WELCOME TO TOWN: New to Athens by way of Milledgeville, band Parking Garage has a new five-song EP out this week named If We Haven’t Said It Already that was produced by Well Kept’s Tommy Trautwein. The lead single has all the swagger of early Beastie Boys and ambition of early Rush, but is essentially an alt-rock party tune. The guitar-hero meanderings of this first track, though, are symptomatic of the rest of the record in which the band is searching for its footing and style. That said, the band shines in a nice way on the horn-punctuated “Is It Happening???” This mid-tempo, smooth rocker is sufficiently emotionally charged, the melody is catchy and memorable, and the arrangement is top notch. Here’s to more in this direction. Find this on or after Friday, Apr. 1 on parkinggarage.bandcamp.com.
GENTLE IS AS GENTLE DOES: The soft and reflective Well Kept, which isn’t beyond dipping into dream-pop territory, will release its new album Apr. 1. The 12-song album, The Inquirer, is long and winding but not boring. Nor, however, is it exhilarating or exciting. If anything, it’s a prescription for melancholy. Its gentle tunes rarely raise their fists but, when they do (“Trip Wire”), it’s just a brief look over an invisible fence. The record is gorgeous but requires some time. It reminds me very much of Canadian singer-songwriter Hayden, and I mean that as a total compliment. In other news, Well Kept will celebrate the release of this collection Thursday, Apr. 14 on the Georgia Theatre rooftop. Opening acts that night are Kid Fears and Secondhand Sound. Find more info over at facebook.com/wellkeptmusic.
ETERNAL FLAME: It’s been 11 years since the men of Burns Like Fire released new music. During this time, the staunchly consistent rockers have developed new careers, launched families and otherwise undertaken all sorts of adult-level stuff. That said, punky, there’s a new six-song EP named Always In Trouble that just came out last week. While not generally known for their humor, although definitely known for their good-natured sense of fun, the band employs a couple of clever twists on song titles here such as “30 & Miserable” and “Rock The Cash Bar.” Fans will be edified by knowing that not much has changed with Burns Like Fire. It’s the same guitar-driven, melody-packed, sing-a-long punk rock they’ve delivered since the dawn of mankind. Find this on Spotify and other major streaming services. Keep up with the guys over at facebook.com/burnslikefiremusic.
LINE UP: The always compelling, not to mention always working, Ixian has yet another new release this month. The three-track release, constructed of “tracks recorded over the years that never fit perfectly anywhere else,” is named Conscious Partition Of Self From The Others. Play this loud enough out your window and that’s exactly what you’ll get, too. Jumping off from the industrial mayhem of the titular opening track, it quickly shifts into the futuristic and nervous new wave of “Slow Glass Works Both Ways.” Closer “Against My Ear” is probably the “best” track here in that it’s the most completely arranged. Mixing industrial and goth with absolute black sheets of sonic rain, it’s not a dance floor hit but certainly will occupy space on someone’s mixtape somewhere. Find this at ixian.bandcamp.com.
BRING YR OWN TOOTHPICKS: On Saturday, Apr. 2, Jay Gonzalez & The Guilty Pleasures, along with Athens’ Trycho, will play the Flicker Theatre & Bar alongside Portland, OR’s Eyelids. The stalwart power poppers from the Great Northwest have traveled through Athens a few times now and surely have caught the ear of some locals. The band’s pedigree is pretty unimpeachable, and also long in its development, and much too in depth to get into here. Suffice it to say, if bands you already love such as The Decemberists, Guided By Voice, The Jicks, Camper van Beethoven all wanted Eyelids members as players in their own outfits, that should tell you something. Exactly what, I don’t know, but something. The group’s newest long player is The Accidental Falls, and it was produced by R.E.M.’s Peter Buck. For more information, please see facebook.com/musicofeyelids.
HOME TEAM: Athens native and hip-hop artist Eli Eternal is releasing his debut single, “Fundamentals,” this Thursday, Mar. 31. This is in advance of his upcoming EP Real Deal: Introduction. The single was produced by Buckroll Beats and recorded at Full Moon Studio. This debut track showcases Eternal’s fine and flawless flow over a punchy trap-style beat. While still new on the recording scene, he’s achieved making an exciting track with relatable personal poignancy. Find this on all major streaming services after its release.
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