Behold! The New Bands You Need to Be Listening To!

by Robert Dean 

Hello music friends, it’s been a hot minute. 

I’m out here trying to sell this book (you should buy one) and writing about shit like who’s got the best cheese sauce in Texas or where you can find back-alley gambling in Prague because I’m fun like that. But I still am always on the lookout for new music that jams. And recently, there’s been a whole lot. So, let’s do an old-school Farce the Music round-up of the stuff all across the spectrum. You should be hitting play on Ye Old Spotify. 

First, let’s start with Ferris Blusa. This dude is legit. If you like your hip-hop, that sounds like a slow-moving caddy in a sketchy part of town. No mumbling, no trap beats, just grim, grisly moments that make you feel like a gangster while clutching that Venti Starbucks while driving to your desk gig - this is 100% your shit.

The homie Shadwick Wilde dropped his new track “Easy Rider,” a different take from his band, The Quiet Hollers. If you’re down with that classic Bright Eyes sound and country like Ryan Adams or Deslondes, listen to Shadwick. The dude is grinding in America and working any hovel out in Europe. In the world of “paying your dues,” he should be on your favorite Americana playlist and his dues are at Scrooge McDuck levels. 

Another cat I love dropped a whole ass new album recently, Slackeye Slim, and if you’ve ever seen my FTM pieces going back, like, a decade, you’ll know I think he’s an absolute genius. Nothing’s changed from that POV. He does it once again on his new record, Scorched Earth, Black Heart. Do not sleep on this dude; I’ve been saying it forever and am thankful to have him back showcasing his unique point of view that deserves a much bigger audience. 

Down in my city of Austin, Texas….

I’ve lived in Austin for the last decade and I can tell you that our crop of bands right now is absolutely bonkers. If this wasn’t an era where lame internet buffoonery ETT dictates everything, I’d promise that Jimmy from Big Shot Dude Records, with his soul patch, would be snatching up bands left and right like they did back in the 90s grunge era. Every night in town, there are so many shows with local bands that are simply insane. Book a plane ticket and come down, just don’t try and move here. 

Pre-covid, everyone wanted to sound like a shitty version of Black Sabbath. Thankfully, everyone let that stupid fetish die and got back to playing fun music. (I love Black Sabbath, but we need fewer bands named Sleepy Bong Witch and all that bell-bottomed nonsense.)

Here are some bands you should check out, and this is by no means a comprehensive list, but what I remembered to write down ten minutes ago. 

First, let’s state that Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol is the best band in town. Once someone big puts them on tour, it’s a wrap. They sound like Primus, who listened to a lot of Converge and Cave In – tell me I’m wrong. Go pre-order their new record, Doom Wop.

Speaking of hardcore, Slow Pulse and Beyond Reach are two bands that crush live and will kick your dick inside out. Like Drain? Listen to Beyond Reach. Like Walls of Jericho? Listen to Slow Pulse. Merry Christmas, now get fucking crowd killed. 

Another good hardcore band that dips into metal? Lament. They rip, too. Spin kick your dad, he’s a poser. 

If you’re looking for some instrumental rippers, Eagle Claw definitely do not suck. I can usually only take instrumental bands for so long and in these cats' cases, it’s time well spent. Also, if you want to crush some beers with cool people hit the Eagle Claw clubhouse, The Coral Snake.

Do you want some absolutely unhinged, wild shit? Go listen to Fuck Money and Tear Dungeon. Both bands are GOING FOR IT live, spitting blood, masks, and violence. Whatever hellscape is brewing collectively in the world, this Austin era delivers the goods seriously. 

(If you’re interested in hearing more about the stuff popping off in the Lone Star State’s Capital City, check out The Cosmic Clash; I’m the Culture Editor now.)

As for non-Texas bands, 

The Dionysus Effect finally has a whole record out, and it’s still awesome. These boys are on a roll writing legit rock and roll with just the right amount of asking, “Think they’ll want a bump after I buy them a round of drinks?”

Skating Polly has a new record – if you’re into Veruca Salt and 90’s Liz Phair “Welcome to GuyVille” vibes, Skating Polly rips. Saw them at Mohawk in Austin and never let off the gas once. 

And finally, I caught Charles Wesley Godwin recently and holy fuck is that guy good. You should listen to him, too. 

