Apr 05 : "I Could Be" - The Silence Kit (Philly)

New Music / Freshly Written & Formally Released Tonite!

Philly Music!

"Wow" I said when I first heard this song. I've been listening to Philly post-punk band The Silence Kit for several years now, and hearing this track for the first time instantly made it my favorite Silence Kit song.

I like complex instrumentals, and this song has so much going on. Listen to the track, especially around the 2.00 mark when a few different background patterns start to kick in, each going its own way.

"I Could Be" is the first track on the band's new full-length album, titled "Watershed", which will have its special release show this evening at Bourbon & Branch, here in Philly.

My work sked has me on an early-morning routine this weekend, so, unfortunately, not being able to go to their show myself, I'm writing about it in advance, rather than afterwards. The Silence Kit always does a good show, and I'd recommend everybody go.

The Silence Kit has a presence all over the internets. Here is a click to their band page. The Silence Kit, band page (CLICK HERE).

Apr 01 : "Tune Out" - Raindeer (Baltimore)

New Music / Freshly Written & Recently Released (July)

Went to Williamsburg last night. Cameo Gallery.

I had waited a long time to hear this band again. When I had gone to Hampdenfest in 2011, Baltimore band "Raindeer" was a band I heard for the first time. I immediately liked them. Something about the variety of textures in the instrumentals.

When I got home I liked them on all the appropriate pages and hoped for a time when I could see them again.

Nothing ever seemed to work out until last night, when I saw they were going to be playing in Willimasburg on a day when I was going to be working up in New York anyway.

The band has changed since I originally saw them. They've had a personnel-shuffle-around and they've now expanded to become a five-piece.

I liked them even more last night. The extra members as well as the indoor setting gave the band a richer, fuller sound. The band sounded good at Hampdenfest, but that was an outdoor stage with a relatively impromptu sound system set up for a one-day event. The sound system at Cameo Gallery as well as the room's high ceiling and nice acoustics served the band very well.

Altogether the band played eight songs. When I talked with the band afterwards, they told me that six out of the eight songs were new. When I asked about a particular song that I especially liked that had some unusual and powerful drum work in the intro, they told me that the songs were so new, they hadn't decided on final names yet.

So this was a really good chance to get a sneak peak as to what their next album will be like. From what I heard last night, the band is continuing to explore some interesting textures. The new album is titled "You Look Smashing". I'm looking forward to getting my own copy of that song with the drums. :)

Here is a sample of some of their recent work, "Tune Out" from the band's album "Tattoo", released last July.

===========================================

6/27/20 UPDATE! ::: OOPS! Looks like the band removed this song from their page!

===========================================

The band has another show coming up on Saturday, April 12, at Johns Hopkins University. In the meantime, here is the click to their Facebook page ::: Raindeer on Facebook (CLICK HERE)