Tag: Dead Stars

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Over the past couple of months, I’ve written a bit about the Brooklyn-based indie rock act Big Cheese. And since their formation back in 2012, the band has released two albums — 2014’s Loose Teeth and 2016’s Supersonic Nothing, which have helped them establish a reputation for crafting 90s alt rock-inspired fuzz pop ant=hems paired with sarcasm and irony soaked lyrics.

Now, as you may recall, the band’s forthcoming Oliver Ignatius-produced third full-length album, Wild to Be Born is slated for a September 13, 2019 release. Deriving its title from the untamed sentiment of the album’s material — and an overall feeling of being ravenous for some kind of awakened, the album, which was recorded at Holy Fang Studios reportedly finds the band expanding their sound with the material drawing from Amerciana, grunge and several other genres and styles. I’ve written about two album singles so far:  the anthemic “Golden.” a mosh-pit friendly bit of fuzz pop that brought Dinosaur, Jr., JOVM mainstays Dead Stars and The Colour and the Shape-era Foo Fighters to mind — and the grunge rock-inspired “Filthy Rich.” The album’s latest single “In This World” is centered by a propulsive and rolling bass line, thunderous drumming, slashing guitar lines and ironically delivered lyrics, making it the most post punk-like and forward thinking song off the album to date

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

Earlier this month, I wrote about the Brooklyn-based indie rock act Big Cheese. And as you may recall, since their formation back in 2012, the members of the band have released two albums — 2014’s Loose Teeth and 2016’s Supersonic Nothing  —that have helped the band develop a reputation for crafting 90s alt rock-inspired fuzz pop anthems paired with sarcasm-soaked lyrics.

Slated for a September 13, 2019 release, the band’s forthcoming Oliver Ignatius-produced third full-length album, Wild to Be Born derives its title from the untamed sentiment of the album’s material — and an overall feeling of being ravenous for some kind of awakening. Their third album, which was recorded at Holy Fang Studios reportedly finds the band expanding their sound with the material drawing from Amerciana, grunge and several other genres and styles. Album track “Golden” was an anthemic, mosh-pit friendly bit of fuzz pop that may remind some listeners of s of Dinosaur, Jr., JOVM mainstays Dead Stars, The Colour and the Shape-era Foo Fighters and others — but with the urgent and anxious air of our current sociopolitical moment. Interestingly, Wild to Be Born‘s latest single “Filthy Rich” features ironically delivered lyrics while further establishing the band’s 90s alt rock-inspired sound — but unlike its immediate predecessor, the anthemic track is centered by the cool and effortless swagger of old pros.

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Since their formation back in 2012, Brooklyn-based indie rock act Big Cheese has released two albums — 2014’s Loose Teeth and 2016’s Supersonic Nothing  —that have helped the band develop a reputation for crafting 90s alt rock-inspired fuzz pop anthems paired with sarcasm-soaked lyrics.

The band’s forthcoming Oliver Ignatius-produced third full-length album, Wild to Be Born is slated for a September 13, 2019 release. Recorded at Brooklyn-based Holy Fang Studios, Big Cheese’s third album reportedly find step band expanding their sound with the material drawing from Americana, grunge and others. Interestingly, the album’s title is derived from the untamed sentiment of the album’s material — and a general feeling of being ravenous for some kind of awakening.

“Golden,” Wild to Be Born‘s latest single is an anthemic, mosh-pit friendly bit of fuzz pop centered around layers upon layers of power chords, thunderous drumming and ironically delivered lyrics — and while the song will remind some listeners of Dinosaur, Jr., JOVM mainstays Dead Stars, The Colour and the Shape-era Foo Fighters and others, the hook driven track possesses the urgent and anxious air of our sociopolitical moment; the one we feel and observe within out every interaction, thought, movement and dreams.

The band has two upcoming NYC area shows — July 25, 2019 at The Footlight and August 15, 2019 at 11th Street Bar.

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Fronted by 23 year-old Jacob Duarte, the Houston, TX-based indie rock trio Narrow Head has quickly developed a reputation for a sound that draws from 120 Minutes-era alternative rock, as it simultaneously possesses elements of grunge and shoegaze — and considering that the band suggests acts like Hum, Deftones, Failure, Swirlies and My Bloody Valentine as influences, that shouldn’t be surprising.

Recorded at the end of last year, during recording sessions intended for their next full-length album, the Houston-based trio’s latest single “Bulma” will further cement the trio’s reputation for a decidedly 1990s sound, as they firmly add their names to a growing list of contemporary bands, who have brought back a familiar and beloved sound with a subtly modern twist, like Dead Stars and others.

The band is currently on a West Coast tour. Check out the tour dates below.

Tour Dates:

Jan 13 – Fullerton, CA @ Programme
Jan 14 – Oakland, CA @ tba
Jan 15 – San Francisco, CA @ tba
Jan 16 – Eugene, OR @ Voodoo Donuts
Jan 17 – Portland, OR @ Blackwater
Jan 18 – Olympia, WA @ tba
Jan 19 – Seattle, WA @ Black Lodge
Jan 20 – Vancouver, BC @ Subculture Club

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

With the release of their first two EPs, Gloomy Tunes and Crushed, the Portland, ME-based indie rock trio Weakened Friends, comprised of Sonia Sturino (vocals, guitar), Annie Hoffman (bass), and Cam Jones began receiving quite a bit of buzz for a sound that  clearly draws from power pop and 90s grunge rock. And in fact, over the past year or so the band has seen a growing profile as they played this year’s SXSW and have shared stages with the likes of CHVRCHES, Silversun Pickups, Beach Slang and Juliana Hatfield, essentially adding themselves to a growing list of contemporary fuzzy guitar pop-leaning acts that include JOVM mainstays Dead Stars and others.

