Los Angeles-based psych pop/acid folk band thanks. – comprised of Steve Pagano and Mario Borgatta – have been working together in the sound space since meeting at Berklee College of Music in 2009, so they definitely have the musical chops to back up their sound. Recently, they released their latest single “Annabelle”, a love letter of sorts. With lyrics that depict unconditional love – selfless in their empathy (“Cause Annabelle I want you to know/If things are blurry you can walk out the door/Cause I would die and go to hell to save this love, Annabelle”) – and a slow crawl tempo, thanks. has created an updated 60’s inspired love song that really makes you want to develop your own crooning abilities.
San Francisco psych pop artist John Dylan has dropped his third single “(I Can Feel Myself) Getting Over It” – a track off his upcoming debut album – along with its accompanying video. Shot in black and white during what looks to be the recording process, the video showcases Dylan’s involvement in the entire process, while he plays the drums, shreds on the guitar, sings, and more.
The song – written during a depressive dip, with inspiration pulled from The Smashing Pumpkins – possesses aspects that are lighter than the lyrics and tempo could possibly carry. Let its lightness carry you through the rest of the day.
Peripheral Drift Illusion is set to release January 9th, 2018. In the meantime, keep up with John Dylan here.
While many summertime tracks are leaning into vulnerability and tend to be offering a softer sound, genre-bending artist Kee Nola may have just released the “amp up” anthem of the summer. In fact, the high-energy track “Can’t Get Enough” helps to solidify his rising star in the alt-rap/rock scene. With eye-popping style – both musically and clothing-wise – it is clear that this talented artist is out to make an impact.
The song itself is an edgy, no-holds-barred call to ignore the haters in your life, something most artists have to work with throughout their careers. To see that he has such a solid disposition so early in his career is incredibly affirming, and drives the song even further into your psyche. Utilizing a few quick quips and references, Kee Nola has no problem defending his music, his art, or his personality to the people who may be throwing shade at him.
While a personal favorite reference can be found in the line “Run, run, Forrest but you cannot hide,” there is so much confidence to be gained from playing this track. Throw it on in the car on your way to an event, add it to your pre-game hype up playlist, or simply let it drive your energy in the morning. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this song.
Keep up with Kee Nola’s budding star on tour here.
Psych/punk rock is experiencing a renaissance, and Los Angeles-based Frankie and The Witch Fingers are riding the wave. Ahead of their album’s June 6th release date, they have dazzled us with a particular head-bobber, a track called “Dead Silence” that is anything but. The track actually feels a little more surf rock in places, with obvious 70s flare.
The track is relatable, addressing anxiety, existential dread, and reminds us of the unrelenting amount of information and pure insanity that envelopes us all. The anxious energy of the lyrics is reflected in the composition, something you can blast from your car on a sunny day.
The band’s anecdote about this particular song is enthralling:
This one’s got a nice little origin story. We played a festival in Boise with Spacemoth, Maryam Qudus’ brainchild, and met her for the first time there. Cut to a year later, and she’s deep in the guts of this record – producing, engineering, twisting knobs, and arranging sounds with us.
On the flight home from that Boise show, Josh threw on the Spacemoth album for the first time and got his brain microwaved. He also recorded the plane taking off, just on a whim. That roar ended up in the bridge of DEAD SILENCE. It’s a nice crusty texture, but it also weirdly bookmarks the start of it all.
Maryam’s all over this record. She sings, plays, distorts, haunts – leaving smudges on everything in the best way. She rules, and we were happy to accidentally mark the occasion sonically with a little jet-engine weirdness.
FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS ON TOUR 2025 5/16 – Nijmegen, NL – Sonic Whip Festival 5/17 – Diksmuide, BE – 4AD 5/20 – Lyon, FR – Épicerie Moderne 5/21 – Biarritz, FR – Atabal 5/22 – Rouen, FR – Le 106 5/23 – London, UK – Wide Awake Festival 5/25 – Berlin, DE – Desertfest 5/27 – Cherbourg, FR – Le Circuit 5/28 – Brighton, UK – Daltons 5/30 – London, UK – Shacklewell Arms ^ 5/31 – Bristol, UK – Strange Brew 6/01 – Birmingham, UK – Hare & Hounds 6/05 – Berlin – New York, NY ^ 6/07 – Permanent Records Roadhouse – Los Angeles, CA ^ 7/15 – Felton Music Hall – Felton, CA ° 7/16 – The Chapel – San Francisco, CA ° 7/19 – The Den – Portland, OR ° 7/20 – The Pearl – Vancouver, BC ° 7/23 – Shrine Social Club – Boise, ID ° 7/24 – Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT ° 7/25 – Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO ° 7/26 – Underground Music Showcase – Denver, CO 7/27 – Sister Bar – Albuquerque, NM ° 7/29 – Hotel Congress – Tucson, AZ 7/30 – Rebel Lounge – Phoenix, AZ ° 7/31 – Swan Diver – Las Vegas, NV ° 8/01 – Belly Up – Solana Beach, CA ° 8/02 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA ° 8/31 – Bumbershoot Music Festival – Seattle, WA 9/19 – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY * 9/20 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA * 9/21 – Songbyrd – Washington, DC * 9/23 – Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC * 9/24 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA * 9/26 – Chelsea’s Live – Baton Rouge, LA * 9/27 – Dan Electros – Houston, TX * 9/28 – To Be Announced – Austin, TX 9/29 – Tulips – Fort Worth, TX * 10/1 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL * 10/2 – Turf Club – Minneapolis, MN * 10/3 – X-Ray Arcade – Cudahy, WI * 10/4 – Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH * 10/5 – Third Man Records – Detroit, MI * 10/7 – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON * 10/8 – Foufounes Électriques – Montréal, QC * 10/9 – Oxbow Brewing – Portland, ME * 10/10 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA * 10/11 – Lark Hall – Albany, NY * ^ – intimate album release show ° with Iguana Death Cult * with Population II
On the night of August 15th, I went to The Anthem in DC to see the band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. If you’re unfamiliar with them, they’re an incredibly popular Australian rock band made up of talented multi-instrumentalists Stu Mackenzie, Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Cook Craig, Joey Walker, Lucas Harwood, and Michael Cavanagh. One of their main appeals is their approach to genre and exploring as many sounds in their work as they can. Since forming in 2010, they’ve put out 26 studio albums (not to mention 16 live albums) that have ranged from psychedelia, various kinds of metal, progressive rock, synth-pop, sunshine pop, folk, and many more. Despite this, they still have a consistent “King Gizzard” sound that’s rooted in vintage psychedelic rock. Flight b741, which was released on August 9th, is another new musical avenue for them: an early 70s-inspired blues rock album with obvious references to The Rolling Stones and T. Rex. My brief review is that it captures the sound perfectly, with heaps of nostalgia to boot, but still provides plenty of hooks and fuzzy guitar riffs to keep it a consistently entertaining listen. Give it a whirl when on a road trip. You won’t regret it.
Okay, now back to the concert. This was the first show for their tour to support Flight b741, with the opener at this show being Brooklyn-based indie-punk band Geese. They proved to be a fitting match for King Gizzard, as their newest LP 3D Country features a classic rock sound similar to Flight b741, albeit with more country influence. I enjoyed their performance, though, with only the core members of the band, their sound was more alternative rock that doesn’t capture the roots-based atmosphere of the album. Still, they were fun despite the more stripped-back aesthetic. There were occasional unique touches like hand drums and smooth keyboard playing, and I gotta give props to their frontman Cameron Winter. He’s a very interesting and captivating presence, with an oddball southern yodel-ish twang in his vocals that stood out to me.
