Riding Easy Records’ sixth “Brown Acid” rare stoner rock / psych rock compilation out April 20th (of course).

Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip compilation to be released 4/20, hear first track via Paste
Rare 60s-70s pre-metal, hard rock singles curated by L.A.’s Permanent Records & RidingEasy Records
Read The Guardian UK‘s excellent feature on Brown Acid series.
Hear/share Gold’s “No Parking” (YouTube) (Paste Magazine)
“So rare that diehard fuzz junkies say you’d have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a physical 45 rpm single by one of the bands featured on their latest installment.” — Dangerous Minds
“Will do for hard rock, proto-metal and heavy psych what Nuggets did for garage rock, and bring it to a wider audience of collectors and music fans.” — The Guardian
The forthcoming latest edition of the popular compilation series of long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles, Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip, is set for release on April 20, 2018. Hear & share the first track, “No Parking” by Gold via Paste Magazine HERE. (Direct YouTube HERE) The series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records. 
About Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip:
This time around we have 10 deep cuts from across the continental US of A and one from our neighbors up North. This Trip kicks off with an outrageous number from Gold out of San Francisco circa 1970. The band used to open their sets with this over-the-top frantic jammer which is absolutely mind-blowing and also leads one to believe that the only band that could’ve held a candle to Gold back in the day would’ve been the mighty Blue Cheer.
As we delve deeper into the depths, Canadians continue to prove that they could bang heads with the best of ’em!  Heat Exchange from Toronto released the rollicking ripper “Inferno” on the Yorkville label way back in 1968 and it’s still thumping almost 50 years later! Missouri isn’t a state that brought us a lot of heavy 45s, but there are a handful of outstanding tracks from the Show Me State, one of which is the funk-laced anthem “Give Me Time” by Backwood Memory from Kansas City.
The longer we do this, the more we begin to believe that Youngstown, Ohio was the Hard Rock Mecca back in the day.  Travis is yet another Youngstown group that aimed to get asses out of seats and out in the streets.  “Lovin’ You” is a groovy banger with a sultry riff originally released on the prolific Starshine Productions imprint. Six years prior to his Arcadian synth-funk novelty hit “Space Invaders” from 1980, Victor “Uncle Vic” Blecman took Flight into the studio with a list of relationship requirements.  Amongst which are his need for “Luvin’, Huggin’, & More”, with emphasis on the “More” part if we’re to believe the urgency with which he delivers this fist-pumper.
If you don’t immediately recognize the Truth & Janey moniker, you need to get with it and familiarize yourself with their incredible 1976 LP No Rest For The Wicked. It’s a proto-metal masterpiece that’s been reissued on Rockadrome.  Released four years earlier than their debut LP, “Midnight Horseman” is a 45-only track backed with a cover of “Under My Thumb”. Another Iowan group, West Minist’r, self-released three 45s between 1969 and 1975. They’re all great in their own way, but “My Life” hit the crunchy sweet spot in ’71 with vocals sounding like a fresh from primal scream therapy John Lennon over a zonked-out Hendrix groove. You can count on hearing more from West Minist’r on future Trips.
It’s nearly impossible that Dayton, Ohio’s Purgatory didn’t seize the “Strange Days” and join “The Soft Parade” while “Waiting for the Sun”.  And although “Polar Expedition” wears its influences on its sleeve, 1969 would have been at least a little worse off if the band hadn’t self released this single. Johnny Barnes was definitely “smokin’ that reefer” and “drinkin’ that wine” when he released “Steel Rail Blues” in 1976. The label states that you could order a copy of this 45 for by sending $1 to a PO Box in Boston and it’s the only record on the Brown Acid series that seems to be obtainable currently for about the same amount it was sold for over three decades ago. That said, it’s doubtful that it will remain so cheap for much longer.
With a track as heavy as “Is There No Peace” it’s easy to let the name of the label on this 45 slide.  In Chicago in 1970 PSLHRTZ seemed like as good a label name as any for the guys in Zendik to release this insane recording on. Halfway through the track you might be wondering to yourself, “How was this not a hit?”, and then you hear the lyrics to the last bit of the song and understand.
About the Brown Acid series:
Some of the best thrills of the Internet music revolution is the ability to find extremely rare music with great ease. But even with such vast archives to draw from, quite a lot of great songs have gone undiscovered for nearly half a century — particularly in genres that lacked hifalutin arty pretense. Previously, only the most extremely dedicated and passionate record collectors had the stamina and prowess to hunt down long forgotten wonders in dusty record bins — often hoarding them in private collections, or selling at ridiculous collector’s prices. Legendary compilations like Nuggets, Pebbles, ad nauseum, have exhausted the mines of early garage rock and proto-punk, keeping alive a large cross-section of underground ephemera. However, few have delved into and expertly archived the wealth of proto-metal, pre-stoner rock tracks collected on
Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip.
Lance Barresi, co-owner of L.A./Chicago retailer Permanent Records has shown incredible persistence in tracking down a stellar collection of rare singles from the 60s and 70s for the growing compilation series. Partnered with Daniel Hall of RidingEasy Records, the two have assembled a selection of songs that’s hard to believe have remained unheard for so long.
“I essentially go through hell and high water just to find these records,” Barresi says. “Once I find a record worthy of tracking, I begin the (sometimes) extremely arduous process of contacting the band members and encouraging them to take part. Daniel and I agree that licensing all the tracks we’re using for
Brown Acid is best for everyone involved,” rather than simply bootlegging the tracks. When all of the bands and labels haven’t existed for 30-40 years or more, tracking down the creators gives all of these tunes a real second chance at success.
“There’s a long list of songs that we’d love to include,” Barresi says. “But we just can’t track the bands down. I like the idea that Brown Acid is getting so much attention, so people might reach out to us.”
Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on April 20th, 2018via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available for digital (with immediate download of the first single) at Bandcamp, physical pre-orders at RidingEasy Records.
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip 
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: April 20, 2018
01. Gold “No Parking”
02. Heat Exchange “Inferno”
03. Travis “Lovin’ You”
04. Enoch Smoky “It’s Cruel”
05. Backwood Memory “Give Me Time”
06. Flight “Luvin, Huggin & More”
07. Truth & Janey “Midnight Horsemen”
08. West Minst’r “My Life”
09. Purgatory “Polar Expedition”
10. Johnny Barnes “Steele Rail Blues”
11. Zendik “Is There No Peace?”

