Last summer, Boozewa released their most albumy album to-date, Bon Vivant. I whiffed on reviewing it. Why? I have no idea. A lot of travel last year, some shit just gets by. I don’t know. The record is at the bottom of this post and it sounds great. By all means, partake, though I’m sure you already have, because you’re better at this and cooler than I am.

Nonetheless, I’m happy to put up word of Boozewa taking the road on the show or some such as they head out on tour this summer. They tour anyhow, but the impetus here would seem to be a stop through the Asheville Doomed & Stoned fest, which looks rad, and after that, they’ve got club shows with Godzillionaire (I seem to recall Mike Cummings is a big Paw fan, so that should be a moment), Husband Lost at Sea and a slew of others. It starts the 9th, ends the 26th, and they’ve got three days off. Imagine my relief to see that, in fact, some of us are getting younger.

I’m gonna go listen to that record. Here’s dates from social media:

All these random show announcements we guess it’s time to show the BIG LEAGUE CHEW!

Summer tour kicks off July 9th and it’s LOADED with bangers in amazing cities with even more amazing bands and some NEW BALLPARKS we haven’t seen yet!

JULY
9 – Pie Shop – Washington DC w/ GUHTS
10 – Monstercade – Winston Salem NC w/ GUHTS
11 – Asheville NC – Doomed and Stoned Festival
12 – Blackstrap – Gainesville GA w/ Armazilla, Husband Lost At Sea
13 – Cobra – Nashville TN w/ Serrotonin
14 – MagBar – Louisville KY w/ Mound Builders
16 – Heavy Anchor – St Louis MO w/ ComaHawk, Nothing People
17 – Replay Lounge – Lawrence KS w/ Godzillionaire
18 – Leftys – De Moines IA w/ Worst Impressions, Look At Me
19 – Zhora – Minneapolis MN w/ Husband Lost At Sea
21 – Reggies – Chiago IL w/ Displacer, Jesus Coyote
22 – Lucky Fox – Paw Paw MI w/ RTRN, Archaea
24 – Spacebar – Columbus OH w/ Server, Disnerver, Husband Lost at Sea
25 – 123 Pleasant St – Morgantown WV w/ Grey Harbinger, Hovel, Husband Lost At Sea
26 – Gem Speakeasy – Spring City PA w/ Hover, Oven, Husband Lost At Sea

Boozewa:
Jessica Baker / bass, hollering
Rylan Caspar / guitar, hollering
Mike Cummings (mRc) / drums, hollering

https://www.facebook.com/boozewa
http://instagram.com/boozewa
https://boozewa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.BOOZEWA.com

Boozewa, Bon Vivant (2024)

Some news from raw heavy punkers Boozewa, who’ve been kicking around the last couple years even as drummer/vocalist Michael Rudolph Cummings put out a solo record and toured for it, etc., in that a new offering, Bon Vivant, will see release on July 9. No audio yet, but if you caught the Pennsylvania-based Backwoods Payback-offshoot’s 2021 EP, Developing Good Health (discussed here) or last year’s single “Maybe I’m a Bird” (video posted here), you should know to expect an elbow or two thrown in your direction. The three-piece of Cummings, bassist/vocalist Jessica Baker and guitarist/vocalist Rylan Caspar — whose mother I believe drew the picture above, while the cover art below/on the tour poster is by Tony Trease — are reliably brash, and if you don’t believe me, they’ve got A/V to demonstrate same at the bottom of this post.

Shows? Of course shows. They apparently just played with CKY — still a thing; good for them — and have dates lined up concurrent to Bon Vivant coming out and a couple weeks after, so yes, shows. Before I turn it over to what I culled from socials, I’ll just note that I have no idea whether Bon Vivant is an EP or a full-length. Based on what they’ve done to this point and since they don’t mention it, I’d guess an EP, but you never know for sure until you get there. If it’s a whole album, it would be their first, is the only reason I even bring it up. Any newswa is welcome newswa as far as I’m concerned.

Information for perusing:

It’s finally time! Our brand new record BON VIVANT will be released on Tuesday July 9th 2024!

