UK psych-punk Dez Dare shares the first single and video today from his forthcoming new album A Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin worldwide. Watch & share “Got a Fire In My Socket” via YouTube HERE & hear on all DSPs HERE.
Dez Dare kicks off UK tour dates in April, with more to follow in the EU and Australia. Please see current dates below.
A Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin. features 11 songs that delve further into the void than previous records, leaving the sardonic frustration behind for sarcastic existentialism, zeroing in on the big philosophical questions, and the pedantic shards of nonsense that make up our existence.
This track is a fuzzed up, bass and synth driven, stomper that tackles the biggest question of all… as the wires fray from the burden of existence + the last sparks shimmer in your consciousness, the void has one simple question… “What tunes do you want playing on the way out?”
The Stooges ‘Real Cool Time’?
The Triffids ‘A Trick of the Light’?
Judy & the Jerks ‘Good Time’?
Nicki Minaj ‘Red Ruby Da Sleeze’?
Whatever your taste, the small things matter. Make it a strong choice!
The self-produced Australian has spent over 3 decades producing music, releasing and touring bands, and doing live sound for z-grade metal bands. Growing up in the coastal town of Geelong (Djilang) in Australia, he was introduced to the DIY punk and rock scene at 15 and this community and the ideas rooted in the underground music scene have guided his output and ethics throughout his career.
This year Dez will be joining forces with label titans God Unknown (Cassels / Duke Garwood / James Johnston + Steve Gullick / KLÄMP / Oneida / Laura Loriga / Monster Magnet / Wellwater Conspiracy [Soundgarden + Monster Magnet]) and will be producing a deluxe version of the album on blob color vinyl and includes a comic book illustrated by Mike Keane. In true nerd fashion the comic also features Top 10s by Dez, Jason Stoll (God Unknown), Matthew Barnhart (Chicago Mastering Service), Mike Keane, and the album illustrator MALMALL.
A Billion Goats. A Billion Sparks. Fin. will be released on LP, CD and download on March 1st via God Unknown Records.
Fixing us into the much-needed posture of passive resistance for this (r)evolutionary new (s)election year, “Panser L’inacceptable” is Laetitia Sadier‘s second single (and video!) from the forthcoming Rooting For Love. Flowing toward the album’s February 23rd release via Drag City, it follows the previously released single and video “Une Autre Attente.”
On “Panser L’inacceptable,” Laetitia’s wheel-like rhythm guitar paddles the waters atop a raft of Gamelan patterns, synthesized strings trailing in her wake. The video, created by Laetitia and filmmaker Christopher Thomas Allen, flashes through images of the natural world: water, stone formations, long rays of sunlight and stalks of wheat provide an idyllic mise-en-scene eventually wandered through by Laetitia herself. As she passes barefoot through a wood and bundled up through a cemetery, the images of nature’s riches take on a Tarkovskian resonance: an idyll from which we humans find ourselves at an unnatural remove. The chorus swells greater with each pass, and as Laetitia slowly sinks into the sea and through the woods, we consider the title: “Panser L’inacceptable” (“panser” meaning to bandage, or otherwise treat damage) — a headfirst dive into handling and healing past wounds. This theme hangs omnipresent in the endless skies stretching over the ten tracks that make up Rooting For Love.
With Rooting For Love, Laetitia continues her journey of the self through time, space and collective consciousness, with an album set alight by the heat of a turbulent world, collapsing institutions and Laetitia’s fully-engaged process of expression, not to mention orchestration. Scored with organs, guitars, bass, synths, trombones, vibraphones, live and programmed drums, Rooting for Love is guided by Laetitia’s empathic presence, leading an ensemble that includes bassist Xavi Muñoz, Hannes Plattmeier and Emma Mario programming drums and synths (as well as mixing tracks), and a vocal assembly of men and women billed as “The Choir,” alongside a talented cast of players and singers from Laetitia’s Source Ensemble and beyond.
After an extended tour with the mighty Stereolab in 2022, Laetitia’s first U.S. tour in seven years commences this spring with a performance at The Chapel in San Francisco on Saturday, March 2. Tickets are now on sale.
