The Golden Grass head back to Europe in just under two weeks’ time, and as they go, they’ll carry 150 CD-R copies of their new EP, 100 Arrows along for the ride. And yes, it’s an EP, but when one includes the bonus tracks, it’s also eight songs and 35 minutes long, so the Brooklyn outfit aren’t exactly half-assing it either. Last year, the trio released their third album, Absolutely (review here), which found them bringing a progressive bent to their harmony-laced classic heavy rock, taking a path of willful creative growth after debuting on Listenable Records with their 2016 second full-length, Coming Back Again (review here), while holding firm to the bright tonality and sunshine vibes that have been among their most distinguishing features all along.

The returning trio of guitarist/vocalist Michael Rafalowich, drummer/vocalist Adam Kriney and bassist/backing vocalist Frank Caira present four new recordings for the EP proper, launching with the title-track in barnburner fashion as a driving opening riff is quickly introduced by the drums and the motor-gallop is off. A swaggering verse conveys 100 Arrows as a more straight-ahead offering than was Absolutely, and the subsequent “Fast Time Running” bears that out despite a seven-minute runtime that moves into call-and-response lines in its second half ahead of a quick turn to Steppenwolf chug and wah-drenched earliest-doom riff and soloing, backed by Kriney‘s steady beat and plenty of oh-hell-yes bass from Caira. That’s a digging lead-in for their take on “Magic Potion” by Open Mind, which taps into late-’60s bikerism, and a redux of The Bubble Puppy‘s “Hot Smoke and Sassafras,” which originally appeared on the 4-Bands Split Vol. 2 (review here) from Heavy Psych Sounds in 2016. An overarching rawness in the recording, at least relative to the last album, gives these songs a live feel, which is only appropriate since that’s their context, but frankly the jam in “Hot Smoke and Sassafras” or the attitude-soaked push of “100 Arrows” itself makes the EP worth the price of admission, especially if you’re already going to the show.

Demos for “Catch Your Eye” and “Burn it all Away” from the pre-production session for Absolutely follow, and as the latter — an instrumental that seems to in this form be awaiting its vocal arrangement — didn’t make it onto that album, it’s another piece that fans should be curious to get. Takes on Tin House‘s “I Want Your Body” and Icecross‘ “Wandering Around” follow, both of which come from a Daytrotter Session recorded in Iowa in 2017. The Tin House track is all about swing and swagger and so right in The Golden Grass‘ territory, and they bring an upbeat shove to “Wandering Around” as well that turns smoothly into a cowbell-inclusive jam before a quick “woo!” makes the transition to the solo and back to the verse, The Golden Grass — as ever — taking classic material and making it their own. They’ve been exceptionally proficient at that since their 2014 self-titled debut (review here), and it would seem that wherever they go in terms of sound — or, for that matter, actual going — that’s the constant they bring with them. The ready familiarity of their original material makes them an all the more inviting listen, and their covers only give further context. Nothing they’ve done up to this point has been an accident, and as they move beyond Absolutely and whatever might come after this tour, they continue to go with confidence and melody in like measure.

I’m happy to host the premiere of “100 Arrows” for your streaming pleasure. You’ll find it on the player below, followed by the text of the one-sheet for the release, including the tour dates for the upcoming European run, for which The Golden Grass will be joined by Wedge from Berlin.

Please enjoy:

https://soundcloud.com/mushroom_warrior/the-golden-grass-100-arrows/s-SG0Yi

In For The Kill Records is proud to announce the release of “100 Arrows”, the brand new limited edition CD EP by Brooklyn based heavy boogie rock trio THE GOLDEN GRASS! This release coincides with their March-April 2019 European Tour, their 5th time crossing the pond! This release sees the prolific trio move further into harder and darker territories, with proto-metal moves flexing wildly, yet still retaining all their signature soulful good-time swing & glorious vocal harmonies.

After 6 years of touring, not to mention 3 LPs and a handful of split releases along the way, the Grass have proven themselves to be one of the hardest working bands in the global traditional heavy rock underground, and this new EP is a majestic culmination of their musical abilities and seamless breadth of influence.

