Rock – Page 41 – 7th Level Music

Wah Together release single from upcoming album, “Let’s Wah Together,” due March 04, 2022.

“Sayonara” is the debut single by Wah Together which features Phil Mossman (ex LCD Soundsystem), Vito Roccoforte (The Rapture), Steve Schiltz (Longwave) and front woman Jaiko Suzuki (Electroputas). On “Sayonara”, Infectious Japanese Yé Yé beats swipe right on noisy, noir-tinged motorik excursions to form a psychedelic garage-rock power couple at 45 rpm. “Sayonara” bids a fond farewell to sweet memories of a lost lover with skewed-but-sugary ‘60s pop melodies, swinging, big beat drumming and no-wave guitar rave-ups like The Runners Four-era Deerhoof raining on Broadcast’s Tender Buttons parade. Wah Together is an impassioned defense for a shared act of creation. Tracked spontaneously and principally live, “Sayonara” captures the immediacy and spontaneity of a group of musicians listening to— and playing off— one another with genuine affection, curiosity and joy.

On their debut LP, Let’s Wah Together, the NYC-based quartet revel in the communal delight that happens when happy accidents are caught on tape. Tracked principally live and in close quarters, Let’s Wah Together captures the immediacy and spontaneity of a group of musicians listening to—and playing off— one another with genuine affection, curiosity, and joy. From the skronk n’ stomp of “I’m A Swimmer” to the Japanese Yé Yé beat inflected “Sayonara,” the dense ear-busting wistfulness of “Teen Vito” and the storming acidic drive of “Out! Out! Out!,” Let’s Wah Together is a loud and commanding recommitment to the cooperative spirit and familial love that always marks New York’s most vital eras.

New York City might be a gilded husk of its former self, but Wah Together have blown out a hole in the sweat-stained wall, churned up the asphalt and uncovered untrammeled layers of the city’s garage/psych-underground. No mere ruddy-cheeked baby-band, Wah Together instead assembles a loose group of friends and musicians, each seminal to the city’s musical legacy. The band met-cute in 2019 at a “chance” jam session Mossman slyly arranged in his dark DUMBO basement studio roping in long-time friend and drummer Vito Roccoforte to play with guitarist and producer Steve Schiltz.

The sound the three produced that day was an emphatic mix of contorted rave-ups, feedback drenched space oddities and pulsating Krautrock but it might have only remained a sprawling and allusive project the three conjured periodically if not for Jaiko Suzuki. Suzuki, former go-go dancer, avant-garde percussionist and occasional Coney Island “mermaid,” leant vocals to a variety of projects but never really sung in a band until being recruited by her old pal Roccoforte. Suzuki’s voice, at once both effervescent and direct, digs into her bandmates tightly linked motorik and shoegazed jams, coaxing out hooks and adding ballast to the shattering volume they produce.

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[Thanks to Steven at Dedstrange.]

Shilpa Ray hits hard on her newest single, “Bootlickers of the Patriarchy.”

New York City’s Shilpa Ray shared “Bootlickers of the Patriarchy,” a scathing new track written about Senator Susan Collins and her infamous press conference after the Kavanaugh/Blasey Ford hearings. “It’s about women who succeed from undermining the success of other women or choose to gain success from exploiting the oppression of other women,” says Ray. “This is a character who has taken many forms throughout history, the kind of woman who seems perfectly content playing Gamma to the Alpha male. ‘Bootlicker’ is my direct challenge to the notion of ‘women supporting other women,’ as well as the falsehoods and unrealistic expectations that come with a statement like that.”

“I wrote the song to be played in two different arrangement styles, the first half being slow and haunting and the second going balls-to-the-wall rage. I was re-exploring a lot of industrial/proto-industrial music I had listened to as a teenager in the 90s and used some elements of synth/drum machine sounds to convey all that anger, panic and darkness.”

