Premiere: New Video from Yawn Mower

Yawn Mower at the Could Eat, Would Sleep release show in 2018

"Operators"

Almost 2 years ago to the day, on 4/20/2018, Yawn Mower released their EP Could Eat, Would Sleep on Mint 400 Records. Around that time, they began working on a video for the song "Operators" off of that record. For reasons known only to Yawn Mower and their collaborators -- the great talents at Hologram Visuals and Burke Multimedia -- the video is just seeing the light of day today. And that's fine. More than fine, really, because this is a perfect time to revisit the song's message about supporting one another.

Guitarist Mike Chick had this to say about "Operators" in a CoolDad Music interview with Matt Chrystal back in 2018:

YM's lyrics are historically pretty dystopian and critical of various social structures we live with every day... ...Every day we are flooded with negativity from the news and people, so I don't want to write about that all the time. "Kickstand" and "Operators" are songs about your friends and family being there for you no matter how bad things are. It's YM's version of PMA.

In that same interview, drummer Biff Swenson added:

Those are also the 2 songs ["Operators" and "Kickstand"] that hit me emotionally more than any other tunes Chick and I have written together.

Lyrics like "It's the little things / We all could do / To keep things running / Relatively smooth" contain some real wisdom during this time when everyone's lives have been turned upside down.

Check out the video for "Operators" below; and, if you're ever feeling down, you can feel free to reach out to me here anytime. Operators are standing by.

Could Eat, Would Sleep, along with the rest of Yawn Mower's discography, is available over at Yawn Mower's Bandcamp page.

Australia Benefit on Sunday, 2/16, at Wonder Bar w/ The Cold Seas, Lyons, The Tide Bends, Yawn Mower, More

Give Love: A Benefit Show for Australia

This Sunday, February 16th, The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park plays host to "Give Love: A Benefit Show for Australia." The all-day event starts at 2pm and goes into the night. Bands slated to perform are The Cold Seas, Lyons, The Tide Bends, and Yawn Mower (who will be doing some Men At Work tunes). In between sets, DJ Foggy Notion and DJ Jay Insult will be spinning some of their favorite tunes by Australian artists. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction featuring items donated by local businesses and artists. All proceeds from the show will benefit the WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue Organisation.

Event organizers Jenny Vickers and Amy Malkoff of Lyons and and Tori Paxton of Paws & Anchor said, "We were so horrified about what was happening in Australia and wanted to do something about it. As local musicians, we thought we could bring together some of our favorite bands to perform and help raise funds for the victims of the fires and drought. We appreciate Wonder Bar lending their support for such an important and time-sensitive cause."

You can grab advance tickets for the show here, and RSVP to the event here. And, as you get ready for the show, you can check out some music from all the bands.

Guest List: Biff Swenson of Yawn Mower / Grasser / Earth Telephone

Biff Swenson

Top Picks of 2019

By Biff Swenson

[Biff Swenson is a friend of the site and, really, just a great friend. He's also a very busy guy, what with being in (at least) three different very active bands, video production work, some guest drumming gigs, and even acting. In addition, Biff has a very open-minded and diverse taste in music. For all of those reasons, I'm thrilled that Biff took the time to share with us his Top Picks of 2019. You're bound to find something here that you missed out on this year.

As I mentioned, Biff has a full plate of activities ahead including
- A new Yawn Mower EP with Mint 400 Records due in February
- Putting the finishing touches on the debut full-length from Earth Telephone
- Working on the debut full-length from Grasser
- Starring alongside Cat London in the short film Flatlanders, which had its premiere on 12/20 at NYC's Cinema Village. If you missed that, the film is also an official selection at the Philadelphia Film Society with a screening and Q&A scheduled there for 1/9/20.
- Filming another short called Pineville this spring
- Playing drums on upcoming releases for Static Sex and Danya (the project of Allegra Anka of Cayetana)

...whew...

Like I said, Biff is a very busy guy; and we're all lucky he made some year-end time for us.]

Top 10 Albums


Tyler, The Creator, IGOR

Flower Boy is one of my favorite albums, so I was patiently awaiting whatever Tyler was going to release this year. In no way was I prepared for what he delivered. The maturity he's demonstrated over his past two releases is astounding. Clearly, experiences with love lost and romantic desires have elevated the narratives he's been spinning, but the production is what shines even harder throughout this record.The distorted synth bass constantly connecting the entire album is a nice theme to tie this story arc together.

I can't help but get excited for Tyler when thinking about multiple idols of his (Pharrell, Kanye) appearing on the album, being the first rapper / arranger / producer trio to ever hit number one, and lastly being able to openly speak about his sexuality without persecution. This is a very modern and realistic love story in the ups and downs of how someone might be feeling throughout a tumultuous relationship. Tyler does a beautiful job of conveying a wide range of these emotions both lyrically and musically. IGOR has me ecstatic for Tyler's heartbreak, and excited for anything and everything he does next.


Mike Krol, Power Chords

I got to see Krol play 3 times in 3 days at SXSW this year, and it would have been more if at all possible. This album sounded immaculate live. The show was as exciting as the album is to cruise around to. The energy and sound that Mike is able to capture is unmatched. This is everything you love about the first Strokes record with none of the jaded, snarky energy they bring to stage these days. Perfectly crafted pop songs with the fuzzy edge needed to rock. Mike Krol is an enigma that is keeping lo-fi music interesting; and, I assume, single-handedly keeping retro Hagstroms in constant circulation. This is pure, unadulterated fun that you absolutely need to go see live.


Brockhampton, GINGER

BH can do pretty much anything, and I'd be down for it. Here on GINGER, we hear a group of youngsters thrusted further into fame, under the scrutiny of the public eye, coming to grips with a plethora of emotions and decisions. The spiritual tone is apparent but not at all preachy. It's a transparent examination of one's choices through remarkable grooves that are a perfect culmination of influences like Kanye, Dr. Dre, and Pharrell with their own original, modern twist. This feels very genuine and cathartic for all members, so it's a pleasure to be present throughout these dudes' journey, album to album, in real time as they cope with the fame we've given them. Also excited to see which of the more back-seat members eventually branch out into a solo career after the inevitable demise of the limited run any boyband has.


Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

Patience certainly paid off here. The album is a little long, but what it has to offer is worth sitting through a few songs that could have waited for a b-sides collection. Ezra has done another fantastic job of exploring new, uncharted territories for VW without losing the vibe that's defined them since day one. It's also very on brand for Ezra's ear being to ground of what's going on in modern music -- the album featuring Kendrick Lamar/Drake collaborator DJ Dahi, Dave Macklovitch from Chromeo, The Internet's Steve Lacy, and most present, Danielle Haim, whose partner produced the album. This festival level act has only further solidified their place in contemporary music.