The “100 Arrows” EP consists of 4 brand new studio recordings, featuring 2 original new compositions as well as smashing covers of OPEN MIND’s “Magic Potion” & BUBBLE PUPPY’s “Hot Smoke And Sasafrass”, both of which have been standards in THE GOLDEN GRASS’ live show for several years. In fact, this is the 2nd time they have recorded “Hot Smoke And Sasafrass”, as it previously appeared on their 2xLP split release with KILLER BOOGIE, BANQUET & WILD EYES in 2016 (on Heavy Psych Sounds), and they chose to re-record it because they had developed such an intense and expansive version of it over the years, it needed proper documentation!

The CD release will also include 4 bonus tracks, 2 of which come from 2016 pre-production demos for their “Absolutely” LP and the other 2 from their live Daytrotter session from 2017, which includes cover versions of TIN HOUSE’s “I Want Your Body” and ICECROSS’ “Wandering Around”, both of which had also been staples in their live repertoire for years.

This EP is released in an edition of 150 pro-printed CD-Rs exclusively for their March-April 2019 European Tour with German hard rockers WEDGE.

Order at:
Bandcamp: https://tinyurl.com/y6rxx574
BigCartel: https://tinyurl.com/y3bn22cs

THE GOLDEN GRASS “100 Arrows” Track Listing:
1. 100 Arrows
2. Fast Time Running
3. Magic Potion (originally by OPEN MIND)
4. Hot Smoke And Sasafrass (originally by BUBBLE PUPPY)
Bonus Tracks
5. Catch Your Eye (2016 demo)
6. Burn It All Away (2016 demo)
7. I Want Your Body (2017 Daytrotter Session, originally by TIN HOUSE)
8. Wandering Around (2017 Daytrotter Session, originally by ICECROSS)

2019 European Tour Dates with WEDGE, presented by Swamp Booking and Magnificent Music:
27.03. (PL) Torun Dwa Swiaty
28.03. (PL) Warszawa Chmury
29.03. (PL) Krakow Alchemia
30.03. (PL) Poznan Pod Minoga
31.03. (PL) Wroclaw D.K. Luksus
01.04. (AT) Vienna 3Raum
02.04. (AT) Salzburg Rockhaus
03.04. (DE) Frankfurt Parkhaus-wk-16
04.04. (DE) Höxter Toneburg
05.04. (DE) Chemnitz Die Zukunft
06.04. (DE) Berlin Zukunft/Ostkreuz
07.04. (DE) Leipzig Moertelwerk
08.04. (DE) Jena Kulturbahnhof
09.04. (CZ) Bilina Moskva
10.04. (CZ) Brno Kabinet Muz
11.04. (AT) Innsbruck PMK
12.04. (IT) Bologna Freakout
13.04. (IT) Milano COX18
14.04. (CH) Martigny Caves du Manoir
15.04. TBA
16.04. TBA
17.04. (DE) Wurzburg Immerhin
18.04. (CH) Olten Coq d’Or
19.04. (DE) Münster Rare Guitar
20.04. (DE) Oldenburg MTS

The Golden Grass on Thee Facebooks

The Golden Grass on Bandcamp

The Golden Grass on Twitter

In for the Kill Records BigCartel store

Brooklyn trio The Golden Grass are headed back to Europe this Spring and will tour in late March and throughout April in the company of German trad-rockers Wedge. Pretty good show, and they’re covering a decent swath of ground in Poland, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Of course, The Golden Grass go supporting their 2018 third album, Absolutely (review here), and they also went to Europe last year, touring in the company of Heat. If nothing else, they know how to find a fit for bands to hit the road with.

The narrative of Absolutely was that it pulled back on some of the more meandering impulses of its predecessor, 2016’s Coming Back Again (review here), but The Golden Grass have a new EP in the works that they’ve posted a couple social media teasers for, and it seems that the boogie remains strong with their upbeat sound. Throw in some of the choicest harmonies in heavy — as they reliably do — and you’re good to go.

