Independent Record Label | Est. 2009
Wilmington, North Carolina

 
 

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Tuesday, February 4, 2025

REVIEW: JPW & Dad Weed "It's Happening"





[Repost from Here Comes the Flood; by Hans Werksman, January 28, 2025]

Phoenix, AZ based musicians Jason P. Woodbury and Zachary Toporek have released It's Happening, a new single by JPW & Dad Weed project, serving as a taste from their forthcoming Amassed Like a Rat King album. It's a scuzzy sounding exploration of left-field indie rock, as if the instruments have been gathering dust for a couple of decades.

Somehow everything still works, which comes as a surprise for the musicians themselves. The bass and drums only interlude is a 101 for less is more, before giving way wo a Tom Verlaine inspired guitar leading the way to a 60s Sci-Fi psych coda.

It's Happening is released via Fort Lowell Records. The Amassed Like a Rat King album (green vinyl, digital) is available for pre-order here. Release date: April 22.

Monday, February 3, 2025

REVIEW: Kicking Bird - "What Did You Expect (with Such a Beautiful Wife)"






North Carolina's Kicking Bird floored us with 2023's Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The album had this amazing 60's and 90's retro sound that we loved, and reminded us of bands like Weezer and Fountains of Wayne. Now they're back with "What Did You Expect (with Such a Beautiful Wife)." This new song also has a 90's throwback sound, and while there are still some sonic references to bands like Weezer and Fountains of Wayne, I'm also getting a little of Lush's poppier side and Velocity Girl. It's a song that puts a little extra noise into dream pop with more of a DIY side than we'd normally associate with the genre. The new single is filled with swirling, slightly off guitars that's going to instantly suck a lot of our readers in.

You can listen to "What Did You Expect (with Such a Beautiful Wife)" below. 11 Short Fictions is due out April 4 on Fort Lowell Records, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Kicking Bird, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram.