Philadelphia’s Subtle Body is announcing the release of their debut self-titled album available today via Strange Mono. The band’s influences draw from ex-Yugo punk such as Paraf, Tožibabe, and Kaos, alongside classic post-punk bands like Rakta, Xmal Deutschland, Siouxie and The Banshees, Neu!, Rudimentary Peni, and Décima Víctima. Their music also incorporates ambient and experimental synthesizer music which serves as contrast and furthering the bands atmospheric vibe.
Featuring prolific members involved in a variety of projects including Diuretic, The Berserk/Plomo, and Lottery. Most of the group has played in lots of different kinds of bands over the years, usually within punk, hardcore, and grind.
The band began under unusual circumstances. Mike recounts “ I was taking a casual stroll by the graveyard on a dark, moonless night when I heard the sound of a faint whistling. Upon investigating I was pleased to come upon my friend Chips emerging from the dense fog surrounding us. As we walked on among the crypts and mausoleums, we became aware of an ominous whispering, accompanied by the soft glow of a campfire. But of course there was nothing to fear- Dave, Bo, and Rachel were merely performing some inexplicable ritual. I never learned the nature of it.”
The debut album was recorded in a single session within the mythical Grey’s Warehouse in west Philadelphia, a massive warehouse of unending hallways home to practice spaces, churches, workshops, and studios. Drums, bass, and guitar were recorded live, with synth and vocals added separately. The session moved quickly due to the band being well practiced going in, with most live takes requiring no more than two attempts. “Honestly it was very chill and smooth and fun. Eric did a great job and was super easy to work with!”
“[A] twenty-three-minute descent into the gothic side of basement punk. Dave’s bass swims in a murky sea of haunting vocals, freaked-out drums, and plenty of synths in “The Body”, the first non-intro track, and most of Subtle Body’s rockers (“Infinite Casualties”, “Social Dispute”, “Stolen World”) follow in much the same fashion. Nevertheless, Subtle Body still have the capability to swerve into a strange synth ambient piece right in the middle of the album (“Eyes on the Ground”), and are even able to more or less successfully merge their weird and punk sides with “Estrangement”. Subtle Body wrap up their first album about as quickly as possible, but there’s still time for one five-minute epic in “Black Candle”, which is effectively four minutes of pounding garage-post-punk and then a weird electronic outro; altogether, the future is looking nice and bleak for Subtle Body.” – Rosy Overdrive
Credits: Subtle Body is Mike: Drums & Electronics Rachel: Synth Dave: Bass Chips: Guitar Bo: Vox
recorded / mixed / mastered in the Grey’s Warehouse Philadelphia PA By Eric Muth
PROCEEDS BENEFIT VAMOS JUNTOS Vamos Juntos is a community-led, Latine immigrant organization in South Philadelphia fighting for our human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. www.vamosjuntos.org
WE ARE BACK!! Go over to Decibel and check out the premiere for DROWNED IN DECOMPOSED REMAINS from Moros. Moros is a Philadelphia based Death Doom band formed in 2015 with Jay Dost on guitar and vocals, John Hauser on bass and backing vocals, and WB on drums. Their early sound was more sludge influenced with a heavy dose of punk. The band focused on local shows, short tours, a first demo, and several split EPs. Their first full length album “Weapon” was released in 2019 on Hidden Deity. Soon after the first album the world shut down and the band was dormant for a few years only releasing the self produced EP “High As Fuck and Ready to Die”. Over the following years the band started shifting away from sludge and into a deeper extreme metal sound.
