TORRES - "I got the fear"

Photo by Ebru Yildiz

Somehow TORRES keeps surprising us with her music. The musical project of Mackenzie Scott has released a new single that features her vocals and acoustic guitar that would feel at home in a neo-folk song over a pre-programmed drum beat with sounds that at times are either a light squall of guitar feedback and electronic noises. The song has this haunting and unsettling feeling to it, despite sounding like it's trying to be upbeat. I'd say art doesn't always have to be a pleasant experience, but "I got the fear" can be a pleasant listening experience, except for the times it's not.

Mackenzie Scott says of her latest single:

“A collective dread has been mounting. Everyone I know is having a brawl with the universe, with themselves…wars, climate catastrophe, a pandemic, the worldwide regression on human rights, the political hellscape — it affects everybody, and I know we’re all feeling it in waves of varying degree all the time. I think it’s really important that we find a way to get our hopes back up. I’m here to try to help light the way if I can. Most days I really believe humanity will find a way. But there’s a nagging anxiety that maybe that won’t happen. One has to wonder if it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that a species that believes it’s doomed will doom itself.”

You can watch the video for "I got the fear" below. What an enormous room is due out January 26 on Merge Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on TORRES, check out the artist on Facebook and Instagram. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Wed. Jan. 17 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *
Thu. Jan. 18 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *
Fri. Jan. 19 - Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar *
Sat. Jan. 20 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement *
Mon. Jan. 22 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Purgatory) *
Tue. Jan. 23 - Durham, NC @ Motorco *
Wed. Jan. 24 - Washington, DC @ The Atlantis *
Thu. Jan. 25 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry *
Fri. Jan. 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere *
Sat. Jan. 27 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Fri. Feb. 2 - Paris, FR @ Le Hasard Ludique
Sat. Feb. 3 - Bruges, BE @ Cactus Club
Mon. Feb. 5 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Upstairs
Tue. Feb. 6 - Cologne, DE @ Bumann & SOHN
Wed. Feb. 7 - Berlin, DE @ Privatclub
Thu. Feb. 8 - Munich, DE @ Milla
Sat. Feb. 10 - Baden, CH @ One of a Million Festival
Mon. Feb. 12 - Manchester, UK @ YES
Tue. Feb. 13 - Bristol, UK @ Strange Brew
Wed. Feb. 14 - London, UK @ Oslo
Wed. Mar. 20 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge ^
Fri. Mar. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court ^
Sat. Mar. 23 - Boise, ID @ Venue TBA
Tue. Mar. 26 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos ^
Wed. Mar. 27 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios ^
Fri. Mar. 29 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord ^
Sat. Mar. 30 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room ^
Mon. Apr. 1 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah ^
Tue. Apr. 2 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar ^
Thu. Apr. 4 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada ^
Fri. Apr. 5 - Austin, TX @ The Parish ^
Sat. Apr. 6 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (Upstairs) ^

* w/ Aisha Burns
^ w/ Liza Anne

TORRES - "Collect"

Photo by Ebru Yildiz

Typically an artist's best album is their first, or maybe they peak three albums into a career. Occasionally you'll get a Tom Petty who released Wildflowers almost twenty years after his debut album. But then you have TORRES, who seems to get better and better with each album. She's set to release her sixth in January, and judging by the first single, she might be continuing that streak. "Collect" is more of Mackenzie Scott's trademark version of indie rock. It's indie rock with some elements of pop, and almost impossibly intense. "Collect" is heavy on reverb, and has a very sinister vibe throughout. TORRES has crafted her own branch of indie rock, and with this one she's expended to an almost industrial sound. It might be the loudest song she's ever done without adding more rock guitar. 

Mackenzie Scott says of her latest single:

“This song is about justice being served. The rage song I’ve been trying to write for years!"

You can watch the video for "Collect" below. What an enormous room is due out January 26 on Merge Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on TORRES, check out the artist on Instagram and Facebook. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Wed, Jan 17 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *
Thu, Jan 18 - Chicago, IL @ Venue TBA
Fri, Jan 19 - Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar *
Sat, Jan 20 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement *
Mon, Jan 22 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Purgatory) *
Tue, Jan 23 - Durham, NC @ Motorco *
Wed, Jan 24 - Washington, DC @ The Atlantis *
Thu, Jan 25 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry *
Fri, Jan 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere *
Sat, Jan 27 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Fri, Feb 2 - Paris, FR @ Le Hasard Ludique
Sat, Feb 3 - Bruges, BE @ Cactus Club
Mon, Feb 5 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Upstairs
Tue, Feb 6 - Cologne, DE @ Bumann & SOHN
Wed, Feb 7 - Berlin, DE @ Privatclub
Thu, Feb 8 - Munich, DE @ Milla
Sat, Feb 10 - Baden, CH @ One of a Million Festival
Mon, Feb 12 - Manchester, UK @ YES
Tue, Feb 13 - Bristol, UK @ Strange Brew
Wed, Feb 14 - London, UK @ Oslo
Wed, Mar 20 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge ^
Fri, Mar 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court ^
Sat, Mar 23 - Boise, ID @ Venue TBA
Tue, Mar 26 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos ^
Wed, Mar 27 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios ^
Fri, Mar 29 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord ^
Sat, Mar 30 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room ^
Mon, Apr 1 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah ^
Tue, Apr 2 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar ^
Thu, Apr 4 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada ^
Fri, Apr 5 - Austin, TX @ The Parish ^
Sat, Apr 6 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall (Upstairs) ^
 
