Tom Gallo is the host of Look at My Records on Radio Free Brooklyn
Radio Free Brooklyn and Bushwick Daily are proud to announce a new weekly local-music column that will focus on artists that call Bushwick home. Each week, a Radio Free Brooklyn personality will pen a record or performance review of a different Bushwick based artist, with a curated selection of the best upcoming local gigs in the neighborhood for the following weekend.
After releasing solid back-to-back EPs, Brooklyn’s Human People are back with their debut album, Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears on the Exploding In Sound label. With hints of 90’s indie rock combined with a guitar driven, no-holds-barred punk rock emotional fervor that would make
Mary Timony proud, Human People covers significant ground both lyrically and sonically, solidifying their debut as one of one of the most impressive of 2018.
There’s a lot to digest on Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears, as amongst the robust sounding guitars, Human People’s narrative, snarling vocal delivery deeply conveys a strong sense of ambivalence. Anxiety and isolation mark a very keen sense of skepticism on some of the record’s stand out tracks, “California,” “Gloom,” and “Mood Swings.” Though lyrically they may present themselves as cynics, the group wears their indie-pop influences on their sleeves, never wavering from their strong melodies and pervasive hooks. Particularly, tracks like “Run Me Over” and “No Tides” meet at the intersection of Throwing Muses and Built To Spill, resulting in an indie-punk/pop-styled sound that’s anything but cookie cutter. Instead, Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears is a very full sounding record, as the group makes tremendous use of space with thunderous drums throughout and a stellar rhythm section. Sprinkle in some enchanting harmonies on songs like “In My Speakers,” and it’s crystal clear that this album has everything you could possibly desire.
You can purchase Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears on limited edition cassette and vinyl LP via Bandcamp. The band is about to embark on a tour in support of the record, but you can catch them back in Brooklyn on October 18th at Sunnyvale and on October 23rd at Elsewhere.
Fall is here, but the hot gigs haven’t stopped! Check these out this week:
Pears, Moral Panic, Taking Meds, Weird Skin at The Safari Room, El Cortez
Wednesday, September 26th, 2018 at 7 p.m.
Stop by the Safari Room at El Cortez on Wednesday for a high dosage of hardcore punk rock. Pears are in town from New Orleans as part of a massive nationwide tour leading up to an appearance at this year’s FEST in Gainesville, Florida. They’ll be joined by locals Moral Panic, who are well-known across Brooklyn for their raw, raucous live performances. Rounding out the bill are Weird Skin, a group featuring former members of The Steinways, and Taking Meds, who hail from Rochester.
Ice Choir, Monograms, Peel Dream Magazine at Elsewhere, Zone One
Thursday September 27th, 2018 at 8 p.m.
Synth-pop mainstays Ice Choir are playing their first show in quite some time, so you won’t want to miss a rare opportunity to see the project of composer Kurt Feldman. Newcomers Peel Dream Magazine are celebrating the release of their dreamy debut album on Slumberland Records, Modern Meta Physics. Also performing is local trio Monograms, who will release their debut EP, Beekeepers, later this Fall.
Friday September 28th, 2018 8 p.m.
The midterm elections are right around the corner, so if you find yourself frustrated with the current state of affairs in this country, then make sure you’re at the Knockdown Center on Friday. Billed as a concert celebrating protest songs, political music, and unity through songs, this revival show styled gig includes a who’s who of indie rock, with appearances from members of Sonic Youth, Superchunk, Nada Surf, Spoon, The Wrens, The Walkman, and seriously, many, many more. All proceeds from the event benefit Power To The Polls, a group created by the Woman’s March to encourage voters to get to the polls in November to take back Congress, as well as other grassroots groups with the same goal of supporting pro-Democratic causes. This is a can’t miss event, as you’ll be able to see tons of your favorite artists all for a great cause!
Big Ups, Nine of Swords, Decisions at Market Hotel
Saturday September 29th, 2018 8 p.m.
Brooklyn’s premier post-hardcore outfit, Big Ups, just released their third studio album, Two Parts Together, this past May to significant critical acclaim. Big Ups will be playing plenty of songs from this brand new release, and they’ll have additional support from Philadelphia’s Nine of Swords, who play their own frenzied, high-energy hardcore punk. Handling opening duties are local punks Decisions, who just released an absolutely raucous 7” EP entitled The Weight Of The World Leaves A Broken Back on Wharf Cat Records.
