*PREMIERE*
Ba Babes // “Devil On My Shoulder”
They’re back! It was a relatively short hiatus, so perhaps you didn’t even know that they had disbanded, but whatever. The only thing that matters now is that they’re back! THE BABES ARE BACK!
I’ve had a really great relationship with the New Jersey duo for a few years now so when Mikey Walsh emailed me a few days ago with the news I was pretty happy. Through the inception of their label Panther People and the increasing scarcity of time, the guys decided to scrap Ba Babes a few months ago and focus on getting Panther People off the ground. Now that they are several releases in, Mike and James have decided that maybe Ba Babes wasn’t finished after all. And now here we are.
“Devil On My Shoulder” is the name of one of their new tracks and it’s a perfect re-introduction to the band. Loud drums and even louder guitars usher this bluesy, old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll firecracker into the airspace. Look for this track and others on the band’s upcoming tape Back from the Shred (too good, right?) out next month on Panther People. Whether you’ve missed the band or not, this should be a welcome pick-me-up on this Monday afternoon.
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Title: Heaven Dirt
Artist: Birthwater
230 plays
Birthwater // Wet Water
I really wish I had known that this Birthwater album came out this past summer because the sound that they capture here perfectly encapsulates the feeling of hot, lazy afternoons spent inner tubing down a meandering river. Listening to it I should have guessed that these guys are from New Jersey because their sound is delightfully reminiscent of the Underwater Peoples crew. I definitely feel some Real Estate/Family Portrait/Julian Lynch vibes going on in there.
So the album is called Wet Water and I am pretty much in love with everything about it. It flirts perfectly with jam band territory without any of the cheese that usually accompanies bands of that ilk. And with ten super solid tracks this album is a shocking steal because the guys have put it up on their bandcamp for free. There is literally no downside to grabbing this thing. So download it and spread it around because it really is that good.
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BANDCAMP | MYSPACE | TUMBLR
Ba Babes // “Love Ghost”
Man, I’ve been waiting for some new Ba Babes stuff for so long. Well fortunately for me (well, for us) it looks like that wait is just about over. Squeezing in recording time whenever they could the guys have finally finished their upcoming cassette Close Talker. And it’s a good thing for them that they sent me this track because I was kinda miffed with them ever since they excluded a very pregnant (but very cute) Shawnee Smith in Summer School from their 1980’s dream-girl list.
The first track to surface from the release is called “Love Ghost” and it contains all of their raw, unbridled New Jersey punk energy that we know and love. It’s all cut-off jean shorts, melting popsicles, and tank top suntans. And if things around your parts are as cold as they are here, then that should be a welcome change for sure.
The dudes are releasing the extremely limited cassette via their own label Panther People. And although the tapes will mostly be available at their live shows, I’m sure the guys will find a way to get you one if you really want it. So hit them up!
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BANDCAMP | SOUNDCLOUD | BLOGSPOT | MYSPACE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
Title: drip from the sea
Artist: High Pop
230 plays
High Pop // “Drip from the Sea”
Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man. My buddies in High Pop just released a single from their upcoming album Hippie Speed Ball. The single is called “Drip from the Sea” and it is definitely a scorcher (in a slow-burn sorta way).
This track tells me a few things about High Pop that I am more than happy to listen to. Firstly it has a noticeably better production value than that of their first EP Bong Rips. It’s not a “cleaning up” of sorts, rather it shows that the boys are taking steps towards seriousness in this thing called the music game. But don’t worry, the distortion still wails and there is a comfy layer of linty fuzz over top everything to keep it undeniably High Pop. The second thing that this track tells me about these fine dudes is that they are working with different influences. “Drip from the Sea” definitely takes some cues from later 1960’s good old fashioned rock’n’roll. These are welcome (and slight) changes to an already exciting young band.
So listen to this track and gear yourself up for the release of Hippie Speed Ball which will be released in the not-so-distant future (early August) by Sex Cave Records. And then after the release they will be hitting the road (again) with fellow righteous dudes The Guru.
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check them out here: BANDCAMP | TUMBLR | FACEBOOK
Title: If You
Artist: Clear Wash
100 plays
Clear Wash // Sunset Ridge
There is alot of technical music out there. Complicated stuff that requires more of the listeners. There is a certain amount of satisfaction that comes with that sort of music, an almost deeper sense of appreciation. On the flipside though, there is also music that is so simple that it becomes a channel of pure enjoyment. The kind of music that makes you want to just kick off your flip-flops and lay back on a hammock (come on, we are kinda close to summer).
New Jersey band Clear Wash definitely falls under the latter kind of music. It’s very simple, very straightforward. And I don’t mean this is a bad way at all. It’s almost as if it’s a deliberate exercise in fuzzy guitar distortion and slacker pop hooks. Then add just a hint of 1980’s nostalgia and voilà! The best part about Clear Wash is that there is definitely a heartbeat pulsing underneath this music. The simplicity just makes it that much easier to hear.
Download their EP Sunset Ridge for free on their bandcamp or by clicking right here.
**PREMIERE**
Ba Babes // “Round My Neck”
One of my favorite upcoming lo-fi punk bands is New Jersey’s own Ba Babes. WIth scuzzy lo-fi music, it’s not as immediately gratifying as some music can be. It forces you to listen a little more closely. Scratch away the layers of noise and see what is hidden underneath. Sometimes the treasure you find buried beneath the trash is so unbelievably valuable that it was worth the work of digging through the dirt (even if it means you got some of it underneath your fingernails).
I can’t think of a better example of this than Ba Babes. Their noisy music just radiates heat. In fact, prolonged exposure has been known to cause blistering around the ears. This feisty New Jersey duo has their sound and they know how to deliver.
OK this new track is the A-side of an upcoming cassette single that they are releasing through Fungal Hunger on March 10th. This single is a mere taste of what is to come, because the band is currently preparing their debut full-length album. But for now you can pre-order the cassette, and it will have to tide you over until the album comes out.
Oh and in case you never got their debut EP Hate the Beach, you can download it for free from their bandcamp or right here.
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whoa baby: “Round My Neck”
Ba Babes :: “John Cusack, 1985”
I blurbed about the New Jersey band Ba Babes debut EP awhile back and in that post I said that hoped to hear more from the band in the future. Well, my wish was granted today when the band sent me their brand new track “John Cusack, 1985”.
From the way this track sounds you would never know that New Jersey is under nearly three feet of snow. This sunny lo-fi punk is so energetic you’d swear that we were in the throes of summer’s hot grip. The crunchy guitars twist and turn and burn your ears, while underneath all of the fuzz there lies a sweet 1960’s melody. So good.
The track will be featured on an upcoming split 7” between Ba Babes and fellow punkers Dudes Died (I’m loving the alliteration here). The split will be out on the band’s own label Haunted Couples sometime in February so keep it on the radar.
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check it out: “John Cusack, 1985”