Laetitia Sadier 2024 Tour Dates: Sat. March 2 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel Mon. March 4 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall * Tue. March 5 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza * Wed. March 6 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret * Fri. March 8 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court * Sat. March 9 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake * Mon. March 11 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club * Tue. March 12 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle # Wed. March 13 – Detroit, MI @ Third Man Fri. March 15 – Toronto, ON @ Garrison Sat. March 16 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz Wed. March 20 – Brooklyn, NY @ National Sawdust ^ Thu. March 21 – Boston, MA @ Arts at the Armory ^ Fri. March 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s ^ Sat. March 23 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd ^ Mon. March 25 – Atlanta, GA @ The EARL Tue. March 26 – Nashville, TN @ Blue Room Thu. March 28 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Upstairs % Fri. March 29 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada % Sat. March 30 – Austin, TX @ Parish % Tue. April 2 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge % Wed. April 3 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s % Thu. April 4 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon % Fri. April 5 – Big Sur, CA @ Fernwood Tavern % Mon. April 8 – San Juan, PR @ Club 77
* w/ Susan James # w/ Radio Outernational ^ w/ Storefront Church % w/ Sofia Bolt
And here we are with my favorite concerts of 2023.
#5: Be Your Own Pet – Headliners, Louisville, KY, Otober 29th
It’s so good to have them back, and it was so good to finally see them live. Their reputation as a wild live band is not lightly given. They tore up this stage, moving from one song to the next with no written set list, playing audience requests, and blowing the minds of the small crowd at Headliners. Shame on you if you were in Louisville and didn’t go to this show.
#4: Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade – Kemba Live!, Columbus, OH – May 31st
Another surprise reunion. I figured the days of Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade touring the nation were long gone and we would have to be content with the one live album released many years ago. Nope. He brought in Sean Lennon, who can tear up a lead guitar, and some other pals and put on a cool show – playing Pink Floyd‘s Animals in its entirety in the middle of the set.
#3: Viagra Boys – Salt Shed, Chicago, IL – February 24th
This show was either a sell-out or very close to it. The band claimed it was the biggest show they’d played in the U.S. so far, and I believe it. The Salt Shed was jammed, sweaty, and jumping. You easily forgot that snow and ice were coating the landscape outside. The whole crowd was buzzing throughout the set, and Viagra Boys further cemented their reputation of being one of the best bands out there right now.
#2: Pigs PigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigs– Sleeping Village, Chicago, IL – March 28th
I almost didn’t go to this show due to other plans I had that week, but I knew I had to be there when I learned it was not only Pigs PigsPigsPigsPigsPigsPigs‘ first show in Chicago, it was also their first U.S. tour. It turned out to be another one of those “Shame on you if you missed it.” shows, because the porcine quintet pretty much flattened Sleeping Village and still had time to chat with anyone who wanted to chat after the gig. They’re now on my “I’ll see them any chance I get.” list of bands – and I already have a ticket to see them in Chicago again at Lincoln Hall in February.
#1: Love and Rockets – Riviera, Chicago, IL – June 06th
I figured I was never going to see Love and Rockets live. I’d seen David J perform an acoustic set, and thought, “Well, that’s the closest I’ll get.” Lo and behold, they surprised everyone with a reunion tour and they sounded great. They were in full rock star mode and everyone in the crowd was jubilant to see and hear them. It was a dream-come-true show for me and gave everyone hope of a new record soon.
South London-based Fat Dog have quickly made a name for themselves in the UK as “2023’s wildest live band” (NME) on the strength of their “manically riotous and joyous” (BBC 6 Music) live show supporting acts including Viagra Boys, Shame and Yard Act and playing their own headline gigs. Last summer, via Domino Records, they released debut single “King of the Slugs,” hailed by Clash as “a ridiculous seven-minute journey through sound . . . Utterly remarkable.” Today, the British five-piece return with the antidotal follow up, “All The Same,” and an accompanying video. Additionally, they announce they’ll make their US debut this spring playing SXSW, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Their next hometown show will be a headline gig in April at the 1500-capacity Electric Brixton, a sign of the genuine excitement growing around this band.