Proceeds from the record sold through us benefit the children’s hospital of Pennsylvania diabetes center
“The second track, “Drowned in Decomposed Remains,” is the first preview of the album, splitting time equally between rumbling sludge and chugging death/doom riffs. It’s the most locked-in Moros have ever sounded, likely a reflection of the band’s lineup change that welcomed drummer Mike Howard into the fold.” – Decibel Magazine
False Tracks formed in 2016 and released their debut full-length Hymn for Terror in 2024 on Strange Mono. Veterans of the Philadelphia and Washington D.C. indie pop and punk scenes, the members have previously played in The Ropers, Lilys, The Snow Fairies, Pink Skull, Royal Shoals, Last Wave, and The Vexers. Drawing on years of experience and collaboration, False Tracks create tightly structured, melodic post-punk songs built on atmospheric guitars and driving rhythm.
Firm believers that the first thought is the best thought, the band applies this idea directly to their songwriting. What began as an opportunity for old friends to make music together under a single rule, no songs over two minutes, quickly evolved into something larger. The band admits that shortly after the first demo, that rule was broken, and they have continued expanding their sound ever since.
Between Hymn for Terror and their newest recording When Fortune Feeds, False Tracks describe having “climbed out of the uncanny valley only to see its double in the next ravine.” The new material finds the group’s protagonists confronting the instability of modern life. “ In this album, the protagonists of the songs are coming to grips with this harsh and expanding unreality. We have written them into the same leaky horror boat that we all share.,” they explain. The result is music that reflects endurance and persistence, channeling both unease and a dry wit in the face of unraveling realities.
Recording took place with Philadelphia artist and producer Dan Angel, whom the band calls a “local artist, rhythmist, and warlock.” His studio, hidden within an industrial warren, set the tone for the sessions. “You can hear this space in the songs,” they say, pointing to the room’s lofty ceilings, a foot-pump reed organ, the sound of tape running through the reels, and even the distant sirens of Germantown.”All of us, including Dan, went into this space with open minds and crafted every piece together.“ The group balanced attention to detail with “the raw impressionism of the moment”, creating what they describe as “a sincere company of friends making music.”
Over the past year, False Tracks have performed throughout the East Coast, supporting bills with DC punk legends Scream, progressive folk-rock outfit Whisper States, and labelmates from Strange Mono. Highlights include their tour with Flash Hits, a standout show at the Khyber with Sandcastle, Fantastic Imagination, and Long Spells, and the Strange Mono Showcase over the summer, where the band performed alongside a wide range of fellow artists in what they call “a punk pastoral setting.”
PROCEEDS BENEFIT VAMOS JUNTOS Vamos Juntos is a community-led, Latine immigrant organization in South Philadelphia fighting for our human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. www.vamosjuntos.org
We are back for another ghoulish round of the most unsettling, mind-altering, feverishly diabolical list of Halloween Horror Movies to astound and debilitate your wicked souls. Once again, our most putrescent progeny bestow upon us their favorite spook-tastic picks, answering the age-old question “What is the one horror film that every mere mortal simply must witness?” Their answers have invoked a cadaverous cadre more splatterific, more bone-rattling, more phantasmagorical than ever before! So ready your rituals, steel your mind, and brace yourself… for the horrors that await below!
“A masterclass in tone, pacing and intention. All facets are so thoughtfully composed, not just the cinematography. Preceded a renaissance in Japanese (and subsequently, western) horror at the turn of the century.
There are no jump scares, gratuitous gore, or heavy-handed sound design, but the movie is simultaneously beautiful, meditative, and incredibly unsettling. Dare I say: hypnotic. The film is in no rush to draw you in with curiosity/intrigue until you’re as a committed as the main character to figure out what the hell is going on. No exposition; no frenetic editing; no wild, unmotivated camera movements; neither ham-fisted with didactic intent nor embellished with esoteric pretension. No neat and tidy bow-tied denouement. Pure kino.
“If Dawn of the Dead was filmed in an underground mall in Hong Kong and the nostalgia was updated to the late 90s aesthetic. It’s more silly than scary. And also makes you wish you still had your Game Boy camera…just watch it” Where to watch: Archive.org
A group of young shoppers and employees must band together when a zombie outbreak over runs their Hong Kong shopping center in the middle of the shopping day.
