Post-punk – Page 31 – 7th Level Music

Live: Psychedelic Furs and Bash & Pop – Chicago, IL – October 17, 2017

One of my best friends and I first saw and heard the Psychedelic Furs in the early days of MTV and thought they had the weirdest name of any band we’d seen. They soon became favorites of ours and I’ve been keen to see them for years. The day finally arrived when I could see their first of two nights at Chicago’s Thalia Hall (one of my top three favorite venues in the city) on October 17th.

Rockers Bash & Pop opened for them, and my friend, Steve, and I got there in time to check out the last three songs of their set. They had a good blend of hard rock and a bit of garage punk.

It was a good crowd for a Tuesday night, and an interesting blend of aged punks, young hipsters, and music fanatics. The Psychedelic Furs came out and opened with “Dumb Waiters.” I’d guessed this would’ve been their closer, but they unleashed it right away and grabbed everyone’s attention.

Getting right down to business with “Dumb Waiters.”

What especially grabbed my attention is how lead singer Richard Butler‘s voice has seemingly not aged. He sounded great, as did the entire band. Mars Williams, the saxophone player (who also used to play for the Waitresses), shredded the entire night.

L-R: Mars Williams, Richard Butler, Tim Butler, and Amanda Kramer

The double whammy of “Pretty in Pink” followed by “Love My Way” had the entire crowd jumping. One guy to my right was almost in throes of ecstasy by this point. “Until She Comes” and “The Ghost in You” were also especially sharp.

The lyrics of “All That Money Wants” is rather biting in this country right now, and they ended with “Heaven” before coming out to two encores. The first had a powerful rendition of “Sister Europe” that cooked up a witches’ brew of post-punk, acid jazz, and shoegaze. The second was a performance of the song I thought they’d have as the opener – “President Gas.” Like “All That Money Wants,” you can’t help but hear the lyrics in a new light right now.

It was worth the wait to see them, and $40.00 for a signed tour poster was a steal.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

Melkbelly – Nothing Valley

Chicago post / noise-punk rockers Melkbelly (James Wetzel – drums, Bart Winters – guitar, Liam Winters – bass, Miranda Winters – guitar and vocals) are in no mood to take prisoners on their new full-length album Nothing Valley.

“Off the Lot” opens the album with a rapid-fire attack of Wetzel’s drums and angry guitar chords. “Kid Kreative” brings to mind some of the Breeders‘ heavier tracks with Miranda Winters’ voice mixing post-punk attitude and garage rock urgency.

I don’t know what “R.O.R.O.B.” means, but I do know that it’s almost a goth rock classic. Liam Winters’ bass line is one I’m sure Front 242 would love to have in their back pocket, and the rest of the band brings in a slightly creepy vibe you can’t ignore. “Greedy Gull” has more angles to it than a 20-sided die. The guitars are restless, but Wetzel’s drumming and Miranda Winters’ vocals keep the song rooted.

“Petrified” might indeed petrify you with its building wall of distorted sound. By contrast, “Middle Of” will flatten you as it charges like an out of control steamroller. “Twin Lookin’ Motherfucker” has great jagged guitar riffs throughout it. “RUNXRN” chugs so hard it’s almost doom metal. It abruptly ends, making the chaotic drums of “R2PCM” even more jarring. At first, “Cawthra” sounds like a warped record (in a good way) and is an unexpected and welcome psychedelic diversion before it turns into a rock blitz. I don’t know if “Helloween” is named after the German metal band, but the track is far more post-punk than metal (although some of the distortion in it would please any metal fan). It’s also the longest track on the album at over five minutes. This gives Melkbelly time to stretch their vocal and instrumental muscles in different directions, even dipping their toes into the goth pool for a couple moments.

This is one of my favorite rock records of the year. I’ve been on a post-punk kick and Nothing Valley is a great addition to my collection. It would be to yours as well.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t get caught in the middle of boring music. Subscribe to get news and reviews about lots of good stuff.]

Flat Worms’ new single, “Pearl,” sure to melt your face.