Co-produced by Fat Dog frontman Joe Love and James Ford, “All The Same” is propulsive and galvanizing, underpinned by orchestra hits and eagle noises as it races along to a dramatic conclusion in under three minutes. Fat Dog hint to the song’s narrative, suggesting: “What if you could turn the clock back and make a change? Just a single, well-placed kick, that perhaps could change the whole course of your life. Perhaps the party never has to stop?” The song’s video is a twisted, absurdist tale of time travel and fatherhood directed by Dylan Coates and starring Neil Bell (Dune, Andor).
A limited edition 7” of “All The Same” will be released on Fri. March 22nd backed by an exclusive B-side “Land Before Time.” Pre-order from Domino here.
Fat Dog Tour Dates: Thu. Jan. 18 – Groningen, NL @ Eurosonic Noorderslag 2024 Thu. Feb. 15 – Dublin, IE @ Borderline Festival Fri. Feb. 16 – Limerick, IE @ Dolans Sat. Feb. 17 – Galway, IE @ Róisín Dubh Sat. Feb. 24 – Bristol, UK @ Simple Things Fri. March 1 – Paris, FR @ Les Inrocks Festival, Cent Quatre Tue. March 12 – Queens, NY @ Trans-Pecos Wed. March 13 – Sat. March 16 – Austin, TX @ SXSW Tue. March 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Cid Wed. March 20 – San Francisco, CA @ Popscene @ Brick & Mortar Thu. Apr. 18 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton Sat. Apr. 20 – Rotterdam, NL @ Motel Mozaique Fri. Apr. 26 – Bourges, FR @ Le Printemps de Bourges Thu. May. 9 – Sat. May. 11 – Wrexham, UK @ Focus Wales Fri. May 31 – Sun. Jun. 2 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby Sat. Jul. 6 – Belfort, FR @ Eurockéennes Fri. Jul. 26 – Mon. Jul. 29 – North Yorkshire, UK @ Deer Shed Thu. Aug. 8 – Sun. Aug. 11 – Sicily, IT @ Ypsigrock Festival Sat. Aug. 31 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Psych Fest
Light in the Attic Records (LITA), in cooperation with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive, proudly announces a definitive reissue of Reed’s Hudson River Wind Meditations, out January 12, 2024. Originally released in 2007, the deeply personal project provides the best example of Lou Reed’s decades-long exploration into drone and ambient music, as well as the pioneering artist’s final solo album.
For more than five decades, Reed (1942-2013) never stopped exploring new creative avenues. From his broadly influential albums with The Velvet Underground to his groundbreaking solo works, the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer remained stylistically fluid as a singer, songwriter, musician, and poet. Reed experimented with minimalist drone feedback music in the early 60s while in the Velvet Underground, and released the highly provocative double-album Metal Machine Musicin 1975. From there he further developed his passion for drone music using both guitar and keyboards, including “Fire Music” on The Ravenin 2003. This experimental side of Lou’s musical life led to Hudson River Wind Meditations in 2007, and after that, live performances with the Metal Machine Trio and trios with Anderson and John Zorn. Reed was also a spiritual being, who devoted his later years to Tai Chi and routinely integrated yoga and meditation practices into his life. It was inevitable that his two passions would eventually mingle. Inspired to create a soundtrack for these quiet – yet powerful – exercises, Reed composed four compelling works, which comprise his 20th and final solo album, Hudson River Wind Meditations.
Released in 2007, the ambient compositions were initially created for Reed’s personal use, to accompany spoken-word meditations that his acupuncturist recorded for him. Over time, they transformed into music for Reed’s beloved Tai Chi and yoga practices. Eventually, the artist chose to share them with his fans, crafting them into an album with the late producer Hal Willner (Saturday Night Live).