“We’ve all seen it, all love it, and have all dipped a hot coat hanger in each others blood to make sure we’re not the thing.” Where to watch: Archive.org, Shudder
A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
A woman starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something much more sinister.
“A group of college kids in japan in the 90s prove once and for all you don’t need a million dollars to make a great and fun movie. You just gotta want it, work really hard and be insane. FFO of shlock, bad effects made with love by hand, slapstick, and evil dead.” Where To Watch: Eternal Family, Shudder, Tubi
Trapped inside a haunted house, a body builder must save himself from a gruesome ghost hell-bent on revenge.
“We took the still image from [Martyrs] for the art featured on our EP Martyrfucker” Where to watch: Shudder, Tubi
A young woman’s quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tormented her as a child leads her and a friend, who is also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.
“A big droopy terrorizes a town. The practical effects are brilliant and disgusting” Where to watch: Shudder
A deadly entity from space crash-lands near a small town and begins consuming everyone in its path. Panic ensues as shady government scientists try to contain the horrific creature.
FALSE TRACKS: The Eight Immortals Restaurant: The Untold Story (1993)
“Way more subversively political (and fun) than you’d think for a Cat III HK slasher. I could say The Hills Have Eyes (1977) cause we have a song on the new record called that. And if you have been living under a rock with your mutated family for 50 years, go watch that” Where to watch: Tubi
Macau cops begin to suspect a man running a pork buns restaurant of murder, after tracing the origin of a case full of chopped up human remains that washed ashore, which leads them to him.
Petey Monahan, or as the bullies call him, “Pizza Face,” is a quiet, acne faced boy who loves working at his father’s pizza shop, Pizza World. But, after a childish prank goes awry, Petey gets trapped in a burning pizza delivery car and is left for dead…or so they thought.
“Blair Witch Project. The terror felt real to me, and it still holds up as a reminder that so much can be done with only a little. Also the last image is burned in my brain and still gives me chills. Bonus recs: Jon: “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre when Leatherface slams the sliding metal door shut omfg.” Travis: “EVIL DEAD A true visual treat for the eyes.” Where to watch: Shudder, Tubi
Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.
“Well shit I think it’s gotta be weapons” Where to watch: HBO MAX
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
A young couple out for a walk decide to take a stroll through a large cemetery. As darkness begins to fall they realize they can’t find their way out, and soon their fears begin to overtake them.
A young African-American visits his white girlfriend’s parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.
Early adaptation of The Island of Doctor Moreau, with Charles Laughton having the time of his life hamming it up as the mad scientist ruling over his clan of human/animal hybrids, and featuring Bela Lugosi as a hairfaced proto-Wolfman. Since it’s pre-Hayes Code, the movie is heavy on the torture, cruelty, blasphemy and bestiality from the book, and doesn’t shy away from it’s social commentary or critique of colonialism either. It also just looks great, with amazing sets and creature design, and flies by at 71 minutes. It’s also the movie that our song Stubborn Beast Flesh was inspired by. What are ya waiting for?
Honorable mentions to hallucinatory giallo gore fest Autopsy (1975), haunting adolescent vampire tearjerker Let the Right One In (2008), and bonkers addiction allegory Brain Damage (1988), sure to please highbrow cinephiles and psychotronic goo-fiends alike.” Where to watch: Archive.org
A mad doctor conducts ghastly genetic experiments on a remote island in the South Seas, much to the fear and disgust of the shipwrecked sailor who finds himself trapped there.
“As horrible as it gets, it still leaves the worst parts to your imagination.” Where to watch: Shudder, Tubi
Nearly a year after a botched job, a hitman takes a new assignment with the promise of a big payoff for three killings. What starts off as an easy task soon unravels, sending the killer into the heart of darkness.
“Gotta watch the directors cut. David Cronenberg is a super convincing psycho psychologist” Where to watch: Prime, Shudder
A troubled young man is drawn to a mythical place called Midian where a variety of friendly monsters are hiding from humanity. Meanwhile, a sadistic serial killer is looking for a patsy.