“Bootlickers of the Patriarchy” is backed with a cover of Ministry’s “I’m Not An Effigy.” Ray explains: “I was obsessed with the Ministry album With Sympathy when writing tracks for my next full length album. It is the record Al Jourgenson has stated multiple times that he’s ashamed of most, which is saying a lot considering this man’s autobiography. I teamed up with my friend Heather Elle of Flossing, formerly of post punk bands Bodega and The Wants for this collaboration. It’s my first official recorded track where I’m playing guitar, so as the saying goes, it’s never too late to pick up a new instrument and get totally lost in it.“

The two tracks are on 7” vinyl and is available to order from Northern Spy here.

Shilpa Ray began releasing music in 2006 with her projects Beat The Devil and later Her Happy Hookers. In 2011, she began touring with Nick Cave as a backup singer and supporting act, playing under her own name and going on to release highly lauded works, including Last Year’s Savage (2015) and Door Girl (2017). Bootlickers of the Patriarchy 7” follows 2020’s standalone tracks “Manic Pixie Dream Cunt” and “Heteronomative Horseshit Blues” which earned critical praise from Paste Magazine, Brooklyn Vegan, Louder Than War, MXDWN, FLOOD Magazine, Alt Citizen, American Songwriter and Billboard, among many others.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Cody at Clandestine PR.]

A Place to Bury Strangers encourages us to focus on the good times with their new single, “Hold on Tight.”

Last month, post-punk legends A Place To Bury Strangers announced their sixth studio album, See Through You, out February 4, 2022 on Dedstrange, and shared its lead single “Let’s See Each Other.” Today, they return with “Hold On Tight,” a noise-pop ripper bursting with chaotic delirium. The accompanying video, directed by Meriel O’Connell, sees bandleader Oliver Ackermann moonlighting as the concierge of New York’s most eccentric hotel. When a candlelit dinner suddenly turns into a lovers’ quarrel, Ackermann joins a mysterious lone patron (drummer Sandra Fedowitz) and maître d’ (bassist John Fedowitz) to bring the noise. “When the getting’s good, I hold on tight. Sometimes I forget to enjoy where I am and the people around me. It is critical to be thankful and enjoy existence and have fun. Having a bad night? Reflect and kick yourself into gear,” says Ackermann.

Watch “Hold On Tight” Video

A Place To Bury Strangers have been delighting and astonishing audiences for close to two decades, combining post-punk, noise-rock, shoegaze, psychedelia, and avant-garde music in startling and unexpected ways. See Through You is an explosive journey which explores the listener’s limits of mind-bending madness while simultaneously offering the catchiest batch of songs in the band’s discography. Outpacing even their own firmly blazed path of audio annihilation, See Through You repeatedly delivers the massive walls of chaos and noise that every A Place To Bury Strangers fan craves in spades. It’s a nod of the cap to the art school ethos of the band’s origins, while forging a new and clear direction forward.
Watch/Stream “Hold On Tight”

Watch “Let’s See Each Other” Video

Pre-order See Through You

A Place To Bury Strangers 2022 Tour Dates
Mon. January 31 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd #
Tue. February 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s #
Wed. February 2 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz #
Fri. February 4 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace #
Sat. February 5 – Detroit, MI @ El Club #
Sun. February 6 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Mon. February 7 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club #
Tue. February 8 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave. 7th Street Entry #
Fri. February 11 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos %
Sat. February 12 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios %
Sun. February 13 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre %
Tue. February 15 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel %
Wed. February 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom %
Fri. February 18 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar %
Sat. February 19 – Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress %
Tue. February 22 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge %
Wed. February 23 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck %
Fri. February 25 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt %
Sat. February 26 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 %
Sun. February 27 – Chapel Hill, ND @ Cat’s Cradle
Fri. March 4 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg !
Wed. March 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang &
Thu. March 10 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol &
Fri. March 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Poglos &
Sat. March 12 – Prague, CZ @ Futurum &
Sun. March 13 – Bratislava, SK @ Randal Club &
Mon. March 14 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert &
Wed. March 16 – Bucharest, RO @ Control Club ^
Thu. March 17 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape5 ^
Fri. March 18 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball ^
Sat. March 19 – Athens, GR @ Temple ^
Mon. March 21 – Skopje, MK @ 25th of May Hall ^
Tue. March 22 – Belgrade, RS @ Club Drugstore ^
Thu. March 24 – Zagreb, HR @ Mochvara ^
Fri. March 25 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout Club ^
Sat. March 26 – Rome, IT @ Largo ^
Sun. March 27 – Milan, IT @ Legend Club ^
Tue. March 29 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F ^
Wed. March 30 – Munich, DE @ Backstage ^
Thu. March 31 – Martigny, CH @ Caves Du Memoir
Fri. April 1 – Paris, FR @ La Trabendo *
Sat. April 2 – London, UK @ Lafayette *
Mon. April 4 – Antwerp, BE @ Kavka *
Tue. April 5 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22 *
Wed. April 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg *
Thu. April 7 – Groningen, NL @ Vera *
Sat. April 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7 *
Sun. April 10 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee *
Mon. April 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset *
Tue. April 12 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44 *
Wed. April 13 – Cologne, DE @ MTC *

