Beachy Keen – Riding Retro with Philly’s Queen of Jeans

Catch Queen of Jeans touring through town on August 6th.

Our hearts are aching over the vintage charm and carefree rhythm of Queen of Jeans’ S/T EP. It's essentially what we think opening a bottle of Polar's Unicorn Kisses sounds like.

For those of you who like Habibi / Shannon and the Clams / Colleen Green. Put on your oversized, rose-colored sunglasses, grab your favorite tall boy and hit play as you enjoy porch life with this swoon-worthy summer essential.

Ranging from wistful, ethereal harmonies to mod surf rock, the arrival of Philadelphia’s Queen of Jeans to the Boston area is very apropos. Listen to the band’s seductive sounds live on Saturday, August 6th at Lilypad with Bong Wish and The Heavies (event details) and Sunday, August 7th in Providence with PsychoTropics and Space Camp (event details).

‘Queen of Jeans’ is available for listen on SoundCloud and Spotify. 12” vinyl is available for purchase via Indiana DIY label Third Uncle Records for $15 with two color options: pink / baby blue split side and pink with baby blue splatter. Follow the band on Facebook and visit their official website for additional tour dates.

Music Video: Air Traffic Controller “On The Wire”

Purchase 'Black Box' from Air Traffic Controller now.

Air Traffic Controller has released the newest music video associated with their 2016 ‘Black Box’ album. (We thoroughly enjoyed the band's previous music video for "The House" last fall). The audio/visual is for track “On The Wire”, originally premiering on Bullet Media and written and directed by Olivia Saperstein and Max Lapointe.

The video depicts a young woman who has had enough of her unhinged relationship and joins up with another spirited wonder on her adventure to experience life in the now. “On The Wire” evokes feelings of relief and freedom, spotted with the tinge of uncertainty as the two characters embark on whatever is to come next. 

Air Traffic Controller kicks off their summer tour next week, stopping in Lowell, MA on July 15th and Portsmouth, NH on August 6th. View the full tour dates.

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Air Traffic Controller Releases Music Video + Tour Dates

Earth Heart’s Debut Full-Length ‘Homesick’ Sounds Like Fun

Earth Heart. Can you dig it?

Varying degrees of delirious carnal lo-fi noise originating from the basements of Allston and perfected in the studios of Somerville/Cambridge, the debut full-length ‘Homesick’ by local act Earth Heart is one primal joyride we’ll keep on repeat this summer.

‘Homesick’ (out August 5th) is the 10-track polished successor of five DIY self-recorded, self-produced EPs; professionally recorded and mixed by Shaun Curran at Napoleon Complex in Somerville, MA and mastered by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance in Cambridge, MA.

Frontwoman Katie Coriander (vox/guitar) handles the expert task of capturing the genre’s dynamic persona both vocally and instrumentally.

While the first single and title track off the LP is certainly saturated in classic lo-fi distortion, it hardly represents the turbulent path this holistic project takes. Standout tracks: “Demons”, “NSA Song”, “Chicken And Rice”.

Catch Earth Heart at Out of The Blue Too Gallery in Cambridge on July 13th. For additional show and release information, follow the band on Facebook and purchase single “Homesick” on Bandcamp for $1 now.

The Organ Beats Give You a Taste of What is Yet to Come with the 'Only Human' EP

"[‘Only Human’] is just a little taste for our fans
to show them what we've been working on.”

The Organ Beats’ 3-song EP ‘Only Human’ is a satisfying dose of power pop. Focusing on quality vs. quantity, we get an energetic title track, a memorable ballad, plus a remastered version of “When We Were Young” for that nostalgic teenage love kick. “We went with the EP for now because we've been experimenting with recording on our own and had these songs in the bag,” the band tells Bishop & Rook. “We definitely plan on a full length in time. [‘Only Human’] is just a little taste for our fans to show them what we've been working on.” ‘Only Human’ was produced by Alex Fiorentino at Doghouse East Studios and Mastered by Nick Z. at New Alliance East.

Standout track for this teaser EP is “Crazy Eyes” with an insane three-and-a-half minutes of reverb capping off the seven minute song. We can only hope the live version is just as epic.