After Geese’s set, there was a 30-minute break so King Gizzard’s crew could set up. Right before their performance started, a message appeared on screen reminding the audience to have fun in the mosh pit but to look after each other and report anyone dangerous to security. I didn’t get close enough to mosh, but I’ve heard enough horror stories of audience injuries to know that the message was responsible on the band’s part. I should also note the atmosphere and the crowd of the show. There were lots of young people at the show, (more men than women, though still a decent mixture) around their 20s and early 30s. With the band’s decade-spanning influences, it also made sense that there were also some middle-aged and older people that were likely fans of similar bands such as Phish or The Grateful Dead. All the concert tickets sold out quickly, so the general audience pit on the main floor had to be packed tightly to accommodate everyone. From my firsthand experience, it smelled of sweat, pot, and alcohol the entire time. Still, that was to be expected from a crowd made up mainly of stoners wanting to mosh or get zonked out on hallucinogens.
King Gizzard’s main ethos seems to be that not only do they never repeat an album, they also never repeat a show. The band’s live performances feature lots of extensive jamming, allowing for the musicians to ride a groove and riff off one another with improvisations, giving the songs a different feel from their studio counterparts. While the jams of earlier shows may have focused more on heavier metal riffs (according to my friend, anyway. Shoutout Nayeli!), the ones this one had fit more with the influences on the new album and are more bluesy (featuring harmonicas!) with some fuzzy psychedelia and touches of funk. I’m a fan of extended performances of songs to ride out a groove to its fullest, but admittedly some improvisations could be too aimless and lengthy. They were fun, but it got to a point where I nodded off before things kicked back into gear. However, these jams are a staple of their concerts, and it may not entirely matter to you if you enjoy watching talented performers work their craft (or if you’re super high). I’ll also give the band jams credit for being more inviting to new fans that may not have listened to all of King Gizzard’s albums and giving them something entirely distinctive to their concert.
The band’s setlist was very diverse and featured 14 songs from their catalog within 2+ hours. This included three of the new songs from Flight b741, and songs from Omnium Gatherum, Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava, Nonagon Infinity, and others. Despite each album representing a new era and sound, they all fit well together and never appeared too different from each other while still being distinctive. The funk grooves of “Iron Lung”, the raw acid flavoring of “The Dripping Tap”, and the last 30 minutes of the show with back-to-back metal songs (featuring fan favorites “Mars for the Rich” and “Supercell”) all shine brightly. What I admire about the band is their democratic approach to playing, with no member seeming more important than the other. Sure, Stu Mackenzie is their designated “frontman”, but each member gets time to solo, time to speak to the crowd, and opportunities to do what they’re good at. The concert closes on an intense and completely hypnotic drum solo by Michael Cavanagh at the end of “Gaia”.
King Gizzard provided and continues to provide wonderful concerts that rock out, all the while showcasing the band’s chemistry and never-ending talents as they continue being one of the best live acts around. I can’t recommend seeing them enough, whether it’s once or multiple times.
In unfortunate timing, this is my *37th* article for this website. Just one off, huh? Anyway, indie-psychedelic band 36? have put out a new single titled “i don’t want to go out tonight”. This is the fourth single to come from the Calgary-based group this year, after “wasted”, “FEERS”, and “ART”; with their latest LP being 2022’s Naturally. Their sound is an eclectic mix of sources, with influences ranging from hazy alt-pop and art rock, and comparisons to bands like Animal Collective or even Bleachers. Many of their lyrics, from the band’s producer and songwriter Taylor Cochrane, deal with personal subjects awash in sincerity and emotional qualities.
“i don’t want to go out tonight” is more laid-back than their more recent singles, with an indie-folk sound led by Hawaiian-sounding acoustic guitar and a breezy beach atmosphere. It’s very sweet sounding with a heartfelt performance from Cochrane and cutesy backing vocal harmonies. It also features a wonderfully abrasive guitar solo characteristic of a lot of their work, though it still fits against a different musical backdrop. Lyrically, it’s a tribute to introversion and taking time for yourself even when it means avoiding energy-draining social activities. The lyrics and the music match perfectly, creating a vibe throughout the track that’s cozy and comforting. 36? have crafted a great summer single in “i don’t want to go out tonight”, a song that’s drenched with both positive energy and relaxation.