To Europe, in this case. I haven’t seen a release date kicked around for the EP, but wouldn’t it make an awful lot of sense if it came out before the tour? Or at least was available for them to sell on the road? Yeah, that seems reasonable to me too. More when I hear it.

Here’s the poster and info in the meantime:

The Golden Grass & Wedge March / April Tour

27.03. (PL) Torun Swa Swiaty
28.03. (PL) Warszawa Chmury
29.03. (PL) Krakow Alchemia
30.03. (PL) Poznan Pog Minoga
31.03. (PL) Wroclaw D.K. Luksus
01.04. (AT) Vienna 3Raum
02.04. (AT) Salzburg Rockhaus
03.04. (DE) Mannheim 7er Club
04.04. (DE) Höxter Toneburg
05.04. (DE) Chemnitz Die Zukunft
06.04. (DE) Berlin Zukunft/Ostkreuz
07.04. (DE) Leipzig Moertelwerk
08.04. (DE) TBA
09.04. (CZ) Bilina Moskva
10.04. (CZ) Brno Kabinet Muz
11.04. (AT) Innsbruck PMK
12.04. (IT) Bologna Freakout
13.04. (IT) Milano COX18
14.04. (CH) Martigny Caves du Manoir
15.04. TBA
16.04. TBA
17.04. TBA
18.04. (CH) Olten Coq d’Or
19.04. (DE) Münster Rare Guitar
20.04. (DE) Oldenburg MTS

http://www.facebook.com/thegoldengrass
http://www.twitter.com/TheeGoldenGrass
http://www.thegoldengrass.bandcamp.com
www.wedgeband.com
www.magnificentmusic.de
www.swampbooking.com
http://www.listenable.net
http://www.facebook.com/listenablerecs
http://www.twitter.com/Listenable

The Golden Grass, Absolutely (2018)

[Click play above to stream ‘The Spell’ from The Golden Grass’ new LP Absolutely. Album is out April 6 via Listenable Records with preorders here and The Golden Grass are on tour in Europe with Heat this May. Click here to pop out the tour poster.]

The very first lyrics one hears on the opening track of The Golden Grass‘ third long-player, Absolutely, arrive in the line, ‘I want a piece of the action.’ In no small way, that’s been the story of the Brooklynite trio all along. The boogie-minded trio made their self-titled debut (review here) in 2014 through Svart, and followed that up by signing to Listenable Records for the 2016 release of Coming Back Again (review here), a more spacious and progressive offering that nonetheless held onto the maddening catchiness of its predecessor. With Absolutely, they do likewise, and rein in some of the more complex impulses of the second album in favor of good-time heavy rock more akin to the debut.

Like everything the band has done since their outset, that can only be the result of a conscious decision — nothing in this group is an accident, whether it’s the vocal harmonies between drummer Adam Kriney and guitarist Michael Rafalowich on “Catch Your Eye,” the opener alluded to above, or the persistent shuffle in the penultimate “Out on the Road,” on which Kriney, Rafalowich and bassist/backing vocalist Frank Caira put themselves in direct conversation with “Wheels” from the debut in several interesting and telling ways. As they tell tales of the road, to think of a line like “Rock and roll was just out of season” working its way into “Out on the Road” could easily be taken as an assessment of their touring experience over the last several years, at least in the US. At the same time, “Out on the Road,” which is the longest track on the 39-minute Absolutely at 8:58, operates more efficiently than did “Wheels,” or, say, “See it Through” from Coming Back Again, the perspective of which also seems to be a factor here.

Could it be that a cynical or more jaded perspective is taking hold in the band after two records that, by all accounts, probably didn’t get the attention they deserved for their stylistic cohesion, nuance of sound, and quality of performance and craft? It wouldn’t be unreasonable if that were the case, but I’m not sure it is, because while The Golden Grass may have their frustrations as they approach the end of a resoundingly productive first half-decade together — three records, numerous tours at home and abroad, picked up by quality labels pretty much from the beginning — they’ve also never seemed to put more into their songwriting or arrangements. Cuts like “Show Your Hand” and “Runaway” deftly balance accessibility and subtlety in their execution.

