ATHENIAN REPTILE: Among the most edifying phenomena of the current music scene is that so many bands are determined to carve out their own personality instead of just treading water. The dark, heavy and legitimately grungy Johnny Falloon does this in spades. The band has a new four-song, self-titled EP out now. While there are some very slight tendencies toward some Soundgarden-y type guitar action, nothing lingers at that polluted pond too long. Mostly this bathes in its own sweat, especially on the claustrophobic “Slither.” Both “Flesh System” and “Hammer” are a tad more open in mood and feeling, but still kick the listener in the head. The closer, “Teeth,” is basically a spoken-word piece with not-one-lesson-freak-jazz behind it. Drink some water and check this out at johnnyfalloon.bandcamp.com, and keep up at instagram.com/johnny.falloon.
SOPHISTICATED LADY: Currently in the midst of their incredibly long residency at The Globe, Mary & the Hot Hotty-Hots—led by the talented Mary Sigalas—will play this week on Thursday, Mar. 6. The group, which performs “hot” jazz and swing from the 1910s–1930s, is booked at the space for the rest of the year with each show happening on Thursday evenings. Expect things to run until 9 p.m. or so each night. For more information, please see facebook.com/TheHotHottyHots.
READ ALONG: It’s been many years since composer, musician and vocalist Emileigh Ireland released any music. Last week this break was broken with her release of the emcyclopedia vol.0. And while this is not an album in the traditional sense, it’s a soundtrack for the debut issue of the “emcyclopedia” which is described as “a magazine of facetiae and esoteric enlightenment curated by capricious curiosity through the wonton wiles of whimsical wonderment.” It features mild but dramatic background music and Ireland performing poetry readings of pieces by Hafiz and T.S Eliot, as well as “riddles for a double acrostic by the emcyclopedia.” Find this over at emileighireland.bandcamp.com, and bookmark emileighireland.com for future reference.
BEIGNET, DONE THAT: If you’ve got an itch to catch the aforementioned Mary & The Hot Hotty-Hots earlier than Thursday, then pull your cash together and get yourself down to the 40 Watt on Tuesday, Mar. 4 for the annual Historic Athens Mardi Gras. Bichos Vivos is also on the bill that night. If you pony up the big bucks for the premium ticket, you can also enjoy Nighthawks’ New Orleans Cocktail Experience and a ride to the 40 Watt Club via Athens Trolley Tours. Voting is also already open for the Mardi Gras Court, and candidates in the running are Tim Denson, D. Lamar Handy, Evelyn Rushing, Monira Silk, Rashe Malcolm and Tiffany Taylor. Each of these folks are great members of our community and, no matter who wins the court, should each garner your attention and respect. For tickets, voting and everything else related to this, please see historicathens.com.
MAN’S BEST FRIEND: I can’t remember the last time a record’s title made me immediately sad, but Cactus Jackson wins this round by naming its new three-song EP Some Dogs Go To Hell. Beyond not being emotionally prepared to encounter such a title, I got through this pretty easily. Three songs of classic pop-punk with an edge with the most poignant probably being “Armageddon 2 Old 4 This Shit.” Find it at cactusjackson.bandcamp.com.
SEVEN YEAR ITCH: Preorders are open now for the gigantic, two-volume, 48-track compilation from Primordial Void celebrating 50 releases since the label’s inception in 2018. They are titled Primordial God and Primordial Energy. While neither could be considered mainstream in any traditional sense, really, the former is more centered on tuneful and largely more easily accessible work while the latter “is darker and more reflective of the label’s early sound,” according to the album notes. Some names you may recognize from this column that are also present on these include Banned 37, Chairs, Marshall Stacks, Organically Programmed, and Reed Winckler. Find these both at primordialvoid.bandcamp.com, and note that each is slated for release on Mar. 14.
PEN BLOSSOMS: Tori Jones, who writes and records as Sleep Deficit, released a pretty good full-length album last summer named Bad Vibes. Now the artist has returned with two new ones: an original named “Nothing New” and a cover of Gin Blossoms’ 1992 song “Found Out About You.” The original fits right alongside the sparse, gently affectionate and reticent indie solo work of the album and has a nice section of layered vocals as well. The cover is well performed, too, and lyrically completely inline with the rest of Sleep Deficit’s work. This is worth your time, and you can spend that time over at sleepdeficit.bandcamp.com and wave and say hey over at instagram.com/sleep.deficit.
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