While music journalists are busy preparing and publishing their Best-Of music lists for the year, bands are frantically releasing music before the final toll of 2012. This may complicate certain lists that had been prepared far in advance, but it only means good things while the glut of Christmas music is in the air.
While music journalists are busy preparing and publishing their Best-Of music lists for the year, bands are frantically releasing music before the final toll of 2012. This may complicate certain lists that had been prepared far in advance, but it only means good things while the glut of Christmas music is in the air.
photo by Scott Hailey
SwampTrees is an acoustic folk trio made up of Steve Wagner, Mica Whitney and Graham Remocaldo. The band released a self-titled EP engineered by Audrey Knuth in October. Sit next to a fire and press play. Listen to “Drop Me” for a meditative spiritual characterized by an almost-call and response. Vocalist Mica Whitney sings the first line alone, and then the group joins in unison with Whitney leading.
Of Want and Misery has just released MisanthroEP (see what they did there?), eight tracks of hardcore crushings. The five-piece noisecore group has a family-like following. Check out “Cursed to Black” for a crooner country introduction (a sample of Webb Pierce’s “More and More”) that opens up into a multi-sectional metalcore epic.
Dirt Merchant is a bit of an enigma as far as the Interwebz is concerned, but the band’s stoner rock two-song demo still rips and shreds. With one original (“Hell”) and one cymbal-heavy Hendrix cover (“Voodoo Chile”), the band is poised to be quite the party starter.
photo by Eric Anthony
Dank D is dropping his Smog of War EP on New Year’s Eve, and he has put out a couple preview tracks to hold us over until then. The first sound is “I am Half Robot” featuring Joe Threat. Check out the spoken word “Outro” (3rd sound) to hear Matt Satens’ call-to-arms rhymes.
ThaLSD aka Jae Dallas is a pretty busy guy. Checking out his soundcloud you’ll see that he records new bomb-ass tracks pretty often. Here are a couple of his recent joints:
“Breakdown”
“Mx Warrior” (snippet)
“Bacon” (feat. Serious)
The Approach is a recent band started by Sean Castleberry, and they have released a couple live show recordings. The reggae-roots-rock band plays some covers and some originals, and it’s clear the band shows its audience a good time. Here is a house show recording from Hanover Avenue on 12/8. Check out “Oh! Sweet Nuthin” for a pretty sweet jammy version of this Velvet Underground classic.
Happy holidays to one and all! See you in two weeks!
By Sarah Moore Lindsey (soundsofrva.org)