“This EP is about everything. It sounds like the Pacific Northwest as the band experiences it.”
Liquid Cross is a punk band from Eugene, Oregon, formed in 2025. Starting in a garage with minimal gear the group quickly found a voice in writing fast, abrasive songs with a dark edge. Once their permanent bassist joined, the lineup solidified, and the band began capturing their sound using whatever borrowed equipment was available.
Drawing influence from the Saints and the Wipers, Liquid Cross blends classic punk urgency with a distinctly Pacific Northwest atmosphere. Members bring experience from other projects: Jon (Ball Pythons, Cool Piss), Travis (End Time), and Kelly (Milked, Geronimo!). Their approach is driven by the raw and immediate energy of conviction.
The Don’t Think EP was recorded entirely DIY after the band abandoned plans to use a studio. Final mixing was handled by Ian Norris (The Shield), while the bulk of the work took place in a cluttered garage filled with cables, mics, and a discarded punching bag. The tape includes a hidden track exclusive to the physical release, and all proceeds benefit Trans Lifeline. For the band, the EP captures not only their early urgency but also the sound of their environment—what it feels like to live and play in the Pacific Northwest.
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT TRANS LIFELINE translifeline.org Trans Lifeline connects trans people to the community support and resources we need to survive
“With a healthy Wipers influence leading the way, these songs skid and cascade with dimly lit melodic distortion, muscle, and perpetual energy, barreling out of the Pacific Northwest garages into a blown out speaker near you.” – Post-Trash
Today’s release is a very special one Truculent AKA Dan AKA “Dad” of Mom and Dad is finally releasing a full length vinyl! Hypnotizing guitar arrangements backed by fully formed anti fascist anti capitalist sentiments. This album was a long time coming, in addition to the vinyl you’ll receive a mini zine of Dans pseudo psychotic (actually very sane) writings on enduring the downfall of democracy. I could go on and on about how meaningful this is but I’m a little biased (lolol Jess here) so you’ll just have to buy it and find out!
“Truculent is what happens when one guitar embodies an entire worldview. Bending time, tone, and tuning at will, mastermind Dan Timlin transforms everyday sounds and experimental guitar into equal parts protest, meditation, and memoir – with political and emotional intensity woven into each reverberation.
More than a project or band, Truculent is a practice, where Timlin crafts songs and builds environments of immersive storytelling, both in the studio and on the stage. As the world of Truculent continues to evolve, listeners are certain to find new and unpredictable experiences that reflect Truculent’s ever-expanding sonic landscape.” – Chelsea Nelson-Fernandez
The concept of a Brain-Weave was explained to me as “the collected unconscious of a group of people, in variable states of sensory arousal, connecting and in that connection a new reality blossoms”. A psychiatrist might call this “foille et deux” or “mass hysteria”. While I agree that in some instances the negative connotations of this diagnosis is warranted, I differ in interpreting the Brain-Weave as wholly negative. Are not the members of any given punk band intertwined in a Brain-Weave of sorts? Does their passion for the subject of their songs, and the visceral sensory experience of blaring drums and amplifiers not produce the arousal needed? Does the hypnotic act of rehearsing and performing as a collective not hint at the subconscious connection? To the Brain-Weave there is no difference between the sporadic improvised movements of a Jazz ensemble and the rigidly rehearsed pop of any top 40 artist. The connection exists in a state uncontrolled by us. Sure we can feed it and try to mold the circumstances to be advantageous for producing the weave. But in the end it’s not ours to choose. We can no more choose to participate in the weave than we can choose to participate in the beating of our hearts. When I lost my friend I could tangibly see the effects of his absence in my life. I could see the box with his ashes, I could read all the nice things everyone had to say about him. I could commiserate with peers about him never playing his guitar again or fixing that amplifier, or microphone. But I couldn’t feel that he was gone. I could not feel that he was no longer a part of my life. Mike and I had a complicated relationship but I know our friendship is alive because unlike an animal the Brain-Weave can never die…
Dedicated to Wynn Bruce, Hind Rajab, Linda J. Zhang, Aaron Bushnell, Max Azzarello, Matt Nelson, Demetrius Wallace, Trayvon Brown, DeAndre Gordon, Thairie Ritchie, and all victims of corporate imperialism.
