7th Level Music

Windhand’s Dorthia Cottrell to release solo album, “Death Folk Country,” April 21, 2023, but you can experience “Family Annihilator” now.

Dorthia Cottrell envisions her music as both a document of love and a reconciliation with death. On her new album, Death Folk Country, Cottrell wards off death through creation – the most distilled form of love. The spirit of love passed on through her words will be the ultimate reward for earthly suffering. Cottrell’s enigmatic presence guides listeners down a path of introspection – Death Folk Country‘s massive scope touches upon tales of love, loss, and so much more.

Cottrell was raised in rural King George, Virginia, a town with less than 5,000 inhabitants. Forests and tall-grass fields stretched before her. Beauty and boredom soared. That vague melancholy and memory of the American South is smudged all over Cottrell’s music. Cottrell grew up a goth, an outcast in a small town – a time and place she revisits throughout Death Folk Country.

“This album to me is about painting a picture of a place where my heart lives,” Cottrell explains. The title Death Folk Country is partly me describing a genre that fits the sound – but it’s also meant to be taken as a Naming, a coronation of the world inside me. Death Folk Country is the music and also the land where the music takes place, and the two have always been inextricable from each other.”

The album’s lead single “Family Annihilator” directly speaks to the unease and tension of Cottrell’s surroundings. “Porch lights keep the demons at bay,” she sings over crashing cymbals and a field recording of birds. “I had never played it before, I kind of brought it out of the attic,” Cottrell says of the song. Despite being over a decade old, “Family Annihilator” spoke to the moment she was in. With the threat of another four years of conservative offices in power, Cottrell thought of family back in the South who would be voting, and remembered something her grandfather, a farmer, had told her years ago: “If a crop is diseased, you have to burn the whole crop.” “‘Family Annihilator’ is a result of me wondering if the whole field must burn today, to save the flowers of tomorrow,” Cottrell says.

Listen / Watch / Playlist “Family Annihilator”

Elsewhere, the sounds of Cottrell’s childhood can be heard all over the album, and no more so than on “Harvester” and “Black Canyon” – tracks decorated with chimes and monk’s bells; what Cottrell would have heard when sat out on her front porch in King George. These are sounds of nature longing. These are sounds Cottrell associates with both her upbringing and also the world of Death Folk Country.

Cottrell’s voice, a quavering alto, fills the emptiest of canyons. Singing in echoing harmony with itself, her voice is a kind of prophecy, bringing home to the present thoughts and realizations from the future, even as Cottrell buries herself in remembrance of the past.

“I grew up deep in a Virginia Pine forest in a house built entirely by my grandpa,” Cottrell recalls. “The only type of door I knew was made of plywood and had a hook instead of a knob. We were excited to have our washing machine and dryer on the porch so we didn’t have to hang clothes up to dry in the winter. Our heat came from burning wood. If you didn’t cut the wood you didn’t get warm. If you didn’t make a specific effort for something, you went without it. And I loved it. I still love it. The smell, the air, the way it looks, the way it sounds. The way it doesn’t sound. The feeling.”

Death Folk Country takes these nostalgic ideas of “home” and confronts them with their own imperfections and darkness.

“There are things I don’t love about it too. Dark things. Misguided ideas. Fear of things not understood. An altogether monstrous and violent evil that seeps unsuspecting and aloof (seemingly) into even the most (seemingly) innocent conversation. As I grow older, the things I love and hate about it only become more and more vivid and I often think about how to keep the two worlds apart–how to separate the divine from the evil and if it’s even possible.”

Death Folk Country sees its release April 21 via Relapse Records, her first for the label and follow up to her highly acclaimed, 2015 S/T solo debut. All songs on Death Folk Country were written / played by Dorthia Cottrell and recorded / produced by Jon K. and Cottrell at SANS Studios in Richmond, Virginia.

Pre-Order / Pre-Save Death Folk Country Here

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[Thanks to Bailey at Another Side.]

Kali Horse release new single, “Wigs,” that encourages you to become someone new (if you feel like it).