The hooks are forward as ever, but there’s more complexity to the interplay of the trio singing together that would seem to be a lesson learned from Coming Back Again and repurposed into more straightforward songwriting — not that there isn’t still room for some psychedelic flourish from Rafalowich‘s guitar in “Runaway” or the brief “Never You Mind,” just that it comes in conjunction with the ultra-boogie of side B’s “The Spell” and harder-edged closer “Begging the Question,” which brings Iron Butterfly-via-Hendrix-style late ’60s fuzz to bear amid a longer instrumental stretch of dug-in turns and more highlight lead work from Rafalowich, who shines throughout Absolutely in a way he hasn’t yet done in The Golden Grass‘ material. The same could be said of his vocals as well in standing up to Kriney‘s still-the-lead-singer positioning, and more than ever, it’s the dynamic between these two that lets The Golden Grass be who they are throughout this mature and deceptively forward, hook-laden and gorgeously executed third outing.

And if The Golden Grass “want a piece of the action” — which I’ll grant they’re talking about in something of a different context in “Catch Your Eye,” but I still think applies to their situation overall; they started out as a band with an idea of who they were looking to match themselves with as broad an audience as possible — one could only say it would be a piece well earned. Their sound, which has always been so much their own despite basking in a swath of classic influences as it continues to do, has never sounded so developed or quite so engaging as it does here as “Never You Mind,” “Runaway” and the trippier “Walk Along” draw listeners deeper and deeper into the meat of the album, headed to the apex in “Out on the Road”‘s plotted but still jammy-sounding take, sounding no less like it was written for the stage than “The Spell” before it or “Show Your Hand” earlier in the tracklisting. Having long since mastered their aesthetic, The Golden Grass have yet to stop developing it, and that’s emblematic of the underlying force of will that drives them overall. Make no mistake, they still sound positive. The melodies are still sweet. The songs are still unbridled, unashamed fun and the vibe remains as upbeat and welcoming as one could possibly ask.

Three albums deep into their tenure, it’s strange to think of The Golden Grass as underrated, or as a cult band despite the absolute lack of sinister edge to what they do, but somehow both terms apply. Nonetheless, what was true about them four years ago remains true on Absolutely, and that’s that their good-times spirit is delivered with genuine and engaging energy and that it puts them in a category of their own in heavy rock, and remains a very-much-needed breath of fresh air in a heavy rock scene so often geared toward pessimism. Underrated or not, The Golden Grass remain a singular good time and sound more content than ever to let the rest of the world do what it is while they throw a party to which anyone and everyone who can get down — even for just a little while — is invited. That means you. They don’t want your blood. They just want you do dance. For those who take on the dare to let loose and meet The Golden Grass on their own level, Absolutely should be no less revered than anything they’ve done to-date. If anything, more so.

The Golden Grass on Thee Facebooks

The Golden Grass on Bandcamp

The Golden Grass on Twitter

Listenable Records on Thee Facebooks

Listenable Records on Twitter

Listenable Records website

It stands to reason there would be a new record from The Golden Grass this year, but that doesn’t make the confirmation of its coming any less welcome. Given the righteous title Absolutely the third long-player and second for Listenable Records from the good-time-harmonious Brooklynite trio will comprise eight tracks and see release April 6. The central question involved is whether the new offering will continue down the progressive path that their 2016 sophomore outing, Coming Back Again (review here), or readjust the focus back toward the classic-feeling hooks that permeated The Golden Grass‘ 2014 Svart Records self-titled debut (review here). Nothing this band does is by mistake, so wherever they end up, you can get it’s entirely right where they want to be sound-wise. I look forward to finding out just where that is.

Info from the PR wire. Be friends with it:

THE GOLDEN GRASS: Psychedelic Retro Rock Power Trio To Release Absolutely Full-Length Via Listenable Records This Spring

Brooklyn, New York’s THE GOLDEN GRASS is free-wheelin’, good-time rock ‘n’ roll band manifesting a soulful mix of heavy-country-funk-boogie and progressive-psychedelic-freakbeat. The group effortlessly draws their influence from a time when rock ruled the world as if they truly are from that “Golden” era. But their gift to us is in The Now, and it is an epic, soulful, and hard-hitting maelstrom of anthemic and tough-swinging aural delights.

