Rock – Page 142 – 7th Level Music

Cass McComb’s “Tip of the Sphere” is out tomorrow, but you can stream it on NPR right now.

“Here McCombs reaches fully toward the idea of songwriting as myth-making. Pulling from a deeper heredity of mavericks (Guy Clark) and marginals (Bill Callahan); jesters (Warren Zevon), sweet-natured acerbics (Randy Newman) and loners (Elliott Smith), McCombs is an analogous anomaly — a statesman with a penchant for the long, spooling yarn. He revels in the album as cinema, as cosmos, as something that should be written and left for rumination.” — NPR Music’s “First Listen”

“McCombs is no cheap nostalgia merchant, and is rooted far more in earthy post-punk than jam-bandwagoning. But dude’s quite a guitarist, and here’s hoping he stretches things on tour behind his forthcoming LP – it’s a doozy.” — Rolling Stone

“Tip of the Sphere represents McCombs’ practised skills as a shaper of his own world, with pride in his craft, a deep respect for tradition and the drive to refresh it via his own idiosyncratic iteration. It’s a combination likely to seal those ‘finest songwriter of his generation’ nominations.”
— Uncut, 9/10 Album of the Month
Cass McCombs will release Tip of the Sphere, his ninth full-length album, on February 8th via ANTI-. Ahead of its release, the album is now available to stream via NPR Music’s “First Listen.” Additionally, McCombs shares “Absentee,” a track infused with waltzing organ and subtle saxophone. In “Absentee,” McCombs ruminates on ancestral memories of British, colonialist absentee landlords during the Irish Potato Famine, on longing, hunger and untended places in the heart. Cass plays multiple characters in a play created with cast shadows, masks, puppets and analog visual effects created by Lydia Greer and Caryl Kientz of Facing West Shadow Theatre.
Stream Tip of the Sphere via NPR Music –
https://n.pr/2RWfYPD

Watch “Absentee” Video –
https://youtu.be/4ujcP9S1Gmc
Tip of the Sphere presents an artist trying to make sense of it all through a relentless, ever searching creative process. Throughout, he floats through a suite of songs driven by a journeying mysticism and dark grace. While most of his albums have been pieced together in different studios over an extended period of time, Tip of the Sphere was recorded quickly and with a strong sense of purpose at Figure 8 Studios in Brooklyn. This new approach for McCombs brought his songs a raw immediacy and a special balance of compassion and experimentation with the intent of making a more consistent statement. On “Absentee,” he’s joined by Otto Hauser (drums), Dan Horne (bass), Dan Lead (pedal steel), Frank LoCrasto (hammond organ), and Sam Griffin Owens (saxophone).

As previously announced, the ‘Castillo de la Esfera,’ created by fellow Northern California artist and contemporary Tahiti Pehrson as an homage to Brion Gysin’s dream machine, is featured inside the vinyl edition of Tip of the Sphere. Watch the Tip of the Sphere Instructional Video & Castillo de la Esfera Assembly, narrated by Robyn Hitchock,here.
Watch/Listen/Share:
“Sleeping Volcanoes” Stream – https://youtu.be/aJd_bd9vBFc
“Estrella” Stream – https://youtu.be/sJTR-d8X2jk
“The Great Pixley Train Robbery” Video – https://youtu.be/tJweioHk6t0

