Levitation Austin adds three more shows to its 2019 lineup.

Never ones to rest on their laurels, the Reverb Appreciation Society (the group behind Austin, Texas’ Levitation Music Festival, as well as the Levitation France festival in Angers, France coming up this weekend) have added three more shows to their November 7 – 10, 2019 Texas lineup.

That Damo Suzuki Network show should be a trip.  Nots put on a packed show the last time I saw them in Austin, and that Chelsea Wolfe / Ioanna Gika show is an added show because the first quickly sold out.  I wouldn’t wait to get tickets to this second show if you missed the first one.

Keep your mind open.

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Clutch releases new studio version of their hit single “Electric Worry.”

Clutch announce the release of “Electric Worry.” The single is the third in a series of new studio recordings that comprise the newly launched Weathermaker Vault Series and the first new official music Clutch is making available since the release of their critically acclaimed album, Book Of Bad Decisions.

The new live video uses footage from various 2019 European Summer festivals and can be seen at https://youtu.be/mtuVGOnX868

When “Electric Worry” was released in 2007 on the album From Beale Street to Oblivion nobody knew that this track would turn into one of Clutch’s most recognizable songs. It is a fan favorite and a staple at live shows. Over the course of time, the song went through changes. What you are listening to here is a brand new studio recording of the 2019 live version of the song without the keyboards and harmonica that are on the 2007 rendition. This is “Electric Worry” in its purest form.

“Electric Worry” was mixed by 6X Grammy Award winner and Clutch collaborator, Vance Powell (Wolfmother, The Raconteurs, Arctic Monkeys).

“All in all it’s just a leaner, meaner song” states vocalist Neil Fallon. “We wanted to put something out there that was representative of what we do these days since it happens to be one of our most popular songs.”

Clutch has curated their own Spotify playlist “Clutch’s Heavy Rotation”: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3NlZsjNNOoCvwjCv58mcNR

On Friday, September 20th, Clutch will embark on a Fall tour of the US with Dropkick Murphys along with metalcore veterans Hatebreed as direct support.

Clutch Fall Tour with Dropkick Murphys: Tickets available here. (headline** and festival* dates) = no Dropkick Murphys Fri/Sep-20 Springfield, MA MassMutual @ Center Arena Sat/Sep-21 Erie, PA Erie @ Insurance Arena **Sun/Sep-22 Wilmington, DE @ The Queen (support: Lionize, Kingsnake) Tue/Sep-24 Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheatre Wed/Sep-25 Charlotte, NC Charlotte @ Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre Thu/Sep-26 Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewery **Fri/Sep-27 Clarksville, TN O’Connors Outdoor Stage (support: Hatebreed, Cane Hill) Sun/Sep-29 Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Theatre Mon/Sep-30 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Tue/Oct-01 Minneapolis, MN @ The Myth Thu/Oct-03 Moorhead, MN @ Bluestem Center For The Arts Fri/Oct-04 Council Bluffs, IA @ Westfair Amphitheatre Sat/Oct-05 Broomfield, CO @ FirstBank Center Sun/Oct-06 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union Tue/Oct-08 Los Angeles, CA @ The Palladium Wed/Oct-09 San Diego, CA @ Park at the Park *Fri/Oct-11 Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Festival **Sat/Oct-12 Bend, OR @ Midtown Theater (support: Red Fang, Mos Generator) **Sun/Oct-13 Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theater (support: Red Fang, Mos Generator) Mon/Oct-14 Boise, ID @ Outlaw Field at Idaho Botanic Gardens Tue/Oct-15 Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theatre ** = HEADLINE SHOW * = FESTIVAL

Clutch online: www.pro-rock.com

www.facebook.com/clutchband Instagram: www.instagram.com/clutchofficial Twitter: www.twitter.com/clutchofficial YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/officialclutch

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Review: Warish – Down in Flames

Warish‘s first full-length album, Down in Flames, is as fiery as its namesake.  Their self-titled debut EP hit so hard that it was like going four rounds with a professional boxer.  The image of a supersonic jet pilot on the cover of Down in Flames is not happenstance.  It’s a reflection of how this album makes you feel – strap in and hold on. 