# with Glove
% with TV Priest
& with Jealous
^ with Plattenbau
* with Lunacy
! with Native Sun, GIFT

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[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

CHAI to release “Wink Together” remix EP ahead of a massive tour.

This year, CHAI made their Sub Pop debut with WINK, securing their position as “a professional purveyor of whimsy” (The New York Times). Today, the band announces their forthcoming WINK TOGETHER EP, a reimagination of songs from their beloved record, and reveals “END” (Confidence Man Remix). For WINK TOGETHER, CHAI tapped their favorite artists from around the world for what they call their “most powerful album yet.” Collaborators include Korea’s Beenzino, Japan’s ZAZEN BOYS and STUTS, as well as Australia’s Confidence Man. “CHAI and ConMan are a match made in party heaven,” Confidence Man explains. “When we heard their track ‘END,’ we just knew we had to put our hands all over it. Make the girls the 90’s hip hop stars they truly are. And if we do say so ourselves, it’s truly turned into the collab of our dreams.”

LISTEN TO “END (CONFIDENCE MAN REMIX)”

Today’s remix is a small taste of what CHAI have in store with WINK TOGETHER, as well as what they will bring to their 2022 North American tour of the same name. The WINK TOGETHER tour will see CHAI bookending their run of dates supporting Mitski, including stops in Chicago, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles.

WINK TOGETHER Tracklist 1. END (Confidence Man Remix) 2. ACTION (with ZAZEN BOYS) 3. Miracle (Scoobert Doobert Remix) 4. PING PONG! (Busy P Remix) 5. Nobody Knows We Are Fun (STUTS Remix) 6. Donuts Mind If I Do (with Beenzino)

CHAI TOUR DATES
Fri. Feb. 4 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Sat. Feb. 5 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
Sun. Feb. 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Wed. Feb. 9 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Fri. Feb. 11 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Sat. Feb. 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
Sun. Feb. 13 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Tue. Feb. 15 – Brooklyn NY @ Elsewhere
Thu. Feb. 17 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel * – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 18 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz * – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 19 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern * – SOLD OUT
Mon. Feb. 21 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City * – SOLD OUT
Tue. Feb. 22 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre * – SOLD OUT
Thu. Feb. 24 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (Outside Lawn) * – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 25 – Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory * – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 26 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater * – SOLD OUT
Mon. Feb. 28 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren * – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Expo Hall * – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Expo Hall * – SOLD OUT
Fri. March 4 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater * – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 5 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater * – SOLD OUT
Mon. March 7 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall * – SOLD OUT
Wed. March 9 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre * – SOLD OUT
Thu. March 10 – Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre * – SOLD OUT
Sat. March 12 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Sun. March 13 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Tue. March 15 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club
Thu. March 17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
*= supporting Mitski

CHAI Online:
https://chai-band.com/en/
http://pitchperfectpr.com/chai/
https://twitter.com/CHAIofficialJPN
https://www.instagram.com/chaiofficialjpn/
https://www.facebook.com/CHAIofficialJPN/

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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Squid announce North American tour.

Squid’s acclaimed debut album Bright Green Field, released via Warp Records, has been called one of the best albums of 2021 by Pitchfork, Stereogum, The Quietus, Consequence, Paste, Exclaim!, and beyond. On the heels of their sold out first-ever US tour, the UK band announces a 2022 North American tour which sees them playing their biggest venues yet. Having built a reputation for their must-see live performances, Squid — Ollie Judge, Louis Borlase, Arthur Leadbetter, Laurie Nankivell, and Anton Pearson — are not to be missed. Tour dates are listed below and tickets are on sale here.