A music video for the title track accompanies the release and features the band experiencing a galactic fantasy before crashing landing in "Waltham, MA, Urth" (shot, directed, edited and animated by Tim Dennesen of Punchdance Inc. and originally premiering on BlankTV).

'Only Human' is available on Bandcamp for $3. You can also download the band's full discography for $17.55 (35% savings). Follow The Organ Beats on Facebook and visit the band's official website for additional release information and upcoming show announcements.

Stream Fucko's Debut LP 'Dealing With the Weird' + Vinyl Release Info

All heart, zero fuck(o)s. 'Dealing With the Weird' is raw, fun, and the efforts of hardwork.

We’ve known them since they were baby fuckos, feeling the feels and slinging miscellaneous merch at O’Brien’s Pub. Now they’re grown up and on a label that has been favoring the local punks in recent years. Freshly signed to New Jersey’s Black Numbers Records, Fucko will release their debut LP ‘Dealing With the Weird’ at Firebrand Saints in Kendall Square, Cambridge on March 5th. ($5 // 9PM // 18+), with friends Choke Up and Pleasure Gap, presented by Eye Design. Event Details.

The 11-track record is streaming in its entirety on New Noise Magazine. The sweet, sweet combination of Damone, The Breaders and Chumped, pour yourself a glass of treat-yo-self wine and press play. We super heart the mid-to-end section with “Wake Up”, “Sewn Seeds”, “Vladimore”, and “Buzz”.

You can pre-order ‘Dealing With the Weird’ on vinyl over at Black Records’ homebase now. Limited pressing (300 black, 200 purple, 30 test press). Follow Fucko on Facebook for additional information. See you at the show.

Feelings, Fuck Off - 'Bite Because You Like It'

“Don’t talk to me. I don’t want to be your dream girl. Men already rule the world and that’s bad enough. So why don’t you just let me read my book in peace without you hitting on me?”
-“PSA”

When you’ve had enough. When feeling feelings is too much (“feelings, fuck off”) – there’s ‘Bite Because You Like It’.

The follow up to 2014’s ‘you two can spend a special time respect even such the tiny moment OR “Little My Goes to Thailand”’, New Hampshire’s female-fronted pop punk trio My Little is back with a record that is spunky, refreshing and sung with an honest attitude.

Backed by independent Iowa label, Bloated Kat Records, a pop punk label run out of a the basement of this unemployed dude who is practically 30's parents and that has a fondness for female-fronted pop punk bands such as you Jabber (CA) and Lipstick Homicide (IA), ‘Bite Because You Like It’ is a 12-track song including an instrumental intro and interlude. Stream / download the record on Bandcamp. Our recommended jams: "Afflicted" "PSA", "Don’t Stare" and "Friends Forever".

Catch My Little at Middle East Upstairs with Worriers (NY), Fucko (NH) and Gravel on September 22nd, presented by RTT Presents. This event is 18+ / $8 / details here.

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Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXIX

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXIX

New music, our picks for September shows and THE SHARK PUNCHER.

Welcome Back Freshman. Moving blow. Go to a show. Providence, Rhode Island’s emo trio Twin Foxes will be at Charlie’s Kitchen in Harvard Square with Tied to a Bear on September 14th, New Hampshire’s spunky Little My is with Fucko at Middle East Upstairs on September 22nd and New York garage band Soda Bomb is playing at O’Brien’s Pub with Sneeze on September 23rd. All of this and more featured in our September Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Spotify playlist, plus partake in The Shark Puncher - a spiced rum recipe for you and your friends.

Soft Cactus In The House - Stream Their Music Video Series ‘In The Living Room’

Soft Cactus in the house. Stream the 7-music video series on YouTube now.

New definition of 'house band', Lowell’s R&B rock band Soft Cactus has released a self-produced series of 7 music videos entitled "In The Living Room", shot in their guitarist, Max Nickou’s mother’s living room. It's all pretty self explanatory. You can view all 7 videos on the band’s YouTube channel and download “In The Living Room” for free (at a name your price donation) on Bandcamp.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXVII

Set your Fourth of July party on FIRE with Fireball Whisky and our new playlist.

