The much-tipped Regressive Left return today with news of their signing to new tastemaker label Bad Vibrations, born from the revered live promoters of the same name, and that their debut EP, On the Wrong Side of History, is set for release on July 15th.
The Luton trio also share their first new material of the year with the DFA-flavoured “Bad Faith”, featuring a vocal contribution from Manchester’s experimental-pop act Mandy, Indiana – quoting French psychoanalyst Octave Mannoni’s paradoxical mechanism: “Je sais bien, mais quand même.” In other words: “I know very well, but even so…” – and picking up the ascent exactly where earlier singles left off, placing wry social commentary and dancefloor ambition right at their front and center.
Front-man Simon Tyrie says the following about the themes behind the track:
“This song essentially focuses on the idea of deliberately assuming the worst of someone or something they’ve said or done. Social media has really amplified this trend: everyone has to have a take. So we read between the lines and make wild accusations on the faintest of evidence. It’s something of an art, but one that I think is ultimately detrimental to society.”
Already chalking up a strong live reputation, the band have toured in support of BODEGA and Folly Group in 2022 already, and today announce their first ever headlining dates.
Catch Regressive Left live at:
MAY
14 Brighton – The Great Escape – Revenge 14 Brighton – The Alt Escape – The Hope & Ruin 15 Leeds – Brudenell Social Club 21 York – The Crescent 27 London – Wide Awake
Los Angeles based unsung guitar hero Randy Holden announces the sequel to his legendary 1970 album Population II, set to arrive 52 years later, titled Population III via RidingEasy Records. The ex-Blue Cheer guitarist’s new album was recorded as a trio with members of Cactus and Black Sabbath. Hear and share the first single “Swamp Stomp” via Brooklyn Vegan HERE. (And direct via Bandcamp and YouTube.) How do you follow up one of the most legendary, yet rarest albums said to signal the birth of doom metal?
If you’re Randy Holden, you give everyone about 50 years to catch up, then casually drop a tastefully modernized reinterpretation of that sound. Population III picks up where Holden’s 1969 solo debut left off, updated with several decades worth of technological advances and personal hindsight.
Following his tenure in proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer in 1969, the guitarist aimed for more control over his next project. Thus, Randy Holden – Population II was born, the duo naming itself after the astronomical term for a particular star cluster with heavy metals present. Along with drummer/keyboardist Chris Lockheed, Holden created what many say is one of the earliest forms of doom metal.
“Godzilla just walked into the room. People just stood there with their eyes and mouths wide open,” Holden says of the audience’s reaction to their live debut performing with a teeth-rattling phalanx of 16 (sixteen!) 200 watt Sunn amps. Likewise, their 6-song debut album Population II 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. However, troubles with the album’s original 1970 release bankrupted Holden, who subsequently left music for over two decades. For good reason, it’s widely hailed as a masterpiece, and until finally getting a proper formal release in 2020 on RidingEasy Records, was a longtime Holy Grail for record collectors.
Flash forward 40 years to 2010, we find the guitarist/vocalist quietly coaxed into recording a followup album by Holden superfan and Cactus member Randy Pratt. Joined by drummer Bobby Rondinelli (who has played with Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow), the trio cut the 6-song collection of leaden future blues, Population III. “Randy Pratt had written the basic song structures, he understood my music and where I come from quite well,” Holden says. “He nailed it.”
But the recording was ultimately shelved for over a decade. “A year ago, in 2021 I listened to the songs and was delightfully surprised,” Holden says. “I think it’s the best album I’ve ever done.”