FLAT WORMS ANNOUNCE SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM,
OUT OCTOBER 20TH VIA CASTLE FACE

WATCH VIDEO FOR DEBUT SINGLE, “PEARL”
https://youtu.be/HA7AU95C_zU

[photo credit: Cayal Unger]

Flat Worms announce their self-titled debut full-length album, due out October 20th via Castle Face. Today the band, comprised of Will Ivy (Dream Boys, Wet Illustrated, Bridez), Justin Sullivan (Kevin Morby, the Babies) and Tim Hellman (Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Sic Alps) also share the Kevin M. Gossett directed video for lead single, “Pearl.”

Having already released a 7” on Volar, Flat Worms continue their ride on a buzzsaw wave of feedback-tipped riffs into the middle distance, smog choked sunset receding in the rearview, a thousand yard dead-pan surgically pinned to a high octane set of boredom energized punk pistons. Flat Worms – an ears-a-ringing missive from the end of the cul-de-sac, the mirage of direction wavering above a mid-sized American suburb at dusk, constellations bleached black by the sprawl. A little Wipers, a little Wire, and a lot of late-capitalist era anxious energy – Flat Worms scratch the itch quite nicely, we think.
Watch video for “Pearl” –
https://youtu.be/HA7AU95C_zU

Flat Worms Tracklisting:
01. Motorbike
02. Goodbye Texas
03. Pearl
04. Accelerated
05. White Roses
06. 11816
07. Followers
08. Faultline
09. Question
10. Red Hot Sand

Pre-order Flat Worms:
https://midheaven.com/item/flat-worms-by-flat-worms

[Flat Worms album artwork]
Flat Worms online:
Instagram
Bandcamp

Shame release a sharp new post-punk single – “Concrete.”

UK’S SHAME RELEASE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO, “CONCRETE“, TOUR NORTH AMERICAN IN NOVEMBER

DEBUT ALBUM COMING IN EARLY 2018

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “CONCRETE”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MVLqZpnwow

Today, one of the UK’s most talked about young bands (and new Dead Oceans signing) Shame shares their new single and video, “Concrete.” A bracing jolt of a song, “Concrete” races forward on a tightly wound post-punk riff, its call-and-response vocals capturing the turmoil and schizophrenic internal dialogue of the song’s subject matter.

“It’s about someone who’s trapped in a relationship and they’re being pummelled into surrender,” says singer and lyricist Charlie Steen. “It’s not about a physically abusive relationship – more an emotionally and psychologically draining one. The call-and-response vocals [between Steen and bassist Josh Finerty] is the central figure’s own internal dialogue. They are dealing with two different things that they don’t want to address.”

The band cite The Fall, Parquet Courts, Country Teasers, Television Personalities and Wire among their biggest influences, and the icily claustrophobic sound of “Concrete” sets it in a lineage with Magazine, Joy Division and Siouxsie & The Banshees.

As a lyricist, Steen is a modern flâneur, forensically observing the lives of others around him as they unspool and fracture, with Hubert Selby Jr. and Irvine Welsh his primary literary influences. “That graphic and harsh style of writing always interested me,” he explains. “It’s not about the shock factor; it’s about the fact they are talking about these things in such great detail without stripping anything back.”

The London five piece have swiftly earned a reputation as one of the most visceral and exhilarating live bands in the UK, their combustible shows being honed through a heavy touring schedule in the UK and across Europe. Cutting their teeth on the squat-punk scene in the Queen’s Head in Brixton in 2015, where they were taken under the wing of Fat White Family, the white heat of their gigs quickly landed them support slots with Slaves and Warpaint. They were also personally invited by Billy Bragg to play the Left Field stage at Glastonbury this year.

Following two official singles –”The Lick”/”Gold Hole” and “Tasteless” on Fnord Communications as well as the digital-only Theresa May-baiting “Visa Vulture” (described by Steen as “the worst love song ever”) – “Concrete” is the first track to be released as part of their record deal with Dead Oceans.

“We started this band as a joke that went too far,” deadpans Steen. “What we do is quite strange and quite weird, but I get to meet a lot of people and I get to hear a lot of things. I am interested in the surrealism of reality.”

