Pacific storm Lucifer hit the west coast, the original “funky drummer,” Clyde Stubblefield, has left us for that ever-growing and what is surely the most EPIC band in heaven, Hidden Figures is now the highest grossing film to be nominated for the Academy Awards Best Picture ($132 million, yo) and – oh yes – the person who now occupies the White House has somehow even managed to piss of the most non-piss offable of countries, Sweden.
Wait…is Bowling Green in Sweden? Well, now it all makes sense.
In order to distract you from that last bit of tiresome fodder: my Music On, World Off Spotify playlist. Among the songs recently added include the true beauty of “little light” from UK crooner Lewis Watson (he’s growing up nicely), if you’re in Los Angeles you can hear The Palms perform “Don’t Waste My Time” the next two Mondays in February at the Satellite (for FREE), when he’s not doing his guitar-thing with Weezer, Brian Bell and his band The Relationship release songs like the guitar-driven-heart-on-sleeve “Break Me Open,” and getting an advance on Mastodon‘s Emperor of Sand album (out March 31st on Warner Bros.) was a boon hence the presence of the album’s second single, “Show Yourself.” Here are a few more additions to dig into:
“Currency” – The Black Angels
Those children of psych rock, The Black Angels, return with “Currency”: a sturdy and darkly delicious offering to trip on that feels like a throwback to their Passover days which is never a bad thing. Lyrically, “Currency” is pretty black and white in drawing a straight line between power and money and is from their upcoming album, Death Song, due out on April 21st.
“Brain Go” – Irontom
Sometimes you discover a band in their early stages and get to watch them grow up right before your eyes: many of you know that feeling. And even though you know that they’re going on tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the Spring, one day the most official of official press releases lands in your inbox, it has said band’s name all over it and you nearly lose your shit. It was a moment and you had to be there but…IRONTOM! Their latest single “Brain Go” is a damned playful and danceable riff on their eclectic, sledgehammer-like rock, yet always present is that deep undercurrent of funk and I’m into it. After a couple of EPs, these cool cats will release their debut album, Partners, on May 5th (produced by AwolNation’s Aaron Bruno) just in time to hit the road with RCHP.
“Speak In Tongues” – Machineheart
In 2015 Los Angeles’ based electro pop quartet Machineheart released one of the brightest and shiniest singles of the year called “Circles” from their In Your Dreams EP. After a little tug of war with their label, they’re working on their debut album which will, hopefully, include more of Machineheart showcasing their darker but no less appealing musical tones. Case in point, “Speak In Tongues.”
“Chain of Love” – Ben Union
If you’re familiar with Tacoma’s own Ben Union then you know the dude has been a purveyor of some serious party-based jams over the years (“Shake That Ass,” anyone?) and we’re not mad at him, but in January he released his Vamp album and decided it was a good idea to make a hard right and punch folks right in their feelings with “Chain of Love.” How rude…and how well done of the gentleman to pare things back a bit and expose a little more of his emotional flesh in a singer/songwriter mode because who hasn’t been there? Even the video is…ughh.
Help yourself to following my Music On, World Off playlist for 13 new songs every Friday.