Throughout Population III, Holden effortlessly dishes out squealing, soaring leads and skull-thwacking riffs with his signature low end grit and penchant for Middle Eastern scales. Coupled with Pratt’s pocket-locked bass, the slight flanging effect on Rondinelli’s drums and his pugilistic beats, the album occasionally brings to mind Presence-era Led Zeppelin, particularly on the 22-minute epic “Land of The Sun.” Elsewhere, “Swamp Stomp” echoes more the troglodyte blues of Holden’s older work, with his evermore searing solos showing hints of early Clapton/Hendrix era guitar prowess to drive home the stomp of the song’s namesake. At times, Holden sounds reminiscent of Neil Young leading Crazy Horse’s ruptured grunge as his lilting falsetto vocals push and pull his guitar’s siren’s call. Taken as a whole, there’s a very distinct difference between the way these veterans of hard rock’s formative years carry the songs compared to the more lugubrious riffing of today’s young doom purveyors. Population III is the real deal — a powerful continuation of a sound forged 50 years ago, that almost didn’t happen. Somehow, Randy Holden’s music always finds a way to stand the tests of time.
Population III will be available on LP, CD and download on July 1st, 2022 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available at ridingeasyrecs.com
Combining the talents of members of Pill and Eaters, NYC’s P.E. easily weave in and out of psychedelia, post-punk, no wave, bedroom rock, and dream pop on their second album, The Leather Lemon.
Benjamin Jaffe‘s opening saxophone on “Blue Nude (Reclined)” automatically takes you into a cool headspace while Veronica Torres sings sexy lyrics. “Contradiction of Wants” is a perfect song for 2022. It’s about not knowing what you want, even though you already have everything you need. The bass line on it is wicked. I can’t tell you who plays it, because all the band members (Jonny Campolo, Jaffe, Bob Jones, Jonathan Schenke, Torres) are multi-instrumentalists and often switch axes from track to track. “Lying with the Wolf” goes into low rock and mixes it with synthwave and old school techno beats.
The title track is a short, proto-industrial puzzler. “Tears in the Rain” does invoke some Blade Runner imagery and has guest vocals from Parquet Courts‘ Adam Savage as he teams with Torres to give us a song of romantic hope in times that can be gray and bleak. “The Reason for My Love” is a hot dance track with yet another great bass line (The album is full of them.).
“Magic Hands” has plucked string instruments dancing around slightly loopy synths and drunken android vocals. The darkwave sound of “New Kind of Zen” is powerful and haunting. You’re never sure where the track is going to lead, especially when it floats into spoken word psychedelia. The instrumental “86ed” drifts into “Majesty,” which returns some of the musical themes from other tracks as Torres sings, “I don’t want that life. I don’t want that majesty.” and her bandmates reply, “I want everything.” It’s a neat loop to be in for a couple minutes.
The whole album is worth a visit. It sizzles, saunters, and seduces.
Brooklyn-based musician Grace Ives presents “Loose,” her debut release on her new label True Panther/Harvest. This is her first new piece of music and video since 2019’s 2nd, an immediate pop record that found critical acclaim (and won over the likes of Grimes and Khalid). Ives wrote and did initial production of “Loose” at her home in Brooklyn and then teamed up with co-producer Justin Raisen (Yves Tumor, Charli XCX). Despite the song’s somewhat self-effacing lyrics – “Oh what a loser sound // I let out when I hit the ground // I never squeal like that // I need some respite, please” – “Loose” oozes confidence. The song is grounded in familiar sonics, but “Loose” is an elevated Ives. “Living in a bed bug infested apartment, withdrawing from SSRIs, not sleeping,” says Ives about where she was mentally and physically when she wrote the song. “There’s nowhere to go but up.” WATCH “LOOSE” VIDEO
Music has always followed Grace Ives – she was raised in New York City by creative parents (her dad is a cinematographer and her mother worked in music), and when she was younger, she was inspired by the sounds of Brittany Spears and Rihanna. A brief stint at MICA in Baltimore and a three year study at SUNY Purchase led to Grace starting to perform, slowly winning over a crowd that has only grown more insatiable. Most recently, Ives opened for Remi Wolf, bringing her infectious songs to a new audience. “Loose” is the first taste of much more to come.
Coming eighteen years after their (at the time) overlooked masterpiece, Fantastic Planet, Failure‘s The Heart Is a Monster picks up where Fantastic Planet (and the 1990s) ended. Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards, and Kellii Scott created an album in 2015 that linked to their past (and the past of their fans) and also showed what a stunning future could be had if we all came together and chose to pursue it.
Opening with the instrumental “Segue 4” (again, picking up after “Segue 3” on Fantastic Planet), The Heart Is a Monster jumps up in volume and beat with “Hot Traveler” – a song about begging for forgiveness after an accidental wrong (“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I had to make a snap move, but now I see your purpose.”). The powerful Failure guitars, soaring synths, and sharp drum chops are all here right away, assuring fans that Andrews, Edwards, and Scott hadn’t lost anything in over a decade – and in fact had only grown in power. “A.M. Amnesia” is a stand-out, which Scott pounding hard beats and drilling fills that make your jaw drop while Andrews and Edwards sing about a woman who exists in both darkness (“You were born on the bottom of the ocean.”) and in the the infinite light of space. Cosmic space is a common theme in Failure’s work, and it’s great to hear them continue to explore that theme on this record.
“Snow Angel” has a heavy, almost doom groove to it, which makes me wish Failure would make a doom metal record. The groaning, squealing guitar of “Atom City Queen” only reinforces that wish. “Counterfeit Sky,” a song about realizing most of your problems (if not all of them) are self-inflicted, has layers of Andrews’ and Edwards’ guitars constantly switching with Scott’s drums for the lead.
I can’t help but wonder if “Petting the Carpet” is a sequel to their classic song “The Nurse Who Loved Me,” which contains the lyrics, “Say hello to the rug’s topography. It holds quite a lot of interest with your face down on it.” “Petting the Carpet” starts with the lyrics, “Petting the carpet. Saliva flows strong.” Both songs blaze with sun-bright guitar chords and thick bass. “Mulholland Dr.” blends sci-fi themes of aliens and mutants with trippy “Sgt. Pepper’s”-era Beatles chords (courtesy of Troy Van Leeuwen – who was in Failure for a short time and went on to become a full-time member of Queens of the Stone Age).
“Fair Light Era,” with its lyrics of “What’s all this space junk? These gems behind my eyes?” might be a sly reference to the “one hundred stones that sparkle in darkness” on Fantastic Planet‘s “Sgt. Politeness.” “Come Crashing” hits with crashing cymbals and power chords before it drops, weightless, into “Segue 7,” and then “The Focus” kicks open the door with a killer bass line that isn’t screwing around. The guitars on “Otherwhere” sound like the calls of robotic birds of prey. “I Can See Houses” tells a haunting tale of a man, possibly Andrews, seeing the world fall away from him as the airplane he’s on rises into the sky and he realizes he has to let go of things binding him to earthly illusions. The album closes with “Segue 9” to leave us in a trippy headspace.
The Heart Is a Monster was a great return for Failure, who have since released three more albums, will begin another tour, and have a documentary film about the band coming soon. Go to space with them. You’ll come back changed.
The Black Angels have announced a cool tour through the western United States starting June 02nd in Denver and wrapping up twenty-three days later in Las Vegas. Bass fuzz maestro Dion Lunadon is opening for them, and eight of those shows (including the finale in Las Vegas) has The Black Angels and Mr. Lunadon opening for Primus, no less. Tickets are already on sale for these dates, so don’t miss out on them.
“’The Internet Killed Me’ is a euphemism for being killed – by the internet – literally and figuratively. You wouldn’t know it until it actually happens to you. I mean the internet LITERALLY killed me. AND the internet FIGURATIVELY killed me. It’s up to you to know the difference. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid,” said Max Blastic of the :58 second song that was written after P.C. Bullshit was erroneously reported dead via the r/punk Subreddit.