Kali Horse (formerly Kaleidoscope Horse) is a psychedelic art-rock band from Toronto, ON. Their sound is theatrical and dreamy – bouncing between highly melodic and rhythmic, groovy sections. Driven both by strong song-writing and abstract sound-play, the band creates dimensions that are often jarring in comparison to one another, playing on tension and release. The contrast between Desiree Das Gupta’s powerful alto, and Sam Maloney’s feathery vocal timbre creates a balance of light and heavy, backed by full band harmonies.

Kali Horse’s world is an immersive world that they invite the audience into. Kali Horse are storytellers, their music is about telling a story with sound rather than a specific genre. The band are queer, multi-instrumentalist performers whose friendship is the bond of the band.

Sam and Des have been best friends for a decade and have been making music together for 7 years under different names, they are a huge part of the Toronto music community.

Kali Horse feature guest players from the Toronto music community on their recordings, including Luna Li (plays all the strings, violin, harp), Dylan from Hot Garbage plays stand-up bass and Sam’s partner plays singing bowls and tum drum.

Regarding, “Wigs,” Kali Horse says, “Ever wanted to change everything about yourself? Wigs is about trying things on – identity, bravado. Ever had a day so bizarre you felt like a different person? Through self-experimentation you discover a healthy aggression. You remember you’re worth a little more than what you’ve been putting up with, and you want everyone to know. The drums are in 7/4, the guitars in 4. You tell the moon what to do. You let the band catch up. You might not know where you belong, but you know nothing’s going to stay the same. Electronic trash drums mixed with a live kit thrash while the synth bass waves beneath. Wigs is a command, and Kali Horse will not stay in line.”

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[Thanks to Mar Sellars!]

Nevaris brightens up your day with “Dub Sol.”

Touted by Carlos Santana as “a work of supreme creativity”, Manhattan-based artist Nevaris has announced his forthcoming ‘Reverberations’ LP, to be released this spring via celebrated boutique label M.O.D. Reloaded. Ahead of that, they present the lead track ‘Dub Sol’.

Created by Nevaris (percussion, keyboards) and bassist-producer Bill Laswell, the current artist lineup also includes DJ Logic, Will Bernard, Peter Apfelbaum, Lockatron and Matt Dickey.

A musician and visual artist, Nevaris is a percussionist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer, who is heavily influenced by Afro-Latin, dub, and funk music. Born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, he is of European and Mexican descent with multi-generational roots in both NYC and LA’s Echo Park neighborhood.

Prior to recording ‘Reverberations’, Nevaris recorded and performed with an evolving lineup of musicians under the name Loud Apartment, most notably Bernie Worrell of P-Funk and Talking Heads fame.

‘Reverberations’ is the third collaboration between Nevaris, Bill Laswell and this lineup of musicians (with the addition of Matt Dickey), here focusing more on the dub aspects of their sound. This instrumental recording combines dub, funk, afro-latin rhythms, turntablism and extended improvisation.

“This record builds on the momentum from ‘System Breakdown’ and ‘New Future’, which we released in 2020 and 2022 under the name Loud Apartment. There were dub aspects of those recordings, so Bill Laswell and I decided to create a recording entirely focused on that sound. It was a logical next step and came together in an organic way. We let the music go where it needed to go,” says Nevaris.

“It’s a dub based project, with breakbeat, funk, ambient, and afro-latin elements. It’s rhythm based music where the pocket is essential. Lockatron is a huge part of that, as, of course, is Bill Laswell, DJ Logic and everyone else involved. Peter Apfelbaum’s horn arrangements are also a core aspect. In my mind, it’s a cohesive piece of music that is best listened to as a whole rather than as individual songs. And Bill takes it where it needs to go with the production like no one else really can.”

In addition to his work as a musician, Nevaris is a visual and multimedia artist, who has worked on a vast array of creative projects across mediums. He also co-founded Nolej Records, Nolej Studios and the Uncomun Festival.

‘Dub Sol’ is out now, available from fine digital music platforms, including Spotify and Bandcamp. The full ‘Reverberations’ album will be released on May 25.

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[Thanks to Shauna at Shameless Promotion.]

RVG discuss the perils of time travel on “Squid.”

