Thunder Perfect Mind is a loose concept album narrating the sudden abduction of an unsuspecting pedestrian by a dark, expanding cloud. A lesser band would use this conceit as mere metaphor, but Motherhood is fully committed to the bit, creating a lyrical and sonic soundscape that feels as disorienting and exhilarating as a genuine alien encounter.
It takes a lot of chutzpah for a band to dub themselves the progenitors of a new genre, but Seattle’s Black Ends are up to the task, trading in what they call “gunk pop.” A sideways inversion of pop-punk, deep from the Pacific Northwest ethos of bluesy, heavy grunge and raucous, righteous Riot Girl.
The Spatulas are the project of Miranda Soileau-Pratt, an artist equal parts poet and bandleader. Their debut LP. Beehive Mind, is an exercise in space and subtlety, at once unassuming and arresting. Upon first encounter, the music feels twee and almost cutesy, but it does everything it can to resist these monikers.
Pardoner are a rock band, they play rock music. On Paranoid in Hell, out now on Convulse Records, it takes just four short songs to prove this point. Transversing the plains of the rock landscape, these tunes ebb and flow, or more like jerk and jive, through tempos, volumes, and vibes to show they can do what other bands do, only better.
While her previous releases showcased her arresting voice and undeniable spirit, they feel reserved in comparison to the new record. LATE SLAP is teeming with life, in all its joy, heaviness, and whimsy. It’s teeming with music: beautiful, uncanny layers of voice, a menagerie of synth tones, guitar jangles, tasteful strings and enthralling melodies.
The Austin-based trio make bilingual no-wave that is unsettlingly anxious but also life-affirming and necessary. Their debut album, Smell of Money, is pervaded by pounding riffs, staticky, screeching guitars, and entrancing vocals. The music is challenging and rewarding and extremely singular in the current landscape.
Oakland’s Feefawfum makes anxious math rock. They’re a five-piece helmed by the uber-talented Farley Miller and their latest release is the full length 100. The album is an unpredictable tour de force of nervous noise, technical musicianship, and startling hooks that taps into the musical chemistry of the five performers.
Pardoner have hit their stride. The SF quartet is known for guitar-driven tunes that straddle the line between pop-rock anthems and sludgy punk screed. Peace Loving People, their fourth LP, fully captures their singular sound built around the infectious interplay of the guitars and vocals of the main songwriters Max Freedland and Trey Flanigan.
Philadelphia’s Grocer have resisted the unconscious urge toward homogeneity that afflicts so many weird, unique bands. Quite the opposite – with each release they become even more themselves. On Scatter Plot, the trio lets their freak flag fly, experimenting with song structures, curious chords, and sonic textures.
Fievel is Glauque is led by Ma Clément and Zach Phillips, backed by an expert crew of musicians. Flaming Swords transports you back in time to a bizarro Parisian nightclub, where jazzy guitar chords mix with prog-rock licks, smooth saxophones squeal with angular bursts, shuffling drums flirt with breakbeat rhythms, and sultry vocals hypnotize.
Nashville’s Snooper gives us everything we could ever want from an egg punk EP: ripping-hot riffs, shrieking guitar, pummelling drums, half-sung vocals about modern malaise. Their latest five track EP, Town Topic, clocking in at less than eight minutes, sounds like a Devo record mistakenly played at 45 RPM, but this is no trite rehash.
Sled Island was back this year, taking place June 22nd through the 26th. The festival takes place in downtown Calgary, Alberta over five days at a bunch of different venues throughout the city, featuring over 200 artists in rock, hip-hop, and experimental music. Post-Trash’s Matt Watton reported on some of the best acts he saw.
PLOSIVS is a modern day So-Cal alt-rock supergroup, helmed by the twin guitars of John Reis (Drive Like Jehu, Rocket From the Crypt, Hot Snakes) and Rob Crow (Thingy, Pinback, and many, many others). This pairing of prolific San Diego powerhouses sets expectations high, and their self-titled debut does not disappoint.