On The Web:

Keep your mind open.
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Primus, Mastodon, All Them Witches, and Jjuujjuu announce big U.S. tour.

Weird rock maestros Primus, metal giants Mastodon, psych-rockers Jjuujjuu, and blues-psych heavyweights All Them Witches are going on tour starting in May.  Primus and Mastodon will share the stage with Jjuujjuu and All Them Witches on various spots of the tour, but any of these dates are worth seeing.  This will probably be one of the heaviest / trippiest tours of the year, so don’t miss it.

Keep your mind open.

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The Flaming Lips announce March U.S. tour dates.

Psychedelic living legends the Flaming Lips have announced a March U.S. tour.  The dates are:

March 3rd: Okeechobee Festival – Okeechobee, FL

March 5th: Georgia Theatre – Athens, GA

March 6th: The Mill & Mine – Knoxville, TN

March 7th: Iron City – Birmingham, AL

March 9th: The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC

March 10th: The National – Richmond, VA

March 11th: XCite Center at Parkx Casino – Bensalem, PA

Tickets will go fast, and they’re offering some neat VIP experiences that include access to the sound check, meeting the band, and exclusive merchandise.

Keep your mind open.

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Caroline Rose releases new single, “Getting to Me,” and new tour dates.

LISTEN TO CAROLINE ROSE’S “GETTING TO ME”
https://youtu.be/9JV4wU9Axsk

NEW ALBUM, LONER, OUT MARCH 23RD VIA NEW WEST

MORE MARCH AND APRIL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

(photo credit – CJ Harvey)
“there’s a sharp crackle of anxiety beneath the crushed velvet pop sheen of ‘Getting to Me’ . . . an expert dissection of the mind-numbing monotony inherent in profound loneliness.”
— NPR Music “Songs We Love”

“Rose is a fascinating person, and from DIY production trickery to her multi-role star turns in her videos, LONER represents her at her best.” — Stereogum “Artist to Watch”

