#bonnie hazy river

[pixelkip]

They're gonna fight in the parking lot in 10 minutes but first? Milkshake :]

[princess-paige-place-of-fun]

Bonnie and Marcello in a car

Bonnie and Marcello sitting in their car, ordering McDeebles. A B-side of Dilemma from Hazy River!

[bonniecamping]

It's not unusual to see an origami bird attached to a branch, fluttering in the wind, or a decorated stone sat on a bench overlooking the river. Campers at Bonnie Park often leave their mark during a visit. Just as Bonnie leaves it's mark on them, with memories that last a lifetime and old school back to basics camping by the riverside. Hazy days, cooling tired feet in the river and a campfire at night to warm the heart while clear skies are lit by constellations as fat as the eye can see.......perfect 🥰 Book your pitch now on www.bonchesterbridge.co.uk (at Bonchester Bridge Camping & Caravan Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoVcmmGO0DT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[antiquatedfuture]

Antiquated Future Distro Spring Newsletter

In brief: We picked up all three issues of Fred Thomas' (Saturday Looks Good to Me, City Center) Balcony zine series. The latest (We Need Emotional Labor) from Jennifer Williams' ever-popular workbook zine series is here. We brought our Summer Soul mixtape series out of retirement. The excellent Grand Terrace Photo League coffee table book is now much more affordable. There's new issues of some of our favorite literary and art journals: Big Big Wednesday, Incandescent, and We'll Never Have Paris. 

And in these trying times, we brought back our Protect Roe v Wade Zine Pack, but also encourage everyone to donate to organizations working directly against this, such as The Yellowhammer Fund, Access Reproductive Care Southeast, and National Network of Abortion Funds.

ZINES

Balcony #3- "A funny thing about regret is that it's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done." Interviews with long-running New Zealand experimental rock band The Dead C, cultish songwriter Edith Frost, and ambient musician John Daniel of Forest Management. ($6) 

Balcony #2- A public apology, an essay about Lewis Hyde's The Gift, an interview with left-field hip-hop musician Sterling Toles, in-depth record reviews, and a couple poems by Charles Gonsalves. ($6) 

Balcony #1- The issue that begin the Balcony series, a highly enjoyable take on the now-rare music-focused variety zine. Highlight: an interview with Chandra Oppenheim, who—at ten years old—headed up the New York no-wave band Chandra. ($6) 

Black Tea #5- A mixtape of Jason Martin's comics from recent years. Within: good-deed tollbooths, a tribute to San Francisco's Aquarius Records, and a really sweet one about a childhood business card collection. ($4)

Dogs of Brattleboro- Dogs busking with the punks, hanging out in cars, on walks, in laps, in arms. 22 images from photographer Bob George's Brattleboro, Vermont archives. Each zine comes with a dog button! ($4)

A Halloween Poem for Children- A short collection of short poems (in handsome mini-zine form) from Murder City Devils' frontman Spencer Moody. Metaphysical oddities that casually nod to centuries of counterculture writers. ($5) Safe Words- A lyrical mini-memoir of desire. Through a series of vignettes, longtime zinester Sarah Geo recounts her sexual experiences with men, traversing the good and the bad to shine a spotlight on sexual desire in all its complexities. ($8)

Somnambulist #31: Dear Mayor Wheeler- Letters to Portland mayor Ted Wheeler regarding Portland's housing crisis from the perspective of a long-time advocate for houseless communities. This far-reaching collection of letters brings in personal, literary, and historical viewpoints. ($5)

Sugar Needle #41- The zine of oddball candy reviews. Within: scorched rice, wagon wheels, Italian apertifs, bee-berry honey caramel chocolates, jujube nougat, and much more. ($3)

Tin Can Telephone #6- Another issue of historic lost oddities and present realities. The highlight: a short history of cardboard cut-out cereal-box records of the 1960s and '70s. ($5)

We Need Emotional Labor: Discussion Questions to Redistribute the Work that Holds Communities Together- An essential guide to understanding both the value of emotional labor and the imbalance of it. ($8)

We, The Drowned- In the vein of his Fixer Eraser zine series, We, the Drowned is Jonas' latest collection of curious short prose pieces. Under the banner of "wishes and ghost stories," the pieces within are filled with conversations, lies, playful tangents, and a lot of heart. ($3) We'll Never Have Paris #16: Food- The latest issue of the literary zine of all things never meant to be focuses on food. And within, there are personal essays about diets, the melting pot of culinary cultures in a textiles factory, an immigrant family's relationship to Filet-O-Fish, a French mother's relationship to endives, the morning of Freddy Mercury's death, a failed care package, and more. ($6)

BOOKS

Big Big Wednesday, Issue Six- An inviting literary journal of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art, each issue of Big Big Wednesday holds a little something for everyone. One of our all-time favorite journals. With work from (the one-and-only) Jo Ann Beard, Jane Wong, Erin Perry, Madeline ffitch, and many others. ($15) Incandescent: A Color Film Zine, Issue 15- Parking meters, pensive basketball players, proud dogs, explorative cats, tomatoes in a shirt, a swamp room, a shack. All gathered, figuring out how “to approach stillness,” the latest theme of Incandescent, our very favorite photography journal. ($14)

MUSIC Anna Burch- Party (Life Like)- Before her Polyvinyl pop gem, Quit The Curse, there was Party: the Beach Boys' Party-inspired solo debut from Anna Burch (Failed Flowers, Frontier Ruckus). (Cassette) ($8)

Anna Burch & Fred Thomas- St. Adalbert / Parkways (Polyvinyl)- A stunning indie-pop gem a piece from Michigan's finest: Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good to Me, City Center) and Anna Burch. (seven inch) ($8)

Bitpart- Beyond What's Left (Rumbletowne)- Thirteen songs from Paris-based post-power-pop punks, Bitpart. In your face, catchy, and raw, with big heavy basslines and lots of energy. (LP) ($12)

