Because I don’t have time to process all the PR requests I have in my email box, I hired my cat Ziggy to write reviews about new music. I don’t know where this is going but we’ll have to go with it.
- Vincent Walter Jacob
Meow! It's Ziggy you bastards, writing another column for my lazy human. Having started this, I can't decide if I did well, because I'm stuck with it now. But I see most of you are busy sharing another Adam Levine meme, so let me help. Treat yourself more respect and listen to those songs instead of being sucked down that rabbit hole.
WASTE YOUTH - BFF
Waste Youth isn't familiar to you? Don’t worry. Nobody knows them… YET! You shouldn't let their 94 monthly listeners deter you from listening to them because if there's one band to hear this week, it's them! High energy, punk, and probably careless, those Toronto guys don't mess with details. It's fast and short, so there's no excuse. Their affiliation with fellow Canadian acts Cleopatrick and Zig Mentality should be enough to convince you to check them out. When I'm preying on mice running around my house, I listen to music like that. They'd better move fast! Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
MILLY - MARCY
Last year, my human dragged me to a Liily concert at the Troubadour. It was then that I discovered Milly, the opening act. You're in known territory if you're a 90's kid like my human. There's no doubt that Marcy is a 90's-fused anthem for unglorious kids, those who aren't popular on Tiktok and feel uncomfortable at parties. It's also for the indie cats like me who don't do well at gutter fights. It’s delicate and unpretentious, everything Riff-Raff & the Catillac Cats are not.
DEBUT ALBUM ETERNAL RING OUT SEPTEMBER 30TH VIA DANGERBIRD RECORDS.
Tour Dates:
Oct 13th - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
Oct 14th - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
Oct 15th - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
INTECHNICOLOUR - THE WAVE
Wow, these guys really enjoy math. These verses give me vertigo! I wouldn't recommend it if you're walking on a roof. Yet, if you're comfortable enough like I am right now, wrapped in my blanket, it's perfect. A post-hardcore, Sparta vibe here that avoids the expected emo whining. This is for intellectual cats who are too cool to be teachers or frustrated teachers who are not cool enough to be rock stars.
New album Midnight Heavyweight out 4th November 2022 via Small Pond Records.
ABOYNAMEDBLU: SUPER GRASSY
The perfect song for a midnight cuddle. That blue guy has some kind of bedroom pop meets the Beatles, and that's enough to get me going. My normal reaction to blue guys is to avoid them, as I have never been a fan of the Smurfs. I was always rooting for Azarel. However, here's my soft spot, beautifully built melodies. There's no wonder Azarel hasn't been able to eat those fuckers.
FREE THE CYNICS - NEON BALLROOM
Initially, I thought this was a tribute to Silverchair, but it's nothing like the Aussie 90's rock stars. Neon Ballroom is probably one of my favorite records (shoot me!) but this Neon Ballroom is also quite enjoyable. There is something quite unique about Free The Cynics. It feels as if Idles is going completely bonkers and releasing a Beatles album. That's enough to catch the attention of a cat like me.
CIRCLE THE EARTH - THE SWEETEST PAIN
Is it the 2000s all over again? Sorry, but not sorry, I used to love Evanescence. Just kidding. Circle the Earth is probably for you if you like a touch of metal in your pop, just as I like whisky in my milk. Boss Metal Zone pedals and epic solos, coupled with catchy poppy choruses, might fill the void left in your life after Linkin Park tragically disbanded.
TRIPPING JUPITER (feat. Gail Ann Dorsey): WE ARE STARLIGHT
Wait a minute! What? This track features Gail Ann Dorsey? How could I ignore this? She played bass for David Bowie and is an incredible artist in her own right. I was named Ziggy in honor of Bowie, so... Let's have a listen.
Okay, it's not Bowie level (what is?), it sounds more like a track from The Killers but you've got to give it some credit. The song is catchy, maybe intentionally so. This new alien isn't totally capturing me, but it's good enough to put in the background while I rest on my back and throw my paws in the air, catching imaginary flies... Damn, I'm getting softer. I might need some milk.
TRISTAN BROOKS - DON’T KNOW
Could Jeff Buckley be reincarnated into a 24 year old San Diego guy? Listening to Don't Know, it seems that way. That’s pretty disturbing. He possesses not just the tone of voice, but also the musicianship, anger, and tenderness of the late genius. Another plus for Tristan is that his music is excellent. Being compared to Jeff is probably annoying, but it's unavoidable. And I don’t think it’s totally accidental because you can hear a bit of Jeff’s idiosyncratic melodies in Don’t Know. It could be detrimental to anyone attempting to navigate those waters (pun intended), but we can only encourage Tristan to keep going. It's good when it's good. Period. This is something I will be watching closely and you should as well. That song capped off my monthly rant perfectly. I can now resume my favorite activity: napping.
Are we done yet? Alright. See you around the bushes,
- Ziggy