Post-punk – Page 32 – 7th Level Music

Bethlehem Steel’s “Bad Girl” is a great opener to their self-titled album due September 13th.

“[Bethlehem Steel] pair hooky choruses with an illegal-basement-show energy.” Rolling Stone

“A fantastic guitar rock trio…Party Naked Forever is a much deeper and thoughtful record than that title might imply…I love this whole record.” Robin Hilton, NPR’s All Songs Considered

“[Becca Ryskalczyk] captures a sort of Rust Belt malaise in her music that makes everything feel rundown and past its prime…the album, largely operates in a full-speed-ahead stumble, towering songs that rush to keep apace with Ryskalczyk’s cavernous voice.” Stereogum

“Becca Ryskalczyk’s truly soaring voice makes Bethlehem Steel truly stand out.” BrooklynVegan

“[Bethlehem Steel] fucking rule.” The FADER

WATCH: Bethlehem Steel’s “Bad Girl” video on Stereogum // YouTube

Bethlehem Steel have announced their sophomore album with the premiere of its lead single “Bad Girl.” The self-titled album is the follow up to the band’s 2017 debut, Party Naked Forever, itself a heavily anticipated release owing to the band’s sterling reputation built sharing stages in Brooklyn DIY scene with bands like Spirit of The Beehive, Pile, Big Ups, Guerrilla Toss, Strange Ranger and Stove, that earned acclaim from Rolling Stone, NPR, Billboard, FADER and Stereogum, among others.

This album is the band’s first since they evolved from a trio to a four piece with the addition of guitarist Christina Puerto, who has also become a major part of the band’s songwriting process, and contributes lead vocals to several songs on the record. Her close relationship with guitarist/vocalist Becca Ryskalcyzk was central to the album’s development, a relationship dramatized in the video for the album’s lead single, a slightly tongue in cheek track penned by Ryskalcyzk that foregrounds the pairs’ rhythmic guitar interplay, building towards a nearly two-minute instrumental outro, as drums, bass and guitar add layer upon layer before the song reaches its apex with a sharp guitar and saxophone duel.

Ryskalcyzk expands on the songs background in conversation with Stereogum: “‘Bad Girl’ is about all the nights that my brain keeps me awake. Irrationally telling me I’m a terrible person. Going over and over and over all of the things I might have done to upset or inconvenience another human. Singing the line ‘Am I a bad girl?’ to my bandmates or even just out loud to myself was definitely embarrassing. I wasn’t sure if I should even keep it as a lyric until I decided to just lean into it. I send my mom everything I’m working on and when I sent her the demos with place holder titles she was like ‘Bad Girl? Now THATS how you name a song!’ so naturally it had to stay.” In support of the release the band are announcing an extensive US tour that includes dates with their Exploding In Sound label mates Kal Marks. Full details can be found below.

The album was written and recorded over a two year period by Ryskalczyk while splitting time between her brother’s house in Florida and Vermont, before fleshing out the arrangements with her bandmates back in Brooklyn. The songs were often intensely personal, and the solitary exercise of writing them left Ryskalczyk seeking a more collaborative writing process, one she found with the addition of a new member to the band, guitarist Christina Puerto, who joined Bethlehem Steel while they were touring in support of their debut. A close bond quickly formed between the pair, and that relationship has brought forth a new chapter for the band, with Ryskalczyk and Puerto’s collaborative energy providing the animating force behind their self-titled sophomore album (out September 13th via Exploding In Sound) – a release that serves as guide, of sorts, for those reaching towards self-empowerment, and an illustration of the transformative power of female friendship as a force in overcoming trauma.

“A lot of the lyrical content on this album is uncomfortable,” Ryskalczyk says. “It’s about men, and being taken advantage of, or abandoned or fucked over. I’ve been playing with the boys in the band for many years and they have always been sympathetic to my experiences, but there are certain things about what women experience that they will never understand, and having another woman as part of the band brought a different comfort and a sense of solidarity. Based on what’s happening in my life, I would still probably have sung about these things, but I don’t know what it would have been like without Christina. It wouldn’t have felt as powerful.”

The bulk of Bethlehem Steel is a stark look at toxic relationships and their effect on mental health, and its songs derive power from their unflinching approach to difficult topics. The pulsing, string-abetted “Couches,” which simmers for over half its runtime before exploding into a tangle of lead guitar parts, is a cutting appraisal of the worst parts of a suddenly absent family member, while the almost entirely spoken word track “Not Lotion” is a cathartic and rawly emotive expression of anger in the face of restrictive societal expectations. The single “Gov’t Cheese,” which is centered around Ryskalczk’s repetition of the mantra “I must take care of myself,” confronts a history of complicated friendships with men, with Ryskalczk and Puerto’s surprisingly sweet vocal harmonies belying the song’s frank reckoning with the vulnerabilities that are preyed upon in many of these negative relationships.

