Posted in Reviews on October 2nd, 2026 by JJ Koczan
With sinister fascinations, choice riffs, and doomly overcast, The Well present their fourth album, …And Flames Ran Like Living Animals, as their first outing through Spaceflight Records. Though the band have toured plenty in between, it’s their first full-length in seven years since 2019’s Death and Consolation (review here), and in the nine-song and 39-minute succession, they make up for lost time with the underlying sharpness of their craft, the thoughtfulness of their arrangements, particularly of vocals between guitarist Ian Graham and bassist Lisa Alley — the band is completed by drummer Jason Sullivan — and an unmitigated penchant for hooks that begins quickly as the High on Fire-esque bombastic intro riff to opener “Season of the Flame” gives way to a nod and duet vocal that makes even the verse catchy, never mind the refrain, “See the sun, it’s getting low/Under the sign of a downcast arrow.”
Momentum is quickly on their side, and if some of these songs are older, like second track “Love Cult (Xmas)” — which is about, wait for it, a cult — has been around for a few years, then clearly the time woodshedding at least some of this material on the road (roadshedding?) has been to its benefit. Throughout its run, …And Flames Ran Like Living Animals balances atmosphere and directness of structure, and with opening duo “Season of the Flame,” “Love Cult (Xmas),” the later “Love Look This Way” and closer “Other Girls” helmed by Bryan Richie (The Sword, also Spaceflight Records) and the remaining five tracks — “Between the Bodies,” “Mother Leeds,” “New Hallelujah for the Damned,” “Mystery Babylon” and “Dillinger’s Requiem” — recorded and mixed by Chico Jones, the album gives a sense of progression in terms of sound, getting darker as it goes.
It might also be the most melodically complex work The Well have done to-date, or at very least that on which Graham and Alley are the most confident together on vocals. The harmonies in “Between the Bodies” or in the first half of the later “Mystery Babylon” are relevant examples, but by no means the only ones. Their joint approach has always been a distinguishing factor for The Well in terms of dynamic, as they move between individual parts, sneering, crooning, and so on, and with …And Flames Ran Like Living Animals, they find ways to highlight melody in pieces like “Love Look This Way” or the baglama-laced finale “Other Girls” following on from the penultimate interlude “Dillinger’s Requiem,” which comes with a spoken word narrative and seems to have had the working title “Oud to Joy.” So be it. Both “Mother Leeds” and “New Hallelujah for the Damned” are hard-hitting. The former layers in acoustic guitar (it might be Graham‘s baglama, honestly) toward its finish, and is the longest song at just over six minutes, where “New Hallelujah for the Damned” arrives with a layer of ambient pulls complementing a doomier chug riff. I don’t know that I ever thought of The Well as being influenced by Trouble or that school of classic doom metal.
Of course Black Sabbath are always a factor, and you can hear that directly in “Between the Bodies” on side A, but “New Hallelujah for the Damned” has a more forward push, fleshed out in an almost garage-doom/theatrical midsection before the last verse and tambourine-backed solo, and it lands more in line with that foundation. Maybe that’s spliting hairs in terms of ‘heavy this’ or ‘heavy that,’ but it’s intriguing on a nerd level to hear The Well manifesting different ideas and moods at different times on the same record.
The second half of …And Flames Ran Like Living Animals plays out with its own intention as it moves toward the witchy, hooky “Other Girls” rounding out, and as “Season of the Flame” set side A in motion, so too does “New Hallelujah for the Damned” feel introductory, if also less willfully catchy. It sounds like digging in, and on that level, “Love Look This Way” is a fitting answer as well, with its long, sample-topped intro (is that Terence McKenna; too British?) before its real lumber takes hold, only to drop out into a psychedelic solo and payoff, a change in structural purpose that ultimately serves to enrich the album’s progression as a whole.
The subsequent “Mystery Babylon” feels like a return to ground somewhat, but that might just be a result of the way it moves quickly into its first verse and raw impact of Sullivan‘s drums, the riffs they’re punctuating and the tempo-pickup behind the fuzzy solo later on before they tease a big slowdown and actually just end the song, shifting fluidly with a fadeout into the spoken “Dillinger’s Requiem,” which I’m pretty sure is Graham narrating over the percussion, baglama, etc., as a minute-or-so’s departure placed well to let “Other Girls” stand on its own for its cultish posture and atmospheric focus, a consumingly dark heavy rocker at its core with more going on than just that. The closer feels horror-themed, but is more playful about it than one might glean from that — so, goth? kinda. — with Alley and Graham together delivering one more memorable chorus before the last build ebbs.