The band is currently on tour throughout North America, with more music still in the works.
Despite their recognition being mainly limited to the UK, I love Glasgow-based rock band Primal Scream. Part of the group’s appeal is their wide range of playing styles and music genres. Starting out as an indie-pop band with almost no traction, they reached massive levels of success with 1991’s Screamadelica, which broke musical boundaries by combining their sound with dub, psychedelia, and acid house into something entirely their own. It’s still considered their magnum opus and remains a cultural landmark in both the UK’s indie-rock and rave scenes. Despite their huge new audience, they still continued to push themselves in wildly new directions with their following releases. These include 1994’s blues pastiche Give Out But Don’t Give Up, 1997’s experimental Vanishing Point, and 2000’s blaring industrial-noise-dance epic XTRMNTR. Recently, Primal Scream put out the lead single for their upcoming 12th LP, Come Ahead, titled “Love Insurrection”. This comes eight years after their last release, 2016’s Chaosmosis.
“Love Insurrection” is based on nostalgia in a few ways. The cover for both the single and album is a vintage photograph of Robert Gillespie Sr., father of lead vocalist Bobby Gillespie. I believe this is to relate to the 60s both visually and lyrically, as the lyrics talk about political and social turmoil. Musically, it’s a bit of a throwback to the sound that Primal Had on Screamadelica, featuring a funky “Madchester” shuffle beat, psychedelic wah-wah guitars, and breezy percussion and flutes. However, it keeps the sound fresh by adding influences from 70s soul, with a lush string section reminiscent of seminal artists like Curtis Mayfield who also addressed social consciousness in their work. As usual, the backing vocalists provided by the band give the music a soulful, almost gospel-type feel, not unlike previous Screamadelica singles “Movin’ On Up” or “Come Together”.
The single’s release comes with both a 6-minute full version and a shortened edit at 3 ½ minutes. Both versions are perfectly adequate depending on the type of listener you are, but I definitely recommend the longer cut if you’re willing to ride the groove as the song climaxes in a way that’s both beautiful and groovy. As it stands, “Love Insurrection” is a perfect song for psychedelic raves or summer beach parties, and signals a possible return to form from Primal Scream.
UK-based indie pop/rock band Pale Waves has released their new song “Glasgow”, the second single for their upcoming fourth album, Smitten. It continues the musical trajectory of the lead single “Perfume” by moving away from their previous pop-punk and emo sounds into a lush 80s dream-pop style reminiscent of alternative groups like The Cure, The Cranberries, or even Cocteau Twins. Lyrically, it’s described as a “breakup anthem” and speaks to the feeling of leaving someone because it’s best for both of you. It’s a song that also continues to show the diverse and eclectic talents of the band, composed of multi-instrumentalists Heather Baron-Gracie (vocals, rhythm guitar), Hugo Silvani (lead guitar), Charlie Wood (bass), and Ciara Doran (drummer).
I really mean that, too. “Glasgow” is a beautifully produced pop song that showcases Pale Waves at their most confident, earning comparisons to their obvious influences. Right out of the gate, the song bursts with energy, showcasing anthemic drumming and guitar playing, as well as really gorgeous synth playing. It captures the ethereal psychedelia of 80s dream-pop but still transports the sound into a modern indie-pop context.
“Glasgow” balances a dense and twinkly production while still functioning as an uptempo, pulsating pop-rock song that’s enjoyable throughout. I also have to give credit to lead vocalist Heather Baron-Gracie, as she really soars in the chorus. While some may feel her voice blends into the background, I think her vocals complement the production by becoming an instrument in itself. Her lyrics are also a highlight, being an honest and open look at relationships in a way that lends itself to the emotions of the music while not overtaking it.
