No Music Blast 11/15
November 15, 2017
No programming next week, but that don’t mean the music stops!
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You can find me in the kdoobz office stuffing my face indiscriminately with mashed potatoes and scrumptious CDs–training for thanksgiving dinner. I’ll wash the chunky CDs down with a glass of Melkbelly, while John Maus and Naked Giants chug along in the background.
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This next week is for discovery–pull up some new (or old) music during your week off and post it on the KWCW Facebook group!
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4 now, though, check out these MD PICKS!
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Calvin: CCFX – CCFX EP
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“This debut EP from CCFX wears its influences on its sleeve, taking inspiration from 80’s dream pop bands like Cocteau Twins and Galaxie 500. The band creates soft, looping soundscapes over fast-paced drums and swaying bass-lines. Lead singer Mary Jane Dunphe’s magnetic voice pulls the songs together, leading to an EP that’s as danceable as it is melancholy. My favorite track is the opener, “The One to Wait,” a song about wanting to leave home that draws you in with its hypnotic, interweaving guitar riffs.”
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Cory: Quicksand – Interiors
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“NYC hardcore rock legends Quicksand release their first original material in 22 years – obviously, they are putting their legacy at great risk. Thankfully, the band, and more importantly their fans, have nothing to worry about with new record Interiors. Along with the sharpened edge of maturity, Quicksand melds their now familiar blend of alternative rock and hooky punk that ends up sounding equal parts classic and forward-thinking. They balance on the edge of pushing the limits of post-hardcore while never sounding over-indulgent, and from the first minute of excellent single “Illuminant” we hear exactly what we would expect had the record been released in the late 90s. Riffs both groovy and heavy, basslines brimming with tension, beats that drive and control every moment of the song, all fronted by the urgent, kinetic performance of vocalist Walter Schreifels. This wonderful record is beyond any kind of praise I can give – it is so rare to see a band take such a huge risk by resurrecting themselves with new, boundary-shaping music for their long-suffering fans, only to produce something that is stand-alone amazing while invoking their first two albums without falling into the easy trap of nostalgia. Bravo to Quicksand for accompanying a great record with a solid continuation of their highly influential legacy.”
Boooooof! Oh yeah…
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Gabe: Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet – Diablo en Brooklyn
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Beside Gabriel Alegría himself on the hornz, and the cheeky guapeos sprinkled throughout, Freddy “Huevito” Lobatón, one of two percussionists on the record, is the highlight. He provides the nontraditional jazz (traditional afro-peruvian) percussion and the true soul of the record. Beside those new sounds, there is pretty incredible soloing, some classical jazz sounds, and somehow even though the songs are mostly sporadic and jumpy, there is consistency and accessibility that gets your head bobbing while you praise the skill and style of the featured artists. I really like track 3, “Buscando a Huevito”. Not just because it features my favorite part of this sextet, but also because Huevito is one of the most versatile slang terms, that might refer to any of four or five things about the percussionist. My Ecuadorian friend thinks he got his girlfriend pregnant on accident… it’s a stretch i just think he’s got a babyface or something, but either way see if you can find the Huevito within you and jive to this record!
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Have a good break, and make sure to thank those turkeys before you eat ’em!
