As the hype and excitement of the Summer begins to die down, and as the students return to school all over the region, it’s time to drop back into the routine. If your weekday nights are packed up with the day-to-day of life and you need a weekend show to let loose, or maybe you just want some new tunes to throw on while you’re hammering through that work piling up on your desk — either way, we’ve got what you need. On this week’s Sound Check Gold Station Melody is invading The Camel with their bizarre tunes, Candlebox will strut their stuff at The National evoking an early 90s Seattle, and a local hip hop collaboration releases a triumph of modern rap music.
Out of town acts to see
CANDLEBOX
Tuesday 8/29 @ The National
Doors: 6:30pm
Depending on who you are, you either don’t know who Candlebox are, or you have known they are coming for a while now. Formed in 1991 in Seattle, Candlebox are a persistent grunge collective that continue on past when the genre took a hold of the nation’s collective conscious, and have learned to grow and evolve with the times. Though they haven’t quite reached the heights of their debut self-titled record which turned 30 years old in July and certified quadruple platinum, they have remained prolific having released five studio albums and two live records since their reformation in 2006. Though they have always represented a bluesier side of the grunge genre, their newest record has a polish often not associated with either genre, almost affecting a pop finish to their otherwise classic blend of rock attitude and sound.
local & regional acts to See
GOLD STATION MELODY
Saturday 9/2 @ The Camel
Doors: 8pm
You want to go out for a weird time? Then make your way to The Camel for the first Saturday night of September for the sound of Gold Station Melody. A bit of an auditory enigma, from song to song on their premiere record Pure Gold which came out in July of this year the band turns in a plethora of genre bending and tongue-in-cheek tunes. Undeniably to some degree a country influenced band, with songs like “Crawfish Joe” and “Sweet Carla” the group blends comedy, spoken word and bizarre story telling to craft a unique experience unlike much I have seen on the venue circuit for a while. That doesn’t mean they don’t know how to rock however, with progressive like tracks such as “Dust and Dime” offering an old school riff based feel-changing jam. If all that hasn’t sold you on the evening, then it might tip you over the edge to learn that Brady Heck is opening. Although it might be a bit niche on the surface, but if you’re a fan of guitars and dynamic sound it will be a great night regardless of whether or not you are crazy about the content.
local & regional releases
SKWEEKS/DISKO DAVE
Pintura Obscura (Album)
I wish I could learn more about the two artists credited to this phenomenal record. Attributed to both Skweeks on the mic and Disko Dave as producer, this record is the only piece on either of their Spotify profiles, and Skweeks’ Instagram account is private, however Disko Dave can be found out and about. Based out of Virginia Beach Disko Dave appears to be a veteran producer and DJ spinning records all over the VAB area. Skweeks however seems to relish in his enigmatic persona, specifically highlighted by the line “a hundred plus likes on the gram, still faceless,” on the second track “Games.” A Gritty City Records joint, this album represents only the latest in a series of records produced and/or distributed by this independent label who promote underground and up and coming hip hop artists. This city needs more avenues for talented hip hop artists to get their music to the masses, to by all means go support this label, and the dozens of musicians that they put on the forefront of the rap scene.
Top photo provided by Gold Station Melody
