Posted in Whathaveyou on January 17th, 2023 by JJ Koczan
Here’s a thing I know: Daily Thompson are a good time. I was lucky enough to learn this first-hand at last year’s Freak Valley Festival (review here) where they appeared supporting their 2022 LP, God of Spinoza (review here), which is a performance they apparently thought enough of to release it as a live album last month. Having been there, I can’t argue, and while the raw audio from that recording by Rockpalast can’t necessarily account for the visually-palpable fun the three-piece have on stage — not every band actually looks like the members enjoy each other’s company; Daily Thompson pretty clearly do — the songs themselves have plenty enough bounce to carry through a sense of the impression.
They’ve announced a live stint for the Spring that will take place in May, and that’s built around a slot at the prestigious Desertfest Berlin, which it feels redundant to say will be awesome having already noted the name of the festival. More likely than not, Daily Thompson will have more dates coming as they keep momentum on their side heading into the rest of this year. Perhaps a corresponding Fall tour would make sense and let them hit even more fests? Yeah, they might just want to go ahead and book it now, just to be safe.
Here’s their post and the ticket link, should you happen to be in the area when the time comes:
Welcome to 23, rock lovers!
We are super excited to announce our first tour and we are super excited for everything to come this year, it’s going to be a good one!
We are so excited to announce our first tour of the year!!! More to come, stay tuned!
Posted in Whathaveyou on November 3rd, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Yeah, this is gonna be one to check out. Particularly, I’ll be interested to hear if the smiles on the faces of Daily Thompson‘s members come through in the audio of what was their set at this year’s Freak Valley Festival (review here) as recorded by the legit-legendary Rockpalast, where the trio were clearly having at least a good a time as the crowd in that hot sunshine. It was quite a show, and kind of changed my impression of the band’s studio work as well.
So yes, let me go ahead and agree with myself twice for saying I am looking forward to hearing a live album of a show I was at. And please, stay tuned for more groundbreaking insights from The Obelisk. Your home for riffs and navelgazing, worldwide.
Or some such.
Daily Thompson also just wrapped up an 11-date tour were among those announced for Desertfest Berlin 2023 (info here) as well, so hey, right on. Before then, they’ll pay a visit Dec. 10 to Freak Valley X-Mas Fest, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more showed up before or concurrent to Desertfest either.
They announced Live at Freak Valley 2022 thusly:
DAILY THOMPSON – Live at Freak Valley 2022
Here we gooooo ⚡ this is the cover of our new record! We gonna release our very first live album “Daily Thompson live at Freak Valley 2022” December 2nd via Noisolution
It will be a super limited special edition, only 600 pieces! 300 on white (#129293#) and 300 on black vinyl (#128420#) There will be no repress, when gone it`s gone (of course it will be available on your favourite streaming platforms).
Next week we will start the preorder and of course we will have something to watch for you, but more kool things next week!
We have to say that it was a lie when we said last Saturday was the last show of the year, because the lovely FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL Crew invited us to celebrate the release at their legendary Freak Valley Xmas Fest 2022 December 10th with a bunch of rad bands!
Huge thanks to FREAK Valley Festival, Rock Freaks , WDR Rockpalast and Tony Reed for mixing and mastering all the tracks. And of course to our label Noisolution!
Also thanks to everyone involved: Artwork @rrandom.landd Design Kabine 7 Pics by Jonas Wenz Django Foto and Robert Lesic Photography
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 24th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
This is always an exciting time of year, when the next Spring’s festival season in Europe begins to take shape. Between Desertfest Berlin and the same festival brand’s London edition, you can tell a good bit about who’s going to be on tour, and in the case of an act like Church of Misery coming from Japan, maybe even glean some idea of when their album is coming out just by the fact that they’re making the trip.
I have to wonder too if Uncle Acid won’t have their next record out by then — as I recall they were gearing up for a release more than two years ago — and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if King Buffalo managed to put together at least an EP to take over for the merch booth. Dozer as well will have a record coming if not out by then, and if that doesn’t make you feel warm inside, then I have absolutely nothing for you.
My big question is with whom Ecstatic Vision will be on tour, since there’s some serious potential for package runs. So you see it’s exciting to think of these festivals as the anchors they’ve become — you’ll notice Desertfest Berlin has a new venue to call home — for the touring season. Precisely my kind of fun to see who’s headed where and why, and I hope you share my nerdy enthusiasm as the announcements continue to roll in.
