5 Ways To Be Cool – Gold Throes Hypno Chickens

5 ways to be cool ? The summer heat and humidity is rampant, I am grateful for A/C and electricity. So blogging may not bring accolades, on the other hand, it is climate controlled. Conversely, I still feel like I am quarantined, thus there is an escape. More new music. Summer 2021 Philadelphia gifts us music. This time it’s a cacophony of a duo known as Hypnotizing Chickens. Secondly, we have pam risourié (small letters intentional?) from France. Lookit the cover painting! Guess I’m a hopeful romantic. Equally stunning dreaminess, more from AZ’s Health and Rifle Club. New Descendents and Quicksand both on Epitaph. The veteran punk guys still have it.

Hypnotizing Chickens – s/t limited edition 7″ – Petty Bunco Records
Wowzers. Hypnotizing Chickens !?! Goddamn right. This is two members of one of my favorite Philly rock bands Watery Love. Richie of Richie Records and Astute Palate. Additionally, Max of Watery Love team up once again to shatter expectations in music. I’ve been surreptitiously following the exploits of both members from across the USA for over a decade.

Since I’m not local it is a challenge to keep up with local Philadelphia music output. Listen here https://hypnotizing-chickens.bandcamp.com/
I tell ya Watery Love is a great band and Hypnotizing Chickens will quite possibly be able to carry the shoes of Watery Love.

However, the Chickens, de-feathered down to a duo, have less weight than Watery Love. This can go either way and will vary depending who you ask.

Opinions are like assholes, but not every asshole is buttoned down, but you all knew that. Moreover I can’t gauge if this is a one off project or not. Irrelevant to the 7″ are these matters.

The immediacy of this EP serves Hypno Chickens well. I don’t find the ‘lo fi’ ness to be problematic. Chickens features Max belting out vocals with blatant disregard for your particular preference. That is to say, unless you prefer guttural, in your face, voices and lyrics. Slurred and at times, pained, yet not hyper tortured as in a black metal context. I happen to prefer their general methods on this recording.

Likewise, if Hypnotizing Chickens were more self-critical about their music and vocals I think the songs would suffer. The notes say it was recorded in an empty apartment within early days of isolation / quarantine. So listeners will find those acoustics to be obvious. To clarify, one can capture a band or project’s sound by recording it a multitude of ways. Would I like to hear this “cleaned up” Of course. On the other hand this 7″ is a small stash of what transpires in a post Watery Love setting. It’s pure. (I’m On ) Time shines bright.

Unconcerned with proper music theory on guitar, the rhythm is held down to give semblance of structure. Plaintive, vocals that come in off the beat, and yet it doesn’t matter.

Timeless saunters by, in under a minute and it shows that the self effacing attitude of the other Chickens songs is intentional. If they wanted to they could play like on Timeless. Next, Button Down Assholes sardonic wit of lyrics gives another snapshot of day in the life of this duo? Possibly. Vocals are slurred and bit tortured. It works fellas, please never fix it. At least until you decide to change gears. The ending of Button Down Assholes, a guitar riff that repeats with searing, yet restrained tone. Followed by strange and abrupt feedback I couldn’t get if tried. It’s the previously stated factors I believe, the room, the execution, and intent on capturing the song. That gives this ending and EP it’s flavor.

We’re gifted with a Wipers cover. Richie takes lead vocals in the style of ‘ Pump the Bimbo‘ by Watery Love. The hurried guitar solo rules. Like any self taught(?) guitarist, solo has an organic, free form slosh that makes a music teacher wince. That is to their credit. I am into academic playing to an extent and Greg Ginn esque freak outs. Additionally, all points between these two polarites. Hypnotizing Chickens guitar pounces all over the random guitar spectrum and yet they tie it all together after the solos have had their say.

Eschewing academic playing with just cause.

This is D.I.Y. rock and roll. On paper or blog, this 7″ shouldn’t make sense but it totally makes sense for me, digitally, someday, on vinyl. Hypnotizing Chickens 7″, doses Philly infused ennui to those who are willing to acknowledge their own personal disdains. Guys, hit me up so I can fund some Schuykill styled brewskis on me.

pam risourié – So Be It, Eternity EP – ShoreDive Records

Haunting vocals over a quiet dream pop landscape. This is what Holding You As A New Past has in store. Listen to pam risourié here

Hailing from Paris, France they describe themselves as between blackgaze and dream pop.

This is a fair assessment. The title track is definitely depressed and blacker then your average dream pop however there is a sublime beauty permeating the song. The guitars float in the background and cut through with a grainy distortion simultaneously. If this is intentional, hats off to Gauthier Havel who is credited on the bandcamp page with studio work https://shorediverecords.bandcamp.com/album/so-be-it-eternity

Dystopian Eyes is yet still darker than the other tracks. The guitars cascade downward in gothic melody.

