by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)

Welcome to FUZZY MEADOWS, our weekly recap of this week's new music. We're sharing our favorite releases of the week in the form of albums, singles, and music videos along with the "further listening" section of new and notable releases from around the web. It's generally written in the early hours of the morning and semi-unedited... but full of love and heart. The list is in alphabetical order and we sincerely recommend checking out all the music we've included. There's a lot of great new music being released. Support the bands you love. Spread the word and buy some new music.

*Disclaimer: We are making a conscious effort not to include any artist in our countdown on back-to-back weeks in order to diversify the feature, so be sure to check the "further listening" as well because it's often of top-notch quality too.

BABEHOVEN | “I’m On Your Team”

After six EPs over the past four years, the time has finally come for Babehoven’s full length debut, Light Moving Time. Due out October 28th via Double Double Whammy (2nd Grade, Florist, The Glow), the Hudson Valley based duo of Maya Bon and Ryan Albert continue to make profoundly heartfelt music that really sinks in with repeat listens. Their songs have always ranged somewhere between great and exceptionally great, and familiarity only pushes them toward the latter. “I’m On Your Team,” the record’s lead single, moves at a syrupy slow pacing with every twangy pick of the guitar strings given their full resolve, as Bon’s vocals offer a comfort both in melody but in her lyrics as well. The song is a reminder that you’re not alone, there’s someone there to listen, to help, to understand even in the face of change. Bon reminds us that even up against difficult times, it’s important to care for those trying to help as she sings, “Learning how to be angry / But not be mean / I’m on your team.”

THE CASUAL DOTS | “The Frequency of Fear”

In a triumphant twist of fate, The Casual Dots have returned. The trio of Christina Billotte (Slant 6, Quix*o*tic, Autoclave), Kathi Wilcox (Bikini Kill, Frumpies), and Steve Dore (Snoozers, Deep Lust) released their self-titled debut album eighteen years ago, and it’s getting a reissue on vinyl for the first time ever. What’s even more exciting is the band are set to release their sophomore album, Sanguine Truth, on September 23rd via their own Ixor Stix Records (Crom-Tech, Quix*o*tic), produced and mixed by the band and Guy Picciotto (Fugazi). “The Frequency of Fear” is an immediate reminder of what we’ve been missing, the band’s tightly wound garage punk and Billotte’s unmistakeable voice, subtle in delivery but always captivating. The song takes a strong sociopolitical stance, speaking directly toward those who are content to act with action as Billotte sings, “Oh sure you think you’re exempt / You follow policies and show your contempt / While they are stealing your soul”.

DISHEVELED CUSS | “Creep A Little Closer”

Disheveled Cuss’ debut album was released in the summer of 2020, a great record released at a not so great time. While Covid was raging, it wasn’t “a pandemic record” for Nick Reinhart’s (Tera Melos, Bygones, Undo K From Hot) project, as the songs had already been written and recorded prior. Instead, Into The Couch is that “pandemic record,” an album that Reinhart made while sitting around bored during lockdown, with the intentions of being primarily acoustic. The results aren’t entirely acoustic and he’s not exactly alone either, with the album boasting guests that include Jimmy Chamberlin (The Smashing Pumpkins), Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and Lisa Papineau (Big Sir, Air), among others. While it will be interesting to see how these musicians fit into Reinhart’s musical world, lead single “Creep A Little Closer,” is an excellent start. Featuring Eric Gardner (Dot Hacker, Charlotte Gainsbourg) on drums, the song weaves a quintessential Reinhart melody with an otherwise sparse arrangement. There’s no explosive shredding or knotted freakouts and the song still remains radiant, highlighting Reinhart’s sense of humor and ability to create minimalist earworms.

ILL GLOBO | “If The Phone Doesn’t Ring, It’s Me” LP

At some point within the last year and half, Melbourne’s Ill Globo decided to call it quits, but not before self-releasing their posthumous full length, If The Phone Doesn’t Ring, It’s Me. Following 2019’s furious and wonderful Check The Odds, the band returned to the studio with none other than Jake Robertson (Alien Nosejob, Ausmuteants, Modal Melodies) on drums. The resulting album expands the hardcore framework of their debut, but the aggression remains and the frantic energy is still burning at the core of Ill Globo’s sound. Pulling elements of post-punk’s more corrosive tendencies and the reckless nature of garage punk, the band collide headfirst into pounding rhythms and guitars that scrape and peel the paint from the walls. There’s a dynamic nature to it all, at times embracing the hardcore informed chaos while opting for dizzying structures and buzzsaw propulsion. There are tracks with proto-metal touches and others with d-beat abandonment, and everything works in the swirling glory of their gone-too-soon farewell. Thanks Ill Globo for two great releases.

MACH-HOMMY & THA GOD FAHIM | “Dollar Menu 4” LP

This past Friday saw the release of both Meyhem Lauren and Daringer’s Black Vladimir and Roc Marciano and The Alchemist’s The Elephant Man’s Bones, two of the years most anticipated hip-hop collaborations, but there was also a surprise, the return of Mach-Hommy and Tha God Fahim’s Dollar Menu series. When discussing the path to the two MC’s legendary status in the hip-hop underground, the Dollar Menu series plays a big part of it. Built on laid back but always evocative beats and stream of conscious rhymes, Mach and Fahim bring out the best in each other and Dollar Menu 4 is another highlight for both of them, each leveling up their lyrical gymnastics. Fahim is razor focused, almost like he has something to prove in comparison, but if that’s his motivation, he delivers on every single track, with some of his most potent flows, offering a sense of sage like wisdom to Mach’s psychedelic poetry. With production from Fahim, Fortes, and Sadhugold, the duo play off one another’s verses, attacking the lo-fi beats with magical chemistry, weaponizing their verses to explode at a drop of a bar.

Further Listening: