Mac Sabbath announces massive fall U.S. tour.

MAC SABBATH will return to the road late this Fall to bring America another heaping helping of unhealthy – but irresistible – Drive-Thru Metal on the 2022 Pop-Up-Drive-Thru Tour, featuring special guests Speedealer, southern rock heavier and faster then anything this side of Motorhead and shoulders, and Lung, the electric cello and drums female duo, kicking off one heck of a party feast for the senses! A food fight to the death!

MAC SABBATH will be popping up all over the States – just like in our debut release,” says the band’s perplexing clown faced frontman Ronald Osbourne“Confusing the USA one more time!”MAC SABBATH has revealed details on their first book, Drive-Thru Metal, but don’t expect a stereotypical biography from the fast food-themed parody kings. There’s plenty of “juice” inside, albeit in the form of burgers cooking in the kitchen as the four members of MAC SABBATH take fans on a journey through a dystopian fast-food world polluted by its own waste in an innovative hybrid pop-up book.  Mysterious MAC SABBATH frontman Ronald Osbourne comments on the book, “What’s that? A pop-up book is not what you were expecting? Well SUFFER! ….and you’re welcome.”

Available via Poposition Press, Drive-Thru Metal features illustrations by Gris Grimly, well-known for his darkly whimsical children’s books and the upcoming Netflix film adaptation of his Pinocchio book,and will be available in Regular and Special Editions. Both editions are available in limited quantities, so be sure to get your copy of this piece of “Drive Thru Metal” history!  Both editions of Drive-Thru Metal include pop-up scenes highlighting “The Factory,” “The Ascension” and “Utopia” and include a special vinyl surprise with seven MAC SABBATH stories, including “Organic Funeral,” Sweet Beef” and “N.I.B.B.L.E.” The Special Edition is a super limited version complete with a foil stamped cover, a Gris Grimly art print and ketchup and mustard splattered vinyl surprise.

Drive-Thru Metal is available at https://macsabbath.bigcartel.com/

Mixing raucous comedy with borderline-horrific theatrics, the only thing more petrifying than impending health problems resulting from years of overeating is a MAC SABBATH show. MAC SABBATH puts on a theatrical, multimedia stage show – complete with a smoking grill, laser-eyed clowns, bouncing burgers and many more magical surprises… basically anything and everything an unwary show-goer could ever want in their wildest dreams. The band has been named by Buzzfeed as one of the “13 Metal Bands You Didn’t Know How to React To”, and as LA’s “Best Tribute Band” by LA Weekly.  

MAC SABBATH online: www.facebook.com/macsabbath/

https://twitter.com/macsabbath

www.instagram.com/officialmacsabbath

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TikTok: @macsabbath

MAC SABBATH on tour: Tue 09/27/22 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Wed 09/28/22 Goldfield Trading – Sacramento, CA – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Fri 09/30/22 Dante’s – Portland, OR – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Sat 10/01/22 El Corazón – Seattle, WA – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Tue 10/04/22 Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Thu 10/06/22 WAVE – Wichita, KS – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Fri 10/07/22 Knuckleheads – Kansas City, MO – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Sat 10/08/22 Wooly’s – Des Moines, IA – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Sun 10/09/22 Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Tue 10/11/22 Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Wed 10/12/22 Afterlife Music Hall – Lombard, IL – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Thu 10/13/22 Red Flag St. – Louis, MO – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Fri 10/14/22 Elevation – Grand Rapids, MI – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Sat 10/15/22 Magic Bag – Ferndale, MI – with Speedealer and Lung – 18+ Tue 10/18/22 HI-FI Indy & HI-FI Annex – Indianapolis, IN – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Wed 10/19/22 Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Thu 10/20/22 The Crafthouse Stage & Grill – Pittsburgh, PA – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Fri 10/21/22 Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Sat 10/22/22 The Vault Music Hall & Pub – New Bedford, MA – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Sun 10/23/22 Wall Street Theater – Norwalk, CT – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Wed 10/26/22 The Foundry – Philadelphia, PA – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Thu 10/27/22 Black Cat – Washington, DC – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Fri 10/28/22 Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center – Harrisburg, PA – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Sat 10/29/22 The Underground – Charlotte, NC – with Speedealer and Lung -All Ages Mon 10/31/22 The Grey Eagle Asheville, NC – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Tue 11/01/22 EXIT/IN – Nashville, TN – with Speedealer and Lung – 18+ Thu 11/03/22 The Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Fri 11/04/22 42nd Street Tavern/Reggies – Wilmington, NC – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Sat 11/05/22 Jack Rabbits Live – Jacksonville, FL – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Sun 1/06/22 Tuffy’s Bottle Shop/Lounge/Music Box – Sanford, FL with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Wed 11/09/22 Chelsea’s Cafe – Baton Rouge, LA – with Speedealer and Lung – 18+ Thu 11/10/22 Lafayette’s Music Room – Memphis, TN – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Fri 11/11/22 Come and Take It Live Austin, TX – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Sat 11/12/22 Trees – Dallas, TX – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Mon 11/14/22 Paper Tiger – San Antonio, TX – with Speedealer and Lung – 21+ Tue 11/15/22 RockHouse Bar & Grill – El Paso, TX – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Wed 11/16/22 Meow Wolf – Santa Fe, NM – with Lung – 21+ Fri 11/18/22 Marquis Theater – Denver, CO – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages Sat 11/19/22 Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO – with Speedealer and Lung – All Ages

