After the release of album Never Exhale at the start of the year, DITZ return with a 9 minute, three-part noise-rock epic new single ‘Don Enzo Magic Carpet Salesman’, and it marks a bold new direction for the band. Fierce, hypnotic and unpredictable, it captures their live energy in full force, and comes with additional track ‘Kalimba Song’.
Both will be also be available on a limited edition 12” on 28th November via City Slang Records, with the first copies sold exclusively on their upcoming tour ahead of this date.
Vocalist C.A. Francis says of the new single, “Don Enzo began as a demo Jack Looker made after our touring wrapped early in the year. It started as one short movement, but after I added lyrics and sent it back, he returned it with five more minutes of music, creating a three-part structure. The song reflects my frustration with AI art – the first part reacting to the issue, the second written from the AI’s perspective, and the final section representing the last gasp of real art before being overwhelmed by artificial output.”
The debut album from Irish / Portuguese quintet pôt-pot, Warsaw 480km, is an album about feeling adrift during dark hours but also knowing that light eventually will come.
Lead singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Mark Waldron-Hyden wrote most of the album while bouncing around different landscapes and residences…all the while dealing with grief over the death of his father. What emerged was a pretty damn cool post-punk / krautrock / Ennio Morricone (and, believe it or not, James Brown)-inspired album.
“22° Halo” opens the record with a fierce bass lick from Joe Armitage and guitars that you think are going to overwhelm you for a moment but then fade into the shadows. “Sextape” started out as a jam session and became your next favorite song to put on a psych-rock mixtape. The blend of male and female harmonies between Waldron-Hyden and Elaine Malone and Sara Lelsie and near-surf rock guitars from Waldron-Hyden and Mykle Oliver Smith are instantly hypnotizing, and Malone’s harmonium is like incense in your meditation chamber.
“WRSW” was inspired by the road sign mentioned in the album’s title as Waldron-Hyden was riding in a car with his father’s ashes. As the story goes, he saw the sign emerge along the road on a dark night and it gave him the sense that he’d get through both the night and his grief (even in the latter would remain to some degree for a lifetime). The upbeat krautrock rhythm gives you (and Waldron-Hyden) the power to keep moving forward. “Fake Eyes” is a haunting track that seems to just…hover.
The press release I received for Warsaw 480km mentions how “I AM!” is indebted to Lou Reed. That’s correct, as it sounds like a groovy Velvet Underground track you forgot existed. Waldron-Hyden’s swaggering beat on “Can’t Handle It” reminds me of Cramps records – as do the repeated lyrics of “Tell me, baby, do you feel all right? Tell me, baby, would you take my life? Because I just can’t handle it.”
The guitar work on “The Lights Are On” is a great mix of psych-garage and dark country twang. “Hot Scene” continues that Morricone influence and adds a bit of Delta 5 post-punk flair as it builds to a loud buzz in your head. The album ends with “Change Your Life,” which could be a suggestion made by Waldron-Hyden to us, a friend, a lover, or himself. I’m not sure…or if it matters.
What does matter is that you give this album a spin. It’s a great debut and portends more good things to come from them.
Dry Cleaning announce their new album, Secret Love, out January 9th on 4AD and release the lead single, “Hit My Head All Day.” Secret Love is the finest expression yet of the profound friendships between frontperson Florence Shaw, guitarist Tom Dowse, drummer Nick Buxton and bassist Lewis Maynard. Here, the south London four-piece take their place in rock’s avant-garde, catalyzing the Reaganite paranoia of early 80s US punk and hardcore with the dry strut of Keith Richards, stoner rock, dystopian degradation, playful no wave and pastoral fingerpicking, while Florence’s delivery, meticulously calibrated to her bandmates’ soundscapes, asserts her in a lineage of spoken-word artists stretching from Laurie Anderson to Life Without Buildings’ Sue Tompkins.
The follow-up to Stumpwork, one of 2023’s most beloved records, Secret Love started life in Peckham rehearsal spaces, all four members writing, playing and responding to each other in the room: in Dry Cleaning, music and lyrics form an inseparable, generative whole. Secret Love evolved through affirming sessions at Jeff Tweedy’s Chicago studio, The Loft, and explosive ones with Gilla Band’s Alan Duggan and DanielFox at Sonic Studios in Dublin, taking advantage of the sensory particulars of each space, and finally, with Cate Le Bon at Black Box in the Loire Valley. After interviewing various potential producers, they picked Cate—an esteemed solo artist who has also produced albums for Deerhunter, Devendra Banhart, Wilco and Horsegirl—for her unabashed positivity and openness. “Being in a room with them and hearing that vitality and life force that exists between them all, it’s such a unique expression,” Le Bon says.
