"In Memory, In Celebration, Recorded Across America." - The Alternating Currents, 2020
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SONIC BOOM’S FIRST NEW ALBUM IN OVER 20 YEARS: ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL
All Things Being Equal represents Sonic Boom’s first album release in over 20 years. You heard that right. It’s also the first to be released by Carpark Records, home to several artists Peter Kember (AKA Sonic Boom) has produced himself. The album shares the same name of Kember’s previous project; he remarks “I learn from everyone I work with, and I wanted to bring what I learnt into this record,” “Everybody thinks about and listens to music in different ways.” All Things Being Equal has been in the works for over five years; the songs began as instrumental pieces in the UK and have been remixed and reworked over the…
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A Psychedelic Surf Rock Journey into Space: Annie Taylor’s New Single “Telephone”
Hailing from Switzerland, Annie Taylor gives off serious grunge heavy, surf rock vibes. Their sound is far from clean, but it’s exactly this grittiness which makes it so addictive—the seductive, moody, new wave lyrics coupled with 80s power ballad riffs makes you want to go on a psychedelic, surf-rock journey into space.
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Reeling over the Stutter Steps
A few years ago, I attended Blue Arrow Records release party at The Happy Dog. I had just interviewed Blue Arrow co-founder Pete Gulyas and his pal and label signee, Ethan Daniel Davidson, on the airwaves of 89.3, WCSB, Cleveland. Hustling from the station to the tiny club, I was surprised when Ethan leapt to the stage first. Ethan said he had to “Catch a train.” Apparently he had a morning meeting with that Bono guy, Paul Hewson. He said something about riding horses. Shuffling toward the Happy Dog’s sweeping, deco bartop, I thought, “Well, this will be an early evening”. Then Blue Arrow Records’ label-mates, the Stutter steps, plugged…
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“You Are Here” is the New Soul of High Up
I was working on a new record in the back of a borrowed shotgun shack in the heart of New Orleans’ Garden District, daily microdosing as therapy to break my seven-year smoking habit, when the call came in from central command that Omaha-based soul group High Up were releasing a new full-length called You Are Here, and I was assigned to review it for POW. Of course, I thought, satiate the craving with more gonzo journalism. If Patti Smith fronted Ace of Cups and they recorded with Dangermouse at Dap-Tone Studios with a picture of George Martin on the control room wall, they might be lucky enough to capture a sound as raw…
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Vast Asteroid-“Vast Asteroid”(self titled)
Vast Asteroid take the riffs written from stoner gods and inhabit my current mind. Mix it with Brit pop and shoegaze sensibilities and song structure delivered from all the cheeky and mesmerizing musicians that formed my youth. And shoot that into the stars with a nice little splash of space rock. Super groups sometimes get a bad rep. That they’re nothing but an aging group of musicians trying for another shot at glory. But, look at Wake The Dead. Look at Them Crooked Vultures. And now, Vast Asteroid are here to fill a void you may have never even known you had. Mimi Star, formerly of The Warlocks, takes bass…
