Posts Tagged ‘Suicide Squeeze Records’

L.A WITCH – ” Play With Fire “

Posted: January 20, 2022 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Where L.A. Witch’s self-titled album oozed with vibe and atmosphere, with the whole mix draped in reverb, sonically placing the band in some distant realm, broadcast across some unknown chasm of time, “Play With Fire” comes crashing out of the gate with a bold, brash, in-your-face rocker “Fire Starter”. The authoritative opener is a deliberate mission statement.

“Play With Fire” is a suggestion to make things happen,” says Sanchez. “Don’t fear mistakes or the future. Take a chance. Say and do what you really feel, even if nobody agrees with your ideas. These are feelings that have stopped me in the past. I want to inspire others to be freethinkers even if it causes a little burn.” And by that line of reasoning, “Fire Starter” becomes a call to action, an anthem against apathy. From there, the album segues into the similarly bodacious rocker “Motorcycle Boy” a feisty love song inspired by classic cinema outlaws like Mickey Rourke, Marlon Brando, and Steve McQueen. At track three, we hear L.A. Witch expand into new territories as “Dark Horse” unfurls a mixture of dustbowl folk, psychedelic breakdowns, and fire-and-brimstone organ lines. And from there, the band only gets more adventurous.

“Play With Fire” is a bold new journey that retains L.A. Witch’s siren-song mystique, nostalgic spirit, and contemporary cool. Despite the stylistic breadth of the record, there is a unifying timbre across the album’s nine tracks, as if the trio of young musicians is bound together as a collective of old souls tapping into the sounds of their previous youth.

The songs are Effortlessly cool, there’s elements of punk and surf in there and the vocals make the listening nice and easy, nothing jarring here just feels like a smooth ride in the california sun. 

“Los Angeles has always been a home for misplaced souls, and L.A Witch has the sound to go with it, dripping with nostalgia, heavy reverb, and glamour.” – NYLON

“Sanchez sounds like she genuinely might steal your car and your soul, and then drive them both through the darkness to Hell.” – VICE

“As one might expect of a band called L.A. Witch, this West Coast trio plays pitch-black pop-rock wrapped in blankets of reverb.” – Consequence of Sound 

Originally Released August 21st, 2020

MINUS THE BEAR – ” Farewell “

Posted: October 12, 2021 in MUSIC
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Minus the Bear will release the “Farewell” live LP, later this month on October 29th via Suicide Squeeze Records. The album features previously unreleased live versions of fan favourites and deep cuts from throughout the band’s 17 year history, recorded at various dates along their 2018 farewell tour. The band have already shared one track from “Farewell“, a recording of “Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse” that Brooklyn Vegan writes “reminds you that Minus The Bear remained a powerful live band until the very end.” In anticipation of the upcoming release date, today they’re sharing a recording of “Lemurs, Man, Lemurs” from that aforementioned final run. The recording is one of 26 songs found on “Farewell”, which will be available as a 3xLP and on digital formats.

“Lemurs” was the first song we ever worked on—I remember writing those riffs in one of my shitty apartments on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Impossible to imagine it was the start of an amazing 18 year journey.” – David Knudson

When Minus the Bear played their debut show in Seattle back in September 2001, there was an immediate hype surrounding the band. The individual members had already established themselves on a national level with earlier music projects, and their debut EP This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic was already available at the merch table. Within the first few measures of their distinctive brand of nimble and dexterous indie rock, it was obvious to the audience that the insider buzz was well deserved. Twenty years later, we’re treated to “Farewell”—a 3xLP live album spanning their seventeen-year run and a sonic goodbye note to their fervent fanbase. Listening to “Farewell”, the listener is reminded of Minus the Bear’s ability to deliver their cerebral instrumentation, pensive song-writing, and serious musicianship with an infectious energy and celebratory spirit. It’s no wonder they ascended to such heights. 

