“Thank you, Mister President…”

“HOLIDAY ON THE MOON” is a choice cut, one of many, from LOVE & ROCKETS’ sophomore album titled ‘Express’ & it finds the Bauhaus-ian expats Daniel Ash (guitar/sax/vocals), David J (bass/vocals) & Kevin Haskins (drums/synth) laying down 6 of the most formative minutes in this young author’s life…

Hearing “Holiday on the Moon” as an adult is one helluva ride, now imagine having your tween ass mind blown (thx to my homie’s cool older bro) as those alien noises, long haul builds & seductively Goth vibes seep in (long before you even knew wtf “goth music” even meant).

Even now, as a jaded 44 year old, this track refuses to let me down & it never ceases to draw me w/ its creeping melancholy, echoed the fuck out percussion & glammed up riffs… all while those voices just vamply harmonize.

Press play, blast off & enjoy your little lunar holiday.

Ah, such a wonderful time…

Single File:

New Today

“Cynical”

self-released

Low-key goth duo New Today are back with a new single titled “Cynical” and my day just got better (how’s that for Xmas in June).

Their last LP, which dropped just a few months ago, was one of the true gems and biggest surprises of the year, so you can imagine the utter glee upon discovering this latest ditty. 

New Today are on the forefront (along with Civil Lust, Sextile, Fearing, and All Your Sisters) of modern guitar driven goth and it’s timeless capabilities. The days of pancake makeup, blouses (pronounced bluesay), & teased hair have been replaced by studied practitioners, DIY ethos, and tattoos (covered by tiny leather jackets and mesh).

Dante Palomba (Casuistry) & Daniel Srungaram (Two One Six) have already proven their mastery of big league Goth Rock on prior New Today releases and “Cynical” is another winner in an increasingly impressive discography. With big Interpol-like guitars (yes, it’s time to stop pretending they weren’t important as fuck) buzzing synths, and a downright dancey rhythm, Palomba deadpans his way through the proceedings before unleashing the higher register and desperate pleas. 

Long live the six-string, and I’ll say it again, it’s good to be goth.....

“DEBILITATED” is the lead single from SNAG’s forthcoming LP titled ‘All The Cages Holding Us Will One Day Turn To Dust’ (7/10 Deathwish, Inc.) & it finds the Milwaukee-based outfit acting on the message across a 2:45 clip of EMOtionally violent & surgingly skramz’d ScreamO.

•• “EVERYTHING GOOD IN THE WORLD” is the lead cut on @ladder2god’s recently released EP & it finds the Birmingham, AL-based trio embracing the sprawl across 8+ minutes of head bobbing, pedal gazing & slow_coring DreamPop. ••• Out now via: @theefuneralparty

“LIGHTNING” is the lead single from @__pileup__’s forthcoming LP titled ‘Leave The Light On’ & it finds the Portland-based sextet of Nathan Urbach (guitar/vocals), Elian Conroy (guitar), Jordan Krinsky (synth), Gray Hunter (bass), Kyle Rosse (drums) & Tyler Maxwell (banjo) weaving a shell to wrap their heart across a 2:48 clip of indie_rocking AltGaze.

“NECROMANTIC PLAGUE” is a choice cut from @primal_scourge’s latest LP titled ‘End of Eden’ (@ironfortressrecords) & it finds the Knoxville-based duo of guitarist/vocalist Austin Asmus & drummer Rio Mariucci waxing upon the “Sewage & filth come to life at the hand of a necromancer, destroying & consuming every living thing in its path” across a beat-blasted 4:14 clip of gloriously grinded & rightfully rotted DoomDeathMetal.

BEST_OF_2024:

‘EYE FLYS’ was the s/t LP from @eye_flys & it found the Philly-based trio spreading their East Coast Noise Rock pedigree across 8 grimy ass tracks that relentlessly coalesced around the sublimely sludge’d, metallically morose & gloriously grunge’d.

‘COAGULATED BLISS’ was the latest LP from @fullofhell & it found the Ocean City-based quartet continuing their insanely prolific streak across a 12-track spread that further refined their grind_coring, salaciously shrieked & gruffly blast-beating ways.

‘DISASTER TRICK’ was the latest LP from @horsejumperoflove & it found the Boston-based trio creatively resetting while bringing the beautifully bummed goods across 11 tracks of darkly hued, slow_cored & dreamily gazed IndieRock.

‘HUSHMONEY’ was the latest LP from @hushmoneyint & it found the Los Angeles-based quintet bringing the cheekily astute goods across an even 10 tracks that reveled in the boisterously blunt, crushingly earnest & ambitiously AltRawked.

‘HEEL TURN’ was the long awaited & highly desired sophomore LP from @lessercare & it found the El Paso-based satiating the needs across a 12-track spread that further refined/mastered their brand of street_wearing, dream_gazing & Alt_rocking PostPunk.

@slide.philly are back bb w/ a new single titled “iii” (@pleasure_tapes @suburbancreeprecords) & it finds the Philly-based group calling to us, not caring what’s left & asking to be dropped off in a place where there’s silence across 3 ½ quietly/loud, alt_rawking & grunge_gazing minutes.