By Keith Walsh As the climate heats up, and color burst up from the earth, there’s no better season to crank up the volume on this eclectic mix of tunes. Featuring Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys, Ruth Blake, Evidence Of A Struggle, Hematite, A Shoreline Dream, Neon Straightjackets, Candy Coffins, and The Room.
Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys “Feedback Hounds”
I’m calling “Feedback Hounds” postpunk because of the rebellious intent of the lyrics, plus the presence of guitar. The minimal sound is expertly mixed, with the unsettling vocals up front, above the spooky guitars, and barely-there drums. Kruger’s voice occupies a lower octave than her earlier work, such as “Digging A Hole.” But it’s dark and emotive, fitting to the narrative. Which by the way – the lyrics are brilliant and multilayered. Kruger is from South Africa and Berlin, Germany. “Feedback Hounds” is from Kruger’s sixth album, “Heaving.”
Lucy Kruger On Bandcamp
Lucy Kruger On IG
Ruth Blake “Not Your Angel”
Confrontation of an oppressor in a song can be powerful indeed, affording one the benefits of catharsis, discreetly. Ruth Blake calls out some wretched soul (a former flame?) in “Not Your Angel.” In her description, Blake says she’s channeling the spirit of the ancient Goddess Inanna, who paradoxically was charged with carrying out matters of both love and war. (Whose idea was that? What could possibly go wrong?) But seriously, Blake says the song is her way of “reclaiming her rage as a vital force in protection of my boundaries, values, and things I hold sacred.” Considered this way, the message is empowering, and Inanna’s seemingly paradoxical roles make sense. James Yuill (Erasure, M83) with composition and performances by Blake, and additional performance by Yuill. Blake is based in the UK.
Ruth Blake dot com
Ruth Blake On Bandcamp
Evidence Of A Struggle “Do’Oa”
An electronic/guitar hybrid with drums buried in echo, this tune from the Chicago-based collective has jazz credentials that merge nicely with the raw summation of the climax. The thematically dark visuals compliment the darkness of the music in interesting ways. It’s chaotic and lovely. “Do’Oa” is led by Rev. Billy Simmons, and is their debut single, and it’s from the eponymous album coming June 9. The brilliant video is from John Airo.
Evidence Of A Struggle On Bandcamp
Hematite “Adios”
With country references, but with post punk vibes, “Adios” by Hematite finds the vocalist Davey Muise (Vanna, Trove) applying a frontier morality (or lack of) to the modern club scene. Muise produced and directed the hallucinogenic video, with lots of cool shots. Muise’s voice is gruff and perfect, and accompaniment on guitar by Andrew Gaultier is skillful, even sublime. It’s from their debut EP Speak Of The Devil.
Hematite On IG
Hematite Links
A Shoreline Dream “Driveaway”
Weird guitar sounds and eerie synths abound in this dark dream of a song from A Shoreline Dream. Jessica Halpine is on the run from one of those plague doctor figures with a crow’s beak and a black shroud. About those costumes, they’re magnificent and were conjured up by Halpine and Tiffany Smyth. The sounds are shoegaze, but the video is goth. It’s from A Shoreline Dream’s album Loveblind.
A Shoreline Dream dot com
A Shoreline Dream On Bandcamp
A Shoreline Dream “Loveblind” On Spin Report
Neon Straightjackets “Stargazing”
Raucous and discontent, this song is in the long punk rock tradition of combining loud guitars with catharsis. Looking up at the stars can help keep things in perspective, as the title suggests. “Stargazing” is from the just released debut LP from Neon Straightjackets, titled “Ex-Girlfriends and Ecstasy.” There’s a fun Easter egg in the middle of the video – and interview segment that interrupts the song. Neon Straightjackets are from Indiana.
Neon Straightjackets On IG
Neon Straightjackets On Facebook
Neon Straightjackets S#!&CANNED On Punkrockbeat.com
Candy Coffins “Another Kiss”
Postpunk and new romantic vibes play out in this downbeat song about disappointment in love, and wanting to get out of the entanglement. Singer/songwriter Jame Lathren also made the video, which in the culmination of the song presents a quick cascade of family photos as the music accelerates. The somber first two-thirds of the song is at contrast with all of the sweet nostalgia of the later images, as Lathren delves into his shadow self.
Candy Coffins dot com
Candy Coffins On Bandcamp
Candy Coffins “Everyday A Fresh Atrocity” On Spin Report
The Room “Sleepless”
Singer/songwriter Dave Jackson takes aim at an array of modern social maladies which render him sleepless. Most of his criticism is focused on movies, songs, and video games, which of course deserve the rebuke, if not taken in moderation. Gotta say I noticed clips from some films I really loved in the video as well. The Room formed in 1979 by Jackson and bassist Becky Stringer, having success with four John Peel Sessions, and recording with Tom Verlaine of Television. Clive Thomas, the band’s original drummer has rejoined, along with guitarist Darren Brown on guitar, Ethan Kyme on keyboards, and Tom McCabe, also on drums. “Sleepless” is from their album Restless Fate. |
The Room On Bandcamp
The Room On Facebook
finis