Weekend tickets go on sale Friday. From the fest’s social media:
FIRST BANDS ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 EDITION ⚡️NEW VENUE COLUMBIAHALLE ⚡️ WEEKEND TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 28th AT 12PM CET
DESERTFEST BERLIN has announced the first names for its 2023 edition, and is happy to welcome UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS, THE OBSESSED, KING BUFFALO, CHURCH OF MISERY, DOZER, BLOOD CEREMONY, L.A. WITCH, SOMALI YACHT CLUB, GNOD, ECSTATIC VISION, DAILY THOMPSON, GAUPA and PSYCHLONA, with many more acts to be announced soon!
Taking place between May 19 – 21, 2023 will see a venue change from the Arena to Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater, with additional outdoor space & stage.
Weekend tickets for DESERTFEST BERLIN 2023 will be on sale this Friday, October 28th at 12PM CET viawww.desertfest.de
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 2nd, 2022 by JJ Koczan
One thing I learned this summer is that Daily Thompson are a blast live. The occasion of my finding this out was the third day of Freak Valley 2022 (review here) in Germany, and my goodness. Take your grunge and ’90s rock, strip out *most* of the navel-gazing misery, throw in a bit of bluesy boogie, and golly that’s a righteous live set. The band have been kicking around all summer as they support their earlier-2022 long-player, God of Spinoza (review here), on Noisolution, and as I revisit the album to note their upcoming live dates in September and October — is it just me or is the entirety of the European heavy underground on tour in October? — I can that much more appreciate what I’m hearing through my speakers having experienced it in-person.
Does that mean you shouldn’t listen to the album? Nope. Means you should listen to the album and go to the show.
I’d also say their stuff is pretty deceptive in terms of its overall space. “Cantaloupe Melon,” from the new record, is six and a half minutes long, and it’s not an issue of the band needing to edit themselves down, they just manage really well to bring a feeling of outward-reach into their verses and choruses. It’s not so much “verse here/jam here,” though there’s a bit of jamming to be had on the album, but a thoughtful approach that comes across natural on stage and off. They’re a better band than people know, or at very least, better than I knew before I got to see them live.
In other words, lesson learned. Here’s tour dates from socials:
DAILY THOMPSON – Tour Dates
GOD OF SPINOZA TOUR kicks off in a few weeks
Maybe you will also listen to a brand new song never heard before!
16.09. – ArsVitha / St. Vith BE 19.10. – Pitcher – Rock’n’Roll Headquarter Düsseldorf DE 20.10. – OBJEKT 5 / Halle DE 21.10. – Crazyworld / Salzwedel DE 22.10. – cassiopeia Berlin DE 23.10. – Extra Blues Bar / Bielefeld DE 24.10. – Kulturcafé Campus Uni Mainz / Mainz DE 25.10. – Konzerthaus Schüür / Luzern CH 26.10. – Rockhouse Salzburg / Salzburg AT 28.10. – R’n’P Wiesloch / Wiesloch DE 29.10. – Musiktheater Piano / Dortmund DE
06.17.22 – Fri. – 12:51 – Picnic table, side of lawn
Would you like to squeeze the wobbocado? And no, that’s not the worst innuendo of all time. It wobbles, and it’s an avocado stress ball with a smiley face on it. I’ve just about worn it out, but I have a spare if I need it. You deal your way and I’ll deal mine.
It’s going to be hotter today than yesterday, so I’m told. So be it. The production crew is setting things up. On the stage, Revvnant are soundchecking drums, placing synth and keys centerstage as if to offer a clear signal that something different is coming. The beer truck seems to be cleaning its lines — respect — and shade is at a premium.
In the pre-fest narrative of my expectation for coming to Freak Valley for the first time, this was the day I figured on being most exhausted, and at least so far, that’s how it’s panned out. So it goes. You sit when you can sit, drink water. The eggs I think helped, and I haven’t quite given myself an ulcer yet with coffee, so clearly there’s work to be done there. But I’ve got time. Doors open in about two minutes. Again, the calm.
Like My Sleeping Karma before them — and with two shared members — The Great Escape have bowed out of their anticipated reunion set, with Glasgow Coma Scale stepping in. Bummed, since I remember playing The Great Escape on the radio in college and digging those records, but seeing another band I’ve never seen before and wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to see is not a hardship.