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Maria at Adrenaline PR.]

Horsegirl invite us to a “World of Pots and Pans” on their new single.

Photo by Cheryl Dunn

Chicago band Horsegirl have had an electric start to 2022 beginning with the announcement of their debut album, Versions of Modern Performance, out June 3rd via Matador. The trio were dubbed the “champions of SXSW 2022” by NME, and won the Grulke Prize for Developing U.S. Act before touring the Northeast, including a sold out New York City debut at Market Hotel. Today, they continue on that trajectory with the release of new single and lyric video, “World of Pots and Pans.” Following the propulsive  “Anti-glory,” “World of Pots and Pans” has a rough, blown-out pop charm. The band elaborates: “‘​​World of Pots and Pans’ is the first love song Horsegirl has ever written—or the closest thing to it. We wrote it in Penelope’s basement while preparing to leave for our first ever tour. The lyrics, inspired by the misinterpretation of a Television Personalities lyric, imagine a (possibly unrequited) romance unfolding through references to Tall Dwarfs, Belle & Sebastian, and The Pastels.“We made the lyric video in a couple hours. The three of us had a fully formed vision of what it should look like and were able to quickly execute the real-time ‘animation’ in only two takes. It feels special to showcase our creative chemistry, and Nora was able to finally carry out her childhood dreams of making an OK Go (ish) type video.”

Watch Horsegirl’s Lyric Video for “World of Pots and Pans”

Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums) – the best friends comprising Horsegirl – do everything collectively, from songwriting to trading vocal duties and swapping instruments to sound and visual art design. Reece and Cheng, college freshmen, and Lowenstein, a high school senior, learned to play—and met—through the significant network of Chicago youth arts programs. The warmth and strength of their bond crackles through every second of their debut. Horsegirl recorded Versions of Modern Performance at Chicago’s Electrical Audio with John Agnello (Kurt Vile, The Breeders, Dinosaur Jr.). One can hear elements of the ‘80s and ‘90s independent music the band love so deeply and sincerely—the scuzzy melodicism of what used to be called “college rock,” the cool, bubbly space-age sheen of the ‘90s vamps on lounge and noir; the warm, noisy roar of shoegaze; the economical hooks and rhythms of post-punk. There’s even a bit of no wave mixed in for good measure. But as Horsegirl fuse all of this together, it feels not like a pastiche or a hacky retread but something as playful and unique as its predecessors. With lyrics intentionally impressionistic and open-ended, and a sound that ranges with joy and enthusiasm across a range of styles, Versions of Modern Performance offers many pathways. Horsegirl will tour Europe and North America this summer following a special record release show in Chicago with other young, local bands on Sunday, June 5th. They will return to New York on August 10th to play the Bowery Ballroom.