And that’s all I got. See you when I see you. Seriously, though, go buy my book. 

The No Sleep Roundup w/Lucero, Leon III, Vein, Joe Rogan

by Robert Dean

So, this week in insomnia I’ve listened to a bunch of music, read a few books and even watched the episode of Anthony Bourdain in Montana. He hangs out with Jim Harrison before he died, what an honor. Joe Rogan was there too, but they did Joe Rogan stuff and just shot some birds. 

Anyhow, I’m averaging about 3-4 hours of sleep a night right now since I’m writing freelance full time. You’d think around 4 AM I’d pass right out, but nope. Pop a Benadryl and go hunting for new stuff, waiting for the little pink monster to kick in. 

Enough about me, let’s get into this week’s hotness: 

Because I’m a douche, I didn’t mention them sooner, but The Profane Anything Band is a local Austin outfit playing some sweet rock and roll that’s not flashy, nor over the top, but straight ahead. There’s something to be said for a band that plugs in and gets rowdy. Give them a listen they gig all over town. For fans of Guided By Voices, Yo La Tengo, Brainiac. 

America’s secret crush Cardi B was on the Stern show and continued to show why she’s good for the music industry with her refusal to be a mindless robot. Hate her music all you like; it’s appreciated when an artist puts everything on front street and understands her place in pop culture.  

Leon III has a new video out. It’s appropriately weird in that Joe Walsh, “too many Coors with a guy you’re just trying to buy mushrooms off of” kinda way. I appreciate bands who go for it and don’t give a shit what their peers are doing. Quiet Hollers are those kinds of dudes. Give it a look and listen to their new record, Alberta. 

While you’re at it download everything from Leon III and Quiet Hollers. 

Vein dropped the new video for Virus//Vibrance, and I’m so stoked on it. This is so much of my jam; it’s like this song + video was crafted out of the old school hardcore videos from 20 years ago that I frequently search for. I have high hopes for Vein. If this is any indication of what they’re capable of, please take all of my money. This is chaotic, fast, and heavy as a ton of bricks. 

Everyone on Earth saw the Childish Gambino video, so I don’t have to link it. It’s been watched 70M times in 7 days.  Sidebar: I seriously had NO idea Childish Gambino was big enough to headline a night at ACL. I have a mad love for Awaken, My Love! But, damn. Donald Glover is killing it right now. 

Joe Rogan roasts Takashi 69 and the other kids of the internet here.  This one is just good for the soul. 

Lastly, Lucero dropped two new songs, and there’s a lot to unpack here folks. 

First, if you look at the new band photo, Ben looks like he’s straight from America’s Next Top Model. Brian has now assumed the role of mystical Memphis shaman, which is fitting if you follow him on social media. Thankfully, Roy is still wearing the signature bike hat. 

The cover of the new record Among the Ghosts is sick. That’s some straight Southern Gothic right there. 

I like that Ben has made it a point to call out that folks thought the new stuff would suck because he’s happily married and now has a kid. I can’t say I’m not guilty of thinking that, too. 

As for the music, I couldn’t be happier. As a die-hard Lucero fan, (I have an L star tattoo) this is the record we’ve been waiting a few years for. This feels more like a gritty more swinging version of Tennessee, That Much Further West, Overton Park records, which are arguably the fan’s favorites. 

That’s it. Keep it saucy. 

New Video: Quiet Hollers "Pressure"

From the album Amen Breaks.

Me and the Internet Are in a Fight: Quiet Hollers Are Back With "Wheel"

by Robert Dean

I love the Internet and what it does for our daily lives. I can order a coffee, meet new friends, discover new music, or partake in my favorite hobby, which is arguing with strangers about me being a “libtard-snowflake” asshole. But, for all of the drunken Amazon purchases I’ve made, or have fallen down the rabbit hole researching where to buy human skulls, I got beef with Internet culture, too.

The Internet is cool because it’s a vast, open sea of stuff. You can find any weird thing you’ve ever wanted, or least read about it in geeky, finite detail. But, one thing the Internet culture sucks at is music and helping musicians get known.

Look, I know you’re reading a music blog. You’re special. You give a shit. Music is your passion. Unfortunately for most of the folks in your life, they ain’t searching for new hotness by the unknowns. They like to be handed stuff. (Don’t believe me? Explain why you’ve gotta explain to folks who like pop country what the fuck it is that real country sounds like, stuff they like, but didn’t know existed – because it wasn’t handed to them by the CMT culture. It’s also a miracle that platform has thrived against all odds, but so has Fox News, so who knows? ANYWHOOO….)