THE GOLDEN GRASS will release their third full-length, titled Absolutely, this Spring via Listenable Records. An eight-track sonic adventure steeped in psychedelic flavored blues riffs, the mind-warping fantasy of early progressive/jazz rock, a pulsating British freakbeat/mod sound, heavy doses of proto-metal power, funk, sou, and a southern rock edge, Absolutely is undoubtedly the band’s strongest, most accomplished offering to date.

Absolutely will see North American release on April 6th via Listenable Records with teaser tracks, preorders, and further info to be announced in the coming weeks.

Absolutely Track Listing:
1. Catch Your Eye
2. Show Your Hand
3. Never You Mind
4. Runaway
5. Walk Along
6. The Spell
7. Out On The Road
8. Begging The Question

THE GOLDEN GRASS Discography:
456thDiv. – Cassette EP
One More Time / Tornado 7″ EP
A Curious Case / The Pilgrim 7″ EP
Realisations 11″ EP
The Golden Grass (Svart Records)
Coming Back Again (Listenable Records)
Absolutely (Listenable Records)

http://www.facebook.com/thegoldengrass
http://www.twitter.com/TheeGoldenGrass
http://www.thegoldengrass.bandcamp.com
http://www.listenable.net
http://www.facebook.com/listenablerecs
http://www.twitter.com/Listenable

The Golden Grass, Coming Back Again (2016)

Alright, let’s just go ahead and put The Golden Grass‘ third album on the list of most anticipated for 2018. The groovy Brooklynite three-piece played it proggy on their second record last year, Coming Back Again (review here), but still held to the sunshiny vibes and standout songwriting of their 2014 self-titled debut (review here), so a third installment from them is a no-brainer to look forward to as far as I’m concerned. Pretty killer as well that as they get ready to hit the studio to record it, they’ll do a nine-date Midwestern run playing all new songs, so not only will they have a chance to see what works on stage and what doesn’t and adjust accordingly, but by the time they get back to NYC they should be in top form to actually go and track the material. It’s a badass plan. Hopefully the results show up sooner than later.

Also, I’m not usually going to be the kind of guy who tells you that you need to watch a tour promo video, but the one below by Anthony Franchina for these shows, in addition to boasting a clip of a new song from The Golden Grass, actually gives a pretty succinct impression of what the band is all about. So yeah, you should take the 100 seconds or so to check it out.

Dates and info from the PR wire:

THE GOLDEN GRASS announces October Midwest USA Tour Dates and enter studio immediately after to record album #3.

That’s right, Brooklyn’s one and only traditional heavy rock boogie band THE GOLDEN GRASS is headed ((OUT ON THE ROAD)) in the USA once again! It’s been a few years since they’ve toured domestically, finding their niche more amongst the European underground and focusing on touring abroad, but they’re beyond excited to bring their soulful sounds across America’s heartland this October 2017 for 9 concerts stretching from PA to IL and back again!

They’ll be exclusively performing ALL NEW MATERIAL this time out, which has been slowly and organically crafted over the past year, and all of which will end up on their 3rd full length LP (their 2nd for Listenable Records). In fact, this tour is a true-to-life road test for their new batch of music, and by taking it out, performing, twisting, living, and breathing it every night, it will be internalized and honed to perfection, and THEN the boys will be entering the studio immediately following the tour to record it all for the new record!

Once again, they’ll be utilizing the powerhouse recording/mixing engineering team of Andrea Zavareei (Urban Spaceman Studio) and Jeff Berner (Studio G), both of whom have had a hand in capturing each THE GOLDEN GRASS release so far. There is a high energy about the group right now, so if you’re along the tour route, do your best to catch it!

The good folks at Heavy And Beyond have created an amazing Tour Promo video for the group, showing off some sneak peaks of their new musical material, and tease the forthcoming album, not to mention some choice groovy footage of the boys!