“When I wrote this I was looking back on a lot of toxic and abusive male relationships that I’ve had,” Ryskalczyk says. “A lot of them made me smaller and were holding me back from becoming a stronger woman. Sometimes you can still feel like you’re emotionally held hostage by them while trying to find a way to be there but at a distance.”

While the album’s lyrical depth and immediacy are readily apparent over Bethlehem Steel’s 10 tracks, the overall song construction and instrumentation is where Puerto and Ryskalcyzk’s rare chemistry is most apparent, and perhaps where the album’s greatest strength lies. Similarly, “Empty Room,” one of three songs on the album (along with “Read The Room” and “Sheryl”) which debuts Puerto as a second writer in the band, presents a sense of cognitive distortion, with unpredictable percussion patterns, guitar licks and melodies that mirror the chaos that can ensue from mental health issues debilitating your regularly scheduled programming.

It’s an exhilarating listen, and with the transition from a trio to a four piece, the sound of a band finding another gear as they change shape and mature as songwriters and musicians. Taking stock of your experiences and your emotional health in solitude, can be an empowering task, but enlisting the assistance of allies certainly never hurts, and Bethlehem Steel’s sophomore album is a testament to value of togetherness in difficult times.

“It’s important that this record is something that we did together and that we grew within, and I think the album artwork by Nicole Rifkin shows that” says Ryskalcyzk. “Christina and I met at a time when we were both processing painful things in our personal lives, and through writing together we were able to provide each other with strength and support, while also turning those feelings into something more cathartic. Hopefully in sharing the record we can connect with people, and they can connect with that strength.”

Bethlehem Steel will be released via Exploding In Sound on September 13th. It is available for purchase here.

Tour dates: 9/13 NYC release show @ Trans Pecos w/ Cat Cohen and Shark Muffin 9/14 Buffalo, NY release show @ Mohawk Place 9/15 Albany, NY @ Buddie’s Basement 9/16 Rollinsford, NH @ Sue’s 9/25 Boston, MA @ O’Briens * 9/26 Northampton, MA @ Red Cross * 9/27 Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar * 9/28 Toronto @ Duffy’s * 9/29 Kalamazoo, MI @ Candy Cane Lane * 9/30 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean downstairs * 10/1 St Louis, MO @ Nu Craig * 10/2 Fayetteville, AR @ Backspace * 10/3 Denton, TX @ J&Js * 10/4 Austin, TX @ Mohawk * 10/5 New Orleans, LA @ Bank St Bar * 10/6 Nashville, TN @ Drrkmttr * 10/8 Asheville, NC @ Static Age * 10/9 Raleigh, NC @ TBA * 10/10 DC @ Rhizome * 10/11 Philadelphia, PA @ Dumpster Out Back * 10/12 NYC @ Chili’s * *= w/ Kal Marks

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BODEGA bring us a “Shiny New Model” with their latest single.

Brooklyn-based BODEGA announces their new EP, Shiny New Model, out October 11th on What’s Your Rupture. Today, they share the title track, a buzzy, art-punk song that is set in an actual bodega, and an accompanying video. The video was directed by Brian Ngai and stars the band themselves. Following Endless Scroll, their “debut full of danceable, pop-smooth punk” (The AV Club), the Shiny New Model EP marks a lush new sonic direction for the group – widescreen multi-tracked guitars and a giant sounding rhythm section complement sharp songwriting and yearning vocal melodies. With wild minimalism and laughing wit, they revitalize the rock and roll vocabulary under the influence of post punk, hip-hop, kraut rock, and folk-derived narrative songwriting.

Last winter, Ben Hozie (conductor, vocals, guitar), Nikki Belfiglio (art director, vocals, samples, hi hat), Heather Elle (bass), Madison Velding Vandam (lead guitar, producer), and the new addition of Tai Lee (stand-up percussionist) headed up to Power Station in Connecticut to record. The EP is the band’s first recording done with Tai Lee, its first session at a proper studio, and the first BODEGA release produced within the group (production was handled by Vandam).

The EP covers various thematic ground: history alive in the present, the sadness of modern consumption, and adultery via sexting. In addition to the EP’s breezy hook-filled songs, the LP’s B-side features an extended improvised version of the group’s staple track “Truth is not Punishment” (an abbreviated “radio edit” of this track will be available on streaming services). The band has been using this song as a vehicle for extended live improvisation for a year and decided to use a day of the EP’s session to experiment with it in the studio.

BODEGA will tour across Europe before returning to the states later this year. They’ll appear at the O+ Festival in New York, Toronto’s Adelaide Hall, Brooklyn’s Elsewhere, and Philadelphia’s Kung Fu Necktie. All dates can be found below.