Available for pre-order today on 2-LP, CD, and digital, Hudson River Wind Meditations has been produced for re-release by GRAMMY®-nominated producers Laurie Anderson, Don Fleming, Jason Stern, Matt Sullivan, and Hal Willner; restored by GRAMMY®-winning engineer Steve Rosenthal; remastered by the GRAMMY®-nominated engineer John Baldwin with vinyl pressed at Record Technology Inc. (RTI). The 2-LP and CD sets are presented in a gatefold jacket designed by GRAMMY®-winning artist Masaki Koike and features new liner notes by renowned Yoga instructor and author Eddie Stern, who guided Reed’s practice for years. Also included in the physical editions is a fascinating conversation conducted earlier this year between author/journalist Jonathan Cott (Rolling Stone, New York Times, The New Yorker) and Anderson, who discusses Hudson River Wind Meditations, as well as her husband’s devotion to Tai Chi — one of the album’s primary inspirations.
The 2-LP is available in three different vinyl variants, including Black Wax, Coke Bottle Wax and Glacial Blue Wax, while the Deluxe Edition includes the CD or 2-LP, a set of five 8×10 photos of the Hudson River photographed by Reed and printed on 10-pt High Gloss Kromekote C1S cover stock and housed in a glassine envelope, plus a 24”x36” fold-out poster designed by Yolanda Cuomo.
“Listening to Hudson River Wind Meditations as a whole piece is moving through several modes and states of a sixty-five-minute meditation,”explains Anderson. Echoing that sentiment is Stern, whose weekly sessions with the musician always included Meditations. “The sounds immediately drew you into an inner flow of awareness; something was happening with the music, but at the same time something was happening inside of you,” recalls Stern. “As Lou began to move with the yoga postures and began to deepen his breathing, the sounds of Hudson River Wind Meditations moved with him or, perhaps, just simply moved him.”
Meditations were also composed with the musician’s Tai Chi practice in mind. Anderson shares that Reed’s teacher, “[Master Ren GuangYi] was one of the main forces in Lou’s life, and Lou wanted to express that, to honor him.”She adds that when Reed initially shared the music with Master Ren, many of his pupils were hesitant about the modern compositions. “The music wasn’t well-received at first,” she reveals. “But Master Ren… kept playing it, and then, eventually, people were agreeing. ‘This is the best thing we’ve ever heard for Tai Chi.’”
Hudson River Wind Meditations is comprised of four parts: “Move Your Heart” and “Find Your Note” (both of which clock in at around 30 minutes each), plus two shorter selections: “Hudson River Wind (Blend the Ambience)”and “Wind Coda.”
The original release of Hudson River Wind Meditations included a brief introduction by Reed, in which he wrote,“I first composed this music… to play in the background of life – to replace the everyday cacophony with new and ordered sounds of an unpredictable nature.”
Anderson muses,“I guess by ‘life,’ he meant something like what Brian Eno might mean – ambient music that colors the air in very interesting ways. For me, it resets my brainwaves.” She continues, “In Tibetan Buddhism teachings, heart and mind are the same word – citta – close to the chi of Tai Chi, which is pure energy. This music is pure energy; it breathes in and out. It’s not like here’s the beginning: dum da da! And now it develops, and now it ends! Rather, it’s one long loop that keeps changing in subtle ways.”
Similarly, Stern writes, “We exist in a continuous flow of creation…But underneath all of that is the steady, ever-present current of life that is what makes us alive and pulses in us like a gentle drone, the drone that Lou has so aptly captured through [Hudson River Wind Meditations].It’s the harmony that you keep with you once you leave the Tai Chi practice room, the harmony that whispers its music after you finish your yoga practice. It’s a song, and you only hear that song when you listen.” He adds, “On more than one occasion – and I don’t know if it was true or not – Lou said, ‘I don’t even know how I made this, and I couldn’t repeat it if I tried.’ How marvelous that is, to make a piece of music so profound that it can’t be repeated yet has been captured for future generations to enjoy.”
I didn’t get to see as many bands last year as I would’ve liked thanks to many work conflicts and other travel that kept me away from music festivals, but there were some gems. Here’s the first half of the top ten.
