As someone who’s been studying up in the DMV (shout-out George Mason!), I’ve been slightly aware of MasVusi, an active drag performer in the area. She’s certainly a remarkable figure in both her performances and trans activism, and when I heard she was releasing an EP, I knew it would be something truly interesting. Despite pride month having come and gone, it’s still critical to shed light on new releases by queer artists absolutely worth your time, and MasVusi’s debut EP i hope you like it and is a shining example of such.
The EP has been in the works for two years, with MasVusi describing it as a “true story of love, loss, and a coming of age where queer young people must choose between their own safety or the presence of their loved ones.” The songs are implied to be autobiographical in some ways, which makes the release more intriguing given it’s already quite confessional and honest, even without the prior context. The music of the EP contrasts the moodiness of the lyrics by mainly being an eclectic blend of several eras of dance music (likely also chosen because the genre is a staple in queer/drag culture). Musically, I spotted influences from flashy 70s disco (“Chaser ‘69”), early 80s synthpop/Italo-disco (“(the) Night Shift”), and modern EDM (“t4t”) throughout the record. Though that’s assuming those aesthetic/stylistic references were intentional and I’m not just being a massive nerd, anyway.
Immediately, the opener and lead single “Closet Blues” caught my attention with a thumping dance beat and a squelchy, groovy bass line. It’s a fun opener, and the lyrics set up the themes of late-night romance (and eventual heartbreak) in a way that still complements the funk. My favorite song from the EP was definitely “(the) Night Shift”, which really impressed me with its production. It has these dreamy and lush 80s-inspired synths, and the whole track just sounds gorgeous. I absolutely must point out MasVusi’s vocal performance because while I think the opener’s mixing could bury her voice, she really comes alive in this song specifically. She has great vocal range, and her voice can have a glammy dramatic quality that really soars during the more emotional, longing moments of the record.
The next song and second single “Chaser ‘69” (featuring fellow DMV-drag artist Queenie Iman Glamazon) continues in this throwback direction by incorporating synthesized strings and a four-on-the-floor beat. It’s intentionally campy to achieve the vintage 70s disco flavor the song is going for, which is reminiscent of Donna Summer or ABBA, and again succeeds because of the vocals and production. After that comes the most vulnerable song on the record, “Momma, I”. Interspersed throughout the track is a recording of the inside of a DC metro station, which makes the lyrics and entire EP seem more real and personal. This is because the audio juxtaposes against MasVusi singing earnestly at her most desolate and bleak, with the music styled in a jazzy piano ballad to match the tone. The lyrics of the middle three songs are the most downbeat, focusing on yearning, financial hardships, and loneliness, respectively.
Fortunately, the EP ends on a positive note with “t4t”, a fast-paced contemporary rave song. I believe the lyrics show MasVusi found her own happiness with the local drag/club scene she’s currently involved in, a sentiment that wraps up the EP nicely. As a debut release, i hope you like it (which, yes, I did) is bold and revealing while still being quite danceable and engaging, and it shows that MasVusi is a performer with something to say.
It’s Bootsy, baby! If you don’t know who Bootsy Collins is, you absolutely need to get the funk out of this site and do your research. (Actually, stay to read the review, then do some listening.) Funk legend, bass player extraordinaire, fashion icon, and outrageous personality Bootsy Collins has just released a new single, the title track of his upcoming 23rd LP, Album of the Year #1 Funkateer. As you can tell, I’m a huge fan of Bootsy’s work, from his time in the Parliament-Funkadelic collective during the 70s, his solo career, and his contributions to The J.B.’s, the backing band of funk godfather James Brown. Yet despite his six-decade-long career, he’s still collaborated with newer artists inspired by his work, such as Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak), Childish Gambino, and Kali Uchis.
Admittedly, I had some reservations about going into the new single. Many legacy artists, when releasing a new project, get cold feet about their current abilities and try too hard to update their sound. Whether it’s through auto-tune or trying too hard to capture a more modern style out of their comfort zone, there are lots of pitfalls that many older musicians willingly jump into when recording new material. Thankfully, I could rest assured as soon as the song started, as it led into a funk jam worthy of anything from the genre’s golden age. Musically, it fit right into the same sort of P-Funk bangers that made albums like Mothership Connection so tight.
All great funk depends on the band’s chemistry in keeping the groove and rhythm going. Obviously, Bootsy would know this as a genre pioneer, and the new single totally exemplifies this idea. The bass playing is squelchy and wobbly in a way that keeps the music bouncing, and the horn section is killer throughout. Admittedly, the production can have a bit too much of a pop-music sheen to it, and it prevents the synthesizers from getting freaky in a way that Parliament’s synth solos did, but it’s only a mere nitpick. I’m glad that Bootsy himself doesn’t sound too overproduced, with some minor polishes to his voice. His infectious personality still gets to shine through. However, he takes a backseat to let the backing vocalists and musicians shine, and the song is all the better for it. I especially liked guest vocalist Myra Washington, with her voice and personality bringing up memories of classic female funk vocalists like Betty Davis or Chaka Khan.