“With her newly honed interest in producing, Caroline Rose has made an unwaveringly entertaining album filled to the brim with songs that are at once contemplative and coax the listener to get out of their seat and dance.” — Rookie

Songwriter/producer Caroline Rose will release LONER, her darkly comedic second album, on February 23rd via New West. Capturing the cheeky satire, comical musings, and often jarring mood swings that make up much of Rose’s personality, LONER marks a significant leap forward both sonically and emotionally, unleashing a burgeoning confidence teeming with character. After sharing high-energy numbers, “Money” and “Soul No. 5,” Rose now presents a more contemplative side of LONER with “Getting To Me.” Rose handled string arrangements for “Getting To Me,” which also features Paul Butler (who co-produced LONER alongside Rose) on percussion and synths, Rob Moose on violin, viola and additional string arrangement, and Tomoya Aomori on double bass.
“’Getting To Me’ is one of my favorite songs on LONER because it transports me to the moment when I wrote it,” comments Rose. “It’s a song about feeling extremely isolated and lonely. I remember walking down the street during a Vermont winter, seeing couples lining the entire block, walking hand in hand under the Christmas lights. I popped into a restaurant and went straight to the counter. For anyone who spends a lot of time alone, counters feel like they were designed for us so that waitresses don’t have to discard a setting at a table set for two. When you’re already feeling like an outsider, you really start to notice things like that, things in even numbers designed for couples. The song is filled with references to feeling like an outsider.”
Listen to Caroline Rose’s “Getting To Me” –
https://youtu.be/9JV4wU9Axsk

Watch :
“Soul No. 5” video – https://youtu.be/zzIfmtKSLTE
“Money” video – https://youtu.be/NcOPz7Kby1A

Pre-order LONER –
http://geni.us/crloner?track=pr

Caroline Rose Tour Dates:
(new shows in bold)
Fri. March 2 – Woodstock, NY @ The Colony *
Sat. March 3 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Smiling Moose *
Mon. March 5 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Café *
Tue. March 6 – Lexington, KY @ Cosmic Charlie’s *
Thu. March 8 – Athens, GA @ Caledonia Lounge *
Fri. March 9 – Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover Music Festival
Sun. March 11 – Macon, GA @ Creek Stage
Wed. March 14 – Sat. March 17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
Fri. March 23 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s #
Sat. March 24 – Dallas, TX @ Dada #
Sun. March 25 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa #
Tue. March 27 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
Wed. March 28 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Thu. March 29 – Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight
Fri. March 30 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
Sat. March 31 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd
Tue. April 3 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade
Wed. April 4 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
Thu. April 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas
Fri. April 6 – New Haven, CT @ Cafe Nine
Sat. April 7 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
Fri. April 11 – Buffalo, NY @ Buffalo Iron Works ^
Sat. April 12 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern ^
Sun. April 13 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme +
Mon. April 14 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Café – Back Room +
Tue. April 15 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi +
Thu. April 17 – Davenport, IA @ Redstone Room +
Fri. April 18 – Chicago, IL @ The Hideout +
Sat. April 19 – Detroit, MI @ El Club +
Sun. April 20 – Toronto, ON @ The Dakota Tavern +
Sun. April 21 – Toronto, ON @ The Dakota Tavern +
Fri. May 18 – Gulf Shores, AL @ Hangout Music Festival

* = co-headline with The Nude Party
# = with The Weeks
^ = with Marco Benevento
+ = co-headline with The Go Rounds

Keep your mind open.
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Unknown Mortal Orchestra releases crunchy new single, “American Guilt,” ahead of upcoming tour.

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA SHARES NEW SONG
“AMERICAN GUILT,” ANNOUNCE 2018 TOUR DATES

Today, Unknown Mortal Orchestra returns to the world with a new song and a bounty of tour dates that span the globe. The new song, “American Guilt,” hints at more new material to come, while the dates indicate that this will be a busy year for the band. Purchase tour tickets at www.unknownmortalorchestra.com.