For a band who’ve been at it for nearly 15 years since their first 7″ and have spent much of that time touring, what …And Flames Ran Like Living Animals accomplishes isn’t necessarily surprising — though it’s certainly a welcome return after seven years — but it is reassuring to hear them both tighten their craft to such a degree and consciously work to convey how multifaceted their appaoch actually is. To put it in a cliche, it’s been a bit but their time hasn’t been misspent, and these songs benefit from the work that’s been put into them, whichever side you might happen to have on at any given time. They’re not shy about engaging with genre, but remain firmly planted in a niche of their own.
The Well, …And Flames Ran Like Living Animals (2026)
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 23rd, 2026 by JJ Koczan
We’re just a month out from Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol releasing their new album, Ca$h Grab, on Oct. 23, and if you heard their prior album, 2024’s Big Dumb Riffs (review here), or have caught wind of the singles they’ve released this year (review here) that will also feature on the record, you know that’s good news. No surprise they’ll be supporting the LP by touring hard, as they’ve been doing that anyway for the better part of the last half-decade, establishing a reputation for shenanigans one show at a time while also pushing themselves musically with each new release.
This is tour news, but take it as a reminder of Ca$h Grab as well, from which four of the 14 component songs are now streaming at the bottom of this post. Below you’ll find the dates for the October West Coast tour they’ll undertake ahead of the album coming out, the hometown show they’ll play to celebrate its arrival and the Southeastern run with which they’ll round out 2026 before, no doubt, they spend much if not the entirety of 2027 on the road.
[UPDATE 09.23: Apparently the October tour is canceled, with more dates coming next year. Thanks Adam Hillman for the heads up.]
From the PR wire:
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol share December tour dates supporting forthcoming Ca$h Grab album (out 10/23)
Austin trio Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol announce December headlining tour dates today, supporting their forthcoming fourth album Ca$h Grab. The album will be released worldwide on October 23rd. Fans can get tickets HERE for all shows:https://rickshawbilliesburgerpatrol.myshopify.com/
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol further the sarcastic tone of their previous album’s title Big Dumb Riffs to double down with Ca$h Grab. The irony here — and perhaps the point — is that Ca$h Grab is the band’s most introspective and lyrically vulnerable songwriting to date.
Of course, the band still bludgeons with thunderous 8-string guitar, growling bass chords and pummeling drums throughout. But these songs are as bassist Aaron Metzdorf explains,“more pop song forward, while still in the idiom of heavy music.”
The album finds the trio — vocalist/guitarist Leo Lydon, drummer Sean St. Germain and bassist/vocalist Metzdorf — expanding their mastery of heavy, hook-filled riffs and rhythms couched in earworm melody that would make Green Album era Weezer jealous. Following the Spartan Primus-meets-Pantera rhythmic ruction in 2 minutes or less of Big Dumb Riffs, the band lets melodies lead the battlefront this time around. In so doing, the lyrics are more personal and revealing, juxtaposed with twisting notes that nod to influences from Built To Spill and Sugar style indie pop to early 90s-era Rush.
“The heavier parts are even heavier, but more fleshed out. And the heaviness is not just in a guitar riff, but heavy lyrics, heavy melody,” Metzdorf says. “Some of the heaviest parts of the whole album are Leo’s vocals. While the poppier stuff has a more prominent role on this one.”
Ca$h Grab kicks off where the last album left off: The slow burn quiet/loud dynamic of “Freakshow”, seemingly the end result of the quasi-psychotic conceit of the previous disc’s “In a Jar,” both of which are sung by Metzdorf, who sings lead on 5 of the album’s 14 tracks. Vocalist/guitarist Leo Lydon really showcases the versatility in his singing, belting out high notes like never before on songs like “Fate Is”, “Peaches” and the title track. And while his vocals soar, Lydon’s 8-string guitar rumbles with menacing low end while intertwined with Metzdorf’s thick, heavily distorted bass chords. The band’s secret weapon, St. Germain pulls it all together with his innovative beat substitutions and explosive, syncopated hooks delivered with an effortless groove and fun loving smile.