Watch the “Shiny New Model” Video – https://youtu.be/h7_A8fqHNBQ

Pre-order Shiny New Model EP – http://hyperurl.co/t1eo8p

Shiny New Model EP Tracklist: 1. Shiny New Model 2. Treasures 3. No Vanguard Revival 4. Knife On The Platter 5. Domesticated Animal 6. Realism 7. Truth Is Not Punishment (Long) 8. Truth Is Not Punishment (Short)

BODEGA Tour Dates: Fri. Aug. 23 – Charleville Mezières, FR @ Cabaret Vert Festival Sat. Aug. 24 – Gueret, FR @ Festival Check In Party Tue. Aug. 27 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2 Wed. Aug. 28 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare and Hounds Thu. Aug. 29 – Bedford, UK @ Esquires Fri. Aug. 30 – Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival Sun. Sept. 1 – Stradbally, IE @ Electric Picnic Fri. Oct. 11 – Kingston, NY @ O+ Festival Wed. Oct. 23 – Boston, MA @ Once (w/ Starcrawler) Sat. Oct. 26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle (w/ Starcrawler) Sun. Oct. 27 – Washington, DC @ Pie Shop (w/ Starcrawler) Mon. Oct. 28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe (w/ Starcrawler) Fri. Nov. 1 – Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5 (w/ Starcrawler) Sat. Nov. 2 @ New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa (w/ Starcrawler) Tue. Nov. 5 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda (Inside) (w/ Starcrawler) Fri. Nov. 8 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar (w/ Starcrawler) Sat. Nov. 9 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre (w/ Starcrawler) Mon. Dec. 2 – Toronto, ON @ Adelaide Hall Tue. Dec. 3 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Thu. Dec. 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

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Review: Dry Cleaning – Sweet Princess

British four-piece post-punkers Dry Cleaning (Nick Buxton – drums, Tom Dowse – guitar, Lewis Maynard – bass, Florence Shaw – vocals) have crafted one of the most intriguing EP’s of the year – Sweet Princess. What makes it intriguing is not only the cool guitar hooks, snappy drums, weird groove bass, and spoken word vocals, but the fact that Dry Cleaning have only been together since 2017 and played their first live gig just last year – yet they sound like they’ve been rocking clubs for at least a decade. They arrive so self-assured that you can’t help but tip your hat to them.

Let’s start with “Goodnight,” a tale of weird events that took place during “the [sarcastically] loveliest two months” of Shaw’s life. Shaw tells someone to shut up because she’s “going through a tough time” and reminisces about her childhood backyard swing set, happier times, and her grandmother while Buxton, Dowse, and Maynard put down serious grooves.

The instrumentation on “New Job” reminds me of early X tracks as Shaw talk-sings about a date she thought was going well but it turns out the guy across the table was just killing time. “Magic of Meghan” is about Duchess Meghan Markle, her charm, and the power of media. Dowse and Maynard play non-stop post-punk riffs while Buxton’s beats are salutes to Stephen Morris.

“Traditional Fish” is a down-tuned mind trip. “Phone Scam” has the great, crunchy angles I love in post-punk music, and Shaw’s spoken vocals about a phone scammer yelling at her yet reciting from a script are great. She sounds more intrigued with the experience than unnerved by it. The closer is “Conversation,” an apt title as most of Shaw’s vocals and lyrics sound like conversations between her and the listener or, in this case, someone on the other end of a telephone – as if we’re only hearing half of her conversation with someone we’ll never see or meet. Dowse’s early B-52’s guitar licks are nice throughout it.

If Sweet Princess is this good, a full-length from Dry Cleaning should be even more fascinating. Let’s hope for that soon. In the meantime, this record is a great start for them.

Keep your mind open.

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Blackwater Holylight take us on a “Motorcycle” ride ahead of their new album – “Veils of Winter.”

“An ambient blend of psychedelic vintage poppy hooks and crushingly heavy sludge.” — Metal Hammer

“This quartet has been burning up stages all around their hometown, fueled by their abrasive blend of doom metal, psych rock, goth and a tangy soupçon of pop music… They landed a spot on the 2018 Best New Band poll in alt-weekly Willamette Week, but could quickly take over the world.” — Paste Magazine

“They mesh elements of doom, Krautrock and atmospheric indie into one bewitching rock whole.” —Classic Rock Magazine

Portland, OR quintet Blackwater Holylight announce their forthcoming sophomore album Veils of Winter (RidingEasy Records) today, sharing the lead single. Hear and share the immediately classic hooks of “Motorcycle” via Bandcamp and YouTube.

Blackwater Holylight hit the road hard this Fall, supporting former RidingEasy label mates Monolord throughout the US in November, as well as Thou in September, plus a handful of hometown shows. Please see complete dates below.

Blackwater Holylight, as the name suggests, is all about contrasts. It’s a fluid convergence of sound that’s heavy, psychedelic, melodic, terrifying and beautiful all at once.