Someone mentioned yesterday that a few years ago it rained and was kind of a wet mess, and you can see where it would be for sure. Something has bloomed here — the same thing as at home, whatever it is — and I can’t breathe for the allergies, but that’s a small price to pay for the outdoors and the experience. I haven’t seen the campsite yet and I may or may not get up the hill to it but there are tents down by the road as well and walking past those last night in the foresty dark felt intrusive enough. You have to balance these things.
First band, 2PM and on from there. Going to be a busy one, but standing on the edge, I’m looking forward to diving in again. And I did dunk my head in the kiddie pool yesterday and will likely do so again.
Here’s the blow-by-blow of the day. Thanks if you check it out.
Revvnant
And now for something completely different. True to Elias Mays Schutzman’s roots as a drummer, there is neither guitar nor bass, but two keyboard and synth setups and drums and, during the first song, ukulele. The uptempo “The Revvnant” (posted here) had the still-assembling crowd dancing a bit and “Death Cult” worked in a bit of space rock, at least beefier the heavy roll and piano finish, and though I’ve written about the project before and about Schutzman’s other bands — Black Lung and The Flying Eyes, the latter of whom played their last show here a few years ago — I was intrigued to see how the band would take shape and how the songs would come across like. The answer is that among the 15 other bands who have played Freak Valley so far, Revvnant are on their own wavelength, and if you’re going to start someplace, that’s where you want to be. Bonus points to them for saving the real dance song until the end. The trick will be getting the right scope of production, but this stuff on record could be mind-altering. Nothing but potential.
—
Djiin
Djiin are more than just a great harp. But they also have that, so, bonus. Their second LP, Meandering Soul (review here), came out last year on Klonosphere, and they were true to its heavy bluesy foundation, and they certainly capped their set in driving fashion, but on stage they brought psychedelic expanse and classic heavy to bear as well, a cacophony emerging gradually that grew fiercer as they moved toward the finish. I knew I wanted to see them, but I didn’t know how much until they really got going, and I couldn’t help but wonder how many labels are trying to poach them as we speak, because they’re young, they dress the part, they play well, they sell it on stage well — they’re not just standing there — and they have cool, varied songs. Shit, if I had a label I’d be chasing them up too. They have a firm idea of who they are and seem right on the cusp of further realization. I had a good feeling when they started all minimal and quiet, and it was a pleasure to follow the path of that winding, dynamic build.
—
Swedish Death Candy
Now that’s a name. They’re from the UK — which, for however long they end up being a band, may just always need to be said, so they might want to get used to it — and they didn’t kill anyone except maybe their own riffs, and the candy thing, nope. But you know, Swedish Death Candy’s weighty moniker is also kind of a description of their sound. Psychedelic, grunge toned, intermittently dreamy like post-rock or all out heavy, they seemed to change up their sound while creating a palpable atmosphere. Near the end, the guitarist seemed to have some trouble with his guitar and so wound up plugging into a keyboard across the stage and just mashing away madly — it was noisy and exciting — and they came back around from that to a multi-tiered heavy psychedelic build that took my head to Colour Haze, and that’s never a thing I’m going to complain about. When they wanted to they could really ride a groove, and they did but they’re clearly not interested in doing any one single thing. Their last album, Are You Nervous? (yes, perpetually; I take pills for it) came out on 2019, and I missed it, as I will, but I’ll think of their set as a learning experience.
—
Glasgow Coma Scale
Yes, that will do nicely, thank you. Stepping in for The Great Escape, whose Matte Vandeven took ill, Glasgow Coma Scale came from Frankfurt — hey, me too! except presumably they live there — and made an offering of mellowed-out, warm-toned instrumental heavy psych-prog, which if that sounds like a lot, well, it is, but they make it flow easily with a range of effects and languid grooves. One of the best bass tones I’ve heard this weekend, and I’ve heard a few by now, and they were kind of in league with Toundra aesthetically, if more subdued on stage. Again, I was reminded of My Sleeping Karma, with the floaty noodling guitar and solid drums behind holding it together, but especially in light of the circumstance, the fact that they were able to fill in on such short notice. One might think they’d feel rushed playing or something like that, but not from what I can see and hear in the sundry peaks and valleys of their material. They’re well suited to this fest, the spirit of the thing and the fact that I’ve been here three days now and not run into one asshole. Of how many places on earth could you possibly say that right now?