#10: Mac Sabbath – The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN – October 18th
I’d been meaning to see Mac Sabbath for a couple years, and they finally came close by (relatively speaking), so a buddy and I went to see them in Indianapolis. I knew there would be lots of Black Sabbath parody songs, but I didn’t know there was going to be so much performance art and comedy. It was a fun mix, not unlike a Harlem Globetrotters show.
#9: King Buffalo – Bell’s Eccentric Café, Kalamazoo, MI – April 22nd
I don’t know how King Buffalo have the time to make new records because they always seem to be touring – giving Reverend Horton Heat a run for their money. Seeing them in a small venue like this is becoming rarer and rarer a treat, because they’re playing more festivals in the U.S. and Europe each year. Don’t miss them.
#8: The Well – Reggie’s, Chicago, IL – April 05th
Speaking of bands you don’t want to miss, The Well are among them. They never disappoint and always put down a heavy doom set. They also are always smiling whenever I see them play, clearly having a good time while playing songs about creepy things in the shadows, weird cults, and groaning spirits.
#7: Playboy Manbaby – The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN – October 18th
No one at the Vogue knew what to make of these guys as they began their set. Were they an emo band? A punk band? A new wave band? I still don’t know. I just know they were a blast and had the whole crowd engaged within three songs, even holding a small election at one point.
#6: The Cybertronic Spree– The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN – October 18th
The middle band of this triple bill turned out to have the best set, as these robots-in-disguise rockers shredded the entire time, leaving a lot of us slack-jawed with amazement. The lead guitarist played most of the set with one broken string, and barely anyone noticed. You have to be good to pull off a gimmick like this, and The Cybertronic Spree are very good, indeed.
Who made the top five? Come back to tomorrow and see!
Austin trio Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol share the first single today from their forthcoming new album Big Bumb Riffs. The single “Body Bag” premieres via Invisible Oranges HERE. Pre-orders for Big Dumb Riffs are available via Bandcamp HERE and all DSPs HERE.
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol also launch their Big Dumb Tour 2024 in late March. Western US dates announce today, with tickets on sale this Friday, January 12th. Eastern US dates will announce soon. Please see current dates below. Ticket links HERE.
“Our catalog has never been short on big dumb riffs, but the idea on this record was to really turn the screw,” says RBBP bassist Aaron Metzdorf. On Big Dumb Riffs, that screw is cranked incredibly tight.
“We just wanted ‘the part’: The opening of Pantera’s ‘Primal Concrete Sledge’, the breakdown in Primus‘ ‘Pudding Time’ — the shit that makes you move and lose your mind. Just that part the whole time.”
Across 11 concise, taut songs — most clocking in around 2 minutes or less — Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol demonstrates their skillful ability to blend the merciless low end of Leo Lydon’s 8-string guitar, Aaron Metzdorf’s masterful chordwork on the bass, and Sean St.Germain’s driving drumming.
Hot on the heels of their breakout 5th studio release Doom Wop (2023), Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol returns with Big Dumb Riffs: A whole new variant of the fuzzed out, overdriven, melodic, groovy music they have been making since 2016. While Big Dumb Riffs is decidedly more aggressive and rhythmic, it still retains the overtly melodic feel of Doom Wop. But Leo Lydon’s vocals are considerably more angry and negative (song titles like “1-800-EAT-SHIT” and “Body Bag” should be a clue.)
“The whole writing process was, ‘what if we just played two notes the whole song’,” Metzdorf says. “‘What if we tuned down to almost unusable string tension?’, ‘what if we write a record that will make everyone say ‘wow that is dumb’? Leo and I really move around on stage a lot. Being a dingus is crucial to the groove. All these riffs were designed to allow us to act bigger and dumber on stage.”
Big Dumb Riffs will be available for streaming and download on March 22, 2024. LP to follow in late Spring.