Radio, MTV, genre magazines, all of these platforms used to promote and push bands. We got Sabbath and Zeppelin because those riffs dominated rock radio. A few djs heard the Beatles and knew they were onto some shit. Prince was big at the end of the 70’s, but he owes a lot of his career to his videos being pushed by MTV. Same goes for just about every iconic act and the respective B and C squads that followed. It wasn’t a perfect system, but it helped create scenes or at least create scenes that spilled out from the mainstream.

But, because the Interwebz are so vast, so encompassing, it’s eaten all of those forms of media. The Internet is how most of us find new music. And while it’s great it’s easy to discover new, cool bands, a lot of bands get swept aside or just not the love they deserve, and frustratingly so. There’s a vacuum of hype and “it” factor that moves through the fog, and many times it’s justified, and others, not so much (IE: Chainsmokers, Future, etc.)

But one of those bands I’ve written about before is Quiet Hollers. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why the masses are not obsessed with this band. They pack a wallop that’s country, but punky, they go Mozart soft, they go balls deep, and then they drop tracks that are straight up Radiohead style. The Quiet Hollers are everything a music blogger creams their shorts over.



On their new song "Wheel," Quiet Hollers tap into a spacey, ghost-like trance that feels more like Ambien’d out Prince meets My Morning Jacket. How fucking rad is that? The vibes are distant and planetary and feel like Dr. Manhattan sitting on that rock trying to sort out his opinion on humans. This isn’t country music by most definitions, but it’s unique and demands attention. With acts like Sturgill Simpson, Colter Wall, and Jason Isbell taking a lot of risks in their music, there’s room at the table for more acts like Quiet Hollers.

If we had that 120 Minutes culture of the past, Quiet Hollers would be darlings. People need to know about more music, and the good stuff, to boot. That’s the odd hole the Internet leaves us in, because we have so much at our fingertips, that pulse of availability is hard to read, sometimes.

So lets’ do something about this in 2017. If you love good music and want to see, good humans thrive. See Quiet Hollers shows. Buy their merch and tell your friends about them. "Wheel" is too good. It’s too unique to go by the wayside. People need the new Quiet Hollers record when it drops, and for our sake, I hope all of the other Internet folks make it arrive with a thunderclap.

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The album this song is from, Amen Breaks, is out Friday. You can pre-order it here.

Album Review: Hollis Brown - Cluster of Pearls

A Review by Robert Dean

Many times when I hear the label “Americana” thrown around, I cringe. It’s become such a catch-all phrase, a hodge-podge of styles trying to describe one common ground: the lack of one element that’s rock or blues or country.

But, when I hear about bands doing the Americana thing from places like New York, I tend to get extra skeptical. While New York has churned out some of the best bands in history – down home blues is Chicago’s thing, and what does city slicker New York know about the country or the artist's struggle in a day where rent can financially ruin you? A lot apparently.

On Hollis Brown’s recent Record Store Day release, Cluster of Pearls, we’re witnessing a band figuring out their sound and getting the flavor just right. Even if it comes wearing a Yankees hat and likes bagels and lox instead of biscuits and gravy.

Hollis Brown capture a vibe on Cluster of Pearls that sounds like it coulda been brewed down in Muscle Shoals, with beers and smoke in hand.

I’ll admit, I went, and YouTube searched Hollis Brown’s music before this review and was middle of the road on some songs for their reliance to trying to be too poppy, maybe a little too much like a Jason Mraz with dark soul or something you’d hear in Target. I dunno. I also think dipping grilled cheese into ketchup is delicious, so whatever.

On Cluster of Pearls, the music feels different. It seems focused, maybe evolved. And apparently, after some Internet snooping, Cluster of Pearls is a collection of B-side tracks, which is nuts. This collection feels like a nod to The Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers and even some moments of The Stones in the Exile on Mainstreet era.  And if anyone’s got something to say aboutt Graham Parsons, they can just fuck right off.