Watch the “Billy” Video

Watch the “Anti-glory” Video

Pre-Order Versions of Modern Performance

Horsegirl Tour Dates
(new dates in bold)
Sun. May 29 – Allston, MA @ Boston Calling Festival
Sun. Jun. 5 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall  (RECORD RELEASE SHOW) ^
Fri. Jun. 10 – Giessen, DE @ Stadt ohne Meer
Sun. Jun. 12 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifield Derby
Thu. Jun. 16 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix Bar
Fri. Jun. 17 – Paris, FR @ Pop Up Du Label
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (EARLY SHOW) – SOLD OUT
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (LATE SHOW) – SOLD OUT
Tue. Jun. 21 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Basement)
Wed. Jun. 22 – London, UK @ Bermondsey Social Club – SOLD OUT
Sun. Jun. 26 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Tue. Jun. 28 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn
Wed. Jun. 29 – Berlin, DE @ Monarch
Fri. Jul. 1 – Denmark, DE @ Roskilde Festival 2022
Sat. Jul. 2 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Upstairs
Fri. Jul. 15 – Vancouver, BC @ Wise Hall *
Sat. Jul. 16 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
Sun. Jul. 17 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall *
Tue. Jul. 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Thu. Jul. 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon *
Fri. Jul. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
Sat. Jul. 23 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Tue. Jul. 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line *
Wed. Jul. 27 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon *
Fri. Jul. 30 – Sat. Jul. 31 – Detroit, MI @ Mo Pop Festival
Sat. July 31 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza Music Festival
Tue. Aug. 2 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe *
Wed. Aug. 3 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *
Fri. Aug. 5 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground *
Sat. Aug. 6 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus *
Wed. Aug. 10 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *

^ w/ Lifeguard, Friko, Post Office Winter
* w/ Dummy

Keep your mind open.

[Enter a world of music by subscribing.]

[Thanks to Jaycee and Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Let’s Eat Grandma release new single and first tour dates in three years.

Photo by Phoebe Fox

Today, Let’s Eat Grandma – the duo composed of songwriters, multi-instrumentalists, and vocalists Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth – share “Levitation,” the final single from their forthcoming album Two Ribbons, out April 29th on Transgressive Records. “Levitation” is accompanied by a surreal and ethereal video directed by Noel Paul, who also worked with the band on the video for “Happy New Year.” One of the most hopeful songs on the record, “Levitation” is a glimmering and expansive track, driven by soaring synths. Walton explains, “It’s about feeling all over the place, escaping to your imagination and being in a disorientating and surreal mental state, which can be both scary and elevating somehow – everything feels more creative and things look brighter. You’re with someone you’re close to, trying to reach out and connect to them, and even though you’re both struggling, you’re able to find comfort in one another, and have an absurdly funny yet meaningful time together. You begin to see some hope in your future again after a time when you’d started to lose sight of that.” In conjunction with today’s release, Let’s Eat Grandma announce their first tour in over three years which will see them playing shows across UK and North America in support of Two Ribbons. A full list of dates can be found below. 

Watch Let’s Eat Grandma’s Video For “Levitation”

Co-produced by David Wrench and Let’s Eat Grandma, Two Ribbons is astonishing: a dazzling, heart-breaking, life-affirming and mortality-facing record that reveals the duo’s growing artistry and ability to parse intense feelings into lyrics so memorable you’d scribble them on your backpack. Following the critical acclaim for 2018’s I’m All Ears, Walton and Hollingworth began to find themselves as individuals, tastes differing here, reactions jarring there. There was a time when both felt a little trapped, and Two Ribbons treads a fine line expressing the most intimate feelings of, whilst making space for, the different perspectives of two women. It can be heard as a series of letters between the two of them, taking the place of conversations as they try to make sense of the rift in their relationships. The nature of Two Ribbons is cyclical; there is sadness, and pain, and joy, and hope – and the knowledge that no matter what detours we take, we are all connected. 

Listen to “Levitation”
Watch the “Happy New Year” Video
Watch the “Hall Of Mirrors” Video
Watch the “Two Ribbons” Video
Pre-Order Two Ribbons

Let’s Eat Grandma Tour Dates
Sat. April 30 – Edinburgh, UK @ Stag and Dagger Festival
Sun. May 1 – Glasgow, UK @ Stag and Dagger Festival
Sun. July 24 – Southwold, UK @ Latitude Festival
Thu. Oct. 6 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri. Oct. 7 – Manchester, UK @ Yes (Pink Room)
Sat. Oct. 8 – Leeds, UK @ Belgrrave MusicHall
Thu. Oct. 13 – Newcastle, UK @ Cluny
Fri. Oct. 14 – Nottingham, UK @ Metronome
Sat. Oct. 15 – Birmingham, UK @ Space 54
Sun. Oct. 16 – Cambridge, UK @ Mash
Tue. Oct. 18 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
Wed. Oct. 19 – London, UK @ Koko
Fri. Oct. 21 – Brighton, UK @ Patterns
Sat. Oct. 22 – Norwich, UK @ Epic
Tue. Nov. 1 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Wed. Nov. 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
Fri. Nov. 4 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Sat. Nov. 5 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair
Mon. Nov. 7 – Montreal, QB @ La Sala Rosa
Tue. Nov. 8 – Toronto, CA @ The Axis Club
Thu. Nov. 10 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
Fri. Nov. 11 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
Sat. Nov. 12 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Mon. Nov. 14 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
Wed. Nov. 16 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Fri. Nov. 18 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Sat. Nov. 19 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
Sun. Nov. 20 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Tue. Nov. 22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Wed. Nov. 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater

Keep your mind open.

[Levitate over to the subscription box while you’re here.]

[Thanks to Ahmad at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Alien Lizard – Lucid Dream Machine

Blending words from Phillip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, Edgar Allan Poe, and other famous authors and thinkers with shoegaze, synthwave, and fuzz-rock, Alien Lizard‘s Lucid Dream Machine has a perfect name for its effect on you.

The instrumental “Terminal” starts off the album sounding like it was recorded in a steel mill owned by My Bloody Valentine. “Lotus Eaters” is eastern-tinged psychedelia with guitars that sound like bees working in the aforementioned steel mill. “Obserwacja Obserwatora” is even trippier, bringing Brian Jonestown Massacre tracks to mind as it winds around you like a sexy snake.

“Los Naranjos” loops acoustic Spanish guitar riffs around synths that remind me of fog horns. I can relate to “Sympathy for the Luddite,” as I am a bit of one, and I love the dreamy, hazy vocals. They remind me of some Love & Rockets tunes with Daniel Ash‘s vocals. “Eyes Eye the I in You” is a smoky instrumental, and “The Bird” is a slow, almost languid, track that could’ve been a Black Rebel Motorcycle Club tune in a previous life.

“Romantyczność” takes you into a strange headspace with strange, droning guitar chords, and the closing track, “Wombat 9,” takes you out of that headspace and into a dreamspace for over seven minutes- thus, the title of this album. The whole thing is like a dream that leaves you thinking about it for the rest of the day.

Keep your mind open.

[I dream that you’ll subscribe today.]

[Thanks to Alien Lizard.]

Live: Gary Numan and I Speak Machine – March 21, 2022 – Park West, Chicago, IL

This was my third time seeing Gary Numan live, and it was the smallest venue I’ve seen him in so far. It was good to see a crowd of people happy to be experiencing live music again, and even better to see Numan and his band having a good time on stage.

His opening act was the one-woman band I Speak Machine, who came out looking like a Black Widow assassin and throwing down a set of darkwave mixed with kabuki, opera, and industrial grind. One of the best parts of her set was watching the reactions of some in the audience who didn’t know what to make of her, and of her not giving a damn what people thought.

I Speak Machine belting out operatic vocals for a dumbfounded crowd.

Mr. Numan came out to an appreciative crowd and proceeded to belt out a loud, sometimes furious set that mixed classics with hot tracks from his last two albums, Savage and Intruder.

Gary Numan being a rock god.

It was great to see him and his four-piece band having a good time. There were many moments when they were smiling or laughing. You could tell they were excited to be on tour. Numan’s guitarist, Steve Harris, was all over the stage, often mixing shredding solos with performance art antics. I’m fairly certain he broke a string or two just a few songs into the set from playing so hard.

Numan and crew

It was a great set, with standouts like “The Promise,” “Films,” “Ghost Nation,” “Love Hurt Bleed,” “Bed of Thorns,” “My Name Is Ruin,” “A Prayer for the Unborn,” and “Are Friends ‘Electric’?” Catch him if you can. He’s having a blast right now, and so will you.

Thanks to the woman who let me snap this photo of the set list she scored.

Keep your mind open.

Rewind Review: The Smithereens – 2011 (2011)

Saluting the past and embracing the current moment, The Smithereens‘ 2011 album, 2011, is a nod to their classic 11 album and was their first album of all-original material since 1999’s God Save the Smithereens. It was a fine return to form with catchy hooks, heartfelt lyrics, and ample shredding.

