Are you in the Bay Area right now? I’m not, and if you are then I’m JEALOUS. Why? Because if I were around I would be going to Ghost Town Gallery 2519 in Oakland TONIGHT dude! Our pals in The Mrcy Hot Sprngs are opening for psychadelic horseshit! and it’s only five dollars! and it’s all ages! This sounds pretty sweet!

As far as psychadelic horseshit shows that I can’t make it to, it comes only second to me not being able to get down to Baltimore for DNA Test Fest III, but here’s a video of them playing there if you also need to get an idea of what I’m missing TWICE and what you risk missing at least once. CHECK IT.

Psychedelic Horseshit performing at DNA Test Fest III from Denman C Anderson on Vimeo.

And I know you’re trying to get your 5 dollars worth, so don’t miss out on our pals in Mrcy Hot Sprngs, as well as The Splinters and OUTLAW. While you’re at it, check out some new jams of Mrcy Hot Sprngs’s on their myspace. It sounds a lot different than when you last saw them at Dolores Park perhaps: maybe due to an expanded lineup? Songs perhaps more structured, but still barely suppressing a wail of screechy almost Masonna-sounding feedback? I don’t know (anything at all), but I like it.

By now all you Slow Loris fans are probably wondering WTF is going on with Slow Loris. Where are all the maney jams, bro? Stuff’s kind of been weird and maybe even directionless for a while. We (Eli, Thomas, and myself) recorded some tracks over the summer, but as soon as we delved into the mixing side of things, we found ourselves questioning the baller-status of all the tracks. Then whole creative process came to a halt in the fall, as we all went off to our respective schools for the year.

Over the winter break we played together a bunch a wrote some new jams, but we didn’t really have the time to do much recording. Simultaneously, I started questioning my enjoyment of playing in Slow Loris and soon after I quit the band. But I’d just like to say, since then, any and all beefs have been squashed, and Slow Loris lives on. Once we get back together in the same city/county/7-11, we’ll actually be recording and producing our material, and even new stuff y’all haven’t heard!

-jstack

Our boys of Abe Vigoda recently uploaded a demo of their newest jam “Crush” on their MySpace. They’ve been one of my favorite bands since PPM released Skeleton, Abe Vigoda’s deubt full-length, but “Crush” takes my appreciation for their music to a new level. Make sure you give it a listen.

-jstack

Really feeling this.

-jstack

I’ve been really down with Cerebral Ballzy lately. I don’t think they have any actual releases, but hit up their MySpace for some tunes. This video also rules.

New Jersey’s Home Blitz released their new album, Out of Phase last November. I was turned on to it thanks to the always trustworthy Aquarius Records. In their review they gave the record album of the week honors and proclaimed  the track, “Two Steps” as the pop jam of the year, and even with so many good releases last year the song has easily become one of my favorites as well. Check out the band-approved download below and see for yourself. If you dig “Two Steps,” why not head out to your favorite record store and pick up a copy of Out of Phase, which was just recently released on vinyl as well.

Home Blitz – Two Steps

- Thomas

On Saturday (1/9) Strip Mall Seizures played at the 5lowershop (the Diamond Dave-owned underground art collective/concert hall/warehouse over in bayview/hunter’s point).  Currently centered in Oakland and self-described as magically diasporic cyber nothing punk, a many tentacled media beast, and a non-tangible information squid carrying your baby, Strip Mall Seizures are one of the most ridiculously creative bands out there, not to mention one of the hardest to pigeonhole.  Crazed, slightly nasal female vocals/rants, two dirty, scuzzy basses, and hardcore drumming with absurdly catchy everything-from-cabaret-to-gypsy-to-new wave-to-all-out-noise keyboards floating above it all, Strip Mall Seizures play their own twisted brand of rambunctious synth-punk that just might contain the answers to all of life’s questions if you listen hard enough.  Having only heard their first album, No English, I knew none of the songs they played Saturday night, which were all either new or from their tape-only affair, The Secret To Financial Freedom.  They brought the house down anyway, turning the at first scattered and bored crowd (thank you, shitty opening bands) into the sweaty party it should have been all along.

On another note, the keyboardist for the band, Brock Bousfield, has an absolutely batshit insane nutcase of an art-techno sideproject called Nero’s Day At Disneyland, which was responsible for 2009′s BEST, and most disgustingly under-appreciated, album From Rotting Fantasylands.

On yet another note, Strip Mall Seizures are the nicest, most personable band I have ever had the good fortune of talking to, and you really should buy their albums.

-Aaron

I finally got the Cut Division on-line store up and running. It’s not too legitimate of an on-line store, we’ve just got our shirts and CDs of St. Mawr’s Sweaty Palms up for sale on our MySpace through Pay-Pal. Our merchandise is pretty cheap, and definitely limited. Get out your plastic and buy, buy, buy! No seriously, the most you can spend on our merch. is $14.

-jstack

-j stack