Steve Lacy, Apollo XXI

Steve has been hiding in the background of The Internet, producing tracks for Kendrick, Kali Uchis, Tyler, The Creator, Goldlink, J Cole, Mac Miller, and Solange. Just in recent years we've heard him finally come to the forefront and build his own unique brand of guitar based R&B. This dude records exclusively on his iPhone and has somehow made it work for today's biggest artists, as well as now for himself as a solo artist. Equal parts Prince and Frank Ocean, but with a lo-fi warble that makes it 100% Lacy. Like Tyler & Brockhampton above, this album does a beautiful job of exploring and expressing one's sexual fluidity while serving up those confessions on truly remarkable instrumentals. Steve is one of a few artists who are the backbone of this new movement in music, so it's about time we finally got a proper full length release from this visionary. While there are some lulls in the album, it's not without bravely bending the framework of what you'd be expecting from an R&B record. Mostly short in length, Lacy's songs show that he’s mastered how to capture extremely enthralling vibes song to song. A well-earned Grammy nod to a promising, young producer & musician.


Kevin Abstract, ARIZONA BABY

The Brockhampton leader has no plans of slowing down, which is more than apparent with his first of two releases this year. Taking no time off from producing content in between tours and releases with his hip-hop centric boyband, we see that he does not need time to rest in order to generate greatness. This album leans even further into the Outkast influence that Kevin doesn't shy away from, while still hitting these interesting new pockets of his brain for a smorgasbord of influences executed flawlessly with the help of his BH production team.

While Kanye's influence was the crux of Brockhampton's formation, it's very clear with this year's Jesus is King release that Kevin + co. have surpassed their idol's greatness as far as 2019 is concerned. It's a refreshing new time in music where genre fluidity defines every important new artist, and Kevin has been leading that crusade since the Saturation trilogy BH blessed us with back in 2017. While Kevin is more than fit for a solo career, the standout track is the one ("Peach") that features his BH bandmates and newcomer Dominic Fike.


Jay Som, Anak Ko

Jay had me hooked with Everybody Works in 2017, but has even further perfected her craft of throwback rock guitar tones and modern indie pop charm. This is everything you'd expect from Polyvinyl records in the best way possible. Som has a delicate voice that'll rock you to your core when these weighted lyrics smack you up across your mouth. It's sounds like a culmination of David Bazan's guitar tones, Real Estate's swaying grooves, and The Polyphonic Spree's bright shimmer. This album will grow on you more with every listen and will surely find its way into this decade's essential listens.


Pedro The Lion, Phoenix

I'm thankful for every track that surfaces with Bazan's name attached to it, but the joy of hearing Pedro The Lion again is uncanny. Phoenix did everything I needed it to for it to be worthy of the former moniker. It feels like he didn't miss a beat from where 2004's Achilles Heel left us off in Pedro's journey. I was made aware of memories I forgot all about throughout this album. It was like catching up with an old friend now that we're both older and wiser. I'm happy Dave is finally getting the well-earned, and long-overdue attention we die-hards have been waiting for.

Phoenix makes mentions of religion in a positive enough light throughout to call this a Pedro album, but it doesn't take the side of religion like you'd come to expect from this project. Rather, it recalls it as a plot-point in life. The hurt and wear on Bazan's voice is still present like any of his solo releases, but the delivery is something familiar and nostalgic worthy of the old band name. Dave on bass helps solidify the line-up of newcomers who accurately give us that old Pedro feel. Guitars are very sparse with a lot of bass counter melodies slipped in tastefully throughout the album. There are also plenty of points that feel minimalistic for these delicate moments, which is always a nice plate to serve some thoughtful lyrics on.


Bon Iver, i,i

Justin Vernon will forever be a mainstay. We will look back at the '00s and '10s knowing full well that Bon Iver is a Top 10er. He has perfectly crafted the art of low-key songs with undoubtedly sad lyrics amid his exploration into electronic elements in recent years. This man is well into his career of making instant classics. He has grown exponentially from album to album, each time adopting new tricks and ear candy to distinguish a change in each album's sonic shifts.

Since working with Kanye back on Dark Twisted, Vernon has adopted an array new soundscapes that he uses to mold his original brand of folk music into an extremely modern take of pop, R&B, and indie rock. I find myself constantly going back to make sense of the noises that make up any one particular section of rhythm. The artwork, the accompanying lyric videos, the quirky production, and all of the guest vocalists -- it's all the ideal bed of blankets to serve up a perfect platter of future music on to an always enthused market. Justin captured our attention with just an acoustic guitar in a cabin, but he certainly made sure to constantly stretch himself in twenty two to a million different ways in order to bring us the soundtracks to our life-defining moments. This man can crush your soul inside of a three-minute composition. Justin is a godsend!


Crumb, Jinx

While in Austin for SXSW, I rushed to see Mike Krol & Tierra Whack perform on the same stage mid-day. What I wasn't prepared for (while boiling in the heat) was the band that played between them. Crumb was mesmerizing! Their grooves were hypnotic. Their presence was felt, but their demeanor was chill. This album perfectly captures that. The percussion demands movement; their bass lines force head swaying; the vocals are sensual and subdued. It feels like The Bird and The Bee meets Real Estate. It has the warbled guitar of  any Mac DeMarco knock-off, but with a wistfulness and casualness that you can't fake. This young band is more than promising, and I can't wait to hear what they deliver next.


Honorable Mentions:

Goldlink, Diaspora

Peaer, A Healthy Earth

Bad Heaven Ltd., Strength

Local Natives, Violet Street

Gus Dapperton, Where Polly People Go to Read


Top 5 EPs of 2019:


Yeek,  IDK Where…

This is my most played artist of the year. I've played this entire EP at least 75 times through. Yeek is doing an amazing job of blending bedroom pop, indie rock, & R&B. Florida has been thriving with a new batch of incredible new voices, and this Jersey-born singer has been at the forefront of that movement. Dominic Fike makes another show-stopping feature on this release as well. IDK is a well-crafted, fully realized culmination of everything he's been building over his past couple full length releases. It's sexy, chill, and vibey, all while having guitar prominently featured throughout. This EP sounds heavily influenced by Tame Impala, but with a more youthful, less complex tone. This is where music is heading, and it's cool to see fresh new faces bring it to fruition.


