Live Show Review: Gouge Away at 1720

It’s been a week since I saw Gouge Away and it left such a mark on me, it’s taken me a while to put it all together. Their new album, Deep Sage is as of this writing my favorite album of the year. There are many reasons why and I will get to that in another post but, the main thing is the connection that album has. Those are the type of albums and songs that when you go see that band live, it truly changes the whole perspective around.

As the sound of feedback began and the twinkle of cymbals began as though the calm before the storm erupted. Starting off with “Stuck In A Dream” was quite perfect. The song was shot out of a cannon and from there, there was no turning back. The ferocious yet delicate nature of Christina Michelle’s vocals are devastatingly beautiful. Then you back that up with a band that was firing on all cylinders, it’s simply magic. Throughout their set it was just an onslaught of excitement. The way the band mixed in their older songs with the new ones made for a really great listening experience, as you can see and hear the evolution of the band unfold in front of your eyes. Each new song played this evening had it’s own special charm. Songs like the epic “Dallas” was astonishing live and so cool that it was played early in the set. “Maybe Blue” was another new one that sounded so damn good live. Perhaps my two favorite songs of the night came when they played “Spaced Out” and “Idealized.” I didn’t even realize at the time how much and how hard I was singing along until I noticed how horse my voice was after their set. Ending the set was the always awesome “Ghost.”

Looking back on that show now, it gives me great joy to see a band live that not only enjoys it for the love of the music and each other but, there is a sense of reckless abandon to it in a playful dangerous way. Their live show is one of those that feels alive and vibrant, even if the stage is dimly lit. If you haven’t heard their new album Deep Sage yet, I strongly recommend you do so. It’s one hell of an album that bleeds from the heart. I personally hope Gouge Away can make it back to Los Angeles soon on a headline stop. That was easily one of the most fun shows I’ve been to in a long while and it’s one that I will remember for quite some time!

Yes, I did stay for Metz and they were great. But I really was there for Gouge Away and they stole the show.

Gouge Away- Deep Sage:

SHOW PREVIEW: AUDIOECLECTICA’S 2024 BIRTHDAY BASH at HOTEL ZIGGY

This week I will be celebrating my birthday. I’m not much for big celebrations anymore but, I do love a good rock show! So with that in mind, come out Saturday Night on May 4th (Yes, May The Fourth Be With You), to Hotel Ziggy on Sunset Blvd and join in the fun of celebrating my birthday with 5 hand picked bands by yours truly. This eclectic lineup will be a rocking good time! Be sure to be there. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Tickets are only $10 and the show is ALL AGES!!!

Bands Playing:

Roving: This band is rad. They are a superb alternative rock band with space rock and shoegaze tendencies. Their first full length album, Spindrift arrives soon. The album was produced and recorded by Alex Estrada (Iress, Touche Amore, etc). I’ve been keeping an eye on this band for a bit and am stoked to have them ignite the night and get the rock a rollin!

The Anti-Groupies: These ladies are one of the best up and coming bands in all of So Cal. They have the right attitude and kick ass songs to back it all up. Their live show is one that you keep wanting to watch not just cause they are awesome players but, the way they command an audiences attention is quite compelling. Their latest single/video “Read The Room” is chock full of attitude, killer riffs and a catchiness that keeps you coming back. The Anti-Groupies are currently working on their debut album, to be released later this year.

Band Of The Week: The Anti-Groupies

Centershift: The homies/family. Been with these gents since day one and they are only getting better. The new album that Centershift is working on shows more than just the evolution of the band. There were no boundaries as to where their songwriting went and the new songs they will be playing live will definitely up the ante for the evening. Be on the lookout for the next Centershift single and album to come out soon!

Futurelust: I’m still loving this band. Ever since I booked them a couple months back, I’ve wanted to have them back and what a perfect night to do so! Futurelust is a rock band through and through with a 70’s edge mixed with 90’s alternative rock and even a bit of a post-punk/pseudo goth tinge. I look forward to what’s to come with this band. Futurelust is a great live band that emits an energy that is quite compelling.

Band Of The Week: Futurelust

The Cursed Machine: This wild and fun band brings a ton of energy to the stage. I’ve been wanting to book them on a night that has a great party vibe and what a perfect night. The Cursed Machine has a bit of a garage rock meets punk rock style that fits their personalities so well.