(Photo Credit: Izzie Austin)

RVG – the Melbourne post-punk band of lyricist/frontwoman Romy Vager, guitarist Rueben Bloxham, drummer Marc Nolte, and bassist Isabele Wallace – share new single “Squid” from their forthcoming album Brain Worms, out June 2nd on Fire Records. Following lead single “Nothing Really Changes,” which debuted in the top 3 of the Published Top 10 singles chart at specialty radio in the U.S., “Squid” powers through the walls of realism and out the other side, imagining what might happen if we were to go back in time, step on something, and … become a squid. “I didn’t intend to be // Some hideous turquoise thing // Some hideous third thing,” Vager sings, bringing an earnestness and desperation so real that feelings suddenly cut through the song’s absurdity.

All throughout Brain Worms, it’s apparent that RVG is in very fine form. Named for the recognizable experience of each day bearing witness to a world of private obsessions being aired out in the infinite, Brain Worms may not be wholly new territory for the Melbourne post-punk band, but this time around, there’s a newfound radical acceptance glistening overtop everything. Recorded in London at Snap Studios with James Trevascus (Billy Nomates, Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, The Goon Sax), all ten Brain Worms tracks surge with lush sounds and clear intentions. RVG have moved past their influences, pushed themselves, and tried new things. And they made a record they can call their best.

After a momentous first five years — finding critical acclaim for their 2017 debut A Quality of Mercy, landing on countless end-of-year Best Of lists, and playing alongside some of the world’s biggest acts — RVG released their second album Feral as the world was locking down in 2020. Feral was hailed by Rolling Stone Australia as “the record of a lifetime,” but between the four bandmates, Brain Worms is the most confident they’ve ever felt in RVG. “If we could only make one more album, it would be this one,” says Vager.

Watch RVG’s “Nothing Really Changes” Video

Pre-order Brain Worms

RVG Tour Dates:

Mon. Apr. 17 – Cardiff, UK @ Tramshed (w/ Billy Nomates)

Wed. Apr. 19 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms (w/ Billy Nomates)

Thu. Apr. 20 – Manchester, UK @ New Century Hall (w/ Billy Nomates)

Fri. Apr. 21 – Leeds, UK @ LUU-Stylus (w/ Billy Nomates)

Sat. Apr. 22 – Glasgow, UK @ QMU (w/ Billy Nomates)

Mon. Apr. 24 – Newcastle, UK @ Boiler Shop (w/ Billy Nomates)

Tue. Apr. 25 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute Birmingham (w/ Billy Nomates)

Thu. Apr. 27 – London, UK @ O2 Forum Kentish Town (w/ Billy Nomates)

Fri. Apr. 28 – Brighton, UK @ CHALK Live (w/ Billy Nomates)

Sat. Apr. 29 – Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory (w/ Billy Nomates)

Tue. May 2 – Paris, FR @ Supersonic

Thu. May 4 – Rotterdam, NL @ V11

Fri. May 5 – Haldern-Rees, DE @ Haldern Pop Bar

Sun. May 7 – Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn

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[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Caroline Rose says “Tell Me What You Want” on their new single.

Caroline Rose’s The Art of Forgetting, out March 24th on New West Records, is a “brave document of turmoil and heartbreak full of sumptuous arrangements and powerful lyrics” (Bandcamp). Today, Rose presents a new single and video, “Tell Me What You Want,” which chronicles conflicting feelings nearing the end of a relationship. Although the album largely deals with regret and grief, loss and change, shame and the inevitability of pain, on “Tell Me What You Want” Rose’s impish humor pops up unexpectedly: “I’m beating my head // Against the dashboard of your compact car // Just tell me what you want // Testing testing // Is this thing on? // Boy, you’re gonna hate this song // Tell me what you want.” It showcases the kind of dark comedy with which we’ve become familiar in their catalog, fusing upbeat melodies with oft-hilariously deflating lyrics.

Rose further elaborates on “Tell Me What You Want”: “When I listen to this I really feel for myself during that time. My head was like a cesspool of voices trying to tell me what to do. You know, the end of a relationship can be so confusing. There are all these emotions swirling around and really no handbook. You realize when all your attempts to connect with your partner aren’t working, you either have to find a way to stick it out or leave… And both options suck. This song is about being in that pickle of desperation, between trying to protect yourself and feeling the immense guilt and regret of walking away from someone you love.”