Shame are: Charlie Steen (vocals); Sean Coyle-Smith (guitar); Eddie Green (guitar); Charlie Forbes (drums); and Josh Finerty (bass).

PRAISE FOR SHAME“This U.K. band marries performance, poetry and punk in a way I won’t soon forget.” – Bob Boilen, NPR Music

“Grimy post-punk with a whiff of menace” – Q

“Expect them to turn up the heat even more as they progress” – Time Out

“The forefront of a compelling new scene in the capital” – NME

SHAME TOUR DATES (North American dates in bold)
Sat. Sep. 30 – Margate, UK @ By The Sea Festival
Mon. Oct. 9 – Bristol, UK @ Louisiana
Tue. Oct. 10 – Leeds, UK @ Lending Room
Wed. Oct. 11 – Manchester, UK @ Soup Kitchen
Thu. Oct. 12 – Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete’s
Fri. Oct. 13 – Liverpool, UK @ Buyers Club
Sat. Oct. 14 – Dublin, IE @ Workamn’s Club
Wed. Oct. 18 – London, UK @ Scala
Sat. Oct. 21 – Cardiff, UK @ Swn Festival
Tue. Oct. 24 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
Wed. Oct. 25 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Fri. Oct. 27 – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling Festival
Thu. Nov. 2 – Reykjavik, IS @ Iceland Airwaves Festival
Fri. Nov. 10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
Sun. Nov. 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
Mon-Nov-13 – Washington, DC @ DC9
Wed. Nov. 15 – New York, NY @ Home Sweet Home
Thu. Nov. 16 – Allston, MA @ The Great Scott
Fri. Nov. 17 – Montreal, QC @ M for Montreal
Sat. Nov. 18 – Toronto, ON @ Hard Luck
Sun. Nov. 19 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
Mon. Nov. 20 – Arden, DE @ Arden Gild Hall +
Fri. Dec. 1 – Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere
Sun. Dec. 3 – Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom *
Mon. Dec. 4 – Heidelburg, DE @ Halle O2 *
Wed. Dec. 6 – Köln, DE @ Gebäude 9 *
Thu. Dec. 7 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22 *
Fri. Dec. 8 – Essen, DE @ Hotel Shanghai *
Sat. Dec. 9 – Dresden, DE @ Groove Station *
Mon. Dec. 11 – Hannover, DE @ Bei Chez Heinz *
Tue. Dec. 12 – Bremen, DE @ Lagerhaus *
Wed. Dec. 13 – Hamburg, DE @ Knust *
Thu. Dec. 14 – Braunschweig, DE @ Eule *
Fri. Dec. 15 – Rostock, DE @ Helgas Stadtpalast *
Sat. Dec. 16 – Berlin @ Festaal Kreuzberg *
Fri. Feb. 2 – Adelaide, AU @ Laneway Festival
Sat. Feb. 3 – Melbourne, AU @ Laneway Festival
Sun. Feb. 4 – Sydney, AU @ Laneway Festival
Sat. Feb. 10 – Brisbane, AU @ Laneway Festival
Sun. Feb. 11 – Perth, AU @ Laneway Festival

+ with Ought
* with Gurr

Shame Online:
http://shame.world/
https://www.facebook.com/shamebanduk/
@shamebanduk
https://www.instagram .com/shamebanduk

Dion Lunadon – self-titled

As the story goes, Dion Lunadon, known to many as the bass player and co-mastermind of A Place to Bury Strangers, was feeling restless during a break in APTBS’ tour schedule. So, he poured that restless energy into his first solo album and gave the world a frantic, wild piece of noise-punk that has some fun surprises in it.

The album’s opener is a raging piece against something we all have to deal with – “Insurance, Rent, and Taxes.” The song flattens you with squelching sound and Robi Gonzalez (who used to play for APTBS). Lundaon sings, “Much too young to get any older.” on the swinging “Reduction Agent.” Lunadon reveals his love of dirty juke joint blues in the track in both the rhythm and lyrics (“I’ve got the mark of death. It won’t leave me alone.”). The organ and bass on “Fire” burns as hot as its namesake, building to a crazy blender-like frenzy. “Com / Broke” is your new favorite song for trying to beat rush hour traffic. Just be careful, as Lunadon’s lyrics do involve car crashes, fires, and self-destruction.