Squid Tour Dates
Wed. Jan. 26 – Belfast, UK @ Empire Music Hall
Thu. Jan 27 – Galway, IE @ Roisin Dubh
Fri. Jan. 28 – Cork, IE @ Cyprus Avenue
Sun. Jan. 30 – Dublin, IE @ The Button Factory
Mon. Jan. 31 – Dublin, IE @ The Button Factory
Mon. March 7 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Tue. March 8 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Wed. March 9 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
Sat. March 12 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
Sun. March 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater
Wed. March 16 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
Thu. March 17 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
Fri. March 18 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Sat. March 19 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz
Mon. March 21 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Tue. March 22 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Wed. March 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Fri. March 25 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
Sun. June 5 – Sun. June 12 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
Fri. Jul. 8 – London, UK @ Somerset House
Fri. Aug. 5 – Sun. Aug. 7 – Katowice, PL @ OFF Festival
Wed. Aug. 17 – Sat. Aug. 20 – Paredes de Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura Festival
Thu. Aug. 25 – Sun. Aug. 28 – Saint Cloud, FR @ Rock en Seine
Mon. Sep. 16 – Sun. Sep. 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Primavera Sound LA

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

[Thanks to Ahmad at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Gustaf gets remixed by Beck and announces a massive U.S. / U.K. tour.

After a stellar year that saw them release their debut album and join IDLES on a largely sold-out nationwide tour, Brooklyn art punks Gustaf have returned with a fiery remix of their track “Design” by none other than the multi-time Grammy-winner Beck. Their friendship with Beck blossomed after he invited them to play a secret loft party at his New York apartment, and his re-work of their first ever recorded single comes alongside a throughly enjoyable Interview Magazine piece in which they discuss the merits of creating and sharing outside of the box. Today, they’re also announcing a slew of headline dates across the United States and the UK, as well as a Talkhouse conversation with tourmates IDLES.

LISTEN: to Beck’s remix of Gustaf’s “Design” on YouTube

READ:
Gustaf’s conversations with Beck for Interview Magazine
&
IDLES for Talkhouse

Audio Drag For Ego Slobs came out via Royal Mountain Records on October 1st to rapturous praise from the likes of NPR, NME, BrooklynVegan, DIY, Paste, and the band will continue to prove why they are one of America’s most “reliably fun bands” as they head out on a full US headline tour with stops at SXSW, Treefort, Savannah Music Fest and many more, before jumping across the Atlantic for their first UK shows, a run that will see them appearing at Brighton’s The Great Escape festival.

Beck’s remix of Gustaf’s “Design” is out now on Royal Mountain Records. It is available to stream here.

Tour Dates

2022
3/10 – Washington, DC @ DC9
3/11 – Durham, NC @ Pinhook
3/11-12 – Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover Music Fest
3/13 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
3/15 – Dallas, TX @ Sundown at Granada
3/16-18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/20 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
3/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
3/23 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
3/23-27 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest
3/25 – Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
3/26 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
3/31 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry
4/1 – Milwaukee, WI @ Colectivo
4/2 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
4/3 – Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups
4/5 – Toronto, ON @ Garrison
4/7 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
4/8 – Portland, ME @ Portland House of Music
4/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
4/15 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
4/16 – New York, NY @ The Broadway
4/29 – Nottingham, United Kingdom @ Bodega
4/30 – Edinburgh, United Kingdom @ Stag & Dagger Edinburgh
5/1 – Glasgow, United Kingdom @ Stag & Dagger Glasgow
5/3 – Dublin, Ireland @ The Workman’s Club
5/4 – Manchester, United Kingdom @ YES / Pink Room
5/6 – Leeds, United Kingdom @ Headrow House
5/7 – Coventry, United Kingdom @ Coventry Central Library
5/8 – Birmingham, United Kingdom @ Hare & Hounds
5/9 – London, United Kingdom @ Moth Club (co-headline w/ Kills Birds)
5/10 – London, United Kingdom @ Moth Club (co-headline w/ Kills Birds)
5/11 – Cambridge, United Kingdom @ The Portland Arms
5/13 – Brighton, United Kingdom @ The Great Escape Festival
5/14 – Bristol, United Kingdom @ Crofters Rights

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Tom at Hive Mind PR.]

