Category: Post-punk

Protomartyr – Consolation

Produced in part with Kelly Deal of the Breeders and Pixies, Protomartyr‘s four-song EP, Consolation, packs more punch than many double albums in the punk, post-punk, neo-rock, or alt-rock genres.

The opening squall of “Wait” is like the sound of the gates opening at the Kentucky Derby, and the band are four horses running in peak form.  Vocalist Joe Casey growls, yells, and snarls while drummer Alex Leonard seems to put down four different beats at once.

“Same Face in a Different Mirror” would be a great title for a giallo film from the 1970’s, and Greg Ahee‘s opening guitar riff is indeed creepy enough for a stylish Italian slasher film.  It’s like Protomartyr put Joy Division, Editors, and Bauhaus in a juicer and extracted the micronutrients from all three for one track.

The last two tracks feature Ms. Deal on backing vocals.  The first is “Wheel of Fortune,” and it’s easily one of the best tracks of the year.  It comes out swinging, not giving you much time to breathe in the first minute before it breaks down into something that sounds like the soundtrack from a ghost film.  Casey’s vocals slowly rise from the ground (lifted by Scott Davidson‘s fine bass work), unleashing some of his inner Nick Cave before the band kicks down the door.  Davidson’s bass walk opens “You Always Win” and Casey sings about a troubled relationship he can’t bring himself to leave while Ahee’s guitar shoegaze riffs are subtle and stunning at the same time and Leonard unleashes a quick drum solo, which are sorely missing from rock nowadays.

Consolation is sharp as a knife and one of the better EP releases of 2018, so don’t skip it.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Le Bucherettes – A Raw Youth (2015)

Mexico’s Le Bucherettes manage to combine psychedelia, garage rock, snotty punk, and disco fever all into one band.  Their third album, A Raw Youth, covers everything from pre-2016 election anxiety to serial killers.

“Shave the Pride” gets it off to a loud, wild start with lead singer Terri Gender Bender belting out lyrics about anger and arrogance (“The size of your rage drowns my urge for lovin’.”).  “Mallely” has the disco synths of Jamie Aaron Aux and the powerful drumming of Chris Common throwing you into dance fits.  “Reason to Die Young” has Gender Bender claiming there’s “no sign of life in this hell hole,” but her assured vocals feel reassuring.  Her Iggy Pop influence can’t be denied in her vocals and stage presence, and it’s in full view on “La Uva” (“The Grape”) in which Pop sings guest vocals with her.  It’s a wild, Pixies-like track with its ebb and flow of volume and controlled, distorted chaos.  “Sold Less Than Gold” is a lyrically brutal song about child slavery that’s almost disguised as a pop song with its bright synths.

“Stab My Back” is a giant middle finger to a man who once tried to keep Bender down.  It’s like a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song combined with a kick in the nuts.  “They Fuck You Over” has Bender drawing a line in the sand against the 1% (“‘Winners’ never touch skins.  They know how to eat like bulldogs.  They fuck you over…I try to manage this game by doing the worst that I can.”).

“Witchles C Spot” is a bold, almost Metric-like tune about toxic love, fetish sex, and obsession.  It’s sexy, scary, and sinister all at once.  “The Hitch Hiker” is about a serial killer, and might be an ode to the 1986 film The Hitcher.  “Lonely & Drunk” is a powerful build up of synths, drums, and weird bass as Bender’s vocals slither out of your speakers as she sings about bad decisions made during bad times.  The bizarre title of “Oil the Shoe if the Critter Knew Any Better” is perfect for the weird lyrics about ghosts, eating your vegetables, and how screwed up a relationship can be if one doesn’t face fears.  The closer, “My Half,” is a warped song about love and possibly Bender’s Electra complex with guest guitar and synth-bass work by John Frusciante.

It’s a wild, weird record.  Le Bucherettes were on my list of bands to investigate for a while, and I’m glad I finally got around to it.  You should, too.

Keep your mind open.