Still Woozy, Lately

Sven Gamsky is doing the Lord's work with his warped and flowy take on basic pop music. After his band Feed Me Jack split, Sven started recorded solo music under the Still Woozy moniker. The band name alone lets you know exactly what you're getting into. While any one track is poppy enough to blast on any road trip, it also makes you feel high while engaging. He's done a superb job of mixing pop and vibe. It doesn’t seem as mindless as most artists Spotify would push on you in a weekly playlist, rather, it has the accessibility to pump out to the masses. I haven't heard a dud from Sven yet, and I'm not anticipating it anytime soon.


Omar Apollo, Friends

A lot of promising new artists are putting out stand-alone single after stand-alone single, followed by EP after EP. I know a lot of these young artists get lost in the mix when more mainstream mainstays are releasing epic full lengths constantly. In the digital age of music, it's hard to stay up to date with every passing trend or influx of creatives. Don't let that happen here. Omar has perfected a soulful blend of poppy r&b with a really psychedelic shine for the icing. He's charming, energetic, and undeniable. This kid has the goods, so go give him a listen.


Deb Never, House on Wheels

This a very slow moving, depressing release. Everything is soft, emotive, and slacker-ish. It's very straightforward in its approach. Deb isn't reinventing the wheel; but, oddly enough, she still finds a very unique and refreshing voice of her own. I'm awaiting her fully realizing her potential inside of a proper release, but in the meantime, these five tracks are perfect for a rainy day, or some fall foliage down the parkway.




Grasser, Later, Registration

Yes, this is my band.

Yes, I wrote the songs.

No, I won't stop promoting it.





Top 10 Songs of the Year:

Frank Ocean, "DHL"

Yeek, "Too Fast"

Dominic Fike, "Açaí Bowl"

Brockhampton, "SUGAR"

Steve Lacy, "N Side"

Kevin Abstract, "Peach"

Frank Ocean, "In My Room"

Dominic Fike, "Phone Numbers"

Bon Iver, "Hey, Ma"

Tame Impala, "Borderline"

Premiere: New Video from Yawn Mower

Yawn Mower

"Jersey Shore" (The Promise Ring)

Earlier this year, Asbury Park duo Yawn Mower released Why Work Harder Than You Have To, an EP of 90s covers, with Mint 400 Records. One of that collection's stand-out tracks is the band's take on 1999 single, "Jersey Shore," by Milwaukee's The Promise Ring. It's a pretty faithful interpretation; but the song does get an added layer of authenticity since Yawn Mower are from, you know, the Jersey Shore.

Today, we're happy to premiere the video for "Jersey Shore." Yawn Mower worked with the team at Rosi's Art (Rose Lamela, Christo Apostolou, and Allison Councill) and shot the clip at Fusaro Pizza in Manahawkin, NJ. The video takes us through a workday with Yawn Mower at the restaurant. Let's just say that neither Biff nor Chick is in the running for Fusaro Employee of the Month. But, I mean, why work harder than you have to, right? The collaboration does a great job of capturing the personality of probably the most fun band on the Jersey Shore.

Check out the video right here. Head over to The Saint tomorrow, 7/13, when Yawn Mower play as part of a bill supporting The Sheila Divine that also features their Mint 400 label mates Ultra Major and Ruby Bones.

New (ish) Stuff from Lots of Friends: Sharkmuffin, Lyons, Yawn Mower, Lowlight, Dentist

Yawn Mower released a new EP of 90s covers last week.

Catching Up

Lots of travel and just a lack of motivation have led to a big backup in the old CoolDad "stuff I want to tell you about" file. I'm gonna try and kick out a couple of album reviews this weekend; but, in the meantime, here are some shorter form items that deserve your attention.

Sharkmuffin, "Fate"

Sharkmuffin will release EP, Gamma Gardening, via Exploding In Sound Records on April 4th. Last week, the band gave us single "Fate." It's a loping, dreamier version of Sharkmuffin's usual noisy, left-of-center sound.

There's a release show for Gamma Gardening on April 5th at Brooklyn's ALPHAVILLE. that also features Haybaby, Catty, and Gustaf.



Lyons, "Islands"

Asbury park post-punk, dream pop five-piece, Lyons, have been on a bit of a hiatus as a couple of their members took some maternity leave. The band are gearing up for a return; and, a couple of weeks ago, they released a video for single "Islands." The clip, directed by Stu-Stu Studios and Eric Hackler, captures the moody vibe of the song through the use of black and white, slow motion, and images of the natural beauty of Lyons's home locale. The song features the chiming guitars and haunting vocals that I've missed so much over the last few months and has me pining for the band's return.



Yawn Mower, Why Work Harder Than You Have To

Last weekend at The Saint, Yawn Mower (and friends) celebrated the release of the band's latest EP for Mint 400 Records. Songwriting, according to Biff and Chick, is hard. With that in mind, the duo released another EP of covers called Why Work Harder Than You Have To. This one is 90s-themed, featuring songs by They Might Be Giants ("Dr. Worm"), Beck ("Fume"), The Promise Ring ("The Jersey Shore"), The Presidents of the United States of America ("Lump"), and Tom Petty ("You Don't Know How It Feels").

And, while the band would tell you they chose to do another covers EP out of laziness, the attention to detail on all of the songs reveals a level of effort you might not expect given the EP's title. Expanding on the band's live, two-piece format, the songs here feature trumpet, melodica, and bass.

As a longtime They Might Be Giants fan, "Dr. Worm" is a standout track for me. "Fume," at least to me, is a Beck deep cut -- a song from the Loser EP -- from that most Yawn Mower-esque Beck era. All of the songs, though, fit well with the overall quirky and not-too-serious Yawn Mower vibe.

Why Work Harder Than You Have To is available now.



Lowlight, "Give It a Minute"

Way back at the beginning of March, Lowlight released, "Give It a Minute," the second single from their upcoming Telegraph Hill Records release, Endless Bummer. The song has a rumbling, Western vibe to it; and I joked with lead-singer Renee Maskin when I first heard it, "If 'Burkhalter' was your The Big Lebowski, this is your The Ballad of Buster Scruggs." And, while I was kidding, I think that does get at the cinematic feel Lowlight bring to all of their songs. Even without an accompanying video, "Give It a Minute" spools out like a road movie before your eyes.



"Give It a Minute" is available now via all the streaming platforms.