“Hanging By a Thread” is a post-punk (and nearly instrumental) surprise with guitars that sound like industrial saws. The industrial grind continues on “Move,” and Lunadon’s vocals sounds like the Borg has assimilated him. The drums blast the doors off the song around the 1:30 mark and you’re holding on for dear life by that point.

“Eliminator” is fierce noise-punk, and “Howl” is about Lunadon’s joy in expressing himself in the spotlight. It’s like something Lou Reed blasted out of his speakers when getting ideas for Metal Machine Music.

Believe it or not, “Ripper” is a psychobilly cut and Lunadon and crew have a blast on it. I couldn’t help but grin through the whole track. “White Fence,” on the other hand, is more fine post-punk with weirdly angled guitars and desperate vocal stylings. The closer, “No Control,” brings Lunadon’s album back into weird psychedelia before a quick, distorted fade out leaves you gasping for breath.

This debut solo record is quite a statement. It’s powerful, brash, and even fun. More debuts need to be this self-assured.

Keep your mind open.

[Need a reason to go on? Just subscribe and you’ll get updates sent straight to your e-mail inbox. You’ll have something to read nearly every day.]

Melkbelly announces tour dates with the Breeders and Bully.

MELKBELLY ANNOUNCE MORE TOUR DATES, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR THE BREEDERS & BULLY, IN SUPPORT OF DEBUT ALBUM, NOTHING VALLEY, OUT OCTOBER 13TH ON CARPARK’S WAX NINE

(photo credit – Lenny Gilmore )

Chicago’s Melkbelly are set to release their debut full-length album, Nothing Valley, on Oct. 13th on Carpark Records’ imprint Wax Nine. Next week, the four-piece — Miranda Winters (vocals/guitar), brothers Bart (guitar) and Liam Winters (bass), and James Wetzel (drums) — hit the road for a run of pre-release shows supporting Protomartyr. Today, they are announcing more headline shows, plus support tours with The Breeders and Bully. All dates are below.

Emerging from Chicago’s DIY spaces, Melkbelly recorded Nothing Valley fresh off a west coast tour. The resulting debut album is organized noise and thoughtful freneticism. Throughout, they fuse dreamy vocal lines and cantankerous guitar racket as their songs clang and bang in stripped-down production that highlights the band’s sharp edges. Multi-faceted slabs of sound serve harmonious, immediate songs.

Watch Melkbelly’s “Middle Of” Video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdLUXUsBoQY “Kid Kreative” Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mJoRmdYTo0Pre-order Nothing Valley:
Via Wax Nine – smarturl.it/nothingvalley_wax9
iTunes – smarturl.it/nothingvalley_itunes
Apple Music – smarturl.it/nothingvalley_appleMelkbelly Tour Dates:
(new shows in bold)
Wed. Sep 6 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo #
Thu. Sep. 7 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery #
Fri. Sep 8 – Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Festival
Sat. Sep. 9 – Asheville, NC @ Mothlight #
Sun. Sep. 10 – Cincinnati, OH @ Northside Yacht Club #
Fri. Oct. 13 – Chicago, IL @ The Hideout (Record Release Show)
Mon. Oct. 16 – Bloomington, IN @ Bishop Bar +
Tue. Oct. 17 – Columbus, OH @ Double Happiness
Wed. Oct. 18 – Washington DC @ Comet Ping Pong
Fri. Oct. 20 – Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville
Tue. Oct 24 – Cleveland, OH @ Now That’s Class
Wed. Nov. 08 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom ^ — SOLD OUT
Thu. Nov. 09 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox ^
Sun. Nov. 12 – San Francisco, CA @ the Independent ^ — SOLD OUT
Mon. Nov. 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater ^ — SOLD OUT
Tue. Nov. 14 – Phoenix, AZ @ LBX
Thu. Nov. 16 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
Fri. Feb. 16 – Norman, OK @ Opolis *
Sat. Feb. 17 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf *
Sat. Feb. 24 – Eugene, OR @ Hi Fi Music Hall *
Mon. Feb. 26 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret *
Thu. March 1 – Spokane, WA @ The Bartlett *
Fri. March 2 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux *
Sat. March 3 – Salt Lake City @ Kilby Court *
Tue. March 6 – Kansas City @ The Record Bar *

