For our first episode of season 2, we had a chat with singer/songwriter Janet Labelle. Of course we dove into the topic of aliens, but you best believe we got deep before that. Be sure to listen through to the end for August show dates!
The Nude Party began in the dorms of Appalachian State University, when a group of friends decided to form a band…and play naked. Their reputation as “the naked party band” evolved, and was eventually adopted as the band’s name. Unfortunately, the group was required to wear clothes for their set at Hinterland Music Festival. Despite that, The Nude Party still brought their unique brand of Psych Rock and party-like atmosphere that they are now known for.
During a mid-afternoon set at the Hinterland Music Festival, which leans heavily towards the folk genre, RonGallo injected a heavy dose of high-energy garage rock. The carefree attitude of the band is fun to watch. In between playing crowd favorites, including “Kill The Medicine Man” and “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me,” the guys take turns throwing light-hearted jabs at each other. At times, the concert felt more like an intimate house show than one taking place at a music festival.
On the heels of their latest release, Phases, Chase Atlantic’s hardcore fanbase stormed into a sold-out Webster Hall for the final show of the Phases tour. Often referred to as “alternative pop,” Chase Atlantic, hailing from Australia, also integrates both R&B and rock into their unmistakeable sound. It’s this fusion that draws fans with different musical tastes together, resulting in an eclectic audience decked out in all kinds of dress.
Taking the stage amid thick smoke and low lighting, strobes flashed on and off, lending itself to a joyfully chaotic atmosphere that allowed the music to speak for itself. The interaction between crowd and creators was unmatched, with the band members spending more time at the edge of the stage than further back. They jumped around, holding the mic out to the audience and enthusiastically encouraging them to sing along.
It was a perfect show to conclude a triumphant tour.
Loop pedal and guitarist goddess Sidney Gish just began a month-long, coast-to-coast U.S tour, and this past Friday she was emphatically received by a full house in the City of Brotherly Love. The 14-song set was the perfect length, given the relative brevity of Gish’s indie rock/blues infused jams. A majority of the setlist were numbers from her 2017 album No Dogs Allowed, with a healthy mix from slightly earlier 2017 album Ed Buys Houses, as well as a classic Talking Heads cover thrown in the mix.
Accompanied by opening group Another Michael, Gish played the PhilaMOCA, whose ambiance is a welcoming cross between a large house show space and a small theatre. It is comprised of one large room, its l walls plastered with posters from past events, and lined neatly by a carpeted second floor balcony, wrapped in twinkle lights that provide a comfortable dim. Upstairs on the balcony, worn-looking sofas and easy chairs were inhabited by cozy-looking people. The entire vibe was ideal for Gish’s set, which demands rapt attention to her rapid fire lyricism, as well as the rhymes she drops like flies.
Gish’s self-conscious sense of humor was both immediately endearing and a lovely show of levity; as she addressed the crowd with quips like “I love to tune instruments, I really do!” Throughout her time on stage, sometimes in the middle of songs, she’d check the inside of her wrist for her handwritten set list. Gish’s stage presence is an act in itself, because though she seems cheerily nervous, her jokes land – and that’s hardly to mention that her musical consistency remains solid and unflappable.
The singer-songwriter opened with deeper cuts, then filed into her more commercially popular songs as the night went on. First was “Mouth Log”, followed by “I’m Filled With Steak, and Cannot Dance”, both from No Dogs Allowed. The latter track is a prime example of excellent vocal control in sliding, perhaps even cascading, down waterfall runs that smoothly drop you off only a few feet from where they picked you up. Plucked harmonics and a perpetuating bongo on loop punctuate this track, and breezily perforate any tension found in the room.
The next three tracks Gish played were all gems mined from No Dogs Allowed: “Good Magicians”, “Impostor Syndrome”, and “I Eat Salads Now”. Always with meticulously intentionality, Gish grants herself plenty of room to play in the spaces between spiteful and vulnerable, dynamic and gentle, raspy and fluttery. Her fingers flying on the jazzy riff within “Impostors Syndrome”, she seamlessly shifts from demanding attention to turning it away. Gish launches her inward-facing observations up into the hall, open confessions to everyone.
