IT’S A SUNSHINE DAY: Hunter Morris & Blue Blood have returned with the new album Give In To Livin’ that came out earlier this month. Notably, this is just about the most lighthearted collection of tunes, musically speaking, Morris has ever released. There are precious few minor chord moments even when Morris is dealing with relatively heavy topics. On this album in particular, the indie-Americana songwriter Morris draws from a deep well of influences, some clear and others less so. There’s an unmistakable Dinosaur, Jr. flavor to the verses of “Photographs,” and there are numerous 1980s pop radio flavors across “Up All Night.” Close listeners will hear shades of The Smiths and Housemartins on “She Drives Like A ’75,” too. One new music video will be released each week for all 10 songs. Check it all out at huntermorrisblueblood.bandcamp.com.
STAY CLASSY, ATHENS: The Performing Arts Center at UGA will host the Branford Marsalis Quartet on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The performance happens at Hodgson Concert Hall. The quartet—saxophonist Marsalis along with pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner—is performing in support of the recent album The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul. Tickets range from $30-$65 and may be purchased at pac.uga.edu and/or by calling the box office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday–Friday at 706-542-4400.
ROTTING TAPES DOT GIF: Newer Athens metal-punk band Pervert just released its five-song album named Street Poets. Led by vocalist Phelan La Velle (Shade, Crunchy, PPP&G), the trio blasts through this short list of tunes. It takes a few minutes for the group to find its footing, but that finally happens on the third song, “The Lottery,” which grooves along in a catchy slurry of noisy guitars. To a lesser degree, the final track “Aquarius Abduction” is similarly positioned. The other three songs (“The Face,” “House Of Horrors (Saliva Exhibition),” “Luke’s Theme”) are fine in their sloppy execution and—mirroring the entire record—nearly non-existent production values, but are lacking the personality of the above mentioned highlights. Prepare to get loud over at pervert420.bandcamp.com.
BACK TO THE LAB: Continuing his string of new releases, Space Brother returns this month with his hip-hop mix tape Galaxies. Before listeners can even think the words “Future Ape Tapes,” MC Donny Knottsville name-drops our host’s old collective. The 11 tracks here are notable for their mid-tempo speed but continually forward motion. Each feels like a step up, rather than a step over, to the next one. Featured MCs here include the aforementioned Knottsville as well as Leem Lizzy, Sir H@mlet, Clip Art, Lex Callahan, SymmaTree, Tom Visions and Lady Witch. Check it out at spacebrother.bandcamp.com.
OÙ SONT PASSÉS LES BONS MOMENTS?: Historic Athens will host its fourth annual Mardi Gras Masquerade beginning Tuesday, Mar. 1 at 6 p.m. This year’s event is presented by Terrapin Beer Co. as an indoor-outdoor event at the brewery’s location, 265 Newton Bridge Road. As with previous events, this year will feature a Best Dressed competition, the crowning of the 2022 Mardi Gras court, live music by Blair Crimmins & The Hookers, a dance performance and lessons from Modern Pin-Ups, and more TBA. Both online and in-person tickets are available, and each version costs $40. To buy tickets and review COVID protocols, please see historicathens.ticketspice.com/mardigras2022.
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE VOTE WAS ROCKED?: Well, as threatened over the past couple of months, the ancient four-song demo by Athens grunge rockers Gamut is now re-released. This collection, a haon, was released in early 1993, and though there’s nothing noting which engineer recorded what, the band did work with varying talents including Andy Baker (The Bakery, Rock Central) and Peter Fancher (Elixir Recording), and also ran its own Tascam four-track machine to record its glory. Musically speaking, this takes its aesthetic cues from late-1980s metal, hardcore and hard rock as well as a healthy dose of ‘70s-ish hesher-psych. Look, it’s only four songs long. How’s it going to hurt if you just give it a try? Jump into the fire over at gamut-v1.bandcamp.com.
HEADS UP: Twenty years ago experimenter and composer Michael Potter (The Electric Nature) recorded the 22-minute long Mount Analogue while living inside a “dilapidated hole of a basement on the square in downtown Carrollton.” Described by Potter as a “love letter” to both Philadelphia band Bardo Pond and the 1973 Alejandro Jodorowsky film The Holy Mountain, I can see where he’s coming from. I don’t know how “meditative” I would categorize this. It could certainly perform such a role, but to me, it’s energizing in a way that a lot of Potter’s work isn’t. That is, this is music for action, not contemplation. As a bonus, there’s also a live version of the track recorded at Atlanta venue The Earl in 2012, and for my money that’s the version to jam. Plug yourself in at michaelpotter.bandcamp.com.
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