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Virginia’s ING Releases Single, “Dust,” Ahead of Debut Album

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Richmond’s Citrus City Records is on a steady streak of discovering the hidden gems in Virginia’s vast pool of musicians and bands. Fat Spirit and Lance Bangs are just a few of the greats that have released solid tunes off the local indie label, and underground Charlottesville trio, ING, is the latest group to release an EP through them.

This experimental indie rock band, featuring Hannah Balesi (guitarist/vocals), Garen Dorey (bassist), and Will Mullany (drums), have an interesting sound. You can’t really pigeonhole them into any one genre or lump them in with a lot of other indie bands, and that’s what I like about them. Its hazy and minimal, but with some melodic guitars for a jangle/slacker pop vibe. If you’re into Beach House, you will probably like ING.

ING will deliver their debut five-track EP, which was recorded at Gatehouse Studios, on cassette on Sept. 30. Luckily, the band has given RVA Mag and music lovers a little sneak peek of what’s to come on their record with the newly-released single, “Dust.” This song goes off in all different directions, Balesi pulling you in with her vocals, and Mullany keeping you on your toes with the switch up of the drums.

You can preorder ING’s self-titled EP through Bandcamp, and make sure you catch the trio at Gallery5 on Oct. 26 alongside Guerilla Toss with Bermuda Triangles, COQ, and Aesthetic B.

 

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Get a Quick Pick-Me-Up From The Demos New Single, “If You Only Knew”

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The latest extended play from The Demos, “If You Only Knew,” gives you the dreary Monday morning pick-me-up you didn’t know you needed.

With a 60s-inspired musical bounce and aesthetic, their newest indie power pop piece by the same name feels nostalgic, but the type of nostalgic that a 20-something-year-old would feel–someone who didn’t actually live through the era but wished they did. The melody is cheerful and fun, heavy on poppy guitar arrangements, sunny harmonies, and light on the heart, but the lyrics deliver a subtle, tender soreness.

The five-person band is led by singer Jason “Jay” Milton and Callan “Cal” Saunders, who have been making music together since high school. Now nearly 15 years later, after experiencing some fame in Japan and four releases, they’re bringing their dreamy, indie pop to The Broadberry with fellow Rochester resident Dan Armbruster, founder of the band Joywave. Armbruster collaborated with The Demos for their four-song EP. Joywave focuses on alternative pop and adds a hip-hop essence to the release.

Collaborating with Joywave is nothing new, as Milton and Saunders have played music with the members of Joyway since high school, as well. Both groups come out of Rochester and hope to give groups from their hometown more recognition.

“We’ve been in bands with those guys and playing with those guys since we were teenagers,” Milton said in an interview with Campus Times. “They’re making an effort to take Rochester bands out with them on tour whenever they can, and they’re always talking up the city in general. It’s awesome to have a band from our town at a national level and talking about our little city and what’s going on it.”

You can see both bands at The Broadberry tomorrow, Tuesday, July 17 at 8 p.m.

Brothers from Richmond’s Ruth Good Discuss Debut EP ‘Spliff’ Ahead of Smatter Show Tonight

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Whenever siblings or family members get together to make music it’s always a good time and there’s always a good story (or five) to be told. You can feel the closeness and love in the music, making it all the more fun to listen to.

Such was the case when I chatted with brothers Jonathan (JP) and Wes Parker, the duo behind Ruth Good, an up and coming bedroom/indie pop band in Richmond’s music scene.

You might recognize Wes’ name from his solo projects, or his bass playing and songwriting in the indie pop band Camp Howard. The two also play in Poser, a local jazz/alt-rock band along with their brother Alan, but the brothers have recently been toiling away at their own project, much different than the music they both have been making. During our chat at Chiocca’s on a rainy evening over beers recently, we talked music, Stranger Things feelings, musician beefs, and everything in-between, but more importantly, their new debut EP, Spliff.

The boys just dropped the seven-track EP via Richmond label  Citrus City Records and musically, it ebbs and flows ever so slightly depending on who’s singing on which track.

The two started recording around April and into the summer, at what they call “Chili Dog”, which is really their dad’s house, in Bon Air.