But all things must pass. And so it was that Minus the Bear said farewell to their audience over the course of a US tour in the fall of 2018. They had always been a band that thrived in the live setting, so it only made sense to document those final performances for posterity. Recorded across multiple shows in a variety of cities, “Farewell” serves as both an approximation of the average night’s setlist on that final tour (the song selection changing slightly from night to night) and a chronicle of the band’s sonic evolution. Bolstered by the mix of Matt Bayles and master job by Ed Brooks at Resonant Mastering, the album sounds like a fully immersive live experience. ​​ 

Farewell opens with a highly energized performance of Menos el Oso’s crucial track “Drilling.” Part of the beauty of watching Minus the Bear was hearing their songs unfold on stage and realizing how little studio magic was actually involved in their albums. All the electric wizardry by guitarists David Knudson and Jake Snider, technicolor synth work by Alex Rose, and rhythmic interplay between drummer Joshua Sparks and bassist Cory Murchy happens in real time, and hearing the old favourites here in all their road-tested glory is an invigorating reminder of the band’s razor sharp performances and forward-thinking creativity. Minus the Bear were never a band to rest on their laurels, and Farewell immediately moves onto late career classics like the melancholic banger “Last Kiss.” The whole discography is covered—from first EP cuts like “Lemurs, Man, Lemurs” and “Hey, Wanna Throw Up?” to the title track of their final release “Fair Enough”. And in between we hear the roar of the crowd, the heartfelt thanks and bittersweet ruminations on the passing of the years by Snider, and the occasional dad joke by Rose. 

Farewell covers a lot of ground across the span of its 26 songs and two-hour run time. Yet every moment is a reminder of why Minus the Bear were such an experiential live band. 

Suicide Squeeze Records is proud to offer Farewell to the world on October 29th, 2021 as a 3xLP and on digital formats. The initial pressing was limited to 3,000 copies (1,900 on custom opaque gray vinyl – retail exclusive, 600 on custom opaque gold vinyl (SOLD OUT) – artist exclusive, 500 on custom opaque red vinyl (SOLD OUT) – label exclusive). Due to demand, a repressing of the Farewell Live LP in additional coloured variants is now available (1,000 on coke bottle green vinyl -artist exclusive, and 1,000 on white opaque vinyl

The COATHANGERS – ” Nosebleed Weekend “

Posted: April 25, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Today marks the 5th birthday of Nosebleed Weekend! To celebrate, we’re offering a limited edition “Nosebleed Weekend” bundle that includes an autographed CD, 18”x24″ folded poster, a rectangle glitter sticker, and a 2.25” metallic button. When The Coathangers started up in 2006, their aspirations were humble. “I think all bands in their early twenties start for fun,” says guitarist/vocalist Julia Kugel when talking about their early years of cheeky no-wave and irreverent garage rock. But Julia and her bandmates Meredith Franco (bass/vocals) and Stephanie Luke (drums/vocals) were serious about their craft, and that combination of modest outside expectations and absolute dedication to their music made for exhilarating live shows and contagious records. Ten years later, The Coathangers are still going strong, and while their palette has expanded over the years to touch upon hip-shakin’ classic rock, soulful country ballads, and golden oldies pop, their primary attack strategy still relies heavily on the jagged hooks and boisterous choruses of their formative years. Their fifth album Nosebleed Weekend retains all the devil-may-care magnetism and serrated instrumentation of their debut, but it flourishes with a decade’s worth of song writing discipline and chemistry. 

Nosebleed Weekend kicks off with “Perfume,” a song that marries sultry pop vocals with toothy guitar riffs in a manner that would make Ann and Nancy Wilson proud. It’s hard to imagine The Coathangers writing a song this accessible in their early years, but in 2016 it fits perfectly into their canon. From there the band launches into “Dumb Baby,” which harkens back to the gritty neo-garage rock of Murder City Devils. Long time fans who still clamour for their brash post-punk angle will be immediately satiated by “Squeeki Tiki.” And after hearing the noisy loud-quiet-loud bombast of “Excuse Me?” it’s no wonder that Kim Gordon has become an outspoken fan of the band.

