DARK AUGUST: Athens was blessed to become the new home of long-running post-punk/goth band The March Violets several years ago. The group’s new album, Crocodile Promises, was just released at the end of July. These guys are a vicious guitar band—a descriptor that embraces more than sheer aggression, mind you—and just buzz straight through powerhouse numbers like “Bit The Hand,” ”Crocodile Teeth” and “Heading For The Fire.” Also of note is how economical this is. Nothing is wasted here, everything is recorded super sharply, and the whole thing just sounds wound tightly. Each song enjoys a distinct and dedicated melody, which is difficult to achieve in any genre-identified arena. They have an extensive tour starting at the end of August, but the closest to Athens it’ll come is Asheville, NC on Sept. 12. Find the new album at marchvioletsband.bandcamp.com, and follow along at marchvioletsband.com.
HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN: Former Athenian and worldwide chart topper Matthew Sweet will return to play a full-band show at the 40 Watt Club Thursday, Aug. 29. This is one of only a handful of shows he’ll play with a full band in the midst of his much larger acoustic tour. Sweet, of course, enjoyed a great run of popular records and hit singles in the 1990s. However, his career was launched right here in Athens when, as an aspiring songwriter, he teamed up with David Pierce (aka Romeo Cologne) to form Buzz of Delight, which enjoyed some limited success before Sweet signed a solo deal with Columbia Records. Advance tickets are $20 (day of show tickets are $25) and available now at 40watt.com.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE DEPARTMENT: Kudos go out to Marcel Sletten and his Primordial Void label for being tapped to release the cassette tape version of the Chunklet Industries release of Sin-Gles! (Plus Live) collection of historic Limbo District music. The release runs 16 tracks, with eight of them recorded live. The pre-order price is $12, and these will absolutely sell out. So get on it at primordialvoid.bandcamp.com.
GROWN UPS: The Segar Jazz Affair and Aubrey Entertainment will host a smooth jazz concert with Carol Albert and her band at the Rialto Room on Sunday, Aug. 18. Albert is a well established smooth jazz artist with multiple Billboard awards and other industry accolades under her belt. The Segar Jazz Affair is the long-running radio program and promotions umbrella of Dwain Segar. Advance tickets are $15, and they’ll run you $20 at the door. The Rialto Room is located inside Hotel Indigo at 500 College Ave. For tickets, please head to bit.ly/SegarJazzAug18 and please note that address is case sensitive.
SUMMER HUMMING: The four-song release Stargaze by Sin The Moon, which came out in April, is a fine slice of indie dream pop/shoegaze. But a new collection of demos released last month peels this sound back like an onion, and I’ve been playing this on a loop pretty much since I found it. Starting with “Only A Ghost,” whoever this is eases into things with a soft melody worthy of “Walking OnThe Moon”-era Police. The next track, “Lightspeed,” is the first spectacular breakout here. It’s got a main guitar riff—not to mention auxiliary guitar and a devastating beat—that could only be loved by its forefathers of very early U2 and Joy Division. Then there’s a serviceable cover of Joy Division’s “New Dawn Fades.” Although the final three tracks are each great in their own right, the one to really focus on is “Max,” which has this guitar just slicing through the whole thing leading the beat as it goes. If these are demos, I cannot wait to hear what the final tracks will be like. Hear this now at sinthemoon.bandcamp.com, and if anyone out there knows who this is, please let me know.
HIT ME AGAIN: While we were sleeping a few days ago, a brand new one-two punch of tunes came out from emotional hardcore and, dare I say, progressive metal-ish outfit in memories (stylized in the lowercase). While both tracks, “mired” and “serenity,” will rock your face off, the trophy goes to the latter for coming out of the gate with such authentic intensity. This was produced by quickly rising producer to the harcore stars Al Daglis. Listen in over at inmemories.bandcamp.com.
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