Welcome back. Here’s what’s new at the Disposable Underground blog followed by some news bites I found around the Web. Enjoy!
New at the Blog
Toilet Rats have a new album which is a good time. The man behind the project calls it “synth punk” and that’s a reasonable description. I recommend checking it out as the band’s record is a fun listen.
Swans have a new album too, The Beggar. When I first posted about that album project, I was writing about its first phase, Is There Really A Mind? Swans fans should be pretty happy with the new (second and final phase) record, which I talk about at the blog.
I have some new live video at the blog YouTube channel. Container, an electronic act, played Rhizome DC and rocked the place:
Drowningman also delivered a fine performance at the Decibel Metal & Beer Fest in Philly:
More Music News
Krohme was handing out CDs of his EP Cursed Earth at a local rap show last year and I got a copy. I’m glad I did because it’s a solid six-track collection with a bunch of different rappers, helmed by Krohme and Kount Fif. Check it out on Bandcamp.
Neurot Recordings, the label of Neurosis, is making one album from its discography “pay what you want” on Bandcamp weekly, which is good of Neurot. Have a look.
Killing Joke, one of my favorite bands, has a new single out, “Full Spectrum Dominance.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came out for breaking up Ticketmaster and Live Nation. She said in an interview, “It’s affecting our culture if regular people can’t even see a live show for a major act in person anymore, and this just becomes a domain for the wealthy.”
Earache Records is having a sale: “3 mystery LPs with damaged covers for £20.” The label explained in a post, “To make room for our incoming records, we’re clearing out the Earache vaults and having a flash sale on all our damaged vinyl from throughout our history.”
Dogstar, the band Keanu Reeves played bass in back in the ‘90s and ‘00s, has gotten back together. The three-piece is active on its Instagram account.
AI-generated music made a splash in April when an artificial song featuring fake The Weeknd and Drake vocals appeared, went viral, and was then taken down by streaming services. Nichola Rutherford writes about it at the BBC.
The Other Records, the label and store co-run by Jason Netherton from Misery Index, is closing its doors and having a storewide sale.
Pussy Riot has an auction for an art piece going on now, with the proceeds benefitting UNICEF. Appropriate for the band, the item is called “This Knife Kills The Patriarchy.”
Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, wowed the crowd at the White House the other day when he sang “American Pie.”
Charming Disaster, the “goth-folk” group influenced by magic as much as by science, has a new album out now, Super Natural History, available on CD, LP, and digital. Charming Disaster is the kind of band that cares a lot about its album sleeves.
Rest In Peace
Stephen Sanchez died in April. An outpouring appeared on social media for the Metro D.C. figure, perhaps best known for his work in the band Revolta.
Mark Stewart was the lead singer in The Pop Group, a revered band in post punk. He did in April. There’s a post from his Twitter account with a few details.
Jim Durkin, classic guitarist for Dark Angel, died in March. The band was known in part for releasing one of the seminal thrash albums, Darkness Descends, which featured Durkin’s work.
Harry Belafonte died in April. A giant in not only music but in the civil rights movement, Belafonte also acted in film and TV and broke numerous barriers. Dennis McLellan has the story at The Los Angeles Times.
Thank you and see you next month and at the blog.
May 1, 2023 newsletter