Trust is Secret Love’s guiding theme, as signified by today’s compulsively catchy single and album opener, “Hit My Head All Day.” Powered by pistons of breathy synths and cresting arcs of guitar, Florence’s signature mix of absurdism and sensitivity shines through. “The song is about manipulation of the body and mind,” Florence explains. “The lyrics were initially inspired by the use of misinformation on social media by the far right. There are powerful people that seek to influence our behavior for their own gain; to buy certain things, to vote a certain way. I find it hard to read people’s intentions and decide who to trust, even in everyday life. It’s easy to fall under the influence of a sinister stranger who seems like a friend. We took a playful approach to the song. At one point it had harmonica on it instead of a vocal. At the demo stage we were inspired by There’s a Riot Goin’ On by Sly and the Family Stone.” The song arrives with an accompanying visualizer featuring movement by choreographer dance duo BULLYACHE.
Secret Love will be available digitally, on CD, cassette, black vinyl, limited edition Apricot vinyl (4AD store & indie retail) and Pearl/Arctic vinyl (Rough Trade exclusive). An exclusive run of white labels of Secret Love will be available to order for 48 hours only from today via the 4AD store, and a small quantity of JCD’s will be available exclusively on Bandcamp. A limited number of signed photo prints will also be available via 4AD and select indie stores.
Dry Cleaning Tour Dates Thu. Oct. 23 – Madrid, ES @ Barceló Theatre Fri. Oct. 24 – Valencia, ES @ Loco Club Sat. Oct. 25 – Barcelona, ES @ Paral.lel 62 Fri. Nov. 7 – Brighton, UK @ Mutations Festival Sat. Nov. 8 – Bristol, UK @ Simple Things Festival Sat. Jan. 3 – Bognor Regis, UK @ Rockaway Beach Festival Wed. Apr. 22 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
Keep your mind open.
[I might hit my head all day if you don’t subscribe.]
You can always recognize faces by the final day of Austin, Texas’ Levitation Music Festival. You see the same people who’ve been sweating and rocking with you all weekend and can tell who hasn’t had enough sleep, who’s been in the sun too long, who’s hungover, who’s dehydrated, and who’s an old pro.
The crowd was light when I arrived to see Daiistar open the final day of the festival. This isn’t because Daiistar is a bad band, quite the contrary, but the people who show up early on Sunday are either the die-hards who are getting every cent of their money’s worth for the weekend pass, the people who can only make it on Sunday and have the same logic, the fans of the first band, and those who are so deep in the festival zone that showing up when the gates open has become as automatic as breathing. All of those people got to see a good set of early-90’s vibe psychedelia from Daiistar that was a good warm-up to a hot, humid Sunday.
Starting the day with Daiistar.
Afterwards, shade spots were prime real estate at the outdoor stage for Population II, who brought their fiery cosmic psych all the way from Quebec and wowed the audience. They cracked jokes about touring, their own merch, and lack of English in between songs about everything from pizza to panic.
Population II gathering a large population of new fans.
Two friends, Wes and Chelsea, met me at the festival on this day, and I took them to see A Place to Bury Strangers. This was their first time seeing APTBS. “I envy your innocence,” I said. We walked into the indoor stage area within moments of the opening notes of the set and, of course, were greeted by what sounded like a saw mill on fire. As is now custom at an APTBS show, they came into the middle of crowd, near us, to perform a wild, weird set of hammering rhythms and distorted synth…something. Chelsea said, “It felt like they’d summoned us to be sacrificed and then put a hex on us.” We later told frontman Oliver Ackermann this and he said, “Yes! That’s it.” Chelsea said she was still thinking about their set by the end of the night.
A Place to Bury Strangers casting spells.
As if that wasn’t enough face-melting for you, along came Frankie and The Witch Fingers afterwards with a ton of groovy garage-punk chaos for which I joined the mosh pit and rocked out with the sweaty crowd for a bit (which you could easily have done outside as well since it was so hot and humid that day). FATWF always play well and are a ton of fun.
Frankie and The Witch Fingers casting spells.
We had some time for food at some point. It’s difficult to remember when you eat and which set is at which time when you’re on Day Three. We did remember that The Black Angels were up next for us. The festival’s hosts and curators always play and put on a set of some rare tracks I hadn’t heard in a while, possibly ever, which was a treat.
The hosts!