Bonny Doon- Classical Days and Jazzy Nights (Life Like)- A repress of the 2015 four-track home recordings of Detroit band Bonny Doon. Hazy, Echoplex-laden, alt-country-tinged pop anthems. (Cassette) ($8)

City Center- Spring St (Quite Scientific)- A long-lost record from the late great City Center. Four woozy, atmospheric, skewed dream-pop tracks. On clear, screen-printed, one-sided vinyl. So gorgeous! (12" EP) ($12) Cultural Fog- Self-Titled (Life Like)- Claire Cirocco, Emily Roll, and Fred Thomas combine to make pulsing, triple-synth soundscapes that are "strongly under the influence of Windam Hill." (Cassette) ($8)

Dominic Coppola & Fred Thomas- Enough Time Has Passed (Life Like)- A collaborative project between drone musician Dominic Coppola and musical chameleon Fred Thomas. (Cassette) ($8)

Land & Buildings- Huron River Eclipse (Life Like)- Like a chamber-pop band led by a synth player and inspired by Nico Muhly's Mothertongue and John Cale's Artificial Intelligence. (Cassette) ($8)

Make Like a Tree- Mothernight (This + That Tapes)- Hazy, ambient dream-pop from the Ukraine. Really, it's just such a pleasure. An album to get lost in. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($8)

The Max Levine Ensemble- Backlash, Baby (Rumbletowne)- Hyperdrive pop-punk packed with stories from songwriter David Combs (Spoonboy, Somnia, Bad Moves). (LP) ($12)

Mystery Cassette Tape Grab Bag- Five cassettes, from our back catalog and beyond, all for $10. What a deal! (cassettes) ($10)

Nick Keeling- Martha (Why the Tapes Play)- Three pieces of lo-fi instrumental piano on a three-inch CD. Music that exists beautifully outside of time. (3" CD) ($5)

Pleasure Systems- Terraform (Self-Released)- The latest from Pleasure Systems, the solo electronic project of Clarke from The Washboard Abs. Terraform takes the project into a place that sparkles and pops in digital melancholic bliss. A masterpiece in synth waves, pitch shifts, glitches, and stutters, all covered in pop song dreams. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($6) 

Somnia- How The Moon Shines On The Shit (Rumbletowne)- A full-throttle pop-punk supergroup that combines the songwriting talents of Erica Freas (RVIVR) and David Combs (Spoonboy, Max Levine Ensemble) to create an album to help you get through the day. (LP) ($12)

Songs for Moms- River (Rumbletowne)- Five tracks that captures Songs for Moms' enduring greatness. Adventurous pop-punk songs of scars and healing, grieving and celebrating. (12" EP) ($12)

Spencer Moody & Little Stray- Split Tape (This + That Tapes)- A split release from Murder City Devils' frontman Spencer Moody and Little Stray, the solo project of Rabbits to Riches' guitarist Chris Baldys. Two sides of smart, intimate bedroom folk in handsome handmade packaging. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($8)

Summer Soul, Vol. 9- The ninth volume of our long-running Summer Soul mixtape series. Twenty songs of apologies, thank yous, heartbreaks, and celebrations. An hour of lesser-known '60s and '70s soul. (Cassette) ($5)

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 102: Faint Waves

I have been wanting to write about the meditative exotica of Faint Waves (aka Justin Weems) for a while, but every time I get ready to do a write-up, I learn another release is imminent and so hold off. But now is the perfect time to look back at Faint Waves’ wonderful year, given that Justin has just issued his most accomplished and far-reaching sets of songs yet: the magically transportive and guitar-led Hideaways II EP (following up 2017′s standout Hideaways EP) and the jaw-dropping Paradise Lost on eclectics, featuring one of my favorite tracks all year in the Dream Chimney dub of the title track. One thing that stands out immediately from the entire Faint Waves catalog is the mastery of melody; almost every track Justin produces contains some sort of irresistible ear-worm hook that I’ll end up humming or whistling for days on end (see “Cherry Blossom” for perhaps the most potent example). And underneath the melodic magic, he synthesizes his varied interests in synth pop, new age, tropicalia, film soundtracks, chill out, and adult contemporary into an adventurous and narcotic balearic haze.

Faint Waves - The Night & The City (Self Released, 2018) “The Night & The City” is spread across three mixes, with the original’s intro marrying textured basslines to Steve Reich-ian idiophones. After a hushed pause, the beat drops alongside faux-brass melodies and epic string sadness, marching away until a beatless midtro sees trumpets wavering over chill-out bass. And after floating a while in this zoned out space, the propulsive rhythms return and transport us back to the late-night urban atmospheres. The “Big Chair Mix” sees the horn melodies of the original transposed to Mark Barrot-style new age vocal pads and accompanied by neon arpeggiations. The beat comes crashing in with a 90s ambient house flair…an echo smothered break-y rhythm ranking among Justin’s very best. And the original’s dramatic beatless section is made all the more powerful here, as heady vocal samples drift over Chromatics incantations. The “Fargo Mix” is more restrained, with harp patterns and vibrant mallet tones giving way to vintage vocal pads and bleary (french?) horns. The drums are now reduced to a heroin jazz sway, with deep natural kick and brushed snare work supporting the sundown ambiance. The remaining cut is “After Hours Dealing,” nailing the sound of rain soaked city streets late at night with its feverish house pads and bass synth comforts. Marimbas and brass weave twilight nostalgia over a snare, kick, and hi-hat pulse while cerebral noises flash in the ether and moments of cinematic ascendency rush in, with everything flowing upwards towards a turbulent sky and noir horns breaking through the clouds like streaks of moonlight.