Pre-order Tip of the Sphere –
https://ffm.to/cm_tipofthesphere

Cass McCombs Tour Dates:
Thu. Feb. 7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Amoeba Records
Mon. March 4 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage *
Tue. March 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live *
Thu. March 7 – Brooklyn, NY @ Murmrr
Fri. March 8 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
Sat. March 9 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair *
Mon. March 11 – Toronto, ON @ Horsehoe Tavern *
Tue. March 12 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom*
Thu. March 14 – Nashville, TN @ EXIT/IN *
Fri. March 15 – Indianapolis, IN @ HiFi *
Sat. March 16 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *
Sun. March 17 – Milwaukee, WI @ The BackRoom at Collectivo *
Mon. March 18 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club *
Wed. March 20 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre *
Sat. March 23 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room *
Mon. March 25 – Vancouver, BC @ St. James *
Tue. March 26 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey *
Wed. March 27 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater *
Fri. March 29 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s *
Sat. March 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre *
Sun. March 31 – Las Vegas, NV@ The Beauty Bar*
Tue. April 2 – Santa Barbara, CA @ SOHo *
Thu. April 4 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Moe’s Alley *
Fri. April 5 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore *
Thu. April 25 – Marfa, TX@ Marfa Myths
Sat. May 25 – Madrid, SP @ Tomavistas Festival
Tue. May 28 – Prague, CZ @ MeetFactory
Wed. May 29 – Berlin, DE @ Frannz-Club
Thur. May 30 – Copenhagen, DK @ Alice
Fri. May 31 – Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
Sat. June 1 – Gent, BE @ DOK Box
Mon. June 3 – Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso Nord
Tue. June 4 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
Thur. June 6 – London, UK @ EartH
Fri. June 7 – Helsinki, FI @ Sideways Festival
Fri. Aug. 30 – Mon. Sep. 2 – Larmer Tree Gardens, UK @ End of the Road Festival

* = with Sam Evian

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Partner release first single, “Long and McQuade” from new album, “Saturday the 14th,” due this April.

Partner, the Canadian duo of Josée Caron and Lucy Niles, have announced their new release out April 5, 2019. Entitled Saturday the 14th, it follows their 2017 debut, In Search of Lost Time which landed on NPR, Stereogum, Noisey, Exclaim, and CBC Music year end lists. Pre-order Saturday the 14th HERE.

Today, Partner is sharing the video for “Long and McQuade,” an ode to the Canadian music store chain. Watch the video HERE. The “Long and McQuade” single is also available on streaming services.

“We wanted to make a song for the musicians, and what experience is more relatable to a Canadian musician than going to Long and McQuade? The song just came out one day while we were talking about Long and McQuade and we liked singing it like Pearl Jam, so it stuck.” – Partner

Partner kicks off a US West Coast tour next month including a show at Noise Pop Fest in San Francisco.

USA & Canadian Tour Dates
February 20 – Fox Cabaret, Vancouver BC*
February 21 – The Queens, Nanaimo BC
February 23 – Lucky Bar, Victoria BC
February 24 – The Vera Project, Seattle WA*
February 25 – Holocene, Portland OR*
February 28 – The Hi Hat, Los Angeles CA*
March 02 – The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz CA*
March 03 – Noise Pop Fest, San Francisco CA*
*co-headlining with Dude York

For any interview requests or phoners contact – mar@maronmusic.com

————————

RIYL – AC/DC, The Breeders, Ween, Melissa Etheridge, Aerosmith

Partner is funny, but not a joke. Gay, but not for each other.

Partner is the “mature” effort of two best friends named Josée Caron and Lucy Niles. Borne of their fortuitous friendship, Partner confidently harnesses the infinite power of Rock to explore a variety of niche yet strangely universal themes.

The two met while attending Mount Allison University in small town Sackville, New Brunswick, on Canada’s East Coast.

The duo played in numerous Sackville bands together over their University years. Around mid 2014 the idea of Partner came to fruition.

Influenced by acts as varied as Tegan and Sara, Melissa Etheridge, Ween, kd lang, and Aerosmith, Partner delivers a refreshing and vital twist on a classic, prompting you to re-think what you thought was possible in Rock.

They released their debut album In Search of Lost Time in September 2017. The album made NPR’s All Songs Considered, Stereogum, Noisey, Exclaim, CBC Music, Indie 88 and many more Best of 2017 lists. The album was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize, and Partner were the recipients of the SOCANsongwriting prize for their song “Play the Field.”

Despite the success of In Search of Lost Time, Partner is committed to exploring and breaking down the limits of their minds in the name of Rock. Saturday the 14th represents the first steps towards a bold new future: the listener will find the band questioning the rules and questioning themselves, and, if they listen closely, a few tantalizing hints for what lies in store next.

Saturday the 14th will be released April 5, 2019 via You’ve Changed Records (CAN) and Father/Daughter Records (US).