In For The Kill Records Presents THE GOLDEN GRASS 2017 Midwest USA Tour
10/06 The Bog – Scranton PA w/ THE HILL YOU DIE ON
https://www.facebook.com/events/264624160696366/
10/07 Stonehenge Gardens – Tamaqu PA w/ MYSTERYTRAIN
https://www.facebook.com/events/265140343984727/
10/08 The Happy Dog – Cleveland OH w/ BURNIN LOINS + SALEM’S EYE
https://www.facebook.com/events/121403778585243/
10/09 The Tree Bar – Columbus OH w/ BOURBON TRAIN
https://www.facebook.com/events/117163712345407/
10/10 Reggies – Chicago IL w/ MR BLOTTO
https://www.facebook.com/events/114572125888037/
10/11 The Spot Tavern – Lafayette IN w/ SPACEWORDS
https://www.facebook.com/events/167903790434163/
10/12 Bent River Brewing Company – Rock Island IL w/ SUBATLANTIC
https://www.facebook.com/events/479941462369690/
10/13 Chameleon – Cincinnati OH w/ THE HARLEQUINS
https://www.facebook.com/events/143554142903428/
10/14 Guidos Speakeasy – Frederick MD w/ BLACK RADIO + BORRACHO
https://www.facebook.com/events/746296975549182/

http://www.facebook.com/thegoldengrass
http://www.thegoldengrass.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/listenablerecs
http://www.listenable.net

The Golden Grass, Midwestern Tour Promo

May 25 will mark the live debut of Brooklyn-based four-piece Rattlesnake. With members of The Golden Grass, Ramming Speed and J.A.C.K., the band announces their first time on stage will be at Union Pool in the company of psychblasters Ecstatic Vision and resurgent, native Brooklynite post-doomers Unearthly Trance. Pretty good way to kickoff a new band, if you ask me.

By way of advance notice, Rattlesnake have posted their initial three-song demo. Dubbed Outlaw Boogie — which seems as much a mission statement as a title — the short offering finds them well sure of where they want to be aesthetically, and fans of The Golden Grass will recognize the lead vocals of drummer Adam Kriney (also ex-La Otracina), here in harmony with guitarists J.P. Gilbert and Blake Charlton on “BWOL (Burning Way of Life)” while Ian Anderson (since replaced by Don Berger) holds down a classic-rocking bassline to go with the riffs somewhere between NWOBHM, Southern pastoralia and classic swagger.

That territory seems to be where it’s Rattlesnake‘s intention to dwell, and Outlaw Boogie finds them comfortable there for its entire 16-minute duration. The promise of guitar scorch is telegraphed early on “The Reason Why,” but there’s a funky wah-soaked stomp to the lead cut as well, and before it’s even made it to the halfway point, the band has careened through a winding bridge and established the hook to be built off of upon return from a lengthy, righteous solo section.

It’s a fluidity backed by the gritty, motoring push of “Wicked Man,” the middle cut that seems to have taken a couple key lessons from Death Alley‘s straddling the line between classic metal and post-Motörhead biker riffing, though again it’s the melody of the chorus that sets it apart, as well as a distinctly Southern feel in the soloing, which “BWOL (Burning Way of Life)” reinforces as well, paying off the foreshadow at the beginning of “The Reason Why” as it leads the way out of Outlaw Boogie‘s smooth-flowing, unpretentious run.

Below, you can read more background about Rattlesnake, where they’re from and where they might be headed, and dig into the stream of Outlaw Boogie. First show is May 25. Safe bet is it won’t be the last.

Dig it:

Rattlesnake – Outlaw Boogie

The true sound of Outlaw Boogie! It’s heavy, loud, swinging & tough! And it’s coming at you spittin’ venom!

