The Bobby Lees, who recently released their Ipecac Recordings’ debut, Bellevue, head out on their first North American tour in support of the album, which Pop Matters dubbed their “most scorching and essential recording to date.”
“This will be our first time playing Bellevue in all of these cities,” said the band, collectively. “Come watch us play like it’s our last night on earth!”
The Bobby Lees tour dates:
February 3 Atlantic City, NJ Anchor Rock Club (w/ Jon Spencer)
March 30 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
March 31 Columbus, OH Rumba Café
April 1 Athens, OH Ohio University
April 3 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
April 4 Toronto, ON Monarch Tavern
April 6 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie
April 7 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
April 8 Troy, NY No Fun
April 11 Washington, DC DC9
April 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
April 13 Atlanta, GA The Earl
April 14 Nashville, TN The Basement
May 2 Seattle, WA Barboza
May 3 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
May 5 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
May 6 Los Angeles, CA The Echo
May 7 San Diego, CA The Casbah
May 11 Austin TX Mohawk
May 12 Dallas, TX Three Links
May 13 Tulsa, OK The Vanguard
Tickets for all shows are on sale this Friday at 10 am local time. Ticketing links can be found via Ipecac.com/tours.
LA’s Object of Affection tap into the primitivism of said members’ diverse projects while elevating their capacity for atmosphere and melody. Hints of gloomy punk, forlorn new wave, and down-and-out Regan-era alternative rock reverberate in their sound, not as pastiche but in sonic kinship to the austerity and fatalism embedded in the previous generation’s desperate and dejected anthems.
Since the release of their 2020 S/T, self released EP and most recent single “Through and Through” (Suicide Squeeze), the band have already shared the stage with accomplished peers Ceremony, Fiddlehead, Special Interest, Gulch, so on.
Today they’re pleased to announce they’ve joined the Profound Lore fam for their debut full-length, Field of Appearances. Its melting lead single and album opener “Half Life”, which touches on themes of the passage of time and the aching effects of hopelessness, is available now. Watch its accompanying video, directed by Miwah Lee below.
With the inclusion of drum machines, synthesizers, acoustic guitars, and auxiliary percussion, Field of Appearances highlights the band’s sophisticated evolution and experimentation. The debut’s ten songs explode in character, contrast, and excitement.
Exploring themes of reflection, insufficiency, and Déjà vu as well as additional contributions from Bre Morell (Temple of Angels, Crushed) and Brittney Beppu, each track on Field of Appearances simultaneously plays a role in making it a more significant sum than its parts while also standing out individually. The album was meticulously crafted with Grammy-nominated producer Alex Newport (Bloc Party, At The Drive-In) and emerging engineer Phillip Odom and is an exceedingly memorable, precisely cohesive, and refreshing addition to the alternative music landscape.
Texas Doom metal purveyors STONE NOMADS have released the new official music video for the thunderous single “Fiery Sabbath,” with the accompanying release of the digital audio extended single “Fiery Sabbath” including new epic B-side “Gallows Walk” and special bonus track “Sign of the Wolf” (featuring guest appearance by Esben Willems of Monolord), available at https://stonenomads.bandcamp.com/album/fiery-sabbath
STONE NOMADS explains “Our new single – ‘Fiery Sabbath’ is a song that really captures a lot of the different elements of our sound. It kicks off with the stoner-ish groove early in the song, which flows in and out of this slow metallic sludge and on into kind of an epic middle section. We really dig that sludge sound so we try and hit it hard on the ‘low and slow’ parts. We did an official video for it which is premiering on Brave Words today and an extended single with a B-side of a Pentagram cover that turned out really good, we’re super excited for the release.”
Raised in the Texas fields of doom, STONE NOMADS have forged a sound blending colossal riffs, dynamic groove and all that is heavy… The band, based in Houston, mixes elements of Southern Sludge and Doom Metal on a stoned-out Sabbath trip, featuring Jon Cosky on Guitar & Vocals, Jude Sisk on Bass & Vocals, and Dwayne Crosby on drums. The trio released their debut album Fields of Doom via Gravitoyd Heavy Music in 2022, and the Doom metal scene took notice… The album was ranked #8 on the Doom Charts and saw the band playing festivals and regional tour dates with the likes of scene veterans Elder, Mothership, Spirit Adrift and more. In 2023 the band will embark on a US tour in support of a new album planned to be released mid-year.