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard announce remix album and massive world tour.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard announce Butterfly 3001, a remix album of their original out January 21st, 2022 on KGLW. Today, they share two of its singles, “Neu Butterfly” (Peaches Remix) and “Shanghai” (Dub by The Scientist). King Gizzard’s Joey Walker elaborates: “We’ve put off doing a remix album for a long time. Maybe it was conscious, maybe it wasn’t. But it’s happening now. That’s not to say that Butterfly 3000 makes the most sense to remix. It might seem like the obvious one, but it’s not. Yes it’s electronic. But so is a fridge. Have you tried to dance to Butterfly? It’s hard. It ties your shoelaces together. It’s duplicitous in its simplicity. But Butterfly 3001 expands on this. It also deviates and obliterates. We’re honoured to have such esteemed people go to work on these songs. We hope you love this album as much as we do. See you in DA CLUB!!!”

For their “Neu Butterfly” remix, Peaches “wanted to make this remix sound like a lizard. Slippery wet and scaly dry. Something that wiggles through wide open spaces… with slits for eyeballs…. And danceable.”

Listen to “Neu Butterfly” (Peaches Remix)

Legendary producer The Scientist says “I’ve always enjoyed being able to apply my dub mixing techniques to music outside of the typical ‘reggae mold.’ The music of KGLW, and specifically the song ‘Shanghai,’ provided me with the perfect landscape to be able to create something sonically rich and exciting for the listener. KGLW fans and dub-reggae fans, alike, will enjoy this song very much.”

Listen to “Shanghai” (Dub by The Scientist)

Pre-order Butterfly 3001
Butterfly 3001 Tracklist
1. Black Hot Soup (DJ Shadow “My Own Reality” Re-Write)
2. Shanghai (The Scientist Dub)
3. Shanghai (Deaton Chris Anthony Remix)
4. Dreams (Yu Su Instrumental Mix)
5. Blue Morpho (Donato Dozzy Remix)
6. Blue Morpho (VRIL Remix)
7. Blue Morpho (Ciel’s Fluttering Dub)
8. Blue Morpho (ZANDOLI II remix)
9. Catching Smoke (DāM-FunK Instrumental Re-Freak)
10. Ya Love (Flaming Lips’ Fascinating Haircut Re-Do)
11. Ya Love (Geneva Jacuzzi Remix)
12. Ya Love (Héctor Oaks playing w/ Fire Mix)
13. 2.02 Killer Year (Bullant’s Fuck Mike Love Remix)
14. Yours (Fred P Journey Mix)
15. Butterfly 3000 (Terry Tracksuit Remix)
16. Neu Butterfly 3000 (Peaches Remix)
17. Catching Smoke (4am Wack Rmx By Hieroglyphic Being) *
18. Blue Morpho (Mall Grab Remix) *
19. Dreams (Peaking Lights Trancedellic Macrodosing Mix) *
20. Interior People (Confidence Man Remix) *
21. Catching Smoke (Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith Remix) *