LISTEN TO “AMERICAN GUILT”
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2n3TzOb
Apple Music: https://apple.co/2F1OcpP
 

Linkfire: https://unknownmortalorchestra.lnk.to/americanguilt

“American Guilt” Single Artwork
UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA TOUR DATES:
April 22 – Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street w/ Makeness
April 23 – Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall w/ Makeness
April 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel w/ Makeness
April 26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel w/ Makeness
April 27 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/ Makeness
April 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer w/ Makeness
April 30 – Boston, MA @ Royale w/ Makeness
May 1 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre w/ Makeness
May 2 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall w/ Makeness
May 3 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre w/ Makeness
May 4 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue w/ Makeness
May 7 – Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre w/ Makeness
May 8 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom w/ Makeness
May 9 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater w/ Makeness
May 10 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater w/ Makeness
May 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern w/ Makeness
May 12 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s w/ Makeness
May 18 – Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefährlich w/ Makeness
May 19 – Berlin, Germany @ Kesselhaus w/ Makeness
May 20 – Heidelberg, Germany @ Karlstorbahnhof w/ Makeness
May 21 – Düsseldorf, Germany @ zakk w/ Makeness
May 22 – Paris, France @ La Gaîté Lyrique w/ Makeness
May 24 – London, United Kingdom @ Roundhouse w/ Makeness
May 25 – Bristol, United Kingdom @ SWX w/ Makeness
May 26 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ Strange Waves
May 27 – Leeds, United Kingdom @ World Island
May 28 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique w/ Makeness
June 10 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret Festival
July 6 – Richmond, VA @ The National w/ Shamir
July 7 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel w/ Shamir
July 8 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse w/ Shamir
July 9 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre w/ Shamir
July 11 – New Orleans, LA @ Republic w/ Shamir
July 12 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall w/ Shamir
July 13 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs BBQ w/ Shamir
July 14 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater w/ Shamir
July 16 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre w/ Shamir
July 17 – Ogden, UT @ Ogden Amphitheatre w/ Sylvan Esso, Shamir
July 18 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vinyl at Hard Rock
July 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
UMO Online:
https://twitter.com/umo
http://unknownmortalorchestra.com/
http://instagram.com/unknownmortalorchestra
http://www.jagjaguwar.com/artist.php?name=umo
https://www.facebook.com/unknownmortalorchestra

The Sword’s new album, “Used Future,” is due March 23rd, but the first single is already here.

Metal masters the Sword will release their next album, Used Future, on March 23rd and are planning a U.S. tour to promote it.  They’ll be touring with another fine stoner rock band – King Buffalo.

The first single from Used Future, “Deadly Nightshade,” is already available and will be an instant download if you pre-order the record.

Keep your mind open.

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Clutch announce spring tour with Red Fang, the Bronx, and Fireball Ministry.

CLUTCH ANNOUNCE SPRING HEADLINE TOUR DATES 
January 30th, 2018 – Clutch has just announced a string of Spring headline tour dates starting on April 27th in Chattanooga, TN.  Supporting the tour will be The Bronx, Red Fang and Fireball Ministry.  Fan club pre-sale tickets will go on sale today, Tuesday, January 30th at 2:00 pm and will be available through Thursday, February 1st at 10:00 pm.  Fan club tickets will be available at https://www.mt.cm/clutchPassword: fans1. Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, February 2nd at 10:00 am at local outlets as well as at pro-rock.com and  www.facebook.com/clutchband.
The band is currently in the studio working on their new record with producer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Old 97s, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Red Fang) at Sputnik Sound in Nashville.
Clutch, The Bronx, Red Fang and Fireball Ministry Spring Tour Dates:
*Festival date 
04-27-18  Chattanooga, TN  The Signal
04-29-18  Jacksonville, FL  Welcome To Rockville*
04-30-18  Athens, GA  Georgia Theater
05-02-18  New Orleans, LA  House of Blues
05-03-18  Birmingham, AL  Iron City
05-04-18  Memphis, TN  Beale Street Music Fest*
05-05-18  Lexington, KY  Manchester Music Hall
05-06-18  Charlotte, NC  Carolina Rebellion*
CLUTCH:
Neil Fallon – Vocals/Guitar
Tim Sult – Guitar
Dan Maines – Bass
Jean-Paul Gaster – Drums/Percussion
For more  information, check out the band’s website:
Official: www.pro-rock.com
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

The Coathangers announce winter and fall tours.