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Wharf Cat Records has brought us a new post-punk supergroup -Public Practice.

DARK OPTIMISM IN DEADPAN VOCALS AND FUNK GROOVES – STEREOGUM

Wharf Cat Records is pleased to introduce Public Practice – a Brooklyn DIY supergroup of sorts, featuring members of freshly-dead punk project WALL and local pop band Beverly. Comprised of singer Sam York, guitarist Vince McClelland, synth/bassist and vocalist Drew Citron, and drummer/programmer and producer Scott Rosenthal, their serious chops and dance-inducing live set are already pulling them into the sharp foreground of a scene growing all too warm-and-fuzzy.

Public Practice’s debut EP, Distance is a Mirror, is a confident, juried testimony of love steeped in dark optimism. Dry, deadpan vocals chant over skittish guitar and danceable 70s grooves—songs snapping like rubber bands—seesawing between post-punk and its insomniac twin sister disco. With contradicting references as overt as Talking Heads (without the shoulders), but as specific as Haruomi Hosono of Yellow Magic Orchestra (with some polka dots), the band is carrying a funky torch that does not get lit too often.

By the end of the short and bitter-sweet 4-song EP, punctuated by Sam York’s sign-off of “no you can’t take it back now,” Public Practice anchors themselves as a new band with wisdom like their influences, bringing songs distinctly fresh as they are familiar. Public Practice will privately change your mind about where guitar music is going. Tired of the familiar? Seeing dots? Wake up!

TBR 10/26 // First 150 EP’s Hand-Numbered // Special Edition EP’s (limited to 250) Feature Flexi-Disc w/Remixes by Austin Brown (Parquet Courts) and House of Feelings // All LP’s Include Insert w/Lyrics // Also Available on CD
PRE-ORDER: PUBLICE PRACTICE – DISTANCE IS A MIRROR EP SPECIAL EDITION W/REMIXES FLEXI ($20)
PRE-ORDER: PUBLICE PRACTICE – DISTANCE IS A MIRROR EP REGULAR EDITION (14$)

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Shopping announce fall tour dates for North America.

Shopping To Return Stateside For Fall North American Tour
In Support Of The Official Body, Out Now On FatCat Records

Playing Hopscotch, OctFest, Basilica Soundscape, And More
(photo credit: Matthew Williams)

 

“Wiry and urgent, ‘The Official Body’ offers vibrant, chaotic catharsis at an ideal moment.” — Rolling Stone

 

“‘The Official Body’ has such an expansive and warm soul that it forces you reconsider all the wiry clichés associated with post-punk.” — Pitchfork

“…Shopping have opted for one of the most revolutionary forces of all: fun.” — NPR Music 

 

“The 10 tracks here are audacious, funky, and have that element of outsider-cool leftover from the heyday of influences like Delta 5, Gang of Four and ESG.” — Paste

Having wrapped up a short North American tour of the west coast this past summer, which included a triumphant performance at San Francisco Pride to a crowd of nearly 50,000, Shopping – the London/Glasgow-based trio of Rachel Aggs (guitar, vocals), Billy Easter (bass, vocals) and Andrew Milk (drums, vocals) – are thrilled to announce they’ll return stateside next month in support of their most recent album, The Official Body, out now on FatCat Records. Including stops at Hopscotch Music Festival, OctFest, and Basilica Soundscape, the tour will kick off in Philadelphia on Thu. Sep. 6th at PhilMOCA. A full list of dates are below, with tickets on-sale now.
Shopping Tour Dates:
Sat. Aug. 11 – London, UK @ Oslo Hackney
Thu. Aug. 30 – Dorset, UK @ End Of The Road
Fri. Aug. 31 – Baignade Interdite @ Rivières, FR
Thu. Sep. 6 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilMOCA
Fri. Sep. 7 – Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Music Festival *
Sat. Sep. 8 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel #
Sun. Sep. 9 – New York, NY @ OctFest %
Tue. Sep. 11 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison
Wed. Sep. 12 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz
Thu. Sep. 13 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott
Fri. Sep. 14 – Sun. Sep. 16 – Hudson, NY @ Basically Soundscape &