Recorded/mixed/mastered once again at the always inspiring @noisylittlecritter by Mike Bardzik, with INCREDIBLE cover art done by our dear friend @tony_rocknroll

What ya say we jam a record release show for celebrate?

What ya say we hit a little tour to mark the occasion?

All the news that’s fit to hear coming today…and it’s only the beginning of what we have in store for the rest of 2024!

07.12 The Crown Wilmington DE (Release Show)
07.23 The Cave Chapel Hill NC
07.24 Sly Grog Asheville NC
07.25 Magbar Louisville KY
07.26 Westside Bowl Youngstown OH
07.27 Comedy House State College PA
07.28 Alkemy Flemington NJ

Boozewa:
Jessica Baker / bass, hollering
Rylan Caspar / guitar, hollering
Mike Cummings (mRc) / drums, hollering

https://www.facebook.com/boozewa
http://instagram.com/boozewa
https://boozewa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.BOOZEWA.com

Boozewa, “Maybe I’m a Bird” official video

Boozewa, Developing Good Health (2021)

Shit, man. Maybe you are a fucking bird. I don’t know.

Also: Ha. You wish it was that easy to explain.

In a bit of fun coincidence, I actually decided the other night that in a former life I was some kind of dopey, prehistoric flying creature. Proto-bird, maybe, like an archaeopteryx only nowhere near cool enough to have that name. Ever. It’s the best name. Seriously. Say “archaeopteryx” out loud. You won’t regret it.

By the way, this is my review of the single. How do you like it so far? Well, next time I write about Boozewa, I’m probably going to link back to it. You know, the ol’ “(review here).” I like the thought that someone might click that link in that post and see this.

I also like the fact that “Maybe I’m a Bird” is three minutes long and that around the point when it’s spent the first 90 seconds establishing its verse and chorus with genetically-punk drive and denser fuzz than you’re imagining it throws off its cowl and reveals it was grunge all along. Without giving up its purpose in tone or rawness, “Maybe I’m a Bird” is the most realized work yet from the still-raw-but-recorded-in-a-studio trio, who turn it back to another verse before the repetitions of “Maybe I’m a…” start to build before the more declarative “…bird” stops the song with a bit of done-now noise after.

Boozewa growing as a band, almost in spite of themselves. They keep it up and someone’s gonna start wondering about an album. I kind of already was.

Enjoy the clip. Mike made it:

Boozewa, “Maybe I’m a Bird” official video

BOOZEWA is back and BOOZEWA-ier than ever! The basement dwelling sludgy punk outfit have crawled up from the underground to reveal their first single as the fully realized vision of BOOZEWA. Done in a studio, not the basement! “Maybe I’m A Bird” retains the low-fi vibes BOOZEWA is known for and is a chantable, danceable, fuzzy good ol’ time!

BOOZEWA comments on the single: “Every day you have to go to work and there’s that one person there. That one person that’s always giving you a hard time. Always with the stink eye, always checking their watch to see if you were a minute late. We all know them. They are everywhere. When you see them tomorrow, make eye contact with them. Don’t break it. And let them know ‘HEY! You don’t know me. Maybe I’m A Bird!'”

Bringing a distinctive sound, BOOZEWA draws passionately from the heaviest of the heavy through to the mellowest of the mellow. Emphasized by their unusual recording method, the vintage touch produces a unique tone with a dynamic, atmospheric quality.

Boozewa:
Jessica Baker / bass, hollering
Rylan Caspar / guitar, hollering
Mike Cummings (mRc) / drums, hollering

Boozewa on Facebook

Boozewa on Instagram

Boozewa on Bandcamp

Boozewa on the internet

As it was like three days ago, the memory of Boozewa announcing their new single “Maybe I’m a Bird” is pretty fresh. Not complaining though. It’s a good memory, and at this point I’ve heard the track and it’s easily the highest fidelity and most atmospheric recording they’ve yet had. The trade for that is the rawness of those basement tapes — which definitely have their place and their specific appeal — but here’s the thing: the one doesn’t at all preclude the other. If Boozewa want to follow the pro-shop sound of “Maybe I’m a Bird” with something they tracked vigilante style in a Costco parking lot, that’s allowed — artistically, anyhow.