# = with Protomartyr
+ = with Snail Mail
^ = with the Breeders
* = with Bully

Live: Depeche Mode and Warpaint – Toronto, ON – September 03, 2017

The calm before the storm at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

Somehow multiple decades have gone by without me catching electro legends Depeche Mode live. The dates finally worked out, and my wife and I were able to see them and shoegaze / post-punk newcomers Warpaint at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre.

Warpaint played a good set of crisp post-punk with snappy bass lines and even snappier drumming (which would be a theme for the entire night). I’d heard a lot of good things about them, and they didn’t disappoint. I need to find more of their material.

Looking down the “Barrel of a Gun” with Depeche Mode.

Out came Depeche Mode to the Beatles’ “Revolution,” a major theme for their new album – Spirit. They rolled into “Going Backwards,” “So Much Love,” and “Barrel of a Gun” (which included a snippet of Grand Master Flash’s “The Message,” which cracked me up).

The crowd (which filled the stadium, apart from the unsold / unused seats behind the stage, by the way) jumped to its feet when they broke into “World In My Eyes.” It was a reminder of not only their electro prowess, but how much influence they’ve had on Trent Reznor. An acoustic version of “Question of Lust,” sung by Martin Gore, was a crowd favorite, and the follow-up of “Home” was excellent.

“Where’s the Revolution?” – the first single off Spirit – was another standout and essentially the band’s rallying cry for fans old and new to stand up against The Man. “Everything Counts” is also staggeringly relevant for these times, even though it’s decades old by now. It preceded “Stripped,” “Enjoy the Silence” (which was almost entirely sung by the now-bonkers crowd), and “Never Let Me Down Again” – which was better live than I even hoped it would be (and drummer Christian Eigner was absolutely slaying his kit by this point).

The encore started with “Somebody,” included a nice cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes,” and finished with big hits “I Feel You” and “Personal Jesus,” which had everyone raising their hands to “reach out and touch faith.”

It was long overdue, but very welcome. My wife immediately listened to their new album as soon as we got back from the show. She woke up the next day with Depeche Mode songs in their head, and I’ve had “Never Let Me Down Again” stuck in my brain for days.

Thanks for the fun, DM and Warpaint.

Keep your mind open.

Omni release new single and huge list of tour dates.

OMNI SHARE VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “SOUTHBOUND STATION“, ANNOUNCE US TOUR DATES

MULTI-TASK OUT 9/22 ON TROUBLE IN MIND

Today, Atlanta-based trio, Omni share a video for their new single – and album opener – “Southbound Station.” This comes to us off their forthcoming sophomore record Multi-task (out 9/22 on Trouble in Mind). The band had previously shared the song “Equestrian,” perhaps their catchiest song to date. Sonically, “Southbound Station” is just as acrobatic a song as “Equestrian,” full of bounce, tension and release, with melodies seemingly developing out of thin air. The FADER premiered the video today. Here’s what the band had to say about the track:

‘Southbound Station’ is a song about being young in Atlanta, barely aware of anything beyond your immediate surroundings. There was always a sense of urgency to make it to the next destination where there may be a lover or a house show to attend. Years disappeared into the drunken void as I got to know the city—a charming yet challenging experience at the same time.

Omni’s underlying seductive sophistication creates an aura of romance that many post-punk bands dare not tread, and Omni pulls it off with grace & style. Their minimalist funk-fused agit-pop whirrs while simultaneously creating an album that is awash in the excitement of new love, or fleeting attraction. As performers, the band deliver this excitement and romance live, and have just announced new US tour dates. If you want an idea of what you’re in store for, watch a video of the band performing in France here.

