You know, I was going to start this post by talking about Halloween, trying to incorporate “trick” and “treats” puns somewhere along the way. But honestly, that feels corny EVEN FOR ME, so I guess we all reach our limits. Anyways TREAT yourself to this musical goodie bag, filled with fun-size candy bars (the singles) and king-size variety packs (the albums + eps). Oof, that was actually worse than I thought it was going to be when I go back and read it. Anyways, don’t let our awful wordplay get in the way of a week full of incredible music. We have a lot of great songs for you to sink your teeth into, AND you don’t have to worry about cavities! Okay, we’ll stop. We’re done with the puns. Many of these bands are also playing live shows now (check out our event calendar for Only Good Gigs [tm]), so if you go, make sure you take a mask and don’t be a weirdo.
Our special picks this week are the new EP from Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop (Cyberviolence 2), the new song from Tall Trees (“Cruel”), and the prog wonderland “Lightning Rifle (or The Buffalo Deserter)” by Hartford’s Shagohod..
Check out this Bark List’s songs below, and as always, if you like what you hear: share it with a friend! And if you have the means, consider buying their music. Spotify is nice and all, but unless you plan on streaming a song multiple hundred times, Bandcamp is best. I know that tracking down songs on Bandcamp can be a pain in the ass, so if you discover new music on Spotify, consider throwing your playlists into this tool to quickly track down the Bandcamp page of these artists: https://hypem.com/merch-table/ .
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Albums + EPS:
Cafe Pizzeria – Terrible 64
Beautifully realized and warm. With a few samples and an acoustic guitar, Cafe Pizzeria’s music is in many ways, a pretty lonely object because of how minimalist the arrangements are. You feel that it’s just Quinn O’Neill on the other side of those headphones. But the really special thing about Terrible 64 is that you never feel that loneliness directly because you become an active part of the EP as you listen. You feel like the audience, you feel that connection. And if I’ve overused the phrase “you feel” in this blurb, that’s because Terrible 64 made me feel a lot of things in its short runtime!
Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop – Cyberviolence 2
A sequel to July’s CYBERVIOLENCE, this record is like pouring piping hot Surge directly onto your brain. As with previous Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop Chop (yes I made sure to count 7 times) records, this thing barrels along with no abandon – five tracks, each about a minute long, to scald your cortex. Distorted, blown-out, and harsh as hell. And as direct as their music is, their lyrics are just as sharp, keeping corporations, fascists, and techbros in their crosshairs – not that there’s any difference between those three groups. No more thoughts. Only Chop.
Galactic Static – Friendly Universe
Connors Mac and Kelly returned with Galactic Static earlier this year, giving us a quick peek of things to come with “Fresh Cut & Bessie”. And even though we really dug that song, it didn’t quite prepare us for our diverse, fun, and wild their album Friendly Universe would be. Part punk, part lo-fi indie, part old-school pop, it’s a psychedelic soup of ideas bundled together by Mac and Kelly’s songwriting friendship. The way they bounce musical ideas off of each other is the highlight of Friendly Universe, a small optimistic blip in a musical landscape that frequently feels on fire.
Grand1sle – Whatsoever
The second release of grand1sle this year. Hyperpop brought to you by Tom Fisher (from He Was An Artist); Whatsoever has the same great wordplay + lyricism as you’d expect from their past work, but now with chiptune, blast beats, and vocal effects! Come for the pirate pizza party. Stay for heaven or las cruces.
Spirit Was – Heaven’s Just A Cloud
It’s honestly a bit weird to realize that Heaven’s Just A Cloud is the debut album of Spirit Was, in part because Nick Corbo’s music has been a big part of our healthy listening habits for the past several years. (And we’re still buzzing from their MAC650 show pre-pandemic, tbh.) And this music sounds – I mean this in the best way possible – ancient, as if it had been originally discovered in runes carved out of a boulder. An album that plays tricks on your ear, is this doom americana? Or is it the most nimble sludge metal record? Be sure to check out Corbo’s liner notes on the album via Stereogum (https://www.stereogum.com/2164082/spirit-was-heavens-just-a-cloud-track-by-track/interviews/footnotes-interview/).
Trace Mountains – House of Confusion
How can we put this delicately… Trace Mountains’ most recent two records show a case study in survival and independence through the pandemic. Their last record, Lost in the Country (a true gem), came out in April 2020, just as everything was closing down. Their new record, House of Confusion, carries that previous record’s knack for warm melodies and gracious, lush arrangements. But it also feels slightly untamed – just a little more gnarly, a little more adventurous, and a little more direct. Perhaps the band’s finest hour.
