by Madi Toman | Apr 17, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Los Angeles-based indie band Sincere Gifts have just released their new single, “Ghost of America”. The upbeat alt-rockers couple bright sounds and light-hearted production against dark lyricism for a fun listen that gets their serious (and important) message across.
Two lost musicians, Benben and Nick, found each other in the midst of America’s collapse. They emerged from the darkness as Sincere Gifts, conjuring love and earnest companionship. Because what is more needed in the era of rapacious capitalist greed than a sincere gift?
“Ghost of America” puts a strong focus on the current landscape in the United States in 2020. “The US is super fucked,” says vocalist Nick Byron Campbell.” In ‘Ghost of America’ the listener is taken on a short musical tour through the decline.”
At first listen, the track appears to be all sunshine and rainbows on the surface, but take a closer look (or more appropriately, listen) and hear the very real issues that the band is tackling. Sincere Gifts tackles everything from zombies to guns to riots before stripping back and ending the song with a stripped back and mesmerizing take on a section of the National Anthem. The band impressively tackles mountainous issues while making their important message fun and easy to take heed of. Keep doing what you’re doing, boys, America needs you.
by Madi Toman | Mar 11, 2020 | albums, review
Four-piece indie rock outfit The Districts have just released their new album, You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere, the album that almost never happened.
After nearly 200 shows and two years of touring in support of their 2017 effort, Popular Manipulations, the band found themselves both professionally and personally exhausted. And, with the shadow of needing to create a new album looming over them, the Districts started questioning everything.
In a press release, front man Rob Grote said “It felt like much of my world had reached such a pitch that all I could do was try to tune it out. I felt really uncertain about the future of the band and super detached from much of what I used to identify with, on a personal level and with our music. I was thinking, ‘Do I want to keep doing music?’ ‘Do I want to keep doing it in this context?”. So Grote did what any musician having an existential crisis would do; he holed himself up in his bedroom and began writing, not necessarily for The Districts, but to get excited about creating again. It was here that he found the space and freedom he needed to be creative again. He ended up with a batch of 32 songs, and while he never intended them for The Districts, when he finally showed them to the band, they loved them. Those 32 were cut to 11, and thus You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere was born.
Album opener “”My Only Ghost” is an ode to secrets and memories with ones we’ve lost. The synth almost overpowers the vocals, (which have a Bon Iver kind of feel) but it works, giving the track a lo-fi feel. Between this, echo-y clapping, and thickly layered shout-y vocals, the song feels almost like chilling cult-like chant.
“Hey Jo” is the lead single from the album and the definite standout. A circus of sound, this piece is thickly textured, but the song is incredibly well put together. Credit to producer Dave Fridmann is owed here, whose mix expertly layered the many elements into a cohesive whole. This track floats on plucked guitars and airy vocals before kicking into a fiery chorus with Grote repeating “Fuck my head.”
“Cheap Regrets”, is an electrifying disco number on the surface, but the lyrical content dives into nihilism and the shadows of consciousness that lurk in our minds. This one has all the bright and shiny qualities that we love in a dance number while letting everyone listening still feel angsty as hell. Of the song, Grote says; “This song is a criticism of the divisions that result from a self-oriented society and an attempt to transcend them, while simultaneously being an example of these very ideas. The song is the statue to the self; it is about itself.”
Upbeat and full of glittery guitar, “Velour and Velcro” is a love letter to the unknown future we’re all rocketing towards.“Changing” ebbs and flows, enjoying sweet, quiet moments of reflection and questioning before launching into electrifying choruses. “Descend” is a deceptively chipper folksy string plucked number that deals with death and separation.
Closer “4th of July” strips it back and feels sweetly reflective. Hand picked guitar and sliding whistling ride over Grote’s breathy and thoughtful vocals. It feels like a cross-country road trip, and not just because he sings about his own to Sante Fe. It’s a nice full circle moment of peace and closure.
You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere is out everywhere on March 13th via Fat Possum.
by Madi Toman | Mar 9, 2020 | albums, review
Oakland rockers Whiskerman have just dropped their fourth studio album, Kingdom Illusion, which the band describes (rightfully so) as a “rock and roll vision quest”. Known for their ambitious songwriting, thunderous live show, and acute lyricism, the group is now emerging at the forefront of the revitalization of the Bay Area’s psychedelic and festival scenes. Frontman Graham Patzner (who’s rumored to be of the underworld himself) leads the group, which is rock-and-roll on the surface but rooted in the classic, psych, and glam rock traditions. Patzner is responsible for vocals, guitar, violin, and keyboards, and he’s backed by Will Lawrence on bass and mandolin, Dan Schwartz on drums, Charles Lloyd on guitar and sitar, and Jeremy Lyon on guitar. And if you think that you can gauge what they sound like based on that information, let me assure you; you haven’t the slightest clue.