The final two bands of the night on the indoor stage were indie rock giants -— both of whom drew big crowds. First was Built to Spill, whose lead singer and guitarist Doug Martsch had some of the best guitar tones of the entire festival.
Spilling thrills for the appreciative crowd.
Next, and closing the day and the festival, was Pavement. They had a great time on stage, laughing a lot, poking fun at each other, and getting a lot of cheers from the crowd.
Pavement pounding the stage.
There’s always an odd feeling when Levitation ends. You’ve been there for multiple days and nights. You’ve made some new friends, seen the same groups of weirdos, ate some spicy food, drank too much caffeine, and your ears are sore from wearing earplugs for three straight days or not wearing them at all. You’ve experienced something…and now it’s finished. You don’t feel empty or sad, but you do wish you could squeeze another day or night out of it…and you also feel renewed and ready for next year.
See you in 2026, God willing and the creek don’t rise.
Those were the first words I heard about Day Two of 2025’s Levitation Austin musical festival as I walked toward the entrance of the Palmer Event Center. Some guy said this to his pal as they steeled themselves for the day to come. The guy was right, as the bright sun was brutal at times — especially at the outdoor stage.
I started indoors, both to avoid the peak sun and to see Hooveriii put on a solid set of psych-rock that bordered on grunge rock a couple times (which was fine by me).
Hooveriii (pronounced “Hoover Three”, not “hoovery.”)
Many of us ventured out into the sun to see Dutch disco funkers Yīn-Yīn play for the first time anywhere in the United States. They had the afternoon crowd jumping and were having a great time despite not being used to such heat.
Yīn-Yīn getting their sweaty groove on, and on all of us.
I had time for a chicken shawarma wrap (possibly the best food bargain at the festival) and some ice cream before heading back to the outdoor stage to see Model / Actriz put on a blistering set of queercore post-punk with lead singer Cole Haden prowling through the crowd while his bandmates played tight, snappy beats and riffs. Guitarist Jack Wetmore knows not only how to play, but the right moments not to play — a skill overlooked by many.
Model / Actriz bringing more heat than the afternoon sun.
I took some more time to hydrate and get a full meal (It’s a marathon, not a sprint.) before heading back indoors to join the large crowd for The Brian Jonestown Massacre, who played to a happy crowd — many of whom (at least around me) hadn’t seen them before now. It was a good set, with only minor issue when, believe it or not, Anton Newcombe decided his microphone had too much reverb.
Too much reverb? Never!
The Raveonettes were a welcome return to Levitation. I hadn’t seen them since 2013 when Levitation was still the Austin Psych Fest (which has returned in its own form). They still sound great and played classics and newer stuff.
Let’s rave on!
The biggest show of the night, and for the entire festival for me, belonged to TV on the Radio. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see them, so their appearance at Levitation made the decision to fly here a no-brainer. They slayed it and had everyone jumping and moving. Their energy was infectious and immediate, and a great way to close the night.
Well worth the wait.
TVOTR didn’t close my night, however. I was so wired after their set that I walked over a mile to Elysium to see Past Self and Urban Heat. I knew we were in for a treat when Past Self’s bassist started the show by playing his guitar with a bow. What followed was a mix of desert rock (They’re from Las Vegas, Nevada.), New Romanticism, and dark wave.
Past Self. Are they ghosts, musicians, past incarnations of you?
Urban Heat are local heroes who play aggressive shoegaze mixed with post-punk anger. It’s good stuff, and they seem destined for big things. They reminded me a bit of early TVOTR, which was fitting because I bumped into TVOTR’s guitarist / multi-instrumentalist Jaleel Bunton at their show and got to thank him for the great set.
Urban Heat in the middle of the night.
Up next, psychedelia, indie rock, and a couple sets that might cause you to seek a chiropractor afterwards.
I’ll admit that I almost didn’t make it to see Viagra Boys and Die Spitz in Chicago. I’d bought the tickets when they went on sale several months ago, figuring the show would sell out after their tremendous show at The Salt Shedthe last time they were there. Sure enough, it did sell out, but I was tired and had already dealt with a long week (and it was only Wednesday) by the time September 17th arrived. I debated selling my tickets, but no one offered a decent price for them.
Luckily, I convinced my girlfriend’s daughter to go with me, figuring she’d get a kick out of their show and seeing the all-female Die Spitz rip up a stage. It was the right call, because we had a fun time and she came back with a Die Spitz shirt and a couple new favorite bands.
Die Spitz
Austin, Texas’ Die Spitz put on a good, loud, sludgy set of garage punk. It reminded me a lot of Bleach-era Nirvana. They were raw, rough, and having a great time. You couldn’t ignore them, nor should you.