In the two years since Big Dumb Riffs, the band toured relentlessly, both as a headliner and supporting The Sword, Death From Above 1979, Pigs x9, King Buffalo and more. Their meticulously curated annual Big Dumb Fest in Austin and headlining dates continue to sell out and the band’s ever growing rabid fanbase proves that RBBP’s iconic reign has just begun.
Ca$h Grab will be available on LP, CD, cassette and download/streaming on October 23rd, 2026.
RICKSHAW BILLIE’S BURGER PATROL – US LIVE 2026: 10/23 Austin, TX – Mohawk Austin (Album Release Party) 12/04 Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves 12/05 Tyler, TX – Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ 12/06 Memphis, TN – Hernando’s Hideaway 12/09 Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle 12/10 Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups 12/11 Louisville, KY – Zanzabar 12/12 Asheville, NC – Eulogy 12/14 Orlando, FL – Will’s Pub 12/15 Tampa, FL – New World Brewery 12/16 St. Augustine, FL – Cafe Eleven 12/17 Pensacola, FL – The Handlebar 12/18 New Orleans, LA – Siberia 12/19 Houston, TX – Bad Astronaut
RICKSHAW BILLIE’S BURGER PATROL – US LIVE 2026: 10/01 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades * 10/02 Berkeley, CA – UC Theater * 10/03 Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre * 10/04 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater * 10/06 Ventura, CA – Ventura Music Hall * 10/08 Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco * 10/09 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory OC * 10/10 San Diego, CA – The Observatory San Diego * 10/11 Tempe, AZ – The Marquee * 10/13 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre * * w/ Death From Above 1979
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol: Vocals, 8-string guitar: Leo Lydon Bass, vocals: Aaron Metzdorf Drums: Sean St. Germain
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 21st, 2026 by JJ Koczan
I did my best to avoid social media this past weekend as Ripplefest Texas 2026 took place, correctly figuring that seeing the absolute blast everyone in attendance was having and posting about would do me and my whatever-you-call-FOMO-when-you-know-you-already-missed-out ass no good. Even so, I managed to catch the Austin-based forerunner heavyfest posting the first names from its 2027 lineup, which will bring Greenleaf back (presumably their new album will be out by then) and feature the returning Sasquatch as well as imports Gaupa, The Devil and the Almighty Blues and Daily Thompson alongside High Desert Queen — whose frontman Ryan Garney runs the thing — Woorms and New Orleans’ Suplecs, who earlier this year made an awaited studio comeback.
This is just the beginning, of course. I’m curious if YOB, who had to cancel this year, will reconfirm, but obviously there’s a whole year between now and the fest to find out. In the meantime, tickets are on sale and it’s a good moment to start the hype, as obivously those who were lucky enough to be there this year are stoked on the thought of returning. Once again, Ripplefest Texas showing everyone how it’s done.
So, from socials:
RippleFest Texas will be back and bigger than ever next year! Clear your calendars for September 16-19, 2027 for the best family reunion in the world! It will once again be held at The Far Out Lounge and the Sagebrush in Austin, TX.
Only 100 4 Day Passes are on sale now! Don’t miss out on the best deal possible for 4 days of incredible music and amazing vibes!
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 7th, 2026 by JJ Koczan
Over the weekend, founding guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt of Oregonian cosmic doom progenitors YOB announced they were canceling the rest of their upcoming appearances for 2026 owing to needing surgery to regain full use of his left hand. This included shows in New York, Europe and this month’s Ripplefest Texas in Austin, which announced on the quick that no less than John Garcia (Kyuss, Slo Burn, Hermano, Unida, Band of Gold/solo, etc.) would be taking up the spot, bringing a set spanning his landmark discography as he has at solo shows throughout the past few years.
Lemons into lemonade, then. Certainly one wishes Scheidt the best on his surgery and recovery. The world is a better place with him able to play without discomfort. I hope he’s back at it soon, and I hope those shows get rescheduled for whenever he’s ready. If you’re going to Ripplefest, enjoy John Garcia (and the rest of it; the lineup is listed in full below). I continue to be sad to miss it, as I’ve grown to be pretty much every year this decade since the world opened up. Points for consistency.