Track Listing
Partner – Saturday the 14th (April 5, 2019)
Father/Daughter Records (US), You’ve Changed Records (CA)
PRE-ORDER

1. Fun For Everyone (Minions)
2. Stoned Thought
3. Tell You Off
4. Long and McQuade
5. Les ailes d’un ange

Partner in the press:

“Listening to Partner is like hanging out with your best friends, assuming your best friends are queer Canadian stoners with hooks for days.”
– Stereogum

“The best Canadian rock record of the year wasn’t made by Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene or Mac Demarco, but by two self-deprecating, 1990s-loving stoner best friends known as Partner. ”
– Playboy

“…two young women from Canada, Joseé Caron and Lucy Niles, who write and record as Partner, put out the year’s best guitar rock album.”
– NPR’s All Songs Considered

TOUR DATESFebruary 20 – Fox Cabaret, Vancouver BC*
February 21 – The Queens, Nanaimo BC
February 23 – Lucky Bar, Victoria BC
February 24 – The Vera Project, Seattle WA*^
February 25 – Holocene, Portland OR*^
February 28 – The Hi Hat, Los Angeles CA*^
March 02 – The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz CA*
March 03 – Noise Pop Fest, San Francisco CA*^
*w/ Dude York
^w/ Blushh

April 13 – The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto ON+
April 18 – The Capitol Music Club, Saskatoon SK+
April 19 – The Starlite Room, Edmonton AB+
April 20 – The Palace Theatre, Calgary AB+
April 22 – Spiritbar, Nelson BC+
April 23 – Sapphire Nightclub, Kelowna BC+
April 25 – Cactus Jacks, Kamloops BC+
April 30 – Bo’s Bar & Grill, Red Deer AB+
May 02 – The Exchange, Regina SK+
May 03 – The Garrick, Winnipeg MB+
+ supporting Wintersleep
Partner Links
Website: http://www.partnerband.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/partner.music.band/
Bandcamp: https://partnerband.bandcamp.com/
Record Label: http://youvechangedrecords.com/portfolio/partner/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/partner_band
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/partnerband

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CHAI’s upcoming album, “Punk,” is going to be amazing if the single, “Fashionista,” is any indication.

LISTEN TO “FASHIONISTA”
https://bit.ly/2sPcNKG

WATCH “GREAT JOB!”
https://youtu.be/5Odk94mxeHU
Japanese four-piece CHAI may worship at the altar of kawaii – their homeland’s culture of cute– but they’re not about to be pushed around by the idle bosses and the ignorant patriarchy. The ultra-concise pop of their debut LP PINK is about to be overhauled on their new album. CHAI are ready to light the fuse; CHAI are PUNK (out March 15th via Burger Records).

“’PUNK’ for us, of course, is not the genre of music,” say the band. “‘PUNK’ to us is to overturn the worn-out values associated with ‘kawaii’ or ‘cute’ created up to this point. ‘PUNK’ is a word that expresses a strong sense of self. To be yourself more, to become the person you truly want to be, to believe in yourself in every instance!”

First single “Fashionista” is a rebellious demand for self-acceptance in the face of society’s pressures: “Even if you don’t dress or do your makeup like how society expects you too, you’re still a “Fashionista” by expressing yourself how you want to. You decide what you want to wear, how you want to look, what you don’t want to wear, and that is what makes you a Fashionista!”

At the core of their music is the concept of “Neo-Kawaii.” They outlined to concept in several interviews in 2018. In Pitchfork’s Rising interview, it’s described as “a move towards the embrace and celebration of human imperfection. ‘Neo-Kawaii’ is properly summarized on the single ‘N.E.O.’ from Pink, which directly comments on oppressive beauty standards, offering a list of supposed imperfections that translate to ‘Small eyes/Flat nose/No shape/Fat legs!’ CHAI seek to reclaim them as perfect.”