—
Daily Thompson
Dortmunder trio Daily Thompson exude an obvious love for what they do. It’s amazing how much smiling is taking place on stage. The whole time but right now as well. And all the while, they draw a line between happy grunge, heavy psych and a jammy take, with all three of them contributing vocals. Another band I never really thought I’d see, they’ve got stoners doing handstands in the crowd, and no I’m not speaking figuratively. There’s at least one O see over there. And whatever the band are doing, they make it swing, and that’s a thing to love. I’ve dug their records, last year’s God of Spinoza (review here) was a good time and then some, but of course there’s more character and depth to the sound live, though they also have a good amount of variety in the set. The sprinkler kicked on while I was taking pictures and I got surprise-sprayed, but it’s so hot in the sun I didn’t even care. Camera was fine — by which I mean it’s still broken — and beyond that, I was only glad for the wetdown. I’ve been in and out of water all day. There’s a shower in the building backstage. I put that shit as cold as it could go earlier and didn’t even take my shoes off when I got in. Zero, zero regrets. Glad to have refreshed before seeing this band for the first time, especially with that last jam.
—
Green Lung
Ayo, Green Lung are the real deal. I wouldn’t lie to you. I was expecting professionalism, and that’s what was delivered. They do justice to their records — last year’s Black Harvest (review here) was one of 2021’s best LPs, no question — and then some, and with the organ, the shred solos, the push of the drums, Tom Templar’s presence as a frontman bringing an edge of metal to the proceedings, they’ve got everything working for them. Their songs are memorable, their performance suited to a stage this big, and they got on, hit it, and there was no question. They owned the moment. Rest easy, Freak Valley, you’re in good hands. “Reaper’s Scythe,” “The Ritual Tree,” “Leaders of the Blind,” “Woodland Rites” and damn near everything else they played was a highlight, and their energy was electric. Nuclear. Time to go on tour forever, gentlemen. And in the name of all that is cultish and/or unholy, put out a fucking live album. People need to know. I’ll hope to be here next time they play and they’re headlining, and in the meantime, “Graveyard Sun” is my favorite song off Black Harvest — those keys are even more Type O Negative live — and I get to say I saw it happen on stage. No bullshit: Where this band is playing is where you want to be. They ran a little long and got cut off, but still. What a show.
—
Leech
Heavy, instrumental psych, but more on the post-rock side of things from Switzerland’s Leech, who’ve been at it more than two decades and who featured the first ‘xylosynth’ I’ve ever seen or heard. They also have regular synth, so they’re covered either way, and for an act I knew next to nothing about before coming here today, they were engaging while staying true to the atmosphere of the music, which of course is heavily atmospheric. If you’re wondering, the bubbles have started up again but they’re filled with smoke now, which suits where we’re at in the evening. It’s starting to cool off after being hotter than [fill in your own hyperbole for a very warm day here], and Leech are immersive in a way that live music doesn’t always get to be. And they started a couple minutes late but it didn’t matter once they got into it. It’s the right kind of thing for when you can start to see the colored lights on the trees that they have at night here, and the crowd, smoke bubbles and all, is totally along for the ride. Hell, I’ll go too and see where it ends up. Just as soon as I grab another coffee. Or maybe I’ll just stay right here. The finale was even prettier, it turned out.
—
Reignwolf
The factoid that Seattle’s Reignwolf played Lollapalooza six years before releasing their debut album on 2019, and that they toured with Black Sabbath on 2014 tells me there is significant management behind them. I don’t have a clue who that might be, but kudos to them on placement. To be fair, vocalist/guitarist Jordan Cook is very obviously insanely talented. Playing as a duo, Reignwolf brought a riotous, classic shred amid heavy blues vibes with way blown out vocals. He had a kick drum at the front of the stage, jumped off our during the first song, then the drummer left the stage and Cook ended up behind the kit playing guitar and drums at the same time, singing into his pickups. Then they moved part of the drum kit to the front of the stage and continued to deliver a rock show like some idealized version of your dad used to make. “Reignwolf loves you, Germany,” said Cook before leaving the stage 20 minutes early and thereby telegraphing the encore to come. They’ll play another festival tomorrow, and another the day after that. Respect the hustle, even if it’s not really hitting home for me. I give points like mad though for a white dude playing boogie blues rock without trying to sound like he’s Chester Frickin’ Burnett. Shouldn’t be that hard, but it’s rarer than you’d think. Reignwolf made it sound easy. Pro band, pro show, even if what they were being pro at was raw in form.