Faint Waves - Rain Rhythms, Vol. 1 (Self Released, 2018) Gentle yet effected rainfall underlies every moment here, joining first the smooth e-pianos, drums, and soft basslines of “Rain Rhythms No. 1.” This one evokes wistful views of a calm and grey sea from a faraway window, with every sound filtered through delicate yet tripped out echo fx. For “Rain Rhythms No. 2,” sparse dubwise hand drums sit below pads swelling in angelic harmony. It’s like a warm glowing fog, with pitter-patter cymbals keeping time, glassy vibraphones decaying to the horizon, and a midsection of floating beatless reverie. Piano and synthetic woodblock drift on waves of sunshine in “Rain Rhythms No. 3,” with a far-reaching and emotional melody played on pads sounding like heavenly sirens. I’m reminded of Aeoliah’s Angel Love, with transportive ivory heartache flowing above hazy rainforest rhythmics and affecting new age spells. And as time progresses, I find “Rain Rhythms No. 4” more and more compelling. It’s a deep plod into the heart of a dark forest, with sparse tambourine sounds forming the only rhythm aside from occasional kick drums. Wavering and slightly dissonant pads intertwine with deliriously beautiful yet heavily compressed pianos, while marimbas fall like water dripping off leaves. This is one of the few times unsettling and ominous vibes peak their way into the Faint Waves soundworld and their presence is all the more effective and interesting given the sharp contrast with the flowing beauty of the preceding three pieces.

Faint Waves - Amarsi Un Po (Self Released, 2018) “Amarsi Un Po” is a slight detour into the world of old Italian film soundtracks and pop, with string synths swelling in an orchestral prelude for the mediterranean flow to come. An airy drum shuffle, organic and embellished by thunderous timpani drums, is accompanied by sprightly music box melodies and irresistible reed instruments. And at some point the beats drop out, giving way to a string and acoustic guitar interlude evoking springtide romances, with adventurous solo flourishes and the sounds of coastal sunshine. Even better is the “Island Mix”, with seabirds and oceanic samples underlying the building string atmospheres. The rhythms here have a hypnotic flow rather than a shuffling stutter and the mediterranean reeds are replaced by spacious flutes and tropical marimbas. The guitar interlude is still preset, only now the six-string is smothered in celestial reverb and mostly floats alone, aside from foggy string plucks and the ever present sounds of nature. The Sketches from an Island vibes are strong on this one.

Faint Waves - Paradise Lost (eclectics, 2018) “Paradise Lost” comes to life on a swaying hand percussion groove and blowing synth wind. Rainsticks and deep blue ocean chords sweep in alongside tropical chiming melodies and gleaming mallet instruments, their lilting descent recalling nothing so much as the seaside bliss outs of Bonnie & Klein. This is especially true as swelling cymbals lead to a moment of pure balearic wonder, with exotic acoustic guitar explorations over moving synth chord tidal waves. The Dream Chimney dub takes the magical template provided by Faints Waves and transforms it into some long lost Coyote jammer. The kick and double time cymbals flow hypnotically with massive dubbed out synthbass bouncing through space. New age chimes flow through the mix like some universal ether and the rattles of the rainsticks are every present, stretched and looped into a cosmic breath alongside the sunset pads. Glassy marimbas are locked into an otherworldly dance; a melancholic descent that I would be fine living in forever. And all the while, flashes of acoustic guitar are refracted through prismatic fx, hitting those prime Max Essa vibes. Wisely, the guitar-led beatless stretch is preserved, only now chimes fall like shooting stars and the guitar is heavily obscured by heady reverb and galactic synthesis.

For "Sea of Dreams,” seagulls fly and converse above washing waves. Cymbals swell and introduce a massive kick drum pulse, circled about by gentle bongos and melodious Angelo Badalamenti pads that wrap the body and soul in euphoric warmth. Mystical vibraphones dance in a playful jazz flow and at some point, the kick picks up steam to bring in a spellbinding trumpet solo, both incredibly surprising and masterfully played. Faint Waves has worked with brass before but never like this, with such naturalistic warmth in the impressive jazz runs, sounding as if Miles Davis was scoring a sunset on the adriatic. The Rollmottle mix sees skipping house rhythmics soaring over sparkling blue waves…percolating, hypnotizing, propulsive. And as deep house pads repeat in hallucinatory syncopation, a towering Italo bassline fades into focus, bring us right into that eclectics wonder zone of dark disco and slow motion future balearic. Rollmottle also takes the original marimbas and morphs them into balls of energy bouncing off the sides of the mix, while claps decay eternally over the vibing cymbal work. And after a crucial bass drum drop out leaving just soaring basslines and ocean ambiance, that amazing trumpet solo drops from the sky, now hovering in jazz majesty over the chugging rhythm storm.

Faint Waves - Hideaways II EP (Self Released, 2018) Hideaways II starts with one of the strongest Faint Waves tracks in “Bonita,” as woodblock introduces some truly stunning guitar work. My mouth was agape the first time I heard it, as nothing else in Justin’s catalog hinted at such romantic riffscapes and gorgeous moments of blue sky harmonization. It’s the kind of sonic addition that sweeps his music towards the upper echelons of balearica, referencing strongly Phil Mison, José Padilla, and especially the recent work of Blank & Jones in its mixing of vaguely Spanish six-string fantasies and placid tropical downtempo. And behind the sweeping acoustic layers, new age chimes splash like sea spray, hushed pads add stirring oceanic ambiance, and synth leads sparkle like golden starlight. If there is any justice, this one will appear on a future Milchbar // Seaside Season compilation. “Tanzania” follows with a powerful downbeat rhythm and chiming synths and flutey pads joining forest fauna, while rainsticks and jungle atmospheres background vocal pads shimmering with meditative new age splendor. But the actual melodies skew closer to downer 80s synth pop, resulting in a captivating mix as a new age/world music palette is used to craft something that would fit in an episode of Twin Peaks.

