Writing about things that do and don't exist
A head trip of a new single from the psych-rock act. Frontman and founder Noah Mailliard's bass sets the tone on "Slenderman." Backed by Lucas Martucci's herky-jerky drums, it roves into the picture, moving in unexpected zigzags, like it's navigating a maze, or perhaps embodying a sped-up version of the ricocheting screensaver that used to … Continue reading Daily Yinz – FOAMER – Slenderman
From a noisy, psychedelic EP called Amateur Ascetics Detour to Excess. The EP has the unchecked sound of a person (or persons) turning on a laptop mic and absolutely letting it rip in their basement, slinging white-hot guitar licks, twiddling some knobs, and slamming the kit like neighbors don't exist. "Sarsaparilla Strut," a cacophonous rave-up … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Rising Main – Sarsaparilla Strut
The fuzzmongers of Melt return with a new full-length called Replica of Man. Lead single "Sight To See," which appropriately clocks in at exactly 4:20, is a twisted warlock waltz that features buzzing guitar lines, forsaken wails ("Now the path is lost/Just take it from me"), and some especially deft drum work--full of starts, stops, … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Melt – Sight To See
The eclectic, psychedelic band released a two-track single last month. The title track enlivens a hip-shaking funk groove with strutting keyboard flourishes and intricate sprays of smacked hand drums. Harding's lyrics are simultaneously heady and sensual, evoking both spiritual strife and bacchanalian rapture, often within the same thought ("Rain won't fall in cluttered mind/Ripe with … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Ames Harding & the Mirage – Rain Won’t Fall
The psych quartet rang in the new year with a self-titled album release. The songs on Different Places in Space come suspended in a hallucinatory tide pool of sound. The jammy ballads float around like little jellyfish, and even the uptempo rockers stretch and warp like they've been filtered through an infinity mirror. "Sugar Nova" … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Different Places in Space – Sugar Nova
Fortune Teller, a psych-rock duo consisting of guitarist Giovanni Orsini and drummer J.J. Young, are due to release a new album, Collapse (Steel City Death Club), in October. "Metal Earth," one of two singles released in advance of Collapse, is an apocalyptically sludgy maelstrom of a song that turns the doom knob up to 11. … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Fortune Teller – Metal Earth
FADE TO PHARAOH are an offshoot of psych-rock outfit Sciencevision; their self-titled debut was released on member Brandon Dunlap's Astral Research label. FADE TO PHARAOH's sounds encompass swaggering shoegaze, knotty six-string workouts, and whimsical slackerism, culminating with closer "When We Lose Our Names," which takes the previous songs' ingredients--jangling, jazz-tinged guitar, synth accents, and dextrous … Continue reading Daily Yinz – FADE TO PHARAOH – When We Lose Our Names
TyDanzuso specializes in jazzy, muted hip-hop compositions; his latest single, "Lights In The Sky" takes a slightly spacier route. The track is mostly an instrumental, save for Danzuso's dazed mantra: "Lights in the sky every night." The phrase could be referring to stars or planets, but the quality of the music leads one to suspect … Continue reading Daily Yinz – TyDanzuso – Lights In The Sky
Melt are a collection of PGH music veterans who recently released a swampy self-titled debut. Melt contains all of the stoner rock staples: wooly, anvil-heavy guitars, chord progressions dripping with swaggering menace, and fuzzed-out vocals pitched at a rawk god register. The album art, which displays an entity--part angler fish, part cyborg, part coral reef, … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Melt – Holy War
Birds Unltd. specialize in rhythmic, synth-heavy psych-pop music; "Still Holding on to You" is the group's latest single. The track contains five minutes' worth of swaggering guitar, chunky bass, phased cymbals, and buzzing keyboard lines, these elements creating a forceful groove that anchors dreamy, free-floating vocals that express trepidation over a relationship. It's like Franz … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Birds Unltd. – Still Holding on to You
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