RICKSHAW BILLIE’S BURGER PATROL LIVE 2024:
02/03 Austin, TX – Sagebrush
03/09 Houston, TX – Moontower Sudworks
03/22 Austin, TX – St Elmo Brew – album release show
03/23 Dallas, TX – Double Wide
03/27 Phoenix, AZ – Linger Longer
03/28 Los Angeles, CA – Resident
03/29 San Francisco, CA – Kilowatt
03/30 Sacramento, CA – Cafe Colonial
04/02 Seattle, WA – The Funhouse
04/03 Portland, OR – Mano Oculta
04/05 Salt Lake City, UT – Quarters DLC
04/06 Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
Keep your mind open.
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Punchlove are announcing their signing to Kanine Records. To mark the announce, the NYC quintet is sharing a new single entitled “Dead Lands” that is premiering today via FLOOD Magazine.
Composed of multi-instrumentalists Jillian Olesen, Ethan Williams, Joey Machina, Ian Lange-McPherson, and visual artIst Viz Wel, the group quietly evolved from a bedroom project started by Olesen and Williams, into a full band whose live shows have begun attracting attention in their native New York. Their debut single on Kanine makes immediately clear why that is. Patiently constructed and subtly foreboding, the track uses three glassine guitars to create a shimmering wash of textures that swells and subsides under Olesen’s reflections on grief following a death in their family.
Olesen says of the track: “You end up hurting yourself more when you don’t allow yourself to give into the greater static of the inevitable decay all around you, as well as the grief and change. It’s all part of being human. For me, this song is about the frustration you face when you try to avoid it.”
Keep your mind open.
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This is a cool synthwave album of cinematic sounds that often catches you off-guard. It’s the soundtrack to a movie you’ve never seen, but want to find just from hearing it. It might exist in another dimension, or on a dark web torrent stream. Either way, it’s one of the neatest records I heard all last year.
Speaking of cool synthwave, Mandy, Indiana‘s debut album was a stunner on multiple fronts, as it covers not only synthwave, but also cold wave, dance punk, goth, and general chaos. They’re quickly becoming one of those “bands everyone’s talking about,” so don’t miss this record.
Only King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard could get away with naming an album something like that. It was their return to thrash metal, this time built around one of their favorite subjects – protecting our fragile planet. It was one of the best metal records of the year.
This album held my top spot for a long while, as it’s a powerful stoner / psych / cosmic rock record that hits hard with shredding guitar, pleading vocals, and roaring drums. It’s all about dreams, death, and what-the-hell-are-you-doing-with-this-life-you-have-that’s-gone-like-a-flash-of-lightning-you-git introspections.
Simply put, this is the most beautiful record I heard all year, and it’s a prime example of why you should always read old e-mails. This sat in my e-mail box for about four months before I finally got to it. I’m glad I didn’t delete that e-mail in a big purge, because Halsall’s album of ambient jazz, field sounds, and slight trip-hop touches is one of those albums that changes the attitude of the room wherever it’s played.
Thanks for reading and for sticking with me another year. Onto 2024!
Sheer Mag break significant musical ground on their forthcoming album Playing Favorites, elevating their signature approach to rock and roll to lushly cinematic new heights. Their latest single “Moonstruck” lives up to its titular reference of Hollywood-sized surprise romance, spooling out a charming story of desire. Guitarist and lyricist Matt Palmer tells, “‘Moonstruck’ is about how invigorating it is to have a new crush. After too long lost in the wilderness, it’s gratifying to find a beacon of tenderness to help reorient yourself in the maze of love. Written in 2021 and originally intended for a disco EP, ‘Moonstruck’ has been reworked as a more expansive and lush arrangement and features some of our favorite guitar work on the new record.”
The accompanying video for “Moonstruck” was inspired by Rush’s “Limelight“ visuals which featured footage from their wintertime recording sessions at Le Studio in Quebec. Sheer Mag enlisted director and longtime friend Ryan Schnackenberg (Cult Images) to bring it to life. Watch below.