Lowlight will be playing at FM in Jersey City on April 5th with Babraham Lincoln, Fairmont, and Gillian. They'll also be playing a couple of times at Metuchen's Franklin Music Fest along with a bunch of our friends. That runs from April 12th through 14th.

Dentist, "Alone in the Garden"

While we were all together galavanting around Austin for South By Southwest, Dentist premiered their video for Night Swimming track, "Alone in the Garden." The band, once again, worked with director Dana Yurcisin and producer Biff Swenson ("The Latter"). The team take the "performance clip" format and turn it on its head with a wild and frantic video that mirrors the tense and stressed out vibe of both the song and Night Swimming as a whole. Unsurprisingly, the clip has a similar aesthetic to the video for "The Latter," combining some trippy animation with the live action.

Dentist play Asbury Park Yacht Club on April 6th with Slow Caves. They'll also be at Franklin Music Fest on April 13th.

Pedro The Lion, Phoenix, 2019

Album Review

By Yawn Mower

[When I got my advance copy of Phoenix, the first Pedro The Lion album in 15 years, I turned to our good pals in Yawn Mower. Mike and Biff are both big fans of David Bazan's work, and I thought it would be cool to get their take on the new record.]



Mike

Let me start by saying this. If you are a fan of David Bazan and the guitar-driven songs he has written with any outfit, then you will enjoy Phoenix. That being said...

Phoenix is a melancholy, nostalgic trip through the childhood of Bazan or maybe another character, but probably Bazan. I wonder if Bazan wrote the songs on Phoenix in one sitting or if he stockpiled songs over time that would make sense together and bring back the Pedro The Lion moniker. It doesn't matter what name Bazan's songs are filed under, you know it's Bazan as soon as he starts singing, which he alluded to in a recent NPR Tiny Desk session.


 
When listening to the album on headphones, I got almost a Stranger Things vibe, with a kid cruising through his neighborhood of prefab houses on his yellow BMX bike, fresh off mowing his neighbor's lawn for money to spend on snacks at the local convenience store. There are heavy suburban vibes throughout the record.

The song "Circle K," starts off with the lyrics, "Got a little allowance from doing chores. Saving up for a Santa Cruz skateboard." Whether you grew up in the era of Dogtown, Santa Cruz, Birdhouse, Girl or Krooked, this lyric resonates with being a child and saving up for the things you saw in catalogs. A couple of years ago, I purchased a complete Santa Cruz Screaming Hand skate deck with matching Slimeball wheels and Independent Trucks just because I had the $99 to do it. It hangs proudly in my garage.

The production of this record is reminiscent of the days of Achilles Heel and Strange Negotiations. The telecaster through a great tube amp sound is there as are some weird synth tones. The album also flows a little faster than the slow honey of recent albums Blanco and Care.

As I was listening to "Piano Bench," I could see a young kid admiring his mom on the church organ; and it brought back memories of the church I went to as a kid. I was in a church choir as a kid and remember the impact the great sound of the organ makes through those big pipes on the wall. But, as you get older, the pipes aren't as big as they seemed to be back then.

The idea of God is not as at the forefront on this record as it had been in previous records. It's there, though, watching in the sky as Bazan cruises down the hills of his hometown.

"Leaving the Valley" is a great way to end the album. I believe it's a song about Bazan growing up and leaving his town to play shows in far-off towns. Then, the last words of the record are words from his Curse Your Branches asking, "IF I swung my tassel to the left side of my cap, after graduation would there be no turning back?" a prequel to the question he asks on Curse Your Branches. It's like you could listen to Phoenix at the beginning of Bazan's catalog, and it would make total sense; but it almost makes more sense at this point in his career. 

Biff

When I was 17, I went on a two-week mission trip to Lima, Peru. Ahead of our trip, they had told us we could only bring Christian CDs to listen to. My mother brought me to the closest music shop to browse the Christian section for anything worthy of my time. I was aware of MXPX, Reliant K, and Five Iron Frenzy; but nothing all that serious or profound. I spotted a black and white album cover featuring a minimalistic drum kit. Most of the person behind the kit was cropped out and blurry. It seemed like such an underwhelming image to use to represent an album, but that was enough to intrigue me. Then I saw that it was on Jade Tree Records, so I felt like I was cheating the Christian-music-only rule at first glance. It's Hard to Find a Friend is a bold proclamation to make in general, never mind calling your album that. It all just seemed so spot on for me at the moment. I left for that trip unaware of anything Pedro-related, but I came home two weeks later with (still to this day) one of my all-time favorite albums. I have been a die-hard David Bazan fan ever since.

Phoenix makes mentions of religion in a positive enough light throughout to call this a Pedro album, but it doesn't take the side of religion like you'd come to expect from this project. Rather, it recalls it as a plot-point in life. The hurt and wear on Bazan's voice is still present like any of his solo releases, but the delivery is something familiar and nostalgic worthy of the old moniker. Dave on bass helps solidify the line-up of newcomers who accurately give us that old Pedro feel. Guitars are very sparse with a lot of bass counter melodies slipped in tastefully throughout the album. There are also plenty of points that feel minimalistic for these delicate moments, which is always a nice plate to serve some thoughtful lyrics on.

Dave had to get to this point in life to be able to look back at the past in such a way. Phoenix feels like a period piece but from a new lens. His entire catalog coincides with some point of any former churchgoer's journey. This is the reflective old soul who is finally able to see the value in his upbringing. It's led him here. Wherever he lands it's because of the path he started at. The details aren't important; the moments / memories are. We aren't all thankful for the hateful things associated with religion, but we're thankful for the parables that these fables draw to our own lives AND for the knowledge gained from being around to witness, firsthand, the ignorance a church can breed. That is what helps us as we grow up and grow apart from that mentality. Now, we're able to look back on a childhood long ago with a fresh pallet that makes it all easier to swallow, taking away these informative moments we hang onto and cherish. "Piano Bench" feels like we leave the album to listen in on a service with the Bazan family. The progression is straight from any church song. The Headphones-esque synth setting reminiscent of any 80s / 90s keyboard the music committee sprung for with some Sunday's offerings.

Lines like "first freedom, second life" in "Yellow Bike" or "got a little allowance for doing chores" in "Circle K" take us back to these moments of our youth where we couldn't grasp much outside our little worlds. The emotions we have but can't describe. The desires we have that turn out to be menial and pointless within a few years. These are all the things that define our little perspectives at that age, and it was a nice treat to be reminded of it all over again through one of my favorite musical vehicles. I lived the story of "Model Homes" as a kid. When times were tough, we'd go look at model homes for an outing post-church. He perfectly captures the feeling of a child hating the town they lived in or the block they lived on. Being excited at the prospect of a major life change. "I wanna not be lonely" is truly chilling coming from this man's voice. "When will the wait be over" feels more like "When will the weight be over" in context.