Late last year, the band also shared the delightfully insane video for“GREAT JOB,” another song off the forthcoming album, where CHAI compare house work to ridding yourself from all negativity. “Some people look at house work as a negative duty but it’s actually a positive duty that represents a refreshed, new you.” Yuuki picks up on this: “Of course we want to continue show our style of positivity-meets-pop but in life there’s definitely times of sadness, times of frustration and even irritating moments that with PUNK, we want everyone to know can be used as energy to fuel the positivity from the negativity”.

Their inner strength comes out in the music. If PINK was a plastic, hyper-bright introduction, then PUNK is a deeper, more impactful graduation. It’s the movement from vivid orange to radiating red. Drummer Yuna adds: “Compared with our first album, PUNK represents a more concentrated version of our individualities.”

Yuuki crafted the irrepressible album sleeve, with a laughing girl bursting through a shell. The message, they say, is clear: “Hello, New Me!”

PUNK TRACKLISTING
1. CHOOSE GO!
2. GREAT JOB
3. I’m me
4. Wintime
5. THIS IS CHAI
6. Fashionista
7. FAMILY MEMBER
8. Curly adventure
9. Feel the BEAT
10. Future

CHAI TOUR DATES
Mon. Mar. 11 – Sun. Mar. 17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
Mon. Mar. 18 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Tue. Mar. 19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel
Wed. Mar. 20 – Toronto, ON @ The Velvet Underground
Fri. Mar. 22 – Sat. Mar. 23 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
Mon. Mar. 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
Wed. Mar. 27 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Fri. Mar. 29 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
Sat. Mar. 30 – Portland, OR @ Holocene

PRAISE FOR CHAI

“Moments of pure joy are in short supply these days; a Chai show is a reprieve.”
– Pitchfork [RISING FEATURE]

“Drawing inspiration from the likes of Basement Jaxx, Tom Tom Club, and Devo—groups that have also crafted their own signature, unconventional sounds that defy the pop landscape—the band plays preconceived definitions of cute against each other to create their own new one.”
– FLOOD Magazine

“CHAI bursts with an energy that is carefree, effervescent, and unmistakably feminine”
– She Shreds

“Giddy, frenzied pop” – Bust Magazine, 5/5

CHAI Online:
http://chai-band.com/
https://twitter.com/CHAIofficialJPN
https://www.instagram.com/chaiofficialjpn/
https://www.facebook.com/CHAIofficialJPN/

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Rewind Review: The Black Keys – Turn Blue (2014)

According to the Black Keys’ website, the title of their 2014 album Turn Blue could refer to “A. Suffocation. B. Sadness. C. Numbness from extreme cold. D. A Cleveland late night TV host from the 1960s named Ghoulardi. E. All of the above.”

As I listen to the album now during the 2019 Polar Vortex hitting the Midwest USA, I’m inclined to go with the third definition, but the psychedelic artwork of the album cover and the general southern California psychedelic sound of the record makes me want to lean toward the fourth one.

Produced by none other than Danger Mouse, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney recorded the album during the summer of 2013 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. The bright sunshine, warm weather, and California vibe infuse the entire record. The opener, “Weight of Love,” has Auerbach working his guitar like Carlos Santana and Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton adding bright keyboards behind Carney’s as-always rock solid drumming.

Speaking of rock solid drumming, how about Carney’s work on the appropriately titled “In Time?” Auerbach’s vocals go into a higher register to counter the thumping bass groove. The title track has Auerbach singing about the blues almost overwhelming him every night and warning us, “I really do hope you know there could be Hell below.” as we wander with him on and off paths of sin and vice.

“Fever” was the first single off Turn Blue, which is no surprise with its happy programmed beats ready for remixing, almost post-punk guitar chords, and catchy chorus. “You’ve been down this road before,” Auerbach preaches on “Year in Review” before ripping into a soaring solo that sounds like he wrote while hang gliding off a mountain in Utah.

The band’s love of Pink Floyd is evident on “Bullet in the Brain” from the opening guitar chords through the psychedelic, sludgy beats mixing with crystal clear electric keys. They turn up the fuzz on “It’s Up to You Now,” with Auerbach’s solo reaching meditative status. The soulful, sad love song “Waiting on Words” slows things down a bit, but it keeps some of the psychedelic touches with reverb and muted drums that build to head-bobbing beats. The bass lick on “10 Lovers” is positively groovy and almost steals the tune.

