Heartbreaking Bravery

@heartbreaking_bravery | heartbreakingbraveryllc@gmail.com | @hbreakbravery

Tag: Gouge

May 30, 2016

Splitting at the Break: The Live Videos of 2016’s First Half

IMG_2518

2016 is just about at its midway mark and there hasn’t been any live coverage on this site since before the year turned over. There have been a number of extenuating circumstances preventing the live documentation that has been captured this year from being posted (travel, time, other commitments, etc.) but that changes today. Below are ten video packets from ten shows that I was fortunate enough to catch — and shoot — this year.

Normally, as a general rule of thumb, I avoid posting anything from shows I play but am making an exception for the Jungles package because the band’s woefully under-represented in America for their undeniable strength as a live act.  A few other packets may be missing an artist or two but what’s below is the vast majority of what I’ve seen over the past six months.

Whether it’s Meat Wave ripping through a crushing new song on a (freakishly sunny) winter day in Chicago, Beach Slang covering The Replacements two times over, or Torres making everyone’s hairs stand on end with an unforgettable one-song encore, these are worth a look and were a privilege to experience. A photo gallery will be coming within the next few days but for now, enjoy the footage.

American Wrestlers, Eternal Summers, Palehound, and Torres. 

–

Julien Baker and Charly Bliss. 

–

Muuy Biien, Meat Wave, The Spits, and Black Lips. 

–

Runners, Beech Creeps, and Heavy Times. 

–

Jungles. 

–

Mr. Martin & The Sensitive Guys, BAG-DAD, Haunter, Miserable Friend, and Heavycritters. 

–

Yoko and the Oh No’s and PWR BTTM. 

–

Micah Schnabel, Dyke Drama, Potty Mouth, and Beach Slang. 

–

Yowler, Eskimeaux, and Frankie Cosmos. 

–

Oops and Dilly Dally. 

3 Comments
August 24, 2014

Eternal Summers – Window (Stream)

eternal summers

Eternal Summers’ The Drop Beneath was a gorgeous stunner of a record, reinforcing Kanine Records’ already stellar reputation as one of the most consistent labels releasing music today. Intriguingly, one of the finest songs attached to the record- “Window”- was only released as the B-Side on a digital single. “Gouge” is an impressive track, to be sure, but there’s an undefinable quality that helps “Window” both separate and transcend both “Gouge” and a very large portion of the record it was featured on. Tilting more towards traditional shoegaze, “Window” allows the band to explore their oneiric side, finding a comfortable niche in the atmospheric.

There’s a distinct uncertainty that creeps into “Window” and it becomes a perfect vehicle to showcase Nicole Yun’s transfixing vocals. It’s deliberately paced, with the swirling guitars slowly expanding into ambient-heavy sections that frequently verge on either post-rock or post-punk, creating a bridge to close the gap over a very peculiar divide. Doug Gillard’s production work here is as marvelous as ever (easily matching his work with both Nada Surf and Guided By Voices), creating a lush soundscape that complements the band’s styles both individually and as a collective unit. By the time it fades out, “Window” already feels like a particularly memorable dream worthy of being fondly recalled down the line. In short: it’s something that approaches mastery.

Listen to “Window” below and buy the Gouge single here.

1 Comment