As a heavy band, their songs aren’t anchored to riffs, but rather riffs come and go in waves that surface throughout the band’s meditative, entrancing songs. It’s a hypnotic sound, with orchestral structures that often build tension and intrigue before turning the song on its head — not by simply getting louder or heavier, nor by just layering elements. They expertly subvert the implied heaviness of a part, dissecting it and splaying the song’s guts out to seep across the sonic spectrum.

Now, having toured extensively following the band’s wildly-successful breakout self-titled debut in 2018, Blackwater Holylight has honed their sound and identity to a powerfully captivating beast. Their live set is all about the slow build, seeming to combine the melodic tension of early Sonic Youth crossed with the laconic fever-dream blues of the first Black Sabbath album and wiry experimentation of post-punk and krautrock.

The lineup on this album is Allison (Sunny) Faris (bass/vocals), Laura Hopkins (guitar/vocals) and Sarah McKenna (synths), with new guitarist Mikayla Mayhew and drummer Eliese Dorsay fleshing out their sound in exciting ways.

“The process of this album was vastly different from our first record,” says Faris. “One, because we recorded it over the course of a few weeks, whereas the first record was over the course of about a year. And two, this album was a true collaboration between the five of us. Each of us had extremely equal parts in writing and producing, we all bounced ideas off each together, and we all had a say in what was going on during every part of the process.”

“One of our favorite things about this album is that because it was so collaborative, we didn’t compartmentalize ourselves into one vibe.” She continues. “It’s heavy, psychedelic, pop, shoegaze, doom, grunge, melodic and more. The whole process was extremely organic and natural for us, we were just being ourselves.”

Veils of Winter opens with fuzzed-drenched, drop-tuned bass and baritone guitar leading a dirge riff on “Seeping Secrets.” Faris’ lilting and funereal vocals drop in, adding to the mournful atmosphere until a short turnaround progression hints at changes to come, as Faris and Hopkins harmonize eerily and the tune suddenly turns into a krautrock charge. “Motorcycle” kicks off deceptively with a heavy grunge riff building up for about 40-seconds before the song abruptly shifts gears into a synth-led post-punk harmony, sounding something like Lush meets Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. “Death Realms” is perhaps the poppiest track, based around soaring shoegaze guitars and interwoven light vocal harmonies. Soft piano notes, occasional woozy whammy bar dives and a driving tom-tom beat solidify its hooks. “Spiders” is a creepy-crawly guitar riff and counterpoint keys, while “Moonlit” explores prog-structures with a shredding guitar solo crescendo. The penultimate track, “Lullaby” is exactly that, a lulling, expansive tune exemplifying Blackwater Holylight’s genre smashing sound as it subtly moves across a vast sonic landscape atop a hypnotic 6/8 beat and repetitive 3-note motif. Throughout the album, their songs shirk traditional verse-chorus-verse structure in favor of fluid, serpentine compositions that move with commanding grace.

Veils of Winter will be available on LP, CD and download on October 11th, 2019 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available at www.ridingeasyrecs.com.

BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT LIVE 2019: 08/24 Portland, OR @ Star Theater w/ Kadavar, Danava 09/23 Tallahassee, FL @ The Bark # 09/24 Tampa, FL @ The Blue Note # 09/26 Miami, FL @ Las Rosa’s # 09/27 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub # 09/28 Gainesville, FL @ The Atlantic # 09/29 Pensacola, FL @ Chizuco # 10/24 Portland, OR @ Star Theater – Album release show 11/05 San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick * 11/06 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress * 11/07 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister * 11/09 Austin, TX @ Barracuda – Levitation Fest – RidingEasy Stage 11/10 Lafayette, LA @ Freetown Boom Boom Room * 11/11 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks * 11/12 Atlanta, GA @ 529 * 11/13 Asheville, NC @ Mothlight * 11/14 Richmond, VA @ Camel * 11/15 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery * 11/16 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church * 11/17 New York, NY @ Saint Vitus * 11/20 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s * 11/21 Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle Brewing * 11/22 St. Louis, MO @ Fubar * 11/23 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck * 11/25 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater * 11/27 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom * # w/ Thou * w/ Monolord

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Dry Cleaning release “Magic of Meghan” ahead of debut EP – “Sweet Princess” due August 16th.

London’s Dry Cleaning announce their much-anticipated debut EP, “Sweet Princess,” due August 16th on It’s OK. In conjunction with today’s announcement, they present a video for the lead single, “Magic of Meghan.”

The release of “Sweet Princess” continues a period of fervent activity from the band, despite having no music online. Dry Cleaning have already seen significant interest, playing early headline shows and meaningful support tours. They possess something entirely different to the rest of the pack – their wiry, excitable post-punk and new-wave paired as it is to surreal, detached vocal narratives in the form of a predominantly spoken word delivery.