* w/ Aisha Burns
^ w/ Liza Anne

Live Shows: TORRES, Living Room Show, Allston, MA 9/22/22

When I first saw that TORRES was doing a small tour of living room shows, I was shocked since in our universe Mackenzie Scott is a megastar that is far too big to be playing in peoples' living rooms. That was quickly replaced by disappointment since the evening she would be playing in Allston wasn't going to work for me. At the very last minute my plans changed and a couple of tickets opened up, so I ended up getting in.

I had assumed that TORRES' performance would be an acoustic one, playing a laid back set of stripped down renditions of her songs. I was wrong. TORRES played an electric guitar plugged into an amp. Sure, it was stripped down since there weren't other instruments, but it was a much more rockin' show (and louder) than I expected. Obviously no complaints here.

As with any living room show, Thursday night was an intensely intimate show. It was a mixture of the audience being quiet, reserved, and respectful of being at such a unique and special show, and other members being conversational with Scott throughout the night. Both were completely acceptable and welcomed. When you're one of maybe two dozen people watching a performer, there is a personal connection no matter which style of audience member you are.

TORRES played from a loose setlist, jumping around her entire career. She played the bigger and more well known songs like "Sprinter," "Thirstier," and "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head," but also played songs I don't recall ever hearing before. Only one audience request wasn't played, but only because TORRES was unsure how to play the song with just her guitar. An ongoing theme of the night was TORRES worrying she was playing enough songs the audience wanted, when the two dozen or so in attendance were just so happy to be there that she could have played anything she wanted and we would have been thrilled.

Mackenzie Scott combined a nervousness in playing such a small, intimate show with being quite open and chatty between songs. She ended up playing well past the scheduled end time, and repeatedly asked if we minded. I can guarantee no one minded at all. We all got more than we expected, a story about a missing wedding ring, and memories of one of the most special performances we'll ever see.

Live Shows: Superchunk and TORRES, Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA 6/13/22

Poster by DayKamp Creative

Do you ever realize that you've been listening to a band forever but have never seen them live? Superchunk were one for me. I've been listening to them since the 90's but just had never gotten around to seeing them live. No real reason, I just hadn't. Of course, once I made that realization it just never worked out for me. I'd already have plans, I'd be out of town when they'd come around, etc. Finally on Monday night the universe aligned and I got to see them play at the Paradise with another favorite: TORRES!

There are times when I realize just how out of whack my knowledge of the popularity of bands is. There are bands I've never heard of with hundreds of social media followers and others that I'm convinced are megastars but end up only with hundreds of followers. To me, TORRES is a huge band. I didn't expect the audience to be half Superchunk fans and half TORRES fans, but I expected maybe a 75/25 split. Instead when TORRES took the stage at exactly 8 o'clock there were maybe a few dozen people in attendance, and they came out to literally zero applause. (I was reading on my phone and missed that they were on stage until the house music stopped and they started playing.) Mackenzie Scott and her band definitely had an uphill battle.

And... they nailed it. TORRES played an energetic set that sucked in Superchunk fans as they filed in for the night. As the audience built, so did the applause between songs. While there were a handful of people at least partially there for TORRES, their fanbase increased with each song. This was definitely not hurt by the set closing four song run of "Hug From a Dinosaur," "Thirstier," "Sprinter," and "Helen in the Woods," which might have been one of the best four song runs I've seen in ages. The only complaint for the set is that Scott's vocals were quite muddied at times, and she's an artist you truly want to be able to hear. (Sound issues were an issue all night as Superchunk guitarist Jim Wilbur asked to have his monitor turned off completely due to sound issues.)

I don't know if I could have picked a better first Superchunk show than this one. Their most recent album (2022's Wild Loneliness) is a much more mellow album than we're used to from the indie rock legends, and I expected their show to reflect that sound. Even though they played five songs off Wild Loneliness, the band skipped the ballads (or hyped them up) and focused on just rocking out. For a band that's been around for over thirty years, they put most younger bands to shame with Mac McCaughan jumping around the stage with seeming reckless abandon, Jason Narducy almost constantly pacing around, and Jon Wurster pounding his drums wildly almost non-stop. They were playing so fast and heavy that I didn't even recognize a cover of Sebadoh's "Brand New Love" to start off the encore. McCaughan led the crowd in sing-a-long of "Digging for Something"'s "Whoah Oh Oh" chorus, but didn't need to encourage one for the next song, "Slack Motherfucker," which is just more fun to yell with a crowd of people. (Also, how crazy is it that a killer song like "Digging for Something" came along twenty years into their career?) They closed the night with "Fishing" and had Mackenzie Scott join them on guitar for the song. You've never seen anyone play guitar as joyfully as Scott did Monday night.

