By Robert Dean
Hey friends, compatriots, Commies, and everyone in between. Down here in lovely Austin, I’ve been busy as hell. Lots of articles and essays to write, and I’m even making a tv show. My therapist wants me to sleep more, so I’m doing that and eating healthier. I haven’t had bread in over two weeks. I miss tacos.
But, that ain’t what you’re here for. You’re here for the latest and greatest of what the fuck is going on in the world of music. And I’m here to tell you. So, let’s get sloppy. Let’s Roundup.
ASHRR have just dropped their debut and holy shit if you like David Bowie, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Radiohead, and The Talking Heads, you’ll freak out. How this record isn’t blowing up is beyond me. It’s easily something I’ve listened to over 100 times since dropping last month. It’s synthy 1980’s dancey rock and roll with very little fat on the bone. The record is sleek and sexy and you need to own it.
Another record I absolutely love right now is the debut from Austin’s own Black Pumas. Think Leon Bridges, Cee-Lo, Sam, and Dave but musically closer to neo-soul without drifting into a place that’s too nichey. When Black Pumas blow way up, you’re going to remember this little tidbit and wave your finger in agreement.
Hollis Brown is back with a new record Ozone Park and it’s taken a new direction. On this one, the boys from New York are a lot less country and more dialed into Vampire Weekend meets Kings of Leon. It’s pop-driven and definitely the kind of stuff you’d hear on a mainstream station. If that’s your bag, you can find it wherever you’re streaming music.
The mighty dark bastards in Cult Leader have a new video for their gloomy banger, “A Patient Man” and like everything these dudes do, it’s dark as fuck.
SUNN O))) have a new record. If you’re into doomy, droney low stuff, you’ll have a chance to see them if you’re in Texas or on the West Coast.
Summer shows - Europe
July 30 Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg w/ Caspar Brotzmann
July 31 Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg w/ Caspar Brotzmann
August 1 Amsterdam, NL @ Dekmantel festival
September 2019 - U.S. West Coast
September 1 Dallas, TX @ Granada *
September 2 Austin, TX @ Emo’s *
September 4 Denver, CO @ The Gothic *
September 8 Los Angeles, CA @ The Mayan *
September 9 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore *
September 11 Seattle, WA @ Showbox ^
September 12 Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall ^
* w/ Papa M, Big|Brave
^ w/ Papa M
October 2019 - Europe + UK
October 7 Munich, DE @ Backstage Werk %
October 8 Karlsruhe, DE @ HfG / ZKM %
October 9 Basel, CH @ Kaserne Basel - Rosstall %
October 10 Leipzig, DE @ Felsenkeller %
October 11 Krakow, PL @ Unsound Festival
October 13 Vilnius, LT @ Kablys %
October 14 Tallinn, EE @ Vene Theatre %
October 15 Helsinki, FI @ Kulttuuritalo %
October 17 Stockholm, SE @ Kraken
October 18 Oslo, NO @ Kulturkirchen Jakob
October 19 Oslo, NO @ Blä *duo show (Greg and Stephen only)
October 21 Copenhagen, DK @ Koncerthuset
October 22 Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
October 24 Bristol, UK @ SWX
October 25 Glasgow, UK @ QMU
October 26 Birmingham, UK @ The Crossing
October 27 Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
October 28 London, UK @ Roundhouse
Hesitation Wounds (Torche Amor, Slipknot, Trap Them, Hope Conspiracy) have a new song, “Paragon of Virtue” and of course it goes hard AF. If you like grinding, straight up hardcore, these dudes bring it every single time.
Jacob Bannon of Converge has a side project called Wear Your Wounds, which is a continuation of this new trend of heavy bands writing super slow scary sounding music that’s straight from a horror flick. Originally conceived as a collaborative thing with rotating musicians, Wear Your Wounds has an official lineup now along with a new record, Rust on the Gates of Heaven.
The official lineup features some hardcore all-stars, to say the least:
Jacob Bannon (Converge), Mike McKenzie (The Red Chord, Stomach Earth, Unraveller, etc), Adam McGrath (Cave In, Nomad Stones, etc), Sean Martin (Twitching Tongues, ex-Hatebreed, ex-Kid Cudi), and Chris Maggio (ex-Trap Them, ex-Sleigh Bells, etc). The record also features musicians Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe, White Horse) and Gared O’Donnell (Planes Mistaken For Stars, Hawks, and Doves) collaborating throughout.
The band has a tour on the books as well:
WEAR YOUR WOUNDS, ON TOUR:
May 8 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
May 9 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
May 10 Toledo, OH @ Ottawa Tavern
May 11 Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary
May 12 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
May 14 Richmond, VA @ Gallery 5
May 15 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
May 16 Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge
May 17 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus
May 18 Boston, MA @ Sonia
May 26 Seattle, WA @ Highline
May 27 Portland, OR @ Tonic Lounge
May 28 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
May 29 Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite
May 30 Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
May 31 San Diego, CA @ Casbah
June 1 Mesa, AZ @ Underground
Boris is back with two reissues of Akuma No Uta and Feedbacker via Third Man Records. They’ve also got a new record dropping, their first in two years: LφVE & EVφL and look, this is what the press release says about the record, “LφVE & EVφL exist as two independent works, encapsulating conflicting connotations that interweave and become intricately entangled with one another, gradually eroding before becoming utterly singular. Continuing to tinker and toil with their sound since the release of DEAR, Boris have pivoted onward a more organic, non-grid literary style that LφVE & EVφL showcases.”
Did you expect anything less from Boris? I didn’t. Anyhow, they’re coming back to America, too.
BORIS — On Tour w/ Uniform:
August 19 San Diego, CA @ Casbah
August 20 Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
August 22 San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
August 23 Austin, TX @ Barracuda
August 24 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
August 25 Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
August 28 Mexico City, MX @ Galera *
August 30 Tampa, FL @ Orpheum
August 31 Gainesville, FL @ High Dive
September 1 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
September 3 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
September 4 Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
September 5 Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Festival *
September 7 Washington, DC @ Black Cat
September 8 Jersey City, NJ @ White Eagle Hall
September 10 Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
September 11 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
September 12 Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall
September 13 Montreal, QC @ Theatre Plaza
September 14 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
September 15 Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
September 17 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
September 18 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
September 20 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
September 21 Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
September 23 Seattle, WA @ Neumos
September 24 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
September 26 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
September 27 San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
September 28 Camarillo, CA @ Rock City
September 29 Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
* no Uniform