Guys! It's Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out's 3rd birthday! We've been supplying you with drinks and playlists since 2012. To celebrate, treat yourself to a staycation and head to a local club this month to see the likes of Catch 22 with Rebuilder at Brighton Music Hall on July 17th (tickets) and Beach Slang with Choke Up and Bundles at Great Scott July 22nd (tickets). Or just camp out on your couch and order the newest Great Lakes USA record, ‘Stumbling Distance’ on limited edition vinyl. Regardless of your plans, you should most definitely be drinking a Cherry Tree Fireball and listening to the July Spotify playlist.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXV

Music and bourbon? We got you. (image credit)

So.many.shows.this.month. If you don’t know, now you know. Pale Angels is celebrating Cinco De Mayo with Fucko at O'Brien's Pub on 5/5. Hop Along will be at Great Scott with Pale Hounds on 5/8, Counterpunch is at Middle East Upstairs with Yo Ticondegroga on 5/13 and Vic Firecracker will reunite during Awesome Day Fest (O’Brien’s stage) with a whole mess of bands on 5/30.

And if that’s not enough, here’s a Fancy Bourbon Punch recipe.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXIII

'She Knows' how to make mean cocktails (image credit)

Happy almost spring you guys! Have you gone to a show lately? The Class of the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll Rumble was announced, we have Rebuilder’s ‘Rock & Roll in America’ record release coming up, Great Lakes USA and The New Warden are playing Friday 13th. Get out there and socialize. And maybe order an Irish Sprite while you’re at it. Here's our March 2015 Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Playlist.

Dance Like Nobody's Watching with Charly Bliss 2/28 at O'Brien's Pub

See Charly Bliss with Bent Shapes, Chandos and Fucko at O'Brien's Pub 2/28.

Listen, if we hear that a female-fronted band from NYC is heading up to Boston, we take notice. New York has a decent track record, Slothrust, Chumped, Swearin’, and Charly Bliss fits nicely into our fangirl obsession.

If Betty Boop had an indie band, this is what we think it would sound like. Eva Hendricks’ sugary, spunky vocals add a deceivingly innocent tone to the catchy pop rock 3-song EP Soft Serve; available to stream and purchase (digital and vinyl) at Bandcamp.

Dance like nobody's watching and catch their live set at O'Brien's Pub this Saturday (February 28th) with Bent Shapes, Chandos and Fucko, presented by Eye Design. Event details here.

Charly Bliss is a four piece indie band from Westport, Connecticut based out of New York City formed in the winter of 2011 and comprised of (sister/brother) Eva and Sam Hendricks, and Spencer Fox and Kevin Copeland.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXI

We're getting fancy up in here with Patron XO Cafe. (image credit)

Who else is super excited about new music in the new year?! In this month's playlist we've got local pop punk band The Offseason who are playing an exclusive acoustic set at Sound Lion later this month. Charly Bliss from Brooklyn will be in town in February. And a whole mess of other shows are happening. Get pumped up with the January Spotify playlist and The Onyx cocktail.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXX

Hey guys, it's our 30th #ROWYCO playlist! Cheers! (image credit)

Hey man, holidays, whaddyagonnado. No matter how many times you’ve done it, nothing can quite prepare you for the onslaught of meaningless questions and passive aggressive accusations about your alternative life style. When are you going to get married? Is that another tattoo? You’re in band? I love Bruno Mars. He's great. Is your band on the radio yet? Here, hold the baby. Seriously guys, it’s a universal discomfort. That is why we are here to provide an escape via new, sometimes local, but always awesome music and a drink to match.

Doom Lover Breaks Secrecy Pact to Discuss Debut EP, Provides Cryptic Message, Returns to Secrecy

Purchase Doom Lover's debut EP, Until Everybody Dies now on Bandcamp.

Until Everybody Dies is a record that deserves dedicated listening time to accurately uncover the hard packed layers of emotion. From romance and heartbreak to desperation and determination, 2014 Rock N Roll Rumble alumni Doom Lover hopes their signature style is moving people with their debut 5-song EP.

Middle East Presents 'All Cramped Up. Again"

An 'all-Cramps' live set collaboration. Get your tickets now.

All Cramps.
All Night.
All you need.
Again.