“Getting out to Chili Dog enables us to get some decent sounding drum takes and experiment with micing drums,” JP said.

But the brothers also did a fair amount individually in their own houses for the split EP, with the first four tracks attributed all to Wes, and the last half of Spliff featuring all vocals and instruments by JP. Wes does all the instruments on his songs and JP plays them all on his, with mostly separate writing. Their brother Alan also plays bass and lead guitar on “Shooting Range” and lap steel on “Ice Water” making it truly a DIY family affair.

“That’s why they all sound kind of different and the mix is all different,” JP said.“I have equipment that I’ve had forever, but we recently got this analog {mixing} board that was given to us from a friend of mine (David Wattenbaugh} who works at Overcoast Music, ” he added explaining the recording process.

Spliff draws you in from the get-go with the catchy 42-second intro, “Mosquitoes”, and keeps your interest piqued with tracks like “Milkshake Boyz” and the second track, “Got My Penz” is equally catchy, fun, and poppy- paving the way for the rest of the EP.  The love song called “YLIF” (Your Love Is Enough) is one of my favorites and a bit of a different tone, and very personal for JP.

“When I moved back from Charlottesville, that’s the reason we were both ready to start working on music, we were both so bent out of shape,” JP said of the song. “It’s not the first time I’ve gone through shit like that, but {I had} anxiety to the point where you’re always at a simmer…I wasn’t really working and I remember lying on the living room floor in between recording takes…”

At the time, both brothers were going through serious breakups, and with any sort of heartbreak or pain, stems good music.

“I think recording and having something to focus on was our thing,” Wes added.

JP and Wes formed Ruth Good, which is named after their grandmother, around the time JP moved back from Charlottesville, but it wasn’t really a conscious effort, they just wanted to make music and get it out there.

“At that point, we were up at Shamrock Pub and it was just kind of a fantasy at that point,” Wes said. “I wanted it to happen I just didn’t know if it really would.”

JP added the two talked about putting their music out when they started recording material at their dad’s house. Wes was also writing extra songs that didn’t make it into Camp Howard’s sets that he wanted to put to use.

“We never really started Ruth Good, but we started recording each other’s own songs,” JP said. “Wes had songs that Camp Howard wasn’t necessarily going to do…”

JP described their sound as “slacker pop, jangles, and weed” which I think pretty much sums it up, but I will let you guys be the judge. “Slacker Pop” was actually a term given to them by Manny Lemus, the mastermind behind Citrus City, whom they met through fellow Citrus City band Lance Bangs. Lemus found the duo’s music online and a partnership sparked from there.

“Weston put up some songs online and Manny listened to them and was like ‘Dude this awesome take ’em down! We’ve got to do a tape'” said JP.

After that, the two dropped Spliff Oct. 18 and listeners will be able to cop cassettes courtesy of Citrus City.

Ruth Good hope to embark on a mini-tour sometime soon perhaps by next year, and the brothers are already recording new material and hoping to churn that out sometime in the spring so be in the lookout for those as well.

You can catch Ruth Good performing tonight, Nov. 21 at Strange Matter alongside Furnsss, Joy Again, and fellow Richmond band Big Baby. Doors: 8PM. Music: 9PM $7 cover.

Positive No’s ‘Partners in the Wild’ Takes on Politics, Identity, & More, Catch Them at The Broadberry Saturday

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It’s been two years since Positive No released their debut full-length album, Glossa, and this Friday the alt-pop group will release Partners in the Wild, an album that tells a story of aging, coping and reveals the louder side of the band.

“We take our time making records…,” lead singer Tracy Wilson said. “So I think this represents a body of work that mirrors our life in a lot of ways and I guess our records have always been that way.”

The two pillars of Positive No, Wilson along with guitarist Kenneth Close, have been working on this album since 2015 and have seen a significant change in the band.

While Glossa was work of rhythmic personal storytelling, Partners in the Wild is an anthology of reflections and a showing of hope in times of distress. The 12-track album turns up the volume and the intensity with louder guitar and punkier drums. The shift in their sound reflects the change in our world as music became an outlet for writers Wilson and Close to express their frustrations.