—
Red Fang
I still have Red Fang songs stuck in my head from seeing them in New York a few weeks ago (review here), but I’ve never seen them that they sounded as huge as coming from that stage, and goodness gracious it works for them. The band seemed genuinely happy to be here, and their set was a shove in the direction of awesome. I’m not sure I understand why they don’t just record all their albums on stage, since they’re no less tight than they are on record, and they absolutely crush. They’ve always been a live band, and one expects they always will be, but with, again, having recently seen them in a headlining role, they made this one feel special and I think the crowd could feel it. I could. Smiles on stage, and Aaron Beam asked if everyone was allergy after the long day in the sun. In fact, I did see one young woman being walked out through the backstage area to a waiting ambulance. And folks were swaying this way and that. Over by the merch where I stood I could see some beginning to make their way back to the campsite — fair enough; that’s a decent-sized hill — but I’m dead serious when I tell you I’ve been hearing Red Fang songs on the ol’ mental jukebox for the better part of the last month, and I guess that’s not going to stop anytime soon. I call that a win. They don’t just make heavy fun, they make it heavy. A lesson in the benefits of touring forever and a welcome finish to day — wait, what day is it? — three of Freak Valley Festival. Have I mentioned how stupid lucky I am to be here? I’ll say it again, just to be sure. I am stupid lucky to be here.
—
06.18.22 – Sat. – 10:29AM – Hotel
I’m not sure how to properly express the relief I felt last night when I came into the hotel room and took off my socks. True liberation. Of toes.
Breakfast did me so much good yesterday I just now repeated the same course of eggs and cheese. Shower in a bit. I stink. Long, hot day yesterday. And the day before. That shower in the AWO International building was a godsend yesterday afternoon. Zero qualms about walking around with my head soaking wet dripping all over myself. And I’ll always remember the time I got surprise-sprayed by the sprinkler. Gave the people up front a laugh, anyhow.
Today will be hot too, I think. The sky has that summer haze that I recognize from home, settled over everything but still letting the sun through to burn your ass. Or at least your face. Buying a silly hat was the right choice. Utility. Survival. Shower. Now.
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 21st, 2022 by JJ Koczan
I’m not asking for much here, just let me go. I just want to go. It’s only a few days, and it’ll be June so whatever wave of whatever variant we’ll be in of this endless fucking pandemic shouldn’t be too terrible. But come on. Pelican and Supersonic Blues and Slomatics and Temple Fang and Elder and Geezer and IAH and Fu Manchu and The Midnight Ghost Train and Green Lung and Revvnant and Monster Magnet headlining and, and did I mention Slomatics yet because increasingly it’s starting to feel like Freak Valley Festival 2022 is being put together as a favor to me and it seems like the very least I can do is go. I just want to go.
That’s all I’ve got. I wrote this announcement for the fest. It’s a good batch of bands and that’s about the depth of insight I have on the matter just now:
Happy New Year, Freaks!
We know things are crazy right now just about everywhere, but we’re still doing our best to bring you the biggest celebration of Freak Valley Festival ever. How could we do otherwise?
Today’s announcement is huge and includes another headliner! Let’s welcome RED FANG to Freak Valley!
This will be the first time in Siegen for America’s overlords of Pacific Northwest rock and roll, and they come supporting their new album ‘Arrows,’ which reminds that nobody out there throws a party quite like they do. Their shows are the stuff of legend, the record rules, and the time is right. We can’t wait to see what they bring to our stage!
BLACK MOUNTAIN will also play on the Wednesday of the festival. If you’ve bought three-day tickets, we’re making more tickets available for the Wednesday show, so don’t miss out! It will sell out again!
Progressive heavy rock mainstays ELDER will also return, along with Chicago’s instrumental innovators PELICAN and even more!
Behold!
NEW ADDITIONS TO FREAK VALLEY 2022: Red Fang (headliner) Black Mountain (playing Wednesday) Pelican Elder Reignwolf Mondo Generator Daily Thompson Leech Green Lung Temple Fang Swedish Death Candy IAH The Re-Stoned Les Big Byrd Slomatics Supersonic Blues Revvnant
Still more announcements to come!