The opening track, “Healter Skelter,” with its wild guitar licks and break-down-the-walls drumming is not unlike the angry Beatles track of the almost same name.  “You’ll Abide” brings in thrash punk elements as Riley Hawk sings, “I don’t wanna be like them.  I’ve got an evil mind.  It was made for sin.”  The drums somehow get bigger on “Big Time Spender” with Hawk dropping his vocal register and the bass dropping even more to turn the song into a Black Sabbath-like dirge.

“Bleed Me Free” pushes the speed back up to F-14 levels and has Hawk wailing like Kurt Cobain on rare Bleach-era cuts.  “In a Hole” blasts by so quick that it seems like it clocks in at under a minute instead of just over twice that length.

The next four tracks, “Bones,” “Voices,” “Fight,” and “Shivers” are the four tracks from their self-titled debut EP and are each full of burning jet fuel power.  They follow it with “Runnin’ Scared,” a fierce, wild track that layers distortion over Hawk’s vocals as well as the guitar and bass (which remind me of Motorhead arrangements).  The album ends with the almost-peppy “Their Disguise,” in which I can’t determine which instrument is leading and who is trying to keep up with whom.  I mean this in the best possible sense.  Each of the band members burns up the last of their fuel reserves on it.

Down in Flames is heavy, fuzzy, angry, fast, and one of the hottest metal records so far this year.  Their self-titled EP was just a warm-up.  This is a full-on brawl.

Keep your mind open.

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Have a “Sit Down Meal” with Dry Cleaning on their new single.

Photo by Hanna-Katrina Jedrosz

LISTEN TO “SIT DOWN MEAL” https://youtu.be/2zd2K4_UykQ

Today South London’s Dry Cleaning have announced their second EP, Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks, following the critical success of summer 2019’s debut Sweet Princess. As well as available digitally, both EP’s will be compiled together for a 12″ vinyl release on October 25th (pre-order HERE).

Sweet Princess saw the band arrive fully-formed, and in the brief two months or so since a debut single – their paean to Meghan Markle, “Magic of Meghan” – landed, the band have seen significant international press and radio support, including a 7.8 for the EP at Pitchfork and playlisting at BBC 6 Music. Additionally, Stereogum has named them a Band to Watch today, check out the interview here.

The band have also announced an EP launch show at The Lexington on October 23rd and released “Sit Down Meal,” the first single from the release. Lyrically, “Sit Down Meal” is about being lost for words; there is some reference to both the language of placeholder text and greetings cards throughout the song. Vocalist Florence Shaw has said the following about the inspiration for the single:

“It’s set at the moment just after being suddenly dumped. You cling to details, things you did together and reel at their significance. If you smell their perfume on someone else you feel overwhelmed, but immediately and painfully aware of how lightning quick a relationship can evaporate into thin air.”

“Boundary’s” collection of songs takes its name from the location and context of a shared genesis, and marks a significant chapter for the band as the last tracks to be written in their original rehearsal space. The offering displays a more evolved sound than its predecessor; more textured and confidently realized without overlooking the melodic subtleties or minimal approach implicit on their debut. There is a pop sensibility to the lyrics and a sense that this writing process has become more fluid; words are consciously used with more economy and are often repeated. With this new recording, Dry Cleaning seek to expand the palette of their sound without nagging the simplicity and directness of their songwriting.

While there are currently only UK shows on the schedule, the band plans to make their US debut soon.