“We had written some delicate music to date, in terms of some of the vocabulary and lyrical content,” Close said. “When we entered into what would be Partners in the Wild, it became a little angrier and a little louder and a lot of things have happened  between now and then politically that just drove us in a different direction.”  

The album was recorded at Audio Verte by Pedro Aida and the band has recently dropped the single “Y.A.A.Y.Y.” ahead of the album release. Songs written after November 2016, such as “Fault Line,” “Debate Team Captain,” and “Energy Crisis,” reveal Wilson and Close’s struggle to make sense of politics and the seemingly daily crisis seen on the news. 

“Whether it’s world news, the potential doom and gloom of a third world war, or a presidential person using Twitter as his microphone, who also thinks it’s ok to grab pussy; all these things that I never fathomed would be on my radar 24/7 are happening,” said Wilson. “I think we began as a melodic pop band and now I just can’t shake it.”

In the midst of all the chaos though, Positive No finds comfort and security in each other and the album is a culmination of five musicians who have known each other for years.

Drummer Keith Renna( Dune Buggy) rounds out the band, whose fast-paced, punk style, brings a thunderous intensity to the album. The role of bass player is shared between Matt Klimas from Snowy Owls and Jon Procopio, from Dahlia Seed. Procopio is the band’s current bass player. 

“It’s so easy and natural to get in a room and intuitively play with each other,” said Wilson. “I think this record is really special because you have a bunch of people who connect musically and go really far back.”

The change in band members has also affected Positive No’s sound, but this deviation has been a welcomed one.

“Any time you have a membership shift like that things are going to change, but it’s kind of pushed us in a different way that feels very natural though and was probably where our heads were at,” Close said.

Along with politics and frustration, the album also covers topics of aging in today’s society, finding identity after a major brain injury, and tributes to the musicians, actors, and philosophers who have inspired them. Partners in the Wild is a representation of how Wilson and Close have changed and grown over the past two years. Musically, the album reflects a group of people who in the midst of uncertainty have found a source of expression amongst longtime friends.

“I think when you hear it, you probably won’t feel the dark undertone. Tracy’s lyrics are never overtly in your face, I think her word choices are more subtle, thoughtful and thought-provoking, which I think is why it works for us,” Close said.

While Wilson and Close are unsure of what, if anything, will follow Partners in the Wild, this album will certainly be one the band is remembered for.

“I think for all of us this is new territory. It was a romantic sentiment between the two of us, but it became a metaphor for a much bigger picture of everyone we know.”  

The full album will be released on Friday, Oct. 20 and Positive No will hit the road with Beach Slang and Pet Symmetry Oct. 20 through Oct. 24. You can catch the band this Saturday with Ann Beretta, Beach Slang, and Pet Symmetry. Doors 7pm. Show: 8pm.  Tickets $17-20. 

 

 

 

Indie pop outfit Blush Face discuss their debut album ahead of release show Saturday

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Despite being fairly new to the Richmond music scene, Trrrash Records’ Blush Face is already gearing up to release their debut album What Do You Want? this week. Entertaining us with their own special brand of indie pop is Allie Smith (vocals/guitar), Evan Hoffman (guitar), Drew Barnocky (drums), and Billy Bacci (bass). The band’s unique sound of folk and pop draws in listeners from both audiences.

“We are an indie pop-rock band, or an indie folk pop-rock band, if that’s even a thing,” Smith said. “A lot of those songs on the album come from my days as a solo artist. It started with just a guitar, then the drums and bass.”

Blush Face is signed with Tim Falen at Trrrash Records, formerly known as Bad Grrrl Records. Falen is a workhorse in the Richmond music, giving a voice to surf rockers The Milkstains, indie strummers Camp Howard, and twee poppers Atta Girl, to name a few. By helping these artists, Falen is doing something unforgettable for the community on top of doing what he loves.

The group formed in August of 2016 after Smith and Barnocky met at a Singer/Songwriter Night at The Camel. “I met Drew, and we immediately started practicing together,” Smith said. 

What Do You Want? was recorded over two days at the Virginia Moonwalker, an eight-track analog studio in Mechanicsville.

