An Alternate Version of Seaside Caves' "L.E.S." (ft. Ken Wacha)

Father / Son Project

Just a quick share of something beautiful for a Friday morning. Seaside Caves' frontman / bassist, Todd Wacha, sent me this alternate version of "L.E.S.," the opening track to Seaside Caves' self-titled EP, the other day. What makes this one special is that it was recorded it with Todd's father Ken Wacha.

This is a quieter, more contemplative version of one of my favorite tracks by the band. It slows things down; and, where the original sounds like sort of a coming to terms with the past, this one is more regretful and melancholy.

Check out "L.E.S. (featuring Ken Wacha)" below, and you can grab Seaside Caves over at the band's Bandcamp. Vinyl is available via Chunksaah Records.

New Video from Smalltalk. Plus! out Next Week. Free Shows!

"The Last Ones"

Lots going on in the world of our friends in Smalltalk. The latest thing is the Matthew Gere-directed clip for single "The Last Ones." Originally appearing on the band's second EP, the song, with its noisy guitars and intertwining vocals from Zak Kaplan and Tara Jones, will be available on Smalltalk's forthcoming Plus! The LP is due next Friday on Chunksaah Records and comes in various flavors which you can check out here.

Have a look at the video for "The Last Ones" below, and then shake off your post-holiday cobwebs with a pair of free shows with Smalltalk celebrating the release of Plus! on Friday, November 27th.

Bring grandma and your weird uncle to Holdfast in Asbury Park to pick up an album and to enjoy a Black Friday Record Store Day in-store performance from the band. Then head over to Asbury Park Yacht Club that same evening to catch Smalltalk again with Michael Jackson & The Beetles.

New Local Sounds from Seaside Caves, The Jolly Daggers, and Black Flamingos

The Jolly Daggers are just one of several recent Asbury Park releases.

Hey, Neighbor

It's been a strong couple of weeks for Asbury Park-based releases. In one of my famous Friday afternoon roundups, I wanted to call your attention to three things that have hit us recently.

Seaside Caves, "The Rage"

Seaside Caves put out one of my favorite EPs of 2014 when they released their self-titled debut at the end of last year. Since then, they've snagged opening slots for both Home for the Holidays and Home for the Summer with The Bouncing Souls; and Chunksaah Records gave Seaside Caves a physical release on vinyl.

Yesterday, the band released single "The Rage." It's another retro-inspired trip that unfurls in smears of gothic black and white over the course of its five minutes. "I wanna feel alive," sings bassist Todd Wacha as his buried vocals trail off under a wall of synths. Like all of Seaside Caves' previous work, "The Rage" makes me want to head for those shoeboxes in the closet so that I can sift through the creased and faded pictures from my high school days.

Check out "The Rage" below and come check Seaside Caves out live on Friday, November 13th, at Asbury Park Yacht Club. It's a free, CDM-presented show that also features our friends Overlake and Dead Stars.



The Jolly Daggers, Singles

The Jolly Daggers are Captain Fun Ron Santee of The Battery Electric, Robert Butkowski of Black Flamingos / Plato Zorba, Sweet Joey of Ba Babes, and Boris Thertus of super-human feats of athleticism. They've played a couple of local shows so far and promise more for the future. While we wait for that, though, the pirate crew have put out a series of singles recorded at Word of Mouth Studios in Long Branch and mastered by Derril Sellers. Studio bassist Brent Bergholm plays on each of the tracks.

There are the appropriately pirate-themed tracks of "Yo Ho" -- its opening smooch is pure Captain Fun -- and "Sailing the Black Seas." There are the more straight garage-y tracks like the soulful "See It All Through" and the rowdy "Who Killed the Postman." Each track offered up by the band has a lo-fi, retro feel anchored (ha! "anchored") by Robbie Butkowski's twangy and surf-tinged guitar.

This is music for swaying and rocking. This is music for hoisting up a tankard of rum with one arm while draping the other arm across the shoulders of your mate.

Check out everything that The Jolly Daggers have uploaded to Bandcamp (weirdly, all as individual singles) and stay on watch for their next local raid.