Viagra Boys
Viagra Boys played a lot of tracks from their new self-titled album, opening the show with “Man Made of Meat” – which most of the crowd was singing / yelling with them. “Slow Learner” was a pleasant surprise, and “Punk Rock Loser” had everyone cheering.
I didn’t eat the pizza, but more on that later.
“Ain’t No Thief” was a big hit, with the crowd tossing so many lighters to lead singer Sebastian Murphy that he forgot the lyrics to the second verse. “Pyramid of Health” has some fun audience participation, as did “You N33d Me.”
“Store Policy” was another fun surprise, and “Medicine for Horses” was a mellow turn before they launched into “Sports” and an extended version of “Research Chemicals” that had a wild, almost psychedelic outro.
Shrimptech Industries stock jumps 500%!
After a short break, the encore included “The Bog Body” from the new album, “ADD” (another nice one to hear), and “Worms” — a fitting end as it’s a song about embracing mortality and impermanence.
The crowd was fired up with anger toward the current political climate and the desire to have fun and forget about it for a while (i.e., at least two people in full shrimp costumes — one of whom, according to people we overheard as we left, was having a green-out).
As we left, we drove by this place that is not even a ten-minute drive from the Salt Shed.
It would’ve been appropriate to eat here after the show, and support Shrimptech Industries, but, alas, they were closed. We went for late night tacos instead and, as I left with our to-go order, I was passed by a woman and her…
…WEINER DOG!
If that’s not a perfect ending to a Viagra Boys show, I don’t know what is.
As soon as Quinn Flanigan‘s bass opens “Brain Feeder” on Dog Lips‘ second album, Danger Forward, you know you’re in for a good time. The song, and all the others on the record, is a no-nonsense rocker that has you pumping your fist in the air, banging your head, or shoving people out of the way (at least in your fantasies).
“Who Knows” is a warped post-punk (the guitars from Griffin Ritzo and Owen Shepcaro!) gem. “I Am” staggers around the room like it’s had a few pints and is getting treacherously close to starting a brawl. The whole band sounds like they’re playing in a fuzzed-out blizzard on “Gush.”
“Voicemail Bomb Threat” is a great call-and-response punk track with Tim Graff having a great time behind his drum kit. As wild as that is, “Human Hybrid” is even wilder. The title track reminds me of some of IDLES‘ cuts with its smashing guitars and drums and half-growled, half-sang vocals.
Then, “The Reason” slides into the room looking and sounding like the coolest thing in the place. It has a bit of a gothic touch to it and Ritzo’s vocals are almost buried in reverb. It shows that Dog Lips could make an entire psych-rock record if they wanted. “Last Ride” turns the volume and anger back up for one last assault that leaves you out of breath.
There is danger on Danger Forward. The danger is that it might cause you to start a mosh pit in your cubicle farm, the pub, the elevator, or anywhere else. Get in and hold on when you play it.
Today, Fat Dog unveil “Pray To That,” their second new single since the release of their brilliantly frenzied, “trippy, whiplash-inducing” (Variety) debut album, WOOF., last year. Following the “extra-dimensional pop song,” (Clash) “Peace Song,” and its accompanying remix, “Pray To That” is propelled at breakneck speed by an urgent four-to-the-floor beat and sees frontman Joe Love question the Fat Dog lifestyle with his deadpan humour: “Seven shits left to give / Yeah I’ll pray to that / I’m only 25 / Well it’s the same every night / She thought I’m 39.”
Recorded at Dan Carey’s studio, “Pray To That” was co-produced by Love and Carey. The equally unhinged video comes courtesy of Dylan Coates with Love starring as a wayward preacher.
Fresh off their triumphant Glastonbury set, Fat Dog continue their live assault this summer. Earlier in the summer, the band played five UK cities in just three days. The band will play a string of UK and European festivals before embarking on a September North American Tour, making stops in many cities they have yet to play in support of WOOF. A complete list of dates is available below, and tickets are now available here.