“We recorded live, with all of us in the studio playing together. So day one was the drums, guitar, and Carreon’s bass,” Smith said on the recording process. “The vocals were recorded the next day, plus we added some other cool instruments and sounds.”

Prior to this full-length record, the band released two singles, “Love For a Ghost” and “Eat My Blues” last month which are definite tracks to check out to hold you over until the band releases their album. 


The vocals coming from Smith on the current album are captivating and stem from a very personal place, whether it’s coming to terms with a difficult situation or self-realization.

“That’s when I feel like picking up the guitar the most. I also like to delve into cycles,” she said. “The last song on the album, ‘Clicking Heels,’ is what we usually start shows with, but it is the last here. It is meant to flow back into the first track, highlighting the cycle of renewal.”

There was some urgency to get the forthcoming album, What Do You Want?, out.  Blush Face’s previous bassist, Carreon, was moving and the band wanted to send him off with the album’s release. However, a call to perfection ultimately slowed the production down.

“I know there was some debate within the band on when the album would be released, but we wanted everything to be perfect; the sound’s maturity, the album art, all of it,” Smith said.

Image may contain: 1 person, on stage and playing a musical instrument

Blush Face’s ability to speak to one another through music alone stands as their greatest strength on What Do You Want?. The albums stutters to get off the ground at the first track, “Magnolia,” but has completely found its sound by the fourth track, “Citronella Cinderella.” The bass walks through the tempo, leaving a head-bopping ode to really grab the listener’s attention.

A personal favorite, “Rock Star Drama Queen” is cathartic, being pushed along by Smith’s impressive vocal range and Hoffman’s power chords. In fact, “Rock Star Drama Queen” and “Clicking Heels,” the last two songs, are expansive and derive true meaning from the band’s trick of seamless communication. The vocalist will cue the guitar, which prompts a drum fill, and at the end, the plucks of bass strings. Blush Face has demonstrated their potential here, which has us on the edge of our seats for the album drop.

Be sure to head out to Hardywood on Sat., Sept., 23, for the What Do You Want? release party. Attendance is free, and Blush Face will be backed by Gull and Bad Magic.

All photos via Joey Wharton Photography 

Big Baby turns on the charm at Sound of Music show with poppy, upbeat tunes

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For a band of its size and youth, Big Baby can please a room. At last night’s show at Sound of Music Studios in Scott’s Addition, the band shared the stage with Big Quiet, Big Bliss, and Serqet.

Big Baby closed off the night with a softer, more pop-infused sound than the previous bands. The trio, comprised of Ali Mislowsky, Chris Smith, and Brian Dove, provided a more twee-pop vibe than the earlier heavier bands. Nonetheless, they still delivered toe-tapping, hand-clapping, dance-inducing beats.

The band dove right in, playing their up-tempo hits such as “Dumb Guys,” “Not That,” and “Often.” Mislowsky’s vocals synced perfectly with Smith’s harmonies, never faltering even a half step from one another. Dove’s tune-driving beats lifted the two guitars through the songs, even when Dove lost a drumstick halfway through a song and had to drop out momentarily to retrieve it. A noble effort was made and appreciated.

Playing hits off both of their EPs, Dumb Guys and the latest release,  Sour Patch, Big Baby offered some heartfelt tunes that were disguised by the twee-pop notes and rhythms. However, the songs did seem to blend together in sound and theme as the night waned on. Plucky lead guitar started the song with rhythmic guitar licks behind it. Although the drum fills did vary, it was also hard to decipher between songs since the vocals were not very audible or understandable. However, that was most likely the sound mixing and not the vocalist. Additionally, all of their songs were noticeably short, hovering around two and a half minutes, without any guitar or drum solos.

The waltzing melodies and head-nodding guitar strums of “Lemons”, a song of their new EP, was a personal favorite of the night. The tight harmonies sing of longing, lonesomeness, and blues. It’s a slightly different feel from the upbeat, pop songs the band churns out.

Given the room, the size of the crowd, and the allotted time they were given, Big Baby gave an excellent performance. Besides the quiet vocals and drumstick mishap, it was an enjoyable evening in the thumping Sound of Music concert space.