Video: Hebronix “Unreal”
Like many, I was disappointed to learn that Daniel Blumberg would be leaving his position as Yuck‘s frontman earlier this month. (See announcement via Facebook) Given the monumental amount of buzz around the band’s 2011 debut LP, I’ve found the album has held up surprisingly well in the short term. Yuck was (and is?) a young band with a lot of promise, despite the inflated expectations.
As is often the case with break-ups, it didn’t take long to discover the departing member’s next move. This week, Blumberg debuted a new single from a project he’s calling Hebronix. Listen to “Unreal” and watch the video below. This is not the first solo venture for Blumberg. He released more than an album’s worth of material under the moniker Oupa shortly after the Yuck debut.
It will be interesting to see what the remaining members of Yuck decide to do with the project going forward. Bassist Mariko Doi showed she was a capable frontwoman in her own right with her side project Parakeet. But it’s tough to imagine a female vocalist fronting the material from the Yuck’s self-titled album. And it would certainly be a shame to let those songs fall by the wayside. In any case, the fist taste of Hebronix is an encouraging one. Here’s hoping two bands prove better than one.
Connect with Hebronix via Facebook
Written by Rob Peoni
Video: The Woolen Men “Hold It Up”
We are big fans of New York imprint Woodsist around these parts. For my money, the label has consistently churned out some of the best pop rock in the country over the last couple of years. The latest offering comes in the form of a self-titled LP from Pacific Northwest trio The Woolen Men. It’s an accessible batch of guitar-driven toe tappers that play on the snare-heavy sounds of late ’60s surf rock, occasionally delving into restrained punk.
Last week, The Woolen Men released a psychedelic new video for lead single “Hold It Up.” The seizure-enducing, black and white affair was produced by Portland artist Jeffrey Kriksciun. The band recently embarked upon a nationwide tour, with dates scheduled through early June. Check out a full list of dates below, and don’t miss these cats when they roll through the Midwest in late May.
Connect with The Woolen Men via Facebook
Tour Dates:
March 22: Portland, OR :: Mississippi Studios w/ Sad Horse, Stay Calm
March 23: Stockton, CA :: Garage w/ Kismet Aura, Monster Treasure
March 24: Los Angeles, CA :: Permanent Records
March 25: San Diego, CA :: Soda Bar w/ Oh and the Whats, Dream Buddies
March 26: Santa Ana, CA :: Unit B w/ NASA Space Universe
March 27: San Jose, CA :: The Usuals w/ Plantain
March 28: San Francisco, CA :: The Knockout w/ Swiftumz
March 29: Davis CA :: Simi’s w/ Kevin Greenspoon
March 30: Oakland CA :: Long Haul Books w/ Permanent Collection
May 19: Brooklyn, NY :: Shea Stadium w/ Lame Drivers, Hippy and Shark
May 20: New Brunswick :: NJ Cooler Ranch w/ Lame Drivers, Trash Ride
May 21: Boston, MA :: O’brian’s w/ Lame Drivers, Bent Shapes
May 22: Philadelphia, PA :: Johnny Brenda’s w/ Lame Drivers, Pet Milk, Literature
May 23: Cleveland, OH :: Now That’s Class w/ Lame Drivers
May 24: Chicago, IL :: The Burlington w/ Lame Drivers
May 25: Bloomington, IN :: The Realm w/ Lame Drivers
May 28: Little Rock, AK :: House show w/ Lame Drivers
May 29: Austin, TX :: Beerland w/ Lame Drivers, Simple Circuits
June 01: Athens, GA :: Farm 255 w/ Lame Drivers
June 02: Charlotte, NC :: Yauhaus w/ Lame Drivers
June 05: Baltimore, MD :: Golden West w/ Lame Drivers
June 06: New York, NY :: Cake Shop w/ Lame Drivers, Darlings
June 07: Brooklyn, NY :: Silent Barn
Written by Rob Peoni
Video: John Prine “Dear Abby”
Today marks the passing of legendary advice columnist Pauline Phillips, better known by her pen name Dear Abby. Phillips, 94, lost a long, ardous battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Upon hearing the news of Phillips’s death, I immediately thought of the comical homage from all-time-great singer-songwriter John Prine. Below, you will find a video of Prine performing the song on the BBC2 television series The Old Grey Whistle Test. An even better live version of the track is included in The John Prine Anthology: Great Days. On the album, cackling laughs rumble through the audience as Prine’s verses grow increasingly ridiculous.
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 