The two lead singles, distortion-heavy rage track “Belly of the Beast” and physch-synth defiance number “Fuck Yeah” may give first-time Whiskerman consumers the idea that this band exists primarily in this vein of hard rock. And when I say hard rock, I’m talking your classic foot-stomping, heart-pounding, head-banging, parents-crying-over-their-teenager’s-newfound-rebellion hard rock.. You get it.
However, this is not the case here.
Album opener “Rattlesnake” begins in a tranquil piano ballad featuring gently strummed guitar chords and angelic falsetto guiding us through a lush forest of strings. The track is 6 minutes long and at the halfway mark the tone notably shifts, and Freddie Mercury-like vocals are traded for something more in the territory of Alex Turner. Sweet violins and languid piano are swapped for a quicker tempo and the kind of instrumentation you’d expect on a hard rock record, but as soon as you’ve settled back in, they fluidly bend back, rocketing back into the art-rock heavens. Color me impressed, these boys have range.
“Villains” brings an unexpected but welcome tinge of soul to the mix. The extremely heartfelt number feels both romantic and a little defeated. Bright, shiny, and teetering on sensory overload, it’s almost overwhelming, but in a manic-tinged triumphant sort of way. Think anthemic rock, but with psychedelic elements. Power dominates everything; it is present in the writing, the band, and definitely in Patzner’s voice, which possesses a beautifully raw intensity that is an absolute constant throughout the record, whether he’s scream-singing impassioned or tiptoeing across his ridiculously capable falsetto.
Operatic art-rock piece “Be Real” is a nearly seven minute journey that only Patzner himself could explain. “‘Be Real’ is a rock ‘n’ roll odyssey,” says the frontman. “A sacred jester drags a priest out from a church to take him on a psychedelic journey, revealing to him his hypocrisy and lack of separation to the rest of this world of clowns.” Drama is not something this band has to reach for; they exist in it.
“The Great Unknown” fluidly blends hard rock and psych, keeping the band’s effortless flexibility on constant display. “Something About Love” slows it down and gives everyone a minute or three-and-a-half to breathe before projecting us back into another dimension for the closer. Have no fear though, this track still holds tightly to the sonic jungle of sound that makes the record so damn cool in this brief moment of tranquility.
Not shockingly, the band ends on a dramatic and (of course) impressive note with the title track. The nearly 8-minute closer is a roller coaster of a ride to the pinnacle of rock glory, skillfully and sneakily pulling its many layers together. Strings swell, the sitar does whatever sitars do, and Patzner’s insane range soars up to the kingdom he’s singing of, backed by what could only be a chorus of angels. This illusion is painted with every color of the rainbow.
Kingdom Illusion is out everywhere now.
TOUR DATES
03.07•The Grove House (Mariposa, CA)
03.18•Satellite (Los Angeles, CA)
03.19•Last Exit Live (Phoenix, AZ)
03.22•Lost Lake (Denver, CO)
03.25•Rye (Salt Lake City, UT)
03.26•Treefort Fest (Boise, ID)
03.27•Treefort Fest (Boise, ID)
03.28•Treefort Fest (Boise, ID)
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 6, 2019 | videos, wolf tracks
Eyedress‘ new video for “Jealous” visually matches its audio counterpart, as it is equal parts west coast surf/skate rock and 60s-inspired psych, all culminated in a video that brings with it a very specific vintage appeal. It looks like a Nirvana throwback, 90s MTV vibes and all. As Eyedress plays guitar up and down the coast, we also witness some rad boarding skills, brah. 😉
We’re fans. Even the jackets make it feel a bit less wintry around here.
