Category Archives: Check This Out

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory

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We’re only in February and I already know this new album by Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory will be high on my 2025 year-end list. The album, the first of Van Etten’s to be credited as a full band effort, is bookended by two five minute-plus songs (“Live Forever” and “I Want You Here”) that build slow and finish big. In between are a set songs that draw influences as wide as the post punk of early New Order/Joy Division (“Somethin’ Ain’t Right), to the pulsing neo-rock-disco of Masseduction era St. Vincent (“I Can’t Imagine”). And they pull these influences together in a way that makes it their own. Even with 10.5 months to go this year, this will no doubt be a top album on my 2025 Spotify Wrapped!

English Teacher – This Could Be West Yorkshire

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English Teacher, a 4-piece indie rock band from Leeds, England, was one of my favorite discoveries of 2024. (more on them on my 2024 Top-20 page). I remember discovering this band quite by chance as I was going down yet another YouTube rabbit hole. I found myself watching a few bands on Later… with Jools Holland when this performance of English Teacher’s latest single, “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab”, started playing. That was it; that day’s search for new sounds was over as I had found what I didn’t even know I was looking for…

Of course when the video ended I clicked on another link for English Teacher and was taken to a live in the studio version of “Mastermind Specialism” off of the same album. While the first song was full of energy and momentum, this next number was much more of a slow burn that builds intensity as it goes along. Both songs are fantastic and display English Teacher’s musical agility and singer Lily Fontaine’s wide ranging vocals and clever, evocative lyrics.

I won’t recreate the entire 90 minute English Teacher binge I then went on but I will share this imaginative video created for “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab”

Ekko Astral – pink balloons

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Here’s Ekko Astral, a punk/indie band from Washington DC that has a lot to say if you’re ready to listen. Also, they seriously rock the fuck out!

Here’s “baethoven” off their 2024 debut album, pink balloons…

This band goes well with Amyl and the Sniffers and Mannequin Pussy, though if they ever shared a bill I’m not sure the audience would survive, or at the least have any hearing left!

Here’s the same song played live in Austin for a Stereogum showcase event. This simultaneously snarling, defiant, noisy and incredibly catchy song becomes a different animal when played on stage.

Porridge Radio – Clouds In the Sky Will Always Be There For Me

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So what do you do when you’ve spent a couple of weeks reviewing and listening to all the records you’ve heard during the year to come up with a nice list, and then you publish that list – basically putting the year to bed – and then on the last fucking day of the year you discover a band that would have easily been a contender for the list? Seriously, someone please send me an answer.

I just discovered this band, Porridge Radio, about two hours ago and I like everything about their sound, the lyrics and the intensity of their performances. I’m just going to count Porridge Radio’s latest, Clouds In the Sky Will Always Be There For Me, as the first record as 2025 (even though it was released in October of 2024). Here’s another song from my first favorite album of 2025 “Sick of the Blues”

Nick Cave vs Nell Smith- The Ship Song

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I’ve always enjoyed cover versions of songs, especially when an artist takes an already great song and makes it their own. Here is an example that shows the artistry and talent of both the original performer and the cover artist. The Ship Song, from the 1990 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album The Good Son is Cave at his best, with a song that is a soaring demonstration of intense love. Likewise the Flaming Lips teamed with a young singer, Nell Smith, who brings a different, though completely compelling voice to the song.

The Ship Song – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

The Ship Song – Nell Smith & The Flaming Lips

Greyface – What Did You Lose

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I read a book once by Jacob Slichter, the drummer for 90’s alt-power-pop band Semisonic, called “So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star”. It was an interesting peek into what it was like to try to make it as a rock band. The times are quite different now with the fracturing of the record company model and the emphasis on social networking etc – but the energy and passion of the musicians is still the same. This new band from LA, Greyface, reminds me of that story and the effort it takes to break out to a wider audience. Check it out!

wimps open for Katie Von Schleicher at the Soda Bar

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I was 21 years old when MTV started back in 1981 and it was pretty awesome back then. Before that all we got was Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert and Burt Sugarman’s Midnight Special. Those were great shows but only filled 2.5 hours per week on Friday and Saturday nights. We all know that MTV doesn’t really do music videos anymore and the format went relatively dormant for a long time. Then YouTube, Vimeo, Vevo and others came along and music videos have once again become an important part of presenting and marketing a song.
That’s a lot of words to say that this song and video by wimps, a 3-piece punk rock band out of Seattle, is pretty fucking rad! Check out the video and then go see wimps play the Soda Bar Wednesday night  when they open for Katie Von Schleicher...

Katie Von Schleicher, wimps + Gravyyard play the Soda Bar

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I know everyone is wondering, “what show should I go to Wednesday night this week – there’s no one playing that I’ve heard of…”

The answer is easy – get to the Soda Bar to see Katie Von Schleicher, wimps and Gravyyard. This will be one of those shows that you can’t believe you saw at a venue like the Soda Bar (and don’t get me wrong – I LOVE the Soda Bar, but it is astonishing that bands like this, especially together, are playing such a small venue).

There – problem solved. See you there!!

In the meantime check out this video from Katie’s new album Bleakspoitation on Ba Da Bing! Records…