Black Flamingos, Black Flamingos EP

Last Friday, Black Flamingos released their self-titled, debut EP on Little Dickman Records. The instrumental surf trio of Robert Butkowski, Vincent Minervino, and Declan O'Connell bring a dark originality to a well-worn genre.

I really love this band. Every track features the familiar twang and reverb of surf rock; but they come from a different place. It's like some weird place where everyone drives vintage cars through the nighttime fog, but it's totally the future. Does that make sense?

Each of the five tracks is a winner. If I had to give special mention to any of them, I'd probably say "Okinawa" (which premiered right here) and "Shark Repellant;" but just listen to the record front to back and you won't be disappointed.

Black Flamingos are celebrating the release of the EP with a free show at Asbury Park Yacht Club next Friday, October 30th. Also on that bill are The Coffin Daggers and The Primitive Finks. Wear a costume.

Seaside Caves Released Their S/T EP at Asbury Lanes with Roger Harvey and Chunksaah Records. Play Starland Tonight.

"Party"

Chunksaah Records threw a party at Asbury Lanes last night to celebrate the physical release of Seaside Caves' self-titled 2014 EP. The label also released Everyone Knows I Play Favorites Vol. 2: All Of My Friends Are Total Dreamboats, a 10" comp featuring some of the performances from the openers and after-party performers during 2014's Home for the Holidays. Seaside Caves make an appearance on that along with Roger Harvey, Smalltalk, Cayetana, and more.

Harvey started things off last night with a fantastic set. I really enjoy his 1990s-inspired sound, and he does a great cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's "Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone." Harvey's set was almost too short for me, but I'm sure I'll get a chance to catch him again.

Seaside Caves delivered their dark and brooding songs between two giant mannequins. The smoke machine was set on low this time, but the projections behind drummer James Sefchek were mesmerizing. The songs from the EP like "LES" and "Party" sounded wonderful, and new song "Summer" sounds like a winner.

Throughout the night, pop-up vegan bakery This Charming Bakery, the project of Sofia Baltopoulos and Chunksaah's Kate Hiltz, did a full-on vegan takeover of Snack World. Our friend Allyson Dwyer was there. A devout vegan, she pronounced the evening's menu "life changing." There was even vegan birthday cake for Seaside Caves' keyboardist, Matthew Gere.

Check out pictures from sets by Roger Harvey and Seaside Caves below.  Of course, you can always hit up Flickr for more.

Seaside Caves play Starland this evening with The Bouncing Souls, Andrew Jackson Jihad, and Screaming Females.

Double Chunksaah Record Release Party ft. Seaside Caves and Roger Harvey, Thursday, July 16th, Asbury Lanes

10 Inches

This Thursday night, Chunksaah records are holding a new wave / goth dance party at Asbury Lanes to celebrate two new 10-inch releases from the label.

Asbury Park's darkwave pop quartet, Seaside Caves, will perform to commemorate the physical release of their self-titled EP. That release will come in a choice of baby pink vinyl, baby pink / black vinyl, or splatter vinyl. Seaside Caves' set will also serve as a nice appetizer to their big Friday night show at Starland with labelmates The Bouncing Souls as well as Screaming Females and Andrew Jackson Jihad.

Thursday will also be a party for the release of Everyone Knows I Play Favorites Volume 2: All Of My Friends Are Total Dreamboats. That record is a live compilation featuring some of the openers and after-party acts from this past year's Bouncing Souls' Home for the Holidays residency. It comes in purple, blue and black splatter, or purple and blue vinyl. Seaside Caves make an appearance on that one along with Smalltalk, Cayetana, Spraynard, The Van Pelt, Dark Blue, and Roger Harvey. Roger Harvey will perform his own live set at Asbury Lanes on Thursday.

Seaside Caves is a beautifully dark and brooding EP, and the band's live show is a sight to behold. I caught Roger Harvey's after-party set in December, and that's not one you want to miss either. Wear your black on the outside, and I'll see you Thursday.

Doors for the all ages show are at 8pm, and $10 gets you inside. Oh. And Snack World is going totally vegan for the event.