Additionally, Rose and director Sam Bennett announce The Art of Forgetting short film, which is a loose recreation of real life events. Each of the film’s three chapters weave together a story of Rose navigating a transformative heartbreak. The “Tell Me What You Want” video is a chapter of the film, which picks up where the “Miami” video ends.

“It’s strange to recreate things that happened in the past, in the places where they happened, because they are obviously not the same as they were. I was trying to put my finger on this feeling and someone mentioned the Brazilian Portuguese word ‘saudade,’ a sensation that blends nostalgia, melancholy, desire and longing all in one.” – Caroline Rose

The Art of Forgetting film will premiere on Thursday, March 23rd via youtube and feature a live Q+A with Rose. Access to the watch party is open to anyone who pre-orders The Art of Forgetting before March 22. Additionally, there will be two free, in-person screenings of the film on March 24th at a release day party at Tower Records in Brooklyn. Space is limited and RSVP is required. A wide release of the film will take place in the coming months (details to be announced at a later date).

Watch Caroline Rose’s Video for “Tell Me What You Want”

Caroline Rose will embark on an expansive North American tour this spring. Following, they’ll head across the pond to Europe. Tickets for all dates are on sale now and a full list of dates can be found below.

Watch the “Miami” Video

Listen to “Love / Lover / Friend”

Watch the “The Doldrums” Visualizer

Pre-order The Art of Forgetting

The Art of Forgetting Film Screenings
Info available at www.carolinerosemusic.com/taof-film
Thu. March 23 – 3pm ET – Youtube Livestream & Q+A
Fri. March 24 – 9:15pm ET – Brooklyn, NY @ Tower Records [RSVP required]
Fri. March 24 – 10:15pm ET – Brooklyn, NY @ Tower Records [RSVP required]

Caroline Rose Tour Dates
Fri. March 31 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Arthur Zankel Music Center
Sat. April 1 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus
Tue. April 4 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Wed. April 5 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Thu. April 6 – Boston, MA @ Royale
Sat. April 8 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern – SOLD OUT
Sun. April 9 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
Tue. April 11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Wed. April 12 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Fri. April 14 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Sat. April 15 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall
Sun. April 16 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Tue. April 18 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
Wed. April 19 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
Fri. April 21 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall – SOLD OUT
Sat. April 22 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Sun. April 23 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Tue. April 25 – Denver, CO @ The Gothic Theatre
Fri. April 28 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
Sat. April 29 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Wed. May 3 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Fri. May 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
Sat. May 6 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s
Sun. May 21 – Guadalajara, MX @ Corona Capital
Sat. May 27 – Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
Mon. May 29 – Cologne, DE @ Stadtgarten
Wed. 31 May – Manchester, UK @ Band on the Wall
Thu. 1 June – Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s
Sat. 3 June – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
Sun. 4 June – Bristol, UK @ Exchange
Mon, 5 June – London, UK @ HEAVEN
Wed. June 7 – Brighton, UK @ Patterns
Sat. June 10 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Bogen F
Tue. June 13 – Brussels, BE @ AB
Wed. June 14 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso (Upstairs)
Fri. June 16 – Paris, FR @ La Hasard Ludique
Sat. June 17 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby
Sun. June 18 – Duisburg, DE @ Traumzeit Festival

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[I’ll tell you what I want: For you to subscribe.]

[Thanks to Jaycee at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Half Cut announces new “Floor Five” EP.

HOMAGE has been at the forefront of electronic music in Brooklyn since its inception in 2017. Originally starting as an event series, the party was a nod to their predecessors in New York, those who pioneered a thriving nightlife scene in dynamic and intimate locations. Jump six years and HOMAGE is on its own path, having released a diverse selection of records from Kettama to Aldonna. Now the label readies its twenty-first release with a relatively new name, Sydney-based producer Half Cut, who over the course of seven tracks explores euphoric house, coiling electro, and jacking acid; tied together by a remix from Panorama Bar regular & Potency Records boss Cromby.

Speaking on the EP, the labels co-founder Ryan Clover says:

Kain sent us a pack of demos before the pandemic and they were all fantastic. He’s one of a few artists that have sent us a cold email and gotten signed immediately. Kain is half Japanese/half Australian and is based in Sydney, and he’s started to cut his teeth in the local circuit. While he’s a relative newcomer to the scene, his tunes have already seen support from Craig Richards, Gene on Earth, Cromby, Youandewan, Perdu, ANOTR, and Who is Arcadia, and in 2022 he had his first song signed to a VA for Limousine Dream (Nug-Net), Gene on Earth’s highly regarded label.