DRY CLEANING TOUR DATES: Oct. 17th – Dublin, IE @ Workman’s Club Oct. 19th – Bristol @ Simple Things Festival Oct. 20th – Cardiff @ SWN Festival Oct. 23rd – London @ The Lexington Nov. 23rd – Glasgow @ Great Western Festival Nov. 24th – Sheffield @ Picture House Social

BOUNDARY ROAD SNACKS AND DRINKS EP TRACK LISTING: 1. Dog Proposal 2. Viking Hair 3. Spoils 4. Jam After School 5. Sombre One 6. Sit Down Meal

Dry Cleaning online: https://drycleaning.bandcamp.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drycleaningband/ https://www.facebook.com/drycleaningband/ https://pitchperfectpr.com/dry-cleaning/

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Moon Duo release “Eternal Shore” ahead of album due September 27th.

Photo by Brett Johnson

Moon Duo shares the final pre-release single, “Eternal Shore,” from their new album, Stars Are The Light, out September 27th on Sacred Bones. It follows the previously released title track and “Lost Heads.” Across “Eternal Shore,” Sanae Yamada’s hazy vocals drift over reverberating synth and flitting guitar licks. She says, “The lyrics are about the search for a sense of belonging and for the truth of one’s inner being, beneath the masks we’re conditioned to wear in order to function in society.” “We were experimenting with a lot of different rhythms for this record, and this one is in 5/8ths time, which is a real departure for us,” continues Ripley Johnson. “It moves us further away from the classic motorik beat. And it’s special because it’s the first song on which Sanae wrote the lyrics and sings lead.”

Stars Are The Light has a sonic physicality that is at once propulsive and undulating; it puts dance at the heart of an expansive nexus that connects the body to the stars. These are songs about embodied human experience rendered as a kind of dance of the self, both in relation to other selves and to the eternal dance of the cosmos. Johnson’s signature guitar sound is at its most languid and refined, while Yamada’s synths and oneiric vocals are foregrounded to create a spacious percussiveness that invites the body to move with its mesmeric rhythms.

“We have changed, the nature of our collaboration has changed, the world has changed, and we wanted the new music to reflect that,” says Yamada.

After playing dates in Europe, the duo will bring a new live audio-visual show across North America. All dates are on sale now and can be found below.

Stream “Eternal Shore” – https://youtu.be/AEpR3JQnGWQ

Stream “Lost Heads” – https://youtu.be/HlBMsnPi93M

Stream “Stars Are The Light” – https://youtu.be/bYXVk4cEbkY

Pre-order Stars Are The Light – https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/products/sbr228-moon-duo-stars-are-the-light

Moon Duo tour dates: Thu. Oct. 17 – Ghent, BE @ Videodroom Fri. Oct. 18 – Krakow, PL @ Malopolski Garden Of The Arts Sun. Oct. 20 – Amsterdam, DK @ Paradiso Noord Mon. Oct. 21 – Berlin, DE @ Volksbuhne Wed. Oct. 23 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F Thu. Oct. 24 – Vevey, CH @ Rocking Chair Sat. Oct. 26 – Angers, FR @ Le Chabada Mon. Oct. 28 – London, UK @ Earth Tue. Oct. 29 – Manchester, UK @ Dancehouse Wed. Oct. 30 – Liverpool, UK @ Invisible Wind Factory Thu. Oct. 31 – Glasgow, UK @ BAAD Fri. Nov. 1 – Birmingham, UK @ The Crossing Sat. Nov. 2 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Sun. Nov. 3 – Gateshead, UK @ The Sage Mon. Nov. 4 – Brighton, UK @ St. Bartholomew’s Church Tue. Nov. 5 – Paris, FR @ Petit Bain Wed. Nov. 6 – Charleroi, BE @ Rockerill Thu. Nov. 7 – Luxembourg, LU @ De Gudde Wëllen Sat. Nov. 9 – Utrecht, NL @ Le Guess Who Tue. Nov. 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg Wed. Nov. 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts Thu. Nov. 14 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel Fri. Nov. 15 – Kingston, NY @ BSP Sat. Nov. 16 – Montreal, QC @ SAT Mon. Nov. 18 – Toronto, ON @ Longboat Hall Tue. Nov. 19 – Detroit, MI @ MOCAD Wed. Nov. 20 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall Fri. Nov. 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room Sat. Nov. 23 – Oakland, CA @ The New Parish Mon. Nov. 25 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom Tue. Nov 26 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos Wed. Nov. 27 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue

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Bleached let us “Daydream” with their latest single.

Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? is one of the year’s best rock albums, and far more than a survival tale.” – Billboard

“The evolution from raw to polished is a common one for rock bands, but on Bleached, it sounds positively inspired.” – AV Club

“the grit and grime has been wiped off in favor of a style that, while still giving off the same dangerous edge, often has the glittering sheen of some femme fatale’s soundtrack” – Paste

Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? reveals the sophisticated songwriting Bleached has matured into. The songs seem familiar…but they contain unrestrained personality, which froths and ferments as it resolves into intimate portraits of living.” – LA Record

Bleached – the Los Angeles-based duo of sisters Jessie and Jennifer Clavin – present a video for “Daydream,” off Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough?, released earlier this year via Dead Oceans. Propelled by Clavin’s defiant vocals, anthemic drums, and a refined version of their distorted guitar sound, “Daydream” is about realizing that living in the past, daydreaming of what could have been, is just a waste of time. The video, once again directed by Giraffe Studios, the sister team Bleached has worked with for all facets of Don’t You Think… visuals, presents the sisters and their band performing in the middle of a vast, hilly setting in Santa Clarita, CA.

“‘Daydream’ was born from a premonition about driving to the desert to write a song. It is my favorite song on the record,” says Jennifer. “While it can be interpreted as a love song at its core, it’s about how our minds are our masters. We tend to dwell on the past, live in regret with ‘what ifs’ but what’s the point? It’s a waste of our time and takes us out of the present. Letting go can be challenging but it’s worth it when the weight lifts and you finally feel free.”

Bleached have just kicked off their North American tour in support of Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? All tour dates can be found below.

Watch Bleached’s “Daydream” video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc9b35XulJQ

Watch: “Hard To Kill” video – https://youtu.be/bQYgcc02m5c

“Kiss You Goodbye” video – https://youtu.be/InvEKijp7WM

“Shitty Ballet” video – https://youtu.be/v8pGMcSylH4

Purchase Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? – bleached.ffm.to/dontyouthink

Bleached tour dates: Sun. Sept. 15 – Raleigh, NC @ Motorco ^ Tue. Sept. 17 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall ^ Thu. Sept. 19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere ^ Fri. Sept. 20 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA ^ Sat. Sept. 21 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall ^ Mon. Sept. 23 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern ^ Tue. Sept. 24 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement ^ Wed. Sept. 25 – Nashville, TN @ Exit In ^ Fri. Sept. 27 – Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Festival Sat. Sept. 28 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry ^ Sun. Sept. 29 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall ^ Mon. Sept. 30 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird ^ Tue. Oct. 1 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room (Outdoors)* Thu. Oct. 3 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall* Fri. Oct. 4 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room* Sat. Oct. 5 – Boise, ID @ The Olympic* Mon. Oct. 7 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile* Tue. Oct. 8 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret* Wed. Oct. 9 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater Fri. Oct. 11 – Oakland, CA @ New Parish* Sat. Oct. 12 – Los Angeles, Ca @ The Lodge Room* ^ = w/ The Paranoyds *= w/ Dude York

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Dead Kennedys to officially release CD of rare 1978 studio sessions.

Straight out of San Francisco, the Dead Kennedys became punk legends with a slew of classic singles, such as “Holiday in Cambodia” and “California Über Alles.” Any punk fan worth their salt, knows and loves these songs, but may not have heard these early, alternate versions.