"Tracing The Grid," referencing the memorizing of directions around town or verses of songs you'd be listening to while driving, all conjure up a sensations in my chest that make my eyes well up. The second half of "Yellow Bike" calling back to times of "leaving early, packing light" and being "in love with every stretch of road" at a time when you're first able to explore the world independently. You don't forget the first song you chose to listen to on your first solo drive home from the DMV (At The Drive In's cover of The Smiths' "This Night Has Opened My Eyes" live on BBC). I still take wrong turns sometimes to finish whatever track comes on shuffle before eventually ending up someplace where my tunes won't be crankin'. This album is the coming-of-age period where you meet new types of people you haven't normally been exposed to living in these sheltered scenarios. Lines like "some folks are loners and you learn from them" parallel the suicide on "Black Canyon." Being able to tell a side story about such a mangled body beneath an 18-wheeler within the context of an album mostly about growing up is artful.

The panned delayed guitar intro of "All Seeing Eye" bringing back the feeling of being removed from the album similar to "Piano Bench." Gets choppy, some fake drums pop in making it feel more like Blanco. Nice tonal call back to previous work like Headphones with the bass synth on the chorus kicking it up a sonic notch. Swelling out, the track is a  good pallet cleanse before the 6-minute closing track, "Leaving The Valley." This song (and many on the album) feels like Tom Petty all day. Moving is a tough thing. Long stretches of road while  "wipers wave a long goodbye," "how will you know you're finally home?" with the Frank-Ocean-like beat switch. It feels uncomfortable. Like moving does. Like leaving does. Like saying goodbye does. This feels full of tension. Takes a minute to find our footing as listeners. The bass and drums are the floorboards that finally rise to our feet, letting us stop floundering with our necks barely above the surface. "After graduation, there'll be no going back" with a staggering of guitars slowly falling off time and out of sync. More open strings rattling than previous parts. Not the musical resolve I was expecting, much like life doesn't always go as planned.

I'm thankful for every track that surfaces with Bazan's name attached to it, but the joy of hearing Pedro The Lion again is uncanny. Phoenix did everything I needed it to for it to be worthy of the former title. It feels like he didn't miss a beat from where Achilles Heel left us off in Pedro's journey. I was made aware of memories I forgot all about throughout this album. It was like catching up with an old friend now that we're both older and wiser. The grooves throughout the album reminded me a lot of Strange Negotiations, which, up until this point, has been my favorite of Bazan's catalog. Phoenix is a a perfect partner to the complexity of that album. I'm happy Dave is finally getting the well-earned, and long-overdue attention we die-hards have been waiting for. Thank the universe for the gift that is David Bazan and his band Pedro The Lion. Thanks for adding another chapter into our life's soundtrack. (A N D thanks for getting meta at the end of "Quietest Friend!" Nerds love that shit on that Dan Harmon tip).

Phoenix is out now on Polyvinyl.

Yawn Mower's Could Eat, Would Sleep is out now on Mint 400 Records.

Guest List: A Few of Yawn Mower's Favorite Things from 2018

Yawn Mower at this year's Bond St. Block Party in Asbury Park

Yawn Mower Ruins 2018

Asbury Park duo, Yawn Mower, are another band who had an eventful 2018. They released Waffle House, a double single consisting of re-mixes of a pair of older Yawn Mower tracks. They signed to NJ's Mint 400 Records. And, in the spring, the band released their third EP of originals, Could Eat, Would Sleep.



Guitarist Mike Chick and drummer Biff Swenson each branched out to other projects, Chick putting out some songs with Beach Wolff and Biff playing in PA / NJ band, Earth Telephone.

Oh. They also have a Chrismas EP, Yawn Mower Ruins Christmas.



I asked the guys to sum up their 2018 for me, and they each took their own swipe at it.

Mike Chick

Chick

Favorite Albums

Floating Features, La Luz. Every release is better than the last with this band. Album has a great sound and feel.

Oxnard, Anderson .Paak. As soon as this guy's voice starts it lights up the room.

Warm, Jeff Tweedy. This album is relatively new, but feels instantly familiar upon listening.

Favorite Singles

"Chun Li," Nicki Minaj. This is a great wild out while your driving song.

"RSI," BEAK>. Great motorik beat from some of the folks in Portishead. Best album cover of the year award goes to this record too.

>>> by BEAK>

"Boyish," Japanese Breakfast. Beautiful melody. Gets stuck in your head right away. Stays there for a while until you get another beautiful melody in your head.

"Klutz," Aesop Rock. One-off single from one of the greatest lyricists of our time. Artwork done by the great Steve Powers.

Favorite Concerts

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks playing a rough version of "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh (Music Hall of Williamsburg). I’ve been mildly obsessed with Joe Walsh's But Seriously, Folks this past year, so to see one of my all-time favorite musicians play this song was a real surprise. My brother even looked over at me and said, "Isn't this your favorite song right now? How cool is that?!"

David Byrne's (Count Basie Theatre) show for American Utopia was one of the coolest, most original shows I have ever seen. The setlist was perfect. All the instruments were wireless, so the band moved around the stage the whole time. Some members would dip on and off stage depending on the song. Just such a great show.

Favorite Yawn Mower Gigs

North Face Blue Lodge Party in Plymouth, NH. One of the craziest shows we ever played. The crowd was jumping so much the floor was full on bouncing.

North Jersey Indie Rock Festival at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, NJ. Put on by Mint 400 Records and other NJ-based music labels and blogs. Awesome day of music by some of the best NJ bands today. Bucket list item to play at White Eagle Hall also.


Yawn Mower at the North Jersey Indie Rock Festival by Rose Lamela

Favorite Foods

Ani Ramen, Jersey City, NJ.
Hot Chicken Sandwich at Bruxton Hall, Asheville, NC.
Fusaro Pizza, Manahawkin, NJ.