If you have the slightest bit of a taste for classic funk, this single is a total no-brainer. Bootsy Collins shows that, even at 72, he can still bring down the house with a funky jam like “Album of the Year #1 Funkateer”. Even if the upcoming LP isn’t our “album of the year”, he remains one of the most legendary funkateers. Album of the Year #1 Funkateer is out Oct. 25 via Bootzilla Records/Equity Distribution.
I’ll always jump at the chance to review music in my local area, so getting to write about DC-based indie band Pretty Bitter was super exciting. The band, (composed of vocalist Mel Bleker, bassist Miri Tyler, keyboardist Zack Be, guitarist Chris Smith, and drum-ist Jason Hayes) formed during the late 2010s and have released two albums, 2019’s Patchwork and 2022’s Hinges, with a third currently being scheduled for some time later this year. Their sound is self-described as “queer alternative emo dream pop-ish”, which is probably a fair way of putting it. Listening to some of their previous songs gave the impression that the band has eclectic tastes and doesn’t want their sound to be pigeonholed, especially considering the immense talents each member has. It seems inspired by a plethora of alt-rock sounds, namely dense pedal/feedback-heavy psychedelia (or shoegaze, if you’re annoying) with occasionally some distorted garage-rock guitars or danceable drumming and bass playing. For a band that’s still young, I appreciate their desire to keep listeners on their toes by having a decent range of playing styles.
Their newest single from February, the grimly titled “Roadkill”, is a great showcase of each member’s abilities and chemistry with each other as they make the track into a total gem. The vocals are bursting with confidence and enthusiasm, even when they’re occasionally buried by layers of guitar and synthesizer effects. Speaking of, the band continues to mix and match styles by incorporating some bubbly new wave-y synths that really pop, and keep the song fresh. The aggressive, relentless energy provided by the guitar, bass (wonderfully gritty during the bridge) and especially the drumming, which never seems to slow down for even a second. It complements the angst and frustration present in the songwriting, with lyrics that are personal and confessional like a lot of Pretty Bitter’s other work. Yet it’s still fresh and inventive through the band’s abilities and their commitment to not fully repeating themselves.
I’m glad I could write about Pretty Bitter, as the band is absolutely a shining star in DC’s growing local music scene. They have potential and musical expertise in spades, and seeing their further growth and evolution will be a joy to witness.
“Is it just me or is it everybody sitting outside with their house on fire?” The Greeting Committee asks in their latest single “Cyclical,” released just days before their new album “Everyone’s Gone and I Know I’m The Cause”. The song doesn’t just dip its toes into difficult waters – it dives in headfirst, delivering a poignant and introspective look at the complexities of family dynamics and personal healing.
Frontwoman Addie Sartino’s ethereal vocals float over a deceptively gentle musical landscape, creating stark contrast with the song’s weighty themes and mirroring the often quiet, internal struggle of dealing with family issues, often kept hidden, simmering beneath a calm surface.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of helplessness in the face of familial destruction, capturing the universal feeling of watching a loved one spiral while feeling powerless to help. Sartino herself describes the song as being about “being stuck in a horrible cycle.” She adds: “It’s me seeing a pattern and doing the brave and hard thing by cutting certain habits or people out of my life. It might suck, but that’s what growing up and healing is.” This candid explanation offers a glimpse into the personal nature of “Cyclical,” but also highlights its universality. Who hasn’t faced the gut-wrenching decision to step back from a loved one for their own well-being?
“Cyclical” showcases The Greeting Committee’s evolution as artists. They continue to move beyond the realms of typical indie rock fare to tackle complex, emotional territories with grace and unflinching honesty.
For listeners who have walked similar paths, “Cyclical” may serve as a cathartic experience – a validation of difficult decisions and complex emotions. For others, it offers a window into the often-overlooked perspective of those who must prioritize their own healing, even at the cost of watching others struggle.
In the end, “Cyclical” is a testimony to the strength it takes to break harmful patterns and the bravery required to choose oneself first. The Greeting Committee has created not just a piece of music, but a companion for those on the difficult journey of healing from family trauma.
Tour Dates: July 9 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade Hall July 10 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle July 12 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club July 13 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom July 16 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live July 17 Boston, MA @ Sinclair July 19 Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground July 20 Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s July 21 Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar July 23 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line July 24 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge July 26 OKC, OK @ Resonant Head July 27 Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips FTW July 28 Austin, TX @ The Mohawk July 30 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent July 31 San Diego, CA @ Voodoo Room House of Blues Aug 2 Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room Aug 3 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Aug 4 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent Aug 6 Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater Aug 7 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Aug 8 Seattle, WA @ Neumos Aug 10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell Aug 11 Denver, CO @ Bluebird
After releasing three singles, SoCal-based indie-garage band Willowake has released their debut EP, An Alter Ego. Their previous songs (“Bitterfaced”, “Playground”, and “I See Ghosts”, respectively) showed great promise in the band’s talents as musicians, making me eager to listen to their new release. While An Alter Ego mainly operates in the same direction that Willowake had been going in, it provides enough opportunities to show the range of each member and what they’re capable of. For a band that’s still discovering themselves, the EP is a strong, impressively performed set of songs that suggests exciting things to come from Willowake.