“Right now, immigrants face a multi-pronged attack from many directions. The number of people in ICE detention has skyrocketed in the past four years. Every day, community-led immigration bond funds raise money to free our friends and neighbors from immigration detention, intervene in deportations, ensure people can pursue their cases from a place of freedom & keep their families and communities together.”
Shoegaze, slowcore, dream pop, and psych rock converge on Indirect Satisfaction, featuring four of the best underground bands from southeast PA. bands ASSISTED LIVING, Bruise Bath, Droopies, and Tlooth.
PROCEEDS BENEFIT: baitulmaal.org Baitulmaal provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching humanitarian aid to under-served populations around the world regardless of faith or nationality.
ASSISTED LIVING Meant to remind everyone that Philly doesn’t give a shit, but its really good at not giving a shit. assistedlivingphl.bandcamp.com https://www.instagram.com/asstdlvng/
Bruise Bath Philly’s finest slowcore an altar of nothing erected for no one. bruisebath.bandcamp.com https://www.instagram.com/bruisebath/
Droopies Psychedlic WTF rock balancing pop melodies and deranged guitar tones. droopies.bandcamp.com https://www.instagram.com/droopies_official/
Tlooth Reading band that thrives in the tension between opposites. tlooth.bandcamp.com https://www.instagram.com/tlo.oth/ released
Out Now: Dog Lips – Danger Forward & Caleb Flood – Hot Tub Music For Frogs
Hailing from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Dog Lips deliver a raw and relentless blend of punk, hard rock, and new wave on their sophomore album, Danger Forward. Channeling the urgency of Mission of Burma, the swagger of Thin Lizzy, and the abrasive edge of Wipers, the band carves out a sound that’s both chaotic and controlled. These nine tracks tear through themes of warped Americana, B-movie delirium, and the absurdity of modern life, punctuated by the unrelenting drums, confrontational vocals, and sleazy riffage. It’s an album that refuses to sit still. Dog Lips are brash, unapologetic, and wired for maximum impact.
Recorded in just three days at Rhode Island’s Big Nice Studio with producer Bradford Krieger, Danger Forward captures the band’s live intensity with minimal polish and maximum grit. The sessions were fast, loud, and volatile, resulting in a sound that feels like it’s teetering on the edge of collapse. Razor-sharp guitars, pounding rhythms, and sneering vocals collide in a way that’s both immediate and gripping..
Since forming in 2022, Dog Lips have been a wrecking ball on the East Coast DIY circuit, sharing stages with like-minded miscreants and leaving audiences battered and buzzing. Danger Forward is the next logical step, a bigger, meaner, and more focused statement from a band that thrives on chaos. Whether you’re a fan of garage-tinged punk, pub-rock hooks, or noise-laden hardcore, this album doesn’t just demand your attention it grabs you by the collar and bites down hard.
His new record showcases his intricate playing and penchant for ethereal compositions. All proceeds benefit RVA Community Fridges, Caleb’s commitment to community support comes from his own need to rely on these resources over the last year. His music draws from years of collaboration with notable Appalachian musicians, shaping a sound that is both technically refined and deeply rooted in tradition.
“I didn’t really sink in to playing more fingerstyle stuff until I moved to Richmond and was living alone” says Caleb “but I’d say that this record is mostly influenced by my time living in Blacksburg VA where I had the fortune to work with some great Appalachian players like Mike and Cara Gangloff, Matt Peyton, and Kaily Moon Schenker.”