Dah-nuh-na-nah-nah:
BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: JOHN GARCIA
While we are very sad to hear of YOB having to drop due to health concerns, we are thrilled to announce that we’ve added a legend! John Garcia and his band will be performing a specifically curated set list for RippleFest Texas that’s never been played before, along with many of his hits across his vast collection of bands: Kyuss, Hermano, Slo Burn, Band of Gold and more. All of this will be performed Friday night at The Far Out Lounge under the incredible Mad Alchemist Liquid Light Show!
John Garcia Khemmis Greenleaf Dopethrone Kal-El ZED Dirty Sound Magnet Howling Giant Skloss Solace Fister Thunder Horse Luna Sol Rebreather Gran Moreno Robots of the Ancient World Borracho Unger Blue Heron Witch Ripper Volume Plaindrifter Lake Lake Demons My Friends Friendship Commanders Mr. Plow Shadow of Jupiter For Fuck’s Sake
Posted in Whathaveyou on August 21st, 2026 by JJ Koczan
At long last, the album announcement and release date. Austin, Texas, bashers Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol have done well holding momentum over from 2024’s Big Dumb Riffs (review here) through touring and, starting earlier this year, eeking out singles even as the follow-up, titled Ca$h Grab, was still coming together. With the posting of the title-track and the reveal of the cover and album details the other day, it’s officially a thing. Out Oct. 23. Preorders. All that record-release whatnot.
The band will have another West Coast tour under their collective belt before the LP is actually out, and surely it won’t be the last, but having dug into each of the three tracks that comprised their The Disappearing Man EP (review here) and that will feature as well on the album, in addition to the title-track, the real irony of the title seems to be in the band’s desire to hold the audience they’ve managed to win to their side through the last album and the hard work they’ve put into it.
It’s not actually about cash — there is none, this is the heavy rock underground — but bands don’t start records ‘where the last one left off’ without trying to keep some of that same magic going. They make it easy to hope they manage to do just that, while also expanding the palette as discussed below. That can be a hard balance to strike. I haven’t heard the thing yet, so we’ll see how it goes. They say it’s more melodic. Fair enough.
For more, the PR wire:
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol announce Ca$h Grab album release w/ new single & pre-sale
Austin trio Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol announce their forthcoming fourth album today, titled Ca$h Grab with release of the title track single on all platforms. The album will be released on October 23rd, track listing and cover art follow below. Fans can now pre-order Ca$h Grab on LP/CD/MC HERE:https://rickshawbilliesburgerpatrol.myshopify.com/
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol further the sarcastic tone of their previous album’s title Big Dumb Riffs to double down with Ca$h Grab. The irony here — and perhaps the point — is that Ca$h Grab is the band’s most introspective and lyrically vulnerable songwriting to date.
Of course, the band still bludgeons with thunderous 8-string guitar, growling bass chords and pummeling drums throughout. But these songs are as bassist Aaron Metzdorf explains,“more pop song forward, while still in the idiom of heavy music.”
The album finds the trio — vocalist/guitarist Leo Lydon, drummer Sean St. Germain and bassist/vocalist Metzdorf — expanding their mastery of heavy, hook-filled riffs and rhythms couched in earworm melody that would make Green Album era Weezer jealous. Following the Spartan Primus-meets-Pantera rhythmic ruction in 2 minutes or less of Big Dumb Riffs, the band lets melodies lead the battlefront this time around. In so doing, the lyrics are more personal and revealing, juxtaposed with twisting notes that nod to influences from Built To Spill and Sugar style indie pop to early 90s-era Rush.
“The heavier parts are even heavier, but more fleshed out. And the heaviness is not just in a guitar riff, but heavy lyrics, heavy melody,” Metzdorf says. “Some of the heaviest parts of the whole album are Leo’s vocals. While the poppier stuff has a more prominent role on this one.”
Ca$h Grab kicks off where the last album left off: The slow burn quiet/loud dynamic of “Freakshow”, seemingly the end result of the quasi-psychotic conceit of the previous disc’s “In a Jar,” both of which are sung by Metzdorf, who sings lead on 5 of the album’s 14 tracks. Vocalist/guitarist Leo Lydon really showcases the versatility in his singing, belting out high notes like never before on songs like “Fate Is”, “Peaches” and the title track. And while his vocals soar, Lydon’s 8-string guitar rumbles with menacing low end while intertwined with Metzdorf’s thick, heavily distorted bass chords. The band’s secret weapon, St. Germain pulls it all together with his innovative beat substitutions and explosive, syncopated hooks delivered with an effortless groove and fun loving smile.