“In Our Prime” is a bluesy lament to lost youth that blends snappy beats from Carney with music box-like keyboards from Burton. The album ends with “Gotta Get Away,” a garage rock track with pop flair and ELO-like grooves.

I’ll admit that it took me a while to warm up to this record. I wasn’t sure what to make of it when I first heard it, but I knew I should give it another chance. The second listen revealed some things I hadn’t heard before, and by the third I knew it was a slick record indeed. I can’t help but think that the psychedelic touches on Turn Blue continued with Auerbach’s psychedelic side project The Arcs, and now I’m intrigued as to where the Black Keys will go next.

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Pink Mexico gets “Dirty & Stupid” with new single from upcoming album.

“Landing somewhere between My Bloody Valentine’s poppiest moments and Wavves least bratty missives, the result is something like if Nirvana had had a surf rock phase.” — Noisey

“The kind of fuzzy, driving garage punk that you can always trust Burger to put out.” — BrooklynVegan

Brooklyn, NY trio Pink Mexico share a new single from their forthcoming third album Dump via Big Takeover Magazine. Hear and share what Big Takeover calls a “grimy, gritty, chugging lump of treasure,” HERE.

Surf/skate culture outlet What Youth? recently premiered the garage-grunge surf-pop track “High Dive” HERE.

Dump will be released March 1st, 2019 on cassette and digital via Burger Records and vinyl via Little Dickman Records.

After playing drums for countless other bands, including Shilpa Ray, WALTZ and Lola Pistola, Robert Preston Collum went for a change and began his solo project, Pink Mexico. After moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, Preston self-released the first Pink Mexico LP, pnik mxeico in June of 2013, attracting the attention of Austin-based record label Fleeting Youth Records, who then re-released pnik mxeico the following December.

Preston relocated to Brooklyn in the fall of 2014 to begin recording his next album while continuing other releases: a split 7″ with Los Angeles-based band, SunLikeDrugs as well as a 12″ vinyl pressing of pnik mxeico by Bordeaux, France based label Big Tomato Records. The underground buzz surrounding the first LP led Preston into the Burger Records family. Following countless Brooklyn shows and making the rounds at this year’s SXSW, Pink Mexico has grown as a band comprised of Grady Walker & Ian Everall.

After the release of Fool via Burger Records Summer 2016, Pink Mexico toured as direct support for Honus Honus (aka Man Man) for his “Use Your Delusion” Tour in November 2016. Spending most of 2017 and 2018 dedicated to recording Dump, the 3rd studio album with Jeremy Scott (Vivian Girls, These Are Powers) at Civil Defense in Brooklyn, NY. The band relentlessly toured North America to support Fool, while Collum also played drums on the new Lola Pistola record Curfew and went out on tour in support of the album in early 2018.

Unlike previous records, where Collum manned all instruments, this release includes both Everall and Walker on bass and drums, respectively.

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Ty Segall and Freedom Band to release live album March 29th.

In 2018, Ty Segall and the Freedom Band — Mikal Cronin, Charles Moothart, Emmett Kelly, and Ben Boye — stormed the world in support of Freedom’s Goblin, playing songs from Ty’s catalog in a series of ecstatic setlists. Each night, they sought freedom for themselves and the audience, even it if was just one night of emancipation from the world’s numbing chill. Then they went and did it again the next night! That blunt-force impact of The Freedom Band in full effect is being presented via Deforming Lobes, out March 29th via Drag City. Get a taste early with “Love Fuzz.”

Recorded live on stage at Los Angeles’ Teragram Ballroom via mobile unit onto two-inch tape and mixed at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini, Deforming Lobes updates (and upends) numbers from Melted, Emotional Mugger, Twins, Manipulator, $ingle$ 2 and Ty Segall. From the start, the “Warm Hands” suite shows the growth of the group since recording the original version for the 2017 Self-Titled album. The feeling between audience and band at those shows was its own special thing; here, the band is somehow even more front and center, exploring every song with an unrestrained curiosity and fervor, never forgetting the collective experience they’re sharing.