* = w/ Miguel, Belle & Sebastian, MC50 and more
# = w/ No Age
% = w/ The Flaming Lips, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Girlpool and more
& = w/ Efrim Manuel Menuck, Grouper, Stephen O’Malley’s Un Vide Dans Le Ciel and more

 

Watch/Listen/Share:
Stream The Official Body via Spotify – https://spoti.fi/2KkcdKW
“The Hype” video – https://youtu.be/JnAm6AphanY
“Wild Child” video – https://youtu.be/GWvzFYTPrRw
“Suddenly Gone” video – https://youtu.be/GVcZGVVhfkU

 

Purchase The Official Body:
via Bandcamp – http://bit.ly/2kZQL6Z
via iTunes – http://apple.co/2iBSknm
via FatCat Shop – http://bit.ly/2C3DGO8

Download hi-res album art and press images of Shopping – 
www.pitchperfectpr.com/shopping/

Shopping online:
facebook.com/weareshopping

twitter.com/SH0PP1NG
soundcloud.com/shoppingband

fat-cat.co.uk/artist/shopping

pitchperfectpr.com/shopping

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Fat Possum Records to remaster and re-release four classic X albums.

FAT POSSUM RECORDS TO RELEASE REMASTERED X ALBUMS IN 2018
‘LOS ANGELES’
‘WILD GIFT’
‘UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN’
‘MORE FUN IN THE NEW WORLD’

Photo: Gary Leonard

Fat Possum Records and X are teaming up.  Effective immediately, Fat Possum Records will begin distributing for the world four classic X albums; ‘Los Angeles’ (1980), ‘Wild Gift’ (1981), ‘Under The Big Black Sun’ (1982), and ‘More Fun In The New World’ (1983). There are plans to release remastered versions of all four albums by the end of 2018. More details to come.
Formed in 1977, X quickly established themselves as one of the best bands in the first wave of LA’s flourishing punk scene;  becoming legendary leaders of a punk generation.  Featuring vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer DJ Bonebrake, their debut 45 was released on the seminal Dangerhouse label in 1978, followed by seven studio albums released from 1980-1993. Over the years, the band has released several critically acclaimed albums, topped the musical charts with regularity and performed their iconic hits on top television shows such as Letterman and American Bandstand.  X’s first two studio albums, Los Angeles and Wild Gift are ranked by Rolling Stone among the top 500 greatest albums of all time.  The band continues to tour with the original line-up fully intact.  In 2017, the band celebrated their 40th year anniversary in music with a Grammy Museum exhibit opening, a Proclamation from the City of Los Angeles and being honored at a Los Angeles Dodgers game where Exene threw out the first pitch and John Doe sang the National Anthem. The band continues to tour with the original line-up and are currently on the road, including select dates with The Psychedelic Furs.
X Tour Itinerary:
July 25  SOMO Village Event Center – Rohnert Park, CA (w/The Psychedelic Furs)
July 27  Oregon Zoo Summer Concerts – Portland, OR (w/The Psychedelic Furs)
July 29  Woodland Park Zoo – Seattle, CA (w/The Psychedelic Furs)
July 31  The Rockwell/The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT (w/The Psychedelic Furs, The FIXX)
Aug 2 The Ogden – Denver, CO (w/The Psychedelic Furs)
Aug 17 The Cave – Big Bear, CA
Aug 18 Burton Chase Park – Marina Del Rey, CA
Aug 19 North Park – San Diego, CA
Aug 22 Marty’s -Tustin, CA
Aug 23 Marty’s – Tustin, CA
Aug 24 Weins Family Winery- Temecula, CA
Aug 31 Del Mar Hall – St. Louis, MO
Sept 2 Muddy Roots Music Festival – Cookeville, TN
Sept 3 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
Sept 4 The Cat’s Cradle –  Chapel Hill, NC
Sept 5 The Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC
Sept 7 Sidetracks – Huntsville, AL
More Dates To Be Announced!
Los Angeles (1980)
1. Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not
2. Johnny Hit and Run Paulene
3. Soul Kitchen
4. Nausea
5. Sugarlight
6. Los Angeles
7. Sex and Dying in High Society
8. The Unheard Music
9. The World’s a Mess, It’s In My Kiss
Wild Gift (1981)
1. The Once Over Twice
2. We’re Desperate
3. Adult Books
4. Universal Corner
5. I’m Coming Over
6. It’s Who You Know
7. In This House That I Call Home
8. Some Other Time
9. White Girl
10. Beyond and Back
11. Back 2 the Base
12. When Our Love Passed Out On the Couch
13. Year 1
Under the Big Black Sun (1982)
1. The Hungry Wolf
2. Motel Room In My Bed
3. Riding With Mary
4. Come Back To Me
5. Under the Big Black Sun
6. Because I Do
7. Blue Spark
8. Dancing with Tears In My Eyes
9. Real Child of Hell
10. How I (Learned My Lesson)
11. The Have Nots
More Fun in the New World (1983)
1. The New World
2. We’re Having Much More Fun
3. True Love
4. Poor Girl
5. Make the Music Go Bang
6. Breathless
7. I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts
8. Devil Doll
9. Painting the Town Blue
10. Hot House
11. Drunk In My Past
12. I See Red
13. True Love Pt. #2
For more information on X live shows, please contact:
For Fat Possum/reissue press inquiries, please contact:
Keep your mind open.
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Pitchfork Music Festival Artist Spotlight: Melkbelly

