High Waisted Release Volume 4 of Acid Tapes Series. Playing Mercury Lounge TONIGHT, 10/18, to Celebrate.

Acid Tapes, Vol. 4

NYC's surf-inspired High Waisted have kept things DIY for five-plus years. From planning and executing five, separate "High Waisted at Sea" party cruises around Manhattan, to booking their own tours, to releasing several 7-inches and one of my favorite albums (2016's On Ludlow) of the last several years, High Waisted have maintained a work ethic to which other bands should aspire. The band work hard, but they also have a blast doing it.

One of the projects that has illustrated both High Waisted's evolution and their work / party attitude over those years is the ongoing Acid Tapes mixtape series. Earlier this week, the band released the fourth installment in a series that has seen them cover the likes of Otis Redding, Swinging Blue Jeans, Roy Orbison, The Ramones, and Parquet Courts along with some, maybe, more obvious choices like Dick Dale and Surfaris. Each mixtape has also included High Waisted originals making the series a nice glimpse into both the band's influences and what they're currently up to.

"Our recording process has come a long way from the first cassette," says front woman / singer / guitarist Jessica Louise Dye. "Acid Tape Vol. 1 was recorded while we were on acid, all in one go, in a haunted house in Nashville. A buddy of ours threw a room mic over the chandelier and ran it through the tape deck and away we went.

"Now, the recording process is more deliberate, articulated and better executed. Vol 4 was recorded entirely in our new studio which [High Waisted drummer] Jono Bernstien and [former High Waisted guitarist] Stephen Nielsen built in Bedstuy. We're mixing digital and analog gear with vintage instruments and a little magic. I think this will be the dreamiest cassette to date."

Photo by Jono Bernstein, White Sands, NM.

Dye isn't wrong. On Volume 4, instrumental and spoken word interludes draw you in as if you're having a dream in which High Waisted are performing. Dye's vocals shine on The Zombies' "The Way I Feel Inside" as well as the band's own "Giving Up." The band put their own spin on the oft-covered "Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric, 10cc's "I'm Not in Love," and Kacey Musgraves's "High Horse." They lend their already Lynchian personality to "Laura Palmer's Theme."

"The hardest part of this project is narrowing down what songs we're going to choose," continues Dye. "Which is why I don't see this series ending anytime soon.

"The best part of this recording process is getting to dissect songs we love, throw everything we know about them away and rebuild something entirely new. It changes the gravitational pull in my creative mind, often spawning a big writing period of new High Waisted material as well."

Photo by Jono Bernstein

Photo by Jono Bernstein

All four High Waisted tracks here represent an evolution from the sounds of On Ludlow, leaning, perhaps, a little more heavily into the band's dream pop sensibilities than straight-up surf sounds.

Check out Acid Tapes, Vol. 4 over at Soundcloud.



High Waisted celebrate the release of Acid Tapes, Vol. 4 tonight, October 18th, at NYC's Mercury Lounge with Yella Belly and Songs for Sabotage. You should be able to grab a physical copy there. You can still get tix for the event here. If you can't make it, you can also order directly from High Waisted's website.

A Deer A Horse Released a New Song Last Week. Played Mercury Lounge on Thursday, 5/14. (PHOTOS by Mike Petzinger)

A Deer A Horse at Mecrury Lounge last Thursday. Photo: Mike Petzinger

"Fighter"

Brooklyn's A Deer A Horse describe their sound as "urgent rock and roll." That description fits the sound of their latest single "Fighter" pretty well. There's a tension -- okay, maybe an urgency -- in Rebecca Satellite's vocals and guitar that gives the track that feeling of being on the edge of bursting right up until the band let you down easy in the last few seconds. The rhythm section of Angela Phillips on bass and Justin Heaverin on drums helps to push everything along just short of the breaking point.

I met Rebecca Satellite back in February, and we spoke about her excitement at recording this track at Converse Rubber Tracks. The band definitely made the most of the opportunity. You can grab the track over at A Deer A Horse's Bandcamp page.



A Deer A Horse invited me to cover their show last week at Mecury Lounge, but a prior commitment meant I was unavailable. Never fear, though. Our friend, the talented Mike Petzinger, made the trip from Hoboken and captured -- as usual -- some excellent shots of the band.

Check out Mike's shots below, and check out A Deer A Horse when they play Brooklyn's Union Hall this Friday 5/22 with Zachary Cale, Jacob Augustine, and Mount Sharp.

The Everymen Announce Final Shows of the Year

Camelfest at Asbury Lanes and "Rock to Stop MS!"

Even one of the hardest working bands in New Jersey -- the USA, even! -- needs to take a break once in a while. The Everymen have announced that they'll be taking some time off at the end of this year so that they "can actually take some weekend trips with our girlfriends and stuff and maybe even enjoy XMas with our families." Before going on a well-deserved hiatus, though, the Tuckerton band will play two final shows, both benefits. 

On October 18th, The Everymen will be coming to Asbury Lanes as part of Camelfest, the 20th anniversary celebration for New Jersey's own Dromedary Records. The show will mark the last for Everymen drummer Jake Fiedler as part of the band, and all proceeds from the show will benefit Roots and Wings of New Jersey, a non-profit that seeks to aid young adults who have aged out of the foster system.

Then, on October 29th, The Everymen and Life Eaters will be helping friend, National MS Society NYC Marathon runner, and all-around booty mover, Emily Newman, exceed her fundraising goal of $4000 to combat multiple sclerosis by playing "Rock to Stop MS!" at New York's Mercury Lounge. Those who can't make the show can still contribute.

The Everymen have been great friends of CoolDad Music throughout the year; and, as the run of benefit shows they did following Superstorm Sandy showed, they are always more than willing to play for a cause. Head out to one of these shows and catch them one, last time in 2013 if you can; and help them help out yet again.