I’d been trying to see Dry Cleaning in concert for a couple years. I was always missing their Chicago sets due to work, and then they had to cancel their appearance at the 2022 Levitation France festival. Now, they and I were finally going to be in Chicago on the same day, so I wasn’t going to miss the show. I’m glad I bought my ticket early, because it was a sold-out performance. I didn’t arrive in time to see Nourished By Time, but Dry Cleaning came out and wasted no time in engaging with their passionate fans.
Starting with “Kwenchy Kups” and then rolling straight into their ode to a lost tortoise (“Gary Ashby”), Dry Cleaning put on a fascinating set. Lead singer Florence Shaw isn’t the most dynamic front woman out there, but that’s kind of the point. She’s the calm in the storm whipped up by her bandmates. Her low tones aren’t without passion, but she’s more of a storyteller than a singer. “Scratchcard Lanyard” and “Viking Hair” are hits not only for Tom Dowse‘s screeching guitar licks (which sound like Andy Gill riffs live), but also for Shaw’s tales of strange things that are so weird that they have to be at least partially true.
There were moments in the show, like in the above image, when Shaw, dressed in her sweatshirt and baggy jeans, and with her straight long hair and perfect fingernails, looked like a wraith in the lights and smoke on stage. This, combined with her smoky voice, and Lewis Maynard‘s thumping bass, was a cool effect – especially during tracks like “Don’t Press Me” and “Conservative Hell.”
Nick Buxton keeps the whole thing from devolving into a spooky haunted house ride by putting down post-punk precision drumming (“Magic of Meghan” being a prime example). The encore included a song Dry Cleaning doesn’t play often, as it’s still fairly new, “Liberty Log.” It was a special treat for all of us.
The whole show was a special treat for their fans. Plenty were dancing, cheering, shouting lyrics, and going wild with every buzzsaw solo Dowse played. It was a good start to my 2023 concert season.
The fine folks at Levitation have announced the return of the Austin Psych Fest (which is what the Levitation Music Festival was originally called for many years and when I started going there in 2013) April 28 – 30, 2023. The festival will be at The Far Out Lounge in Austin and take place on two stages at the venue.
Lineup announcements and tickets are coming soon. I’m sure it will be another fun time in Austin, so don’t miss it.
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]
[Thanks to the Reverberation Appreciation Society.]
Today, UK-born and now New York-based artist Fenne Lily announces Big Picture, her new album out April 14th on Dead Oceans, and presents its lead single/video, “Lights Light Up.” She also announces a month-plus North American co-headlinetour with Christian Lee Hutson, as well as a UK and EU run, on sale this Friday, January 20th at 10am local time. A gorgeous and gripping portrait of Fenne’s last two years, Big Picture was pieced together in an effort to self-soothe and offers a brilliant catharsis. Tracked live in co-producer Brad Cook’s North Carolina studio, the album delineates the phases of love and becomes a map of comfort vs. claustrophobia. “Writing this album was my attempt at bringing some kind of order to the disaster that was 2020,” Fenne states. “By documenting the most vulnerable parts of that time, I felt like I reclaimed some kind of autonomy.” This collision of repose and harsh reality is laid bare in Big Picture’s lead single “Lights Light Up,” a prophetic and insightful account of love at its temporary best. Written partially as a conversation, it tracks the tender details of a burgeoning relationship and recognizes the transitory nature of any shared thing; the bittersweet truth that you can only walk hand in hand with someone as long as you’re going in the same direction. With delicately interwoven guitar lines, propulsive rhythm and a chorus that offers the feeling of a voicemail left by someone from your past, it feels at once deeply personal and universal (“and you said so do you ever wanna leave here / and I said well that depends on the day / and you said oh do you even wanna be here / and I said well that depends on the way”)
“I’d never really written about love in the present tense before this, but even though I was still in love and not thinking about the end, there was something else going on subconsciously that led to a song about moving on before the moving on had begun,” comments Fenne. “When it came time to record, the band and I had been playing it live for a while and it’d become something joyful and positive, but when I started recording vocals, the lyrics made me cry. By that point the song was over a year old and I thought those wounds had healed but I guess it hurt to admit I’d been letting go of something while still trying to hold on.” The song’s accompanying video, shot throughout Brooklyn, was directed by Haoyan of America.