Freak Valley Festival // No Fillers – Just Killers
Posted in Reviews on January 17th, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Somehow it feels longer than it’s actually been. Yeah, a year’s changed over, but it’s really only been about a month since the last Quarterly Review installment, which I said at the time was only half of the full proceedings. I’ve started the count over at 1-50, but in my head, this is really a continuation of that five-day stretch more than something separate. It’s been booked out I think since before the last round of 50 was done, if that tells you anything. Should tell you 2021 was a busy year and 2022 looks like it’ll be more of the same in that regard. Also a few other regards, but let’s keep it optimistic, hmm?
We start today fresh with a wide swath of stuff for digging and, well, I hope you dig it. Let’s go.
Quarterly Review #1-10:
Zack Oakley, Badlands
Apparently I’ve been spelling Zack Oakley‘s name wrong for the better part of a decade. Zack with a ‘k’ instead of an ‘h’ at the end. I feel like a jerk. By any spelling, dude both shreds and can write a song. Known for his work in Joy, Pharlee, Volcano, etc., he brings vibrant classic heavy to the fore on his solo debut, Badlands, sounding like a one-man San Diego scene on “I’m the One” only after declaring his own genre in opener “Freedom Rock.” “Mexico” vibes on harmonica-laced heavy blues and the acoustic-led “Looking High Searching Low” follows suit with slide, but there’s tinge of psych on the catchy “Desert Shack,” and “Fever” stomps out in pure Hendrix style without sounding ridiculous, which is not an achievement to be understated. Closing duo “Acid Rain” and “Badlands” meet at the place where the ’60s ended and the ’70s started, swaggering through time with more hooks and a sound that might be garage if your garage had a really nice studio in it. I’ll take more of this anytime Mr. Oakley wants to belt it out.
Issued by Shawn Pelata — also known as Pælãtä Shåvvn, with an apparent thing for accent marks — the self-titled debut from Vøuhl mixes industrial-style experimentalism, dark ambience and a strong cinematic current across a still-relatively-unassuming five-songs and 23 minutes, hitting a resonant minimalism at the ending of “Evvûl” while building to a fuller-sounding progression on the subsequent “Välle.” Drones, echoing, looped beats and thoughtfully executed synth let Pelata construct each atmosphere as an individual piece, but with the attention obviously paid to the presentation of the whole, there’s nothing that keeps one piece from tying into the next either, so whether one approaches Vøuhl‘s Vøuhl as an EP or a short album, the impression of a deep-running soundscape is made one way or the other. What seems to be speech samples in “Aurô” and noise-laced closer “ßlasste” — thoroughly manipulated — may hint at things to come, but I hope not entirely at the expense of the percussive urgency of opener “Dùste” here.
At first you’re all like, “yeah this is right on I can handle it” and then all of a sudden White Manna are about four minutes into the freakery of “Light Cones” opening up their latest opus First Welcome and you’re starting to panic because you took too much and you’re couchlocked. The heretofore undervalued Calipsych weirdos are out-out-out on their new eight-songer, done in an LP-ready 39 minutes but drippy droppy through an interdimensional swap-meet of renegade noises and melted-down aesthetics. Maybe you heard 2020’s ARC (review here) and thereby got on board, or maybe you don’t know them at all. Doesn’t matter. The thing is they’re already in your brain and by the time you’re done with the triumph-boogie of “Lions of Fire” you realize you’re one with the vibrating universe and only then are you ready to meet the “Monogamous Cassanova” in krautrock purgatory before the swirling “Milk Symposium” spreads itself out like a blanket over the sun. Too trippy for everything, and so just. fucking. right. If you can hang with this, I wanna be friends.
In 2022, German heavy rockers Daily Thompson mark a decade since their founding. God of Spinoza is their fifth full-length, and in songs like “Cantaloupe Melon,” “Golden Desert Child,” and “Muaratic Acid,” the reliability one has come to expect from them is only reinforced. Their sound hinges on psychedelia, but complements that with an abiding sense of grunge and a patience in songwriting. They’ve done heavy blues and straight-up rock in the past, so neither is out of the trio’s wheelhouse — the penultimate “Midnight Soldier” is a breakout here — but the title-track’s drawn-out “yeah”s and slacker-nod rhythm seem to draw more directly from the Alice in Chains school of making material sound slow without actually having it crawl or sacrifice accessibility. I’d give them points regardless for calling a song “I Saw Jesus in a Taco Bell,” but the closer is a genuine highlight on God of Spinoza turning a long stretch of disaffection to immersive fuzz with a deftness befitting a band on their fifth record who know precisely who they are. Like I said, reliable.