Take the opener, “Sorry,” for example. Jim Babjak‘s powerful guitars come at you right away and Pat Dinizio‘s strong vocals about being both sad and angry about a breakup show he’d lost none of his chops. “One Look at You” is the opposite in terms of lyrical content, as Dinizio tells the story of swooning after once glance at a lady, but keeps up the snappy beats by Dennis Diken and solid bass work by Severo Jornacion. “A World of Our Own” is the kind of song that The Smithereens do so well – toe-tapping beats, lyrics about love, Beach Boys-like harmonies, and chugging garage rock guitars.

“Don’t listen to the things they say, you just take my hand and we’ll just keep on running,” Dinizio tells his lover on the solid, strong “Keep on Running.” The whole band is firing on all cylinders here, working in great union with each other as Babjak’s guitar seems to melt and solidify from one note to the next in his solo. “Rings on Her Fingers” could’ve been a Beau Brummels song in a previous life.

“As Long As You Are Near Me” has what I’d consider a “classic” Babjack guitar solo – somewhat bluesy, somewhat gritty, and all shredding (and Jornacion’s walking bass line sounds like it’s easy to play but is deceptively tricky once you examine it). “Bring Back the One I Love” has Dinizio lamenting a lover who left him. Jornacion’s bass takes front stage on “Nobody Lives Forever,” giving the song a pulse you can’t ignore.

The haunting “Goodnight Goodbye” has great vocals from the whole band and this almost doom metal pace to it that I love. It’s a standout on the record. “All the Same” displays the band’s love of the Mersey Beat sound. “Viennese Hangover” belongs in a romantic comedy that takes place in Austria. Diken’s drums are in fifth gear on “Turn It Around,” and the added tambourine and jingle bells only increase the punch. The closer, “What Went Wrong,” sends us off on a fast note like a hot rod not bothering to slow down after it crosses the finish line in a street race.

2011 showed that The Smithereens still had plenty of fire in them, and it still sounds good eleven years later.

Keep your mind open.

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Horsegirl announce new album, single, and tour.

Photo by Cheryl Dunn

Today, Chicago trio Horsegirl announce their debut record, Versions of Modern Performance, out June 3rd on Matador, a summer tour, and present charged lead single/video, “Anti-glory.” Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums) – the best friends comprising Horsegirl – do everything collectively, from songwriting to trading vocal duties and swapping instruments to sound and visual art design. The warmth and strength of their bond crackles through every second of their debut. With lyrics intentionally impressionistic and open-ended, and a sound that ranges with joy and enthusiasm across a range of styles, Versions of Modern Performance offers many pathways. Following last year’s one-off “Billy,” lead single “Anti-glory” is elastic and propulsive, entrancing listeners with a central call: “Dance / Dance / Dance / Dance / With me.” The accompanying video, directed by Erin Vassilopoulos, exudes confidence, putting Horsegirl front and center, their uncanny ability to layer sound on full display.

We wrote Anti-glory almost by accident, while messing around with an old song during rehearsal. The song fell into place immediately, and looking back, we have no idea how we wrote it,” the band explains. “As always, this song and album are for Chicago, our friends, our friend’s bands, everyone who can play the guitar, and everyone who can’t play the guitar.”
Watch Horsegirl’s Video for “Anti-glory”

The friendship of these three goes far beyond Horsegirl. Reece and Cheng, college freshmen, and Lowenstein, a high school senior, learned to play—and met—through the significant network of Chicago youth arts programs, and they have their own mini-rock underground, complete with zine distros, that they describe as somewhat separate from the “adult shows” that take place at bars and DIY spaces they don’t have access to. They’re exultant about their friends’ talent, noting that any of the bands from that scene could have been (or might still be!) plucked up the way they were.

Versions of Modern Performance was recorded with John Agnello (Kurt Vile, The Breeders, Dinosaur Jr.) at Chicago’s Electrical Audio. “It’s our debut bare-bones album in a Chicago institution with a producer who we feel like really respected what we were trying to do,” the band says. Across the record, Horsegirl expertly play with texture, shape and shade, showcasing their fondness for improvisation and experimentation. One can hear elements of the ‘80s and ‘90s independent music the band love so deeply and sincerely—the scuzzy melodicism of what used to be called “college rock,” the cool, bubbly space-age sheen of the ‘90s vamps on lounge and noir; the warm, noisy roar of shoegaze; the economical hooks and rhythms of post-punk. There’s even a bit of no wave mixed in for good measure. But as Horsegirl fuse all of this together, it feels not like a pastiche or a hacky retread but something as playful and unique as its predecessors. They’re best understood as part of a continuum, but they’re building something for themselves.