Half Cut has recently shared the first single from the EP titled Floor Five – a certified dance-floor filler, that brings smiles, energy and the type of sweaty hugs only those who have fallen in love on a dance floor will know.

PRE-ORDER

SHARES NEW SINGLE ‘FLOOR FIVE’

LISTEN TO TITLE TRACK

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[Thanks to Harbour Music Society.]

D-Tension seeks justice with his new single, “Charlie.”

D-Tension is an award winning musician/vocalist/producer from Lowell, MA. He first made a name for himself as a hip hop artist, touring North America and Europe regularly for two decades. However, like most sample based hip hop producers, D’s love of music was not limited to hip hop. Always a multi instrumentalist, D began to write and record rock and roll songs and took a greater interest in playing the guitar. This passion lead to two “Secret Rock and Roll Projects” that featured D’s songs with collaborations with a team of musicians including guitarists Frank Pino (Watham/Andrew WK) and Craig Silverman (Agnostic Front) and drummer Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls/Violent Femmes). The Secret Project featured the 2021 single “Kenmore Square,” an ode to the glory days of the Boston rock scene. The song was well received and the video was viewed 125,000 times on Youtube, Facebook and Instagram.

Always up for a challenge, D-Tension is poised to release his first all-solo rock record, Tales from the Pub. D wrote and performed the record in its entirety and the record is set for a spring 2023 release on Boston record label Red On Red Records. His first single, released independently in January 2023 “The No Name Song” was featured on radio, blogs and newspapers nationwide. The first single with Red On Red, “Charlie” manages to be upbeat and catchy despite its dark subject matter; the mysterious deaths of three Lowell women who all happened to disappear while dating the same guy. Known for his use of humor, the song is a bit of a departure for D but showcases his ability to be a multidimensional artist.

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[Thanks to D-Tension.]

Tinariwen announce new album and tour.

Tinariwen—the Grammy-winning Tuareg band composed of founding members Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, Touhami Ag Alhassane and Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, plus bassist Eyadou Ag Leche, percussionist Said Ag Ayad and guitarist Elaga Ag Hamid—announce their new album, Amatssou, out May 19th on Wedge, and a US tour, marking the first time they will play stateside since 2019. In conjunction, Tinariwen share Amatssou’s lead single, “Tenere Den,” which pays homage to the Tuareg revolution in the Kel Adagh region of Mali. It’s accompanying video, directed by Alexis Jamet, features bright, textured animation to articulate the poignant lyrics.

Throughout Amatssou, the legendary collective’s ninth studio album, Tinariwen set out to explore the shared sensibilities between their trademark desert blues and the vibrant country music of rural America. Amatssou is Tamashek for “Beyond The Fear,” and it fits. Tinariwen have always been characterized by their fearlessness, single-handedly inventing a guitar style that has captured the world’s imagination. They call it ishumar or assouf (“nostalgia” in Tamashek). The rest of the world has come to know it as the Tuareg blues. It is music that is imbued with sorrow and longing but it’s also music to dance to, to forget our cares.

Including additional production by Daniel Lanois (Brian Eno, U2, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson), Amatssou finds the band’s signature snaking guitar lines and hypnotic grooves seamlessly co-existing alongside banjos, fiddles and pedal steel. Thousands of miles of ocean may divide these two landscapes, but the links are as palpable as they are romantic. Lead single “Tenere Den” is a thrilling expansion on the classic sound Tinariwen invented.

Watch Tinariwen’s “Tenere Den” Video

The story of Amatssou began in 2021 when Jack White, a long-time fan of the group, invited Tinariwen to record at his private recording studio in Nashville. The band had initially planned to record with Lanois alongside a group of local country musicians, including Wes Corbett and Fats Kaplin, a regular collaborator of White’s. However, following a series of COVID and travel-related delays, Tinariwen found themselves unable to make the trip from Mali to the States. New plans were hastily drawn for Lanois to travel to Africa, but after further delays dealt by the pandemic, Tinariwen, Lanois, Corbett, and Kaplin were ultimately forced to work remotely.