In the two years since Big Dumb Riffs, the band toured relentlessly, both as a headliner and supporting The Sword, Death From Above 1979, Pigs x9, King Buffalo and more. Their meticulously curated annual Big Dumb Fest in Austin and headlining dates continue to sell out and the band’s ever growing rabid fanbase proves that RBBP’s iconic reign has just begun.
Ca$h Grab will be available on LP, CD, cassette and download/streaming on October 23rd, 2026.
Artist: Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol Album: Ca$h Grab Record Label: Permanent Teeth / RBBP Release Date: October 23rd, 2026
01. Freakshow 02. I Doubt It 03. Peaches 04. Fate Is 05. Punisher 06. Follow Through 07. Bury Me in Denver 08. Ca$h Grab 09. The Disappearing Man 10. No Juice 11. Bough Down 12. Talking To You 13. Couple Skate 14. Lush
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Alberto De Icaza. Album art by Jeff “Skele” Sheely.
RICKSHAW BILLIE’S BURGER PATROL – US LIVE 2026: 09/05 Cookeville, TN – Muddy Roots Music Festival 10/01 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades * 10/02 Berkeley, CA – UC Theater * 10/03 Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre * 10/04 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater * 10/06 Ventura, CA – Ventura Music Hall * 10/08 Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco * 10/09 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory OC * 10/10 San Diego, CA – The Observatory San Diego * 10/11 Tempe, AZ – The Marquee * 10/13 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre * * w/ Death From Above 1979
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol: Vocals, 8-string guitar: Leo Lydon Bass, vocals: Aaron Metzdorf Drums: Sean St. Germain
Posted in Reviews on August 14th, 2026 by JJ Koczan
Well, I have just about a full week’s worth of news to catch up on, so we must be coming down to the end of the Quarterly Review. “Planets align. A king is born. Dodge Swinger.” Etc.
It’s been real, though. Again, I didn’t go one day without putting something in my notes for end-of-year list time, and that includes today as well. If you’ve come along for the ride on these 50 release, thank you. I hope you’ve found something new to listen to, or at least had your opinions of what you’ve already heard confirmed, which always feels good on some level. I will say it’s been a pleasure to dig into this stuff, and I don’t know who slates these things — that’s a joke, I do; there’s nobody else here; sometimes I feel like I need to say that even after 17 years because I’m both insecure and irrelevant — but they did alright on this one because at no point in this process was I like, “omg what is mah life,” and it’s always a relief to not get there.
Bottom line, as always, thanks for reading. I’ll be back with another of these in October, probably.
Quarterly Review #41-50:
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, The Disappearing Man
Word on the street — by that I mean their Linktree — is that Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol release their new single “Ca$h Grab” Aug. 18. That’s also the title-track of their next full-length, reportedly, but the low-string charmer Austin trio have been eeking out singles since Spring, and the resultant three-songer, The Disappearing Man, is a welcome keep-momentum interim outing for those who’ve been chasing the dragon of 2024’s Big Dumb Riffs (review here) and need something new for their reels-addled attention spans. All three tracks — “The Disappearing Man,” “Bough Down” and “Peaches” — are two minutes long but each gives a different look between the sneer of “Peaches,” the post-grunge heavy rock of “Bough Down” and the harder-hitting pummeling fuckery of the title cut. Is it a holdover? Yeah, probably. Will it even exist when the album comes out and likely features the same tracks? I don’t know. But it’s here now and the songs rule, so maybe get it while it’s there to get got and worry about the rest later, hmm?
The rock is by no means gone from Tidal Wave‘s sound on Volume Tree, but a shift has taken place as well since 2023’s The Lord Knows (review here) such that the first half of the new record seems to draw more from classic heavy metal than desert rock. On “The Orb,” “Hangman,” “Earth” and “Temple of Humanity,” that finds the Swedish foursome more in league with Dio-era Sabbath or Johan Langquist-fronted Candlemass, which is a compliment to vocalist Alexander “Sunkan” Sundqvist. The back half of the album, with “Sideburns,” “Shapeshifter,” “Manuscript 512” and “Skitliv,” complicates the narrative in the yachty experiment of the closer and the penultimate cut drawing the two sides together, but “Sideburns” and “Shapeshifter” have desert-style push, and the latter reminds particularly of late-1900s outfits like The Awesome Machine in its crunch and buzz. Either way they go, the songs hit their marks, so mark it a win for the complexity.
