Tag: Bad Moves

Bad Moves and The Low Sixes

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“Bad

Bad Moves “Wearing Out The Refrain”

Bad Moves made a solid impression with their debut in 2018 with ‘Tell No One.’ Their sophomore effort, ‘Untenable’, followed with a darker tone but retained the band’s signature energy, powered by all four members—guitarists Katie Park and David Combs, bassist Emma Cleveland, and drummer Daoud Tyler-Ameen.

Opening with “A Drowning Confession,” its loaded with dramatic synths and gripping energy. “Hallelujah,” is an infectious power-pop track that captures the harsh realities of American politics with biting wit. “Eviction Party” boasts some great overlapping harmony lines in the chorus, grappling with both harsh realities and escapism. Another highlight is “Sorry That I’m Not Better,” a combination of emotional intensity and introspection. The final three tracks showcases the band’s ability to mix heavy themes with dynamic instrumentals. “The Undertow” builds a wall of sound, while “A Lapse in the Emptiness” blends delicacy with fierce guitar work. Overall, the energy never wanes, and the music perfectly captures modern anxiety. Highly Recommended.

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““The

The Low Sixes “The Oshawa Tree”

The Low Sixes, a punk-infused power pop band from Montreal, got their start when guitarists and vocalists Jonathan Cummins and Brendan Drouillard met over drinks at the local waterhole, Barfly, after a lengthy European tour with their other project, heavy psych rock band USA Out of Vietnam. The addition of John Milchem and Jon Asencio completed the quartet. The Oshawa Tree shares its name with the city of Oshawa in Ontario, Canada, and not an intentional dig on U2.(?)

Opening with the anthemic “Turn on The Night,” it has the raw garage rock energy, but with hooks aplenty. In a world where many bands chase fleeting trends, The Low Sixties stand firm, paying homage to rock’s roots while keeping their sound fresh and relevant. “Ryan’s Favorite Song,” which was named after the album’s producer is a catchy romp akin to Redd Kross, The Buzzcocks, and Cheap Trick. “Teenage Crime Wave” is a mid-tempo about looking at teen musicians with youthful envy.  The pivotal “The Worst is Yet to Come” has epic Beatlesque sweeping verses, as they go from quiet to loud. “New Action” recalls Thin Lizzy in the chorus, and the band makes an authentic attempt to honor these influences. The short 9-tracks breaks my EP/LP rule, but each song is really good here, so crank it up loud. Highly recommended.

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Hot Summer singles and EPs: The Martial Arts, The Shang Hi Los, The Mediocre Friends, Teenage Tom Petties, Bad Moves, Shake Some Action!

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A cool new video for The Martial Arts (aka Paul Kelly) for the single “Exploding Crushing Inevitable” from his upcoming album ‘In There Like Swimwear.’ It’s tough not to love The Shang Hi Los, with its bouncy rocker “Op-Operator” they continue the party with, “Morganatic Panic,” proving these guys have a big hit album in the making. Remember Gay Elvis from Readymade Breakup? Well, he has a new project, The Mediocre Friends and it’s the opposite of mediocre. Plus, it’s a freebie! I also enjoyed “Kissed Me in Seattle,” by Teenage Tom Petties, with its catchy fuzzy melody, it sounds like a keeper. Two bands I follow are back; Bad Moves has a new album coming out, and Shake Some Action! gives us a great-sounding EP with a crisper retro sound. Check out “I Want You,” and pick this gem up today!





Bad Moves and Gentle Hen

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Bad Moves

Bad Moves “Tell No One”

Washington, D.C. band Bad Moves are the tight combo of David Combs (lead guitar), Emma Cleveland (bass), Katie Park (guitar), and Daoud Tyler-Ameen (drums) exhibit an untamed pop spirit with punk tendencies. “Change Your Mind” blasts through the speakers, with the powerful bass, feedback and punked up harmonies that compel attention.

You’ll hear some ’70s and ’80s influences, like The Nerves, The Replacements, and The Cars.“One Thing” and “Cool Generator” are pensive rockers that build up to its choruses, with Emma and Katie dominating the vocals. They shout out a call to action about how those intense younger experiences can affect your adult life. The music is a fun romp loaded with catchy riffs, and without a drop of filler but it does slow slightly towards the second half. This album is a great pickup and the irony of the title is you should “tell everyone!” Highly Recommended!

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Gentle Hen

Gentle Hen “Be Nice To Everyone”

Northampton, MA band Gentle Hen has a new LP that plays to its strengths but isn’t afraid to play outside the box. The band is led by Henning Ohlenbusch, with a sound that falls somewhere in between Fountains of Wayne and REM. The understated opener “We’ve Got The Goods” is a slyly catchy tune with a nice repeating riff driving the chorus. The rich harmonies of “She’s Got It Bad” recall Teenage Fanclub (as they name drop several bands) about an obsessive record collector. The band does its best to rock faster and harder on “Knock, knock, knock” and “You Can’t Take It Back.” It’s a style that fans of The Connection or Kurt Baker will appreciate.

The music also touches on folk and new wave, but Gentle Hen resonates best when a distinct storyline works with the melody, like the excellent “There’s A World In The World” which flirts with a quirkiness that TMBG would envy. Other highlights include “They Know, They Know” and the light chorus/dark ascendant chords on “Ancient Bones.” Overall a very good album that deserves to be heard.

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