We then find ourselves afloat on the “Mystic River” as cymbal swells bring with them a melody that is hard to describe, causing me to choke up, tears to well, but also a sense of warmth…vivid nostalgia, fond memories of old, wistful romances. The track features Amparo and sits somewhere in that Tommy Awards and Farbror Resande Mac zone, with glacial downtempo married to cold glowing space atmospherics. The cymbals occasional skip in cerebral patterns and there are these soft narcotic guitar riffs, evoking Cocteau Twins, Talk Talk, and other classic examples of moving post-rock. Following this trip, we find ourselves in some clearing in the jungle, as the starlight of “Wind Whisper” shines down in overwhelming brilliance. The track sees Maricopa leaning synth work swirling together with understated yet affecting mallet instruments, all over a classy downtempo rhythm with hints of blissed out jazz in the swelling basslines and marching cymbals and shakers. The journey ends with a reprise of “Bonita” and synthetic waves and solitary woodblock underlying the deeply cinematic guitar playing. Its beauty is brought into sharp focus here, untethered as it is to any rhythms or synth atmospheres, with the delicate yet confident runs and harmonies floating out to that magical realm where the sea meets the sky.

(all images from the artist’s and label’s Bandcamps)

[imamusictherapist]

Experiencing GIM as a Traveler

As I’ve written about in previous posts, the past few months of my life have been filled with change. While I can always talk about my life with friends or family, I felt like I needed a new approach to process my experiences and emotions. Recently, the opportunity to experience a session of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) came up and I jumped at the chance. Now, this was my second GIM session as a traveler so I wasn’t completely new to this music therapy approach.

If you’re not familiar with GIM, it’s a music therapy approach that involves one-on-one sessions with a client (traveler) and a music therapist (facilitator). If you’re interested, lots of information is available on the Association for Music and Imagery’s website. For now, I’ll just give a quick overview of my session. When I met my music therapist, Josh Wilson, MM, MT-BC, we introduced ourselves and had a 20 minute chat about what I hoped to get out of the session (i.e., gaining perspective on recent life transitions in my personal life). I’ll admit, at first it felt a bit revealing to be in the “client” role when I’m usually in the “therapist” role. After setting an intention, I laid down and did a short relaxation activity with my eyes closed to induce an altered state of consciousness. At this point, the music started. I listened to about 40 minutes of classical music that Josh chose for me based on my original intention. Every few minutes, I reported aloud what mental imagery I experienced in visual, auditory, or kinesthetic form. Below is my own transcript of what I experienced:

The opening image set me on top of a grassy hill that was rather steep. From the top of the hill, a river flowed to my left and a dark forest unfolded at my right. I started walking down the hill, at first tentatively, but then I let gravity carry my legs as fast as they would go. I felt pulled to where the river and forest converged, but as I walked the grass spontaneously grew taller until I had to push through the grass with my arms. With the grass as tall as corn stalks I couldn’t see where I was anymore or where I was headed. I decided to abandon the point of convergence and I began floating up above the grass. A small flock of fireflies joined me and I enjoyed trying out my new flying abilities with somersaults and playful turns. Mid-air, I turned around and flew back toward the hill, but went beyond what my view had seen before. I looked out at a blank horizon with no notable landmarks.

At this point the sun was setting and I started to ascend even higher up into the clouds until I couldn’t see where I had come from. The clouds began to shift around me and it felt cool, but hazy. I wasn’t sure where I had to go next. Suddenly, a vertical tunnel of light opened above me and I moved toward the light at an increasing speed. When I reached the top, the light was so blinding I had to close my (inner) eyes. When I blinked my eyes open again, I was surrounded by reflective water on all sides. Again, there were no landmarks on the horizon. I could walk on this water, but also dip my toes into it. I felt a desire to go into the water and so I dove in, feeling the same flying feeling but with more resistance against my body. The water was dark blue green and got darker the further down I swam. The water was empty except for  me, with nothing was lurking underneath. And again, I spent a few moments swimming and exploring how my body moved around in the water. Not seeing anywhere to go or anything to interact with, I ascended toward the surface.

When I broke through to air again, the bright horizon had changed to an overcast sky with a breeze. I sensed that my hair was wet and I felt a chilly sensation. I noticed a boulder in the distance and swam to it. When I had climbed out of the water and onto the boulder, I was concerned about how I would get dry. I looked up to notice a lightning storm in the distance, but it did not move closer to me. I felt like the boulder was too small, so I began willing the bounder to grow in surface area until it was about 16×12 square feet. Puddles of water remained on my new island, but it was still hard stone. Since I had just grown the island, I had the thought that I could also will the island to grow some grass or other plant life, but for some reason this didn’t feel right to me.

I walked over to the part of the boulder I had originally climbed onto and noticed a vein of something gold that I hadn’t noticed before. I began using my hands to clear away the rubble to reveal a vein of gold. As I pushed more stone out of the way, the gold vein revealed itself to be larger, almost as though the entire island had a layer of this golden sand beneath the dark grey rubble. I began manipulating the gold sand with my hands and it had the texture of kinetic sand (see video here if you’re not familiar, it’s great!). I could form and manipulate the gold into any shape I wanted, but I sensed the shape would be compromised with if anyone else touched it or needed to put pressure on it. As I heard the music ending, I smoothed the golden sand in my hand back into the vein it had come from and felt satisfied that I had discovered it.

After the music program ended, I sat back up and drew the mandala at the top of this post as a visual way of processing the imagery I had just experienced. This time, my mandala was a part of the golden sand vein in the stone. Then, I talked through certain symbols in the imagery with Josh in the context of the intention I had set at the beginning of the session. Did turning away from the tall grass and flying above it mean that I cut my losses in an impossible situation, or did I escape that situation before I had fully seen it through? How did I feel that so many of the scenes I experienced had no landmarks and that I was alone? What did it feel like to explore my environment by flying versus swimming? Why did I noticed that the golden sand felt impermanent and not ready for someone else to interact with it?

Talking out a few of the symbols that came to me in my imagery opened my perspective in a new way. Even the points that I had verbalized aloud before felt more legitimate because I had just interacted with them in a (simulated) embodied experience. Leaving the session, I felt validated and more positive that even though many areas of my life contain uncertainty, that I am more than capable of navigating and making a positive change for myself.