Keep up with Eyedress here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 23, 2019 | albums, review
On Friday, Kills Birds released a self-titled full length that is sure to keep you on your toes. From the very first frantic chords of “Worthy Girl” to the last lines of ninth track “Ok Hurricane”, there is equal parts surf pop and punk influence in this alternative collective’s new release, and we’re thrilled with the cadence of it all. Second track “Jesus Did” is something we would actually find ourselves moshing to in a dingy club, if you’re truly wondering, and “Ow” follows suit with a subtle, beautiful darkness and slower pace. “Volcano” builds like a vintage rock track, intricate percussion leading the way, while “New Friend” slows everything down and builds the instrumentals to a trudging, intense soundscape despite the more leisurely pace.
While “Only Yellow” feels melancholic in title, it’s a garage rock gem that is equal parts chaos and intricate observation. “Tear Up” finds itself in more of a Weezer realm lyrically and vocally, while “High” prefaces the last track with a hard bass line, the most Nirvana-esque of the tracks on this record.
Quite frankly, we have been waiting for a soundscape like this. Something to match the way the weather is going in North America, something to take us into autumn with appreciation and a sense of reality. So check it out below, then tell us what you think on Facebook!
Keep up with Kills Birds here.
by Kira Cappello | Jul 29, 2019 | show review
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:
by Meredith Schneider | Jul 25, 2019 | videos, wolf tracks
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
Keep up with The Paranoyds here.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 13, 2019 | review
Recently, Kansas City’s own indie rock ensemble Fathers – comprised of Kenneth Storz (Voice, Guitar, Keys), Brooke Honeycutt (Voice, Bells, Percussion), David Littlewood (Voice, Keys, Bells), Matt Guilliams (Bass, Percussion), Bryce VZ (Vibraphone, Voice, Percussion), Josh Seerden (Guitar, Keys, Bass, Percussion), and Celeste Tilley (Trombone, Voice, Percussion) – released their new EP High Horses. In fact, if you want to hear our (very impressed) thoughts, here are some words we wrote about it. To celebrate this release, they hosted an EP release party at 2016 Main in Kansas City, MO on Saturday, March 8th. This performance made us wonder what could possibly be better in life.
Imagine: a beautiful, warmly lit room with vaulted ceilings, a mellifluous performance put on by an ensemble with a drum line that just won’t quit. Their music is unique and enigmatic, therefore it goes to assume that their live performance is as well. The way they layer in the instrumentals – provided by eleven ensemble members – is absolute magic, and watching each member of the collective work so diligently to bring this beauty to the surface is an absolute honor.
Seeing Fathers is an emotional experience. Just the thought alone of being able to correctly communicate to create such beautiful music with so many helping hands is extraordinary, but the way they chose this EP release space to cater to their esthetic and the overall feel to the band was exceptional. The way they play with dissonance here and there is admirable, but most importantly it is the energy with which Fathers performs that makes them such a standout act. The evening was a truly curated experience, a night of tranquility with a band that is undoubtedly going on to great things together.
Keep up with Fathers here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 11, 2019 | albums, review
Today, Toronto indie pop four piece Tallies – comprised of Sarah Cogan, Dylan Frankland, Cian O’Neill, and Stephen Pitman – released their highly anticipated 11-track, self-titled stunner. We haven’t been this excited about new music Friday in quite a while, and we’re thrilled to have this album in our back pocket. From the very beginning of first track “Trouble”, there is a palpable energy that urges you to keep spinning. Second track “Mother” is a little more surf pop in its sound, while “Midnight” hits us with a more whimsical appeal. The vintage dance track beat to “Have You” makes the fourth song – slightly slower than its predecessors – something you might find in a 1980’s teen movie.
One will note – regardless of soundscape – that Cogan’s vocals are stand out, drenched in reverb and befitting of the “ethereal” label. While “Not So Proud” has the pace befitting of a leisurely stroll, her vocals absolutely soar, creating more of a ballad effect for the fifth track. “Trains and Snow” feels late 80’s, early 90’s-inspired, and is the first song in the offering that seems to enhance the instrumentals over the vocals. “Eden” carries the same pace, setting the stage perfectly for our hearts to thaw and grow from “three sizes too small” during “Beat the Heart”. (Seriously, this is our jam.) And while “Giving Up” has a slightly more melancholic feel to it, they end on a high note with both “Rocks” and “Easy Enough”, paving the way for more miracles to come!
Overall, Tallies in its entirety delivers a grandiose soundscape that could easily be found in a nostalgic and well-shot teenage romcom. It’s a gorgeous soundtrack to reminisce to, and we can’t wait to see this act on tour!
Keep up with Tallies here.