Fat Dog Tour Dates Fri. Aug. 8 – Cornwall, UK @ Boardmasters Wed. Aug. 6 -Sun. Aug. 10 – Winchester, UK @ Boomtown Sun. Aug. 10 – Budapest, HU @ Sziget Festival Thu. Aug. 14 – Paredes De Coura, PT @ Vodafone Paredes de Coura Fri. Aug. 15 – Charleville-Mézières, FR @Cabaret Vert Sat. Aug. 16 – Crickhowell, UK @ Green Man Fri. Aug. 22 – Northampton, UK @ Shambala Sat. Aug. 23 – Málaga, ES @ Canela Party Sun. Aug. 24 – Paris, FR @ Rock En Seine Wed. Aug. 27 – Sheffield, UK @ Utilita Arena % Sun. Aug. 31 – Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot Festival Tue. Sept. 2 – Sacramento, CA @ Starlet Room Wed. Sept. 3 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop Thu. Sept. 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room Fri. Sept. 5 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy + Harriet’s Sat. Sept. 6 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah Sun. Sept. 7 – Las Vegas, NV @ Swan Dive Sat. Sept. 20 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Mon. Sept. 22 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings Tue. Sept. 23 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery Wed. Sept. 24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Warehouse on Watts Thu. Sept. 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel Fri. Sept. 26 – Somerville, MA @ Warehouse XI Sat. Sept. 27 – Montreal, QC @ Toscadura Mon. Sept. 29 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison Sat. Nov. 1 – Manchester, UK @ Day of the Dog Halloween Special @ Aviva Studios Thu. Nov. 6 – Reykjavik, IS @ Iceland Airwaves Sat. Nov. 8 – Kortrijk, BE @ Sonic City
Next month, Chicago’s Ganser will release their third LP Animal Hospital (due out August 29th on felte). Produced by Liars’ Angus Angrew, the album has been previewed with two singles, “Black Sand” and “Discount Diamonds,” which have earned an enthusiastic critical response, earning praise from outlets like Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, FADER, Stereogum, Alternative Press, and BrooklynVegan.
Today, the band are sharing a third single from the LP, a track entitled “stripe,” along with a video created by band member Alicia Gaines.
Recorded at Jamdek Studios by Doug Malone (with additional recording by Nick Broste at Electrical Audio) and producer Andrew (Liars) between January and March of 2025, Animal Hospital is a masterwork of Ganser’s long-honed craft. Songs from the album began life as notes scratched as far back as 2020, though “stripe” dates back even further, having first been demoed in 2001), as Gaines explains.
This one dates back to October 2001, one of my earliest experiences recording with a computer after years of suffering through noisy cassette recorders and 4-track machines. It’s a testament to the durability of digital recording that much of the instrumentation that made it onto the album is from the original demo session. The lyrics and melody, added this year, describe everyone living in their own narrative– where what can be perceived as wrong or right can vary from individual to individual, and how in reality the truth is sometimes more of an evolving idea than a fixed concept, for better or worse. A compass points true until you follow it far enough to get lost.
Have you ever been in a tense situation where you have to remind yourself to breathe? When panic makes you hold your breath for so long that your body locks into place? When the tension is wound up like a jack-in-the-box just short of popping open?
Apparently, that’s what DITZ were experiencing when making their sharp sophomore album Never Exhale. The opening notes of “V70” instantly drop that tension on you, like some kind of rumbling alarm warning you to get back before you get hurt, because the razor-sharp guitar and snarling bass-driven “Taxi Man” might knock you off your feet. It’s an homage to the working class and how often the people you barely notice are holding the world together. “Space / Smile” is almost a manic rant about hatred and division hidden behind friendly faces.
“This house has no place in your future…Wake up and see what you built will never last!” yells lead singer Cal Francis on “Senor Siniestro” – a wild exploration of what’s real (almost nothing) and what’s impermanent (everything). I love Sam Evans‘ beats on “Four,” which start simple and grow into post-punk precision. Anton Mocock and Jack Looker‘s guitars on “God on a Speed Dial” sound like the hulls of ships being torn open by sea mines while Francis wonders how to be heard by something or someone beyond this world.
They take on the weird inevitable nature (Or is it threat?) of aging on “Smells Like Something Died in Here.” The guitars sigh as if they’re settling down for a long rest that might not end. “18 Wheeler” is the sound of madness bubbling under the surface that cracks through the ice now and then. It almost sounds like each band member is playing their own solo and barely paying attention to the others at times, and it still works well.
Caleb Remnant‘s bass leads “The Body As a Structure” – a song about finding comfort in your own skin while the world shakes around you. The album ends with the left-turn slow-down of “Britney” – which is also the longest song on the album at nearly seven-and-a-half minutes. Evans’ hi-hat at first sounds like it’s wrapped in cotton, and the guitar chords merge with dark synths to create something unsettling as Francis chants “We build and we build and we build.” again and again in the song’s second half, pulling us into a head-spinning nightmare.
You don’t get many breaths with this album. It grabs you and holds you in place, sometimes with fascination and other times with paranoia. DITZ wants you to take a breath, but not to relax.