If you’re interested in experiencing the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and music for yourself, I recommend checking out the Association for Music and Imagery’s “Find a Practitioner” search engine to find a trained GIM facilitator in your area. I’m hoping to incorporate GIM into my self-care routine in the future and looking forward to scheduling another session!

[plungermusic]

Allman and Betts Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More…

There can't be many ‘debut’ releases that come freighted with as much expectation as Down To The River: following their stunning live collaboration on their fathers’ classics on last year’s tour, the two Allman Brothers Band scions Devon Allman and Duane Betts are joined by a third, Berry Duane Oakley (on bass like his dad) under a new ABB banner, for a line-up that’s been half-hoped-for half-expected by Brothers’ fans ever since the original band hung up their boots some five years ago.

Completing the band are Johnny Stachela (from Duane’s touring band) on slide guitar, John Lum drums and R. Scott Bryan percussion (from Devon’s band) and on keys there are guesting spots for Peter Levin (Gregg Allman's B3 player), and Chuck Leavell (who needs no introduction!) 

Along with the expectation there’s justifiable trepidation that the weight of assembled history could turn it all into Melissa-by-numbers or Ramblin’ Man pastiche but thankfully that’s not the case. There’s lots of vintage flavours though: the ballsy Stonesy strut of All Night features stylish electric piano, bv “oohs” and handclaps behind Devon’s gritty vocal, a trippy breakdown with sweet guitar from Duane, and melodic slide accents in a hypnotic coda; Duane takes vocal point on Melodies Are Memories, where a gutsy Skynyrdy chorus sits alongside a Grateful Dead country lope with old time harmonies and a singing pedal steel-aping lead break offset by fierce slide. There’s more than touch of Devon’s solo work, in the mellow acoustic-led West Coast country soul of Good Ol’ Days with some fine piano and organ as well as lovely slide work, in the late-nite latinate blues of the title track, with shimmering smoky organ underpinning Devon’s soulful lower register and passionate falsetto before a stylish multi-part harmony choir closes in a ‘live fade’, and in the rather Gregg-like Southern Accents, a Nilsson-meets-the-Eagles soul-baring piano-and-vox hymn to the denigrated South.

Long Gone too echoes Devon’s fathers solo output in a polished amble through LA country, Devon’s expressive vox backed by moody electric piano and swelling organ as the band joins for Duane to take the second verse, before Devon’s plaintive false ending heralds an extended coda where Duane’s punchy acerbic Youngian runs are complemented by high slide trills and tweets.

Hints of The Brothers do show through, in the relaxed southern soul of Try, with twangsome country-tinged lead and an ABBish two guitar hook, and there’s more twin guitar in the bustling upbeat Delaney and Bonnie chug of Shining, Duane’s country drawl leading out the Revival-feel with gospelly bvs, old school drum and shaker, grooving bass and a very Uncle Duane-style brassy slide outing to close.

But nestled smack in the middle of the nine tracks is Autumn Breeze, an 8-minute epic that draws most on the family heritage: an eastern spiced noodling cross guitar intro with cymbal and tom breakers blossoms into a trippy Dreams-like reverie. Rich Hammond underpinning, congas and rim shots and fluid bass are topped with ethereal discursive slide and Duane’s hazy drawl delivering a “time to move on” lyric reminiscent of his dad. That vibe continues through the chorus change and a twin harmony lead hook and on into Duane’s slow-build meandering solo with seabird cries, fluid jazzy phrases, and trademark rising and descending modal runs, over increasingly busy but breezy drum patterns and a mesmeric organ and bass ground; finally a jamming wig out and resolution brings a close.

Down To The River is an excellent ‘debut’, with good original material and five-star performances throughout, and the live in the room recording keeps the freshness and sense of interaction Plunger witnessed on that live tour last year. Neither tribute nor pastiche, but bearing the unmistakeable stamp of the original ABB’s DNA, it continues the family legacy with some aplomb. And about time, too…

Down To The River is available to stream or download now on all the usual platforms, as well as on CD and Vinyl since yesterday.

[beaumontbeer]

New Arrivals

Finn River

Farmstead:  Traditional cider made with organic northwest apples.  6.5% ABV.

Lavender Black Currant Wine:  Delicious dessert beverage made with black currant wine, apple brandy and lavender.  18.5% ABV.

Revision Brewing

Disco Ninja:  NE style hazy IPA.  40 IBU, 7% ABV.

Playafication:  NE style hazy IPA.  42 IBU, 6% ABV.

Wander Brewing

Yummy Bits:  IPA brewed with peaches.  7% ABV.

Vanbier:  lager brewed with lemon zest and fresh basil.  4.4% ABV.

Omnipollo

Oaxaca:  Mango margarita slush IPA brewed with lactose, mango, lime, grapefruit and vanilla.  6.5% ABV.

Zodiac Multiverse:  Imperial IPA.  8% ABV.

Wood Aged Beers

Stillwater Wild is the Will:  Collaboration with Bonnie Prince Billy.  Sour ale aged on cedar.  5% ABV.

Double Mountain Barrel Aged Pale Death:  Belgian-style Immperial IPA aged in new French oak.  93 IBU, 8.3% ABV.

Rogue Dead ‘n Dead:  Dead Guy aged in Dead Guy whiskey barrels.  

8.8% ABV.

IPAs/Pales

Ex Novo Really Tied the Room Together:  Hazy Pale Ale.  5.8% ABV.

Port Hop-15:  Imperial IPA in 19.2 oz cans! 11% ABV.

Rainier PCT:  Session IPA.  45 IBU, 45% ABV.

[unholyhelbiglinked]

Bite Me | You’re Undead to Me

I had never heard Damon scream with so much agony before, his face twisted and words angry as he continued to clench onto the iron bars of the Salvatore wine cellar. It was equipped for stuff like this; for stuff like him.