TORRES Covers Nirvana

Photo by Shervin Lainez

This may be the B-side of the single, but anytime I can bring you a Nirvana cover instead of a Keith Urban cover, I'm going to do that. TORRES has just released a new 7" that includes a cover of "Making Memories of Us" (written by Rodney Crowell) and a B-side of Nirvana's "All Apologies." As far as Nirvana songs go, "All Apologies" is perfect for TORRES. It's a solo song with just Mackenzie Scott singing and playing guitar. The guitar is as wonderfully noisy as a Nirvana cover should be, ramping up the fuzz quite a bit from the original. And Scott is giving us the best 90's slacker rock vocals you've heard in the past twenty five years. This couldn't possibly be a better cover song.

You can listen to TORRES take on "All Apologies" below. The "Making Memories of Us" 7" is out now via Merge records and can be purchased over at Bandcamp. (The A-side is pretty great, too.) For more on TORRES, check out the artist's website.

Ken's Best of 2021 - #5: TORRES - Thirstier

We've been fans of TORRES ever since Mackenzie Scott's 2015 album Sprinter. I saw her live shortly after the release of that album, and I left thinking that the show was OK, but TORRES was going to be great some day. That day came this year with the release of Thirstier. TORRES has been improving with every single release, and Thirstier might be Scott's masterpiece. The album is filled with huge rock songs with a strong pop sensibility. 2021 is the year that alt-pop edged its way into alt-rock, and this is the pinnacle of that moment. TORRES is blending the two genres perfectly, in a way that hasn't been seen since Tina Turner in the 80's. I had to miss a tour of small clubs earlier this year, and it was truly my loss since there is no way TORRES will be playing those venues by this time next year. If the Superchunk/TORRES tour is playing anywhere near you next year, I implore you to check it out.

Songs of note: "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head," "Big Leap," "Hug From a Dinosaur," and "Thirstier"

First Listen: New Releases for 30 July

Artist: Poise
Album: Vestiges
Quick Thoughts: This was a surprise release for me, and one I truly loved. Poise has a really great indie alt-rock sound, and this album scratches the itch that I've got for the sort of female-fronted 1990s feel we love here. Picking only a handful of songs was difficult, as this is absolutely a favorite of mine this week. Don't miss out.
Songs of Note: "New Kind of Love," "Everything I Want," "Delusion"

Artist: Billie Eilish
Album: Happier Than Ever
Quick Thoughts: This is probably the mainstream summer release most people are talking about. So let's be kind of direct here: this is a good album and a solid follow-up to her incredible debut effort, but she set the bar very high to start and this doesn't deliver in quite the same way. To be fair, she had one of the great debuts of the last few years, but this is more flashes of brilliance that go hand-in-hand with some less interesting fare. It's not bad by any means, but it's just not what I hoped it would be. Definitely give it a listen, but
Songs of Note: "I Didn't Change My Number," "Happier Than Ever," "Oxytocin," "Lost Cause," "NDA"

Artist: VIAL
Album: LOUDMOUTH
Quick Thoughts: Another alt-rockish effort, this one with a lot more punk flavor. I was shocked at how many times I looked over at what was playing because I think I liked each song as much as the next. It's a solid effort with a ton going for it, and I look forward to revisiting it.
Songs of Note: "Ego Death," "Mr. Fuck You," "Something More," "Roadkill," "Vodka Lemonade"

Artist: Pageants
Album: Sun and Settled Days
Quick Thoughts: I know I've liked Pageants, but this album surprised me time and time again. It's gorgeous and poppy and feels as summery as the cover and title look. If you like bright-sounding indie pop, this needs to be in your rotation this week. Not much else to say about it, except that it's great.
Songs of Note: "Where Did the Time Go," "Please Hurry"

Artist: koleżanka
Album: Place Is
Quick Thoughts: Ken sent this over and I'm glad he did. There are a lot of genres represented in Place Is, and koleżanka effortlessly jumps between folk and rock and the varying styles therein to create something truly unique and interesting. A solid listen on a whole, and one I hope no one else misses out on.
Songs of Note: "A Mouthful," "Vegan Sushi," "Words For No One"

Artist: TORRES
Album: Thirstier
Quick Thoughts: For real, how are we still sleeping on TORRES? Every album has been better than the one before, and this one in particular is screaming for a breakout. TORRES has not only found her voice, but is trying to call as much attention as possible to it, and the result is an amazingly wonderful album that is not only a favorite of mine this week, but has a decent shot at being on a few best-of lists for the year. Just a great listen.
Songs of Note: "Are You Sleepingwalking?" "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head," "Hug From a Dinosaur," "Thirstier"

Of note:

