Halpine, Awake in a Dream
The first line on Halpine’s debut LP, “I’ve got to know if you’ll be around when the big bomb drops down,” doesn’t feel as much like foreboding as a comfortable inevitability. The mostly solo project of Joey Bentley is reminiscent of the type of bedroom recording that became de rigueur in the early Pitchfork era. The sound itself doesn’t suffer from any lo-fi trappings. “Rubberneck” could have cost thousands or nothing to record (and it was recorded locally in Takoma Park and Middle River, Maryland)—it’s impossible to hear any inefficiencies. The sound, specifically the drums and cello by Matt Gatwood of Des Demonas and Two Inch Astronaut, are recorded and mixed to perfection.
Halpine; courtesy of the band
The band describe their sound as “a genre-bending blend of indie rock, shoegazey R&B, and textural rhythms.” It’s a vague but not a bad description. The title track of the album, released Oct. 1, illustrates this best. The first half of the record will catch your ear if you are a fan of long-standing British band Doves or have a respect for stuff that put Slowdive on the musical map in 1993 and what captivated critics on their 2023 release. Tracks “I’m Dyin’” and “Rays” lean more in to the aforementioned R&B and textural rhythms, think Frank Ocean with a way more mellow Tune–Yards. Though the subject matter may seem all doom and gloom, it’s not. Yes, there are lines about the end and nostalgia for what never was, but paired with the music, it’s oddly hopeful. Awake in a Dream is a record that should age quite nicely throughout the rest of 2024. It sounds like now while acknowledging the good stuff that came before. —Brandon Wetherbee
Witch’s Mirror, Witch’s Mirror
Given a long enough timeline punk and metal often converge—there’s a reason Lemmy from Motörhead and Joey from the Ramones were good friends. That’s certainly what’s happening with new local act Witch’s Mirror, which is made up of some of D.C.’s most reliable musicians and supporters of the DIY D.C. punk scene: Kristin Eliason (vocals, also in Out Sick!, formerly of Jail Solidarity), Carni Klirs (guitar, also in the fantastic Cryptid Summer), Matt Cohen (bass, formerly in Literals), and Brandon Korch (drums, also in Pilau). You might also recognize Klirs from his fantastic 2019 Fugazi visualization art exhibit at Lost Origins Gallery. Cohen, for his part, is the former arts editor of this very publication! All that to say, you’ve probably heard at least one of these folks’ bands or seen their art or read their work before.
Album art by @ryantroyford
Witch’s Mirror’s self-titled EP, released Oct. 11, is the most metal of any of these folks’ former and current bands. Though relatively new—they formed in 2023—they sound like a tight unit, giving the illusion of a band with years of experience playing together. Drenched in heavy and slower riffs, the doom is present throughout the EP. Eliason’s vocals aren’t as growly as they are belting—having more in common with actual singers than Cookie Monster—and while there are some guttural screams, the lyrics about control, taking and giving, waging war, and hiding emotions are easy to comprehend. Eliason really showcases her range on the closing track, “Triage.” Clocking in at more than seven minutes, it runs the gamut of screaming, singing, and growling. Paired with a slightly stripped-down menacing sound reminiscent of Kylesa or a cleaner and slowed down Jucifer, the band luxuriate in the sludge. Though Witch’s Mirror is only four songs, it clocks in at more than 22 minutes. This EP is a fine debut, recorded and mixed by Matt Michel at Viva Studios in Fairfax. —Brandon Wetherbee
Sam Elmore and the Ghosts, “Hunger Ghost”
Sam Elmore and the Ghosts. Credit: Kohei Kane
Halloween season might have just ended, but if you’re still in a spooky mood then Sam Elmore has just the song for you. Following the release of his debut EP, Hateful Days, in July and his subsequent departure from Ekko Astral to pursue a solo music career, his single “Hunger Ghost” (released Oct. 14) showcases his ability to write contemplative lyrics cloaked in a catchy tune. Fans of Ekko Astral might be interested to know that some of Elmore’s former bandmates had a hand in the creation of “Hunger Ghost”: Ekko guitarist Liam Hughes mixed the song and the music video co-stars former member Guinevere Tully. Hateful Days already proved Elmore could write thought-provoking social commentary with songs like “Company Town,” which describes the bleak life of being a blue-collar worker, but “Hunger Ghost” manages to be just as meaningful while having a more playful tone than the EP. About a ghost who stalks people and is never able to satiate his hunger, the song could be interpreted as that constant haunting of our anxieties. Elmore makes this meaning clear with lyrics like “We’re just a bunch of hungry ghosts/ Not as different as we like to hope.” It isn’t all doom and gloom, though, since the enticing guitar riff that begins the song and upbeat performance from Elmore’s backing band the Ghosts invites the listener to dance instead of sulk. So if you’re looking for a way to keep the party going now that Halloween is over, “Hunger Ghost” is a perfect reason to not put away those costumes just yet. Sam Elmore plays an acoustic set at 7 p.m. on Nov. 20 at Generator Hotel. —Dorvall Bedford
New Impressionz, Welcome to Crankland
Over the past two decades, New Impressionz have developed a strong fan base and a reputation for mastering various go-go styles, including the classic hyped socket beat, the romantic R&B sound of grown ’n’ sexy, and perhaps their truest love, bouncebeat. The 14 tracks on the band’s new album, Welcome to Crankland, all covers recorded live in the studio, showcase New Impressionz’s versatility.