Vervain thrived in a small patch of light to the side of him, keeping him weak and unable to do anything against Stefan and I, even if he did decide to try and escape. I had started my shift about an hour ago, my main focus on keeping my eyes open as Damon continued to shout profanities at me.

"You know, Ro." He said, voice breathy as he leaned heavily against the door. I glanced up from my phone, the blue light setting an odd shadow across my features. His hands grasped at the metal rods that gave him enough room to see into the basement hallway. "We haven't really had a chance to talk since I came into town."

I stayed quiet. We hadn't talked for a reason. Damon Salvatore wasn't a person I liked to associate with on a regular basis. Even when my sister had fallen into those blue eyes and dark persona. He gave me an odd feeling, one that was deep and couldn't be changed with him begging to be let out.

"Me being locked up in here won't help you win her back, you know." He grumbled, his jaw clenching as I finally lifted my gaze from the phone screen, hitting the lock button to make it a little darker in the small space.

"Caroline?" I scoffed "Thanks to you she's so confused that I'm surprised she even remembers her name. She'll forgive me."

"Not Caroline." He sneered, his teeth looking almost a yellow against how pale his skin had gotten. "Not Elena, or that little Bennet witch either."

I stared silent, not sure what he was playing at. He had a bit of gumption to him, like he had something over my head that even I couldn't comprehend. I cocked my head to the side, my arms crossed over my chest.

His voice was a lowly whisper "You couldn't care less about any of them. You only want one girl. And me being in here isn't helping your case."

My chin lifted slightly, his words not phasing me much. At this point he would do anything for blood, anything to stop that incessant burning in his throat. "You being out here wouldn't help my case either, now would it?"

"Does he know?" Damon knit his eyebrows together "Does Stefan know the real reason you're fighting so hard to fit in here?"

I was quiet again, staring into those electric blue eyes. No, he didn't. Stefan wasn't going to find out anytime soon either. His willingness to help keep Elena safe was the only thing I had going for me at the moment, even if it was just for his odd love life. Neither of us questioned the other, and we liked it that way. With Damon locked away like the animal he is, that wouldn't change.

A dry laugh pulled me from my thoughts "Oh my god, you haven't even told him, have you?"

My jaw clenched as I drew in a breath, my nails digging slightly into my arm.

"Zac!" I called to Stefan's uncle, the one who had formal ownership over the Salvatore boarding house. He was reluctant to step into the basement, his eyebrows knit together as he lifted his chin slightly. He looked like a Salvatore. Brooding and annoyed at all times. "I have to go to that fundraiser. Make sure he stays put."

Damon swore under his breath, his eyes no longer taunting me. They were filled with a sharp and unforgiving anger. One that suited him well, but still gave me chills. No matter how used to it I had become.

"Rowan, I said sexy." Caroline barked at me roughly, her words cutting through the air as I couldn't help to roll my eyes. She was in nothing more than a pair of skimpy shorts and a tank top that rode up a little too far.

The bruises had faded, Caroline left with nothing more than a few hazy memories of Damon Salvatore and the hollow fear of his presence. She would phase out every once and awhile, completely forgetting what she was doing- Elena convinced it was trauma. But it was the compulsion. It had to be. We spent the whole night keeping her from screaming herself awake.

"I know, I know" I mumbled "but I got your sponges, so at least I did that right!"

"Hmm," Caroline pursed her lips, taking her cold hands and dragging it down the front of the flannel I wore. She took a few buttons with it, the shirt opening to expose my stomach and a darker bra. "Better!"

I stared at her in awe, "How did you do that?"

"Practice." She chirped, handing me a large blue bucket filled to the brim with soap and warm water. "You're with Bonnie today. Don't get into too much trouble."

I shrugged my shoulders, a bit uncomfortable with all the half-naked teenagers all around me. Bonnie was struggling to soap the inside of a hood. The minivan looked quite large next to her, the girl sliding off slightly as she soaped up the red surface.

"Whoa," I caught her just in time for her to almost hit the wet pavement, a laugh moving through her lungs as she shook her head. "Slow down there, tiger. The cars not moving anytime soon."

"Not at my rate." She laughed again, a smile forming against my lips.

I just shook my head as I reached my longer arm out, washing the spot that she couldn't quite reach. We talked for about fifteen minutes, finishing up a car and half before the sun started to disappear behind a large cloud. I didn't mind a small break from the heat, my main focus moving to the ticket table.

Elena sat there, she looked like she was stressed out, running a hand through her hair every once in a while as the line started to build in front of her. "Hey, Bon I'm going to go help out Elena if that's okay with you?"

"oh, it's fine with me" She lifted her chin "But Caroline will kill you."

"Good thing she's nowhere to be found, right?" I shrugged stepping away from the car as Elena let out a small mix between a sigh and a growl at the sight of me. She couldn't stand me being this close after lying about Caroline, but she did appreciate the help. It made the line move faster, the two of us knocking it out quickly.

"Elena," I finally spoke after the line had gone.

"Rowan, don't." She turned towards me "It's my turn to talk, and your turn to listen."

I nodded at her, keeping my silence. She was steaming turning red under the sun as I heard a few garbled orders barked out by some head cheerleader. Her voice was annoying and nasally. Elena glanced over for a second too, then back to me.

"Why are you so guarded, huh?" She asked me, I was silent, knowing that she didn't truly want me to answer "You and Stefan both refuse to just... just tell me what is wrong. I could have helped with Caroline."

"I didn't want you to get hurt," I mumbled slowly. "Damon is not a good guy."

"Stefan said he left." She clenched her jaw roughly, "I want you to be honest with me from now on. I know it's not your specialty. The whole opening up thing. But I'll just keep bothering you until you do."

She shoved her shoulder into mine, causing a small smile to fall upon my lips. "Got that Pierce?"

"Got it," I chuckled, shaking my head softly as an older man stepped up to the table. He was an older guy, a striped shirt stretched over his body. Sweat stained the fabric, as he knit his dark greying eyebrows together. He clenched a twenty dollar bill in his hand.