Following Freedom’s Goblin, the epic double-LP that took the heroic arc of Manipulator and wadded it up into a much more aerodynamic (and harder-hitting) ball, Deforming Lobes is the first original statement from The Freedom Band, bookending the Goblin experience with an exclamation point.

Listen to “Love Fuzz” – https://tysegall.bandcamp.com/album/deforming-lobes

Pre-order Deforming Lobes – http://lnk.to/deforminglobes

Deforming Lobes Tracklist: 1. Warm Hands 2. Squealer 3. Breakfast Eggs 4. The Crawler 5. Finger 6. They Told Me Too 7. Cherry Red 8. Love Fuzz

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Warish covers Coloured Balls’ “Human Being” on upcoming EP.

“Sludgy garage punk with truly evil vocals that are coated in just the right amount of distortion and echo. Come for the rowdy punk, stay for the slowed-down Sabbathy bridge.” — Brooklyn Vegan

“Warish totally rules… An awesome mixture of punk energy, biker rock fuzz, and grunge growl.” — Kerrang!

Hear and share Warish‘s cover of “Human Being” by Lobby Loyde’s cult Australian band Coloured Balls HERE.

Imagine if Incesticide era Nirvana were crossed with Static Age era Misfits. You’d have sinister low budget horror rock with a visceral, twisted weirdness and bludgeoning riffs. Some might call it nightmarish, we call it Warish.

Warish is a very newly minted SoCal trio formed in early 2018 that has wasted no time making its presence known. The band formed when guitarist/vocalist and pro-skater Riley Hawk (son of skating legend Tony Hawk) and drummer Bruce McDonnell decided they wanted to try their hand at something more distinct than they’d done previously.

“We wanted to do simpler riffs and a fun live show,” Riley explains. “A little more punk, a little bit of grunge… a little evil-ish.”

Their sound takes cues from a variety of cool underground sounds and twists it all into an energetic and exciting fist to the face of dark fury. Hawk’s effect-laden vocals hearken to early Butthole Surfers and David Yow’s tortured caterwaul in Scratch Acid. The guitars are heavy and powerful, though decidedly not straightforward cookie cutter punk; more like Cobain’s and Buzz Osbourne’s wiry contortions. The rhythms bash and pummel right through it all with aggressive force ensuring that nothing gets overly complicated and the horrors keep coming throughout the 5-track, 11-minute debut.

Warish will be available on 7″ vinyl and download on February 1st, 2019 via RidingEasy Records.

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Pink Mexico does a “High Dive” with new single from upcoming record.

“Landing somewhere between My Bloody Valentine’s poppiest moments and Wavves least bratty missives, the result is something like if Nirvana had had a surf rock phase.” — Noisey

“The kind of fuzzy, driving garage punk that you can always trust Burger to put out.” — BrooklynVegan

Brooklyn, NY trio Pink Mexico share the first track from their forthcoming third album Dump via surf/skate culture outlet What Youth? Hear and share the garage-grunge surf-pop track “High Dive.” (Soundcloud and Bandcamp)

Dump will be released March 1st, 2019 on cassette and digital via Burger Records and vinyl via Little Dickman Records. After playing drums for countless other bands, including Shilpa Ray, WALTZ and Lola Pistola, Robert Preston Collum went for a change and began his solo project, Pink Mexico. After moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, Preston self-released the first Pink Mexico LP, pnik mxeico, in June of 2013, attracting the attention of Austin-based record label Fleeting Youth Records, who then re-released pnik mxeico the following December.

Preston relocated to Brooklyn in the fall of 2014 to begin recording his next album while continuing other releases: a split 7″ with Los Angeles-based band SunLikeDrugs as well as a 12″ vinyl pressing of pnik mxeico by Bordeaux, France based label Big Tomato Records. The underground buzz surrounding the first LP led Preston into the Burger Records family. Following countless Brooklyn shows and making the rounds at this year’s SXSW, Pink Mexico has grown as a band comprised of Grady Walker & Ian Everall.