Recorded in a stripped-down setting with longtime collaborator Tyler Newbold, the album captures Flood’s precise songwriting through an intimate, minimalist production approach. The process highlights the intuitive creative partnership between the two musicians, honed over years of playing together. This will be Caleb’s first purely instrumental release and stands as an interesting turning point for the artist.
“I recorded this record with Tyler Newbold, who is in Cold Toast with me. We recorded it in our practice space with a pretty simple setup” states Caleb on the recording process for the album. “He was infinitely patient with me tracking some of the songs many times, and I love working with him. Maybe it’s because we have been working together for so long but I feel like it’s just magical when somebody shares your sonic intuition to a degree where you can relax and just focus on the performances.”
Out Now: Flash Hits – Witch Kids Seek Magic World SM075
Flash Hits emerged in 2012 as a four-track experiment between Damien C. Taylor (The Sounds of Kaleidoscope, Asteroid #4) and Mike Hammel (Lilys, False Tracks). Their creative back-and-forth yielded the sprawling 38-song demo World Tore, with contributions from Jordan Blumling (Gondola). Expanding into a full-band effort, they recorded The Basement Tape in South Philly, followed by The Bloodline Tape, and Noises capturing sessions across the East and West Coasts with a rotating cast of collaborators, including members of Pink Skull, Adam & Dave’s Bloodline, and Asteroid #4.
Taylor’s move to Los Angeles in 2013 saw Flash Hits shifting lineups while continuing to evolve, releasing Arts & Crafts in 2015 and frequently performing alongside Dead Meadow. By 2017, they recorded Recognitions with a returning Hammel, Blumling, and longtime collaborators like Scott Verrastro (Bardo Pond) and Dennis Wilfong (Wolf Fang). Their sonic experiments culminated in Growths (2022), produced by Jason Simon (Dead Meadow) and released by Frontier Records, capturing their heady blend of post-punk, art rock, and micro-psychedelia.
Amid relocations and disruptions, Taylor’s songwriting remained the band’s anchor, ultimately leading to Witch Kids Seek Magic World, recorded with Bill Fries (Wax Pets, Creepoid) at Basement Beach in Philadelphia. Featuring contributions from Ryan Van Kreidt, Dan Angel, and Kacey Barnes, the album sees Flash Hits continuing their vibrant, exploratory approach-melding adventure guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and poetic lyricism. Set for release on Strange Mono in 2025, it marks another vivid chapter in their ever-evolving sound.
“It was somewhere in 2023 that Bill and I had begun talking about working on something together; I was floating from California north and south, Maryland, DC, Detroit and Philadelphia looking for a place to live and Bill was styling and dialing his recording realm.
Tracking began on a Friday evening. Our tapes were from a bad bake batch and were flecking with each rolling; Bill and Dan and David were pulling the reels and cleaning the machines between every take. By Saturday, basic tracks were down and Bill, David and Dan submixed the drums that night. By Sunday night we had completed recording; full-band tracks, the RC5 and Farfisa based stuff, percussion, guitars, sitar, samples, saw, vocals… On Monday we constructed tape loops and built about 3 hours of loop performances. We were done by suppertime.
Between all that, we watched Dark Shadows with the sound off and listened to Flying Saucer Attack and Frank Sinatra. Drank Ethiopian coffee, smoked and ate and stretched and listened to Autolux and the 2nd X record while we looked at Dan’s painting of George Jones for comforts and inspirations. We spent a year together there that weekend.” – Damien
Idiot Mambo started as a bedroom project from primary songwriters Benji Davis and Leah G. Their sophomore record, Shoot the Star, is a kaleidoscopic homage to their eclectic influences, from punky pop and thrift-store glam to country sparkle. Joined by Jared Brey, Dan Timlin, and Dan Angel whose drumming and engineering prowess laid the foundation for a newer, more polished sound. The band embraced experimentation, layering synthesizers, pedal steel, and even a pill bottle shaker to create a sound that’s both raw and meticulously crafted.