Elena smiled sweetly at him "What can I help you with today sir?"

"I know you," He completely disregarded the girl next to me, his dark brown eyes hitting mine like ice. "I know you from somewhere."

"I'm sorry," I said politely, "I don't believe we've meant sir."

"No, I know you." He said, his age showing in his voice "I'm sure of it."

The head cheerleader who had been screaming at Bonnie this whole entire time seemed to step over towards us, holding onto the mans shoulders "Grandpa, what are you doing here? I'm sorry if he was bothering you guys."

We both shook our heads quickly, Elena speaking first "No, no not at all."

She ushered him away regardless. Elena staring me down for a few seconds as I shrugged my shoulders. "Do you have this?" she asked, standing quickly. The legs of the chair scraped loudly against the asphalt. "He forgot his change."

I simply nodded. The man hadn't even paid before being dragged away. Elena had dashed from the table though, not giving me much time to react before another small gasp erupted through most of the school parking lot.

"Oh my god, my car!" the same head cheerleader screamed out, everyone stumbling back from a red luxury vehicle. The color was enhanced by a river of flames, gas making a known presence in the air as Bonnie stared directly at the vehicle.

She was frozen in place. I moved as quickly as Elena had, my hands on her shoulders. They were cold, the look on her face was distasteful and malice. "Bonnie, Hey!"

A large gasp filled her lungs as she finally tore her gaze away from the car. Her chocolate brown eyes meeting mine with nothing but fear. Tears ran across her skin, leaving wet trails as she raised her fingers to her lips. Pressing slightly.

"I did that?" She asked in a hushed whisper. I nodded in silence. The Bennett witches had a lot of power here. Too much. It was everything that Bonnie was feeling, all that energy trained into one thing. "Please don't tell anyone, Ro. Please."

The smell of burning wood was the first to fill my nose. It's rustic scent masking the overwhelming sensation of spilled blood. Anger was the first thing I felt, anger and fear that mixed together so well to create a blur of emotions.

"Stefan," I spoke softly. He was running around, trying his hardest to find a weapon. Something to use against the mad man that was just released on the world. He threw a chair against the carpeted ground, wood splintering slightly under his pressure. "Stefan!"

I grasped his shoulder as he panted roughly, a growl escaping his pale lips as he clenched a severed chair leg in his palm. "You need to calm down."

"Calm down?" he asked, my grip strong on his sweatshirt "Rowan, he murdered Zac in cold blood. My only uncle is dead. My blood deprived brother is on the loose and you want me to calm down? He has to die."

"He is your brother." I said quickly, seeing tears flood those dark green eyes, I pulled the makeshift stake from his palm. "But if you think this is what's best."

"It is." He whispered, a tear moving past his waterline. "Any shred of emotion I thought my brother had left is gone."

I nodded, "We'll search all night if we have to."

Stefan gave me a thankful look before the two of us walked towards the door of the Salvatore boarding house. I grasped the wrought iron handle of the door. The hinges whined as I pulled the door open.

Elena stood in front of us, her hair disheveled and chest heaving up and down. She looked like she was mid-step away from the house, sleeves pulled down over her palms as she spoke smoothly.

"What are you?" she panted a few times "What are you? The both of you."

Stefan was tense beside me, breathing out a few times as I searched her face for anything more than betrayal. "You know," I said.

"No," She shook her head "I don't."

"Yes you do." Stefan finally spoke "or you wouldn't be here."

"it's not possible. It can't be."

I stepped forward slightly, Elena seeming to mimic me as she stepped back as little. I placed the steak I was wielding down on the small table next to the front door. "Everything you know... everything you think you know. Is about to change. Are you ready for that?"

She stared at me blankly, a bit of anger in her gaze. "What are you?"

"Vampire." Stefan gave her the answer she was searching for. One that made her go silent, skin going a bit pale.

"I-I shouldn't have come." She started to step away, a bit of panic crossing the man's face as he knit his eyebrows together, staring at me. I clenched my jaw.

"No, no please." Stefan's voice cracked as Elena slipped by him and rushed towards her car. I was faster, her main focus on looking behind her as I stood in front of her car. She ran into me, my hand touching the edge of her elbow to keep her steady for a second before she took a startled step back.

"How did you do that?" She asked me, searching my face.

"Please don't be afraid," I said shifting my weight as she tried to get to her car door.

"Let me go." She snarled.

"Elena," I said "There are things you have to know. Things you have to understand."

"Let me go!" She repeated, shoving past me as she finally got to her car door. The tires peeled across the gravel as she wasted no time getting from the Salvatore's driveway. Stefan stumbled back, pressing his hands against the top of his head.

"What are we going to do?" he growled, pacing back and forth as my mind raced for answers.

"I'm going to go to her place. She needs to know she can't say a word about any of this." Stefan opened his mouth to object but I held up my hand "You're too upset. About Damon. About Zac, about everything."

Elena's window was open by the time I got there. Her footfalls soft against her carpet as she kept her back turned towards the window I had just entered through. She ran her hands through her hair a few times before I spoke.

"Elena." She panted a few times, breath shaky as she rushed towards her bedroom door. She started to pull it open. I was a bit taller than her, my hand pressing against the door above her head as I kept it closed.

She breathed heavily, pushing her face against the frame as she clenched her eyes shut.

"We would never hurt you." I said as she let out a small sob. "You're safe with me. With the both of us."

"All those animal attacks?" She turned to face me slightly, keeping her cheek against the door. "Those people who died?"

She was facing me fully now, my hand directly near her shoulder as I spoke "No, that was Damon."

"Damon?"

"Yes," I lifted my chin. "Stefan doesn't drink human blood. That's not how he chooses to live. Elena, I have other ways that don't harm anyone. I can explain all of this to you. But I beg you Elena, do not tell anybody."