Chicago noise-punk outfit Melkbelly are playing one of the earliest sets (1:45pm on Friday) at this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival in their hometown, and it would be well worth leaving work early to see them.  Their fierce rock has an edge to it that will slap you out of your doldrums and fire you up for the rest of the festival.  Their 2017 album Nothing Valley was one of the best of the year, and I’ve heard their live performances are game-changing.  Don’t miss them.

Keep your mind open.

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Bodega – Endless Scroll

BODEGA‘s Endless Scroll is probably my favorite post-punk record of 2018 so far.  Consisting of Nikki Belfiglio (vocals), Heather Elle (bass), Ben Hozie (guitar and vocals), Montana Simone (drums), and Madison Velding-Vandam (guitar), the quintet offering a sharp commentary on hipsters, the digital age, sex, masculinity, femininity, and politics.

No track better sums up their thoughts on the world of 2018 than the opener – “How Did This Happen!?”  Aren’t we all asking that every day here in the U.S.?  “It’s the world now, don’t discriminate.  Everyone is equally a master and a slave,” Hozie sings.  Preach it, brother.  He name checks failing bookstores, people curating their playlists more than their relationships, and people angry for no damn reason.  “Bodega Birth” shows off more of Elle’s slick bass lines as Hozie and Belfiglio sing about how the internet, which should be the greatest educational tool of all time, is now a colossally boring shopping mall.

Elle’s bass takes the lead on “Name Escape” as Hozie sings about how he can’t remember names of people he sees all the time, even though he can notice things like someone wearing different pants than the last time he saw him.  Also, he doesn’t often care (“Have I heard the latest something ’bout so-and-so? / No, I have not, my son.  Now I don’t want to know.”).  Again, preach it, brother.  “Boxes for the Move” is a story of heartbreak following a break-up as Hozie leaves his lover’s place with “fifteen soggy boxes” of stuff and wishing he had the booze that used to be in the boxes he got from the liquor store.  “I Am Not a Cinephile” is a collective middle finger to movie snobs and other ultra-hipsters.