Sheer Mag have labored to carve out a discernibly singular position within the canon of contemporary rock: toggling with ease between the refined flourishes of a “connoisseur’s band” and the ecstatic colloquialism of populist songwriting—yet displaying no strict loyalty to either camp—their sound, while oft-referenced, is unmistakably and immediately recognizable as theirs alone. On Playing Favorites, Sheer Mag’s third full-length and first with Third Man Records, the band capitalize on a decade’s worth of devotion to their own collective spirit—a spirit refined in both the sweaty trenches of punk warehouses and the larger-than-life glamour of concert halls—emerging with a dense work of gripping emotions, massive hooks, and masterfully constructed power-pop anthems. This is the record the Philadelphian rock and roll four-piece has always been destined to make.
Playing Favorites expands with a sense of undeniable vitality, buoyed by rock and roll’s singular capacity to channel a relentless compassion for human life. While at times marked by an intensified sense of melancholy, this newest offering takes stock of the confusing flow of daily life without moralizing, refusing to fall into antagonistic cynicism. Sheer Mag leans into the chaotic thrall of city living, of a life subdivided by the jagged highs and lows of bars, parties, and nightlife culture, with sweetly empathetic remove.
The album burns with a sweetened gratitude for the lot one has been given in life: the luck of coming up punk; the luck of living an unalienated life; the luck of feeling love, and losing love. Sheer Mag began to work in earnest on their follow up to 2019’s A Distant Call in the summer of 2021, which they originally imagined would take the shape of a tautly constructed 4-song disco EP. Before long, the band realized this new material would perhaps be better served within the context of a fully fleshed out rock LP, bracketed by the support of a wider array of juxtaposing psychic moods and sonic textures.
Over a six-month stretch spanning the fall of 2022 to the winter of 2023, guitarist Kyle Seely and his brother Hart Seely (bass) set about tracking the instrumentals for the record, resetting their studio configuration each week in order to impose a more tailored, multi-session atmosphere upon the record’s acoustic landscape. Palmer rejoined vocalist Tina Halladay in Philadelphia the following spring to write and record the vocals for Playing Favorites, which depart rather markedly from the band’s prior material, placing an added emphasis on pronouncedly existential, interpersonal storytelling and ornate background harmonies.
Playing Favorites is undoubtedly a record by the same Sheer Mag that audiences of all stripes have spent the last decade falling in love with. In fact, for all of its sonic departures and evolutions, this record is perhaps the most “Sheer Mag” release yet. Not so much a return to form, but rather a realization of those greatest promises that the band has up until now only hinted at. With Playing Favorites, Sheer Mag cater to their tastes and their tastes alone: so long as they continue to do so, the future of rock and roll, that great human tradition, is in the best of hands.
Sheer Mag embark on an extensive headlining tour this Spring which kicks off in D.C. late March and routes them coast to coast through early May. Today they’ve confirmed performances at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom, a hometown show at Philadelphia’s First Unitarian Church and more. See below for a full list of dates. For tickets and updates, go here.
Mar 29: Washington, DC – Songbyrd Mar 30: Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle – Back Room Mar 31: Asheville, NC – Eulogy Apr 01: Nashville, TN – The Blue Room at Third Man Records Apr 02: Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade, Purgatory Apr 04: New Orleans, LA – Siberia Apr 05: Houston, TX – The End Apr 06: Austin, TX – Far Out Lounge Apr 07: Dallas, TX – Double Wide Apr 09: Mesa, AZ – The Underground Apr 10: Tucson, AZ – Club Congress Apr 11: San Diego, CA – The Casbah Apr 12: Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room Apr 13: Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room Apr 15: San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop Apr 17: Portland, OR – Star Theater Apr 18: Seattle, WA – The Vera Project Apr 19: Boise, ID – The Shredder Apr 20: Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court Apr 22: Denver, CO – Hi Dive Apr 24: Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge Apr 25: Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry Apr 26: Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon Apr 27: Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village Apr 29: Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe May 05: Somerville, MA – Crystal Ballroom May 06: East Haven, CT – Beeracks May 08: New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom May 10: Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church May 01: Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground May 03: Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place May 04: Troy, NY – No Fun May 31 – Jun 02: Northampton, MA – Field Day Music Festival