"How can you ask me that?" She said between whimpers.

"Because you knowing this, is dangerous. For so many reasons."

She stared at me, tears continuing to drip down her chin as she shook from fear and anger. She was quiet, quiet and stoic as I kept my palm close to her. "You can hate me, but I need you to trust me."

"Just go," She whispered. "Just please, go. If you don't want to hurt me... then just go."

I let out a small breath, stepping away from her after a few long seconds. It didn't take long to leave her room. But it would take a lifetime to forget about the betrayal written across her features.  

[pixelkip]

Bonnie/Marcello brainrot moment

They're both kind of jerks. Just a little. But they're jerks together.

[princess-paige-place-of-fun]

Bonnie in her pajamas

Bonnie (B-Sides Annie) from Friday Night Funkin' B-Sides in her pajamas. She wears blue pajamas with a red bear on them, she wears blue bear slippers and she's holding her Powerpuff Bell plushie too! Looks like she's ready for bed.

[pixelkip]

Do you think she bites people . I fully believe she does

[pixelkip]

I can't believe they might be real <33

[antiquatedfuture]

Antiquated Future Records Newsletter

In this newsletter, you can: pick up a Mystery Tape Pack off our Bandcamp, read Cassette Gods reviews of the latest from Tucker Theodore and Reighnbeau, preorder Eleanor Murray's latest album (whose Lost Songs and Jazz Demos are two of the loveliest releases in our catalog), check out releases from Fred Thomas' Life Like tape label, get the final copies from the now-defunct punk label Rumbletowne's LP back catalog, and other things too.

PLEASURE SYSTEMS

We're so in love with this new self-released album from Pleasure Systems, the solo electronic project of Clarke from The Washboard Abs, whose full-length debut we released a couple years back. Terraform takes the project into a place that sparkles and pops in digital melancholic bliss. A masterpiece in synth waves, pitch shifts, glitches, and stutters, all covered in pop song dreams. Listen now on their Bandcamp (and preorder a tape!).

SUMMER SOUL 

For the last thirteen years, we've been sporadically making a mixtape series of our greatest musical love: lesser-known '60s and '70s soul music. After a couple-year break, we have a new one! Summer Soul, Vol. 9, twenty songs of apologies, thank yous, heartbreaks, and celebrations. We also reprinted Summer Soul, Vol. 8, to make up for its much-too-short first run.

CASSETTE GODS

The latest releases from Tucker Theodore and Reighnbeau got some great reviews on the mighty Cassette Gods. 

These reviews also contain some kind words about our label, from reviewer Jacob An Kittenplan:

”Antiquated Future continues to be an undeniable source of inspiration and proof that pop\accessible music not only doesn’t have to be boring, it can playfully challenge what it means to be <s>catchy</s> intoxicating.”

DISTRO Anna Burch- Party (Life Like)- Before her Polyvinyl pop gem, Quit The Curse, there was Party: the Beach Boys' Party-inspired solo debut from Anna Burch (Failed Flowers, Frontier Ruckus). (Cassette) ($8)

Anna Burch & Fred Thomas- St. Adalbert / Parkways (Polyvinyl)- A stunning indie-pop gem a piece from Michigan's finest: Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good to Me, City Center) and Anna Burch. (seven inch) ($8)

Bitpart- Beyond What's Left (Rumbletowne)- Thirteen songs from Paris-based post-power-pop punks, Bitpart. In your face, catchy, and raw, with big heavy basslines and lots of energy. (LP) ($12)

Bonny Doon- Classical Days and Jazzy Nights (Life Like)- A repress of the 2015 four-track home recordings of Detroit band Bonny Doon. Hazy, Echoplex-laden, alt-country-tinged pop anthems. (Cassette) ($8)

City Center- Spring St (Quite Scientific)- A long-lost record from the late great City Center. Four woozy, atmospheric, skewed dream-pop tracks. On clear, screen-printed, one-sided vinyl. So gorgeous! (12" EP) ($12) Cultural Fog- Self-Titled (Life Like)- Claire Cirocco, Emily Roll, and Fred Thomas combine to make pulsing, triple-synth soundscapes that are "strongly under the influence of Windam Hill." (Cassette) ($8)

Dominic Coppola & Fred Thomas- Enough Time Has Passed (Life Like)- A collaborative project between drone musician Dominic Coppola and musical chameleon Fred Thomas. (Cassette) ($8)

Land & Buildings- Huron River Eclipse (Life Like)- Like a chamber-pop band led by a synth player and inspired by Nico Muhly's Mothertongue and John Cale's Artificial Intelligence. (Cassette) ($8)

Make Like a Tree- Mothernight (This + That Tapes)- Hazy, ambient dream-pop from the Ukraine. Really, it's just such a pleasure. An album to get lost in. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($8)

The Max Levine Ensemble- Backlash, Baby (Rumbletowne)- Hyperdrive pop-punk packed with stories from songwriter David Combs (Spoonboy, Somnia, Bad Moves). (LP) ($12)

Nick Keeling- Martha (Why the Tapes Play)- Three pieces of lo-fi instrumental piano on a three-inch CD. Music that exists beautifully outside of time. (3" CD) ($5)

Somnia- How The Moon Shines On The Shit (Rumbletowne)- A full-throttle pop-punk supergroup that combines the songwriting talents of Erica Freas (RVIVR) and David Combs (Spoonboy, Max Levine Ensemble) to create an album to help you get through the day. (LP) ($12)

Songs for Moms- River (Rumbletowne)- Five tracks that captures Songs for Moms' enduring greatness. Adventurous pop-punk songs of scars and healing, grieving and celebrating. (12" EP) ($12)

Spencer Moody & Little Stray- Split Tape (This + That Tapes)- A split release from Murder City Devils' frontman Spencer Moody and Little Stray, the solo project of Rabbits to Riches' guitarist Chris Baldys. Two sides of smart, intimate bedroom folk in handsome handmade packaging. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($8)