The album, released on Oct. 18, opens with a sultry cover of British singer-songwriter Elmiene’s “Mad at Fire,” which might have been recorded by any adept R&B group in Milwaukee or Baltimore, but the subsequent cover of Luther Vandross’ classic “Don’t You Know That” brings the go-go beat. Halfway through that song, New Impressionz turn up the crank with a muscular go-go groove. By the album’s fifth track, a cover of Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em,” New Impressionz are doing what talented go-go bands have always done best with covers: making them their own. In this case, that’s achieved not only through the infectious go-go beat, but also with improvised lyrics and a free-ranging approach. New Impressionz’s “Texas Hold ’Em” cover sounds less like the Franklin theme song, and more like a party, with new chants—“Welcome to the hoe down/ It’s about to go down”—snippets of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” and fragments of the theme from Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Another country cover, Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey,” improbably borrows from the Chi-Lites, and by this point, New Impressionz are ready for a driving bouncebeat. “Twerk 4 Me” is a clever recasting of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” which was first adapted for go-go bounce several years ago by UCB. The album’s energetic closing tracks also include “Shake That Ass” and the band’s signature song, “Found Myself a Clappa,” both upholding bouncebeat’s unending enthusiasm for bounteous bouncing booties.
Throughout Welcome to Crankland, New Impressionz display musical dexterity, combining soulful R&B, trippy funk, straight-up go-go, and bouncebeat. They also reveal their influences, which include go-go favorites Rare Essence and TCB. New Impressionz’s socket beat sounds a lot like ’90s Rare Essence, and Thomas “TJ” Brandon, the band’s lead talker, seems to channel both Rare Essence’s James “Funk” Thomas and the Northeast Groovers’ and What?! Band’s Chris “Rappa” Black. Formed in 2002 by students at Charles Flowers High School in Glenarden, Maryland, New Impressionz have released more than 25 recordings so far. Welcome to Crankland, which is released on Malachai Johns’ 7070 Sound label, is a worthy addition to the oeuvre, even if fans might wish for original songs. New Impressionz play with TCB at 10 p.m. on Nov. 9 at Fast Eddie’s in Camp Springs, Maryland. —Alona Wartofsky
Kinda Evil, Hard To Believe
Kinda Evil is a kinda great name. It lets the listener know this band sound kinda evil. And if you think that, you’re right! Not exactly metal, not exactly blues rock, Kinda Evil have more in common with Southern rockers and stoner metal than Satan. The foursome swing more than thrashes; you’ll find yourself swaying rather than head-banging throughout their debut record, Hard To Believe, released Oct. 25. You’re not going to hear any guitars a la early Metallica, but you will be treated to some guitar lines that wander throughout entire songs.
Kinda Evil; courtesy of the band
“Makes Me Wonder” is the standout track, but it’s an outlier in this collection, something that would make sense on a Murder By Death record or if Kacey Musgraves embraced whiskey and cigarettes rather than weed and psychedelics. If it was released as the single, you’d be a little perturbed by the rest of the album. Starting off with a basic Ronettes “Be My Baby” beat, the song has some beautiful guitar lines and tones reminiscent of Roy Orbison. Lead singer and guitarist Amanda Dove shines throughout the album—or at least on every track with lyrics; there are a few that aren’t instrumentals either, just some between-songs banter and sounds—but “Makes Me Wonder,” with its acoustic guitars, is the song that highlights her vocal prowess most. Closing track “Teeth” has rock radio-friendly riffs and the most forward momentum. With its all-American gothic imagery, “Stepping Stone”—an original, not a cover of the excellent Monkees song—is the song that recalls the Dead Weather and the Kills and it might leave you thinking a collaboration with Alison Mosshart would make perfect sense. Like her supergroup project with Jack White, the Dead Weather, Kinda Evil offer hummable riffs and a powerful woman singer. Like the Kills, you get a badass presentation of a rock singer that’s comfortable telling others to F off. Kinda Evil’s record release show with Cherub Tree and Cal Rifkin starts at 8 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Black Cat. —Brandon Wetherbee
Pickaxe, PROVOCATEUR
Pickaxe. Credit: Bertrand Guez
