Hey everyone, after a two week technology-enforced hiatus after my OS decided to play mindgames with me, I am back with five new bands with upcoming releases. Since I have been way too cohesive with shows recently – themes and everything, this week is a classic Strawberry Tongue hootenanny with a mish mash of musical styles that are sure to delight and possibly confuse. I’m considering this a bonus week, so I am also highlighting five tracks from artists that I have also added to the playlist that are standouts for me this week.
Odonis Odonis is a Toronto trio that combines punk aesthetics with electronics, industrial, and Sci-Fi to create a breathtaking, energetic and darkly swirling dystopian sounds. Forming in 2011, they have released a handful of LPs and a number of singles, forging new territories and expanding their vastly rich sound. Their lineup consists of Dean Tzenos (Vocals), Denholm Whale (Bass) Jarod Gibson (Rhythm). Tracks included tonight include “Nervous,” and “Needs” from their Post Plague album which was released today and an older track, “Mr. Smith” from their debut album Hard Boiled Soft Boiled.
If you remember the 80’s, the name Kristen Hersh and her band Throwing Muses is likely to be a band that you sweat to, cried to and breathlessly awaited new material from. The first American band to be signed to the unparalled 4AD, they released seven albums and toured extensively before disbanding in 1997. Spellbinding, unpredictable and sometimes, terrifying, this is a band that defined the sound of “alternative” music. Fast forward to the 2000’s and Kristen Hersh has released material with a new band by the name of 50FootWave. Since 2004, 50FootWave has ferociously, no-holds-barred released exhilarating and powerful tracks that were a place for Kristen’s precision, math-rock inspired tracks to reside. Their upcoming release, due this August, has a new single, “Bath White,” which is featured tonight, along with older tracks, “Clara Bow,” and “Sally is a Girl.”
Brian Diamond’s Shadows and Mirrors is an darkwave, electronic project from Chicago. Pulling inspiration from bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and She Wants Revenge, he creates a sonic space with dark themes, growling synths and disaffected vocals. This material is simmering, sexy, perverse, and stunningly subversive. Tracks featured tonight include “Empty,” “I Don’t Mind,” and “In The Dark.”
Tuath is an trip hop outfit from Dublin, Ireland. Their sound is inspired by disparate sources of postpunk, shoegaze, psychedelic and progressive rock. Their sound manifests as a low-fi, hazy, experimental psyche feel. Members consist of Rob Mulhern, Ashley Mobasser on sax, and a revolving cast of contributors. Tracks featured tonight include “Everything is Futile,” and “Who Do You Want Me To Be.”
Radiomun is a Russian duo that plays a modern interpretation of electronic music that they define as futurepop. Fun and funky, these are tracks that will make you move your ass. The duo is comprised of Alexander (music, arrangements) and Eugeniy (vocals, lyrics) and they have a couple of releases and a handful of singles. Tonight’s tracks include “It’s Obvious,” and a cover of the Camoflague song “Suspicious Love.”
Since I was such a slacker for two weeks – through no fault of my own (thank you, Windows 10), I am going to throw in a small feature of some of the tracks added to the playlist that are particularly standout for me.
Bonus single features:
Croonwavers Introflirt are back with a new single “Frozen Lace,” which will be released on their upcoming album Temporary Heaven in August. This is a sexy, slow sizzler for balmy summer nights. Bask in it.
Tapes & Tubes is a project by Austin Potter and we are introducing his single “So Long as I Have You” to Strawberry Tongue. Potter’s songwriting and vocal style puts him squarely in a unique class of musician that transcends trends. Like a modern day Tom Waits, this heartwrenching single is reminiscent of Pall Jenkins from The Black Heart Procession, another favorite of Strawberry Tongue.
Year of the Kite, one of Strawberry Tongue’s top bands of 2016, has released another somber and beautifully spacious track by the name of “Somewhere After Sunday.” Gorgeous and introspective, this band creates ambiance with their restraint of their lush layers.
Troubled Gardens is a postpunk band I featured a while back and offered three tracks from their 1986 release Eden Revisited. These original tracks were ripped from the vinyl release. Songwriter Dan Joseph has sent us pristine mastered tracks, which are now on the playlist including “Spy Dub,” “Incredible Changing Dub,” and “Silent City.”
Efterklang is a band that has been on the Strawberry Tongue playlist for some time. Digging out some of their older work this past week, I have added “Dreams Today,” and “Towards the Black Hill” to the playlist.
That’s it for this week’s edition of the Friday Night Five. Be sure to tune in to Strawberry Tongue Radio at 17:00, 19:00 and 21:00 EDT to hear selected tracks from each of these bands and be sure to visit their websites for more information about their latest work and to purchase their tracks.