*= available on digital release only

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard 2022 Tour Dates
Sat. Mar. 19 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Lollapalooza Argentina
Sat. Mar. 26 – São Paulo, BR @ Lollapalooza Brazil
Sun. Mar. 27 – Bogotá, CO @ Festival Estereo Picnic
Sun. April 17 – Las Vegas, NV @ Event Lawn at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas %
Sun. April 24 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ Madonna Inn $
Tue. April 26 – Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu $
Wed. April 27 – Petaluma, CA @ Phoenix Theater $
Sat. April 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
Fri. May 20 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
Sat. May 21 – Columbus, OH @ Express Live
Sun. May 22 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Funhouse
Tue. May 24 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
Wed. May 25 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Thu. May 26 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Tue. May 31 – Athens, Greece @ Gagarin 205
Wed. June 1 – Athens, Greece @ Gagarin 205
Fri. June 3 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound – SOLD OUT
Sun. June 5 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera in the City
Mon. June 6 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera in the City
Tue. June 7 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera in the City
Thu. June 9 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound – SOLD OUT
Sat. June 11 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby Festival
Tue. June 14 – Berlin, DE @ Tempodrom
Sat. June 18 – Miami, FL @ Space Park
Sun. July 31 – Waterford, IE @ All Together Now
Tue. Aug. 2 – Šibenik, HR @ St. Michael’s Fortress
Wed. Aug. 3 – Šibenik, HR @ St. Michael’s Fortress
Fri. Aug. 5 – Prague, CZ @ Archa Theatre
Sun. Aug. 7 – Vienna, AT @ Arena Wien (Open Air)
Tue. Aug. 9 – Leipzig, DE @ Parkbühne
Wed. Aug. 10 – Munich, DE @ Tonhalle
Fri. Aug. 12 – Sion, CH @ Palp Festival
Thu. Aug. 18 – Paredes de Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura Festival
Fri. Aug. 19 – Gueret, FR @ Check-In Party Festival
Sat. Aug. 20 – Saint-Malo, FR @ La Route du Rock Festival
Tue. Aug. 23 – Cologne, DE @ E-Werk
Wed. Aug. 24 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle
Sat. Aug. 27 – Málaga, ES @ Canela Party
Sun. Oct. 2 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre *
Tue. Oct. 4 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater*
Wed. Oct. 5 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum*
Thu. Oct. 6 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount *
Mon. Oc. 10 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre* – SOLD OUT
Tue. Oct. 11 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre* – SOLD OUT
Fri. Oct. 14 – St Paul, MN @ The Palace Theatre* – SOLD OUT
Sat. Oct. 15 – Chicago, IL @ RADIUS*
Sun. Oct. 16 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple*
Tue. Oct. 18 – Toronto, ON @ History*
Wed. Oct. 19 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia*
Fri. Oct. 21 – New York, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium*
Sat. Oct. 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall*
Sun. Oct. 23 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem at The Wharf*
Mon. Oct. 24 – Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit*
Wed. Oct. 26 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern*
Thu. Oct. 27 – New Orleans, LA @ Orpheum Theater *
Mon. Oc. 31 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion #

% w/ Amyl and the Sniffers, SPELLLING, Dj Crenshaw
$ w/ SPELLLING, DJ Crenshaw
* w/ Leah Senior
# w/ The Murlocs, Leah Senior

King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizard Online:
https://kinggizzardandthelizardwizard.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kinggizzard/
https://www.facebook.com/kinggizzardandthelizardwizard/
https://twitter.com/kinggizzard
https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/
https://gizzverse.com/

Keep your mind open.

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

Rewind Review: The Damned – Final Damnation (1989)

Recorded live at London’s Town & Country Club on June 13, 1988, Final Damnation is a time capsule of The Damned‘s reunion concert. All of the original members of the band are here: Dan Vanian on vocals, Rat Scabies on drums, Captain Sensible on bass and guitar, and Brian James on guitar. They also bring in Bryan Merrick on bass and Roman Jugg on keyboards for songs on which those guys played on Damned albums featuring them. The band had just been dropped by their label before cutting this record, and the unhinged chaos of that moment in the band’s timeline can be felt and heard.

Starting with “See Her Tonite,” the band barely has time to say hello before launching into furious punk riffs. “We’re not doin’ it for the money!” Captain Sensible yells to the crowd afterwards. The crowd replies with, “Oh, yes you are!” and soon Sensible is chugging out the always thrilling bass line of “Neat Neat Neat” and the crowd is going bonkers. “Born to Kill” hits like a metal rockabilly.

I’m not sure if Sensible or Scabies is playing hardest on “I Fall,” as they’re both going nuts throughout it (Scabies has the slight edge, I think.). “Fan Club” has a great swagger to it, and a great solo from James, too. “Fish” is a fast fan-favorite. Their cover of The Beatles’ “Help” is almost unrecognizable as it hits like repeated punches to the face. “New Rose,” of course, gets the crowd into a frenzy, and their cover of The Stooges‘ “I Feel Alright” is stunning.