Solo Album Spotlight: Harvestman- Triptych: Part One

Harvestman, the psych project of Neurosis’ Steve Von Till has a really intriguing album coming out, Triptych: Part One. The releases of these albums will coincide on three of 2024’s full moons, making Triptych, Harvestman’s most ambitious undertaking yet. Triptych: Part One was recorded and mixed at The Crow’s Nest in North Idaho by Steve Von Till who creates the movements using guitars, bass, synths, percussion, percussion, loops, filters, and more. The record features guest contributions from Dave French (Yob) who performs stock tank percussion on “Nocturnal Field Song” and provides frequency consultation for the album, bass from Al Cisneros (Sleep, OM) on “Psilosynth” and “Harvest Dub,” and John Goff (Cascadia Bagpiper) who plays Northumbrian smallpipes on “Mare And Foal.”

Steve Von Till is a mastermind of sonics and this album pushes the boundaries of volume as well as tapping into tribal-esque rhythms with eerie synths that make for quite the psychedelic twist. There is a complete artistic vision amongst these songs and the the more you listen, the more you hear things you missed on previous listens. One of the most fun things about listening to this album is that it allows your mind to wander and float through the different soundscapes. Throughout the album, there are many twists and turns that captivate your attention and take you to different dimensions. Another element that this album has is an introspectiveness that unfolds with each layer of music.

2024 is really shaping up to be quite the year for artistic albums and this new Harvestman album is right up there with the best of them!

Harvestman- Triptych Part One:

New Release: Iress- Falling

I’ve been impatiently waiting for this day so I could write about Iress’s new single, “Falling” from their upcoming album, Sleep Now, In Reverse (out July 26th via Dune Altar)!!! What a way to kick off a week! “Falling” is a beautifully dreamy and haunting song with an undercurrent of heaviness in the shape of a bit of doom and shoegaze. Then you add in the vocals that, send the chills right up your whole body. What a song AND a track one on the album! I personally can’t wait for this album to arrive and for what’s to come for Iress.

Iress- Falling (and Sleep Now, In Reverse Pre-Order):

Iress Online:

http://www.weareiress.com

weareiress.bandcamp.com

instagram.com/weareiress

twitter.com/weareiress

facebook.com/weareiress

youtube.com/@WeAreIress

Anticipated Albums: Sleepmakeswaves- It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It

For many years now, Australia has been a haven for great rock bands. The list of great Aussie bands from Rose Tattoo, AC/DC, Sliverchair, Karnivool and more continues to impress. Even though they have been around for a minute (formed in 2006), I’m just now finding out about Sleepmakeswaves and I’m hooked. This fantastic 3 piece band is about to release their new album, It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It, and it’s one of the best instrumental albums I’ve heard in a long time. What you find on the album are 8 songs that take you on quite the listening journey into another realm. The cinematic sensibilities found throughout the album are oh so sweet. Then you have the elements of different rock genres mixed together to create a soundscape that makes it feel majestic. Sleepmakeswaves have really made an album that stands out not just as an instrumental album but, more as a piece of art. It’s hard to keep people’s attention these days but, these 8 songs will most definitely capture you. If you like bands such as Explosions In The Sky and This Will Destroy You than Sleepmakeswaves is the perfect soundtrack!

Sleepmakeswaves on Bandcamp:

Sleepmakeswaves- Super Realm Park:

Sleepmakeswaves- Ritual Control:

New Release: Fact Pattern- Never Bleed

For some time now, I’ve really been digging on the band Fact Pattern. They are one of the few bands out there that really know how to embrace the “industrial” sound and make it sound the way it should. The band’s new single “Never Bleed” embraces the “industrial” sound while exploring some new territory that goes into post-punk. One of the things that I really like about Fact Pattern is that they are willing to experiment to evolve. “Never Bleed” is the band’s first new music since 2021 and they are for sure on the right path to the next level! Do yourself a favor and dig into Fact Pattern and this killer new song!

Fact Pattern- Never Bleed (Official Video):

Fact Pattern- Never Bleed:

New Release: The Hope Conspiracy- Those Who Gave Us Yesterday

This is quite exciting. In 2023 The Hope Conspiracy announced their return and now today, we get a new single from their upcoming new album, Tools of Oppression / Rule by Deception was engineered by Kurt Ballou and Zach Weeks at God City Studios, (out May 31 via Deathwish Inc.). The return of The Hope Conspiracy is a very welcomed one! This new single “Those Who Gave Us Yesterday” is one hell of a punch to the gut. There’s always been a sense of urgency to this band and this new album surely will continue that hard line of explosiveness.