After the release of Fool via Burger Records Summer 2016, Pink Mexico toured as direct support for Honus Honus (aka Man Man) for his “Use Your Delusion” Tour in November 2016. Spending most of 2017 and 2018 dedicated to recording Dump, the 3rd studio album with Jeremy Scott (Vivian Girls, These Are Powers) at Civil Defense in Brooklyn, NY. The band relentlessly toured North America to support Fool, while Collum also played drums on the new Lola Pistola record Curfew and went out on tour in support of the album in early 2018. Unlike previous records, where Collum manned all instruments, this release includes both Everall and Walker on bass and drums, respectively.

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Ohmme releases rocking cover of B-52’s “Give Me Back My Man.”

“their harmonies – emerging both on and off kilter – run against the grain of the music in a way that ignites feelings all too familiar in a post 2016 world. Something insightful, something penetrating, and something leaving you feeling imbalanced. In this case, it’s a great thing.” — Aquarium Drunkard, 2018 Year In Review

“Ohmme play with the confidence and abandon of musicians who are scared of nothing and capable of almost anything.” — SPIN, The 51 Best Albums of 2018

“From vibrant art-pop and brooding, melodic rock to contorted, genre-less collages of lush pulses, guitar sketches and gleaming vocals, OHMME perfectly embody the city’s musical diversity and artistic spirit.” — Paste, 15 Chicago Bands You Need To Know in 2018

“one of the city’s best bands” — Chicago Reader

Ohmme, the Chicago duo of Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart, are releasing ‘At Night b/w Give Me Back My Man’ 7″ February 1st via Joyful Noise. The 7” features a new original, “At Night” and a cover of the B-52’s’ “Give Me Back My Man.” Choosing the B-52s because “their love of all things retro and kraut-rock created this amazing aesthetic that still feels so unique,” Ohmme puts their own spin on the track, roughing up the edges by using distorted, electric guitars and a vivacious spirit. “We love ‘Give Me Back My Man’ in particular because it is one of their only tunes to really feature Cindy Wilson at the center and she kills it. The dynamic changes between her level voice in the verses and the explosion of rage in the choruses give such a strong statement of emotion.”

‘At Night b/w Give Me Back My Man’ follows the release of their debut full-length, Parts, on Joyful Noise Recordings in August 2018. The release found them adding drummer Matt Carroll and headlining a 6-week North American tour alongside critical acclaim from Pitchfork, SPIN, Aquarium Drunkard, Paste and The Chicago Reader. Ohmme continues to tour North America and Europe in support of Parts. All tour dates are below.

Pre-order Ohmme ‘At Night b/w Give Me Back My Man’ 7″ – https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/products/at-night-b-w-give-me-back-my-man

Ohmme tour dates: Tue. Jan. 22 – Fort Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail * Wed. Jan. 23 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe * Thu. Jan. 24 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar * Fri. Jan. 25 – Nashville, TN @ Drkmttr * Sat. Jan. 26 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop * Fri. Feb. 8 – Besançon, FR @ Festival Génériq Tue. Feb. 12 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique Witloofbar Wed. Feb. 13 – Amsterdam, NL @ CINETOL Fri. Feb. 15 – Leeds, UK @ Hyde Park Book Club Sat. Feb. 16 – Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint Mon. Feb. 18 – Birmingham, UK @ The Hare and Hounds Tue. Feb. 19 – London, UK @ The Shacklewell Arms Wed. Feb. 20 – Bathurst Terrace, UK @ The Louisiana Sat. Feb. 23 – Brighton, UK @ Mutations Festival Fri. March 1 – West Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern # Sun. March 3 – Miami, FL @ Gramps # Mon. March 4 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub # Tue. March 5 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade Wed. March 6 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight # Sat. April 27 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village *= w/ The Ophelias #= w/ Speedy Ortiz

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Black Belt Eagle Scout releases new video in celebration of U.S. tour this spring.