With final plans eventually in place, Tinariwen made the decision to lay the groundwork for Amatssou in Djanet, an oasis in the desert of southern Algeria located in Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its prehistoric cave art. Among the jagged rock outcrops and dramatic sandstone vistas, Tinariwen set up a makeshift studio inside a tent using borrowed equipment from the fellow Tuareg band, Imarhan.

Fortunately for Tinariwen, the integrity of Amatssou remained completely intact through its remote recording processes, with Lanois adding deft touches from his studio in Los Angeles, Corbett and Kaplin recording their parts from Nashville, and Kabyle percussionist Amar Chaoui recording his parts in Paris. Lanois’ haunting pedal steel and crystalline production add a soaring ambience to Tinariwen’s trance-like desert blues, with Kalpin contributing pedal steel, violin and banjo to six of the ten tracks.

For decades, Tinariwen have remained ambassadors for their people, a way of life in tune with the natural world that is under threat as never before. Though Tuareg culture is as old as that of ancient Greece or Rome, the songs of Amatssou speak to the current and often tough reality of Tuareg life today. Unsurprisingly, there are impassioned references to Mali’s ongoing political and social turmoil. Full of poetic allegory, the lyrics call for unity and freedom. There are songs of struggle and resistance with oblique references to the recent desperate political upheavals in Mali and the increasing power of the Salafists. Tinariwen’s message has never sounded more urgent and compelling than it does on Amatssou.

Beginning May 27th at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music, Tinariwen’s US tour will see them bringing their cherished songs to cities including New York, Los Angeles, and more before they head overseas for a run of EU/UK dates. All shows are on-sale now with tickets available here.

Pre-order Amatssou by Tinariwen

Amatssou Tracklist:
1. Kek Algham
2. Tenere Den
3. Arajghiyine
4. Imzad (Interlude)
5. Tidjit
6. Jayche Atarak
7. Imidiwan Mahitinam
8. Ezlan
9. Anemouhagh
10. Iket Adjen
11. Nak Idnizdjam
12. Tinde (Outro)

Tinariwen Tour Dates
Sat. May 27 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
Tue. May 30 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Wed. May 31 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox
Fri. June 2 – Berkeley, CA @ UC Theater
Sat. June 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theater
Mon. June 5 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Tue. June 6 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair
Wed. June 7 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
Sat. June 10 – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival
Mon. June 12 – Rubigen, CH @ Muhle Hunziken
Wed. June 14 – Florence, IT @Ultravox
Thu. June 15 – Milan, IT @ Triennale Garden
Fri. June 16 – Turin, IT @ Hiroshima Mon Amour
Sun. June 18 – Dublin, IE @ Body & Soul Festival
Thu. June 22 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg
Sat. June 24 – Glastonbury, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
Mon. 26 – Lille, FR @ Splendid
Wed. June 28 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel
Thu. June 29 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
Sat. July 1 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
Sun. July 2 – Stockholm, SE @ Slaktkyran
Tue. July 4 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
Fri. July 7 – Bilbao, ES @ BBK Live Festival
Tue. July 11 – Arles, FR @ Les Suds Arles
Sat. July 15 – Bristol, UK @ SWX
Mon. July 17 – Glasgow, UK @ St Lukes
Wed. July 19 – Bermingham, UK @ Institute 2
Sat. July 22 – Cheshire, UK @ Bluedot Festival
Tue. 25 – Vigo, SP @ Terraceo Festival
Sat. July 29 – Luxey, FR @ Musicalarue Festival

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[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Poison Ruin get creepy with their new single, “Resurrection II.”

Poison Ruin have released their latest single “Resurrection II” – a cathartic tale of the undead rising to take revenge upon those who have unknowingly wronged them. It’s full revenge fantasy with melodic rocking, equally split between surf motifs and new wave of British Heavy heavy metal riffing.

Watch “Resurrection II” (Official Music Video) via YouTube
Listen / Share / Playlist Here

Evoking a rich tapestry of ice-caked forests, metaphoric peasant revolts and silent knights, Poison Ruin stab at the pulsing heart of what it means to live under the permanent midnight of contemporary life. Their forthcoming album Harvest gazes at the world with a sense of grave seriousness, its stare softened only by the alluring seduction of a dream world’s open-ended possibility. These songs move with a type of uncanny confidence, assembling an array of references to past styles and sensibilities that collapse in on one another, congealing into a truly unique sonic landscape.