The Middle East Downstairs (Central Square, Cambridge) will be a totally psychobilly night of garage rockin', shakin', and crampin' hard on Thursday, November 20th.

Dinah DeVille and The Bloodstains, Boston's fresh and filthy and brutally sexy abomination of performers, are getting together with some serious rockers, The Egos and The Skeleton Beats, to bring you the SECOND EDITION of All Cramped Up!, an all-Cramps live set collaboration. This will be a night of swingin' fringe, killer rock and roll, spinning tassels, a delight for all the senses and a seriously psycho party!

Special guest, Rock n' Soul Ichiban's Kogar the Swinging Ape (from New Jersey's independent radio station WFMU, the longest running freeform radio station in the United States), will be holding down the house music.

Buy tickets in advance now.
Full event details.

Learn how to get a song on itunes at ReverbNation.com

Music Video: Banditas - "When He Comes Home"

In case you missed it, Somerville’s retro garage band, Banditas, premiered a video for “When He Comes Home” off of their 2012 Save the Rats LP (Hard to Kill Records). Directed by local filmmaker Ben Phillippo, the video won Best Music Video at the Atlanta Shortsfest in October.

Sinister in pearls, a disgruntled Stepford Wife takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the worst of her husband, and the outcome is dire.

You can purchase 'Save the Rats' on vinyl for $12 or digital for $9 at Bandcamp today and see them live at The Plough and Stars in Cambridge on November 15th.

Banditas - When He Comes Home from Ben Phillippo on Vimeo.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXVIII

You're Not My Real Dad cocktail, garnished with a cigarette (image credit)

We went to Portland, Oregon and all I got was an ironic, thrift store t-shirt. Portland is exactly what I think a town would be like if it were run by children. Every restaurant serves pizza, burgers and macaroni and cheese. If it’s at all possible to put a car seat on a unicycle, someone in Portland will do it first. A ridiculous, pretentious town were people say idiotic things like “I’m pretty religious about cassette tapes” and homelessness is the final stage of hipster. Needless to say, you’re better off staying in Seattle.

But if you must visit, check out the Sapphire Hotel for a “You’re Not My Real Dad” cocktail. A cerveza that up until recently, was garnished with a cigarette. Turns out you legally cannot do that. Or you can just grab the recipe after the jump, turn on Portlandia and rock out to the October playlist featuring Weird Womb, LVL UP, Black Beach and No Bails.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXVII

Welcome Freshmen! Here's a drink, and some music, and a bunch of shows you should go to.

Man I'm going to miss the abundance of parking I've grown accustom to over the past few months, but if it means more kids in the clubs, then by all means, move right on in. While you're screwing together your MALMS or BESTÅS or whatever other IKEA item you inevitably will toss after the school year, take a break now and then for a glass of hard apple cider sangria and a new music playlist.

Slothrust – Who Here Ever Went to Summer Camp?

Slothrust at O'Brien's Pub 6.21.14 (Instagram)

Not only do I have a giant XX chromosome girl crush on Slothrust front lady Leah Wellbaum, but the New York three piece as a whole is a pretty fucking awesome band and rocked the room at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston during Friday night's As Built Presents show.

Slothrust (Ba Da Bing Records) is a bluesy indie rock band with hints of nostalgia and a bit of a bite, like a fine boxed wine that gives no fucks. And in case your wet dreams weren’t moist enough, dare I say, “Black Sabbath cover?”

Convinced their lyrics are rhetorical non sequiturs, scribbled down on Post-it Notes and rearranged like magnetic poetry tiles, Slothrust’s songs string together these abstract thoughts to create epic singer songwriter brain garble set to tremendously powerful music.

I like cats, do you like cats? Of course you do you sassy motherfucker.
-“Crockpot” (Of Course You Do)

Slothrust is the type of band that seduced me into writing music reviews. Do yourself a favor and see them at TT the Bears (Cambridge) on July 17th with Licious, Mal Blum and Sylvana Joyce & The Moment, because no matter how much you dig them on Bandcamp or Spotify or Soundcloud, nothing compares to the cupid's arrow of their live set.

Follow Slothrust on Facebook and Twitter and purchase Of Course You Do on CD and vinyl via Ba Da Bing Records now.