Top features
Music: The Fest 17
If you count last year’s Pre-Fest only trip, Fest 17 marks my tenth trip to Florida for the annual event. The Fest is a monster ... read more
Music: Looking Forward to The Fest 17
The Fest is a fascinating piece of DIY culture. Not only has it grown into a mega-event of 400+ bands, comedians, wrestlers, and other forms ... read more
Interviews: Fatherson
Fatherson's new album seesaws between visceral, enveloping rock music and experimental, cinematic soundscapes, which should come as no surprise as the Scottish trio's back catalogue ... read more
Regular Columns: Soundtrack in film
Thanks to insight from professionals in the field, and the freedom to explore the use of sound in film, Beyond Casual Observation has featured a ... read more
Interviews: Kyle Falconer
In 2007, a group of young Scottish musicians called The View became one of the key bands in the mid-‘00s British indie music scene with ... read more
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SPB premiere: "Isaiah" from Unknown River Driver split with Rations Noise
Rations Noise/Unknown River Driver - split LP
Rations Noise will release a new split 12” with Unknown River Driver in early 2019 titled Remains. The split officially releases on Jan. 11 in a joint effort between 86’d Records (US), Different Kitchen (UK), Ersatz Reality (DE), Farsot (SE), Rad Girlfriend (US), and Tor Johnson (US).
Since it’s a collaborative effort, Scene Point Blank caught up with both bands for some words about what’s like to work with the different labels involved. But instead of a stuffy quote about teamwork, instead we got each band to talk about favorite records that the different labels involved have released. Check out the details further down.
We’re also debuting a new song, “Isaiah,” from Unknown River Driver. It includes guest vocals from members of Iron Chic and Fellow Project.
Getting deeper, here are some favorite past records from the labels involved, as chosen by members of both Unknown River Driver and Rations Noise:
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Records SPB exclusive: Tired of Everything - Silenced demo
Tired of Everything - Silenced demo
Scene Point Blank is excited to share the debut release from Tired of Everything, the Silenced demo, out soon on To Live a Lie Records.
Formed earlier this year, the Raleigh, NC quartet features current and former members of NoComply, Oxidant, Salmonella, Zipper, and Mad Dog. The band plays furious hardcore with that balanced anthemic singalongs with circle pits and live-in-tone production.
Silenced features six songs and is the first band in which To Live a Lie label head Will takes the microphone. Available on cassette and 8” picture disc, the record’s six songs were recorded on August 22 with Kris Hilbert and the mastered by Jirix-Mie Pax.
Bands Sarah Shook & the Disarmers news
Posted Nov. 17, 2018, 11:03 a.m.
photo by Anthony Nguyen
Blodshots Records and Sarah Shook & the Disarmers have announced upcoming news regarding the group. Sarah Shook & the Disarmers have released the new “The Way She Looked At You” b/w “Devil May Care,” plus they have a tour scheduled for early 2019.
The upcoming tour includes a stop at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC, which gets a shoutout in Shook's recent 1QI with SPB.
Labels Cherubs ink with Relapse
Posted Nov. 17, 2018, 10:33 a.m.
photo by Allison Naro
Austin, TX noise trio Cherubs has joined with Relapse Records for their next release.
Originally formed in 1992 and playing with the Austin LSD punk scene, the group reformed in 2015 and has released a new LP and a new EP in the meantime. They now have plans for another new record in 2019, their first for Relapse and fifth overall. They will record with Erik Wofford (Explosions in the Sky, Black Angels) in Austin.
In other band news, their 1996 record, Short of Popular was recently reissued on Sonic Surgery Records and the band will be playing two exclusive dates in Texas next March with Mudhoney. (Dates below.)
Shows Psycho Las Vegas 2019 sets date and place
Posted Nov. 17, 2018, 10:18 a.m.
photo by Loren Green
The three-day, four-stage festival known as Psycho Las Vegas 2019 has set a new location and picked dates for its annual return. This year the even moves to the Strip, taking place April 16-18 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Venues this year include the Mandalay Events Center, House Of Blues, and the Mandalay Bay Beach. Other hotel features include Vegas essentials like a wave pool and lazy river, a Vegas lounge, and access to various resort amenities.
Tickets go on sale on NOv. 29, including the "Psycho Special." Visit Psycho's website for more info.
Records New Dead Waves out today
Posted Nov. 16, 2018, 8:39 p.m.
Dead Waves - God of the Wild
New York duo Dead Waves have released God of the Wild, the band's sixth release overall. To get a taste, New Noise is streaming the song "Gabriella," which features guest vocals from Jessica Reynoza (The Willowz).
The band consists of brothers Teddy and Nick Panopoulos, who use historical Greek instruments (lyre, wooden flute) selectively in their matieral. The new record was produced by Martin Bisi.