Horsegirl will tour North America this summer, playing their first ever shows in most cities across the country. This all kicks off with a special record release show at Thalia Hall in Chicago on Sunday, June 5th. Next week, Horsegirl head to SXSW before their debut performances in Philadelphia, Washington, DC and New York City. Full dates are listed below, and tickets for newly announced shows go on sale this Friday, March 11th at 10am local time
Watch Horsegirl’s Video for “Billy”

Pre-Order Versions of Modern Performance

Horsegirl Tour Dates:
(new shows in bold)
Wed. March 16 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – FLOODfest @ Mohawk @ 2:00pm
Wed. March 16 – Austin, TX @ SXSW  – Roskilde Festival @ Cheer Up Charlie’s @ 10:00pm
Thu. March 17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW  – SX San Jose @ Hotel San Jose
Thu. March 17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW – Gorilla vs. Bear x Luminelle @ Seven Grand @ 11:15pm
Sat. March 19 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
Sun. March 20 – Washington, DC @ DC9
Tue. March 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel
Sun. May 29 – Allston, MA @ Boston Calling Festival
Sun. Jun. 5 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall  (RECORD RELEASE SHOW) ^
Fri. Jun. 10 – Giessen, DE @ Stadt ohne Meer
Sun. Jun. 12 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifield Derby
Thu. Jun. 16 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix Bar
Fri. Jun. 17 – Paris, FR @ Pop Up Du Label
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (EARLY SHOW)
Sun. Jun. 19 – London, UK @ Paper Dress Vintage (LATE SHOW)
Tue. Jun. 21 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Basement)
Wed. Jun. 22 – London, UK @ Bermondsey Social Club
Sun. Jun. 26 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Tue. Jun. 28 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn
Wed. Jun. 29 – Berlin, DE @ Monarch
Fri. Jul. 1 – Denmark, DE @ Roskilde Festival 2022
Sat. Jul. 2 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Upstairs
Fri. Jul. 15 – Vancouver, BC @ Wise Hall *
Sat. Jul. 16 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
Sun. Jul. 17 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall *
Tue. Jul. 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Thu. Jul. 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon *
Fri. Jul. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
Sat. Jul. 23 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Tue. Jul. 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line *
Wed. Jul. 27 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon *
Fri. Jul. 30 – Sat. Jul. 31 – Detroit, MI @ Mo Pop Festival
Tue. Aug. 2 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe *
Wed. Aug. 3 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *
Fri. Aug. 5 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground *
Sat. Aug. 6 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus *
 
^ w/ Lifeguard, Friko, Post Office Winter
* w/ Dummy

Keep your mind open.

[Get on the subscription horse.]

[Thanks to Jaycee and Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: BODEGA – Broken Equipment

BODEGA, the Brooklyn post-punk outfit, has long been fascinated with technology and all its goods and ills. Their new album, Broken Equipment, references this many times, first in the album’s title. Broken gear is a source of worry, anguish, and / or rage in this day and age due to our over-dependence on technology. BODEGA knows this, and openly discuss how they, too, fall victim to these glitchy woes.

Opening track (and the first single released from the album), “Thrown,” has lead singer Ben Hozie singing about how he has a Bermuda Triangle within him that sucks him into situations where he’s not sure how he got there or how to get out (“I was thrown here by chance…I was targeted by big rock ads…”). “Doers” is a poke in the eye of tech-bros and people who think their moving and shaking is actually going to amount to something in the grand scheme (“Ten minutes planning my next ten minutes!”).

“Territorial Call of the Female” has Nikki Belfiglio taking on lead vocals, which always means you’re in for a treat. Belfiglio’s vocals are often a great mix of snarky and sweet, and this track about ladies sometimes unintentionally sabotaging each other is a great example. “NYC (Disambiguation)” takes a brutal, honest look at NYC’s history – warts and all. “Statuette on the Console” ups the punk in their post-punk, taking off like a hot rod from the green light in an illegal street race. Belfiglio embraces her love of Patti Smith, Wendy O. Williams, and Poly Styrene, and the guitar solo on it by Dan Ryan is top-notch.

