Song of the Day: MRCH – Easiest to Bend

Posted on August 17, 2023 by Paul in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

“Easiest to bend” is the latest single from Phonix-based shoegaze/dream pop act MRCH, taken from their upcoming EP TV Bliss. Check out the video for “Easiest to Bend” below.

TV Bliss is out on September 29th via Vertex Music Ltd.

Concert Review: Spoon Benders, August 13, The Baby G

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Paul in Concerts | Leave a comment

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Portland psych rockers Spoon Benders make music that is at times dark and trippy, at other times a bit punky, but always eminently watchable. I went into the band’s Sunday night show at The Baby G knowing very little other than what I gleaned from a cursory listen to the band’s latest album How Things Repeat, but I liked what I heard, so I figured I’d take a chance. I was not disappointed.

The band impressed with their heavy psych sound and a solid stage presence. Singer/guitarist Katy Black has this cool vibrato thing in her voice at times that reminded me a little of Buffy Sainte-Marie – not necessarily a common reference point for psych rock, and I have no idea if Black is even a fan or if this is just a happy coincidence, but I do know that Buffy’s 1969 album Illuminations is plenty psychedelic, so maybe more psych rock bands should be taking some influence from her.

As I mentioned, Spoon Benders are currently on tour behind their latest, How Things Repeat, which came out back in May of this year. It’s a solid collection, with album tracks like “Dichotomatic” and “Rival” standing out as highlights of the band’s set.

If you get a chance to see Spoon Benders live, take it.

Song of the Day: Sparklehorse – Listening to the Higsons

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Paul in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

“Listening to the Higsons” is the latest single from Sparklehorse‘s upcoming album Bird Machine, a collection of songs recorded before Mark Linkous’ death in 2010.

The Steve Albini produced track sees Linkous covering the Robin Hitchcock tune, the original version of which can be found on Hitchcock’s 1985 release Gotta Let This Hen Out!

Sparklehorse’s Bird Machine is out September 8 via ANTI- Records.

Concert Review: Mujeres Podridas, August 6, Toronto Style

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Paul in Concerts | Leave a comment

Immediately after Mujeres Podridas had finished their set at Toronto Style on Sunday night, it was no surprise that the crowd started calling out for an encore. For a moment though, it appeared that they might be done for the evening as they began to put down their instruments. Happily, the band relented and did in fact opt for an encore, but not before someone in the crowd shouted out, “You assholes!”

A weird choice if you’re trying to entice a band to stick around a little longer, but luckily that didn’t deter the band from playing a couple more tunes to end out the evening. However, right before they started up again, guitarist Dexter Garza did pause to ask one of his bandmates for clarification.

“Did they just call us assholes?”

“Who’s the asshole now?” came the reply.

And with that, the band launched into their encore, a finale that matched the energy of the crowd (I spotted at least one person doing a cartwheel in the pit) and closed out a fun, high energy set of hard and fast punk tunes from the Austinites, who, I might add, do not appear in any way to be assholes.

Not bad for a Sunday night.

Check out the video below for “OVNI,” taken off Mujere Podridas’ 2020 full length Muerte en Paraíso.

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