Fever Dream Horror Scene - EP

For many audiences, the artwork of a record is oftentimes a major selling point as well as creates an expectation for what the music will sound like when the listener plays it for the first time. When I first saw the artwork of Fever Dream Horror Scene’s new self-titled EP, I was immediately intrigued; I wasn’t sure what I was going to hear from the mesmerizing mix of what seemed to be sticks and branches. For me, this was exciting. As I had hoped, in the opening seconds, I realized that the artwork was a beautiful summary of the essence of who Fever Dream Horror Scene truly are. This EP is such an enthralling combination of shoegaze and post-punk that it transports the listener to the very grey, rainy afternoon in the practice space in Indiana in which this material was conceived.

The instrumentation of the opener to this EP, “Blue Blood”, is heavily reminiscent of Sonic Youth while Matt Leetz and Shannon Brandon’s vocals deliver a hypnotizing, gloomy mood throughout the piece. This track is followed by “Teething”, a song that is riddled with a winding guitar riff and otherworldly, haunting vocals. In the last minute of the song, the guitar sounds as if it is trying to jump out of the speakers and attack the listener. This guitar tone is extremely grimy and a great dynamic change in the track. Finishing the first half of the EP, “Benedictation” begins with delay-heavy guitars but quickly dives into a cacophony of distortion, Sam Glidewell’s intense drumming, and passionate vocals. The song is a great blend of the stylings of post-punk act New Order and 1990s alternative rock bands like The Offspring and Nirvana.

The fourth track, “Reliquary”, is covered in guitar riffs reminiscent of indie rock legends Built to Spill, ultimately swelling until bursting into a guitar-laden eruption. This song is a perfect contrast from the other moments on the EP without straying too far from the band’s original sounds. Next, “Nascar” alternates between a sludgy verse and a rather melodic, catchy refrain. For me, this track is one of the standouts on the EP. At the end of the song, all aspects of the music are turned up to the dirtiest, highest intensity possible, blooming into an aggressive discordance for the final moments of the track. The use of dynamics in this track specifically creates many compelling and powerful moments. Ending the record, “Shill” is Fever Dream Horror Scene’s most progressive song on this project. Starting with clean, dissonant guitars, the track then moves into one of the best vocal performances on the piece, climbing up to a bridge that constantly builds. A sudden beat switch at the end of the track is a beautiful end to this carefully crafted work.

Fever Dream Horror Scene’s new self-titled EP is a refreshing take on the gothic sounds of early 1980s mixed with an exciting new twist provided by a more DIY, gloomy attitude. This is a perfect listen for your next grey, rainy afternoon. Released through Sister Cylinder, Fever Dream Horror Scene can be streamed through the links provided below.

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Written by Dylan Fitch (@DylanFitch3)

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Business of Dreams - 'Ripe For Anarchy'

Ripe For Anarchy feels like driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in the rain. Characters in countless movies drive in convertibles through the sun-drenched California coast, but when a tourist finally gets there to chase this phenomenon, there’s a chance that it might begin to pour; it leaves the person wondering, “is this it?”. Business of Dreams’ Ripe For Anarchy embodies this idea, as well as beauty of learning to live in the moment. On this record, Los Angeles musician Corey Cunningham assembles a collection of songs with reverb-soaked acoustic guitars, snappy drums, and relaxed vocals to create a washed-out atmosphere, while presenting lyrics that capture many of a typical young adult’s worries and desires.

The album opens with "Chasing that Feeling," a shoegaze-y anthem that creates the Californian highway image. This track is a hopeful look towards the horizon, describing how we are all naturally optimistic, yet lyrics such as “the sun will burn the Earth, and the stretching of the Universe, leaves us without words” depict harsh realities. This theme is continued into "My Old Town" and title track, "Ripe For Anarchy." "My Old Town" is an airy, nostalgic track that is dominated by an onslaught of percussive instruments, and the title track captures the feeling of falling in a dream, only to be woken up with a power pop song about despair, "N.R.E.A.M."

The second half of the album is a much darker, heavy collection of emotional ballads. "Don’t Let Our Time Expire," my favorite song on this project, is a track consisting of a droning acoustic guitar, and Cunningham sings, “Legs like us were meant to run, under the covers with loneliness… don’t let our time expire”; absolutely soul-crushing. Following this, "I Never Could Tell You" is a quick pop song drenched in reverb and despair, and "The Hatchet Song" is a Smiths-esque song about death. "Naïve Scenes," is how I imagine the Smiths would have sounded like if they had heard My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless before recording The Queen is Dead; this great combination of shoegaze and British-pop inspiration can be heard on this track. "La La La La" reminds me of whimsicality of the 90s rock heroes The Flaming Lips, and "I Feel Dread" vibes true to the same charm of Pinkerton-era Weezer.

"Keep the Blues Away" left me feeling like if the car you were in on the Pacific Coast Highway suddenly hydroplanes, and is sent skidding across multiple lanes of traffic, falling straight into the Pacific Ocean. The lyrics of this track echo the idea presented by the first track and the many reverby-ballads in between; “is this it?”. The album helps one come to terms with the idea of learning to live in the present and understanding the fragility of morality.

Ripe For Anarchy is an extremely dark picture painted with neon colors. Cunningham grabs hold of the listener and brings them to a new place, surrounding them with new thoughts and emotions to explore. Business of Dreams just finished a series of tour dates with Tough Age and Corduroy to support the new album. Ripe For Anarchy is available now through Slumberland Records and Knock Yr. Socks Off Records. Check it out below.

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Written by Dylan Fitch (@DylanFitch3)

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Pretty Matty - 'Kicked Out' B/W 'Divine Hammer (Breeders Cover)'

Toronto-based anti-rockstar Pretty Matty reeks of Garbage: the Shirley Manson-led grunge outfit Garbage, that is. On past releases, Pretty Matty has delivered an attitude similar to the great grunge and alternative rock groups of the 90s, wrapped up in a smart, millennial-angst driven package. Pretty Matty’s music is a fun, modern take on inspirations of Green Day and Dear Nora, among other acts of 90s.

On this most recent single + b-side, Kicked Out B/W Divine Hammer, Pretty Matty offers two great tracks; one pop-punk anthem and one cover that reflects his influences. The first track, "Kicked Out," moves away from Matty’s dirty, lo-fi sound on his debut EP. If the tracks on last year’s Pretty Matty EP were a full beard, "Kicked Out" is the stubble the day after shaving; a little cleaner around the edges, but still rough to the touch. This track is an angsty look into a millennial’s struggle with growing up presented in a pop-punk manner.

Pretty Matty does not fully abandon their roots on this release. The b-side is a cover of The Breeders’ "Divine Hammer." This cover is truly something special. In this ode to 1990s alternative music, Pretty Matty performs the track with a new urgency that the original somewhat lacks. If you are someone who enjoys 90s rock as well as modern lo-fi rock such as Wavves and White Reaper, give this track a listen.

Although this release is rather short, it leaves the listener anticipating more; Matty might “just be looking for the divine hammer” on Divine Hammer, but I’m looking out for his next release.

"Kicked Out" is available now on streaming services through the Toronto based label Must Be Nice. On Saturday, January 26, Pretty Matty will be selling an enamel pin with a digital download of these tracks at their release show at Horseshoe Tavern with Little Junior, Wine Lips, No Bro and Good Kid. Listen to "Kicked Out" and "Divine Hammer" (EXCLUSIVE STREAM) below!

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Written by Dylan Fitch (@DylanFitch3)

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