After a demo EP in 2013 and two years spent playing ’round northern Italy, Earthset have released their debut album “In a State of Altered Unconsciousness”. The album was recorded live in three days at Fonoprint Studios by Enrico Capalbo and produced by Carlo Marrone and Earthset. The first single “So What?” is an energetic, melodic number backed by an infectious beat and a crunchy guitar attack making it one of the most promising tracks to come out of the Italian indie rock scene.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Earthset
https://twitter.com/EarthsetBand
https://earthset.bandcamp.com
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First Aid Kit – Live from The Palace Theater 1/30/2018
With head-banging, strobe lights, and electric guitar solos, First Aid Kit brought a new energy to the Palace Theatre in January.
Sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg just released their fourth album, ‘Ruins.’ The album features songs that fit the texture we’ve come to expect from First Aid Kit — folksy sounds with beautiful harmonies — as well as expanding the group’s palette to include a harder-rocking sound.
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Rev Rev Rev – Adrift in the Chaosmos
Named as ‘One of Europe’s finest ’gazer bands of the last decade’ [Daily Bandcamp], Rev Rev Rev metabolize shoegaze and psychedelic rock elements in a loud, woozy, fuzz-driven way.
Since the debut, their signature wall-of-sound has inspired rave reviews, with single “Catching a buzz” spun on BBC6 (Steve Lamacq, Radcliffe, and Maconie) and sophomore album ‘Des fleurs magiques bourdonnaient’ praised by influential webzines like Drowned in Sound, Clash Music, Sounds better with reverb.
Their live set at Manchester’s Cosmosis Festival, headlined by The Jesus and Mary Chain, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Raveonettes and WIRE, kick-started a 44-date tour touching UK, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, during which the quartet shared the stage with The Telescopes, Ringo Deathstarr, and Gonjasufi. In Italy, the band was ranked among the best live shows by 200 Italian promoters of the KeepOn Live indie network.
The new album, produced by James Aparicio (Spiritualized, Cult Of Dom Keller, Dead Vibrations), has been released in September 2019 on cult indie psych label Fuzz Club.
Their set at SXSW 2019 impressed, among others, Bob Boilen of All Songs Considered and earned them a feature on NPR’s festival wrap-up as well as airplay on the network’s radios. The band has been invited to play Eurosonic 2020.
Featured image by Salvatore Giorgio.
LINKS:
https://revrevrev.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0osv6JQzCfTjwPAOKZlSBP
https://www.facebook.com/revrevrev.band
https://www.instagram.com/rev.rev.rev
https://twitter.com/revrevrev_band
http://www.revrevrev.org -
Pls Pls Me – Water Torture
Pls Pls Me has today premiered their new video for the single titled ‘Water Torture’. When I first heard Pls Pls Me last year I fell in love with their style and originality. And, when I interviewed them, I fell in love with their personalities and drive. Jimi Fish and Jessie Torrisi are two artists who could easily have brilliant solo careers but, when brought together, become this original thing that demands a listen and commands an audience.
With ‘Water Torture’, this is proven a solid fact. This video has that slow burn feel that captivates you with that first look and keeps you for a second. The song gives a sonic resilience to the recently disenfranchised and isolated with the assurance that we are not alone yet we can survive isolated. ‘Water Torture’ is a song of strength. And, almost like an anthem, it drives that point to the end and makes that end of the song a new beginning. Take a listen. Take a look. Take the message.
Check out our other features with Pls Pls Me HERE.
Featured image by Jason Leavy.
About ‘Water Torture’
‘Water Torture’ is Pls Pls Me’s send-off to Donald Trump. It is a description of how the duo felt the last 4 years, just hearing his voice. “For anyone who cares about racial justice, or the rising number of COVID deaths, or who wants this country to stand for more than celebrity or ego – it felt like he was taunting us,” Jessie says. Trump’s tweets, history of sexual harassment, his claim of being a super successful businessman while declaring bankruptcy 6 times, all find their way into this song.
Though they’ve been known to inject their politics into their music before, Pls Pls Me didn’t set out to write a song about Trump. One day, Jimi heard a sound clip by Brooklyn producer Noams on instagram. Instantly lyrics popped into his hand, so he reached out to Noams, who had never intended to make a song from the instrumental, and they struck a deal. Soon after, musicians from NYC to Austin TX lent their voices for the chorus; it turns out quite a few people felt bruised ‘n battered by 4 years of a Trump presidency.
The vision further came together when their New York photographer friend Jason Leavy flew out to California and they did a shoot at Hayes Mansion, San Jose, taking pictures masked up by the eery yet entrancing light of the swimming pool at night.
“For me, this song is a purge,” Jimi says. “I love our campiness and our ability to bring queerness to such a serious topic. Right now, America feels split in so many ways. While unity would be great, there will be none until we get the negativity out.”
Music, after all, is catharsis. And we could all use some of that after 2020.
About Pls Pls Me
Pls Pls Me is a Brooklyn-based queer electro pop duo who came together on a grey New Year’s Day in 2016. While launching QUEER MF, a local showcase and party for queer music, singer/multi-instrumentalists Jimi Fish and Jessie Torrisi bonded over writing songs about sex, longing, and surviving the age of Trump.
Their love of eclectic, hip hop-inflected production and otherworldly harmonies crystalized with last year’s long-awaited debut EP, Too Late. Jammerzine called them “a slow melodic burn… that hits in all the right places.” Analogue Trash calls their modern dream-pop “very doomy, but a lot of fun.” And OVRLD says Pls Pls Me are a cross of “early XX and Everything But the Girl.” Their latest track Water Torture, which is a send-off for Trump, is a departure from their summer love anthems.
But this band has a sonic range. More than anything, Pls Pls Me is the story of a deep friendship formed over late nights at the piano while pondering the power dynamics of love and the art of being queer. Their follow-up EP, produced by indie songstress Sarah Jaffe, is due out in Summer 2021.
LINKS:
https://plsplsme.nyc
https://www.facebook.com/PlsPlsMeNYC
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GFPThWEgRKDMICtF5Nb85?si=JMN8DTqgQOKENVw2O1tY1g
https://www.instagram.com/plspls.me
https://www.twitter.com/PlsPlsMeNYC
https://www.soundcloud.com/plsplsme
https://www.youtube.com/user/YouPleasePleaseMe