Founded by guitarist/bassist Collin Green, Headless Monarch released their first demo in 2013 and their most recent EP, Nothing on the Horizon, in 2016. Five years later, Green and drummer Brandon Zackey offer the late-2021 debut full-length, Titan Slug, working in collaboration for the first time with vocalist and producer Otu Suurmunne of Moonic Productions — who mostly goes by Otu — across a richly executed collection of six tracks, three new, three from prior outings. Not sure if Otu is a hired gun as a singer working alongside the other two, but there’s little arguing with the results they glean as a trio across a song like “Fever Dream” or “Sleeper Now Rise,” the latter taken from Headless Monarch‘s 2015 two-songer and positioned in a more aggressive stance overall. The newer songs come across as more fleshed out, but even “Eight Minutes of Light” from the first demo has atmospheric reach to go with its clarity of focus and noteworthy heft. One only hopes the collaboration continues and inspires further work along these lines.
Technically speaking, you had me at Space Octopus. After releasing a self-titled EP under the somewhat-troubling moniker (one hopes it’s not too many) Some Pills for Ayala, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer Néstor Ayala Cortés of At Devil Dirt returns with this two-songer, comprised of its 11-minute title-cut and the shorter “It’s Been a Long Trip.” The lead track is duly dream-drifty in its procession, a subtle build underway across its span but pushing more for hypnosis than impact and getting there to be sure, even as the second half grows thicker in tone. At 3:48, “It’s Been a Long Trip” comes across more as an experiment in technique captured and used as the foundation for Cortés‘ soft, wide echoing vocals. Lysergic and adventurous in kind, the 15-minute EP is nonetheless serene in its presence and soothing overall. Could be that Cortés might push deeper into folk as he goes forward, but the acidy foundation he’s working from will only add to that.
It’s a quick in-out from Boston heavy punkers Il Mostro on the Occult Practices EP. Four songs, the last of which is a cover of T.S.O.L.‘s “Black Magic,” nothing over three minutes long, all fits neatly on a 7″. For what they’re doing, that makes sense, taking the high-velocity ethic of Motörhead or Peter Pan Speedrock (if you need a second plays-fast-punk-derived-and-rocks band) and delivering with an appropriately straightforward thrust. Opener “Firewitch” ends with giggling, and that’s fair enough to convey the overarching lack of pretense throughout, but they do well with the cover and have a righteous balance between control and chaos in the relatively-mid-paced “Trial” and the sprinter “Faith in Ghosts,” which follows. Is cult punk a thing? I guess you could ask the Misfits that question, but Il Mostro mostly avoid sounding like that Jersey band, and it’s easy enough to imagine them bashing walls at any number of Beantown havens or bathed under the telltale red lights of O’Brien’s as they tear into a set. So be it, punkers.
Should it come as a surprise that an EP of violin-laced/led instrumentalist progressive post-rock, willfully working against genre convention in order to cross between metal, rock and more atmospheric fare includes an element of self-indulgence? Nope. How could it be otherwise? The five-track Hiss from Parisian four-piece Carmen Sea is a heady outing indeed, but at just 29 minutes, the band doesn’t actually lose themselves in what they’re doing, and the surprises they offer along the way like the electronic turns in “Black Echoes” or the quiet drone stretch in the first half of 11-minute closer “Glow in Space” — which gets plenty tense soon enough — provide welcome defiance of expectation. That is to say, whatever else they are, Carmen Sea are not predictable, and that serves them well here and will continue to. “Frames” begins jarring and strutting, but finds its strength in its more floating movement, though the later bridge of classical and weighted musics feels like the realization that might’ve led to creating the band in the first place. There’s potential in toying with that balance.
Florence’s Fabrizio Cecchi has vibe to spare with his solo-project Trip Hill, and Denmark’s Bad Afro Records has stepped forward to issue the 2020 offering, Ain’t Trip Ceremony, toward broader consciousness. The eight-song/39-minute long-player is duly dug-in, and its psychedelic reach comes with a humility of craft that makes the songs likewise peaceful and exploratory and entrancing. Repetition is key for the latter, but Cecchi also manages to keep things moving across the album, with a fuzzy cut like “Spam Mind” seeming to build on top of loops and shifting into a not-overblown space rock, hardly mellow, but more acknowledging the vastness of the cosmos than one might expect. The more densely-fuzzed “Ralph’s Heart Attack” leads into the guitar-focused “Pan” ahead of the finale “What Happened to Will,” but that’s after “Tame Ùkhan” has gone a-wandering and decided to stay that way and the seven-minute “Trái tim Thán Yêu” has singlehandedly justified the vinyl release in its blend of percussive urgency and psychedelic shimmer. Go in with an open mind and you won’t go wrong.