In the moments following the fading applause, Gish chirped cheeky narrations to the crowd, her eyes cast down as she set up her guitar: “I play it on this capo, normally.” She looked up and giggled: “Information for no one.” The next song, “Friday Night Placebo”, is a tribute to her gifts of sarcasm and satire, bubbling along a guitar tone that is deep, ringing, and somehow nautical. Lyrically, this track is reflective of fragility and vulnerability – but only on the surface. Gish’s sardonicism cuts to the core, as she chides, “It’s fine, I’ll pop sugar pills all night.”
After a cover of Talking Heads staple “This Must Be The Place”, Gish hit the crowd with three of her most popular tracks: The clicky “Sophisticated Space”, mesmerizing “Rat of the City”, and communal “Homecoming Serf”. An augmented vocal presence is a marker for these tracks, as the singer’s rasp (no doubt a parallel for her indignation toward mundane suburban life) continues to escalate among the captivating vocal melodies.
Next up from Gish’s repertoire were three of my personal favorites in immediate succession: “Sin Triangle” and “Persephone” from No Dogs Allowed, and “Presumably Dead Arm” off of Ed Buys Houses. “Sin Triangle” is arguably Gish’s grooviest track, and would fit quite comfortably on a party playlist; unlike “Persephone” and “Presumably Dead Arm”, which are reflective and thought provoking; each one a cure-all for listeners’ varying feelings of being misunderstood. That said, all three were fascinating to experience visually: The building anticipation in the room was tangible as Gish built the loop tracks for each song, riff by riff.
The last song of the night was “If Not For You, Bunny,” and though sonically, its recording crystallizes seamlessly with the rest of No Dogs Allowed, Gish used it to cast an undeniably punk spell upon the crowd in Philadelphia. Murky, crunchy guitar distortion and the wailing, bittersweet solo that it tore through the end of the song emanated that, however selectively, Gish puts the “rock” in indie rock.
“Unapologetic” is not the word for Sidney Gish, because it’s clear she never even considered apologizing – Why would she? Gish offers up her flaws but never asks for comment on them; painting herself as
reactive, self-assured, and captivatingly self-conscious all at once. It was a fantastic show, and we can’t wait to hear (and hopefully see) more of Sidney in the very near future.
You can listen to Sidney Gish here. You can follow her on social media below:
Though we have to wait until September 13th for the debut release from Los Angeles quartet The Paranoyds, we are being kept calm, cool and collected with the release of the music video for their surf-tinged rock single “Carnage Bargain”. The group – comprised of Staz Lindes, Laila Hashemi, Lexi Funston, and David Ruiz – has hit the ground running with a lot of buzz around their work, and we’re particularly big fans of it. The new video is fun, with footage of the band adventuring, singing, and seemingly enjoying themselves, as they sing of a less upbeat topic. Explains Lindes:
It’s an extremely vulnerable time in America–things aren’t sugar coated anymore. The dirt and grime that was swept under the rug has risen to surface. It’s impossible for us to get through a day without thinking of the thousands of migrant children in cages at the border alone, some without proper beds, soap, toothbrushes, and with lights on 24/7. We can not continue to ignore the black lives, young and old, taken by police almost every week. The plastic crisis. The mass shootings. The extreme need for prison reform. The opioid crisis. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The list goes on, and the hole gets deeper. Sometimes I can’t sleep and I wonder: do they sleep well in the White House? What else can I do as a privileged citizen? They want to get a Carnage Bargain. I want to pick up garbage.
Check out the relatable track and its accompanying visual below!
Tour Dates:
09/05/19 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah *
09/06/19 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House *
09/07/19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar *
09/09/19 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda *
09/10/19 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada *
09/11/19 – Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar *
09/13/19 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa *
09/14/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Hell Stage) *
09/15/19 – Raleigh, NC @ Motorco *
09/17/19 – Washington, D.C. @ U Hall *
09/19/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere *
09/20/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Philamoca *
09/21/19 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *
09/23/19 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe *
09/24/19 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement *
09/25/19 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In *
09/28/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street *
09/29/19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *
09/30/19 – St. Louis, MO, Firebird *
10/03/19 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird #
10/04/19 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews #
10/05/19 – St. Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Bar & Grill #
10/07/10 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge #
11/01/19 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord
11/02/19 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Place
11/03/19 – Reno, NV @ The Holland Project
11/05/19 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
11/06/19 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
* = supporting Bleached
# = supporting White Reaper
Never before have I heard – and perhaps never again will I witness – such an inspired and heart-wrenching album vocally than Salt Lake City act Ritt Momney‘s debut 13-track collection, Her and All of My Friends. Brainchild Jack Rutter speaks from a space of loss at many levels – Rutter spends his time writing alone mostly, since his friends and girlfriend have gone off to college and pursued missions in other regions – and delivers a highly relatable album, christened with his beautiful vocals
The album opens raw with “I”, which leads into “Lew’s Lullaby”, a very literal telling of his loss of people in his life to circumstance. While “Command V” – computer nerds, we got you and that shortcut for “paste” – might give us some dramatic lyrics that truly resonate, the faster paced “On Love (An Alternative Response to Almitra’s Request)” holds a fondness in our hearts, as we got to witness it live and it features the vocals of Rutter’s adorable girlfriend. As the rest of the album unfolds, you realize how much heart went into its creation. Thirteen tracks that draw an emotional response, amidst thousands of releases that dedicate that type of attention to one or two songs, is incredibly thrilling to see.