* Ty Segall - Harmonizer (Another solid surprise release from Segall.)
* Durand Jones and the Indications - Private Space (A number of these songs should be a breakthrough if there's any justice.)
* LUMP - Animal (Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay project with a lot of positives.)
* GFOTY - FEMMEDORM (Maybe GFOTY's best effort yet.)
* Anya Hinkle - Eden and Her Borderlands (A lot of wonderful roots songs in here.)
* Diamond Field - Diamond Field
* skirts - Great Big Wild Oak
* Angel Snow - Low
* Ric Robertson - Carolina Child
* Prince - Welcome 2 America
* Electric Six - Streets of Gold
* Kei-Li and HMLT - Drifters
* Son Volt - Electro Melodier
* Punk Rock Factory - Masters of the Uniwurst
* W O L F C L U B - Just Drive - Part 2

EPs:

* ADRA and Alice Hubble - ADRA Hubble
* Lauran Hibberd - Goober
* Ghostemane and Scarlxrd - LXRDMAGE
* Prom Queen - Toxic
* Kiesza - Crave (Deluxe)
* meganeko and Shirobon - PSY2K

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Xiu Xiu - Dear God I Hate Myself (Deluxe Reissue)
* Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music... Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop (Super Deluxe Edition)
* Death Valley Girls - Street Venom (Deluxe Edition)
* Deer Tick - Live from Fort Adams

Also out:

* Bleachers - Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night

TORRES - "Thirstier"

Photo by Shervin Lainez

What else can we truly say about TORRES at this point? Mackenzie Scott's latest single, "Thirstier," starts off almost as a ballad. It's quiet, with gently strummed guitar over a faraway electronic beat. And, if that was all the song was, it would be a gorgeous ballad that we'd completely adore. Then, the rock kicks in making it a mid-90's style power pop rocker. "Thirstier" then goes full on loud/quiet/loud for the rest of the song, although even the quiet parts are less quiet after that. It's a love song about how intense a relationship can be even as it goes on, with a chorus that includes the lyrics "The more of you I drink / The thirstier of you I get."

You can watch the video for "Thirstier" below. Thirstier is due out July 30 on Merge Records. You can pre-order/pre-save a copy here. For more on TORRES, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

Sun. Aug. 29 - Fairfield, CT @ StageOne
Mon. Aug. 30 - Portsmouth, NH @ Press Room
Tue. Aug. 31 - Cambridge, MA @ Sonia
Fri. Sept. 3 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
Fri. Sept. 10 - Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
Sat. Sept. 11 - Maquoketa, IA @ Codfish Hollow Barn
Mon. Sept. 13 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
Tue. Sept. 14 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
Wed. Sept. 15 - Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar
Thu. Sept. 16 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Fri. Sept. 17 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Sat. Sept. 18 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
Sun. Sept. 19 - St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Tue. Sept. 21 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
Wed. Sept. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Sat. Sept. 25 - Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
Mon. Sept. 27 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
Tue. Sept. 28 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Thu. Sept. 30 - San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall
Fri. Oct. 1 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Atrium @ Catalyst
Sat. Oct. 2 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
Sun. Oct. 3 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Mon. Oct. 4 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
Wed. Oct. 6 - Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Co.
Thu. Oct. 7 - Houston, TX @ Bronze Peacock
Fri. Oct. 8 - Austin, TX @ 3TEN @ ACL Live
Mon. Oct. 11 - Chattanooga, TN @ House Show
Tue. Oct. 12 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Wed. Oct. 13 - Asheville, NC @ ISIS Asheville
Thu. Oct. 14 - Nashville, TN @ EXIT/IN
Fri. Oct. 15 - Knoxville, TN @ Open Chord
Sat. Oct. 16 - Durham, NC @ The Pinhook
Sun. Oct. 17 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Mon. Oct. 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Thu. Oct. 21 - New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom
Fri. March 11, 2022 - Glasgow, UK @ Mono
Sat. March 12, 2022 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sun. March 13, 2022 - Manchester, UK @ Night & Day
Mon. March 14, 2022 - Bristol, UK @ Exchange
Tue. March 15, 2022 - London, UK @ Bush Hall
Thu. March 17, 2022 - Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire
Fri. March 18, 2022 - Gent, BE @ Charlatan
Sat. March 19, 2022 - Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
Mon. March 21, 2022 - Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
Tue. March 22, 2022 - Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefährlich (Turmzimmer)
Wed. March 23, 2022 - Cologne, DE @ Bumann & SOHN
Thu. March 24, 2022 - Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof
Fri. March 25, 2022 - Zürich, CH @ Rote Fabrik
Sat. March 26, 2022 - Bologna, IT @ Locomotiv

TORRES - "Hug From a Dinosaur"

Photo by Shervin Lainez

We've been pretty high on TORRES ever since 2015's Sprinter. Mackenzie Scott has been showing flashes of greatness for the past six years, constantly threatening to explode with every new release. Her upcoming album will be what launches her into theaters. Her latest single, "Hug From a Dinosaur," is brilliant. Besides having one of the greatest song titles in recent memory, it's this fuzzy and grungy pop/rock jam. It's this impossibly bouncy and upbeat pop song, but with enough rock guitar and grunge edge to it to keep even the crustiest rock fan happy. Seriously, making indie rock stalwarts and people that just want to groove and dance happy with the same song is nearly impossible, but TORRES pulls it off with a killer song and her charm.