Yanomamo begin their Iommium Records two-song split 7″ with Slomatics by harshly delivering a deceptively positive message: “If you’re going to seek revenge/Might as well dig two graves/He who holds resentment is already digging his own.” Fair enough. The Sydney, Australia, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, outfits offer about 10 and a half minutes of material between them, but complement each other well, with the thickness of the latter building off the raw presentation of the former, Yanomamo‘s guttural portrayal of bitterness offered in scream-topped sludge crash on “Dig Two Graves” that builds in momentum toward the end while Slomatics‘ “Griefhound” offers the futurist tonal density and expanse of vocal echo typifying their latter-day work and turns a quiet, chugging bridge into a consciousness-slamming payoff. Neither act is really out of their comfort zone, but established listeners will revel in the chance to hear them alongside each other, and if you hear complaints about either of these cuts, they won’t be from me.
Posted in Whathaveyou on September 14th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
Big update from Desertfest Belgium 2021. After recently unveiling some cancelations and following up with a list of the precautionary measures being taken to deal with happening during a pandemic, the Antwerp and Ghent-based editions of the festival both receive a round of lineup additions. Greece’s 1000mods will take part in both, while the likes of Electric Moon and Stoned Jesus join Ghent, and Monkey3 and Slift and Temple Fang confirmed for Antwerp. I’m not sure ultimately how many acts the two Desertfest Belgiums — Belgii? — will share between them, but with Ghent happening on one day and Antwerp happening across three, there’s bound to be significant variation. Looks like that’s happening here already, and take note of Ohio’s Frayle making the trip for Ghent. Hope they can get out of the US to make it in time, or that the EU hasn’t banned our infectious asses by then.
It’s nice to think about these things every day, isn’t it? Doesn’t it just feel like the way humanity was meant to live? Not at all a drain on one’s entire being.
I digress. Constantly. Here’s info from the PR wire:
DFBE21: A MASSIVE 20 NEW NAMES FOR ANTWERP & GHENT!
1000MODS playing both events, Monkey3, Stoned Jesus & much much more
Strap in folks, because this is going to be a ride.. after all the hassle with COVID and cancels, let’s have some great to even greater news about both festivals shall we? We have a whole slew of names for you and if we may say so ourselves: we’re positively STOKED about all of these. Scene favourites, new and upcoming acts, local gems to discover.. we have it all. Here we go!
First of all: the Greek stoner sensation 1000MODS will be playing Antwerp as well as Ghent. We love ‘em, you love ‘em, their mother loves ‘em – everybody loves ‘em, okay! They need no further introduction so let’s move on to another favourite that will grace the stage in Ghent: STONED JESUS is coming to town, and you all know what that means. Killer grooves and a mighty good time. We’re also extremely excited to have DELVING on board which is the new project of ELDER frontman Nick DiSalvo. This will be one of their first shows after the album dropped in June, and we can already tell you this one’s gonna be something special.
ALL NEW NAMES FOR DF GHENT: 1000MODS, STONED JESUS, DELVING, LILI REFRAIN, ELECTRIC MOON, NERO DI MARTE, HEMELBESTORMER, FRAYLE, IGNATZ, MODDER
Moving on to Antwerp, we’re looking forward to revisit the audiovisual extravaganza of MONKEY3 who completely killed it at our last edition. For more spaced-out craziness, YURI GAGARIN is always a safe choice so let’s go with that. With VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY we have the second Greek band on the bill, with a more leftfield sound but no less essential.
ALL NEW NAMES FOR DF ANTWERP: MONKEY3, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY, 1000MODS, YURI GAGARIN, SLIFT, ALKERDEEL, ATOMIC VULTURE, TEMPLE FANG, DAILY THOMPSON, BISMUT, FAKE INDIANS.
We still have a few names up our sleeve, but we hope this whopper list goes a long way to get you stoked. Please remember that we have installed a COVID info page on our websites, where you can check what to do in order to come fully prepared to the festival. We’re updating it as we go, and we try to help out our non-EU visitors as well. Make sure to read it to avoid disappointments at the entrance.