With six songs likewise furious and welcome, Richmond, Virginia’s Thunderchief are only right to name their latest EP after ways they might possibly kill you. The charred heavy thrash-doom of from the two-piece of guitarist/screamer Rik Surly and drum-pummeler Erik Larson does not shy away from the caustic, and whether it’s a roll like “Entrance of the Devil” or the gallop-over-your-head “Chintzy,” or the concluding noisefest in “Slurpee,” to which nine of the EP’s 23 minutes are dedicated, their penchant for aural slaughter shows itself in Surly‘s unflinching rasp, in Larson‘s corresponding pounding — looking at you, “Malaise” — and in the disaffected shove of “Lie Nation,” the band packing a full album’s worth of aggression into the abbreviated runtime. This is Thunderchief‘s wheelhouse, and hardly their first excursion into listener-abuse, but as impressive as the raw sustained ferocity is — not that the world doesn’t provide constant reasons to stay angry — it’s the fact that the material holds together and bears the weight they put to it that makes their approach so lethal. That’s on full and punishing display here.
A multinational collaboration between Peruvian psychheads Chino Burga and Pepe Abad (both veterans of La Ira de Dios) and Scott “Dr. Space” Heller (Øresund Space Collective and adjacent projects), Umma resonate psychedelic meditation across their four-song debut, Kosmovisionen, with layers of intersecting guitar drones, percussion, and synth. “Monts” sets the stage for the unfolding free/freak jazz of “Procesio,” and while “Aeparatio” feels grounded by comparison, its float of guitar remains transcendant ahead of the finale “Ogon,” which is a dream of experimentalist tone and cymbal wash. I don’t know how much of a band Umma are going to be, sending files back and forth between Peru and Portugal, but they tap into something spiritual here in just 35 minutes, and Kosmovisionen sounds more like the beginning of a broader exploration rather than a one-off collab. They create so much space, it’d be a shame if they didn’t grow and flesh out their arrangements accordingly.
Intended as a 7″ complement to the DHU Records vinyl pressing of Rifle‘s 2025 album, Beyond Paranoia, this two-songer plays out for 11 minutes across “Incarnation” and “Twisted Death,” vibing like rote jams with mellow vocals overtop like Endless Boogie or something like that, with an unpredictable edge and underlying tension. Apparently there were lineup issues? I’m not sure on the story, but the resultant vibe is off-kilter in a fascinating way — it’s not necessarily holding back the songs, I mean — and the low-key chaos they capture in the recordings, with mad swirls of guitar behind the mostly-whisper vocals, builds on what the album was doing in pieces like “Beyond Paranoia” and “Gipsy Spell” while feeling less tethered to a classic-heavy/vintage songwriting methodology. That may be indicative of a future direction, or these may just be leftovers from the album sessions, I don’t know, but it’s weird and dug in and sounds like it doesn’t care in the slightest how you classify it.
This year has brought new productivity from Boston experimentalists Brass Hearse, who’ve released three singles in 2026 in addition to this 17-track/51-minute ambient film soundtrack; their first new offerings in six years. The penultimate “Destroyer of the Breach” runs nearly nine minutes, but most of Can’t Get No — titled after the movie — is made up of shorter pieces one to three minutes long, with drones and guitar, keys and various washes of tone, some cogent progressions, some purposefully not, evoking a feeling of loneliness and foreboding. Presumably the title is a Rolling Stones reference — “Drifting Through the Void” might build on the song in question as well, though I might be imagining it — and I haven’t seen the movie, but from what I read it’s shorter than the soundtrack, so yes, that would be emblematic of the new creative delve on the part of the Boston band. On its own, the album makes for a meditative, atmospheric listen but don’t take that to mean Brass Hearse lack dynamic or are doing the same thing all the time. They just happen to be really effective in conjuring a world.
Tucked away in the northeast of Sweden, the Umeå-based three-piece Svindel strike an immediately classic impression on their Ripple-issued debut album, Drömfeber, channeling boogie rock’s sense of motion and, in the title-track and elsewhere, calling to mind psychedelic reach without actually veering too far from the underlying structures of their material. Somebody’s playing organ on opener “Jupiterbarn,” and I’d swear I hear keyboards elsewhere too, but none among guitarist/vocalist Jan Lindblad, bassist Daniel Forsberg and drummer/backing vocalist Johannes Braf is credited with the contribution, so maybe I’m the one in a fever dream. In any case, as “Tunga Ögon” hints toward blues and “Ta Mig Tillbaka Till Världen Nu” embarks in the direction of pastoralia, the stylistic book hardly seems closed in terms of how Svindel might progress, but the fact that they are able to cover this swath without sacrificing cohesive songwriting makes their debut impressive even for someone like me who speaks not a lick of Swedish.
