Stop, Rock, & Roll: August 2023

Welcome back! Here are five local cuts to get you through the dog days of summer.

Nes Tarot’s Psycho Tropics – “Slacky Adventures of Psychlone Funk”

As the title suggests, this is a funky jam. Opening with off-kilter instrumentation and birdsong, the track snaps into place as it dances into the first verse. The vocals sound like what you’d get if Anthony Kiedis listened to a lot of Mac Demarco, or vice versa. Everything is incredibly laid back, but this should not denote a lack of talent. The groovy guitars, crisp drums, and funktastic bass are to be commended here.

Ziggy Gnardust – “Things I Won’t Just Say”

Truly trippy electric guitar slaloms over less trippy acoustic guitar to kick off the latest single from Ziggy Gnardust. The verses, however, take on a post-punk urgency, focusing mainly on the driving drums and tense vocals. The drums especially must be highlighted here, as they are absolutely bombastic while not losing time once. At just over two minutes, the track is a thrilling roller coaster that I immediately wanted to ride again.

Kudzu – “Headrush”

Immediately, this track sounds like a marriage between Rites of Spring and Teenage Fanclub. Featuring shoegazey guitars, resonant bass, and drumming that switches from deep tom fills to hardcore intensity. Overall, the song sounds like something from the heyday of Dischord Records, which is awesome to hear nowadays. In a state full of hardcore-adjacent music, Kudzu stands out in a positive way.

Nithan Gohok – “Mice”

With his first show taking place at a skatepark, it was clear from the start that Nithan Gohok was out to do something interesting, and he has. His debut EP, red cat and other ghost stories, features songs that contain elements of skramz, shoegaze, ambient, and several other genres. Tracks such as “Mice,” feature emotional guitar tones and distorted drums, with Nithan’s melancholy voice floating over everything until it escalates into a scream during the chorus.

Plastyc Peachez – “Green Day Packerz”

Another soaring pop-punk banger from rising stars Plastyc Peachez. Following their smash hit of a debut EP, “Green Day Packerz” builds on the winning formula shown there, with the vocals hitting new heights, the harmonies sounding even tighter, and the production putting the roaring instruments on a pedestal. The Peachez are certainly an exciting band, and songs such as this one prove why.