Between the mid-70’s and mid-80’s, the worlds of Southern/Country Rock, Hard/Heavy Rock, Prog, Proto-Metal and NWOBHM collided in a brief but stellar shining moment that was sonically crystallized by cult & legendary groups such as POINT BLANK, BLACKFOOT, OUTLAWS, MOLLY HATCHET, ALKANA, HYDRA, ASHBURY & BLACKHORSE! And like a bolt of lightning out of the dark and desolate sky, a new group has exploded on the underground heavy music scene to carry on the torch of those legendary pioneers, and that band is RATTLESNAKE! Hailing from Brooklyn NY, this 4-piece craft classic, epic & breathtaking tunes, powered by dazzling twin guitar melodies/harmonies/solos, and an earnest delivery of soulfully tough vocals, all served up greasy and swampy! You’re gonna love the way it BITES!

Now they say “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”, well then RATTLESNAKE’s sound and swagger should come as no surprise to those familiar with the band members’ other/previous musical groups, and this fact only strengthens their creative forces! However, RATTLESNSAKE is without a doubt, its own unique musical vision! It’s a colossally focused synergy, and quite possibly some of the best darn rock n roll any of these underground heavyweights have ever made!

RATTLESNAKE is Outlaw Boogie! Blazing hard, riding high & swinging low on that lonesome road! Across the dusty desert on up through the mountain high! It’s the thunderous sound of hard working rock n roll lifers! They’ve got enough fire & power to share the stage with any modern rock/metal band out there and the classic/timeless feel to warm an old bluesman’s heart.

Rattlesnake first show!
Thursday May 25 at Union Pool with ECSTATIC VISION and UNEARTHLY TRANCE

The group is comprised of:
Adam Kriney – drums/lead vocals (THE GOLDEN GRASS/LA OTRACINA)
Blake Charlton – electric guitar/backing vocals (RAMMING SPEED/SLASHERS/HELLBENT HOOKER)
JP Gilbert – electric guitar/lead vocals (J.A.C.K./JP & THE GILBERTS)
Don Berger – electric bass

https://www.facebook.com/RattlesnakeBoogie69/
https://rattlesnakeboogie69.bandcamp.com/album/outlaw-boogie
https://www.facebook.com/In-For-The-Kill-Records-415384318840806/

Rattlesnake, Outlaw Boogie Demo (2017)

Four bands, a ton of groove and what seems to be a pretty laid back vibe if the pitch is anything to go by, it’s hard not to get behind the concept of an event like South County Fest 2017. You could quibble about whether four bands makes a fest if you want. Me? Considering who’s involved, I’ll take it. King Buffalo sharing a bill with The Golden Grass would be enough motivation, let alone bringing in ex-Carousel dudes in Outsideinside and importing a bit of Marylander surf in The Flying Faders. That’s right — two alliterative groups on the same bill! Think of the grammar-nerd/rocker-dude crossover appeal.

With this year’s fest, South County Brewing marks its sixth anniversary. JR Heaps, the founder of the company and head brewer, was kind enough to talk a bit about putting the lineup together and the creativity driving relationship between beer and music. You’ll find his words under the fest info — keep in mind the show’s got an early start — below.

Also this badass poster:

South County Fest 2017 (6th Anniversary Bash)

Saturday, May 20 at 4 PM – 9 PM
South County Brewing Co.
104 Mill St, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania 17321

To think that we have been making beer for 6 years now is surreal. Come celebrate with us! We have an amazing lineup for this year’s event. $5 Cover at the door (BANDS START AT 4 PM). We will have food vendors and a new beer release (16oz cans).

For those music and audiophile nuts, we have a limited run of the South County Fest 2017 18×24 posters that will be for sale on May 20th, art by Chris Pappas https://www.etsy.com/shop/BosWorkshop go follow him now! These will be on cardboard transport backers with its own cover plastic.

