Bad History Month, the Boston-based music project of Sean Sprecher, has been performing since 2007. Old Blues will be his fourth album and the second under his current moniker. Along the way, Sean’s created a robust discography of simultaneously self-aware and self-effacing art rock. Alex Fatato had some questions for Sean about Old Blues and his career.
The phrase “I need you, need something new,” is interwoven through the entirety of BRAT, the latest album from Chicago multi-instrumentalist NNAMDÏ. It is a mantra that signifies the central tension explored through the album’s colorful 42 minutes—the question of what was and what will be and the difficult decision of accepting change and growth.
Blood is a septet from Austin, TX who have cemented themselves as a live staple in their own prospective scene as well as abroad, with two national tours under their belts. Their shows are dynamically rich and cathartic, which translates wholly into their debut EP, Why Wait Till ’55, We Might Not Even Be Alive.
Built around songwriting depth and less about shredding, Noun songs tend to be more lo-fi, capturing an intimacy in Marissa Paternoster’s (Screaming Females) voice and minimalist compositions. “Drag” has been brought to life with a new recording, fleshed out and appearing on a brand new three song picture disc via Let’s Pretend Records.
This week Ryan Naray (Fond, Animal Faces) will release his debut solo album as Boiling Hell, a self-recorded full length of lo-fi post-hardcore and fuzz punk burners that really digs into what we’ve come to know and love from his songs. Fluff, due out on Art of the Uncarved Block, is a fun record built on great chord progressions.
For the past decade Samuel Rich (Miniboone, Bully Mammoth) has been playing varying styles of noisy rock from groovy post-punk to psychedelic noise rock. With his first solo album, he’s offering a change of pace and a wealth of atmosphere. Trading in his trusty bass for an organ, his solo debut Organ Versions, is due out April 21st.
Aaron Maine is never anything but himself in his music. Under the Porches moniker, he’s been releasing albums infused with all of the ecstasy and ache of being in and out of love. Ricky Music is no different, an at times erratic, fragmented and chaotic listen - heartbreak is always messy, though, so it shouldn’t sound any other way.
The Marquette, Michigan based duo have their sophomore EP, Stunted, coming out on April 21st via Temporal Records. The record is an optimistic look at the love found in the familiar. After moving out West and grasping to find community, all it took was a return home to prove that sometimes home truly is where the heart is.
CLAMM was initially meant as a mere exercise to work on a heavier sound than their other outfits afforded. Such was the success of the experimentation, however, that we now have one of the strongest recent records to come from Melbourne in Beseech Me. It’s heavy, certainly, but underpinned by a steadfast thoughtfulness.