The abrasive sludge excoriation of Dirtmother Live makes a fitting companion-piece for the Fayetteville, Arkansas, local-legend/cryptid outfit’s 19-years-later 2025 self-titled debut (review here), presenting five songs across a rasping, willfully confrontational half-hour set captured from the board at the American Legion Hall in their hometown in true punker fashion, and let’s say probably mixed thereafter. In this material — most of which comes from the record; “Reversal” seems to be “Reverse Cowgirl” under a different name and “Cult of Suzie Everett” does not appear on the studio LP — the nodding fuzz and the impact-density of their low end comes though in full-punch glory, stage banter is preserved, and “Trucker” is even nastier in its bite than it already was, which should be read as a high compliment to the achievement. If you don’t come out of this wanting to start a sludge band, consult a physician.
Italy’s Hijss return after 2024’s Stuck on Common Ground (review here) with a self-titled eight-song/39-minute LP that’s an even deeper dive into krautisms and cosmic heavy rock, volatile in “Vicious Cycle” and “Parasite,” daring to soothe before they walk into the wash of “S.W.A.N.” and getting full-on electro-dance-mode in the penultimate “Fatal Attraction” before the moody distortion swell of “Outro” rounds out. Opener and longest track (immediate points) “Drain of Thoughts” establishes precedent in the motorik-roll-turned-heavy-shove progression, but the ultimate product of the album is that Hijss have gotten weirder and more individualized in the last two years, they’re ready to tour with labelmates Giöbia like yesterday, and the experimentalism in bringing together acoustics and synthesized textures of “Underwater” and the throb/fuzz banger “Dopamine” present a fresher take than I’ve yet seen the band credited for honing.
Deley Sound System is the techno alter-ego of Budapesti psychedelic improvisationalist Deley, and if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, their earlier-2026 live recording Unsync 001 captures them bringing their spontaneity-fueled creative process to a style of music that, considering it’s programmed, is often classified as more staid. Psychedelia persists across genre here as the band weave together samples and different layers to carve an affect that’s all the more immersive and hypnotic not in spite of the steady beat that might underpin a track like “Sun 001” or the 18-minute “BBM 001” but rather because of it. The dub techno and synthesizer aspects, playing off influences from jams and generally more guitar-led (or -inclusive at all, for that matter) fare, are fascinating academically, but it’s satisfying as well to hear a band so willing to step beyond their comfort zone and a crucial reminder that the boundaries of creativity are far more imaginary than the sitar sounds on “Sun 002” and that the most dangerous thing to any status quo is a mind brave enough to look beyond it as these minds do here.
Posted in Whathaveyou on July 8th, 2026 by JJ Koczan
I don’t know nothin’ about nothin’, but my understanding is that by the time this post goes up, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol‘s new single “The Disappearing Man” — on-theme cover art below — will be streaming. The song follows behing two other singles — that’s what the cover is on-theme with — in “Bough Down” (posted here) and “Peaches” (posted here) as the low-string Austin trio have tried throughout 2026 to balance between keeping momentum on their side following the unmitigated radness of 2024’s Big Dumb Riffs (review here), touring and actually coming off the road long enough to finish their next LP, with the given title of CA$H GRAB.
When that album is coming, I don’t know, but it’s a crucial moment for the band, to be sure. Fortunately, at this point, they’ve shown a decent amount of material even as they’ve still been working on it, and between “Bough Down” and “Peaches” and now “The Disappearing Man,” you can hear how they’re working around the vocal sneer that defined the last record, not dropping it but not getting hindered by setting the expectation of doing the same thing all the time, which they weren’t on Big Dumb Riffs either, actually.
So what’s next? I’d assume finishing the next LP, but they’ll also travel to Tennessee for Muddy Roots Music Festival and in October they’ll hit California, Arizona and Colorado on a Western US run that may or may not coincide with the new release. Like that setup? Yeah, a thing either will or won’t happen. Stay tuned for more in-depth insider info just like that. Definitely not just speculation and press releases around here. No way. I’m all about the value-added content.
Think I’ll remember to add the embed for the song before this post is live? Place your bets, folks:
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol – “Disappearing Man”: upcoming album CA$H GRAB, tour w/ Death From Above 1979
Austin trio Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol share their latest single, “The Disappearing Man” from their forthcoming album CA$H GRAB. The song finds the band showcasing their absolute mastery of heavy hook-filled riffs and rhythms couched in earworm melody that would make Green Album era Weezer jealous.
The band recently announced Fall 2026 tour dates supporting Death From Above 1979. Fans can get tickets HERE (https://rickshawbilliesburgerpatrol.myshopify.com/) for all shows. Please see all dates below.
CA$H GRAB is still in production and will be announced in more detail at a later date. For now, dig in to the three bite-sized anthems from the album so far, “The Disappearing Man”, “Bough Down” and “Peaches” on all DSPs HERE:https://linktr.ee/rickshawbilliesburgerpatrol
RBBP just concluded their CA$H GRAB 6-week headlining tour across North America, with multiple sold out shows. The band was joined on the entire tour by Austin punk-metal trio American Sharks (whose new album Not Dead Yet released in late April).
RICKSHAW BILLIE’S BURGER PATROL – US LIVE 2026: 09/05 Cookeville, TN – Muddy Roots Music Festival 10/01 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades * 10/02 Berkeley, CA – UC Theater * 10/03 Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre * 10/04 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater * 10/06 Ventura, CA – Ventura Music Hall * 10/08 Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco * 10/09 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory OC * 10/10 San Diego, CA – The Observatory San Diego * 10/11 Tempe, AZ – The Marquee * 10/13 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre * * w/ Death From Above 1979
Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol: Leo Lydon: eight-string guitar/vocals Aaron Metzdorf: bass Sean St.Germain: drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on June 29th, 2026 by JJ Koczan
By my count, the last time Duel were in Europe was… Spring ’25. Which for most humans isn’t that long ago but Duel tour enough that that’s probably forever. In the interim, the Austin, Texas, metallorockers went to Japan for the first time in their increasingly storied tenure, and if you’re fortunate, you can catch them in July at Asheville Doomed and Stoned in North Carolina. The newly-announced Euro run below is booked around slots at Heavy Psych Sounds Fest — I think it’s fair to call them a flagship Heavy Psych Sounds band at this point — as well as Desertfest Belgium, for which they were announced earlier in June, and Westill Festival in France, after which they have an open date on Halloween. You should book them for your Halloween party, have them faceblast all your normie friends, film it and let the band put it out as a video. Or just put together a show in Paris, maybe. Whatever’s better for you.
Dates hoisted from socials:
🔥EUROPEAN DATES🔥 we I’ll be back in Europe for a few weeks in October!! 2 dates still open!! Contact bookingheavypsychsounds@gmail.com to book your show
** DUEL – European Tour 2026 ** Thu 15 Oct 26 CH OBERENTFELDEN – Boeroem Fri 16 Oct 26 DE HPS FEST BERLIN Sat 17 Oct 26 DE HPS FEST DRESDEN Sun 18 Oct 26 BE LIEGE OM – Desertfest Belgium Mon 19 Oct 26 CH DUDINGEN – Bad Bonn Tue 20 Oct 26 FR LYON – Rock n Eat Wed 21 Oct 26 *** OPEN SLOT *** Thu 22 Oct 26 FR DAX – BrewSocial Club Fri 23 Oct 26 ES GIJON – Lucy Club Sat 24 Oct 26 PO PORTO – Woodstock 69 Sun 25 Oct 26 ES CACERES – Boogaloo Club Mon 26 Oct 26 ES JEREZ – La guarida del Angel Tue 27 Oct 26 ES MADRID – Wurlitzer Wed 28 Oct 26 ES PORTUGALETE – Groove Thu 29 Oct 26 FR BORDEAUX – L’Astrodome Fri 30 Oct 26 FR VALLET – Westill Festival Sat 31 Oct 26 *** OPEN SLOT ***
DUEL is Tom Frank – lead vocals & guitar Jeff Henson – lead guitar & backing vocals Patrick “Scooch” Pascucci – Drums Drew Potter – bass & backing vocals