The record’s opener, "Completed Fool" sounds like a funky, bluesy Hall and Oates take on Maneater, except not shitty. (Sorry 80’s dorks. I hate Yacht Rock.)
The last track, "Miracle" gives off a City and Colour vibe that’s a nice change of pace for the overall composure of the record. There are a lot of shades of Hollis Brown on the record, and it’s rad to see the different shades of their musical personalities shine through.

"Don’t Want To Miss You" is easily the best song on the record. It’s a classic bar room bummer, and it’s done so well. With its lonely beer bravado, it paints the immediate picture of a candle lit dive with too few patrons and a bored bartender wiping glasses to pass the time. Nothing’s on tv and no one’s watching anything but the world pass by. And at the end, there you are – staring into your drink with no one around to complain to. Just you and the whiskey staring back, testing you. That’s what "Don’t Want To Miss You" feels like.



There’s a little bit of everything on Cluster of Pearls, with nods to riffs straight off a Black Keys record, and harmonious melodies that a focused and together ala – you guessed it, The Band. Naturally, when hearing the jangly, foot-stomping riffs of Hollis Brown, I imagine playing shows with bands like Quiet Hollers, or Brian Fallon.

If this is any indication of Hollis Brown’s path to follow, the results will be exciting to behold. I’ll even forgive them for wearing cowboy hats in New York.

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You can only get Cluster of Pearls in record stores, if they have any left in stock, or eBay etc.

However, you can get Hollis Brown albums here http://www.hollisbrown.com/
or Amazon, etc.

Album Review: Quiet Hollers - s/t

Quiet Hollers - s/t
A Review by Robert Dean

It still escapes me that Quiet Hollers aren’t the darlings of Pitchfork, Paste, or every other music blog covering cool bands that end up on Coachella stages. These dudes should be getting extended interviews in VICE or getting asked what kind of truck stop food they love in the pages of Rolling Stone. 

But, that moment is yet to come and typically, I’d chalk it up to the world not being ready or the moment being maybe, just not there yet. This time, though, I demand fucking action. 

Quiet Hollers deserve to be selling out big rooms and touring the nation not in a broken down van, but in one of those nice gas guzzlers with a guy’s who’s job it is to drive the bus and let them enjoy playing video games on a tv in the “lounge.”  

Quiet Hollers are the perfect example of a band we’d of been peeing our pants over in that “just before everything is available on the internet” phase in the early 00’s that dudes my age long for in some kind of twisted romantic way. Because most kids have shitty taste in music and they like music made by guys name “Crizzly” (Don’t ask me.) All of these awesome bands have to struggle to make a dent in the world, because you know, music isn’t on tv anymore, no one listens to the radio and people think computers are instruments. (Pro tip: they’re not and that EDM shit sucks.) And so all of these rad bands don’t get the coverage they deserve, instead – people flock to the stuff that’s easily tossed in their laps and taken at face value.

Editors note: I stand by my EDM sucks quote. COME AT ME BRO. But, I digress: 

On their new self-titled record, Quiet Hollers go light years past their Americana/Lucero/Ryan Bingham styled sound on I Am The Morning and leave it in the dust. On S/T they explore a much different territory that calls upon styles like post-rock, indie, straight rock and roll, but some moments feel like bands like REM or Talking Heads rather than Waylon or Willie inspired them. To maybe even put a finer point on it, Quiet Hollers feel like the logical heirs to the throne of My Morning Jacket and their ilk. 

Quiet Hollers S/T is a collection of beautiful writing, layered, brilliant songs. The riffs hit like Louisville Sluggers, without relying on cheap tricks to push the songs over the wall, but instead – they just work. They’re honest, working class sonnets about the tribulations of life as a human on a planet full of completely fucked up people. The record isn’t short existentialism either; it’s got plenty of moments where the human condition to be put through society’s meat grinder is front and center, namely on tracks like "Mont Blanc" or "Departure."

Do the right thing and buy a copy of this record. Then walk into your best friend’s house, throw whatever trash they’re listening to out of the window and accept the consequences. When the friend gets all aggro on you, break out the whiskey and shut the fuck up cuz Quiet Hollers got a lot to say.

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Quiet Hollers (s/t) is available on iTunes 

Amazon

and the band's website. 

New(ish) Video - Quiet Hollers - Mont Blanc

Robert Dean will have a review of Quiet Hollers' excellent self-titled album on Friday.

RIYL: The National, Uncle Tupelo, Phosphorescent.