Though its creation took place amid personal and global turmoil, the ruminative yet candid Big Picture is Fenne’s most cohesive, resolute work to date, both lyrically and sonically. “This isn’t a sad album — it’s about as uplifting as my way of doing things will allow,” she says. “These songs explore worry and doubt and letting go, but those themes are framed brightly.” With confidence and quiet strength, each track provides insight into Fenne’s ever-changing view of love and, ultimately, its redefinition — love as a process, not something to be lost and found. Notably, these 10 songs are Fenne’s first and only to have been written over the course of a relationship; 2018’s On Hold and 2020’s BREACH both confront the pain of retrospection, saying goodbye to a love that’s gone. Big Picture does the exact opposite — rooted firmly in the present, it traces the narrative of two people trying their hardest not to implode, together. After writing Big Picture in the solitude of her Bristol flat, Fenne consciously aimed to make the recording process her most collaborative thus far. Co-producing with Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Kevin Morby, Snail Mail) at his Durham studio, Fenne’s core intention was to make something that sonically reflected the kind of compact space the songs were written in; something warm, honest and comforting. Alongside Fenne’s touring band, the album features Christian Lee Hutson (guitar), Katy Kirby (vocals), and was mixed by Melina Duterte of Jay Som. Big Picture’s cover art, constructed on a miniature scale by the artist Thomas Doyle, shows the collapse of a home confined within a bell jar and features several inch-high models of Fenne in various places throughout. This physical representation of a self-contained disaster is a reminder that we are small in the grand scheme of things which, for Fenne, is a relief: “We only really know the one world we find ourselves in at any given time” Fenne expands. “It’s only when that world changes or collapses that we realize there are other narratives available — that we’ve known only one of many possible ways to exist.”
Pre-order Big Picture Big Picture Tracklist: 1. Map of Japan 2. Dawncolored Horse 3. Lights Light Up 4. 2+2 5. Superglued 6. Henry 7. Pick 8. In My Own Time 9. Red Deer Day 10. Half Finished Fenne Lily Tour Dates: Sat. Apr. 15 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Sun. Apr. 16 – Dublin, IE @ Workman’s Club Tue. Apr. 18 – Glasgow, UK @ St Luke’s Wed. Apr. 19 – Manchester, UK @ YES Thu. Apr. 20 – London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall Fri. Apr. 21 – Bristol, UK @ Trinity Sun. Apr. 23 – Brighton, UK @ Patterns Mon. Apr. 24 – Brussels, BE @ AB Club Tue. Apr. 25 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet Thu. Apr. 27 – Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher Fri. Apr. 28 – Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA Ideal Bar Sat. Apr. 29 – Berlin, DE @ Frannz Mon. May 1 – Munich, DE @ Ampere Tue. May 2 – Cologne, DE @ Stadtgarten Wed. May 3 – Paris, FR @ FMR Thu. May 11 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room * Fri. May 12 – Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall * Sat. May 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall * Mon. May 15 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos * Tue. May 16 – Portland, Oregon @ Aladdin Theater * Wed. May 17 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre * Fri. May 19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court * Sat. May 20 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater * Mon. May 22 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck * Tue. May 23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line * Wed. May 24- Milwaukee, WI @ Back Room at Colectivo Coffee * Thu. May 25 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall * Fri. May 26 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe * Sat. May 27 – Toronto, ON @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern * Tue. May 30 – Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace * Wed. May 31 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair * Fri. Jun. 2 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Sat. Jun. 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer * Sun. Jun. 4 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat * Mon. Jun. 5 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall * Tue. Jun. 6 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West * Wed. Jun. 7 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East * Fri. Jun. 9 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge * Sat. Jun. 10 – Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips * Sun. Jun. 11 – Austin, TX @ The Parish * Tue. Jun. 13 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf * Thu. Jun. 15 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge * Fri. Jun. 16 – West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour * * = co-headline with Christian Lee Hutson
D-Tension releases the first single, “The No Name Song,” from the upcoming (April 2023) album Tales From The Pub. The album is the one thing D-Tension has yet to do: make a 100% solo album. No guests, no features, no help. D just locked himself in his home studio (his wife’s closet) and wrote, performed and produced an album of fresh new material. D plays guitar, bass, drums and drum programming, keys and sings every note on this record. When the album was done D wasn’t sure what to call it. Then mixing engineer Nick Zampiello of New Alliance East commented “these songs sound like tales from the pub”. That’s because they are. The album is about people watching and bar-life experiences.
“The No Name Song” is about a universal dilemma: That feeling when you meet someone but can’t remember their name ten seconds after they just told you what it was. How friendships and relationships never happened because you can’t remember their name. The song is also a secret easter egg / ode to songs that mention names.