Firm friends for years, the band (Lewis Maynard, Tom Dowse, Florence Shaw & Nick Buxton) only started making music after a karaoke party in 2017 inspired a collaboration. They wrote instrumentally to begin with and six months later Shaw, a university lecturer and picture researcher by day, joined on vocals with no prior musical experience. They recorded the six-track “Sweet Princess” EP before playing their first show only last year.

When they started they knew they wanted to make simple music, direct and uncomplicated. The musical influences were clear – the Feelies, the Necessaries, the B52s and Pylon as a starting point. The garage / rehearsal space had a huge influence on the sound as it was so small and intimate; anything unnecessary was to be left behind. A discussion among the four band members about how to make the prospect of performing as comfortable as possible for Florence (a first timer) ahead of the band’s first rehearsal as a four piece, led to her using her speaking voice. There were several references for this; Will Powers, The Anaemic Boyfriends and Grace Jones, among others.

The video for “Magic of Meghan” was made by Sheffield based artist Lucy Vann. Vann investigates, records and reinterprets overlooked behaviours and occurrences in the everyday, in this case through moving image, but she also works with photography, writing, sound, objects and performance. Her work balances between a state of tedium and interest, and attempts to reveal something beyond the immediate surface of daily life. As for the lyrical content of the song itself, well, it’s clearly a song celebrating Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.

“The song acknowledges that following the lives of those in the public eye can provide people with an escape; an outlet for difficult emotions, and subsequently help them to cope with hard times in their lives,” says Florence Shaw. “The song is, in part, intended to serve as a thank you to Meghan for this service (‘You got engaged on the day that I moved out. It’s ok. She’s a smasher, perfectly suited to the role’). The song also aims to highlight how the news media dissect her decisions (‘Never has one outfit been designed, to send so many messages’) and the creative ways they conceal the misogyny and racism that is sometimes behind what they write about her (‘You’re just what England needs, you’re going to change us’).”
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “MAGIC OF MEGHAN” –
https://youtu.be/FRbpWEXkBic

PRE-ORDER “SWEET PRINCESS” HERE –
https://orcd.co/drycleaning

“SWEET PRINCESS” EP TRACKLIST:
1. Goodnight
2. New Job
3. Magic of Meghan
4. Traditional Fish
5. Phone Scam
6. Convention

DRY CLEANING TOUR DATES:
Fri. July 19 – Suffolk, UK @ Latitude Festival
Thu. Aug. 8 – Brighton, UK @ Prince Albert *
Fri. Aug. 9 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sat. Aug. 10 – Leicester, UK @ O2 Academy
Fri. Aug. 16 – Breacon Beacons, UK @ Green Man Festival
Wed. Aug. 21 – London, UK @ Schacklewell Arms
Thu. Aug. 22 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
Fri. Aug. 23 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Basement)
Sat. Aug. 24 – Birkinhead, UK @ Future Yard Festival
Sat. Oct. 19 – Bristol, UK @ Simple Things Festival
Sun. Oct. 20 – Cardiff, UK @ SWN Festival

*= w/ Bodega

Keep your mind open.

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Priests release disco cover version of Danzig’s “Mother.”

LISTEN TO “MOTHER” http://amzn.to/priests

WATCH “JESUS’ SON” https://youtu.be/sAEuo7TS2D8

WATCH “GOOD TIME CHARLIE” https://youtu.be/PXGTRqwpO1o

WATCH “THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS” http://smarturl.it/TheSeductionOfKansas

Ahead of their US tour in support of The Seduction of Kansas (released earlier this year via Sister Polygon Records) Priests today have released an Amazon Original song, “Mother,” a cover of Danzig’s iconic 1988 signature song. “Mother” is available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music. Taken from Danzig’s self-titled debut, a classic produced by Rick Rubin, “Mother” is a track that Priests often perform live and play in the van while on tour. The cover was recorded in a day with multi-instrumentalist Don Godwin at Tonal Park in Washington, D.C., and features bassist Alexandra Tyson. For the recording, Priests re-work the track with a more dramatic, danceable edge.

“This whole album (Danzig) is actually pretty sexy, something it doesn’t get enough credit for. We thought we’d tease this out a little more in our cover by re-imagining it with a ‘Let’s Dance’ era Nile-Rogers-producing-Bowie kind of glamor. Plus, what better way to subvert expectations of a Danzig song than by sprinkling it with a little disco panache? We assume this cover won’t be for everybody, but that’s the whole point of committing to creative decisions now, isn’t it?”

Listen to “Mother” (Amazon Original) only on Amazon Music: http://amzn.to/priests

Amazon Music listeners can simply ask, “Alexa, play the new song by Priests” in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices, or find the track on the global playlist “The Setlist,” celebrating the best music of the moment in indie rock.