The Hope Conspiracy- Those Who Gave Us Yesterday:

Album Of The Week: Gouge Away- Deep Sage

As a giant music fan, I love when I hear albums that get me stuck on them. When that happens, I get so drawn into what is going on with everything about the album. Upon first listen of Gouge Away’s new and long awaited album, Deep Sage, I immediately started it again and I have yet to take it out of my rotation. The bands extended break and return to this material shows an immense growth in not only the bands approach to songwriting and ability to tell a story within a song, it also proved to be the right thing as these songs pack a walloping punch that is abrasive and urgent.

From the time the album starts with “Stuck In A Dream” all the way to the epic closer “Dallas,” Gouge Away have made an album that truly embodies what this band has always been capable of and more. Their first couple of releases started them on the path towards where they are now but, on Deep Sage it takes it to a whole other level. The way the album was recorded by Jack Shirley, really makes this album shine. The album was recorded live, the old fashioned way and that organic sound makes this record standout even more. The live feel of the album, the killer riffs and rhythms and the way the vocals grab you will not only make you pay attention but also shows the evolution of the band quite well.

I love this whole album so it’s hard for me to pick out certain songs to highlight. Instead of going track by track I will say this. Each song on Deep Sage is meant to be there and sequenced in such a manner that as I said above grabs your attention. The way Christina Michelle’s vocals are on this album showcase her talent not as a screamer but more as vocalist as she weaves really delicate webs and then can unleash a ferociousness that is quite intense, especially when you hear the songs “Idealized” and “Spaced Out.” The final track on the album, “Dallas” is a show stopper. I personally can’t wait to hear all these songs live but, this one in particular. There is such a wonderful dynamic shift within the song that when you hear it, let’s just say, you’ll know why this album is so damn good.

This is the type of album that gives me hope for the future of music. Not just in the genres that I enjoy most but, in general. Gouge Away made an album with Deep Sage that cements them as forces to be reckoned with but, also a record that stands out and can actually become a very influential album. Another thing about this album that I love is that it was made with a true passion and that shows through on each song. The live performance aspect really drives that home and it makes for a listening experience that feels alive. I can’t wait to see Gouge Away live and hear these songs. What a tremendous album this is. So much so that as of this writing, it’s my album of the year. I really do look forward to where the band goes next.

Overall Rating: A

Review By: Brian Lacy

Gouge Away- Deep Sage:

New Release: The Baby Goats- Electricity

There is a band from Los Angeles that I have dubbed “Fun As Fuck.” Every time I see them live, it’s a fun and good time. They have this infectious energy that really gets a party going. The band I’m talking about is The Baby Goats. This three piece band has influences that go from New Wave, 80’s pop, a tad bit of disco and a little bit of rock to give it some edginess. There is something else that makes The Baby Goats worth your time and it’s their songs. They have crafted songs that not only make you want to get up and move but, there’s depth to the song rather than just “fluffy pop.” The Baby Goats have released the title track of their album “Electricity” and it’s quite electric that you might even find yourself spinning your hands around like you have glow sticks in them. The band has released a few other infectious singles that you should most definitely check out including one of my favorites, “Two Shakes.” If you are looking for a fun band that brings the party each time you listen, The Baby Goats are the one for you! I’ve also had the great pleasure of booking The Baby Goats on a few shows and they never disappoint! Enjoy!

The Baby Goats- Electricity:

Spotify :

Apple link:

Tidal: https://listen.tidal.com/album/340718873

Collaborations: Night Verses & Brandon Boyd- Glitching Prisms

I’ve been a Night Verses fan for quite some time. I remember hearing their album, Lift Your Existence and immediately got into that album. Their next album took some experimental turns that proved to show the bands immense ability to shake things up and still be intriguing. Then the singer left and the band continued on making great records instrumentally. On their latest offering, Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night, they collaborated with a bunch of different singers and the end result is quite good. One track that instantly grabbed me was the Night Verses collaboration with Brandon Boyd from Incubus. This is the first time in a very long time that I’ve enjoyed hearing Brandon on something new. In a strange but awesome way, it seems that this is the perfect fit. The song “Glitching Prisms” is a great example of a wonderful collaboration. The musicianship of the gents in Night Verses plus their ability to craft songs with great dynamics allowed for Brandon to finally get back into a groove that is out there but still in his wheel house and it harks back to a time that when you hear the song, you know it’s right. I’d love to hear an EP of Night Verses with Brandon. It really would be quite something awesome!

Night Verses w/ Brandon Boyd- Glitching Prisms: