FILL THE VOID: Athens R&B singer-songwriter Trevon has released his latest full-length called Green X Roll. It has 16 songs, which is quite long. And you know what? All are worth your time to listen to. Hit all the points from the jump during the opening song “Present.” I may be in the minority here, but I prefer the sparser songs to the fuller arrangements of his songs. It’s not like they’re flabby in any way. In fact, tracks like ‘Never Let You Down’, ‘All I Know’ and ‘Be The Difference’ are wonderfully modern. But when it’s him and little else, that’s where it really becomes a problem. Specific highlights for me are “Burning Down,” “Won’t Sleep Tonight,” “Pot Of Greed,” and “Let It Play.” I make no bones about it when I say I’d put this up against Frank Ocean any day. Find this at tr3von.bandcamp.com and follow us at instagram.com/3trevon.
Green X Roll by Trevon
MINTY FRESH: Red Dakota have been around town for the past few years, but they released their first full-band single on Saturday, October 19th. It’s called “The Formula,” and it’s one of those songs that’s completely baked into the middle ground between indie rock and mainstream acceptance. Think Veruca Salt-lite or something similar. It also follows the old standard of loud-quiet-loud dynamics within a song. This can be found on Spotify. For more information, visit instagram.com/reddakotamusic.
ESPRIT DE CORPS: The U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants will perform a free concert at Hodgson Concert Hall on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. The event will feature Broadway classics as well as patriotic music. We honor our veterans. ” As mentioned earlier, this event is indeed free, but tickets are required. You can reserve online at pac.uga.edu/event/united-states-air-force-band (click the red box in the top right). For more information about both of these groups, visit music.af.mil.
Out of town, that’s where we meet: As you know, Wild Rumpus takes place this Saturday, October 26th. The event has grown from its very gentle and sparse roots to become a destination event in the Southeast. Usually enthusiasm for it is at its peak. The extensive lineup of performers scheduled to perform along the parade route and at specific locations includes The Booty Boys, Fairiez, Organically Programmed, Cardinal & The Flock, Fishbug, Captains of Revelry, The Love.Craft Band, El Chupaskabra, Beast Mode, Father Werewolf, DJ JiiG, Molly’Tu Hott, Squallé, Trepid (ft. Grandfather), Woah Nelly, Nadia Vaeh, Karma Kat, Libbaloops + Bryant Perez, The Athens Burn Consortium, Dekadance, Nightshade Family + DJ Ellwin, League of Steps, Danza Azteca, Beli Dance Company, and High Falloutin’ Screewags Drum Brigade. The main event is a parade through downtown, but there are also events before and after. Visit wildrumpus.org for important information about parade routes, public drinking, and more.
I WOKE UP STILL DREAMING: It’s been a few years, but Echo Constant is back with a new 18-track full-length album called Rebirth. The entire record was built using just a laptop and the audio program Audacity. All of the actual music is sample, clip, and loop based. The source material is endless, and it’s very likely that you’ll notice more than one thing here. It’s too long to analyze this track by track, but if you’re looking for some seriously great downtempo, trip hop, deep house with a distinctly vaporwave flair, this is the music for you. Just know that you’ll love wrapping yourself up. His. All I did was put on my headphones, press play, and let nature do the rest. That said, the specific highlights here are “Good To Each Other,” “Love,” and “Deep Pleasure.” Find this at echoconstant.bandcamp.com.
Resurrection by echo constant
TURNED UP: Songwriter Chris McKay has just released a double A-side single under the project name ‘The Fur Department’. The first track “Colors Running Out” cleverly combines several styles (arena rock, space rock, experimental opera rock) and sounds good on headphones, but certainly sounds awkward on paper . It’s great to hear McKay play, opening with ELO-worthy synths and a tearing guitar solo. It’s lyrically dark, which isn’t typical of him and is a bit of an adjustment for long-time listeners. The second track, “Tanning Lotion And Sinister Notions,” is similarly moody and similarly structured (i.e., multiple styles). Although the vocals on the second song often follow early rap styles, this song as a whole is closer to an unreleased Queen song than anything else. However, it’s also a bit reductive, as this song could have used them as a deep reference elsewhere, but it does quite well on its own without a classic rock millstone around its neck. Thrive. Find each at chrismckay.bandcamp.com and keep up with McKay at chrismckay.com.
Colors Running Out / Tanning Lotion and Sinister Notions (Double A-side single) by The Fur Department
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