Biff Swenson

Biff

Favorite Albums

S/T, Algernon Cadwallader 

Tentanda Via, American Trappist

Oxnard, Anderson .Paak 

Negro Swan, Blood Orange 

iridescence, Brockhampton

Night Swimming, Dentist 

Bark Your Head Off, Dog, Hop Along 

Redemption, Jay Rock

Kanye' s Wyoming Sessions (Kids See Ghosts / Daytona / Ye)

Swimming, Mac Miller 

[untitled], mewithoutYou

Chosen Family, Thin Lips

Whack World, Tierra Whack

Kill The Lights, Tony Molina 

This is Fine, Well Wisher 

Favorite Singles

"Reel It In," Aminé 

"Bubblin'," Anderson .Paak

"Dig," Everywhen

"Mr. Tillman," Father John Misty

"Moon River," Frank Ocean

"Jersey Fornication," Jae Bird 

"Paradise," Kon Sweetie 

"Soul Searchin'," Matty Pasq ft. Tom Jacob

"Nobody," Mitski 

"Model Homes," Pedro The Lion

"Fever Pitch," Rainbow Kitten Surprise 

"Sunflower," Rex Orange County 

"Potato Salad," Tyler The Creator & A$AP Rocky 

"Honeybee," Unknown Mortal Orchestra 

"Wink," The Voidz

Favorite Concerts

Brockhampton at The Fillmore (Philly). took acid, was tight.

Brockhampton at Terminal 5 (New York). took shrooms, was tighter.

Favorite Gigs I Played

Yawn Mower playing NH & CO for The North Face. crazy cool shows, and TNF was

extremely accommodating and generous to us.

Yawn Mower playing WFMU's Monty Hall with Electric 6

Earth Telephone opening for the final night of The Menzingers' 3-night run at Crossroads. we had Joe from Hop Along/Algernon Cadwallader fill in on lead guitar - unreal!

Favorite Foods

Bing Bing, Philly

Pasta Vola, Asbury Park

Milk Bar, New York

Bao Haus, New York

Blackbird Pizzeria, Philly

Premiere: Yawn Mower with a Cover from Frank. Playing Coney Island Baby in NYC Tomorrow, 8/30.

"I Love You All"

Last week, before the CoolFamily and I headed into the Internet black hole of Mt. Rainier and Olympic National Parks, I told you about the At The Movies comp coming out this Friday via our friends at Mint 400 Records.

Today, I have the honor of sharing another track and video from that compilation with you. For their contribution, Yawn Mower covered "I Love You All" from 2014's Frank. 

On the song, the band share, "You can hear a song a million times, but once it's married to a scene in a movie it can provoke another set of emotions entirely. It defines a scene as much as any cinematic decision the director is making.

We recorded this cover with Pat Noon at Eightsixteen / Trax East. Rudy Meier played keys, Nicole Scorsone played violin, and they both sang. We all went in together for a full day of recording and walked away with what might be our favorite thing Yawn Mower ever recorded.

This is a movie we immediately connected with when we both saw it. It truly captures the dynamic of being in a band & dealing with mental health. We had been pitching the idea of doing 'I Love You All' for years, so when the label came to us with the compilation idea - it was an obvious pick."

Shot by Nick Cucci and edited by Biff Swenson, the video seems to contrast the images we project to the world with what's going on "behind the curtain" -- especially during those moments when Biff is wailing away on the drums.

Check it out below.



Yawn Mower will be at Coney Island Baby in NYC tomorrow, 8/30, when they play Ultra Major's album release along with Birthday Boy. Mint 400's At The Movies is out on 8/31.

New Stuff from Old Friends: Yawn Mower and The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

Positive Vibes

There's lots I should be doing today. I have some things to edit, some writing of my own to do, and some dad duties. First, though, I wanted to make sure you were aware of a few things from a couple of members of our extended CoolDad Music Family.

Yawn Mower, "Kickstand"

Back in March, we premiered "Kickstand" from Yawn Mower's Could Eat, Would Sleep. The song carries with it the simple message of relying on friends to make through some tough or wild times. Last week, the duo released a video for the track.

The Michael Burke-directed clip with visuals by Jupiter goes from stark to psychedelic and features some interpretive dance from drummer Biff Swenson.

Could Eat, Would Sleep is out now on Mint 400 Records. Yawn Mower play this Saturday, 6/23, at Asbury Park Yacht Club with Black Flamingos.



The RockNRoll Hi-Fives, "C'est La Vie"

We're getting closer and closer to the release of The RockNRoll Hi-Fives' Re-Introducing The RockNRoll Hi-Fives. A few days ago, the band gave us the second single from that record in the form of "C'est La Vie."

"C'est La Vie" deals with moving on following the fraying of a once-close bond with someone. There really isn't much in the way of sadness or regret to the song, though. Instead, singer Eilee Centeno has clearly made peace with the situation, singing, "C'est La Vie! Hasta la vista, bay-bee!" as the rest of the band blazes behind her.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives worked with Mike Moebius at Moonlight Mile Recording on Re-Introducing The RockNRoll Hi-Fives, and the collaboration really captures the positive energy of the band.



Re-Introducing The RockNRoll Hi-Fives is due from Little Dickman Records on 6/29. The band sandwich that release between two big celebrations. The first is this Sunday, 6/24, at NYC's Mercury Lounge with Lost Boy ?. That's followed by a party on the beach at The Anchor's Bend in Asbury Park on 7/2 with Wetbrain which serves as the kick-off to the band's summer tour.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives on Tour

6/24 New York, Mercury Lounge
7/2 Asbury Park, NJ, The Anchor's Bend (on the beach)
7/5 Raleigh, NC, Schoolkids Records
7/6 Wilmington, NC, Gravity Records
7/7 Charlotte, NC, Oso Skatepark
7/8 Charlotte, NC, Lunchbox Records
7/11 Orlando, FL, Park Ave CDs
7/18 Austin, Waterloo Records
7/19 Dallas,Good Records
7/24 San Diego, M-Theroy
7/29 Santa Cruz, CA, StreetLight
8/4 Boise, ID, Vista Bar
8/12 Indianapolis, Luna Music
8/17 Jersey City, NJ, FM
8/18 Asbury Park, NJ, Asbury Park Yacht Club

Interview: Matt Chrystal Talks with Yawn Mower. They Play The Saint TONIGHT, 4/20.

DIYNJ : 420 Special Edition

by Matt Chrystal

It's that time of the year again. The 20th of April is upon us. C'mon, you know… 4/20, bro! There are many ways to celebrate this highest of holy days: You can wake and bake… yourself a tasty breakfast. You can go for a cruise to catch a matinee of Super Troopers 2, or maybe make a quick stop for your favorite munchies. Then grab your buds and head over to The Saint in Asbury Park to catch a nice buzz off of the smoking sounds coming from Yawn Mower's Record Release show for their new EP, Could Eat, Would Sleep.