The first full album from shoegaze / post-punk rockers Skull Practitioners, Negative Stars, is as wild and mind-bending as the cover image suggests.
“Dedication” opens the record with thundering drums from Alex Baker and guitar work from Jason Victor that sounds like he set his instrument on fire. Kenneth Levine, not be to outdone, growls the lead vocals on the track and pumps out enough fuzz on his bass to potentially blow out your speakers. Victor takes over the vocals on “Exit Wounds” (something he and Levine will trade back and forth throughout the record, with Victor singing the majority of the tracks) – the album’s first single that has a heavy garage-surf influence to its riffs and beats.
Levine’s bass rolls all over “Leap.” The chorus has a bit of a pub rock feel to it, which I like. The long (over seven minutes) and fuzzy “Intruder” is a great track for the middle of the record (or end of side A, if you prefer), combining shoegaze, goth rock, and dark punk. Post-punk Gang of Four-style bass and guitar riffs rip through “What Now” – which seems to be an angry rant against people who take, take, take. This song makes me want to see them and Protomartyr on the same bill.
“Fire Drill” is one of two instrumentals on the record, the other being the album’s closer, “Nelson D.” Both are sharp. “Fire Drill” has some Joy Division vibes to it with its sparse and haunting bass, precision drumming, and predatory guitar licks. Victor’s guitar work on “Nelson D” sounds like it has a bit of a Johnny Marr influence, and Levine’s bass is like a lion’s roar throughout it. “Ventilation” amps up the band’s appreciation for Joy Division even more.
It’s great to finally get a full album from these guys. I’m sure all of these sounds are even louder and wilder live, so I hope they get on the road soon to promote an album this well-crafted.
It’s kind of amazing that it took me so long to see Weird Al and his band in concert. The level of musicianship on display was jaw-dropping. I lost count of how many styles and genres they played, and Yankovic’s ability to remember so many complex lyrics was stunning.
“They play like their hair is on fire.” is how my friend described this set from Frankie and the Witch Fingers, which blew the minds of everyone at the LevitationFrance festival that night. People were absolutely bonkers by the end of it.
Easily the best sound quality I heard all year, especially in such a large open-air venue, this stop on Elton John’s farewell was humid, but still an amazing performance that cover classic hits and newer tracks. The set was impressive, as was John’s energy as he revved up the crowd the entire time.
Speaking of farewell tours, this one from Midnight Oil was a barn-burner. The place was packed, which only gave the band more energy to unleash in what would be their final Chicago performance. They raged harder against every machine than most bands half their age.
A powerful performance on all levels, plus those of us who bought VIP tickets got to attend their sound check and meet Failure before the main show. It was like two concerts in one from one of my favorite bands whose music can be life-changing. I don’t use that term lightly. Getting to tell them face-to-face how “Another Space Song” has become even more meaningful to me since my wife’s death was an honor I’ll never forget.
I’ve already started seeing bands this year (Dry Cleaning), so 2023 is off to a good start. Who are you excited to see this year?
Here we are at the top five albums I reviewed in 2022. It was a great year for music, and these are what stood out for me among all the good stuff out there.
As I’ve mentioned before, 2022 was a great year for electronic music, and this EP from Jacques Greene topped my list of that kind of music. It mixes house, drum and bass, ambient, and a bit of synth wave into a luscious brew.
This reissue of classic gospel funk tracks by The Staples Jr. Singers is stunning. The amount of groove and friskiness in these songs is almost overwhelming. The instrumentation and harmonizing are outstanding, and there’s enough soul for two churches.
This is the best post-punk album I heard all year. Everything on it is razor sharp: the wit, the guitar angles, the grooves, the drum sounds, and the slightly snarled tongue-in-cheek vocals.
The Black Angels‘ new album was a great return for them. It explores the stress of modern times through walls of distorted guitars, reverb-laden vocals, powerful drums, and mind-warping sound. The Black Angels have yet to put out a bad record, but this one somehow set the bar even higher for psych-bands to follow.
#1: A Place to Bury Strangers – See Through You
A Place to Bury Strangers came back with a new lineup and some of Oliver Ackermann‘s most revealing lyrics about the end of friendships, loneliness, grief, over-reliance on technology, and the overall anxiety everyone’s been feeling since 2019. Ackermann put it all out there and walloped us with more honesty and distortion that you can almost stand.