“[‘Southbound Station’] is a perfect little post-punk jam for a late-evening walk through the city, when your mind is racing with possibilities.” – The FADER

WATCH “SOUTHBOUND STATION”
https://youtu.be/UmuksS9xLwA

LISTEN TO “EQUESTRIAN”
http://bit.ly/2uqHRQu

OMNI TOUR DATES (new dates in bold)
Thu. Aug. 31 – Amsterdam, NL @ OT301
Fri. Sep. 1 – Larmar Tree Gardens, UK @ End of the Road Festival
Sat. Sep. 2 – Manchester, UK @ Strange Waves Festival
Sun. Sep. 3 – Bristol, UK @ Louisiana
Mon. Sep. 4 – Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere
Tue. Sep. 5 – Toulouse, FR @ Pavilion Sauvage
Wed. Sep. 6 – Madrid, ES @ Sirocco
Thu. Sep. 7 – Santiago De Compostela, ES @ WOS
Fri. Sep. 8 – Barcelona, ES @ Altaveu
Sat. Sep. 9 – Marseille, FR @ L’Emeobineuse
Mon. Sep. 11 – Basle, CH @ Renee
Wed. Sep. 13 – Zurich, CH @ Katakombe @ Sender
Thu. Sep. 14 – Bologne, IT @ Freakout
Fri. Sep. 15 – Lyon, FR @ Le Sonic
Sat. Sep. 16 – Orleans, FR @ Hop Hop
Sun. Sep. 17 – Lille, FR @ DIY
Mon. Sep. 18 – London, UK @ Moth Club
Tue. Sep. 19 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
Wed. Sep. 20 – Dublin, IRE @ Whealan’s
Thu. Sep. 21– Glasgow, UK @ Hug & Pint
Fri. Sep. 22 – Liverpool, UK @ Liverpool Psychfest
Sat. Sep. 23 – Brighton, UK @ Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar
Tue. Oct. 17 – Nashville, TN @ The End
Wed. Oct. 18 – New Orleans, LA @ Santos
Thu. Oct. 19 – Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas
Fri. Oct. 20 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
Sat. Oct. 21 – El Paso, TX @ Monarch
Sun. Oct. 22 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge
Mon. Oct. 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
Tue. Oct. 24 – San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
Fri. Oct. 27 – Portland, OR @ High Water Mark Lounge
Sat. Oct. 28 – Seattle, WA @ The Central Saloon
Sun. Oct. 29 – Vancouver, BC @ Astoria
Mon. Oct. 30 – Spokane, WA @ Baby Bar
Tue. Oct. 31 – Missoula, MT @ Zootown Arts Community Center
Thu. Nov. 2 – Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
Fri. Nov. 3 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Sun. Nov. 5 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Tue. Nov. 7 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Bar
Wed. Nov. 8 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
Thu. Nov. 9 – Toronto, ON @ Smiling Buddha
Fri. Nov. 10 – Montreal, QC @ Brasserie Beaubien
Sat. Nov. 11 – Somerville, MA @ Boston Hassel Fest (Once Lounge)
Mon. Nov. 13 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
Tue. Nov. 14 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
Thu. Nov. 16 – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
Fri. Nov. 17 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade

PRAISE FOR “EQUESTRIAN”

“Its spry, stair-climbing melody comes off like a jittery call to arms, with bass and guitar bouncing and aligning like magnets. The addition of a rising synth gives the tune a triumphant tone, not far from Devo’s most anthemic moments.” – NPR Music

“With a steady lo-fi pulse, the act layers gritty guitars into a outpouring of analog warmth. Each element feels essential to the build of a tight-knit mid-tempo groove as singer Philip Frobos oscillates between a disaffected croon and the yelps and shouts of high-energy punk.” – SPIN

“The bubbling bassline and cool, taunting vocals on “Equestrian” make for a self-destructive lo-fi dance party” – Stereogum