Pickaxe describe their music as “manic pixie scream girl” and they sound like it. Throughout their debut EP, PROVOCATEUR, you’ll find thrashing guitars, classic hardcore chugga-chugga guitars, some hair metal-esque soloing (these four songs feature so many types of Guitar Hero-esque antics!) and, true to their slogan, some manic screaming. The first track, “Mercy Killing,” will have you shouting “Oh yeah!” both figuratively and literally (it’s the most repeated line on the song). This album, released Oct. 30, however, should come with NSFW warning: The first two tracks reference killing while providing a shot of adrenaline that sounds as though the songs were written by musicians with the passion of 13-year-olds. Pickaxe are made up of local music scene veterans, including drummer Dan Newhauser of Shark Week and vocalist Emily Rainey of Thunderpaw, so it’s no wonder PROVOCATEUR sounds so good. Newhauser especially stands out on “Drugs Like Me,” a track with killer vocals from Rainey. Speaking of the vocals, you can absolutely absorb every line. Like System of a Down, Pickaxe play very aggressive music that requires no straining to understand. Clocking in at around 12 minutes, PROVOCATEUR is short, but not sweet. It’s one of the best releases of the year. —Brandon Wetherbee
Braxton Cook, My Everything
Braxton Cook. Credit: Kyle Jetter
After a long run of piling up accolades, discography entries, and celeb-adjacent gigs, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Braxton Cook has fully grown into the jazz and R&B sounds that he chased a decade ago when he was just a precocious Georgetown student with a saxophone and a penchant for U Street. Like much of Cook’s recent solo output, the new four-song EP, My Everything, is consistently chill on the surface, seeking attention through subtleties instead of flashing obvious chops. The jazz instrumental “Zodiac” (the title is a nod to pianist Mary Lou Williams) is built on a shuffle but is more memorable for how it swells than for how it grooves. The title track dwells in R&B family-man stuff, but with an edge: Cook’s vocals explore what happens when a guy realizes he’s carved out too much space for himself, becoming “distant, flippant.” Likewise, the coolly gorgeous “Weekend”—a duet with Swiss singer NNAVY—sneaks in some lyrical tension almost immediately, starting with the flirty line “I’mma see you on the weekend” and following it with “I think we need a reset.” It’s not a bummer, though, because a steady beat and pop-tilted setting keep things hopeful. It’s a sneaky earworm, and it’s the latest sign that Cook’s commercial side might be his most interesting one. For those who just want to hear that sax, though, he offers the funky, breezy “My Sun,” calling upon keyboardist Elijah Fox to conjure some West Coast vibes for the first half of the track. Cook then strides in with a long solo that’s caked in concert-hall reverb and dappled with some mildly trippy delay effects. He’s spent some time in Los Angeles, and it shows. My Everything was released on Nov. 1. —Joe Warminsky
GLOSSER, Angel Dust
November ushers in our cursed descent into the earliest sunsets of the year, as 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. slowly become indiscernible from each other. Just in time comes Angel Dust, the latest EP from dream-pop duo GLOSSER, a short and shimmery collection of songs well-suited to soundtrack this depressing crepuscular stretch, from winter house parties to moody nighttime walks to the corner store. The pair of Riley Fanning and Corbin Sheehan, who first met in 2019 on the DC9 roof-deck, have steadily built buzz across local indie venues since releasing their first EP in 2021. This record, scheduled for a Nov. 15 release, sees them taking bigger, knottier swings. As co-writers and producers on the four new tracks, they’ve stretched themselves musically after 2023’s full-length DOWNER, finding a darker and more danceable underbelly amidst an established language of hushed vocals and delicate synths.
With a boost from Brooklyn-based producer Torna (Daisy the Great, Halima, Del Water Gap), lead single “Angel Dust” sets a coolly energetic tone for the rest of the record. Fluctuating drums are accented by bright chord progressions as Fanning lays out her disillusioned assessment of a transactional party culture powered by “cigarettes and pills;” on the chorus, she sings, “Heaven’s right here/ Between you and me/ Cut up in perfect portions/ Heaven’s right here/ Try it for yourself/ I’ll cut you in if you got cash.” It’s a bleak bop in the vein of Lorde’s early period, combining the screeds against materialist excess of Pure Heroine with the twinkling synth-pop palette of Melodrama, albeit with the general intensity turned down a few notches—these are recognizably the jaded musings of 20-somethings rather than teenagers.
On the remaining three tracks, the duo experiment further with the dimensions of their sound, though they don’t quite land on another hook as catchy as the genuinely infecting chorus of “Angel Dust.” The lyrical focus turns to illusive objects of affection that populate this disaffected landscape. On “Silver Star,” Fanning trains her gaze on a crush that’s continually just out of reach; on “NYD,” similarly directed at a slippery subject, she laments, “I’m on the edge of it/ You always run from it.” There’s a sense of ambient yearning in these songs, indeed of being just on the edge of something. It makes the listener want to stick around and find out what happens next. —Amelia Roth-Dishy