Due Sept. 27th on Los Angeles-based Manifesto Records, the rare Iguana Studios Rehearsal Tape — San Francisco 1978, captures the band bashing out these classics in their earliest-known incarnations. The take on “Holiday in Cambodia” is a bit slower in tempo, more melodic, but no less fierce. “California Über Alles” takes on a more ominous tone in this lo-fi rendition. This release is the latest in a series from Manifesto marking the iconic punk band’s 40th anniversary.

The 13-song collection, which also includes such notable tracks as “I Kill Children” and the DK’s infamous cover of “Rawhide,” features the band’s original lineup of singer Jello Biafra, guitarists East Bay Ray and 6025, bassist Klaus Flouride, and drummer Ted, in its first year of existence. This set was recorded two years prior to the release of the band’s 1980 debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables.

Previously available only as a bootleg and finally legitimately released on vinyl for Record Store Day in 2018, the Iguana Studios Rehearsal Tape – San Francisco 1978 makes its debut on CD for the first time due to overwhelming demand. As the title indicates, the recordings were captured on tape at the legendary Iguana Studios on Folsom Street, where such DK contemporaries as The Avengers also rehearsed.

Aside from the aforementioned songs, the Iguana Studios Rehearsal Tape features such rarities as the punky reggae “Dreadlocks of the Suburbs,” the aural assault known as “Cold Fish,” the captivating “Kidnap” and punk-prog rocker “Mutations of Today,” which make their first official release here. No DK’s collection is complete without this aural artifact. Take a journey back to Iguana Studios in 1978 and hear the band in their infancy, before they became the punk legends you know and love.

Iguana Studios Rehearsal Tape – San Francisco 1978 track listing: 1. Man With the Dogs 2. Kepone Kids 3. Forward to Death 4. Kill the Poor 5. Your Emotions 6. Dreadlocks of the Suburbs 7. I Kill Children 8. Cold Fish 9. Holiday in Cambodia 10. Kidnap 11. Mutations of Today 12. Rawhide 13. California Über Alles

Live shows: Oct 3 San Luis Obispo, CA Alex Madonna Expo Center Oct 4 Ventura, CA Majestic Ventura Theater Oct 5 San Pedro, CA So Cal Hoedown/Port of Los Angeles, Berth 46

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Review: Acid King – Busse Woods (2019 reissue)

I grew up in a small town.  We lived across the street from the more expensive lake houses and next to a woods that was part of a pine tree farm.  I spent many hours in that woods, crafting stories, searching for treasure, fighting imaginary battles, and listening for monsters.  Every kid has a place like this, and for the members of stoner metal legends Acid King (Brian Hill – bass, Joey Osbourne – drums, Lori S. – vocals and guitar) it was Busse Woods.

Their 1999 album has received a full reissue from RidingEasy Records to celebrate Busse Woods‘ twentieth anniversary.  The album has become almost a mystical tome in the last two decades with its tales of nature’s power over man, creepy things in the shadows of old trees, and good ole fashioned heavy riffs.

The opener, “Electric Machine,” has such heavy bass thumps that you’d think a giant was tap dancing next to you.  “Silent Circle” starts with a guitar riff that’s like a burning trail of gasoline heading straight for an ammunition warehouse.  It only gets louder and heavier from there.  “Tell all the people I’m on my way.  There is no tomorrow for me…Silent circle breaks the chain,” Lori S. sings.  It’s a song about death, at least on its surface, but it might also be a song about resurrection – whether that resurrection is beneficial or harmful to her (or mankind, perhaps) is up to the interpretation of the listener.

The title of “Drive Fast, Take Chances” is certainly a reflection on the band’s wild times in Busse Woods not far from their Illinois hometown, smoking weed, listening to metal, and ditching school and the cops.  The riffs and drums on it are as heavy as the fallen trees in their favorite stomping grounds.  An unexpected treat is Acid King’s cover of “39 Lashes” from Jesus Christ Superstar.  The onslaught of the drums is only outweighed by the battle axe-heavy guitar chords and thunderous bass.

