John J. Callahan, PhD July 6, 2020 – Back in 2006, Jim McHugh convinced a Cleveland concert promoter to allow members of his band to ascend the shuttered belfry of St. Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church. In the hours earlier, McHugh’s 12-piece freakout band from Athens, Georgia, had played Parish Hall, the repurposed church-property turned avant rock venue. Ever the rule breaker, McHugh rang the retired church bell. “The entire tower shook” with frightening percussive strength, recalls McHugh. https://wemustresistcontrol.bandcamp.com/ That was the heady days of Dark Meat, McHugh’s former band. Now he is the guitarist of the Sunwatchers. McHugh also backs Thee Oh Sees’ Brigid Dawson on her latest release, Ballet…
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Neu! Wave Interpreters: Holy Wave’s “Interloper”
June 29, 2020 – This week, Austin psychedelic dream-pop band, Holy Wave release their fifth LP ‘Interloper.’ The record’s blueprint reveals a heady brew of synth-heavy, psyched-out harmonies perfect for your next kite flying adventure. Holy Wave’s unorthodox compositions defy the verse-chorus-verse conventions of everyday pop, unless you subscribe to the Brian Wilson school of dude-groovery. Shrewd listeners may hear swirling reverberations of Atlas Sound and Pink Floyd. Wash that down with a gulp of Neu!-tinged cough syrup and you have Holy Wave’s ‘Interloper’, available on splatter or white vinyl. Your choice, Daddio. Choose wisely. Holy Wave’s unorthodox compositions defy the verse-chorus-verse conventions of everyday pop, unless you subscribe to…
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Byrd Up! Asteroid Strikes North
"In advance of the 2020 release of "Northern Songs", the Asteroid No. 4 have released their first single, aptly titled, “Northern Song”."
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Inside the Dream Syndicate Universe
On March 13, 2020, Steve Wynn conducted an exclusive interview with Cleveland-based, POW Magazine contributor, John J. Callahan. Steve Wynn, founding member of Dream Syndicate, called to discuss their new release, The Universe Inside. Steve was a guest of 89.3, WCSB, during Friday Night Rock Rotation. Steve announced his commitment to perform a solo show at the Blue Arrow Records in Cleveland to celebrate its April 10 release The COVID-19 pandemic had other plans. Here is a portion of their conversation: JC: Steve Wynn, can you here me? Steve Wynn: I do! Success! All it took was for you to hang up on me! JC: Ha! This…
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Grab The Chain. Take the Ride.
Since its origins in the mid 1960’s, psychedelic rock sought to transcend the boundaries of everyday experience through songcraft, effects, and instrumentation. The song-album became a vehicle for the trip, a musical journey, a sonic story, bending the familiar qualities of narrative to reveal universal human truths. From the Pretty Things to Pink Floyd to Radiohead, successive waves of artists have explored, transformed, and innovated this now classic – sacred – genre of rock. Today, the LA-based Warlocks, tend the fire of this most holy of rock temples – the psych rock imprint: the concept album. Behold: The Chain, the ninth studio release from Bobby Hecksher and his mighty Warlocks.…
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King Khan Re-Khan
POW/WCSB King Khan is no newcomer to the garage psych revival, but his new release, Turkey Ride (Khannibalism / Ernest Jenning) is sleek peek into his auspicious origins. Turkey Ride is the work of then kid, King Khan, recorded some 18 years ago in Europe. But the kid King is not playing on Turkey Ride. This is a perfectly produced, 13-song gem, packed with wah-wah pedal rockers, punk ravers, and soul-soaked psych-outs. Think Black Lips versus Elephant Stone in a James Brown bareknuckle rockdown. In short, I dig it. King Khan is known for his stage-packed, clowning send-up revue, but Turkey Ride is a serious rocker, even if replete in madcap madness.…