Singles:
Anxious – “In April”
One of the most-hyped CT bands of the year, Anxious formally announce their debut album Little Green House with this new track, “In April”. The album arrives in January 2022 from the legendary Run For Cover Records, and if you act quickly, you can snag that awesome Blue and Yellow vinyl varia… oh, damn, it really sold out that fast, huh? Loud, giant choruses that you can scream at the top of your lungs with your sweaty friends at 2AM. Recorded and produced by Mr. Teti at Silver Bullet Studios.
BAO Joey – “Guilty Pleasures”
Waterbury’s hidden treasure, BAO Joey’s newest track is also one of his most adventurous. He uses a soft-rock, jazzy backing track to dive into a melancholy, clear-eyed look at trying to live and survive in 2021.
Daniel Allan + Deegan – “Say What You Want”
New collaboration between Daniel Allan and Deegan. Slick, catchy pop music, which is exactly what you should expect when you see Deegan’s name.
The Future I Dream Of – “Epidemic”
We loved The Future I Dream Of’s EP Times Like These, which came out in July. And the band is already back with new music on the horizon – not just with this excellent single “Epidemic”, but with another full EP coming in early November. New The Future I Dream Of music? Well that’s the [dramatic pause for the punch line] future I dream of.
Kingcess – “Passionate”
Taking her name from the portmanteau of King and Princess, CT’s Kingcess just dropped their first single of 2021. “I’m passionate / This ain’t happen by no accident” is a great thesis statement for Kingcess’s music, which is notable for its directness and musicality. Also be sure to check out her appearance of Cheeza’s “Night Time” from earlier this year.
KJ – “October”
KJ didn’t have to go this hard in Spooky Season. An incredible song that draws parallels with getting older and getting colder, not just in age but in the way we treat each other. Could be a song about the changing weather, could be a song about how friends see us differently with time.
Laini and the Wildfire – “Hold On To Your Soul”
The new Laini and the Wildfire track is a jaunty R&B pop tune.
Laura Wolf – “Paravane”
The new single from Laura Wolf’s upcoming EP, Artifacts (releasing on November 12)! We’ve gotten a preview of “Paravane” last year’s Quarantine Demos, and it’s so exciting to see this one so fully fleshed out and different from its original form. We love both versions, written/recorded/produced by Wolf. PS: if you buy the EP on bandcamp, you get an extra track, so don’t be an idiot. Also be sure to check out the artist’s patreon page for more music: https://www.patreon.com/laurawolfmusic/posts.
Sarah Golley – “Maybe You’re Right (At Least For Today)”
As We Crawl was one of our very favorite albums of 2019, and we’re always excited any time we get new music from multi-instrumentalist auteur Sarah Golley. Her newest song ”Maybe You’re Right (At Least For Today)” is a ruminative thought simulator, as the loops and repetition of Golley’s lyrics worm their way into your brain. If you’ve ever had racing thoughts, you’ll recognize this feeling, but Golley somehow turns this into something wildly fun and inventive (and danceable?!).
Shagohod – “Lightning Rifle (or The Buffalo Deserter)”
A great album single is like a stocking stuffer on Christmas Eve. You open that first present, and you’re just like “oh shit, pretty soon there’s going to be a bunch of presents. How am I supposed to sleep with this on my mind?!” So it goes with Shagohod’s new single “Lightning Rifle (or the Buffalo Deserter)”, the first taste of the prog rock band’s new album Tin, Gold, Lead & Blood. It’s as adventurous as it is heavy, as detailed as it is pummeling. There’s like a mandolin solo AND a piano breakdown in this metal song for godsake. The album releases on December 3rd.
Tall Trees – “Cruel”
Released just in time to commemorate the band’s show with Bad Bad Hats at the Space Ballroom. Tall Trees has been one of our steady companions in 2021 with their excellent Mayday. And while I know that their lyrics can be a bit on the melancholy side, or that their songs might wrestle with interpersonal hardships… it all just feels so warm and cozy. “You can’t love what you want when you’re older / You just take what hurts less” big sad emoji.
And we didn’t include a “Music Video” section here at the end like we normally do because we ran out of time and didn’t have a chance to search Connecticut for new music videos. But hey, if you find some, let us know for next week!