It’s an eclectic album inspired by life on the road, lost loved ones, and Kugel’s recent move to Southern California. “We always say that each record is a snapshot of our life at the time,” Kugel says. “As far as style… it’s just what came out of us at that point.” So whether it’s the foreboding garage rock of the title track, the post-punk groove of “Burn Me,” the stripped-down pop of “I Don’t Think So,” or the dynamic grunge of “Down Down,” The Coathangers command their songs with passion and authority. 

“…the group’s best so far!” – NPR’s All Songs Considered

“Who knew that even in punk, practice could make perfect?” – SPIN

“…it’s a nasty, jagged piece of rockabilly-influenced punk rock, the kind nobody makes often enough anymore.” – Stereogum

“The Coathangers are mad as hell on Nosebleed Weekend.” – The FADER

“Though they may have lived a decade-long adrenaline rush, The Coathangers’ persistence and motivation is as present as ever on Nosebleed Weekend.” – She Shreds

“…spiky garage rock guitars and a clap-along chorus that bridges the gap between power pop and no wave dissonance.” – Consequence of Sound

Nosebleed Weekend released through Suicide Squeeze Records.

The PARANOYDS – ” Egg Salad “

Posted: March 8, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The Paranoyds released visuals for “Egg Salad” off of their debut album Carnage Bargain! Directed by Nicole Stunwyck, “constructed of splinters from classic girl group, lo-fi guitar pop, and the forceful impact of Riot Grrrl.” The Paranoyds tap into both sides of Los Angeles life

“Egg Salad’ is an homage to a spoiled brat from the Valley. She keeps sneaking cash outta mom’s purse, doesn’t have any ambition or goals in life, just wants to party, and keeps getting away with minor crimes. Sometimes she even makes it to Hollywood!!! (“walk down Cherokee looking for a treat”).

“We were so excited when Nicole reached out. It’s honestly been a fantasy of mine to have a pen pal creative project with someone across the world! Plus, her aesthetic and previous work are all amazing. We are so stoked to be able to indulge in technology for this reason- creating projects that would otherwise be impossible. Ambar and Max are our HEROES. They nail every project, and we barely have to have a conversation beforehand. I guess they believe in us like we believe in them, and that really makes my heart swell! We have the same taste in everything, and I feel like we’re all sharing the same goggles when we do projects together. We are so grateful that they hopped on board this project and believed in Nicole’s work too.” – Staz Lindes of The Paranoyds

“The video presents the glitzy & glamorous world of a teenage girl who, after accidentally catching a beauty pageant on TV, dreams of her rise to stardom & subsequent downfall…It’s not a commentary on anything but an experimental depiction of my own personal fascination for young tragic starlets alà ‘Valley of The Dolls.'” – Director Nicole Stunwyck 

The Paranoyds “Carnage Bargain” out on Suicide Squeeze Records

The PARANOYDS – ” Hotel Celebrity “

Posted: February 7, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The Paranoyds have made a name for themselves as one of the most exciting Los Angeles bands since forming in 2015, playing festivals like Coachella and touring with the likes of DIIV, Albert Hammond Jr., Sunflower Bean, and BRONCHO. Today the band finally announce their long-awaited debut album, “Carnage Bargain”—a raucous blend of garage rock grit, new wave swagger, classic horror film soundtrack campiness, and a myriad of other left-of-centre influences. The exhilarating ten-track LP released via Suicide Squeeze Records. 

It’s ironic that the band’s moniker winds up being an apt summary of the band’s general outlook on technology and modern culture given that The Paranoyds’ humble beginnings can be traced back to a friendship forged between Staz Lindes (bass/vocals) and Laila Hashemi (keys/vocals) over Myspace in their early teens. Bonded by a shared interest in local underground music, the pair eventually moved their online friendship into the real world. Laila’s childhood friend Lexi Funston was brought into the fold and the first vestiges of The Paranoyds began to take shape. “We would all go to our friends’ shows and it hit us that we could start a band and play shows too,” Funston says. With the addition of drummer David Ruiz in 2015, the band found the perfect personnel for their sonic balance of jubilant energy and foreboding undercurrents.