Mackenzie Scott says of the new song:

“The title emerged from a dream I had. The song’s theme is that truth is eternal, and it’s also about never stopping. To bring it back down to earth, the song’s also about being ready to drop everything to do something essential for someone you love. In this instance, it’s bringing my girlfriend lunch so she can keep painting.”

You can watch the video for "Hug From a Dinosaur" below. Thirstier is due out July 30 on Merge Records. You can pre-order/pre-save a copy here. For more on TORRES, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter. Upcoming tour date are below the video.

Sun. Aug. 29 - Fairfield, CT @ StageOne
Mon. Aug. 30 - Portsmouth, NH @ Press Room
Tue. Aug. 31 - Cambridge, MA @ Sonia
Fri. Sept. 3 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
Mon. Sept. 13 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
Tue. Sept. 14 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
Wed. Sept. 15 - Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar
Thu. Sept. 16 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Fri. Sept. 17 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Sat. Sept. 18 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
Sun. Sept. 19 - St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Tue. Sept. 21 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
Wed. Sept. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Sat. Sept. 25 - Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
Mon. Sept. 27 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
Tue. Sept. 28 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Thu. Sept. 30 - San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall
Fri. Oct. 1 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Atrium @ Catalyst
Sat. Oct. 2 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
Sun. Oct. 3 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Mon. Oct. 4 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
Wed. Oct. 6 - Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Co.
Thu. Oct. 7 - Houston, TX @ Bronze Peacock
Fri. Oct. 8 - Austin, TX @ 3TEN @ ACL Live
Mon. Oct. 11 - Chattanooga, TN @ House Show
Tue. Oct. 12 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Wed. Oct. 13 - Asheville, NC @ ISIS Asheville
Thu. Oct. 14 - Nashville, TN @ EXIT/IN
Fri. Oct. 15 - Knoxville, TN @ Open Chord
Sat. Oct. 16 - Durham, NC @ The Pinhook
Sun. Oct. 17 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Mon. Oct. 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Thu. Oct. 21 - New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom
Fri. March 11, 2022 - Glasgow, UK @ Mono
Sat. March 12, 2022 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sun. March 13, 2022 - Manchester, UK @ Night & Day
Mon. March 14, 2022 - Bristol, UK @ Exchange
Tue. March 15, 2022 - London, UK @ Bush Hall
Thu. March 17, 2022 - Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire
Fri. March 18, 2022 - Gent, BE @ Charlatan
Sat. March 19, 2022 - Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
Mon. March 21, 2022 - Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
Tue. March 22, 2022 - Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefährlich (Turmzimmer)
Wed. March 23, 2022 - Cologne, DE @ Bumann & SOHN
Thu. March 24, 2022 - Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof
Fri. March 25, 2022 - Zürich, CH @ Rote Fabrik
Sat. March 26, 2022 - Bologna, IT @ Locomotiv

TORRES - "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head"

Photo by Shervin Lainez

We've been on the TORRES bandwagon since 2015, and one of the best parts of the six years of fandom has been watching her grow as an artist. She's been tinkering with her sound this entire time, dancing between a more pop oriented style and a more indie rock one. Her latest single might be her best yet. "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head" is an indie pop epic. It's such a ridiculously huge song that almost borders on being cheesy at times, but that becomes the true charm of the song. It's a pop song, there's no question about that, but it keeps the indie rock vibe TORRES has been channeling all along to satisfy our craving for that as well. This is what is going to propel TORRES to the stardom she's deserved for years now, so if you haven't joined us on the bandwagon yet, now is the time.

Before you think I called the song cheesy as an insult, Mackenzie Scott (aka TORRES) says the song is “... my relentless arena country star moment—my shameless Tim McGraw cheeseball hit.”

You can watch the video for "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head" below. Thirstier is due out July 30 on Merge Records. You can pre-order/pre-save your copy here. For more on TORRES, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter. Current tour dates are below the video!

Sun. Aug. 29 - Fairfield, CT @ StageOne
Mon. Aug. 30 - Portsmouth, NH @ Press Room
Tue. Aug. 31 - Cambridge, MA @ Sonia
Fri. Sept. 3 - Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
Mon. Sept. 13 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
Tue. Sept. 14 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
Wed. Sept. 15 - Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar
Thu. Sept. 16 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Fri. Sept. 17 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Sat. Sept. 18 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
Sun. Sept. 19 - St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
Tue. Sept. 21 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
Wed. Sept. 22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Sat. Sept. 25 - Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Festival
Mon. Sept. 27 - Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
Tue. Sept. 28 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
Thu. Sept. 30 - San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall
Fri. Oct. 1 - Santa Cruz, CA @ Atrium @ Catalyst
Sat. Oct. 2 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
Sun. Oct. 3 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Mon. Oct. 4 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
Wed. Oct. 6 - Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Co.
Thu. Oct. 7 - Houston, TX @ Bronze Peacock
Fri. Oct. 8 - Austin, TX @ 3TEN @ ACL Live
Mon. Oct. 11 - Chattanooga, TN @ House Show
Tue. Oct. 12 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Wed. Oct. 13 - Asheville, NC @ ISIS Asheville
Thu. Oct. 14 - Nashville, TN @ EXIT/IN
Fri. Oct. 15 - Knoxville, TN @ Open Chord
Sat. Oct. 16 - Durham, NC @ The Pinhook
Sun. Oct. 17 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage
Mon. Oct. 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Thu. Oct. 21 - New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom
Fri. March 11, 2022 - Glasgow, UK @ Mono
Sat. March 12, 2022 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Sun. March 13, 2022 - Manchester, UK @ Night & Day
Mon. March 14, 2022 - Bristol, UK @ Exchange
Tue. March 15, 2022 - London, UK @ Bush Hall
Thu. March 17, 2022 - Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire
Fri. March 18, 2022 - Gent, BE @ Charlatan
Sat. March 19, 2022 - Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
Mon. March 21, 2022 - Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
Tue. March 22, 2022 - Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefährlich (Turmzimmer)
Wed. March 23, 2022 - Cologne, DE @ Bumann & SOHN
Thu. March 24, 2022 - Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof
Fri. March 25, 2022 - Zürich, CH @ Rote Fabrik
Sat. March 26, 2022 - Bologna, IT @ Locomotiv

