Portland, OR's Eat Skull were once known for the sort of blown-out punk some called shitgaze but the band have begun turning the levels down to 9.3 and the band's move from Siltbreeze to Woodsist is telling. Eat Skull III, which came out back in February on Woodsist, is on the jangly side with forays into weird synth postpunk, plus melodies and everything. You can stream vaguely tropical "How Do I Know When To Say Goodnight?" as well as the whole album via Spotify, below.

Eat Skull are currently on a tour that will hit NYC this week for two shows: Wednesday (5/22) at 285 Kent with PC Worship, Vaz, LODRO, and Call of the Wild (who also play with Weed soon); and Thursday (5/23) at The Flat with Modra and The Abandos. All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Portland band Eat Skull released new LP on Woodsist, on tour, playing two NYC shows this week (dates, streams)"

by Andrew Sacher

Vancouver's Weed make the kind of sludgy, melodic rock that bands like California X have also been helping to revive lately, and if you liked Cali X's album, or you know, Dinosaur Jr., this band is for you. They've got a few EPs/singles under their belt, including 2012's Gun Control, and their debut album, Deserve, will be out this July via Couple Skate Records. The album's first single, "Set Me Back," is less lo-fi than the band's past releases and even more hooky. Check it out below.

Weed are currently on a tour with Cascadia which comes to NYC this month for a show at Death by Audio on May 29 with Call of the Wild (who also play with Eat Skull soon) and Giant Peach. Admission for that show is $7 at the door.

All dates are listed, along with the song stream, below...

Continue reading "Weed releasing an LP (stream a track), on tour now (dates)"

Tickets for the Beck Celebrate Brooklyn! show at Prospect Park go on Beck Fan Club, Friends of Celebrate Brooklyn, and Live Nation/LN Mobile App presales today at 11 AM ("BECK2013" is the password for the fan club presale). General on-sale starts Friday, May 10 at 11 AM.

As mentioned, Beck also opens the Bob Dylan/Wilco show that My Morning Jacket aren't on, and tickets are going on sale at 10 AM for those.

Jimmy Eat World are playing Central Park Summerstage on August 7. Tickets go on Summerstage Member, Jimmy Eat World Fan Club, and Live Nation/LN Mobile App presales today at 11 AM (Fan Club password: "DAMAGE"). General on-sale starts Friday, May 10 at noon.

Head HERE to see other Summerstage shows happening this summer.

Tickets for the Giraffage and Mister Lies show at 285 Kent are on sale now. You can stream a new Giraffage track below.

Total Slacker, Eat Skull, Vaz, and Call of the Wild are playing 285 Kent on May 22. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Ninjasonik are playing a video premier party The Studio at Webster Hall on May 13 with The Skins and special guests. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Ladyhawke is DJing the PopGun Northside party on June 15 at Glasslands. Flying Horse DJs too. Tickets for that party are on sale now.

Giraffage song stream below...

Continue reading "tix on sale: Beck, Giraffage, Mister Lies, Jimmy Eat World, Total Slacker, Eat Skull, Ninjasonik and more"

Nude Beach at 285 Kent, June 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

It's been a bit since we last heard from Crystal Stilts. While there's no word of new recordings, the band will be playing their first NYC show in a long while on Friday (2/15) at Lulu's in Greenpoint (Franklin Ave & Greenpoint Ave). The show is with Nude Beach and FREE with the purchase of a drink. And as you may know, all drinks at Lulu's come with a free mini pizza. Score!

Nude Beach's appearance is in addition to their upcoming dates at Bowery Ballroom on March 7 with The Men and Parquet Courts (tickets) and Union Pool on March 13 with Call of The Wild, Tweens & What Next? (tickets).

by Bill Pearis

Call of the Wild

Not too long ago Brooklyn vinyl slinger Record Grouch moved locations from Metropolitan Ave to Greenpoint (986 Manhattan right by the Greepoint Ave stop on the G) and though the new spot has been open for a while, the store is just now throwing a "BETTER LATE THAN NEVER" RECORD GROUCH OPENING PARTY!"

The party goes down Saturday, August 25 starting at noon and there will be DJs all day, with Brooklyn's own Call of the Wild playing an in-store at 7:30 PM. It's a good excuse as any to go check out one of the better-curated vinyl stores in our city. DJ line-up is below along with a flyer for the event.

The Record Grouch in-store is one of a few upcoming shows for Call of the Wild whose new album Leave Your Leather On is a real corker and came out this week on Kemado. (Stream it below via Spotify.) The band will also play Shea Stadium on September 1 with Endless Boogie, Ed Schrader`s Music Beat, and Liquor Store; and Death by Audio on September 5 with The Manateees.

A list of all tour dates, streams and the Record Grouch flyer are below, along with live footage of Call of the Wild on a Brooklyn rooftop.

Continue reading "Record Grouch throwing Opening Party with Call of the Wild who have a few NYC shows coming up"

Call of The Wild

Brooklyn's Call of The Wild feature an ex-member of Awesome Color, but this trio is on an entirely different trip. The band plays a style of garage that borders on Metallica-style speed metal on their forthcoming Leave Your Leather On, as exhibited by the first single to appear from the record, "Autobahn" (no, not a Kraftwerk cover). The premiere of that song is below and order your copy via Kemado if you're down (the record drops on 8/21).

Call of The Wild have been pretty active playing NYC shows lately, and will continue  at Union Pool on Saturday (8/4) with a show as part of the ongoing FREE afternoon Summer Thunder series. There the band will be joined by Dope Body and local favorites GENTLEMEN for a 3PM show. Call of The Wild will ALSO join Tyvek/Wet Hair at Mercury Lounge the next night (8/5).

Check out "Autobahn" from Leave Your Leather On below.

Continue reading "Call of The Wild prepare to 'Leave Your Leather On' on new LP (stream a new song)"

by Andrew Sacher

A Dream A While Back

Psychedelic songbird Gary Higgins reissued the beautiful artifact Red Hash on Drag City back in 2005. The album was originally recorded in 1973 but Gary was jailed for drug charges before it was finished. His friends completed mixing the album, titled it, and released it on the small label Nufusmoon. The album was recorded with members of two of Gary's previous bands, Random Concept and Wooden Wheel. Upon Drag City's discovery of his music, with the help of Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance), Gary began playing shows with members of Random Concept and his son Graham, and eventually recorded Red Hash's follow up Seconds in 2009.

This past March, Drag City released the EP A Dream A While Back; six songs of pre-Hash material recorded soley by Gary Higgins and his guitar. It might just be because I tend to prefer my folk with minimal accompaniment, but while Red Hash is forever-brilliant material, hearing these six songs was even heavier. Pick up a copy (LP/CD/MP3) at Drag City's site.

Gary Higgins has one upcoming show scheduled this summer, and it's a NYC show on July 16 at Monster Island Basement with Oneida, Notekillers, and Call of the Wild.

Six Organs have shows coming up too. Oneida recently completed a tryptych.

Check out the EP's tracklist. some songs from the album and more Brooklyn show info below...

Continue reading "a new old Gary Higgins EP, an upcoming show w/ Oneida"