With Harvest, Poison Ruin aligns their sonic palette to their godless, medieval-inflected aesthetic symbolism, creating a record which strikes with an assured sense of blackened harmony.

“I’ve always found fantasy tropes to be incredibly evocative,” vocalist/guitarist Mac Kennedy notes, “that said, even though they are a set of symbols that seem to speak to most people of our generation, they are often either apolitical or co-opted for incredibly backwards politics.”

With Harvest’s lyrics and imagery, Kennedy reworks fantasy imagery as a series of totems for the downtrodden, stripping it of its escapist tendencies and retooling it as a rich metaphor for the collective struggle over our shared reality: “Instead of knights in shining armor and dragons, it’s a peasant revolt,” he explains, “I’m all for protest songs, but with this band I’ve found that sometimes your message can reach a greater audience if you imbue it with a certain interactive, almost magical realist element.”

These are not superficial or self-aggrandizing political statements. Rather, Poison Ruin stares into the abyss of present-day life with a sober and empathetic outlook, portraying our cracked reality as a complex and difficult to parse miasma of competing desires.

Philadelphia’s Poison Ruin first emerged in April of 2020 with their eponymous EP, which was followed shortly by a second eponymous EP the following February, both self-released. While they share a certain affinity for rough-around-the-edges, lo-fidelity stones with their compatriots Devil Master and Sheer Mag, Poison Ruin wants things bleaker. The up-tempo guitar heroics of their first two EPs (which were collectively released as a S/T LP in February of 2021) have been dragged through the trenches, emerging as a heavy morass of breathless gloom. With Harvest, Poison Ruin have constructed a richly chilling fable out of modern living. Their tale is as lurid as it is seductive, as much a promising fantasy as it is a dreary portrait of reality itself.

Poison Ruin’s Relapse debut, Harvest was mastered by Arthur Rizk. It sees its release on April 14 alongside the reissue of their eponymous 2021 LP which has established the band as one of punk and the underground’s newest beloved treasures. Poison Ruin will tour extensively this year. They’re currently touring across the Southwest and hit SXSW next week, plus NYC and a hometown PHL release show. In April they head overseas for a full EU / UK run including a performance at Roadburn. See below for a full list of dates.

Pre-Save / Playlist Harvest on Digital Platforms Here
Pre-Order Harvest on Vinyl / CD Here
Pre-Order S/T on Vinyl / CD Here

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[Thanks to Bailey at Another Side!]

WSND DJ set list for March 12, 2023

Thanks to all who listened by my spring break Nocturne show on WSND last night. It’s always great to get back into the studio. Here’s the set list:

Tom Jones – What’s New Pussycat?
BODEGA – All Past Lovers
Dinosaur, Jr. – Freak Scene (request)
Hüsker Dü – Makes No Sense at All
Beehive – You’re So Fascinating
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Betty vs. the NYPD
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Calvin
Radio ad for The Ventures’ Hawaii 5-0 album
The Ventures – Hawaii Five-0 theme
Flat Duo Jets – My Life My Love (live)
King Buffalo – Mammoth
The Police – Wrapped Around Your Finger
Dawn of the Dead radio ad
Alice In Chains – Nothin’ Song
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Quarantine
Frank Sinatra – You Make Me Feel So Young (live)
Failure – Sergeant Politeness (live)
The Groovie Ghoulies – Gates of Steel
WFUN ad for a Flavor concert
Flavor – Pro Bean Anthem Blues
The Black Angels – The First Vietnamese War
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – War Machine
The Exorcist radio ad
The Black Keys – Psychotic Girl
Esquivel – Cachita
The Triumphs – Garner State Park theme song
The Staples Jr. Singers – Too Close
Charlie Parker – Hot House
Buffalo Daughter – Global Warming Kills Us All
Culture Club – Time (request)
Vaadat Charigim – Ein Li Makom
Vaadat Charigim – Hadavar Haamiti
Gary Wilson – I’ll Make You My Dream Girl

I’ll be back on air this summer! Keep listening to the students until then!

Keep your mind open.

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