The Coathangers are heading out on tour this winter and spring, starting on the west coast, to promote an upcoming live album.  Some of these dates include shows with Death Valley Girls, Dengue Fever, and Minus the Bear.  Catch them if you can!

Keep your mind open.

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The Damned’s “Evil Spirits tour” has begun, and their new album is out April 13th!

THE DAMNED ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ‘EVIL SPIRITS’ TO BE RELEASED APRIL 13th VIA SEARCH AND DESTROY/SPINEFARM RECORDS
LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE ‘STANDING ON THE EDGE OF TOMORROW’ ON SPOTIFY

Photo: Steve Gullick
Formed in 1976 at the forefront of the fledgling London punk scene, The Damned kickstarted the birth of punk as we know it, leaving an influential legacy for generations to come. Their musical journey has seen the quintet intent on moving forward, courageously exploring sights and sounds way beyond their brash wide-eyed beginnings – and they’re back to do it all over again.
Some ten years since the release of their last studio recordings, The Damned return with a new album, ‘Evil Spirits’, to be released April 13th on Search And Destroy/Spinefarm Records, preceded by the new single ‘Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow’, streaming online today ahead of their forthcoming Evil Spirits UK tour starting January 26th.
Propelled by an enormously successful Pledge funding campaign, the band headed to Atomic Sound Studios in Brooklyn in early October 2017 and began a frantic, high-energy, nine day burst of creativity with famed producer Tony Visconti, whose list of past working-relationships reads like a who’s who of popular music. (David Bowie, T Rex, Morrissey, U2, The Stranglers, Iggy Pop and Thin Lizzy to name but a few), Reunited with former bassist Paul Gray (who played on the legendary ‘Black Album’ and ‘Strawberries’ in the early eighties), the renewed line up took full advantage of the studio’s classic Neve recording desk, valve gear and vintage equipment to form the new record.
“We deliberately recorded the album retro style,” explains guitarist Captain Sensible. “The same way our debut album was made, basically. There’s something wonderful about the seventies sounds; glam, rock and punk records, they all sound so great and Tony specializes in beautifully crafted old school production. He had us all playing live, bashing it out in the same room with a focus on getting the initial band version of each song as close as possible to the finished thing.“
The first taste of ‘Evil Spirits’ comes in the form of ‘Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow’, a song penned by frontman Dave Vanian, that packs a punch and carries a melody that is impossibly hard to shift once heard.
“It’s supposed to be very optimistic, even though it’s about a dark subject,” states Vanian. “As an artist, you can’t help but reflect the times, because that’s what art does. I think we always do it, but in a slightly different way. So a song like ‘Standing…’ may seem quite joyous and uplifting musically, but some of the lyrics might be about quite dark things. That’s what I’d like to think this album is – an uplifting album, not a moaning old album – not ‘this is terrible, and that’s terrible’, and then not offering any answers. It’s more a case of, ‘If we get it together, maybe we could change things a bit”.
Across the album’s ten-tracks, The Damned get to the root of their collective song-writing and ‘Evil Spirits’ is an album which doesn’t shrink from opposing the dastardly political forces at work in 2018, and indeed triumphs in seeking higher ground, to progress beyond them.
“This album is filled with a lot of influences from our earlier, pre-’70s tastes – the ’60s stuff. ‘Standing…’ is really linked into Joe Meek, ‘Telstar’, and that kind of stuff,” continues Vanian. At first, I’d said in an interview before we started writing this stuff that the album would be psychedelic, and maybe a trip through the historical side of The Damned, as in what we like. It didn’t happen in the way I thought it would, but it still does the same thing. It still has all that in there, but it’s not as obvious as it could’ve been, which is good. It’s not like pastiches of songs you remember, it’s more a case of, what was great about something you loved as a kid has somehow influenced a guitar sound, or the way the drums are. You might not even know it if you’re one of our younger fans, but if you’re a little older, you’ll hear it, which is kinda cool.”
And of the ‘Evil Spirits’ that the album intends to dispel?  “I started buying records in 1967, the Summer of Love,” adds Captain Sensible. “There were so many positive changes happening through the 60s and 70s; civil rights, feminism, the anti-nuclear demos in particular. Whatever happened to all that? Where are today’s anti-war marches? Whatever happened to the beautiful hippy dream of worldwide peace and love?”
Evil Spirits will be available on digital download via Spotify and i-Tunes, on CD and 180g vinyl available to pre-order HERE