The music video, also directed by and starring Baron-Gracie, showcases her as a runaway bride driving through Glasgow fields in a convertible. It’s very cute and visualizes the lyrics’ themes of escaping a relationship for your own freedom. Pale Waves are currently embarking on a headlining tour across the UK, with their new album Smitten coming September 20th.
Bernie Worrell is one of many unsung heroes in music history. If you’re unfamiliar with him, he was the keyboardist for the legendary Parliament-Funkadelic collective and played with other artists such as Les Claypool of Primus, rapper Mos Def, and even Talking Heads, appearing in their seminal concert film Stop Making Sense. Not only is he a legend in funk music, but his work as a synth pioneer makes him a godfather of contemporary R&B and hip-hop. Worrell’s funky keyboard playing has been sampled thousands of times and was highly critical in creating the early 90s rap subgenre “G-funk” popularized by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Recently, Bernie Worrell’s estate announced the release of a posthumous album titled Wave From The WOOniverse, a double album of previously unfinished tracks. A murderer’s row of great talent helped to complete and produce the album, all of which had previously worked with Bernie Worrell. This includes Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, Fred Schneider of The B-52’s, Will Calhoun of Living Colour, Sean Ono Lennon, and funk legends in their own right like Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley.
Obviously, you can imagine that the album is filled to the brim with great grooves and danceable funk, and you’d be entirely right. Wave From The WOOniverse functions not only as a loving tribute to one of R&B’s most influential and overlooked personnel but also to a generation of classic funk originators. The love for Worrell’s work and the funk he helped create is always visibly present in each collaborator on the album. Every song is layered with bass, synth, horns, and heavy guitars, yet it’s never sloppily done and always well-calculated. Every instrument is tightly constructed into a well-orchestrated rhythm that flows in perfect harmony with the others. The backing band here is great, and each song has a distinct identity from one another while still focusing on never-ending grooves. WOOniverse’s tracklist has a decent amount of variety, ranging from upbeat party songs (“Distant Star”, “What Have They Done to My Funk”), vintage psychedelic funk (“Soldiers of the Stars”), world music excursions (“Re-Enter Black Light”, “When the Rain Subsides”), and lengthy band jams (“Greenpoint”, “Pedro WOO”).
My favorites included “Soldiers of the Stars”, a wonderful piece of Jimi Hendrix-type acid funk rock that could easily fit as an early Funkadelic song, “The Big WOO”, which is so enjoyably campy with Fred Schneider and a swinging rhythm section, and “When the Rain Subsides”, which features a sunny Afropop-inspired sound with soukous/highlife guitars and warm and lively percussion throughout. I also enjoyed “Heapin’ Bowl of Gumbo”, which has a slower and more controlled funk rhythm but comes out super slinky. Many of the songs appear built out of lengthy band jams with lots of improvisations, which would make sense considering the musical virtuosos involved. However, this leads to most of the songs being at least five minutes, which may not work for more impatient listeners. I like longer funk songs in this mold because it gives the musicians more of a chance to build off rhythms and complement one another, leading to a more satisfying listen. Admittedly, the length can hurt a few songs such as the jazzy noir track “Greenpoint”, which is eight minutes long and doesn’t have enough juice to justify its length. The biggest turnoff for some will definitely be the 18-minute-long penultimate track, titled “Transcendence”. I’m always down for musicians making something willfully self-indulgent, and while this psychedelic multi-part suite has rich production and a full orchestra backing, it never quite comes together. At least, it didn’t for me–perhaps having psychedelics of my own would’ve helped.
Even as overstuffed as it is, Wave From The WOOniverse is a respectfully made posthumous release that carries on the legacy of Bernie Worrell. It’s worth a listen for longtime fans of Parliament-Funkadelic and other classic R&B or even for newcomers in search of some killer funk.