BANDS:

King Buffalo -Rochester, NY- Psychedelic / Heavy Blues / Stoner Rock
Outsideinside – (Ex- Carousel members) -Pittsburg, PA- Heavy Blues Rock
The Golden Grass – Brooklyn, NY- Groove / Psych // Blues / Stoner Rock
The Flying Faders -MD- Surf Rock

JR Heaps of South County Brewing on the South County Fest 2017 lineup:

What I try to do with these shows is celebrate what music and beer does for the soul. Music has always been healing and growth for me personally and I know I’m not the only one. After closing Second Order Sound (my recording studio) and committing to brewing, I have been able to live vicariously through the unbelievable talents that play at this fest. It a chance to reestablish community in such a “disposable” world. The lineups are admittedly self-indulgent and but are fairly specific to create a mood, progression and vibe. The same goes for our beer/band collaborations such as Black Cowgirl DIPA.

https://www.facebook.com/southcountybrewingco/
https://www.facebook.com/events/498260340563650/

Outsideinside, “Dreamless”

The label compilation is kind of a lost art in this age of digital whathaveyou. Used to be imprints put together comps on the regular. Some had rough mixes, some had exclusive tracks or things that wound up getting dropped off albums, and they kind of became a place where you might find something special once and then not run into it again. Italy’s Heavy Psych Sounds, with an ever-expanding roster and an already-full slate of releases as a result, seems intent on reviving the tradition. In addition to the label, booking agency, four-way split series and now two organized festivals under its belt, last year saw the release of Heavy Psych Sounds Volume I, and it seems that, indeed, it was the beginning of a series.

Heavy Psych Sounds Volume II will feature exclusive tracks from Black Rainbows and Killer Boogie and will be released on March 24. The same day, Black Rainbows will release their “The Red Sky Above” as a digital single following-up on last year’s Stellar Prophecy (review here) and leading to speculation of a sixth long-player in the works from them.

From the PR wire:

Heavy Psych Sounds Records presents: HPS CD SAMPLER VOL II (2017)

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS Records & Booking is stoked to announce: The HPS Records Sampler Vol 2

Europe’s ever-growing riff powerhouse HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS is set to release the second chapter of its “Heavy Psych Sounds Sampler”, featuring 15 bands of the roster among which two exclusive new songs!

This new compilation features 15 tracks taken off the label’s most recent releases (Fatso Jetson, Nick Oliveri, The Freeks…) as well as a nice preview of some upcoming gems from The Sonic Dawn, Farflung, Duel or Cachemira. As an icing on this rifftastic cake, “Heavy Psych Sounds Sampler Vol. 2” offers two exclusive new singles from the mighty Black Rainbows and Killer Boogie.

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS VOLUME II TRACK LISTING:
Black Rainbows “The Red Sky Above” (exclusive track!)
Cachemira “Overpopulation”
Doctor Cyclops “Lonely Devil”
Duel “Witchbanger”
Farflung “You Will Kill For Me”
Fatso Jetson “Wire Wheels And Robots”
Giöbia “This World Was Being Watched Closely”
Glitter Wizard-Mycelia
Killer Boogie “Eight Ball” (exclusive track!)
Mothership “Crown Of Lies”
Nick Oliveri “Anything And Everything”
The Clamps “Must Destroy”
The Golden Grass “Flashing Out Of Sight”
The Freeks “Uncle Jack’s Truck”
The Sonic Dawn “Summer Voyage”

Heavy Psych Sounds Sampler Vol. 2
Out March 24th on Heavy Psych Sounds

Black Rainbows, “The Red Sky Above”

Unreleased dope track for the Italian fuzzsters, 6 minutes of Doomy, Stoner, Sabbathty groove stuff, recorded specifically for the new HPS Sampler. Recorded during their last tour in a cool studio surrounded by white snow mountains in the north of Italy last January 2017. You can taste the change of direction for the band with a monolithic style, more dark, more heavy, more straight in your face!

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS is an ever-growing European record label and booking agency specialized in stoner, hard, psychedelic, fuzzy, doomy rock and more largely, all kinds of blazing retro riffage. Since its creation in Roma in 2007, HPS has released projects for Black Rainbows, Nick Oliveri, Karma To Burn, Naam, White Hills, Farflung, Fatso Jetson, Deville, Hot Lunch, Killer Boogie, Mos Generator, Isaak, The Sonic Dawn, Mothership and many more.

https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUNDS/
heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com
http://www.heavypsychsounds.com/

Black Rainbows, “The Red Sky Above”