“C.I.R.P.” takes a shot at media elitists (backed by a wicked bass line from Adam See). “Pillar on the Bridge of You” is a delightful love song Hozie wrote to Belfiglio in which he claims all he wants to do is support her. “I have so many things to offer,” Hozie sings on “How Can I Help YA?” – a song that seems to be about self-proclaimed influencers. Ryan unleashes another solid solo right in the middle of it. “No Blade of Grass,” influenced by the bleak (but excellent 1970 disaster film of the same name), has Hozie and Belfiglio singing about how we’re constantly pummeled by disasters both real and imagined, mainly to benefit those with more wealth than us (“We need strength and discipline…So, give more power to the rich, they say. Inequality, it is natural.”).

The band’s fondness for The Velvet Underground comes through on “All Past Lovers,” which has that cool, driving beat (provided by Tai Lee, who sizzles on the entire record, really) and almost-drone guitar that is hard to do without sounding like a damn mess. Hozie dreams of rest and escaping loneliness on “Seneca the Stoic.” The album ends with “After Jane,” an acoustic ode to Hozie’s mother – with whom he admits he had a rocky relationship at times, and that her battle with mental illness was one of the hardest challenges of their life together, but he acknowledges that he now can “channel your hurt when I sing my songs.”

Broken Equipment is another sharp record from a band that has taken critique and self-critique to Zen levels and can make you pogo while doing it.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

P.E. discuss capitalism on “Contradiction of Wants.”

Photo by Vince McClelland

On March 25th P.E. will release their latest LP The Leather Lemon on Wharf Cat Records (Water From Your Eyes, Palberta, Lily Konigsberg). The follow up to 2021’s The Reason For My Love EP, which earned praise from outlets like StereogumBrooklynVeganBandcampThe Guardian (who had the EP’s title track on their 2021 Best Songs You Haven’t Heard list) and Pitchfork (who had the EP on their list of Great Records From 2021 You May Have Missed), the album has seen the release of two singles so far, lead single “Blue Nude (Reclined)“, and “Tears In The Rain“, a track that features Parquet Courts‘ A. Savage, and was described by Rolling Stone as “the perfect soundtrack for a neo-noir, with just a bit of tongue-in-cheek.” Today, P.E. are back with a final preview of their new LP, a track called “Contradiction of Wants”. 

LISTEN: 
to P.E. – “Contradiction of Wants” on
YouTube

This song is about the heartache and burden that is capitalism,” singer Veronica Torres explains. “Simultaneously experiencing disgust over consumerism and exploitation while singing along to the theme songThe Levi’s jeans commercial telling us to buy their product to waste less. Pink dolphins crying into the earth’s riversClimate change is real. Vegan’s snorting cocaine.”

To celebrate the album’s release the band will be playing a Brooklyn release show that will take place at Union Pool on March 23rd and will also feature A. Savage as a DJ and support from Pop 1280. Tickets are available to purchase here.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Tom at Hive Mind PR.]

Rewind Review: Frankie and the Witch Fingers – Levitation Sessions (2020)

Released in the middle of the pandemic and when everyone needed to just crank some psych-garage rock and let out a bunch of pent-up energy in their living room, Frankie and the Witch FingersLevitation Sessions is a great slice of the band’s always-solid live sets and bursts with energy for its entire length.

“Activate” is perfectly named and played to start off the set with beats that get your feet tapping right away and riffs to knock you back on your heels. “Reaper” is always a standout with its dreamy build-up to crushing power. “Sweet Freak” has this cool, looping groove to it that evolves into wild, frenetic, psychedelic guitar solos that are like a crow calling from a high tree when you walk by.

“Where’s Your Reality?” is another FATWF that absolutely cooks live or otherwise. Something is wrong with you if it doesn’t get you jumping and / or crowd surfing. The song melts into “Michaeldose,” a trippy and funky instrumental. The driving, hammering beats and bass of “Realization” are likely to induce you to bounce around your living room so hard you’ll be knocking over lamps and freaking out your pets.

The drums on “Dracula Drug” are especially sharp. All respect to Caster Black, who recorded and mixed the whole session. Another good example of the mixing is how well “Can You Hear Me Now?” eases into the rocking “Simulator” – another cut that always floors any audience. Likewise, “Cavehead” blends perfectly into the peppy, trippy “MEPEM…” – which is over eight minutes of thumping, bumping garage-psych.

Levitation Sessions is a great taste of a live FATWF show – a taste that leaves you wanting to dive face-first into their psychedelic buffet.

Keep your mind open.

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