Jeremy Fetzer just released a short EP of songs that contain the exact kind of flair you’d hope for from one half of Steelism. There’s celebratory horns, dramatic strings, rolling bongos, warbly choral effects and, yet, at the core of it all, there’s a delightful pop song.Â
Volume 93
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In this episode of the podcast, we celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Glossary. Special guests Bingham Barnes and Joey Kneiser sit down for a discussion about the formation of the band, the history behind their discography and their conscious effort to set a moral, optimistic, compass for the downtrodden in their music.
The band plays Mercy Lounge on Oct 7th to celebrate the bands longevity.
We’ll follow up on Wednesday with another edition showcasing their music. Get your tickets now if you haven’t already.
Harpooner – Rose Park
The debut Harpooner album straddles a line between melancholy pop record and full-force rock record. Songs like “Hush Up†induce an overwhelming captivation of bursting energy while “Love Shadow†is as pleasant of a laid back summer song as you could ask for. There’s a fine attention to detail through the album with new flourishes revealing themselves on each re-listen.Â
Infinite Limb “Drone_01 (Electric_Reeds)â€
Maybe I’m alone in this but there is something immensely comforting about Drone Music. It’s an, understandably, contentious genre but if you really turn it up and let the sound envelope your environment, it has a calming nature. At least, some of it does. I’m sure there’s intentionally abrasive and brutal droning music but the first offering from Infinite Limb is not that, it’s a 10-minute space out of calm.
Bully “Kills to be Resistantâ€
Another explosive new track from the forthcoming sophomore Bully LP, Losing, due Oct 20th via Sub Pop.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
Jessica Lea Mayfield – Sorry Is Gone First Listen
The latest from Jessica Lea Mayfield, Sorry Is Gone, will be officially released on Friday, September 29th but you can get an early listen by steering over to NPR’s First Listen stream of the record. The first three preview tracks that debuted earlier this year – the title track, “Meadowâ€, “Offa My Hands†– are great introductions to the record but there’s plenty of surprises left to be discovered. Â
The lead track, “Wish You Could See Me Nowâ€, and “World Won’t Stop†are far more bombastic than you’d expect and “Safe 2 Connect 2″ captures the crushing vibe of depression startlingly well.Â
E-JAIL – The Name of this Band is E-JAIL
E-JAIL’s debut is one of those perfect storms of DIY production, keyboard pop songs and just the right amount of goofy weirdness. I mean, the name alone is endearing enough but, fortunately, there are legitimately enjoyable songs like “France in a Thong†to back it up. The affected vocals may strike some as offputting but, for me, they contribute to the idea of making the songs you feel most comfortable with. Not super into your own singing voice? Add a vocoder and a warble. Kayne did it, why not E-JAIL?Â
*repeat repeat – Floral Canyon
Releasing an album can be a time consuming endeavor. Often, bands seek out management, touring experience, label partnerships and general “buzz†before they take the deep dive into unleashing their opus of music. It can be a frustrating and painfully lengthy undertaking, particularly when the album is finished.Â
There’s been rumblings of a *repeat repeat album since at least March of 2016 when they released the “Plugged In†single and lyric video. That was 19 months ago and now Floral Canyon, the second LP from the band, has been unveiled via Dangerbird Records. The band is consistently on the road and getting write-ups from the likes of Alternative Press, to name but a few. It’s safe to say they’ve been hard at work during that time.
All music industry biz aside, the album itself was certainly worth the wait. As showcased from the “Plugged In†and “Girlfriend†singles, the band manages to consistently write songs with surfy guitars, big riffs, driving drums, catchy harmonies and some damn infectious hooks. There’s always been a layer of melancholy and desperation to the lyrics and vocal delivery that works as such a fine juxtaposition to the pop nature of the songs.Â
There’s some surprises throughout the course of the record as well, “Polina Beefman†is a much more laid back dirge-y number (with the most bizarre of track titles) and “Speaker Destroyer†is a scorching build of exploding guitar work. It’s safe to say that the band has plenty more to give and even if it’s another 19 months, it’ll be time well spent.
Howling Giant – Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 2
As long as there is a series of albums titled “Black Hole Space Wizardâ€, I will continue to post about them. As discussed previously, the name is a misleading bit of absurdity around an otherwise legitimately pleasurable dose of psychedelic metal. Huge riffs, warbly space noises and lyrics involving elixirs, falling Towers (uppercase T) and the Earth Wizard.Â
Makeup and Vanity Set – Trackless (Original Soundtrack)
I could write a rambling essay on the kinds of imagery that Makeup and Vanity Set music typically conjures in my mind. Suffice to say, it’s usually extremely dark and would augment the best nightmare.Â
That being said, the most recent release is… different. It’s still dark and creepy feeling but, overall, it feels like a conscious effort to create a less oppressive vibe. Maybe this is because the album serves as a soundtrack to an indie game of the same name and is intentionally paying homage to the likes of Myst or Zork, 80′s exploratory games. Or maybe we’re seeing ole MAVS branch into some new aural territories. I’m enjoying the ride and look forward to what new sounds may lie ahead.
Butthole – Self-Titled
Back in January of 2016, I stumbled on the Soundcloud of a Nashville band calling themselves Butthole and offering a Secret EP of three songs. I was eager to hear the potential trainwreck of a band and not disappointed when it turned out they had some very promising chops within those three songs.
Now it seems that they’ve released their debut, self-titled, album and it’s goddamn delightful. The songs are catchy, the guitars are big and the lyrics are fun – particularly when spouting off about embarrassing childhood crushes on Wayne Brady. Look beyond the band name (it’s still funny to me) and embrace some music by a group obviously having a good time.
HARI - “Canyonsâ€
The contemplative and laid back HARI continue their tease of a slow trickle release with another song from their forthcoming EP (due this Oct). “Canyons†continues the vibe of “Days in the Sun†– contemplative, relaxed and plenty of nuanced guitar work.