What Ritt Momney has accomplished – at a level higher than most of what we have witnessed thus far – is the creation of a new genre, as he integrates an r&b flare into his indie alternative music, at times rock, sometimes more electronic, and, interestingly, percussion heavy. But, save for the lines of spoken word or rap, more or less, there isn’t a moment void of Rutter’s airy, breath of fresh air vocals. This album is definitely one to hold onto, especially when you’re missing someone.
With two stunning EPs and two singles under their belts – including one acoustic rendition – five-piece indie rock dream Flipturn has been taking east coast stages by storm while on tour with crunchy indie group *repeat repeat. I was lucky enough to catch them in Philly on the second night of their tour, following a DC performance the night before.
Flipturn has become one of my absolute staple favorites since discovering them in March – a discovery made from a particularly spot-on Spotify algorithm, might I add. Even as I’m sitting and writing this, I’m having a hard time accurately conveying my excitement for just how stoked I was to see Flipturn, and for just how tight of a show this group can put on. Let’s get into it.
Just as I was entering the upstairs of The Milkboy, Flipturn was launching right into “Cold”, the second-to-last song off their first EP titled Heavy Colors (2017). This song acted effectively as a primer; the base layer that Flipturn would swathe their canvas with, a rich and varying sample of their sound. Vocalist (and rhythm guitarist) Dillon Basse’s crystal clear, operatic bellows soar with a fervor unmatched alongside piercing leads from guitarist Tristan Duncan, the kind that drift away and carry you with them. Madeline Jarman’s bass grounds us, reminding us that we are still desperately running to keep up with our own heartbeats; all in harmonious contrast with Taylor Allen’s synth, which subtly lifts us to the dreamy stratosphere, filling the space as it floats by. Drums from Adrian Walker are compelling when they need to take the wheel, and subdued at all the right times, building captivating suspense as each song plays out.
Following “Cold” was “Churches”, which the band released as a single before its official release on second EP Citrona, out in 2018. This punchy, electrifying track is arguably the band’s angstiest, and it was an absolute headbanger – halfway through, I turned around to check out the crowd, and it had easily doubled. On the recording for this song, there is slightly more distortion placed on the vocals, almost like screaming into a 1930’s telephone (I say this genuinely and endearingly) – and Basse’s vigor and rasp as a live performer matched this intensity perfectly.
Next was a new song that hasn’t been released yet, but judging by its subject, I might guess that it will be titled “Eleanor”. The bass-heavy, disco feel of this song definitely piqued the crowd’s interest as much as the ones they knew and sang along to. Following that, a cover, and a modern classic at that: “Hold On” by Alabama Shakes. Flipturn’s insertion of their gritty yet uplifting indie glitter gave the song a fresh and welcomed twist. Basse made sure to shout out dynamic frontwoman Brittany Howard, as well as encourage the crowd to check out her new solo work, released earlier this year.
On Citrona, instrumental opening track “Fletcher” bleeds into “Six Below”– which is exactly how Flipturn played it live. “Fletcher” starts off minimally, adding layer and layer of perfectly syncopated lilting rhythms from Basse on guitar and Allen’s synth alike, topped with Duncan’s undulating lead guitar that yearns for another summer. The transition into “Six Below” feels like that brief, liminal space between dreaming and awareness, and it isn’t until the first chorus that you have to truly face the world, as Basse declares, “I know what everybody knows: Die young or you can grow old, until you’re buried six below”. The incredibly fast drum fills and solos from Walker were outstanding during this number.
“Hippies” haunts in all the right ways, and left me feeling nostalgic for memories that weren’t even my own. Basse’s ringing falsetto paints like an old film, reminiscent of all those who have loved and lost before himself. The buildup towards the end up the song held just the right touch of suspense, lifting up the audience just high enough to drop back off with a satisfied head nod at its break. The final line of each chorus, as well as the song, mourns: “I lost you”.
Between each song, Basse must have called out at least thirty different variations of “Thank you!” and “You guys rock!” following the eruptions of applause and “Woo!”s from the crowd (here’s hoping I was the loudest there). Then, he and Jarman playfully requested a name for their next song – another new and untitled one. Several jokes were called out, but we’ll have to wait and see what they end up deciding for it. On this track, the most dominant melody came from Duncan on lead guitar, heartily met by a much more frequent use of falsetto from Basse. Basse is also an unstoppable dancer; I swear, he never stopped jumping back and forth during the entire set. His buzz was infectious.
Basse announced they had two more songs. The group was met again by cheers not lacking in volume, but, knowing that it would inevitably end, the celebratory air that begins every night of excitement had shifted slightly, preparing itself to begin missing the experience. The first twinkling strums of one of Flipturn’s biggest hits began, “August”. To say that this song is sweet or nostalgic might be cliché, but not out of line. The first line is an invitation to open the storybook: “August, honey, tasted sweeter with you.” Every summer love, every youthful flashback, every ray of sun entering your teenage bedroom is captured in this song. The perfect song to fall in love to, to have your heart broken to, to fall apart to – and it happened live, all at once, for about fifty of us in that room. “I loved you from the start,” Basse wails, each note rising to surpass the last – eventually leading up to a perfectly stacked buildup that meanders at first, then meets you face to face, as if to settle matters for the last time. The crowd went wild.
The final song of the night was “Nickel”, paralleling its closing on Citrona. On this upbeat, choppy anthem, Basse demands the truth. “Was I just told a lie my entire life, thinking I’d be great?” The song carries out with a chant that Basse invited the entire crowd to chant, clap, eventually scream along with many times over, as the intensity increases: “I give it all up for a bottle of wine, about two feet tall, three inches wide; I’d rather be drunk, or out of my mind, than trade my soul for nickels and dimes.”
After graciously accepting the mountainous applause and cheers following this track, Basse’s and Jarman’s eyebrows raised as the crowd began chanting unanimously, “One more song!” Jarman made a slashing motion to her throat as Basse stepped to the mic, jokingly exasperated with palms extended at his sides and an ear-to-ear grin, to remind the crowd, “We’re the opener! We can’t play another, we’re the opener,” The cheering finally subdued, some music began on the speakers overhead to fill the space, and fans flocked together to discuss what they had just heard.
Flipturn put on one of the more solid shows I’ve seen of any indie touring group, touring or not, and I will definitely be seeing them next – and hopefully every- time they come to Philly in the future.
Setlist
1. Cold
2. Churches
3. New – Unreleased
4. Hold On by Alabama Shakes
5. Fletcher
6. Six Below
7. Hippies
8. New – Untitled
9. August
10. Nickel
Grand Canyon has just released their newest body of work, an EP titled Yesterday’s News. The five-track collection covers enormous ground with explosive back road Americana, dreamy psychedelic storytelling, hard-hitting social commentary, and the sour wounds of heartache. The band’s spirited, defiant, D-I-Y attitude is captured in the music video for their single “Yesterday’s News”, as lead singer and guitarist Casey Shea struts solo through the bustling streets of London.
Filmed on an iPhone by guitarist-turned-cinematographer Joe Guese, the video is a prime example of an impromptu good time caught on tape: the members had a day off in London between shows and asked themselves if there was any way they could quickly engineer a much-needed video for “Yesterday’s News”. Creative energies aligned, and the grainy video, bubbling over with Shea’s individuality, was finished in the snap of a finger. Said Shea to Billboard, “There’s just a good vibe about the video. It has attitude. I love seeing the double decker buses everywhere. It seems like it was just meant to be.”
We can’t help but agree.
P.S.: Fate strikes the video at 1:17, when a truck drives by bearing the slogan, “Carrying you through the 21st century!”, a serendipitous nod to track four on the EP, “21st Century American Man”.
