Mar 29 : "Hellaware (livestream test)" - Trash Boy (Philly)

News
Trash Boy Releases New Video

Trash Boy released a new video yesterday.

Philly Music!

Yesterday Philly punk rock outfit Trash Boy released a preview video of their show on "Musicians 4 Bernie Livestream" which took place later in the evening and featured several bands. From the org website : Musicians 4 Bernie (M4B) is a coalition of musicians, songwriters, and composers who are fervent advocates for change. As artists who have dedicated our lives to creating music, we are often underpaid, uninsured, and unappreciated by society at large. Inspired by Bernie Sanders' lifetime work fighting for working class people, M4B will not stand by and accept the status quo. Musicians 4 Bernie’s mission is to inspire people to vote through music's unique capacity to bring people together in public spaces, while simultaneously using the platform to advocate for single payer healthcare. A link to the org page is below.

Trash Boy sang "Hellaware", which is the closing track on their newest album "Who Will Take the Trash Out When We're Gone?"

Here is the link to Trash Boy's Facebook page: Trash Boy on Facebook (CLICK HERE), and here is the link to Musicians 4 Bernie Livestream, where you can find out more about their shows or even sign up to organize a show! Musicians 4 Bernie Livestream (CLICK HERE).

Mar 19 : "Last Call" - The Electric Mess (New York)

News
The Electric Mess Releases New Video

The Electric Mess just released a new video on March 5th.

Everybody has experienced the flood of emotions that can come at "Last Call", and New York band The Electric Mess pretty much captures them all in their new video by the same name. This is a video of a single that is part of the band's new album, "The Electric Mess V", to be released on April 17.

"Last Call" means literally last call, but maybe it's also a metaphor for "last chance" in relationships or in forming relationships. There's a sense that maybe we coast, repeating what we're not really into, hoping things will turn out well in the end, not being proactive when we have the opportunity, and suddenly it's too late, we're at last call. In the video we meet a bunch of characters who have acted / may not have acted / may have regrets / may not have regrets / but all come crashing into the ultimate question at Last Call "What are you going to do now"?

I've seen The Electric Mess do a live show only once, and that was six years ago at Mercury Lounge. While I've been aware of some shows they've done in the meantime, their dates and my nights off never seem to be parallel.

I like that the band also shows a cool sense of humor in some of its work. And I like garage and psych. Here is the band's own description from their Facebook page ::: Since forming in 2007 in New York City, The Electric Mess have developed into an exciting and tight rock n' roll band, led by a dynamic lead singer, Esther Crow, with Dan Crow (guitar), Oweinama Biu (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Derek Davidson (bass), and Alan J. Camlet (drums). Their sound combines elements of 60s garage, 70s punk, psychedelic pop, and high energy rock."

Here is "Last Call", video from the upcoming album :::

The Electric Mess has a show coming up in Brooklyn on April 5 at The Electric Mess, April 5 at Kingsland. And here is the link to the band's Facebook page ::: The Electric Mess on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

Whoa!You've Become A Witch!
Very different from the above and WAY over the top, The Electric Mess's video, "You've Become A Witch" was mainly what got me interested in the band and pulled me into seeing their show at Mercury Lounge that night six years ago. Probably the funniest music video I've seen.
Check this out now!
Watch it to the very "The End" in the credits!

Here are my previous comments: The Electric Mess, Jan 24 2014

Mar 11 : "Breakup Song" - Elbowache (Philly)

Philly Music!

A breakup is a time of upheaval.

Thursday I went to Century Bar and saw Philly solo outfit "Elbowache" do a good opening up of the evening. Elbowache has several albums on line on Bandcamp, and I've been listening to the work over the past week since the show. There are textured instrumentals and nuanced tales of the human psyche.

A case in point is "Breakup Song", which is the seventh song on Elbowache's 2018 album, "Zero Fantasy". We're jolted right from the beginning with a loud dissonant bass sound, that's then followed by some other parts joining in, but together they're always churning, always bubbling, helping to create a feeling of upheaval. The song structure has some choppiness in it with some unexpected breaks ... except when there aren't. The instrumentals keep the main character in the song as well as the listener off balance.

The character in the song has plenty of mixed emotions; he's happy for the breakup / not happy for the breakup / looks back / wonders what happened / wonders what's happening.

And what upheaval! He wants to talk about it:
all the time
but not all the time
only some of the time
but not all the time

Here is "Breakup Song" by Elbowache":

Elbowache is going to be doing a show Thursday night, March 12, at The Fire. And here is the link to Elbowache's Facebook page Elbowache on Facebook (CLICK HERE). There you can find a link to Bandcamp where you can listen to more of his music.