TRACKLISTING: 
1. Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow
2. Devil In Disguise
3. We’re So Nice
4. Look Left
5. Evil Spirits
6. Shadow Evocation
7. Sonar Deceit
8. Procrastination
9. Daily Liar
10. I Don’t Care
Catch the band on tour this January and February. Main support comes from fabled Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom (*except Koko), whilst support at Koko and The Forum comes from Kristeen Young.
See The Damned on their ‘Evil Spirits’ tour 2018: 
27th January – Dundee, Caird Hall
28th January – Glasgow, O2 Academy
30th January – Leeds, O2 Academy Leeds
31st January – Manchester, Academy 1
1st February – Birmingham, O2 Academy
3rd February – Leicester, O2 Academy
4th February – Nottingham, Rock City
6th February – Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall
7th February – Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
9th February – Cardiff, Great Hall
10th February – Bristol O2, Academy Bristol
11th February – Bournemouth, O2 Academy
13th February – Southampton, O2 Guildhall
14th February – Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion
16th February – Koko, London*
17th February London, O2 Forum
Tickets available HERE
Follow The Damned at:
Keep your mind open.
[No evil spirits will visit if you subscribe…I think.]

Ty Segall – Freedom’s Goblin

It’s hard not to like an album that opens with a song about the lead singer’s dog.

That’s exactly what Ty Segall does on his newest record, Freedom’s Goblin, a sprawling double-album with rock riffs galore, wild horn sections, funk jams, new wave trips, ballads, and psychedelic freak-outs.  The opening track, “Fanny Dog,” launches like a Polaris missile with a full brass accompaniment and Segall shredding his guitar like his dog probably shreds a stuffed animal.

Segall makes a hard right turn on “Rain,” which seems to reveal his admiration for Radiohead with its simple piano chords, unadorned vocals, slightly warped horns (which are all over this record, really) and lyrics about pining for a lover.  His cover of Hot Chocolate’s “Every 1’s a Winner” is outstanding, and one of the best covers anyone has put out in a couple years.  Segall and his crew keep the funk but up the fuzz on it, and we’re all winners for it.  Speaking of funk, the bass on “Despoiler of Cadaver” is downright slick, and the rest of the tune is a weird, disco / new wave fun zone.

“When Mommy Kills You” is appropriately hard-hitting.  “My Lady’s on Fire” is a ballad that displays Segall’s love for 1960’s folk rock, and the saxophone solo on it  immediately gets your attention.  “Alta” is stadium rock brilliance.  Want more cowbell?  There’s plenty of it on the groovy “Meaning,” which blends hot beats with guitar freak-outs.  “Cry Cry Cry” isn’t a cover of the Johnny Cash song, but it does sound like a nice salute to ELO‘s ballads.  “Shoot You Up” is a slugging, chugging song that I think is about the dark side of the record industry, or fame, or both.

“You Say All the Nice Things” and “The Last Waltz” are two love songs, one about love in the now and one about a love lost to death.  One of the longest tracks on the record, “She,” is a wild jam that would be appropriate for any lady wrestler’s entrance music or the theme song for any metal-loving dominatrix.  “Talkin’ 3” is almost a free-form acid jazz session, but with a noise rock band playing at the same time.  “The Main Pretender,” with its skronking, squealing saxophone by Mac DeMarco, was one of my top 10 singles of 2017.  “I’m Free” gets back to Segall’s love of 1960’s folk, and “5 Ft. Tall” has some 1960’s power pop touches to it and then evolves into a garage rock fuzz-fest.  The closer, “And, Goodnight,” is a twelve-minute psychedelic jam and a great finale.

As you can guess, Segall is all over the map on Freedom’s Goblin, but it all works.  He’s created a record that embraces his many influences and is having a great time exploring all of them.  It’s a treat for us as well.

Keep your mind open.

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