Hozie and Velding-Vandam’s squeaky guitars on “Can’t Knock the Hustle” sound like alarm klaxons or steel being hammered by a blacksmith.  Belfiglio invites us all to love ourselves (if you get the drift) on “Gyrate” – even if you want to do it “in the middle of a party, in the middle of the floor.”  “Jack in Titanic” is Hozie’s commentary about modern expectations of masculinity.  It’s wonderfully catchy, and is currently tearing up airwaves in England.  I’ve heard it on BBC 6 Music every time I listened to the station for the last three weeks.  “Margot” is a tale of internet lust (ending with a computerized voice saying, “I touch myself while staring at your chat text box.”).

Elle and Simone are in perfect synch on “Bookmarks” while Hozie and Belfiglio sing about how easy it is to get distracted from work when the endless internet is in front of you.  “Warhol” has the band proclaiming “Form against everything” and making fun of people thinking their fifteen minutes of fame is still in effect.  “Charlie” is their latest single and a touching tribute to a friend of Hozie’s who drowned on New Year’s Eve 2007.  “Williamsburg Bridge” sounds like a Velvet Underground track with Elle’s bass groove, Simone’s tribal drumming, and Hozie and Velding-Vandam’s guitars squawk in the background.  “Truth Is Not Punishment” has Hozie singing about worrying about his mother and trying to convince a friend that honesty is the best policy (even when he’s not sure he believes that).  The guitars in it build to near-manic levels, reflecting Hozie’s angst.

This is one of the best and catchiest albums of 2018 so far.  I’m glad that post-punk is having a great revival, and bands like BODEGA are leading the charge.

Keep your mind open.

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Japanese post-punkers CHAI to reissue debut album on Burger Records.

INTRODUCING: CHAI

JAPANESE SENSATIONS TO PHYSICALLY REISSUE
DEBUT ALBUM PINK VIA BURGER RECORDS

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES SHOWS IN SEPTEMBER;
WATCH VIDEOS FOR “N.E.O.” AND MORE

Today marks a very special day. It is the day that a larger American audience is introduced to Japanese sensations CHAI. Fusing sonic elements of artists like Basement Jaxx, Gorillaz, CSS, and Tom Tom Club, with lyrics focused on self-empowerment and re-defining the definition of “kawaii,” or cute in Japanese, CHAI have amassed a devoted following in their home country. Those lucky enough to catch them on their all-too-brief visits to the US around SXSW understand what those on the other side of the globe already know: CHAI are incredibly special and should probably be the biggest band in the world.

On September 7th, Burger Records is pleased to physically reissue CHAI’s debut album, PINK, appearing in the US on vinyl, CD, and cassette for the first time. Additionally CHAI (identical twins Mana and Kana and former school classmate Yuna and Yuuki) will come to the US for their first-ever headlining show in New York and will return to Los Angeles later this year. Dates and venues are listed below; tickets go on sale Friday, June 22nd, at 10AM EST.

To give you an idea of what is in store, check out the amazing video for “N.E.O.” (which is well on its way to 2 million views), as well as an incredible live performance for a YouTube Music Session. Additionally, watch the videos for “Boyz Seco Men” and “I’m Me,” but be warned, this might spur a CHAI Youtube hole from which you may never extricate yourself.

WATCH “N.E.O.” OFFICIAL VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMGf3zyhG94

WATCH “N.E.O.” YOUTUBE MUSIC SESSION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFSspQc2Tzw

WATCH “BOYZ SECO MEN” VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psHh6OsA-mU