First Listen: New Releases for 31 January

One month down already...

Artist: Frances Quinlan
Album: Likewise
Quick Description: Solo effort from the Hop Along frontwoman.
Why You Should Listen: Equal parts familiar and fresh.
Overall Thoughts: We love Hop Along, and while it’s easy to try and distill this to “the softer side of Hop Along,” this is just an interestingly structured singer-songwriter album that’s really gorgeous in a lot of respects and has a complexity bubbling underneath it that I really loved. From everything we had been hearing up to the release, I knew this would be something special, and the album absolutely delivers. I feel as if this might end up having some legs as well, given how much there is to uncover.
Recommendation: Don’t miss this one, it’s an early 2020 favorite for sure.

Artist: Drive-By Truckers
Album: The Unraveling
Quick Description: Legendary alt-country act's latest statement.
Why You Should Listen: One of the better albums they've released as of late, if ever.
Overall Thoughts: This is a pretty overtly political record (of which we have many in 2020 already), and this sense of purpose and urgency means we’ve gotten one of the better Drive-By Truckers albums in recent memory. There’s little in the way of subtlety here (not that Drive-By Truckers ever do subtle), but if the messages are a turnoff for whatever reason, you’ll likely struggle with this. Move past and/or agree with it? You’re going to get a really solid roots rock effort.
Recommendation: Either way, give it a listen.

Artist: Squirrel Flower
Album: I Was Born Swimming
Quick Description: Debut folk record from an early favorite here.
Why You Should Listen: Long-awaited, and with good reason.
Overall Thoughts: This one is something we’ve been waiting on for some time, and it largely delivers. There’s definitely a starkness to this, almost haunting at times, that sets this apart from other similar folkish efforts, and that may be what puts this over the edge for a lot of listeners. A very deliberate and deliberative work, so give it a shot.
Recommendation: Worth the time.

Artist: POLICA
Album: When We Stay Alive
Quick Description: Raw, stark electro-pop.
Why You Should Listen: This is equal parts confessional and arms-length stuff that keeps things interesting.
Overall Thoughts: I can't tell you exactly what spoke to me this much about this album, but man, it's stuck with me. It's a solid slice of music, a little off kilter while still feeling mainstream, and really worth the time and energy. It's a busy week, but this deserves some of it.
Recommendation: A solid listen.

Artist: TORRES
Album: Silver Tongue
Quick Description: Latest album from the indie star.
Why You Should Listen: Her first on Merge, people really need to hear her more.
Overall Thoughts: I was shocked that's it's been nearly three years since TORRES had a new album out. She's so good, though, that this just feels like a return to form even as she spreads her wings a bit musically. As underrated as ever, this is an album that I'll need to spend more time with, but history has shown it's always been worth it.
Recommendation: Make time.


Of note:

* Canshaker Pi - Okay Decay (Almost feels like a memory of alt-indie rock.)
* Son Little - aloha (Great, soulful rock.)
* Dueling Experts - Dueling Experts (If you like collabs with some old-school rap, check this one out.)
* Liam Gallagher - Acoustic Sessions (Am I really the only one noticing that the Oasis songs here were sung by Noel during those Oasis years? Super petty or something else?)
* Tall Tall Trees - A Wave of Golden Things (Great rootsy folk music!)
* She Makes War - And Peace (Missed this one last year, her final record under this moniker.)
* Slotface - Sorry for the Late Reply
* Possessed by Paul James - As We Go Wandering
* Pet Shimmers - Face Down in Meta
* Dustbowl Revival - Is It You, Is It Me
* Squarepusher - Be Up a Hello
* Nelson Can - So Long Desire
* Mint Julep - Stray Fantasies

Also:

* Raina Rose - Vesta
* Ben Watt - Storm Damage
* Destroyer - Have We Met

Torres - "Good Scare"

Photo by Michael Lavine

Torres (aka Mackenzie Scott) has released three albums that have both worked and not worked for us, and, if the first single off her upcoming fourth album is any indication, this one might be the one that finally sucks us in completely. "Good Scare" is this beautifully powerful and epic alt-pop song. It's somehow one of Torres's most and least accessible songs at the same time. 