PRIESTS 2019 TOUR DATES Mon. June 17 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn Tue. June 18 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa Thu. June 20 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Fri. June 21 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda Sat. June 22 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada Mon. June 24 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Tue. June 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar Wed. June 26 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar Thu. June 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Sat. June 29 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club Mon. July 1 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall Tue. July 2 – Vancouver, BC @ The Bitmore Wed. July 3 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos Sat. July 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court Sun. July 7 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Tue. July 9 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar Wed. July 10 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway

PRAISE FOR THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS

“[The Seduction of Kansas] reinvents the entire idea of Priests, finding bold new ways of expressing their rage against soulless consumerism and empty empire. It’s an LP full of disco ghosts and subtle threats, sideways glances and radical moves.” – Rolling Stone

“Priests’ breed of elastic post-punk is as danceable as it is thought-provoking. On their sophomore LP, The Seduction of Kansas, the D.C. trio locks into rubbery grooves that beckon for the freewheeling boogying of Converse-clad clubgoers.” – Billboard

“Priests prove themselves to be highly intellectual and creative songsmiths, drawing on not only their D.C. punk roots but also some adventurous pop sensibilities, all while serving up searing, sage commentary on Middle American ideals.” – Paste

“[The Seduction of Kansas] finds Priests pushing in all sorts of directions, forever dismissing any shorthand descriptions of them as a punk band.” – Stereogum

“a dizzying display of theoretical references and pop culture detritus, one that induces a pleasurable nausea similar to being at the centre of a mosh-pit — blissfully lacking in control, totally at the mercy of those around you.” – Exclaim!

“A merry-go-round of styles and themes, The Seduction Of Kansas isn’t a departure so much as a reminder of the band’s foundations.” – AV Club

PURCHASE THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS Sister Polygon pre-order – http://sisterpolygonrecords.bigcartel.com

iTunes Pre-order – https://apple.co/2TvJs3c

Priests Online: website: http://www.666priests666.com/ spr

website: http://sisterpolygon.com/ bandcamp:

https://priests.bandcamp.com/

twitter: @PRIESTS_TWEET

facebook: @priestsband

instagram: @insta_priests

Keep your mind open.

[Mother, tell your children to walk their way to the subscription box.]

Review: French Vanilla – How Am I Not Myself?

Los Angeles queercore / post-punk quartet French Vanilla’s new album, How Am I Not Myself?, is brash, bold, funny, a dare for all of us to do something terrifying – let our true selves come out of our shells and face the world.

The instantly groovy “Real or Not” starts the album with funky bass and Sally Spitz’s hooping and hollering vocals that dance almost as much as Daniel Trautfield’s saxophone. Spitz more or less asks if we’re are living our truth or succumbing to outside influences and living a lie for someone else’s sake. “Lost Power” is a sharp takedown of Spitz’s former lover. “All the Time” was the first single off the album, and it’s as funky as hell with Greg Shilton putting down chops as slick as the shine on James Brown’s boots.

“Friendly Fire” is a clever track about the stresses of queer folk realizing their nature while in a straight relationship. Guitarist Ali Day unleashes a cool guitar riff on “Protective” that’s somehow jagged and fuzzy at the same time. The whole track brings to mind early B-52’s records with its urgent rhythm and excellent vocals by Spitz.

Trautfield’s sax gets another good workout on “Suddenly” (He seems to be everywhere at once on the song.), which also boasts another fabulous bass line to back it. It builds to a hip-shaking groove and, I can attest, is great for a workout playlist. “Joan of Marc,” the wonderfully titled “Bromosapien,” and “Move Along, Move Ahead” stick a feminist middle finger in the eye of misogyny, “man-splaining,” sexism, and body / sex shaming.

“I saw the future. I held it up to my face. It was absolutely fascinating,” Spitz sings on “Sensitive (Not Too Sensitive).” The album ends with this track encouraging all of us to follow French Vanilla’s path and live true in what could be a fascinating future if we choose to have it.

How Am I Not Myself? is a question we all need to ask ourselves, sometimes daily, and it’s an album we all need to hear.

Keep your mind open.

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Live: Priests and Gurr – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL – April 22, 2019

I hadn’t seen Washington D.C. post-punks Priests since the 2017 Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. They were promoting their excellent album, Nothing Feels Natural, at the time, and they put on a lively afternoon set under a bright sun. Seeing them at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall would be the first time I would see them playing tracks off their new album, The Seduction of Kansas (which is currently my favorite album of 2019), in a small club, and since one of their original bassist, Taylor Mulitz, amicably left the band to form Flasher – a good band in their own right.

Opening them were a fun band called Gurr, who hail from Germany (despite a drunk in the crowd loudly asking if they were from France or Canada). They played a loud post-PUNK that had an infectious energy you couldn’t ignore. They revealed that their touring van had been burglarized at a previous gig and all of the money they’d made on tour so far was gone, but they were still upbeat.