“Carve the Five” starts off with a languid bass line from Brian Hill that lures you into what almost feels like a safe place, but Joey Osbourne’s drum fill at the start of the track is akin to a rattlesnake’s rattle (if that rattlesnake were a giant 8HD variety) warning you to tread carefully.  The title track finishes the album with a long instrumental that boils and bubbles like the contents of  cauldron.

It’s great that Busse Woods (pronounced “buss-ee,” by the way) is getting a nice reissue for its twentieth anniversary because this album should be even more known than it already is.  It’s a bit of a secret classic.  Those who know about it revere it.  Those who have only heard of it are intrigued by it.  Those who don’t know of it are changed after discovering it.

Keep your mind open.

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Mikal Cronin’s releases “Shelter” from upcoming album due this October.

Photo by Max Mendelsohn

Mikal Cronin releases a new single, “Shelter,” from his forthcoming album, Seeker, out October 25th via Merge. Following the lead single/video, “Show Me,” “Shelter” features buzzy guitar and blooming string arrangements. “This is a song about searching for answers in an uncertain world,” says Cronin. “It’s about the observer reluctantly stepping out of their comfort zone and looking around, while trying to keep their head straight. Musically, it’s dense and polyrhythmic. The string line weaves it all together for me. When writing a song with a lot of additive looping rhythmic parts, I think of Brian Eno.”

Following a period of heartbreak and writer’s block, Cronin packed up and retreated to Idyllwild, a small town in the mountains of southern California, where he spent a month in the cabin, alone. The bulk of Seeker was written during this time period. After a series of fires sparked by an arsonist forced Cronin to evacuate, he returned a few days early to LA and began the recording process at Palmetto Studios. There, engineer Jason Quever and a crew of close friends helped bring the album together. The record was backed by Ty Segall’s Freedom Band. Nature fresh on his mind, he was driven to use organic sounds. “I wanted to bring you into the room. Jason and I talked about the BeatlesWhite Album a lot when placing mics,” says Cronin. “I brought a charred pine cone from the woods to the studio, just in case it would help. Fire—specifically its cycle of purging and reseeding the landscape—is a central theme to the record. Death and rebirth.”

This fall, Cronin will bring his live show across North America in support of Seeker. Then, he will tour Europe. All tour dates are on sale and can be found below. Additionally, Mikal has launched the Mikal Cronin Fan Club. Fans who sign up will receive tour updates and access to exclusive tracks for fan club members only. Mikal has recently shared some amazing covers, including Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” and Sharon Van Etten’s “All I Can.” Only fans signed up for the fan club receive these, so sign up here.

Listen to “Shelter” – https://youtu.be/IEk9UL19GS4

Watch the video for “Show Me” – https://youtu.be/GAC9bZjGv-U

Pre-order Seeker – https://smarturl.it/MC-Seeker

Seeker tracklist: 1. Shelter 2. Show Me 3. Feel It All 4. Fire 5. Sold 6. I’ve Got Reason 7. Caravan 8. Guardian Well 9. Lost a Year 10. On the Shelf

