THE BEAT OF THE TRAPS: Percussionist Eddie Glikin has been on the Athens music scene for 47 years. He’s recently coordinated and released a massive 27-track compilation album named Rhythm Of The Steeple People as a benefit for Project Safe. These are compositions and songs specifically written by drummers and percussionists. Featured artists include Deborah Wall, William Kissane, Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz, James Wilson, Seth Hendershot, Jason Fusco, Bill Berry & The Bad Ends and more. This album took about three years to come to fruition and is dedicated to Glikin’s daughter, Shannon, who died in 2021. There’s some astounding stuff on here, so please give it a listen and consider purchasing. You can preview and purchase over at thesteeplepeople.bandcamp.com.
SECRET CINEMA: Filmmaker Christopher Bickel, South Carolina native and former member of semi-legendary hardcore bands In/Humanity and Guyana Punch Line, will screen his film Pater Noster And The Mission Of Light at Ciné on Friday, Mar. 7. In an interview with online publication Nervousmaker, Bickels described the film as “… a horror movie about a girl who works in a record store whose obsession with an album recorded by a ‘70s hippie commune leads her down a dark path to a dangerous cult.” This is a single-night screening, so don’t think you’ll just catch it later. A Q&A with Mark Weathersby (DJ Mahogany) will also happen, as well as a set by local hardcore punks Big Trouble. The film is at 8 p.m., and Big Trouble is at 11 p.m.
FOOTSTOMPIN’ MUSIC: KIT released a new single off its upcoming album last week. It’s named “Blood On The Numbers” and, for a band that has already demonstrated its love for breezy ‘60s pop, this is like the lights went out sometime in 1967 and came back on in the summer of 1971. This new track is, for all intents and purposes, what used to be called boogie rock. It punches and swings like Grand Funk Railroad with a dash of Iron Butterfly in its back pocket. Find it on all major streaming services, or just use linktr.ee/kit_rocks as a cheat sheet and go forth.
THE GOOD FIGHT: Phantom Dan is back with another new tune, and this one is just a tad different than his previous music. While he still retains the urgency and sincerity of his more anthemic big-chorus work, this new tune, “Fangs,” is a heartfelt, slow-tempo plea of earnestness centered on a breakup. It’s also fairly short at a mere two minutes twenty-five seconds. Dan’s stock-in-trade is classic third wave emo, and this isn’t far off from, say, Dashboard Confessional, but unlike so many of his influences, he’s generally relentlessly positive. This song is a step away from that, but not so far it loses the plot. You can find this on major streaming services and follow along at facebook.com/phantomdanmusic.
ALLl DOWN THE LINE: Ben Sallie (ex-Arbor Labor Union) has released the second full-length album, Back From Hell, from his now-current band Fenway Flower Shop. While currently situated in Atlanta, Sallie spent enough time in the trenches here in Athens to merit inclusion here. So, this new record starts off with the heavy rock swagger of “Exile Song,” which would probably cause a smile to creep across ‘ol Mick and Keith. From there the band slides through the Dead-isms of “Crazy Bones,” and for the next six songs that’s exactly where the record remains, right between those poles. It’s a commitment to listen to, as well, as the shortest song [“Who Knows (Cuz I Don’t)”] here is four minutes long, and everything else is between five and half minutes to nine and half (!) minutes. That said, go for a long drive or just throw your headphones on for a while because if you dig either of the aforementioned influences, you’ll find a lot to pay attention to here. Find it at fenwayflowershop.bandcamp.com.
MAN OUTSTANDING: Ex-Dana Swimmer drummer Parker Lusk has released solo work intermittently over the past few years and has a new single out now named “No Pressure.” It’s a solid indie rock guitar track that has depth, a fantastic arrangement and compelling multi-tracked guitars. It’s also super big sounding but, ironically, has no release valve. So it’s both a breath of fresh air and claustrophobic. I spun it three times immediately the first time I listened to it. Give it a chance, and you may do the same. Find it on Spotify.
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