Priests came out with “Good Time Charlie,” one of the first singles released from The Seduction of Kansas. It was immediately evident that the new tracks take on a dangerous edge live, even with some low bass troubles for Alexandria Tyson at first (which were fixed by the sound crew by the time Priests reached the stinging “YouTube Sartre” and the defiant “Not Perceived”). Katie Greer’s vocals on “The Seduction of Kansas” were almost spooky at some points. She had us hypnotized and even a bit frightened.

Getting seduced by “The Seduction of Kansas”

A highlight was when drummer Daniele Daniele came to the front and sang lead on “68 Screen” and “I’m Clean.” She accidentally stepped on an effects pedal at one point during “I’m Clean,” cutting out some of the programmed drumming for a moment. “It’s live music, folks! You’ll never hear that version again,” Greer said before they tore into “Pink White House” from Nothing Feels Natural.

G.L. Jaguar was shredding by the time they reached “Texas Instruments” and closed with the knockout punch of “Jesus’ Son.” I walked out of Lincoln Hall with one word in mind – “dangerous.” In a small venue, with the powerful lyrics, vocals, and instrumentation behind them, seeing Priests was like being in a room with four somewhat frisky panthers prowling back and forth along the far wall. They encouraged you to play with them, but you knew they could maul you at any moment.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jim DeLuca and Jacob Daneman of Pitch Perfect PR for providing me with a press pass to the show.]

Review: Priests – The Seduction of Kansas

The title of Priests‘ excellent new record, The Seduction of Kansas, refers to a 2004 book by Thomas Frank entitled What’s the Matter with Kansas? That book discussed how the political leanings of Kansas more or less predicted the political leanings of the country at large for a century. Priests hail from the nation’s capital and are thus front and center for the political circus there, so it’s no surprise that The Seduction of Kansas lashes out at elitism, “bro” culture, 1%’ers, xenophobia, consumerism, and pretty much everything John Carpenter predicted in They Live.

The album opens with the hard-hitting “Jesus’ Son,” which is both a reference to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground (who are definite post-punk influences on Priests) and a middle finger to douchebags who think they can get away with anything (i.e., “I am Jesus’ son. I’m young and dumb and full of cum. I am Jesus’ son. I think I’m gonna hurt someone.”) because they’re rich dudes. The title track practically has the subliminal “CONSUME” message from They Live woven through it as vocalist Katie Alice Greer sings about how corporations and mass media try to seduce us every day and convince us that they are really all we need.

“Youtube Sartre” is a slick takedown of dehumanizing technology and online trolls (and G.L. Jaguar’s guitar work on it is excellent – blending shoegaze and post-punk riffs). Drummer Daniele Daniele takes over the vocals on the sexy / scary “I’m Clean” – a song about a murderess who snaps after the pressures of modern society finally become too much for her to bear. Bassist Janel Leppin’s groove on it is the sheath and Daniele’s vocals are the knife. “Ice Cream” is almost an industrial goth track thanks to the creepy fuzz bass and Daniele’s machine-like beats.

The snappy “Good Time Charlie” is about the U.S. war machine and how war is, for some, damn good money. Daniele comes back to sing lead on “68 Screen” – a sharp song about objectification with the rhythm section going to the forefront and Jaguar smartly backing them up because he knows how damn good Leppin and Daniele are working together.

In an interesting turn, Priests follow a song about objectification of women and being held up to standards found in media with a song called “Not Perceived” – a song about how easy it is to fade into loneliness and obscurity despite having access to devices that let us connect to anywhere in the world in a few seconds. “I’m a haunted house made of marrow and bone.” is one of the best, and for some people, truest lyrics of the year regarding the subject of loneliness and being disenfranchised.

Greer gets her Patti Smith groove on in “Control Freak” – a track that comes at you like a thunderstorm. Leppin’s rumbling bass is the thunder, Jaguar’s guitar the lightning, Daniele’s drums the driving rain, and Greer’s voice the raging wind. “Carol,” on the other hand, is almost a dreamy cruise on a summer day…but with a hint of mystery you can’t quite describe. The album ends with “Texas Instruments” – a lyrically searing takedown of xenophobia with Jaguar’s guitar work coming back to the lead with roaring riffs.

This is one of the best albums of the year so far. It’s packed with intriguing lyrics that reveal more with each listen and is a vital diary of modern times in not only the nation’s capital, but the rest of the country.

Keep your mind open.

[You can seduce me by subscribing.]

Priests’ new single, “Jesus’ Son,” is a great appetizer for the main course of “The Seduction of Kansas” due out tomorrow.

