ROCK AGAINST ROCKS: Popular Athens folk group Cicada Rhythm will host and perform at a special show titled Rock to Stop The Quarry on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Low Star Farm (473 Old Commerce Road Ext.). Doors open at 1 p.m., music starts at 2 p.m., and the whole event is slated to be over by 5:30 p.m. Other acts include Don Chambers, North Georgia All Stars and lighthearted. The quarry in question is the nearly 900 acres proposed to be situated near the north end of Athens, just over the Jackson County border. The impact to groundwater, air quality and noise pollution is unquestionable and at this point also unmeasurable. Tickets are $20 in advance, and all proceeds go toward the prevention of the quarry being developed. For tickets, please see cicadarhythm.com, and for more information, please see stopsouthjacksonrockquarry.net.
LOOKOUT: Songwriter Nancy Heiges collaborated with producer Cardynal, who also features, for her new EP Open the Window. It opens with the nearly brittle “The Night Is Young,” which is mellow and whimsical but accentuated with relatively high spirited breaks. “Breakup Song” floats along smoothly across its tropicália vibes, while “Past Behind The Glass” adopts a similar tempo but is more driven in its melody. The next two songs, “I Don’t Know” and the title track, carry on in similar fashion. And that fashion, present across the entire EP, is basically an unmistakable attraction to early 1970s folk-lounge tunes in a way that could be described as a jazzy Laurel Canyon sound. Find this on all major streaming services.
LET THIS BE THE HOUR: While it may well help to be a big fan of Lord of The Rings in order to absorb the music of Hole Dweller, it’s absolutely not required. Born from the mind of composer Tim Rowland, the new nine-track album is named flies the coop III, and it’s a synthy wonderland. It’s released courtesy of Springfield, OH label Dungeons Deep Records and is one of those records that just locks you down once you press play. It is both reverent and playful, but mostly it’s a pretension-free project that sincerely loves its source inspiration. The many moods here are joy (“Sunrise And Sweets”), melancholy (“The Leaves Whisper of Bygone Times “), bliss (“Light Fades On Gentle Hills”), resolution (“Distant Bells”), reserve (“Golden Hours Gone”) and adventure (“Back To Archer Row”). It’s self-described as “Music for the Hobbit-hearted,” so let that be your guide. Find this at holedweller.bandcamp.com, and for more information, please see facebook.com/holedwellermusic and facebook.com/DungeonsDeepRecords.
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RAUNCH: Now with its third two-song release under its belt, it feels like it’s time for Rauncher to go ahead and release an album. However, we can still enjoy the latest tidbit of a release named House Arrest. While heavily electronic and somewhat bass oriented, it stops just short of going all-in on digital hardcore. The title song is a slappy, synth-heavy tune with a compelling beat just perfect for remixing. The second song, “All Alone (Kanye Needs Help),” is like a downtempo horrorcore track with a 2000s-era Vice Magazine aesthetic. And, yeah, that’s kind of cryptic but so is this. So, enjoy on your own over at rauncher.bandcamp.com.
THROWING THINGS: The newly invigorated indie rockers in Hunger Anthem have another new single out in the ramp up to the release of the upcoming album, Lift. This fresh one is named “Leave” and it’s a solid, short rocker that clocks its Superchunk-styled best at under two minutes. The full album is scheduled for release Dec. 6, but preorders are open now for digital downloads, compact discs and vinyl LPs. All the details you really need can be found at hungeranthem.bandcamp.com, but if you need to know even more you can head over to hungeranthem.com and facebook.com/hungeranthem.
A LIFE WELL LIVED: Organist John Coble will perform an organ recital Sunday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Athens which is smack downtown at 185 East Hancock Ave. Selections include pieces from J.S. Bach, Dan Locklair, Felix Mendelssohn and Louis Vierne. This recital is presented and performed in the memory of organist Raymond Martin, who passed away in 2018 at age 97 after a truly stupendous life as an accomplished organist prefaced by earning his bachelor’s degree from Juilliard School of Music and his master’s and doctorate from the School of Sacred Music, Union Theological Seminary. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please see firstpresathens.org and facebook.com/firstpresathensga.
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