To celebrate the album announce, The Paranoyds share the record’s lead single “Girlfriend Degree.” A mid-tempo stomper of clap-along beats, fuzz guitar leads, and call-to-arms vocals described by the band as an ode to “being a badass woman who’s taking time to make sure she’s doing things for herself,” “Girlfriend Degree” makes the band’s mission to reject the status quo clear on this initial track. Read a bit more about the track below, and watch the Ambar Navarro-directed (Cuco, Soccer Mommy, Stef Chura) music video. 

“‘Girlfriend Degree’ is a call to arms, a reminder to be a supremely self-loving woman, to just do you. There’s all this pressure about being ‘the ideal woman,’ and it’s easy to get caught up in that—to spend your time trying to be all these things that others think you should be. Getting a ‘girlfriend degree’ is about settling, selling oneself short and not believing in yourself—valuing your partner’s beliefs or opinions over your own. It’s cool to be a girlfriend or wife or whatever, but there’s so much more to being a woman than that. This desire to be above that is also somewhat a telling of how our band came to be. We were all going to a bunch of shows and obviously having a great time and it took us a bit for us to realize that we could also make and perform our own music….and that nothing was preventing us from doing that besides ourselves. We all have power and we should use that power to exercise our own agency.

“We’re living in the dystopian future. Our lives are completely tracked and programmed, our extension of ourselves is a handheld computer with a microphone and camera that stays on while were unaware, and, on top of everything, the extreme right is gaining continuous world power,” The Paranoyds explains of its name. “What isn’t there to be paranoyd about?”

“Carnage Bargain” captures this chemistry perfectly—channelling the genre-mashing weirdness of guitar-and-keyboard provocateurs like The Intelligence on tracks like “Laundry,” the fever-dream kitsch of early B-52s on “Ratboy,” krautrock’s motorik groove on “Hungry Sam,” and the beguiling pop of Blondie on the sweet-and-salty highlight “Courtney.” The band may indeed be paranoid, but they offer a solution to our modern ills through the simple act of being an inspiring, independent, and unflappable musical force.

Pet Cemetery EP came out back in November 27th, 2020, on Suicide Squeeze Records.

LA WITCH – ” LA Witch “

Posted: January 22, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Though the band hails from Los Angeles, they do not partake in any sort of witchcraft. Yet their ability to conjure a specific time and place through their sound does suggest a kind of magic. On their eponymous debut album, L.A. Witch’s reverb-drenched guitar jangle and sultry vocals conjure the analogue sound of a collector’s prized 45 from some short-lived footnote cult band. The melodies forgo the bubblegum pop for a druggy haze that straddles the line between seedy glory and ominous balladry; the production can’t afford Phil Spector’s wall-of-sound, but the instruments’ simple beauty provides an economic grace that renders studio trickery unnecessary; the lyrics seem more descendent of Johnny Cash’s first-person morality tales than the vacuous empty gestures of pre-fab pop bands. This isn’t music for the masses; it’s music for miscreants, burnouts, down-and-out dreamers, and obsessive historians.

Songs: Drive Your Car Kill My Baby Tonight Baby In Blue Jeans Get Lost

Album opener Kill My Baby Tonight is the perfect introduction to the band’s marriage of ‘60s girls-in-the-garage charm and David Lynch’s surreal exposés of Southern California’s underbelly. Sade Sanchez’s black velvet vocals disguise the malicious intent of this murder ballad, with the thumping pulse of bassist Irita Pai, the slow-burn build of drummer Ellie English, and Sanchez’s desert guitar twang helping beguile the listener into becoming a willing accomplice to the narrator’s crimes. Brian follows the opening track with a similarly graceful, if not somewhat ominous, slow-mo take on a well-worn jukebox 7”. It’s a vibe that permeates the entire album, from the early psychedelic hue of 13th Floor Elevators on tracks like You Love Nothing, through the motorik beat and fuzzed-out licks of Drive Your Car, to the grittier permutation of Mazzy Star’s sleepy beauty on Baby In Blue Jeans.

Suicide Squeeze Records

The COATHANGERS – ” The Devil You Know “

Posted: December 31, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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On December 4th, Atlanta punk rockers The Coathangers acknowledged an upcoming 15 year milestone for their previously out-of-print self-titled debut album by releasing a Deluxe Edition of the collection with Suicide Squeeze Records, featuring remastering of the tracks and bonus material. A timely and punchy music video has also been released for one the tracks, “Nestle in My Boobies”, drawn from footage of a sweaty live performance in 2011. Watching the video now definitely promotes a vicarious thrill, aware that no concert like that one could occur at this time, but that also highlights The Coathangers’ particular magic as a band, always conscious of the value of capturing specific, unique, moments in time in all their glory. 

Coathangers singer/guitarist Julia Kugel recently discussed this reflective moment in time for The Coathangers, what life was like for them around the time of recording that first album, how they fit into the musical scene at the time in their hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, Oddly enough, we were planning on taking this year off. But we were so lucky to get to play that Coachella show with Blondie. Our only show of 2020 was the highlight of my fucking life, all of our lives! That’s pretty much 2020 in a nutshell, asking, “What the fuck?” But we hadn’t been home much in 12 or 13 years, so we were going to take some time off anyway. 

we never called ourselves Punk, because that’s kind of un-Punk to do that! When people would shout at shows, “They’re not Punk!”, I would shout back, “I never said I was Punk Rock, bitch!” I think we’re Punk in attitude and inspired by it, but there was not a formula of sound that we tried to follow. Punk is fast, though, fast and short, and that shit’s awesome, it pumps you up! The best description we ever got was “Psycho-Pop”, so we called ourselves Psycho-Pop, No-Wave, and a bunch of others. We used to throw things out at people just to confuse them.

DEATH VALLEY GIRLS – ” The Universe “

Posted: December 1, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Death Valley Girls have again dipped into their sacred well of mystical music, pulling from its murky waters a new incantation with a sweeping title, “The Universe,” and their deliciously droney sound (with some twists). Yes, it still feels as if the L.A. quartet is casting spells as much as making rock ’n’ roll.

With 2018 album Darkness Rains, Los Angeles garage rockers Death Valley Girls gave us a clever flat-Earther parody and the unforgettable image of Iggy Pop eating a hamburger, Andy Warhol-style. Today they’re back to announce their new album Under the Spell Of Joy. This time there’s no comparable iconic imagery attached to speak of — unless you count their incredible new band photo below — but lead single “The Universe” more than holds its own as a blast of hypnotic, sax-blaring rock ‘n’ roll.

The band’s Bonnie Bloomgarden offered this statement on the new album, which was initially inspired by Ethiopian funk records, and “The Universe” in particular:

Under the Spell of Joy is a space-gospel record. We believe we served as channels for what we think are guides. As we learn what the songs are about we realize they are meant to be sang like chants, hymns, or spells. Most of the songs were recorded with 12 voices, including a kids choir! We are learning that words with intention and energy hold so much power, especially when said or sang with a group. “The Universe” is a song to sing, a space to be, a time to think, remember, and truly feel that not only are we all connected, but we are also being guided.

Death Valley Girls “Under the Spell of Joy” out October 2nd, 2020, on Suicide Squeeze Records

The PARANOYDS – ” Pet Cemetery “

Posted: October 29, 2020 in MUSIC
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As the world continues to literally burn, The Paranoyds return with a much-needed dose of musical levity. It’s been nearly a year since the Los Angeles-based outfit released Carnage Bargain, their debut full-length, and this their new release, is a two-song seven-inch, is a total embodiment of their every influence. Their identity — a band, fuelled by campy horror movies and garage rock — is more evident than ever on this seven-inch, beginning with the organ-fueled opening of A-side “Pet Cemetery” Featuring the sounds of off-kilter keys alongside a chugging guitar line, and expansive experiments, “Pet Cemetery” has become a staple of the band’s live performances, resulting in a sea of zombie-fied headbang every time it’s played.

