On the Up | Heartbreaking Bravery

February 27, 2014

Technicolor Teeth – Can You Keep Me Out of Hell (Stream)

Up until this point, there has only been one band to get me to break the self-identifier exclusion rule that Heartbreaking Bravery is normally held to- but when something as monumental as Technicolor Teeth‘s Can You Get Me Out of Hell tour-only tape comes along, it’s worth throwing caution to the wind. Another reason I’m allowing myself the small indulgences of first person narrative is that this is a band I’ve had the privilege of watching evolve since they formed (which was back when Harlequin Kid, a band that featured two Technicolor Teeth members, was still going strong). After one practice, the band had “Station Wagon” to their name and not much else- but that song was strong enough to put me on notice and ensured my attention.

At one of their first shows, guitarist Zacc Baehman blew a fuse while tuning and it took a good ten minutes for everything to get reset. It was one of those weirdly thrilling moments that preceded an even stranger set, with the volume pushed to punishing levels throughout. Back then, Colin Wilde (who appears on the covers of both Teenage Pagans and Can You Keep Me Out of Hell) was still drumming for the band after original drummer Dan Wolfe bowed out and their current drummer- Tenement‘s Amos Pitsch- was on tour. A few very strong 7″ records, a couple of official releases for Teenage Pagans through a few different labels, an inclusion on the incredible Beyond Inversion compilation, and a whole ton of shows later, the band’s now set to unleash the staggeringly brilliant Can You Keep Me Out of Hell cassette, which will only be available to purchase directly from the band on their March tour (track them down at SXSW and pick one up).

Can You Keep Me Out of Hell is a major step forward for the band in almost every way imaginable (an odd feat considering it’s ostensibly a compilation of past 7″ releases with new material tacked on); it’s the most fully-realized version of their shoegaze-meets-nightmare pop aesthetic, both the songwriting from bassist/vocalist Matt Stranger and in-house production are stronger than they’ve ever been, and the pacing is nothing short of extraordinary for this ultimately being a collection of new and previously-released tracks. There are moments of genuinely startling inventiveness littered all over Can You Keep Me Out of Hell as well, each one working as well as the last. It doesn’t just extend to a reliance on one instrument either, whether it’s the hauntingly minimal organ and echoing bells that provide “My Darkest Love” its foreboding atmosphere or the vocal manipulation that leads “Nocturnal Remission” in its descent to nightmarish chaos to provide that song its third quarter, Technicolor Teeth infused this release with almost everything they’ve got and as a result wound up surpassing even the loftiest expectations.

As for the already-released material, “Sage”, “Vaporous”, “Stolen Things and the Starving Man”, “Blood Pool”, and “Drips”, they all hold up as well as ever- only they’re given extra life surrounded by the new material. Everything here works as complement to everything that surrounds it, never once falling into staid territory. Baehman, Stranger, and Pitsch are all playing at the top of their respective games and seem to be pushing each other to greater heights with this project. Ultimately, Can You Keep Me Out of Hell sees the band clicking at the right time, in all the right ways. That’s likely one of the reasons they’ve caught the attention of the likes of Impose and Pitchfork, who have undoubtedly boosted the band’s profile in the past few weeks. Their continued ascension has been surprisingly rewarding to watch unfold and leaves me with this thought; it’s about damn time.

Listen to Can You Keep Me Out of Hell below and don’t lose track of this band- they’ve got a few tricks up their sleeve that should prove they’re far from done.

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January 7, 2014

On the Up: Technicolor Teeth

While the last installment of On the Up covered Tenement at great length, it failed to go into a band that’s practically connected at the hip to that trio; Technicolor Teeth. Amos Pitsch, Tenement’s de facto bandleader, drums for it’s loud-as-fuck shoegaze counterpart (in addition to several other bands), which also happens to feature members that have played a fairly big role in Tenement’s already-impressive career. Bassist/vocalist Matt Stranger and guitarist Zacc Baehman (who’d previously played with Pitsch in the short-lived but dearly-missed Harlequin Kid).

Pitsch was a late addition to the band, though, as the drummer’s throne was originally filled by Colin Wilde (his is the face that graces the Teenage Pagans cover), who’s now pursuing music under his own terms under the moniker Black Thumb. It didn’t take long for anyone to realize the band’s potential, especially considering the strength of the first song they wrote together as a band was impressive enough to rank it as one of the best of the last few years.