Scott says about the song: “Regarding ‘Good Scare,’ I guess I could say that falling in love is a lot like the Superman crawl. If you’re not familiar with Superman’s crawl, it’s a terrifying maneuver used in spelunking that’s only performed when certain passages are too narrow, so a person has to hold one arm against the body and the other above the head, all while trying to crawl forward. When you fall in love with someone, it’s scary like the Superman’s crawl, but you have no choice but to keep moving forward even though you have no idea what’s ahead of you.”

You can listen to "Good Scare" below. Silver Tongue, the upcoming album from Torres, will be out January 31 on Merge Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Torres, check out her Facebook and Twitter. Current tour dates are below the song.

Sat. Nov. 2 - Durham, NC @ Motorco (early & late shows) *

Mon. Nov. 4 - Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere *

Tue. Nov. 5 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live *

Wed. Nov. 6 - Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre *

Thu. Nov. 7 - Brooklyn, NY @ Murmrr Theatre *

Fri. Jan. 31 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Sultan Room (record release show)

Tue. March 3 - Bristol, UK @ The Louisiana

Wed. March 4 - Manchester, UK @ YES Basement

Thu. March 5 - London, UK @ Oslo

Fri. March 6 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique (Witloof Bar)

Sat. March 7 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso (Upstairs)

Mon. March 9 - Hamburg, DE @ Turmzimmer

Tue. March 10 - Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen

Wed. March 11 - Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain

Thu. March 12 - Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof

Fri. March 13 - Zürich, CH @ Rote Fabrik

Sat. March 14 - Torino, IT @ Circolo della Musica

Mon. March 16 - Paris, FR @ Le Pop Up du Label

* = solo performance supporting Superchunk

First Listen: New Releases for September 29

A busy week!

Album of the Week:

Artist: Anna Tivel
Album: Small Believer
Quick Description: Latest from a favorite folkie.
Why You Should Listen: Anna Tivel is crazy consistent.
Overall Thoughts: Ken has raved about Anna Tivel before, and I’ve been jumping back and forth on her back catalog since he turned me onto her. The new album? It’s predictably great. There’s a reason we’re a big fan of hers here, and while she’s not trying to reinvent the wheel with her brand of folk music, there’s something to be said about nearly perfecting it. This is a solid listen for this week, and definitely worth your time.
Recommendation: My favorite of the week.

Artist: Keep Shelly in Athens
Album: Philokalia
Quick Description: Weird, yet accessible, electronic music.
Why You Should Listen: Keep Shelly in Athens has been under the radar too long.
Overall Thoughts: I missed the release last year, but the release from a few years ago was of interest to me. This new album is a little less indie electronic and instead leans in more on the 1980s soundscapes. In some ways, the tone reminds me of Kitty’s album from last month, but in most others it feels more like it was just completely extracted from the mid-1980s. This is still a little weird on a whole, but not impenetrable and I think most who would be interested in this would enjoy it.
Recommendation: Give this a shot.

Artist: Worriers
Album:Survival Pop
Quick Description: Power pop goodness.
Why You Should Listen: You don't realize how much you want an album like this until you hear it.
Overall Thoughts: All hail power pop! This album scratches an itch I haven’t been able to address in some time. Worriers put together a great, amped-up album filled with some hooky songs and just enough aggression to keep things interesting. One of my top recommendations this week, for sure, this is absolutely a listen that you’ll appreciate.
Recommendation: A must-listen.

Artist: Ben Frost
Album: The Centre Cannot Hold
Quick Description: [ethereal whooshing]
Why You Should Listen: You like atmosphere more than melody.
Overall Thoughts: This is not going to be for everyone, as a basic point, but if you’re looking for challenging, atmospheric electronic music, you’ve come to the right place. As someone seeking Twin Peaks-y media, the feel and tone of this record is absolutely clicking for me, but this is probably a niche listen for most.
Recommendation: Not for everyone even if it worked for me.

Artist: Loney, Dear
Album: Loney, Dear/
Quick Description: Latest from the European indie rockers.
Why You Should Listen: They deserve some goodwill from their debut.
Overall Thoughts: I was first turned onto Loney Dear a decade or so ago. I want to say they opened for Of Montreal? Regardless, they had an album that was pretty solid and buzzworthy, but nothing since then has quite reached those heights. The latest album still isn’t there, if I’m being frank, but there are moments like “Little Jacket” that give a taste of what this act is truly capable of. In a somewhat busy week, I cannot fully recommend this...
Recommendation: ...but it might be worth some time to find the parts you’ll enjoy.

Artist: J. Roddy Walston and The Business
Album: Destroyers of the Soft Life
Quick Description: Surprisingly great indie rock.
Why You Should Listen: This act walks the right balance between pop rock and indie craziness.
Overall Thoughts: I didn’t know the first thing about this act or album when Ken sent it over, but given a lot of the roots rock/retro rock acts coming through with similar name conventions, what I didn’t expect was a sort of indie rock with some punk overtones similar to Jeff Rosenstock. This is a record I definitely liked, and I could see myself loving it with future listens, but this is one of those albums that defied my expectations repeatedly, and I don’t feel like that happens enough these days.
Recommendation: You need to give this a shot.