Despite the obvious heaviness that surrounds a track entirely centered on undead lovers partaking in PDA, there’s an undeniable undercurrent of fun. Previously recorded during sessions for the band’s full length-debut, this unofficial anthem for underworld romance was being saved for a special moment. On the record’s B-side is “Hotel Celebrity,” a single that’s darkness isn’t quite so overt. An examination of aging, and the fruitless celebrity pursuit of superficial perfection, The Paranoyds share in a not so sincere toast to Hollywood. The single was among the last sessions at the famed Tiny Telephone, a San Francisco-based recording studio.

The track is a sneak peek at the future, if there is a future beyond all this shit, of what musical direction The Paranoyds might be headed in next. Suicide Squeeze Records is proud to release the Pet Cemetery EP on a limited-edition, one-time pressing of 750 copies on coke bottle clear vinyl on November 27th, 2020. 

Releases November 27th 2020. on Suicide Squeeze Records 

DEATH VALLEY GIRLS – ” Dream Cleaver “

Posted: August 20, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Death Valley Girls are an indie rock quartet from Los Angeles, Calif. Through their punk-infused, fuzzy garage rock sound, they’ve caught the attention of Iggy Pop, who’s called the group “a gift to the world.” He even starred in their video for the single “Disaster (Is What We’re After).”  While singer and multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Bloomgarden and guitarist Larry Schemel knew their intention for the album before a single note was written, the actual nature and direction of the music was a mystery. The initial inspiration for the record came from the jubilant spirit of Ethiopian funk records the band had been listening to on tour, but once they began to channel the songs it seemed like the music came from somewhere not in the past but in the future. In the weeks leading up to recording, Death Valley Girls relied on their subconscious and effortlessly conjured Under the Spell of Joy’s eleven tracks as if they’d tapped into the Akashic Chronicle and pulled the music from the ether.

The rockers have teamed up with the legendary shoe company Dr. Martens for a special mini-doc as part of their new Dr. Martens Music & Film Series. In the video, vocalist Bonnie Bloomgarden, guitarist Larry Schemel, bassist Nikki Pickle and drummer Rikki Styxx give a brief summary of their mission as a band, and there are also clips of the energetic live performances.

Death Valley girls recently released their new single “Dream Cleaver,”

“Making music and being in a band is like a religious conviction,” the band said in a Q&A with Dr. Martens. “We are nomads for most of the year, and a gang, and that’s the way we like it! When you travel around spreading the good word of rock and roll you are like a missionary!”. The album opens with “Hypnagogia,” an ode to the space between sleep and wakefulness where we are open to other realms of consciousness. The song slowly builds along a steady pulse provided by bassist Pickle (Nicole Smith) and drummer Rikki Styxx. Tripped out saxophone bleats from guest player Gabe Flores swirl on top of the organ drones laid out by guest keyboardist Gregg Foreman.

The band’s choral objectives for Under the Spell of Joy are established right off the bat, with Bloomgarden’s melodic invocations bolstered by a choir, giving the album a rich and vibrant wall-of-sound aesthetic. The song ominously builds on its hypnotic foundation until it opens up into a raucous revelry at the four-minute mark. The portentous simmer of the opening track yields to the ecstatic rocker “Hold My Hand,” where verses reminiscent of Velvet Underground’s “I’m Waiting For The Man” explode into big triumphant choruses. From there the band launches into the title track, which marries the griminess of The Stooges with an innocence provided by a children’s choir chanting the album’s primary mantra “under the spell of joy / under the spell of love.”

Death Valley Girls have always vacillated between lightness and darkness, and on “Bliss Out” they demonstrate their current exuberant focus with a patina-hued pop song driven by an irrepressibly buoyant organ line laid down by keyboardist The Kid (Laura Kelsey). A similar cosmic euphoria is obtained on “The Universe,” where alternating chords on the organ help elevate soaring saxophone and keyboard lines out beyond the stratosphere. If you’re looking for transcendental rock music, look no further.

Death Valley Girls Under the Spell of Joy out October 2nd, 2020, on Suicide Squeeze Records

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