They’re touring though, and that’s cool. Maybe this is when they decide they’re a real band after all. Maybe not. They were almost willfully casual about their formation, and I’m pretty sure these aren’t the first not-in-PA dates they’ve done, but it’s a tour either way and given the parties involved it likely won’t be the last.

Maybe three days from now they’ll post all the venues and whatnot, and I can’t promise I won’t do a follow-up to this at that time — can’t promise I will either; you’re perfectly capable of finding that information — but front-drummer-except-he’s-in-back Michael Rudolph Cummings (who also put out a solo record last year on Ripple) posted the following on socials with the poster and I happened to have a little time to think about how the band are cool. That time has now ended. On to the next thing.

Till then:

When Backwoods Payback went to hibernate, I don’t think Jess and I really knew what to do. We just wanted to play and have fun. Bionic Rylan deciding to pick up a guitar again around the same time just seemed to make this make sense.

I’m not a drummer, I just fill the gaps where needed.

A lot of these towns were Backwoods Payback mainstays. Can’t wait to see them again from a different part of the stage.

Full details next week, but for now, for this weekend… check your hands and study the lines.

See you all soon

Boozewa:
Jessica Baker / bass, hollering
Rylan Caspar / guitar, hollering
Mike Cummings (mRc) / drums, hollering

http://instagram.com/boozewa
https://boozewa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.BOOZEWA.com

Boozewa, Developing Good Health (2021)

A Boozewa recording? From a studio? Ohh, my medication… [faints].

That’s actually the story here. Boozewa recording in a studio. What studio? I don’t know. That studio could also be a living room for all I know, but even that would be up from the basement — stylistically if not literally speaking — which I’m pretty sure is where most of Boozewa‘s to-date output has been taped. Like, on a four-track. The will toward lo-fi sounds was part of the initial mission as Boozewa splintered off from the (presumed) (for-now at least) end of Backwoods Payback, in which the trio were all members, two of them founders, but if you’re thinking they’ve gone high-gloss for the new single “Maybe I’m a Bird” — it’s already printed on trucker hats; also, I invite you to take this moment to assess if, perhaps, you indeed are a bird — slow down.

While the fidelity of the three-minute song is a definite uptick from even 2021’s Developing Good Health EP (review here), we’re still well within the realm of rough-on-purpose. They’ve just given themselves more space in the mix for shenanigans, and they’ve got the shenanigans to fill it. It’s not streaming yet, but it’s a July 5 release, so I think we’ve got enough lead time, and until then, the PR wire has the background on the song. Thinking debut album, maybe? Does Boozewa put out records?

We’ll find out:

BOOZEWA Will Release New Single “Maybe I’m A Bird”

BOOZEWA is back and BOOZEWA-ier than ever! The basement dwelling sludgy punk outfit have crawled up from the underground to reveal their first single as the fully realized vision of BOOZEWA. Done in a studio, not the basement! “Maybe I’m A Bird” retains the low-fi vibes BOOZEWA is known for and is a chantable, danceable, fuzzy good ol’ time! The song will be released on July 5th 2023 on all streaming platforms.

BOOZEWA comments on the single: “Every day you have to go to work and there’s that one person there. That one person that’s always giving you a hard time. Always with the stink eye, always checking their watch to see if you were a minute late. We all know them. They are everywhere. When you see them tomorrow, make eye contact with them. Don’t break it. And let them know ‘HEY! You don’t know me. Maybe I’m A Bird!’”

Bringing a distinctive sound, BOOZEWA draws passionately from the heaviest of the heavy through to the mellowest of the mellow. Emphasized by their unusual recording method, the vintage touch produces a unique tone with a dynamic, atmospheric quality.

