Photo by Kierstin Castro
Monochromacy
A recurring feature in which we ask local musicians, promoters and others about the music they’ve been digging lately.
Patrick Erhard, Ash Williams: Narcopaloma by Bangladeafy. “Crazy, hectic over-the-top bassist and drummer. It’ll either drive you crazy or make you fall in love. Fun drinking game: Take a shot every time the bass player plays a single note twice in a row. You might get a buzz, but you for sure won’t get drunk.”
Brad Lee, Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects: The complete works of Helado Negro. “Really sparse yet satisfying grooves, great melodies, interesting beats. Hoping to catch him and his tinsel dancers next time they come through town.”
Blanca Lucia Bergman, Dreams Made Flesh: Warsaw EP by Warsaw. “I can’t stop listening to this EP, especially the song ‘Haven.’ The melody is melancholic and beautiful; Rebecca and Demetrius’ (Antuna) vocals are gorgeous; and Rebecca’s lyrics are sincere and intriguing.”
Nathan Hubbard, Skeleton Key Orchestra: Eli and the Thirteenth Confession by Laura Nyro. “I have been a fan for many years, but never owned it on vinyl, so when i found a dirty copy in New Orleans for $3, I grabbed it quick. There are many ways to hear this music, with its blend of folk, rock and jazz, but I love how it destructs and re-imagines the girl group tradition of the Shirelles, the Ronettes and the Crystals into something wholly unique. With its quick changes of mood, lush orchestration and catchy hooks, it’s been on repeat since I bought it.”
Heather Nation: The Waterfall by My Morning Jacket. “The album goes in every direction genre-wise; classic rock, indie, funk, soul. Jim James has the vocal register of a god, and the band backs him up with justification to his singing and songwriting talents. The title track has a mysterious verse, and the hook takes you back to 1969. The song ‘Compound Fracture’ somehow achieves the impossible, fusing indie rock and disco grooves together in a wonderful way.”
Blaine Factor, Age of Collapse: Neurotic Organization by Crow. “NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal)-influenced crust punk from Japan. Punk songs shouldn’t be this catchy while also being brutally crushing. On repeat all week.”