Artist: Robin Shultz
Album: Uncovered
Quick Description: Club-ready dance music.
Why You Should Listen: You just want to mindlessly groove.
Overall Thoughts: I was absolutely addicted to a remix of “Sugar” from a few years back, so I figured I’d put this on my radar. Honestly? This feels pretty rote and uninspired on a whole, and is kind of the sort of stereotypical club music that doesn’t really go anywhere or do anything. There’s a place for this, just not in your rotation or in mine.
Recommendation: Skip this.

Artist: Jessica Lea Mayfield
Album: Sorry is Gone
Quick Description: Latest from the country-adjacent chameleon.
Why You Should Listen: Jessica Lea Mayfield is one of those essential voices in music currently.
Overall Thoughts: Jessica Lea Mayfield started out as a rising alt-country star and went alt-rock on us a couple albums back. While the albums have been really good, I also haven’t felt like she has exactly found her footing in the transition. This new album is maybe the first time I’ve felt like it’s all truly clicked – her country influences still shine through, but not at the expense of a more traditional rock sound couched in a lot of reverb and interesting instrumentation. She has a very unique sound all her own, and this is a really solid listen this week.
Recommendation: Highly recommended.

Artist: Four Tet
Album: New Energy
Quick Description: Latest from the indie electronic act.
Why You Should Listen: Four Tet keeps it unpredictable.
Overall Thoughts: Four Tet has always been an interesting electronic act, and this new album is no different. No one sounds quite like Four Tet these days, which is what makes this album both interesting and frustrating in that it never really hits a significant stride while remaining a good listen on a whole. I confess to being a little befuddled about the whole thing, and that’s fine, but that also might mean it won’t work for you.
Recommendation: Don’t spend too much time with it if it’s not working for you.

Artist: Torres
Album: Three Futures
Quick Description: Indie singer-songwriter gets it even more together.
Why You Should Listen: Torres has been making interesting indie stuff for a few years now.
Overall Thoughts: Torres is another favorite around these parts, and her latest album feels a little more weighty than her previous affairs. This is not a negative criticism – where I always felt her sound was all over the place in the past, there’s a more cohesive feel to this album that makes the whole thing a little better as a full album. Still, I found myself enjoying parts of this a lot more than the whole, which is my default with Torres, and with that in mind this is probably some of the best stuff she’s put out thus far.
Recommendation: Absolutely worth some of your time this week.

Artist: Wolf Alice
Album: Visions of a Life
Quick Description: New album from the alt-rock favorites.
Why You Should Listen: Their first album was SO GOOD.
Overall Thoughts: I loved loved loved Wolf Alice’s debut album after love love loving their early EPs. The album dropped around the same time as Bully’s album, and I was decidedly Into It, perhaps more than a lot of stuff that year. This was absolutely highly anticipated for me, and I would say that the end result of the first listen of this album is where I was on my first listen of the debut – I need more time. There are not solid winners from the start like “My Love is Cool,” but that’s not a bad thing – the album is on such an even keel that I believe there are some hidden gems waiting to be uncovered.
Recommendation: So I’m withholding full judgement, but I’m optimistic.

Artist: Protomartyr
Album: Relatives in Descent
Quick Description: Solid post-punk.
Why You Should Listen: They are quietly making some of the best loud music you'll hear.
Overall Thoughts: I shouldn’t like Protomartyr on the surface. It’s a very heavy, yet very melodic, act with a sound I don’t generally gravitate toward. This is the second album I’ve heard from them, though, and I continue to be impressed and fascinated by what they offer. I love music, but it’s rare these days for an album to repeatedly get me to stop and listen outright, and Protomartyr does this repeatedly with their latest effort. I’m not always in the mood for this genre, but it works swimmingly when I am.
Recommendation: This is one of the better listens of the week, never mind being one of the most interesting.

Artist: Lauren Ruth Ward
Album: Well, Hell
Quick Description: Debut album from your new favorite singer-songwriter.
Why You Should Listen: She deserves to be noticed.
Overall Thoughts: Lauren Ruth Ward is a testament to Spotify doing a good job pinning down my musical interests. They’ve been slowly feeding me new singles from her debut over the last six months or so, and her debut album ends up being a pretty fun record with a lot going for it. Ward isn’t afraid to get a bit angsty, she doesn’t shy away from topics of sex, and she doesn’t hold herself to any specific genre when exploring things on a whole. Some listeners could be turned off by how intentionally all-over-the-place she is, but this totally worked for me and was a surprise favorite.
Recommendation: Make some time for this.

EPs of note:

* H2O - The Don Fury Demo Sessions
* Molly Rocket - More Than All This (worth a listen!)
* Echosmith - Inside a Dream

Also out:

* Hannah Lurry - This Heart of Mine
* Primus - The Desaturated Seven
* Michael Jackson - Scream