Boozewa:
Jessica Baker / bass, hollering
Rylan Caspar / guitar, hollering
Mike Cummings (mRc) / drums, hollering

http://instagram.com/boozewa
https://boozewa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.BOOZEWA.com

Boozewa, Developing Good Health (2021)

It’s a pretty common experience for an artist or a band to record a cover for a tribute album in progress and then not have that release actually happen. Happened to me, anyway. Happened apparently to Mike Cummings, then of Backwoods Payback, now of Boozewa (think ‘bourgeois’ but with the demon alcohol) circa 2012 for a Neil Young tribute for which he took on no less than “Cortez the Killer” from 1975’s Zuma, self-recording for a bedroom-folk intimacy and carrying the sweetly infectious melody of the original over to his own expressive modus. I’ll cop to not being nearly the Neil Young fan that Cummings or any number of other people are, up to and including Pearl Jam, of whom Cummings might just also have a cover or two laying around, but it’s a cool take, raw of course but the song suits that.

Giving ear won’t take but a few minutes — the player is at the bottom where the players go in hopes that you’ll read the words between here and there — and as always, I hope you enjoy.

From Bandcamp:

mRc – Cortez the Killer

Roughly a decade ago I was asked to be a part of a cassette only Neil Young tribute record. It was a small label based out of Virginia or DC from what I recall and I was excited to contribute to it. The band I was in at the time was of course in a state of flux and we were not able to get our shit together to make what I wanted to happen happen.

Instead, I decided to do this on my own, live with two mics taped to my Tascam 4 track tape machine.

The label never responded once the song was sent (in the mail mind you!) and honestly I don’t think the record ever ended up coming out.

This has sat on the shelf for a long time…and it felt like the right time to set it free.

mRc – vocal/guitar/harmonica

words/music – Neil Young

photograph – Jared Castaldi

https://michaelrudolphcummings.bandcamp.com/

https://instagram.com/boozewa
https://boozewa.bandcamp.com
https://www.BOOZEWA.com

mRc, “Cortez the Killer”

Pennsylvania trio Boozewa release their new EP, Developing Good Health, on Nov. 26. Nice, right? Sure. That’s what I like to think of as a safe-bet-good-time. The lockdown-formed trio based in Coatesville (about 45 minutes west of Philly) started this year off by releasing the 90-second instrumental track “Farm Witch (Reprise).” It was the first song they put out, and it was less a song than a herald of things to come, fading in and out around one central riff riding past. Fair enough since they were quick to follow with the demo First Contact (review here) in February and the 7″ Deb (review here) in August, but it seems that with Developing Good Health, which will presumably be their final offering of the year — unless they decide to do that holiday-themed Boozewa and Phantom of the Park Watch TNG Instead of Saving Xmas concept 3LP that I pitched them over the summer — they are giving an answer back to the reprise with “Farm Witch” proper.

A temporal loop? Paradox effect? Who cares, the song rocks. Specifically, in the new video premiering below that they put together for it using a Sony Hi8 Handycam (they make tapes for them again now) and a JVC VHS-C (with the tiny tapes that you need the adapter to put in your VCR), it rocks the basement. We see Boozewa in their element with the cinderblocks behind, the Sunn amps lit for guitarist Rylan Caspar and bassist Jessica Baker and, thanks to the magic of editing, two versions of drummer/vocalist Mike Cummings, one fronting the band, one playing the relatively simple but catchy drum progression. Tap tap tap, and so on. The song runs almost three and a half minutes and calls you handsome in the process, so I fail to see what more you could possibly ask of it.

Boozewa played Maryland Doom Fest this past weekend and by all accounts it was a joy to witness. I don’t doubt it. While a new outfit, the three-piece are no strangers to that or any other stage, having all played in Backwoods Payback, and their suburban heavy cathartopunk is only growing more resonant as the months pass. I haven’t heard Developing Good Health in its entirety yet — I tried, but the band was traveling, blah blah I’m hopeful it’ll show up sooner or later — but at some point earlier this year I warned Boozewa that if they kept it up at the rate they were going, they were bound to turn into a real band. They sure sound like one here.

Okay, back to looking at camcorders on eBay I go.