MIKAL CRONIN TOUR DATES Fri. Oct. 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Wed. Nov. 6 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent Fri. Nov. 8 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios Sat. Nov. 9 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret Sun. Nov. 10 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern Mon. Nov. 11 – Missoula, MT @ The Badlander Thu. Nov. 14 – Saint Paul, MN @ Turf Club Fri. Nov. 15 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall Sat. Nov. 16 – Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx Sun. Nov. 17 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern Mon. Nov. 18 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz Tue. Nov. 19 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott Wed. Nov. 20 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom Fri. Nov. 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts Sat. Nov. 23 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall Sun. Nov. 24 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall Mon. Nov. 25 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl Tue. Nov. 26 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks Wed. Nov. 27 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda Sat. Nov. 30 – Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole Sun. Dec. 1 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah Mon. Feb. 10 – Munich, DE @ Milla Tue. Feb. 11 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & SOHN Wed. Feb. 12 – Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain Thu. Feb. 13 – Aarhus, DK @ TAPE Fri. Feb. 14 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen Sat. Feb. 15 – Stockholm, SE @ Nalen Mon. Feb. 17 – Oslo, NO @ Ingensteds Tue. Feb. 18 – Gothenburg, SE @ Oceanen Wed. Feb. 19 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow (SkyBar) Thu. Feb. 20 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet Fri. Feb. 21 – Brussels, NE @ Botanique Sat. Feb. 22 – Paris, FR @ Petit Bain Mon. Feb. 24 – Bristol, UK @ The Louisiana Tue. Feb. 25 – London, UK @ Moth Club Wed. Feb. 26 – Manchester, UK @ Soup Kitchen Thu. Feb. 27 – Glasgow, UK @ The Hug & Pint Fri. Feb. 28 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Sat. Feb. 29 – Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Ezra Furman – Twelve Nudes

Upon hearing Ezra Furman’s new album, Twelve Nudes, for the first time in its entirety, my first thought was, “That’s a scorcher.”

Furman himself has claimed this is his band’s “punk record” made in a time of furious anger at the current political landscape.  It’s also an embrace / exploration of his sexuality.  The album cover features someone peeling back their face / façade to reveal a mental image of a bevy of somewhat androgynous, nude figures having a languid moment on a rocky landscape.  Furman’s mind, it seems, can be a rough place, but he’s learning to be at peace with it and to find his inner beauty.

The opening track, “Calm Down AKA I Should Not Be Alone,” has Furman barely able to contain his rage at what’s happening in the world around him (“I should not be alone, the way things are going.”).  The bass line carries the whole tune while Furman shouts not just to the back of the recording studio, but also to the parking lot behind the building.  “Evening Prayer AKA Justice” is a rallying call for his fellow oddballs and outcasts (“I wasted my twenties in submission.  I thought I was outside the system.  I was rollin’ over for wealthy power, as if they really cared about me.  The kids are just getting started.  They’ve only just learned how to howl, and most of them have thrown in the towel before they have turned twenty-three.”).  Furman’s vocals throughout it are somehow fiercer than the previous track.  Furman has mentioned how he sometimes had a sore throat after recording the tracks on this record, and I believe him.

“Nobody cares if you’re dying until you’re dead,” he sings on “Transition from Nowhere,” which reminds me of Dan Bejar songs in its sound and Furman’s vocal style.  “Rated R Crusaders” is practically an early Devo cut with its rapid post-punk lyrics and wild, weird guitar riffs.  “Trauma” is a hard-hitting, Lou Reed-like rocker (Furman has spoken of Reed’s songwriting influencing his.) about rich white dudes literally getting away with rape and murder.

“Thermometer” has Furman proclaiming his love for rock and roll and how it changed him forever.  The 1950’s-flavored “I Want to Be Your Girlfriend” has Furman singing a love song to someone who isn’t interested in him (“Honey, I know I don’t have the body you want in a girlfriend.  What I’m working with is not ideal, but maybe, baby, it’s not about what you thought that you wanted, it’s about what I can make you feel.”).  It’s a pretty oasis in a middle of a sea of rage, which we’re right back at sea on with the loud, fuzzy, shredding “Blown” (which sounds like a lost Nirvana demo) and “My Teeth Hurt.”

“I’m alone in America,” Furman sings in “In America,” a song that both lambasts the country’s hatred and racism, but also praises what it can be if we’d put our differences aside and focus on our commonality.  The album ends with sage advice on what to do when The Man is bringing you down – “What Can You Do but Rock ‘n’ Roll.”  It’s a banger to send the album, and us, out on a high note.

Which is what Furman has been encouraging us to do all along – take the high road, even when that road leads to a rocky desert in your mind.  You will find the high notes there.  You will find beauty and love there.

Keep your mind open.

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