“Hate Mail,” the trio’s latest single is a rousingly anthemic, mosh pit friendly “fuck off/don’t you come back here/you were the worst thing that ever happened to me/good riddance” song, perfect for anyone who’s gotten out of a miserable and toxic relationship — with some semblance of their dignity and sanity intact, and the sentiment is complimented (and emphasized) with a fuzzy power chords, thunderous drumming and howled, distorted vocals. While the song will further cement their growing reputation for crafting 90s grunge rock-inspired power pop, the song features the Maine-based trio collaborating with Dinosaur Jr.‘s J. Mascis, who contributes his imitable guitar sound to the proceedings.

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms
Comprised of high school friends Dylan White, Joseph Bland, Erik Gonzalez and Chris Topah, who bounded over a mutual interest in updating the emo sound of the early aughts without the “stuff that didn’t age well,” the New Jersey-based indie rock quartet MELT went into the studio earlier this year to self-record their full-length debut Riffer, which is reportedly comprised of anthemic guitar rock based around envy, desire and loss as you’ll hear on the album’s first single “Out of Line,” a single that coincidentally manages to channel late 90s alt rock — in particular Foo Fighters and several other contemporary bands such as Dead Stars and others.
Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Over the past year or so, it turns out that I’ve written a bit about the indie rock quintet Happy Diving. And although they’ve gone through a number of lineup changes with members currently based in Seattle, Vancouver and Oakland, the quartet initially formed in the  Bay Area in 2013. Within a short period of time, the quintet developed  reputation regionally for high-energy live shows and for being remarkably prolific. Building on the buzz they’ve received since their formation, the members of the quintet received to write and record the material that would comprise their forthcoming full-length Electric Soul Unity which is slated for an August 19, 2016 through Tophself Records.

Earlier this month, I wrote about “Head Spell,” a slow-burning 90s alt-rock inspired ballad consisting of enormous, buzzing and sludgy power chord and anthemic hook that sounds as though it draws from the likes of Pavement, Dinosaur, Jr. and others — while also firmly adding their names to a growing list of 90s alt rock inspired contemporary acts, including Brooklyn-based trio Dead Stars. The West Coast quintet’s latest single “Don’t Be Afraid of Love” will further cement their burgeoning national profile for crafting sludgy, anthemic, power chord-based pop that would be perfect to mosh to in a small, sweaty club somewhere — with an infectiously upbeat and encouraging message to boot.

The band will be on tour throughout the summer and it’ll include an August 8, 2016 stop at Shea Stadium. Check out the tour dates below.

 

TOUR DATES
JUL 23 – Oakland, CA @ The Rat’s Nest
JUL 24 – Santa Rosa, CA @ Arlene Francis Center (w/ Gun Outfit, Tony Molina)
JUL 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hi Hat
JUL 26 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
JUL 27 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
JUL 28 – Albuquerque, NM @ Small Engine Gallery
JUL 29 – Oklahoma City, OK @ TBD
JUL 30 – Ft Worth, TX @ Purple Palace
JUL 31 – Houston, TX @ Vinyl Edge Records

AUG 1 – New Orleans, LA @ Saturn Bar
AUG 2 – Nashville, TN @ Two Boots
AUG 4 – Richmond, VA @ TBD
AUG 5 – Raleigh, NC @ Pinhook
AUG 6 – Baltimore, MD @ TBD
AUG 7 – Philadelphia, PA @ Lava Space
AUG 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium (w/ Ovlov, Patio, Peaer)
AUG 10 – Providence, RI @ Tommy’s Place
AUG 11 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott (w/ Kindling, California X)
AUG 12 – Amherst, MA @ TBD
AUG 13 – Montreal, QB @ Poisson Noir
AUG 14 – Toronto, ON @ Smiling Buddha
AUG 15 – Detroit, MI @ TBD
AUG 16 – Milwaukee, WI @ High Dive
AUG 17 – Bloomington, IN @ Jan’s Rooms
AUG 18 – Eau Claire, WI @ TBD
AUG 19 – Duluth, MN @ Northern Isolation Fest
AUG 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ Dead Media (early show)
AUG 21 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Total Drag
AUG 24 – Calgary, AB @ Tubby Dog
AUG 26 – Vancouver, BC @ Antisocial Skate Shop
AUG 27 – Olympia, WA @ TBD
AUG 27 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos (w/ Chastity Belt, So Pitted)
AUG 29 – Portland, OR @ TBD
AUG 30 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill (w/ Creative Adult, Never Young, Plush)

 

 

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Triple Hex Returns with Sleazy Visuals for Their New Single “Dead Stars”

Founded by Dave Tudi (guitar, vocals), Brooklyn-based act Triple Hex have developed a reputation for a decadently sleazy, gritty, late night drugs, drink and sex-based rock sound that seems to draw heavily from the likes […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

With its members split between Oakland, CA and Seattle, WA the quintet Happy Diving comprised of Matt Berry (guitar and vocals), Matt Yankovich (guitar), Kevin Prochnow (guitar), Mikey Rivera (bass) and Samuelito Cruz (drums), have […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Brooklyn-based trio Dead Stars have captured the blogosphere over the last couple of years with a sound that consists of fuzzy, power chords fed through layers of feedback and anthemic pop melodies and hooks; it’s […]