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.
T-Rextasy, the unique and innovative Brooklyn based quartet, have built a solid reputation in recent years for crafting fun, hook-laden indie-pop songs that infuse socially conscious lyrics with genre melding guitars. Formed in 2013 while still in their teens, the band came of age in New York City’s bustling DIY scene, gigging frequently at Bushwick staples Shea Stadium and The Silent Barn, eventually making waves with their critically acclaimed debut album, Jurassic Punk. Earlier this month, the band kicked off 2019 in style by releasing their sophomore album, Prehysteria.
On Prehysteria, T-Rextasy exudes the swagger of a veteran band that continues to tighten and develop their sound, while not losing their identity, as they still maintain a penchant for crafting songs squarely in the vein of their own self-described version of “fun-rock.” Similar to their previous releases, their curious thematic content, quirky harmonies, and off-kilter delivery remain constant throughout Prehysteria, whether they’re vintage shopping on acid in “Rip Van Vintage,” embracing the awkwardness of breakouts in “The Zit Song,” or dishing out some tongue-in-cheek quips on modern dating in “Maddy’s Got A Boyfriend.”
The band also continues to showcase their eclectic musical palettes by incorporating a gleeful horn section on “Coffee?” and some sprightly melodies on “Theme From Prehysteria.” Although T-Rextasy still injects their own brand of absurdist humor throughout the record, it’d be a mistake not to take this four-piece seriously. The group continues to adeptly address important issues in their lyrics, including identity and coming of age, against the backdrop of a very fresh sounding brand of jangly indie-pop that draws on a wide range of musical influences. With Prehysteria, T-Rextasy continues to be a band to keep your eye on in 2019.
You can purchase Prehysteria on limited edition cassette via Bandcamp.
Temperatures are dropping, but the gigs in Bushwick continue to be red hot. Check out one of these awesome shows this week:
Wednesday, January 23rd
HEALTH, Pictureplane at Elsewhere, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles noise rock trio HEALTH are about to release their fourth full-length album, VOL. 4 :: SLAVES OF FEAR, in early February. Early press on the record has described it as “heavy” and “genre-obliterating” so expect to hear some mind-blowing new tracks from this innovative veteran act. Opening the show is Pictureplane, the moniker of multi-disciplinary artist Travis Egedy. In 2018, Egedy dropped his seventh LP as Pictureplane, Degenerate, which features the dark electronic single, “B.D.S.M.”
Thursday, January 24th
Thin Lips, Grace Vonderkuhn, Freezing Cold, Darkwing at Alphaville, 8 p.m.
Thursday night at Alphaville features two out of towner acts passing through Brooklyn on a winter tour in support of some excellent 2018 releases. Philadelphia punk trio Thin Lips are on the road promoting their highly anticipated sophomore album, Chosen Family, which was produced by Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan and Joe Reinhart, while Wilmington, Delaware based garage rocker Grace Vonderkuhn continues to tout her hook-filled 2018 LP, Reveries. Also performing are local indie-rock trio Freezing Cold and scuzzy garage rock foursome Darkwing, who released their rowdy new EP, Super Silver, in November on Good Eye Records.
Friday, January 25th
Tall Juan, Honduras, Chorizo at Market Hotel, 8 p.m.
Argentinian-born Queens transplant Juan Zaballa, known professionally as Tall Juan, is known for playing fast-paced, Ramones inspired songs with an acoustic guitar. He’ll be playing for the first time in 2019 this Friday at Market Hotel along with another local powerhouse, Honduras, who released an incredible 7-inch single “Need The Sun b/w Water Sign” in 2018 on Mind Altar Records. Both acts are known for their high energy live shows, so make sure you’re limber and ready to move around. Rounding out the bill are Chorizo, a local trio who play fast and fuzzy, Spanish language punk songs.
Saturday, January 26th
Con Davison, Gabe Goodman, Field Guides, Olivia Barton at Alphaville, 8 p.m.
Con Davison, the drummer of Minneapolis based indie-pop trio Bad Bad Hats, released his debut solo EP Far Off Distant Plans in October, a five-song stunner that incorporates elements of pop, rock, and psychedelic stylings. He’ll be supported by several locals, including Gabe Goodman, who also released his debut EP, Dismissing The Gardener, late last year, and the experimental pop four-piece, Field Guides. Olivia Barton, a budding indie-folk singer-songwriter from sunny Orlando, Florida, will get things started with the opening slot.