Black Belt Eagle Scout (aka Portland-based Katherine Paul) has shared a new video for the song “Soft Stud” off her debut album, Mother of My Children, which came out last year via Saddle Creek. In the coming months, Paul will embark on a North American tour with opening slots for Julia Jacklin, The Beths, and Bad Hats. Here’s what Paul had to say about the video:

“Demien DinéYazhí and I created this video on the traditional lands of the Chinook people along the Columbia River, where most indigenous people of the PNW travel to this day. We played with symbolism a lot within the work. Our relationship to water is prevalent in this video as well as the joy of being an indigenous woman. Release of feelings with birds flying away as well as connection to land play a part in the video.”

After Mother of My Children was released to glowing endorsements from outlets like Bandcamp, FADER, Paste, and NPR’s All Songs Considered, Paul and her debut album landed on multiple “Best Of The Year” lists, including Pitchfork’s “Best Rock Albums of 2018,” Stereogum’s “40 Best New Bands of 2018,” Under The Radar’s “Top 25 Debut Albums of 2018,” and more. All tour dates and their tribal territories are below.

Watch “Soft Stud” video https://youtu.be/di2rv4gmHlo

Watch/Listen/Share: Mothers of My Children stream – https://bbes.lnk.to/MOMC

“Indians Never Die” video – https://youtu.be/aInrLRdBJuU

“Just Lie Down” stream – https://youtu.be/MfWHZSS6ZLg

Black Belt Eagle Scout Tour Dates: Sat. Mar. 16 – Wichita (Dallas, TX) @ Not So Fun Wknd Thu. April 18 – Očeti Šakówin (Sioux Falls, SD) @ Total Drag Tue. April 23 – Osage (Pittsburgh, PA) @ Mr. Roboto Project Wed. April 24 – Lenape (New York, NY) @ Bowery Ballroom Thu. April 25 – Lenape (Philadelphia, PA) @ Johnny Brenda’s Fri. April 26 – Wampanoag/Massachusett (Allston, MA) @ Great Scott Sat. April 27 – Iroquois/Mohawk (Montreal, QC) @ Bar Le Ritz PDB Sun. April 28 – Anishinabewaki/Huron-Wendat (Toronto, ON) @ Horseshoe Tavern Tue. April 30 – Pamunkey/Piscataway (Washington, DC) @ DC9 Wed. May 1 – Powhatan Confederacy (Richmond, VA) @ The Camel Thu. May 2 – Catawba (Carrboro, NC) @ Cat’s Cradle – Back Room Sat. May 4 – Muscogee/ Creek (Atlanta, GA) @ 529 Club Mon. May 6 – Cherokee/ Shawnee (Nashville, TN) @ Third Man Records Tue. May 7 – Miami (Columbus, OH) @ Ace of Cups Wed. May 8 – Peoria/Potawatomi/Miami (Chicago, IL) @ Schuba’s Thu. May 9 – Anishinabewaki/Očeti Šakówin (Minneapolis, MN) @ 7th Street Entry Fri. May 10 – Omaha/Očeti Šakówin (Omaha, NE) @ Reverb Lounge Sat. May 11 – Osage/Kaw/Očeti Šakówin (Kansas City, MO) @ recordBar Mon. May 13 – arapaho/Cheyenne/Ute/Sioux (Denver, CO) @ Larimer Lounge Tue. May 14 – Eastern Shoshone/Goshute (Salt Lake City, UT) @ Urban Lounge Fri. May 17 – Tsleil-Waututh/Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw/ S’ohl Téméxw/Stziuminus (Vancouver, BC) @ The Fox Cabaret Sat. May 18 – Duwamish/Puget Sound Salish (Seattle, WA) @ Tractor Tavern Sun. May 19 – Cinook (Portland, OR) @ Mississippi Studios Tue. May 21 – Ramaytush/Ohlone (San Francisco, CA) @ Swedish American Hall Thu. May 23 -Tongva ( Los Angeles, CA) @ Teragram Ballroom Tue. June 4 – Tonkawa/Comanche (Austin, TX) @ Barracuda Wed. June 5 – Sana (Houston, TX) @ White Oak Music Hall Thu. June 6 – Chahta Yakni/Chitimacha (New Orleans, LA) @ Gasa Gasa

Keep your mind open.

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