WATCH “JESUS’ SON” https://youtu.be/Zk99zK9Kxw0

WATCH “GOOD TIME CHARLIE” https://youtu.be/nEN_GTab-ro

WATCH “THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS” https://youtu.be/coR59SSPWv8

Priests, the Washington, D.C. rock trio consisting of drummer Daniele Daniele, vocalist Katie Alice Greer, and guitarist G.L. Jaguar (and joined live by bassist Alexandra Tyson) share “Jesus’ Son” from their forthcoming album, The Seduction of Kansas, out April 5th via Sister Polygon Records. They also share an accompanying a new music video, presenting the band giving a dramatic staged-performance with a filter of muted colors. Following the tightly wound “Good Time Charlie” and their purest pop song to date, “The Seduction of Kansas,” “Jesus’ Son” is a grand-scale rock statement.

“The mythology of a rock band relies heavily on building a captivating arsenal of visual signifiers, one of which is often a ‘live performance’ music video. I put quotations around live performance because usually these are theatrically staged pantomimes of what the band would like the viewer to believe the actual live experience of their work to be like. We decided to try our hand at this as an expression of our identity— we are, in fact, a rock band— and so, we pay homage to those who have come before us (Blink 182, the Stone Roses, the Smiths, and perhaps most explicitly here, Nine Inch Nails). So now you know, in case you didn’t before: we are a rock band. Hope you enjoy the song and video. As for the song itself, we are of course nodding to Lou Reed’s declaration that he felt ‘just like Jesus’ Son’ way back when, a statement that launched a thousand others who perhaps too have felt like the son of god at one point or another. Many inquiring minds have already said they’d like to know who the song is about, it is certainly an apocalyptic sci-fi tale of epic proportions… perhaps it is about more than just a person? We hope you enjoy it.”

The Seduction of Kansas probes the realities and mythologies of America in 2019. For The Seduction of Kansas, the band took a decidedly less hermetic approach – collaborating with someone outside of their DC-based community for the first time. Finding a kindred spirit in producer John Congleton (Angel Olsen, St. Vincent), the band spent two weeks recording at his Elmwood Studio in Dallas. They also enlisted help from primary bassist and fourth songwriting collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Janel Leppin, who played on the band’s previous album, Nothing Feels Natural. The songwriting process found the group once again analyzing the textures and scopes of albums as aggressive as they are introspective, like Massive Attack’s Mezzanine, Portishead’s Third, and Nine Inch Nails’ Downward Spiral.

Priests will soon embark on a North American tour. Later, they will tour extensively in Europe before returning stateside.

PRIESTS 2019 TOUR DATES Mon. April 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer Tue. April 16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Thu. April 18 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair Fri. April 19 – Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo Sat. April 20 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison Sun. April 21 – Detroit, MI @ El Club Mon. April 22 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall Thu. April 25 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon Fri. April 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry Sat. April 27 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Sun. April 28 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews Tue. April 30 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Wed. May 1 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups Sat. May 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape Sun. May 12 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Mon. May 13 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room) Tues. May 14 – Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint Wed. May 15 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Thu. May 16 – London, UK @ 100 Club Fri. 17 May – Lille, FR @ Aeronef Sat. 18 May – Paris, FR @ Supersonic Mon. 20 May – Brussels, BE @ Botanique (Witloof Bar) Tue. 21 May – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn Wed. 22 May – Munich, DE @ Import/Export Thu. 23 May – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik Fri. 24 May – Heidelberg, DE @ Queer Festival (Karlstorbahnhof) Sat, 25 May – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling Mon. 27 May – Aarhus DK @ Tape Tue. 28 May – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen Wed. 29 May – Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain Thu. 30 May – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklag (Goldener Salon) Fri. 31 May – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival Sat. 1 June – Neustrelitz, DE @ Immergut Festival Sat. June 15 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club Sun. June 16 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook Mon. June 17 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn Tue. June 18 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa Thu. June 20 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Fri. June 21 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda Sat. June 22 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada Mon. June 24 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Tue. June 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar Wed. June 26 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar Thu. June 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Sat. June 29 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club Mon. July 1 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall Tue. July 2 – Vancouver, BC @ The Bitmore Wed. July 3 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos Sat. July 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court Sun. July 7 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Tue. July 9 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar Wed. July 10 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway

PRAISE FOR “GOOD TIME CHARLIE” “The group’s unique twist on rock music has always resisted easy categorization, and these new singles find them continuing to stretch themselves in exciting ways.” – Stereogum

“It’s a heavy topic delivered with a heavy sound, yet Priests still manage to make the song a rollicking good time for all of us, not just Charlie.” – Paste

“‘Good Time Charlie’ sounds like a spaghetti western in a neon hellscape, in the absolute best way possible.” – The FADER

PRE-ORDER THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS Sister Polygon pre-order – http://sisterpolygonrecords.bigcartel.com iTunes Pre-order – https://apple.co/2TvJs3c

Priests Online:

website: http://www.666priests666.com/

spr website: http://sisterpolygon.com/

bandcamp: https://priests.bandcamp.com/

twitter: @PRIESTS_TWEET

facebook: @priestsband

instagram: @insta_priests

Keep your mind open.

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