That song, “Station Wagon”, wound up being one of the many highlights of their full-length debut, Teenage Pagans, which incited a small label war that saw that record being released on multiple formats in various years and labels after the band originally put it up (and had a label subsequently remove it following an official release) on their bandcamp. Since then, Teenage Pagans has found its way back to free streaming, the band’s toured as hard as possible (especially taking Tenement’s increasing popularity into account), they’ve released a reputation-boosting 7″ on Accidental Guest Recordings and contributed a song to that label’s wonderful Beyond Inversion compilation.

That much activity is causing a lot of people to take notice of this still-young band at an alarming rate. How this will end up playing foil to Tenement when one of them inevitably breaks through is anyone’s best guess. For now, it’s probably best to just enjoy the fact that both bands are cropping up on more than a few peoples radars. They’ve both got distinct sounds and are far more well-versed in their respective genres than most bands can claim to be. Technicolor Teeth more than deserves to be in the same conversation as its brethren and that should say more than enough.

Watch the band take a run through “Station Wagon” in an Appleton, WI basement at a semi-secret early show with Big Eyes (video courtesy of Heartbreaking Bravery) below.

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December 17, 2013

AV Club Premieres Acid Fast’s “Tangle”

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Acid Fast has already been proclaimed a band On the Up by this very site and recent indicators, as well as a clear growing public interest, have fully supported that claim. The most recent notable item in a string of them comes via the AV Club’s premiere of Rabid Moon track “Tangle”. While it’s true Rabid Moon will be made physically available by the band’s label Protagonist Music on January 7th, the record has already been quietly released on tape courtesy of Swearin’ drummer Jeff Bolt and his centralized label Stupid Bag Records.

Rabid Moon is easily one of the finest releases of the past year and it’s certain to be viewed that way by many next year. There’s the same kind of indie-punk fire brewing in them as there is in the majority of artists that can be heard on Don Giovanni or Salinas Records’ respective rosters. No matter what format it’s available on, it’s a necessary purchase and holds up well to repeated listens. To hear “Tangle” and collect some exposition involving the dearly-missed Big Kids head on over to the AV Club premiere. Click play at the bottom of the article and hit repeat.

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November 28, 2013

On the Up: Meat Wave

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for family, friends, and food. Which is in part what inspired today’s pick for the On the Up series: Chicago scrappers Meat Wave. They’re an aggressive counterpoint to bands dabbling in 90’s revivalism and don’t sound like too many others bands out there. That alone would make them stand out but the musicianship coming out of the Meat Wave camp is astounding.

It’s been a year since they’ve released their self-titled via Let’s Pretend records and they’ve been anything but quiet since. Playing their hometown frequently, that nine song collection has been given more breathing room. All of the songs reward return visits and can offer a much needed jolt of energy. Meat Wave may be aggressive but they’re also surprisingly poppy, finding a counterbalance that should endear them to fans of several of punk’s subsets.

Eat some turkey tonight and crank Meat Wave (below) as loud as humanly possible.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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November 23, 2013

On the Up: Acid Fast

The amount of outstanding music that can be linked back to the Swearin’ collective is staggering. One of the reasons for this is Swearin’ drummer Jeff Bolt’s active involvement in the basement pop scene. Not only has he played drums for just about everyone that falls under that umbrella in Philadelphia, he runs Stupid Bag Records which primarily releases tapes and vinyl from his respective Philadelphia circle. Once in a while, though, Stupid Bag will have a release due to emotional investment in a certain band. Oakland, CA’s Acid Fast are one of these bands. It’s easy to see why; their Rabid Moon tape is one of 2013’s strongest highlights.

Acid Fast incorporates a similar aesthetic to Swearin’, only they utilize a different approach. While melodies are still in tact, the band ratchets up the pure aggression of their music. There are certain points on Rabid Moon that fall between the fiercest 90’s emo and the weirdest lo-fi indie punk of that era. Put bluntly, this band rips. Fortunately, for everyone, they’re positioned nicely for securing the recognition they deserve. Rabid Moon is currently available on cassette through Stupid Bag and follows an outstanding 2010 demo.

Keep both eyes peeled for all of the upcoming coverage the band should be getting and listen to a three-song sampler from Rabid Moon below.

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