Bullshit and Blastic previously shared the “Burn It Down” video (https://youtu.be/EyDaVp3ReL0), which came on the heels of an outpouring of accolades and testimonials from fans and friends upon news of the influential band’s implosion. “I feel we’ve made the record we meant to have made back in the day. If the topics seem familiar, well, WE WROTE THEM FIRST,” Blastic said as the joyous reunion and album news arrived. “I don’t actually REMEMBER what the songs are about but I KNOW we were the first and the best. We were and are ALWAYS the first and best.”
Blastic is the featured guest on this week’s episode of The Punk News Podcast (listen here), discussing the infamous $262 gas bill that led to the untimely break-up, Nein, and the duo’s forthcoming tour.
Nein pre-orders are available now (https://linktr.ee/maxcreeps) with several, limited-edition vinyl variants available via U.S. and international retailers, Maxcreeps.com and Project M (Revolver, Brooklyn Vegan, The Hard Times).
The “Nobody Cares About You – Part One!” tour dates:
Flasher – the duo of guitarist Taylor Mulitz and drummer Emma Baker – present the title track and accompanying video for their forthcoming album, Love Is Yours, out June 17th on Domino. “‘Love Is Yours’ is about the roller-coaster highs and lows of a long-term relationship—the kind where a conversation can feel like a tripwire, with subtextual clues that offer the promise of reward if correctly decoded,” the band explains. The accompanying video, directed by Camilla Smura (who also created the video for lead single “Sideways”), “is an homage to National Treasure, because much like a treasure room hidden beneath Trinity Church, love that endures is ‘the greatest adventure history has ever revealed.’”
Following their acclaimed 2018 debut, Constant Image, Love is Yours steps up the ambition and reaches for the horizon. It was recorded in Washington, D.C. with long-time friend Owen Wuerker, who also helped flesh out the instrumentation by contributing additional bass, percussion, synths, and guitar. Rather than binding the duo to its past – to geography, old habits, or trusted sounds – the familiar environment proved liberating. Baker and Mulitz shared vocal duties, tweaked tempos, structures, and dynamics accordingly. They toyed with genre, melody, and texture. The resulting record is ablaze with mood, melody, and carefully threaded hooks, finding the band foregrounding the pop sensibilities that had always been present in their previous releases. It retains the attitude that was fundamental to the band’s DIY roots, but cuts loose a touch of the angst. Though the songs process disillusionment and loss, the music evokes warmth and optimism. It is their best record and also their most generous. Kicking off in June, Flasher will bring their live show across North America. Tickets for all dates are on sale now and a full list can be found below.
FLASHER TOUR DATES Fri. June 17 – Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong Sat. June 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right Mon. June 20 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel Tue. June 21 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle (Backroom) Wed. June 22 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl Thu. June 23 – Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records Fri. June 24 – Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub Sat. June 25 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle Mon. June 27 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Bag Tue. June 28 – Toronto, ON @ The Baby G Wed. June 29 – Montreal, QC @ L’Esco Thu. June 30 – Providence, RI @ AS220 Fri. July 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
Keep your mind open.
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Guitarist, composer and producer Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 13 million year old ghost) and Chaikin Records proudly present 41 Strings, a song cycle for string orchestra, electric guitars and expanded rhythm section. Originally commissioned for a large-scale Earth Day event, 41 Strings draws inspiration from and pays tribute to the four seasons, each movement corresponding to a respective season. This world-premier concert was held on the 41st anniversary of Earth Day which encouraged the idea for an ensemble consisting of 41 string instruments. Following the latest performance of the piece at NYC’s Rockefeller Plaza in 2019, the inclination arose to formally release 41 Strings as an LP and digital download, resulting in this Chaikin Records album. The music’s core environmentally-centric theme couldn’t be more timely in regards to current issues of climate change.