Next, These Minds opens the blinds and lets some light in. However it still maintains a sense of blue, and or longing. Warm keyboards whir around steady pop gazey guitars and drums. ‘ I don’t care ‘ lyric and melody is infectious. For me this sounds like a B side that Billy Corgan could have forgotten from the Lull EP. The guitars are not as distorted , though. Signals are cleaner, very dreamy. Three quarters in, the baritone vocals begin but only long enough to usher a deliberately picked apreggiated outro. This song is a perfect marriage of goth vocals meets gaze.

The Cities In My Head is the brightest, jangly poppy track on the EP. Tasteful and bubbly, but not syrupy. Well strummed , crafted guitar meets background noises of people talking. Technically it is instrumental. I picture someone daydreaming off into their own sanctuary of their mind as they are stuck in a room full of talking that they would rather not hear. The music though, allows your mind to drift as much dreamy rock does. The guitars get light and nearly evaporate into bliss. A good closer to strong EP. I’m new to this band and label. They have captured my ear for sure.

Health and Rifle Club – Gold In The Throes of Summer – single

This band is local and I’m a fan. We’ll say they hail from Phoenix AZ. Gold In The Throes of Summer is a song whose sound stretches wide like the land that the Golden Gate bridge spans. I have not heard a dream rock song that shamelessly captures the feeling of a beautiful vista in song in many moons. I’ve been listening in on this band a while now and this track is just majestic. This doesn’t come without risk. Gold In The Throes of Summer clocks in at 5:36 seconds. There is earnest emotion. Instrumentation and structure that dream pop fans can admire. Piano phrasing bookends this track, which assists in the dynamics of the song. The keys gently trickle in, and at the end leave tenderly, but with intent.

Imagine if Phantom Planet’s California went for the dream pop jugular. However there is a more static, mesmerizing quality.

Gold In The Throes of Summer encapsulates multiple emotions for me. It’s abstract. The feelings in which you see something that imprints on you. A beautiful landscape for example. It strikes me and I feel several things. Gratitude, sadness, wonder. The guitar slides echo the motif of the piano throughout the song.

Check out Masquerade by this band within this fine review https://meatsheetfanzine.com/new-colonial-wound-health-rifle-club-lazer-beam/. More singles will follow this summer culminating with the songs being on one EP.

Descendents – Nightage (single) – Epitaph Records

Descendents have been playing off and on for many moons and this is a tight song for a bunch of players who started long before the Warped Tour was even farted into existence. Someone on the web said it’s like Everything Sucks meets Milo Goes To College and I can totally agree to that. It’s aggressive but still melodic.

Trademark Descendents melodies and Tony Lombardo’s multi noted bass lines. Bill Stevenson’s instantly recognizable drum rolls (As in Coolidge + more )

On guitar, the powerhouse, the late Frank Navetta. Navetta is a founding member who left the band in it’s early days. An last but not least, Milo, who sounds more aggressive on Nightage than what I am used to. Not a bad thing, just not what I am used to. Very cool nonetheless

This band continues to play and write their asses off . I’m assuming they will maintain that on the forthcoming LP even though the songs are older. To clarify, they were first written in the very early days, late 70’s to early 80’s. After much time they were re recorded in 2002 and 2020. If I am going to listen to melodic punk rock , the Descendents are always a welcome friend. I’m anxious to sense them my earholes.

Quicksand – Missile Command (single) – Epitaph Records

Finally, Quicksand will release a new LP in August digitally and hard formats in September. Missile Command is the second song from the forthcoming LP “Distant Populations” As a huge fan of Walter Schreifels music I am always curious to hear what he will do next. I highly recommend the video for Inversion as well as Missile Command. They tie in (visually and musically) cohesively to an imaginary (?) alien culture / world.

The song Missile Command ? If you’re mad about all things Quicksand there is a high probability of a successful salvo of sounds coming down on you.

Although I doubt that Quicksand is referencing the vintage video game lyrically, the song seems to reference metaphorical or actual rain and the complexities of a love relationship. The thudding bass line combined with Alan Cage’s drumming lays the signature rhythm that I know from Quicksand’s past. The squeal of the guitar accentuates the bass and drums as if Missile Command is its own living biome. The video shows creatures mouthing the shrieky slide of Walter’s guitar. Missile Command , if I know Quicksand, Missile Command is going to be used to set up a killer track right after it. They have a knack for placing tracks in the right sequence on their former releases. I’ll have to wait and see.

These 5 ways to be cool are just suggestions. Results may vary. Coincidentally I’m a fan of four out of the five bands for some time. One is new to me and I’m a fan. If you made it this far, please drop a line, comment , or share. If you have the means pick up any shirt or zine from the store and restore my faith that is a niche for this blog and zine.