“‘Equestrian’ picks up with more Verlaine-veined guitar lines nestled atop a skittering drum beat. They lean into progress with some synth strains to back the track up, pouring on a glaze of synth-punk that doesn’t dominate, but pays reverence to their brand of ’70s gods as the track progresses.” – Raven Sings The Blues

Hi-res images/album art – http://pitchperfectpr.com/omni/

Pre-order Physical – http://www.troubleinmindrecs.com/omni-multi-task/
Pre-order Digital – http://apple.co/2sWcrT6

Omni Online:
https://www.facebook.com/omniatl
https://www.instagram.com/omnideluxe/
https://soundcloud.com/omni-band
http://www.troubleinmindrecs.com/
http://pitchperfectpr.com/

Melkbelly’s debut album due October 13th.

MELKBELLY ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM, NOTHING VALLEY, OUT 10/13 ON WAX NINE/CARPARK

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “KID KREATIVE”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mJoRmdYTo0

Noisy, subversively catchy and rhythmically sophisticated, Chicago quartet Melkbelly emerge from Chicago’s DIY spaces with their debut album, Nothing Valley, out Oct. 13th on Wax Nine Records, a sister label to Carpark Records headed by Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz.

Melkbelly’s members live and breathe Chicago’s art and music underground where their paths crossed and alliances were forged. Vocalist/guitarist Miranda Winters played solo in folk rock project reddelicious. Brothers Bart and Liam Winters (the tall fellas playing guitar and bass in Melkbelly) ran an influential show space in Chicago. Drawn together by their passion for East Coast noise, particularly the flavor originating from Miranda’s previous homebase of Providence, RI, Miranda and Bart of Coffin Ships recruited James Wetzel, who studied jazz drums in college, from improvisational free-drum/noise duo Ree-Yees. This new group of friends orbiting the loft and art scene, began collaborating on each other’s projects, formalizing in a more guitar-driven quartet Melkbelly in 2014.

Melkbelly’s debut EP Pennsylvania came out that same year. Engineered by Cooper Crain of Cave/Bitchin’ Bajas, the record came easily. The Chicago Reader enthused for single “Doomspringa” with its “noisy guitar freak-outs” and “beautifully melodic verses” and compared Melkbelly, accurately, to a hybrid of the Breeders and Lightning Bolt.

In 2016, the band tested the waters with new material. Inspired by the geography of a West Coast tour, shared band experiences, the van “as a magical place” and failed touristic detours at a meteor crater (it was closed) and Spiral Jetty (not van-friendly), the band gathered material written by Miranda and spawned from recorded jams for its next album. In early 2017, Melkbelly recorded with Dave Vettraino at Chicago’s Public House, writing about half the album in the studio and tracking it to 8-track analog tape. The result is Nothing Valley, organized noise and thoughtful freneticism, a fusion of dreamy vocal lines and cantankerous guitar racket. Today they share the video for “Kid Kreative.” “Kid Kreative is about creating a unique aesthetic in art or music only to have it hijacked and manhandled by someone else who reaps the rewards,” explains Miranda Winters. “It was inspired by existing as a woman in the predominantly male space of loud-music where it’s easy to be both looked over and ‘borrowed’ from.”

WATCH “KID KREATIVE” VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mJoRmdYTo0

PRE-ORDER NOTHING VALLEY
wax nine – smarturl.it/nothingvalley_wax9
itunes – smarturl.it/nothingvalley_itunes
apple music – smarturl.it/nothingvalley_apple

NOTHING VALLEY TRACKLISTING
1. Off The Lot
2. Kid Kreative
3. R.O.R.O.B.
4. Greedy Gull
5. Petrified
6. Middle Of
7. Twin Lookin Motherfucker
8. RUNXRN
9. R2PCM
10. Cawthra
11. Helloween

MELKBELLY TOUR DATES
Wed. Sep 6 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo w/ Protomartyr
Thu. Sep. 7 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery w/ Protomartyr
Fri. Sep 8 – Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Festival
Sat. Sep. 9 – Asheville, NC @ Mothlight w/ Protomartyr
Sun. Sep. 10 – Cincinnati, OH @ Northside Yacht Club w/ Protomartyr
Fri. Oct. 13 – Chicago, IL @ The Hideout (Record Release Show)
Melkbelly Online:
https://melkbelly.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/melkbelly/
https://www.instagram.com/melkbelly/
https://twitter.com/melkbelly
http://www.waxnine.com/artists/melkbelly/

Rewind Review: Big Audio Dynamite – Megatop Phoenix (1989)

Big Audio Dynamite (Dan Donovan – keyboards and vocals, Mick Jones – guitar and vocals, Don Letts – effects and vocals, Greg Roberts – drums and vocals, Leo “E-Zee Kill” Williams – bass and vocals) were a big part of my high school years, and their final album, Megatop Phoenix, was a great way to go out on top. I had it on a mix tape for years, so it was high time I bought a proper copy of it. Recorded not long after Mick Jones nearly died of pneumonia (special thanks are given to his doctors and nurses in the album’s liner notes), the album is a reflection on the band’s history and a look to the future.

“Rewind” is a battle cry to all of us to stay strong in the face of adversity and to never count out the underdog. The kick-in of Williams’ bass after the first verse still gives me chills. It’s a great blend of their raga / post-punk / new wave / electro mix that made them so innovative. “Union, Jack” is Jones, Letts, and Williams’ call to British people to get back up on their feet in the Reagan / Thatcher years that were grinding them down into complacency. It opens with a sample of the British national anthem and then kicks in some of the slickest beats by Roberts. Lyrics like “Now in the classroom I was told about the Empire, how you were bold. A pint of beer, life passes by, your spirit’s squashed just like a fly.” continue to resonate today.

“Contact” is a song about Jones’ inner struggle to express himself to perhaps a lovely lady or even his own band mates. This was B.A.D.’s last album, after all. His guitar has nice heaviness to it when it comes in during the chorus. “Dragon Town” has Jones expressing the band’s wonder at being lost in a Chinatown while looking for an exotic woman.

“Baby, Don’t Apologize” is, on its surface, about Jones telling a lover not to be sorry things didn’t work out because he can’t or won’t change. It’s probably a veiled reference to the end of the band, however. Jones had a life-changing experience with his pneumonia, Don Letts was becoming a producer and DJ, and the other band members were also involved in other projects. Jones was worried about how he might be perceived (“My head is in the stock. It rains refuse, some shout abuse, and others throwing rocks.”), but as he puts it, “What I am is loud and clear for all to see, for all to hear.”

“Around the Girl in 80 Ways” is a straight-up love song from Jones and Letts as they teach how to woo the lady of your choice. They suggest everything from “a bunch of flowers” to playing it cool. “James Brown” was written after the Godfather of Soul was involved in a domestic violence case and a police pursuit that landed him in jail. Jones and Letts tell the story from Brown’s perspective, paying tribute to him and calling him out on his bad behavior at the same time. The beats are wicked, as is the verbal takedown of American celebrity culture (which is just as bad in Britain nowadays).

“Everybody Needs a Holiday” sounds better than ever in this world that has only gotten smaller, busier, and less personal since 1989. “House Arrest” is a tale of partying on Saturday night until six in the morning when the cops show up. It’s a floor-bumper with heavy bass and kick ass drum licks. Letts gets to take lead vocals on it as he sings about “bouncers, bimbos, lager louts” and “cops and dogs in transit vans.”

“The Green Lady” is a clever and slightly bittersweet song (with great guitar work by Jones) about a man who falls in love with a Chinese woman in a mass-produced photograph hanging in his flat. “London Bridge” is about the Americanization of London, but Jones professes his love for his town with catchy hooks. “Stalag 123” is about Jones and crew being stuck in the studio working on a record while the building’s basement is flooded and they have to deal with “no windows, no air, and secondhand gear.”

B.A.D. didn’t sound like anything that came before them, and no one has really matched their mix of genres since. They had a successful reunion tour a few years ago, and we can always hope for another. If not, there’s always their excellent catalog and this fine end to it.

Keep your mind open.

[It would be bad-ass if you subscribed.]