This is the band’s first release after signing with Wiretap Records, and the more professional studio production shows immediately, with each song sounding crisp and clear. Most tracks follow a similar formula to the band’s initial singles: fast-paced, tightly performed garage punk with a killer rhythm section and confident performances. Each member of the band (composed of JR Polanco on vocals/guitar, Gavin Alvarado on bass, and Dax Corcoran on drums) gets an individual moment to show off their musical chops and all of them are great. Alvarado’s bass is usually in the background as texture and atmosphere, but when it’s pushed into the foreground to rumble during “Dog”, it gives the song a darker and suspenseful tone. Corcoran’s drumming is consistently a pulsating highlight, with my favorite parts being the jittery hi-hats on closer “Tim Burton”. Polcano’s guitar playing is always lively and energized, and they’ve grown more self-assured as a vocalist since their debut single.
The one song to really break at all from the band’s established formula is “Not Romantic”, a more mid-tempo, downbeat song about relationship drama. It allows for a melodic sound with nice vocal harmonies and more space to breathe in the audio mix. It’s a type of song I hope the band tries more of in the future, as engaging as their louder punk songs are. Still, considering the strength of An Alter Ego, Willowake is a band I’ll be keeping an eye on.
The second album by any successful artist can be a critical moment in their career. It’s made to show the impact of their previous work wasn’t a fluke, and that they’re still someone worth giving your time and attention to. This is easy to mess up, as the term “sophomore slump” still gets used when describing artists not being able to make a follow-up that builds on their previous acclaim. The new album by Luna Shadows, bathwater, thankfully doesn’t fall into known sophomore slump pitfalls and expands on Shadows’ previous music from 2021’s Digital Pacific. It expands on her goth alt-pop sound by incorporating more guitars and orchestral arrangements, but also shows a deeper, more personal look into Shadows than before. bathwater is a slow-burn album that rewards listeners with poetic and vulnerable lyrics and gorgeous melodies that split the difference between songs you can dance or cry to in equal measure.
Musically, the album isn’t a complete reinvention of Shadows’ previous work, as it uses Digital Pacific as a jumping-off point to new sounds and textures. The previous album’s hazy synthpop and use of drum machine rhythms found in hip-hop or R&B are still present, but they take more of a backseat. As someone who doesn’t listen to moody alternative pop records (i.e. Lorde, Lana del Rey, Billie Eilish, etc.), the sound took a bit of getting used to. I deeply appreciate that Luna Shadows remembers to keep her music rhythmic and interesting, unlike a lot of alt-pop that focuses too heavily on vibes. However, some songs are produced more in minimal accompaniment with a greater focus on Shadows’ vocals and a richly produced dense atmosphere. Still, the album sounds great and even goes into psychedelic, somewhat ethereal territory that almost reminds me of dream pop like Beach House or even Cocteau Twins.
Speaking of Shadows, her vocal performances here are as pristine as ever; being breathy and somewhat whispered at points, yet still dynamic enough to convey the raw sense of vulnerability she’s going for. Her voice is soothing and occasionally functions as an instrument themselves when set against the eerie and psychedelic soundscapes she sings in. Fitting with her namesake and the album cover, her voice and persona all have an otherworldly, mystical quality that makes her music even more intriguing. All the vocal harmonies sound wonderful, alternating between misty, heartbreaking, playful, and just all-around pretty whenever the song demands it.
In terms of individual songs, my favorites are the more up-tempo pop-friendly singles like “bleach” and “heroine” which both feature killer electric guitar and breezy vocal harmonies. Some of the slower songs are just as strong, like the heartbreaking “monroe” with its desperate sentiments, and “honeymoon” which features some beautiful finger-picked acoustic guitar. The indie stylings mostly come down to acoustic guitar being used as background texture, like on the more R&B-inspired “tourist” and the ballad “superstars”. However, there’s still time given to use guitar solos on songs like “stay mad” and “nudes” that are consistently excellent throughout the album. Experimenting with string instruments like on “witches’ brew” and the closer “apocalypse love song” complements the melancholy and moody tone that the tracks themselves provide.
bathwater may occasionally feel its length with a track list of 14 songs (including an intro) and can go into the same sonic territory of ambiance a bit too often, but each song has enough personal feeling to justify its place. Luna Shadows likely made this album as a way of transcribing her personal struggles and conflicts into art, such as many other artists, and she succeeds by pushing herself forward musically and emotionally. For only a sophomore album, it suggests more great work from her is still to come.