The “second half” of the album / show starts with their classic tune “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today” – a song that’s still resonant decades later. “Wait for the Blackout” has Sensible wailing on his guitar for the back of the room. Jugg’s opening piano chords on “Melody Lee” are like a fake jab before the hard cross of the guitars and drums.
“Noise, Noise, Noise” is as raucous as you hope it will be, as is “Love Song” – in which it sounds like Scabies destroys his kit.

The opening chords and beats of “Smash It Up” give you some time to catch your breath before you want to join the band in smashing everything in sight, and they end the show with two snarky covers – “Looking at You” by MC5 and The Rolling Stones‘ “The Last Time.”

Thankfully, this wouldn’t be the last time The Damned played a show or even released an album, but Final Damnation is a great recording of a great show. There’s also a DVD of the entire performance out there (which can also be found on YouTube) to help capture the madness.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you split.]

Top 30 albums of 2021: #’s 5 – 1

We’ve reached the top of the chart. Who takes the prize? You’ll find out soon.

#5: Anika – Change

Good heavens…This album is so lush, haunting, and beautiful that it will sweep you away from whatever you’re doing when you play it. Anika’s voice immediately drapes over you like a luxurious robe with a knife hidden in a back pocket.

#4: Rochelle Jordan – Play with the Changes

Seriously, why aren’t more people going nuts over Rochelle Jordan? She mixes soul, house, disco, and trip hop better than most, and Play with the Changes is, if you ask me, the sexiest album of 2021.

#3: Brijean – Feelings

This lovely mix of trip hop, dream pop, bossa nova, and house music is a delight from start to finish. It was a much-needed tonic during the crappy 365 days of 2021. It’s a perfect spin for any time of year. Got the winter blues? Play this. Need a fun record for that summer beach trip? Play this. Need a boost to start your garden? Play this. Looking forward to sipping hot cider in the fall? Play this.

#2: Aaron Frazer – Introducing…

This solo record from one of the cats in Durand Jones and The Indications is one of the best soul and R&B records of 2021. Frazer puts down his trademark sharp beats and brings his other trademark, high-end vocals, with him to create a groovy, sexy blend that impressed Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys so much that he produced it.

#1: Shame – Drunk Tank Pink

This album got locked into my number one spot not long after it was released. It’s a sharp post-punk record, and I remember being more and more impressed with it after each listen. It covers everything from Brexit and the pandemic to boredom and hope for the future. It’s snarky, witty, and powerful.

There you have it. I hope 2022 is good to all of us.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 30 albums of 2021: #’s 10 – 6

Here we are at the top ten albums I reviewed last year. Who made the cut? Check it out below here.

#10: Liam Kazar – Due North

The songwriting on Due North is outstanding. That, and Kazar’s piano and guitar work, put him up there with Lindsey Buckingham and Joe Jackson in my opinion. This was one of the brightest spots of a gloomy year.

#9: The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings

This double-album is one of the most beautiful records about death that you’ve ever heard. It’s grand, glorious, and resonant after a year when all of us lost someone – either within our own homes, across the street, or on the other side of the globe.

#8: Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg

It’s no coincidence that Dry Cleaning’s first proper U.S. tour sold out at nearly every stop. They’re the queen and kings of British post-punk right now, and New Long Leg – their first full-length album – is a great follow-up to their multiple EPs (all of which were also excellent).

#7: Osees – Levitation Sessions II

The second Levitation Sessions album from Osees was somehow wilder than the first. Livestreaming it in our home at loud volume during lockdown was a blissful escape for the entire time. The set included plenty of deep cuts, including multiple Chrome covers.

#6: Osees – The Chapel, SF 10.2.19

Recorded during their set night at The Chapel music venue in San Francisco, and just before the pandemic shut down touring for everyone everywhere, this live album is one of Osees’ best. It captures the chaos of their shows, highlights some of their prog-rock love, and served as a reminder to stay healthy and take care of each other so we could get back to seeing concerts again.

Who tops the list? You’ll find out tomorrow!

Keep your mind open.

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