A distinctive component of the 41 Strings composition is its fusion of ‘classical’ music with rock band, a quality which is reflected in the piece’s instrumentation: violins, violas, cellos, double basses, eight electric guitars, two synthesizers, two electric bassists and three drummers. This dual identity of ‘rock band’ and ‘string ensemble’ is directly linked to Zinner’s multifaceted musical practice as heard in his guitar playing with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and his soundtrack composing for film and television. The music of 41 Strings beautifully leans on these dichotomous ensemble characteristics throughout its depiction of the four seasons – hot and cold, impassioned and calm, joyful and melancholy…
41 Strings performances have had the distinctive honor of including very notable special guests, particularly calling upon the indie rock music scene. The guitar section has featured Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith), Sarah Lipstate (Noveller, Iggy Pop), Paul Banks (Interpol), Gemma Thompson (Savages), Aku Orraca-Tetteh (Florence & the Machine), David Pajo (Slint, Gang of Four), Andrew Wyatt (Miike Snow), among many more; the rhythm section has maintained a consistent line-up with such accomplished players as Jaleel Bunton (TV on the Radio), Andy Macleod (Royal Trux), Hisham Bharoocha (Boredoms), Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Ryan Sawyer (Gang Gang Dance) and Ben Vida. All of these musicians impart a sense of independent-art ethos with an exalted reach-for-the-stars morale. Such voices excel at tapping into the sensitivity of the music and bringing its beauty to the surface. Violinist Gillian Rivers, in addition to performing, worked as arranger in adapting Zinner’s compositions for string orchestra; additionally, she coached the string section during rehearsals and conducted them during performance.
Counting the debut performance in NYC in 2011, 41 Strings has only been performed four times. This low number is due to the project being such a massive undertaking. Because of the rarity of performance, each one has been deeply significant. The second performance took place at the Sydney Opera House for the Sydney Festival in 2012; the third took place at London’s Royal Festival Hall for Meltdown Festival in 2014; the fourth took place at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC in the summer of 2019.
The music of 41 Strings is purposefully simple, lyrical and minimal; melodic motifs gradually unfold over time and convey a steady pacing as sections move one from the next. A subtle subjectivity infuses the ‘experience’ of each season as opposed to striving for a more objective ‘picture’: the movements of “Fall” and “Winter” naturally express a temperate majesty and solemn introspection; “Spring” brings the most raucous intensity, aligning itself with the season’s energy of rebirth and adolescent-like freedom; “Summer” expresses an idyllic potential, as if one is planted in the midst of a field surrounded by green grass, trees and flowers, awash in the warmth and light of the sun.
For nearly a decade, Death Valley Girls have made it their mission to remind the punks, psych rockers, garage aficionados, and desert mystics of the communal, transcendental, and triumphant power of music, as evidenced most recently in the riotous affirmations of their 2022 track “When I’m Free.”
The song fuses Bonnie Bloomgarden’s passionate vocals, Larry Schemel’s anthemic guitar chords, rousing sing-along choruses, and feverish organ lines into a perfect three-minute shot of adrenaline and dopamine. Despite the old-school nature of their instrumentation, Death Valley Girls are well aware of the revolutionary power of the dance floor, so they approached one of their heroes — Peaches — to help re-envision “When I’m Free” for the club crowd.
What better way to reinforce the liberating spirit of the song than to give it to Peaches, an artist who continues to push boundaries in a career that spans over two decades, and who has helped so many people navigate sexuality, gender, identity, and being comfortable in one’s body in the new millennium.
Under Peaches’ meticulous care, “When I’m Free” transforms from a scrappy rock song to a throbbing, minimalist club banger. The musical key switches from major to minor, taking the song from celebratory mode into a leaner and meaner message of empowerment. Bloomgarden’s impassioned vocals remain in place along with a few organ glissandos, though the rest of the original is excised in favor of stark four-on-the-floor beats and pulsing synth bass. The sound may prompt a different type of gyration than the original, but the spirit of freedom and revelry remains and takes on a whole new angle under Peaches’ masterful manipulations.