The 4/20 party is a joint production from two of New Jersey's hottest indie labels, Little Dickman Records and Mint 400 Records. The show also features Sink Tapes, Darkwing, and Looms.

Yawn Mower are the fuzzed out, riff heavy, power pop project from the dynamic doom-rock duo of Asbury Park's Mike Chick and Biff Swenson, whose sound has also been described as the lovechild of Nirvana and Cake with Ty Segal acting as the godfather.

The hometown heroes will be releasing their new five song EP on CD and cassette and via digital download and plan to light up The Saint with their high-energy, sweat-soaked stage show.

I caught up with Biff and Chick to talk about their new record as well as all things 420 related. So relax. Take a deep breath. Exhale slowly and take a trip with Yawn Mower.

Yawn Mower's EP titles (Get to the Boat, What's All this New Piss?, CEWS), as well as most of your song titles have often been tongue-in-cheek references. Can you talk about the song-writing process for CEWS? I'm interested in hearing the backstories and origins of the titles and songs.

Chick: So far, the rule has been if we have 5 new songs written, then it's recording time. Writing in Yawn Mower is pretty democratic. Either I will come up with a riff or we will just jam until something happens that we are both like, "Huh, that was cool. Voice memo that."

The title Could Eat, Would Sleep comes from shortened responses Biff or I would give to each other in response to questions we'd ask each other. For example:

"Are you hungry?" "Could Eat."

"You want to practice tonight?" "Would Sleep."

These responses were used a lot in the last year; and, while we were throwing around ideas for titles, this one felt the most relevant to the last year. The title doesn't have anything to do with the songs, though.

While your titles and lyrics often have a sense of humor about them, it seems this EP, especially tracks like "Operators" and the recently released single, "Kickstand," speak to the power of positive thinking. Am I reading too much into this, or was there an intent to show music's ability to act as a coping mechanism?

Chick: YM's lyrics are historically pretty dystopian and critical of various social structures we live with every day. I do try to add as much humor in the lyrics to balance it out. I'm always thinking about that when I write lyrics. There has to be a balance. Every day we are flooded with negativity from the news and people, so I don't want to write about that all the time. "Kickstand" and "Operators" are songs about your friends and family being there for you no matter how bad things are. It's YM's version of PMA.

Biff: "Operators" and "Kickstand" were the two newest songs we wrote for this EP. They weren't fully fleshed out in a live setting like the other tracks just yet, so we had a lot of room to play with them in the studio. While songs like "Local Summer" and "The Woods" felt like natural progressions for us, the latter half of the EP is where I feel like we evolved some. Between the layers of chordal guitar parts on "Operators" to the 808s and fake handclaps on "Kickstand." It felt like we had figured out how this project works in the studio finally. Those are also the 2 songs that hit me emotionally more than any other tunes Chick and I have written together. It was nice to give them a proper final form to enter this world in.

CEWS was produced by Paul Ritchie (Parlor Mob, gods). Talk about working with him. What did having him on board add to the album and what was that experience like for you?

Chick: Paul is great to record with. He is really into getting gnarly fuzzy tones if you want them. The challenge with recording a two piece is to try to fill all the sonic fields with sound. I think we did the best job so far with this record. It sounds really full and big. It is interesting to listen to the EPs in order. You can hear us figuring out YM as we go along.

We mixed the EP with Pat Noon at eightsixteen / Trax East Studios. Pat is like a surgeon when it comes to mixing. We did GTTB exclusively with Paul and WATNP exclusively with Pat, so with this one we figured let's see what an EP would sound like with both of them at the helm.

Biff: Paul is very willing to try things and see if they'll work or not. When we recorded our first EP with him, he truly helped us develop our sound. We were still a very fresh band at the time, and Paul guided us to where we needed to be in order for this project to work on record. Pat is meticulous in the studio. He knows what he's doing and how he's going to do it. He's the most efficient person I've ever been in a studio with for any project. Having the two of these guys bringing everything they have to offer to the table felt like a really fitting way to go about EP3.

Yawn Mower is well known for high energy stage shows. You guys create a BIG sound on your own, and it seems you have expanded on that a bit more with addition of Mark Gallagher from Gringo Motel on saxophone performing a guest spot on CEWS. Will we be seeing a sax player or any other additions to your live shows going forward?

Chick: Thank you for noticing our high energy live shows. Biff and I pride ourselves on putting 110% of our energy into our show when we play. If I come off the stage and am not sweaty and a little out of breath I'm kinda bummed. We are always open to having people guest with us live. I'm stoked to have sax on this record. Mark did a great job. Can't wait to someday hear it live.

Biff: Having guests is always a blast since it is usually just me and Chick tossing ideas around. For this EP we definitely wanted to keep the creative juices flowing with some more collaborators. Nick Cucci played percussion on "Kickstand." Bob Paulos brought two entire pedal boards in one night and helped us play circuitry gods on the stomp boxes. Mark laid down that nasty sax solo.

The EP release show is a 4/20 Party so I'm interested to know what your thoughts are on the recent revisions to New Jersey's marijuana laws which now allow for more people to be eligible to be prescribed medical marijuana?

Biff: I'm ecstatic about the new law changes. As someone who has been surrounded by the negative effects of the opioid epidemic in this area, it's a light at the end of the tunnel for legal pain relief. The pharmaceutical companies have been pumping pills down our throats all the live-long day while telling us marijuana is a harmful gateway drug. I just was out in California, and I can tell you firsthand that most of the people in dispensaries are my parent's age -- there for actual pain relief -- or at least some mental relief. After work, we as a society accept the act of going to bars where we are served poison that will 100% absolutely impair our driving; but, then, they're going to talk shit on an herb that has been proven time and time again to have multiple medicinal qualities. I'm glad that ignorant, greedy, maniacal, tub of lard is finally out of office here in Jersey. Out with the old, in with the new. Big ups to Governor Weed Murphy! That's his name, right?

Do you guys have any pre or post show rituals?

Chick: No real rituals that we would feel weird about not doing or would throw off our mojo. We do have our maneki-neko (cat with waving arms) that comes with us to all the gigs and sits on my amp. We try to fist bump before and after each show as well.

Speaking of 4/20, what are Yawn Mower's favorite munchies of choice?

Chick: Pre-show, we try not to load up on food too much unless we are in a town with some noods or pizza or pretty much anything else that looks good. Our will power isn't the greatest sometimes. Post-show munchies are usually not the healthiest and come from convenience stores on the way home.