WATCH “I’M ME” VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-aKOc5nN2c

STREAM PINK
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2t3dNKV | Apple Music: https://apple.co/2t0s0YV
CHAI TOUR DATES (US dates in bold)
Mon. Sept. 10 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo [tickets]
Wed. Sept. 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade [tickets]
Mon. Oct. 15 – Bristol, UK @ SWX w/ Superorganism
Tue. Oct. 16 – Liverpool, UK @ Arts Club w/ Superorganism
Wed. Oct. 17 – Belfast, NIR @ Limelight 1 w/ Superorganism
Thu. Oct. 18 – Dublin, IE @ The Academy w/ Superorganism
Sat. Oct. 20 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 w/ Superorganism
Sun. Oct. 21 – Sheffield, UK @ The Leadmill w/ Superorganism
Mon. Oct. 22 – Leeds, UK @ Stylus w/ Superorganism
Wed. Oct. 24 – London, UK @ 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire w/ Superorganism
Thu. Oct. 25 – Manchester, UK @ 02 Ritz w/ Superorganism
Fri. Oct. 26 – Cambridge, UK @ Cambridge Junction w/ Superorganism
Sat. Oct. 27 – Portsmouth, UK @ Pyramids Centre w/ Superorganism
Sun. Oct. 28 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2 w/ Superorganism
Tue. Oct. 30 – Oxford, UK @ 02 Academy w/ Superorganism

PINK Album Art

PINK TRACKLISTING
1. Hi Hi Baby
2. N.E.O.
3. Boyz Seco Men
4. Horechatta
5. Fried
6. She Is Kitty
7. Gyaranboo
8. Kawaii Hito
9. Walking Star
10. Sayonara Complex
11. Flat Girl

PRE-ORDER PINK ON VINYL: http://burgerrecords.11spot.com/chai-pink.html

CHAI Online:
http://chai-band.com/
https://www.instagram.com/chai_official/
https://twitter.com/2525_chai
https://www.facebook.com/CHAIJAPAN/

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Flasher releases new video and single – “Who’s Got Time?”

FLASHER SHARE VIDEO FOR “WHO’S GOT TIME?”; ON TOUR NOW

CONSTANT IMAGE OUT NOW ON DOMINO RECORDING CO.
(Photo: Amy Breesman)
Washington, DC trio Flasher released their debut album, Constant Image (Domino), less than 2 weeks ago to stunning praise across the board. Today, the band shares a new video for their single “Who’s Got Time?,” a song about the souring of a relationship. The surreal video, directed by Adinah Dancyger, sees the three band members bound through the woods in hazmat suits, ultimately finding themselves. They’re currently on tour in support of Constant Image with Chicago friends Dehd.
WATCH VIDEO FOR “WHO’S GOT TIME?”
http://smarturl.it/WhosGotTimeYT
LISTEN TO CONSTANT IMAGE
FLASHER TOUR DATES

Fri. June 22 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook w/ Dehd
Sat. June 23 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Dehd
Thu. July 12 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Mon. July 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
Tue. July 17 – San Francisco, CA @Rickshaw Stop
Thu. July 19 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
Fri. July 20 – Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
Sat. July 21 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
Mon. July 23 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
Tue. July 24 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Wed. July 25 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
Fri. Aug. 10 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre (Athens Popfest)
Mon. Oct. 29 – Berlin, DE @ Cassiopeia
Tue. Oct. 30 – Tue. Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
Thu. Nov. 1 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique Witloofbar
Fri. Nov. 2 – Rotterdam, NL @ V11
Sun. Nov. 4 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso (upstairs)
Tue. Nov. 6 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
Wed. Nov. 7 – Sheffield, UK @ Picture House Social
Thu. Nov. 8 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Fri. Nov. 9 – Glasgow, UK @ The Glad Cafe
Sat. Nov. 10 – Manchester, UK @ Now Wave Venue
Sun. Nov. 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin
Tue. Nov. 13 – London, UK @ The Lexington
Wed. Nov. 14 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympic Café
Fri. Nov. 16 – Madrid, ES @ La Castanya X at Teatro Barceló
Sat. Nov. 17 – Barcelona, ES @ La Castanya X at Sala Apolo

PRAISE FOR CONSTANT IMAGE

“Only one of this week’s albums feels like it alters my entire brain chemistry every time the next chorus hits, and that’s Constant Image.” – Stereogum, Album of the Week

“What’s surprising—and thrilling—about their debut full-length, Constant Image, is that its social commentary would have felt just as timely at any point in the past 30 years.”
– Pitchfork (7.9)

“This D.C.-based trio’s debut has the muscle and melodicism of modern rock’s brainy, brooding pre-grunge era” – Rolling Stone

