly new material from their upcoming album. One of the funniest parts of their set was how they kept referring to Gary Numan and playing parts of “Are Friends ‘Electric’?” after I played it on the Brass Rail’s juke box while they were doing their sound check.

Closing out the night was Ft. Wayne’s Necromoon, who are not a Dead Moon cover band. They play a mellower version of psychedelia than Dead Moon (and to be fair, few bands can match Dead Moon’s raw power) but still put out a lot of sound as they played songs about love and death and other subjects with a bright hope to them.

All in all, it was a fun night of live music in a small venue and a nice oasis in the dead of winter.

Keep your mind open.

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