Records Kevin Devine and John K. Samson split
Posted Nov. 11, 2018, 7:45 p.m.
photo by Loren Green
The latest in Kevin Devine's onging series of split 7"s will feature John K. Samson. Out on Nov. 30 on Bad Timing Records, Devinyl Splits No. 10 features one song by each artist, Devine and Samon.
Both artists also have upcoming tours, dates listed below.
Tours Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers tour dates
Posted Nov. 11, 2018, 4:29 p.m.
photo by Katie Hovland
Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, the newest project by namesake Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!), has announced a North American headlining tour next spring, including dates with Mercy Union and Control Top.
In addition to Grace, the band features Atom Willard (Against Me!) and Marc Jacob Hudson (recordist/mixer at Rancho Recordo). The band just released its debut, Bought To Rot, on Nov. 9 on Bloodshot Records. Fans can stream it via NPR.
Splits Final Nothington release, Europe dates
Posted Nov. 11, 2018, 9:52 a.m.
Currently midway through a European tour, Nothington has released their final record, a split 7" with Swingin' Utters, released on Red Scare Industries.
“Don’t be bummed this is our last song because, hey, we get to do a split with Swingin’ Utters! So stoked," guitarist/vocalist Chris Matulich says of the record.
The band announced the record and, pending a few farewell shows in 2019, has no future plans, referring to their future as an "indefinite hiatus."
Shows MONA FOMA 2019: Program Revealed
Posted Nov. 10, 2018, 10:24 a.m.
This January, Launceston will bear witness to its first-ever Mona Foma—with its signature brand of unexpected, unpredictable and curious programming descending on the state’s second-largest city.
Highlights of the 2019 incarnation of MONA FOMA include:
● MUSIC:
Neneh Cherry (SWE) + Underworld (UK) + Oneohtrix Point Never: Myriad (USA) + Mulatu Astatke and The Black Jesus Experience (ETH/AUS) + Julia Holter (USA) + Jonathan Bree (NZ) + Courtney Barnett (AUS) + Nakhane (ZAF) + Hańba! (POL) + Les Filles de Illighadad (NER) + Southeast Desert Metal (AUS) + WWWater (BEL) + Yirinda (AUS) + Satu Vänskä and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (FIN/AUS) + group A (JPN)
● ART: Kenny Pittock (AUS) + Heath Franco (AUS) + Lou Conboy (AUS) + Lou Hubbard (AUS) + Margie Livingston (USA) +Parer Studio (AUS) + Pete Matilla (AUS) + Rosie Deacon (AUS)
● DANCE: Dana Gingras + group A + Sonya Stefan (CAN/JAP) +, Stompin (AUS) + Tasdance (AUS)
● EVENTS: Faux Mo + Morning Meditation + free programming at Albert Hall: Robin Fox installation and late night concerts (Fri - Kuniko Kato (JAP) + Sabu Orimo (JAP), Sat - Robin Fox (AUS) + Ensemble Offspring (AUS)) + more.
Mona Foma 2019 runs from 13-20 January in Launceston, Tasmania.
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Top review
Johnny Marr
Call the Comet
With the release of his latest effort Call the Comet, Johnny Marr solidifies himself as one of the strongest solo artists in music today. However, no one seems to know this as he is forever in the shadow of his former bandmate Morrissey, who manages to cover-up substandard songwriting with endless media-grabbing pull-quotes and tour cancellations. Call the Comet is Johnny Marr’s third album and it continues to show who the real talent in The Smiths was all along. As ...
Exclusive album stream
Tired Of Everything - Silenced
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Blogs
Amenra @ Factory Theatre
Posted by T
Nov. 18, 2018, 10:21 a.m.
Amenra Factory Theatre Sydney, Australia November 16, 2018 Slow and doomy build-ups that cascade and are eventually unleashed not unlike a ton of bricks: Amenra have taken the DNA of ... read more
Henry David Thoreau: A Life book review
Posted by T
Nov. 17, 2018, 9:32 a.m.
Henry David Thoreau: A Life Laura Dassow Walls University of Chicago Press Henry David Thoreau. A luminary of American literature canon. A Life is more than a mere biography ... read more
Water of Life – Starward’s Two-Fold
Posted by T
Nov. 14, 2018, 8:21 p.m.
Starward Distillery out of Melbourne: If you remotely follow this series, our previous coverage of Starward, its excellent outlet and its liquid emissions would and should have left more than ... read more
Haruki Murakami – Killing Commendatore
Posted by T
Nov. 11, 2018, 11:26 a.m.
Haruki Murakami – Killing Commendatore Penguin Classic Murakami has been a constant source of joy for me over the last decade. His Kafka-esque, surreal, multi-dimensional story telling scattered with ... read more
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