“The thrill is in the call-and-response, heard on past songs, but here weaponized like an ecstatic hall of mirrors in the final minute of ‘Skim Milk.'” – NPR Music

“The band masterfully produce politically charged tracks situated in tales of the everyday struggle of people living in America’s political seat.” – Exclaim! (8/10)

“They play hook-filled rock songs, influenced by everything from post-punk to new wave via shoegaze and indie dream pop that’ll inspire the kind of exhilaration and joy that only comes from a group of people who fully understand what your day was like.”
– PopMatters (8/10)

“The band’s gentle, impressionistic lyrics contain careful considerations of
how one might survive as an individual enmeshed in late capitalism, but the stakes of
the songs don’t reveal themselves until you’re already immersed in their bright, optimistic energy.” – Bandcamp

Head here to pre-order the deluxe edition LP available exclusively through the Domino Mart. The deluxe features the album on 150g starburst pink and yellow vinyl. Constant Image is also available as a standard LP, CD, and digitally. 

PRE-ORDER PHYSICAL || PRE-ORDER THE DIGITAL

Download hi-res images and bio here: http://pitchperfectpr.com/flasher/

Flasher Online:
https://flasherdc.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/flasherdc/
http://www.dominorecordco.us/artists/flasher/

Keep your mind open.

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Flasher – Constant Image

Opening with something that sounds like a song you’d hear on the tape deck of one of those Blade Runner flying cars, Flasher‘s debut full-length album, Constant Image, is strongly self-assured post-punk.  That opening track, “Go,” encourages you to “suck it up” and get ready for a fast ride.

“Pressure” builds with its namesake until the chorus, and even then it doesn’t let up too much.  Daniel Saperstein‘s bass seems like it’s all over the place, but he grounds the tune like metal stakes into circus tent loops.  I like how Saperstein’s vocals blend with those of Emma Baker (drums) and Taylor Mulitz (guitar) on “Sun Come and Golden.”  The whole track has a brightness to it, but it doesn’t ignore the shadows caused.  “Material” raises the attitude of the record, as Mulitz’s vocals border on snotty punk and throw down the right amount of tongue-in-cheek sass.

Mulitz’s guitar buzzes like a green hornet on “XYZ.”  It’s one of the hottest cuts on the record as Flasher sing about self-introspection and the expectations of their generation and the ones before and after them.  As good as it is, “Who’s Got Time?” is even better.  Saperstein unloads on it.  It has a rough urgency and is yet highly danceable.  “Skim Milk” was their first single, and it’s easy to hear why they chose it.  Mulitz’s guitar is precise and fuzzy when it needs to be, Baker keeps time and thrashes when she needs to, and Saperstein keeps up his serial killing of bass grooves.  Their triple vocals weave together well and it’s pretty much everything you want in a post-punk song.

There’s a neat piano riff underlining “Harsh Light” while Mulitz sings, “Every corner that you turn, you never learn.”  Good grief, can’t we all relate to that at times?  “Punching Up” has a bit of a punch-drunk beat to it, with Baker providing co-lead vocals and a Pixies-like rhythm.  The Pixies influence is thick on the entire track with its back-and-forth bouncing between soothing guitars and heavy distortion.  “Business Unusual” would be a great name for a TV show or comic book, but it’s instead about a “man, now a boy in blue, this whole world’s got it out for you.”  It also throws in some saxophone (a welcome addition to any post-punk record) with the quirky guitars and the repeated question from Flasher – “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”

It’s the last lyric of the album.  Are they asking us to reflect and perhaps realize it isn’t that bad?  Are they asking us to forgive ourselves?   The name of the album is, after all, Constant Image.  We all constantly project different images of ourselves, and often to cover up what we think are horrible flaws but are usually things about which no one cares.  Most of the things we worry about never happen.  Flasher want us to know this, I think.  We should thank them for the reminder.  You can do it by buying this record.

Keep your mind open.

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