RIYL: Purr, Mac DeMarco, Belle and Sebastian, Alex G, Bonny Doon, Yo La Tengo
“Our first studio session features Dan Angel on drums and Jared on bass.” says Benji “We have one rehearsal prior. Dan learns the tunes, lays down amazing rhythms and engineers the session, living up to his reputation as the hardest working man in showbusiness.“
Lyrically, Shoot the Star is a wild ride through themes of insomnia, existential musings, and partying through the chaos. “The record has wreckless homages to all sorts of stuff.” says Benji. Several songs on the album were written in collaboration with spoken word poet Colbert Root who joins the band live as a theatrically effective orator. Tracks like “Tailchase” and “Deathdriver” explore failure and rebirth, while “Bop Til U Drop” and “Light Bulbs” deliver infectious, off-kilter energy. With its reckless charm and genre-defying spirit, Shoot the Star is a record for nowhere people. Idiot Mambo is here to remind you that rock and roll is alive, weird, and undeniably fun.
“Idiot Mambo have a dream where they exit the bedroom and enter the studio to make a catchy, cockeyed rock and roll record with their friends.
We get invited to play a show. Jared joins to play bass. Colbert joins in as a theatrically effective orator. We use a sample pad to trigger some beats, Benji & Leah sing and dance and we all have a great time.
Dan T offers to play drums and host us at his practice space, so he jumps in and we form a rock band. We put aside the sample pad and go on to play a couple awesome shows. It’s time to capture this energy and put something to tape. The band rolls into Dan Angel’s place neighboring boner4ever. Dan A feels the vibe and cements the band as rhythm daddy-o.
Our first studio session features Dan A on drums and Jared on bass. We have one rehearsal prior. Dan A learns the tunes, lays down amazing rhythms and engineers the session, living up to his reputation as the hardest working man in showbusiness. We get vocals down and start mixing a track, but we aren’t finished. We need a second session.
Dan T performs drums on the next studio outing. We track a couple of numbers that we’ve been knocking around on as a band. The takes are good. Dan T then intrepidly lays down beats to some completely unrehearsed songs that Benji, Leah, and Colbert brought from home. The takes are good! We overdub bass, mess around with the Nashville guitar, do some singing. We need more time to finish this.
One more studio session to add pulsing percussion, get trippy, and make things really sparkle. We paste in some synthesizers and pedal steel from home recordings. We shake a pill bottle because it sounds better than the egg shaker. We rip a guitar solo. We tap the glockenspiel. We wrench the noisemakers. We finesse the tape delay. A couple more vocal embellishments. It all fits.
Dan A dolls up the record while intensely gazing at the album art, handcrafted by Leah. Cell phone propped on the console for the entire mixing and mastering process. Once the kitty cats begin to dance to the music, we’re certain the track is sufficiently tarted. Soon, all ten tracks make the cats dance, and we call it done.
The record has wreckless homages to all sorts of stuff. A pinch of punky pop, a dash of shitty Revolver. A love for early rock, a kind of thrift store glam schlock. Some country sparkle and some tripped-out r&b. It’s like a collection of theme songs about diddly.
A Tailchase is about a failure to relinquish. Lockjaw is a strange cover of a rap song by French Montana and Kodak Black. Bop Til U Drop is an intriguing reimagining of a Ramones song. Braindead is about partying on. Lightbulbs posits civilization as a fad. Deathdriver is about transportation and samsara.
B Pillowcase is a case of insomnia. R U Dumb is, in truth, pretty dumb, but then again, so are you. Hot Potato is both baked and fried. Dead Roses is where we wake up from our dream and realize that, hey, we’re a real rock band after all.
In like a sour gummy worm, out like a satisfying turd, Shoot the Star is a kinetic, yet languid foofaraw. Shoot the Star is mostly uptempo rock music for nowhere people. Shoot the Star is your new favorite record.” – Benji