Enjoy:

Boozewa, “Farm Witch” video premiere

“The video for Farm Witch was shot in our basement by ourselves using Mikes old camcorders. This tune from our new cd EP ‘Developing Good Health’ felt like it needed the old fashioned treatment we all grew up on. The song and video are kind of our love letter to Coatesville PA!”

Developing Good Health

Available everywhere Friday Nov 26

On all digital formats as well as limited edition CD

CATCH BOOZEWA ON THE ROAD!!
Nov 28 – Kung Fu Necktie , Philadelphia PA w/ Human Impact, L.M.I.
Dec 2 – JB Lovedrafts, Harrisburg PA w/ False Gods
Dec 3 – Westside Bowl, Youngstown OH w/ Rebreather, False Gods
Dec 4 – 123 Pleasant St, Morgantown WV w/ Cavern, False Gods
Dec 5 – The Depot. Baltimore MD (matinee) w/ False Gods, Almost Honest
Dec 17 – Ortliebs, Philadelphia PA w/ Infinity Land, Ritual Earth
Dec 18 – TBA, Connecticut w/ Infinity Land, Coma Hole

Boozewa are:
Rylan Caspar – guitar
Jessica Baker – bass/vocals
Michael Rudolph Cummings – vocals/drums

Boozewa on Instagram

Boozewa on Bandcamp

Boozewa website

Hey, Boozewa! I don’t know how to tell you this, but you’re a band. I know you’re all recording on your four-track in your house, having a good time thinking it’s all toss-off this, super-casual that, but nah. You’re a real band. Two releases in the span of a year, the second markedly developed from the first — that’s the new two-songer Deb (review here) preceded by the demo First Contact (review here) in February — mastered by Tad Doyle and a cinematic narrative-style video for the title-track that features actual people who also don’t play an instrument in the group? Selling shirts? Yeah, that’s band stuff. What’s next? An album? Shows? Doing a Zoom interview that I haven’t yet hit you up for but probably will by the time this is posted? You’re a band. Tough break. That’s how it goes sometimes when you don’t suck.

“Deb,” from Deb, was posted last week ahead of the 7″ coming out, and as noted, it’s a step forward from the prior demo in sound. Still good and tracked-in-the-attic (basement? living room?) raw, but there’s melody peaking through “Deb” and the accompanying “Now. Stop.,” which is shorter and more punk but still nestled into a groove ahead of its belter finish, and “Deb” even dares a bit of atmosphere in its brooding vibe, which is complemented by the dark psychology of the video, which was directed by drummer/vocalist Mike Cummings and features him in the title role as the bartender/waitress Deb being stared at by the clip’s protagonist, who, again, isn’t in the band. You’ll see bassist/vocalist Jessica Baker among the crowd, and guitarist/vocalist Rylan Caspar is working the door, but “Deb” is a video with acting. A setting. Thought put into what people are wearing.

Band stuff.

I know it can be hard to accept, but don’t fight it. You can’t anyway. Write enough songs together, start playin’ and recordin’ ’em, and you’re gonna end up a band one way or the other. Might as well roll with that and make the most of it.

Video follows here. Enjoy:

Boozewa, “Deb” official video

Boozewa (Featuring members of Backwoods Payback) have unleashed a video for their song “Deb”. The track is taken from their upcoming EP of the same name mastered by Tad Doyle of the legendary band TAD at Witch Ape Studio in Seattle Washington.

The band commented “By the end of 2020 we had written roughly 20 songs and with ‘Deb’ I think we really started to settle into what I guess you could say is our ‘sound.’ It’s off, it’s catchy, it’s heavy, it’s Boozewa. We recorded the tune on the four-track cassette machine again, and this time sent it off to Tad Doyle (Tad/Witch Ape Studio) for mastering. If there’s a light in the dark year that was 2020 it was definitely getting to work with someone I’ve been a giant fan of for the better part of the last 20 years, that being Tad!”

BOOZEWA is
Jessica Baker – bass/hollering
Rylan Caspar – guitar/hollering
Mike Cummings (mRc) drums/hollering

Boozewa, Deb (2021)

Boozewa on Instagram

Boozewa on Bandcamp

Boozewa website