In keeping with the spirit of getting things "twisted," I just wanted to know what's up with the "other" Yawn Mower on Youtube. I heard that it's someone trolling you guys with fake Yawn Mower videos. What's that all about?

Biff: Yeah there is this "other" Yawn Mower floating around on the internet. It's cute. At first, we were butt-hurt about it; but now it's been 3 years. I'm just impressed this guy keeps up with our lives so much. Even my other projects have been dragged into the circus this guy is creating online. CoolDadMusic.com has even gotten some love from him, too. It's fine with me. We can both coexist. We're going to keep making music and this guy is going to continue keeping tabs on all of it. I'm sure his soundscapes will take off big-time one day! Cute.

The EP kicks off with "Local Summer," a vintage Yawn Mower rocker that is both catchy and concise. Many of the Yawn Mower's songs seem like they might be inspired by life in and around the Asbury Park area. For those not familiar with life at the Jersey Shore, could you provide a little summary on what Local Summer is all about?

Biff: The verses are about the carefree vibe of local summer. Usually, locals to beaches / beach towns are excited around that time because they get their beaches / bars / restaurants back from the summer tourists. It's the last month or so of warm weather and not having to fight for a space on the beach.

But last year there were a bunch of drownings / deaths that happened around that time which put a damper on the whole local summer vibe (at least for me). That's what the choruses are about.
The bridge at the end is a tribute to the people who passed away.

It seems with the never-ending winter weather here in NJ, we are along ways off from summer let alone "local summer," but while we countdown to better weather, what's on the horizon for Yawn Mower? Tour? Projects? Etc?

Biff: We have a music video coming out for our "Convenience Store" remix featuring TrapBang. We also have a cover of "I Love You All" from the movie Frank coming out on a Mint 400 Records compilation, which there will also be a music video for. That track features Nicole Scorsone on violin / vocals and Rudy Meier (Wetbrain, Dentist) on piano/vocals. We also have 2 different pairs of covers ("Lump" by Presidents of the United States of America / "Dr. Worm" by They Might Be Giants and "Fume" by Beck / "Jersey Shore" by The Promise Ring) that we will release periodically throughout the summer. We are also starting to work on the next batch of remixes. We are trying to expand the brand. 2-piece fuzzed out doomy pop band: Check! Rap-rock: check! What else, ya know?! We want this project to be ever-evolving and creatively fruitful. The only way that can happen is with forward progression. There are a lot of talented people out there, and we want to collaborate with them all. Or at least the cool, open-minded ones. Stay woke!

Celebrate 4/20 at the Saint in Asbury Park NJ with Yawn Mower, Sink Tapes, Darkwing and Looms.
The show is being presented by Little Dickman Records and Mint 400 Records.

Premiere: New Single from Yawn Mower

Cover shot by Mike Burke

"Kickstand" b/w "It's All Non-Stop"

Asbury Park doom-pop duo, Yawn Mower, are preparing to release their third EP of originals, Could Eat, Would Sleep, next month. Today, they're giving us the first single from that collection in the form of "Kickstand."

Recorded by Paul Ritchie and mixed by Pat Noon, "Kickstand" features Yawn Mower's familiar drone; but the song's message is straight-up positivity. Life can be tough, but everyone can muddle through as long as they have a good support system.

The b-side to the single is a recorded-in-more-than-24-hours version of, "It's All Non-Stop," Yawn Mower's contribution to 2017's Speak Into My Good Eye 24-hour Songwriting Challenge. I loved this song in its rough version, and it sounds even better here.

"Kickstand" b/w "It's All Non-Stop" will be available on 4/6 via Mint 400 Records, but you can listen to it now over at Yawn Mower's Bandcamp page. Could Eat, Would Sleep comes out on 4/20.



Yawn Mower have several area shows coming up, the first of which is tomorrow, 3/28, at The Saint with TrapBang, Sunshine Spazz, toilet., and Grasser. I've listed the rest of the band's dates below for your convenience.

Yawn Mower Shows

3/28 The Saint, Asbury Park
3/29 Meatlocker, Montclair
4/20 The Saint, Asbury Park
5/25 Stosh's Bar, Fair Lawn
6/01 AP Brewery, Asbury Park
6/23 APYC, Asbury Park

Premiere: Yawn Mower Rap Remixes Featuring TrapBang and Kool A.D.

Waffle House

Mike Chick (baritone guitar / vocals) and Biff Swenson (drums / vocals) have taken Yawn Mower and run with it. I don't know what their original plans were for the project; but, whatever they had in mind, they've grown into one of the most reliably fun and interesting bands in Asbury Park. From originals to original takes on cover songs, the pair have never been afraid to stretch themselves.

Today, Yawn Mower take things another step forward by releasing rap remixes of "Convenience Store" and "When Do We Get to Cash In?" as the split-single Waffle House. The duo worked on both remixes for most of 2017. They went into Eight Sixteen Studios with Pat Noon and started stripping and altering the songs "in the hopes that they would be easier to spit fire and hot sauce over."

"Convenience Store," off of 2016's Get to the Boat, went to Ocean County collective TrapBang. MattyPasq, Kon Sweetie, and Dey Bishop put their own lyrics to the original and absolutely killed it.

For What's All This New Piss? track "When Do We Get to Cash In?," Yawn Mower took advantage of a special freestyle sale that rapper Kool A.D. (Das Racist) announced via Twitter. For $100, he'd take a beat and "flamebroil that ass." Yawn Mower sent the track; and, in a week, they had something magical.

Both tracks feature John Muccino on organ and electric piano.

Waffle House is out today and available via Yawn Mower's Bandcamp page as a Name Your Price download. You can also stream both tracks via Spotify or anywhere else that you like to do that sort of thing. Or you can listen to them right here.

10 Favorite Cover Songs of 2017

A Giant Dog

Year-End Coverage

New Jersey. Jersey Shore. Asbury Park. Covers, baby!

10. Yawn Mower, "Margaritaville" (Jimmy Buffett)

The first time I heard the guys do this one, I think, was at Trenton's Millhill Basement. It had to be a nod to Jimmy Buffett superfan, Chris Dickman, who was there because Little Dickman Records and I were co-presenting the show. The song was barely recognizable then. Now, it's recognizable as both Buffett and Yawn Mower. It has that Yawn Mower drone that's, weirdly, doomy and fun at the same time.



9. SLEEPiES, "I Wanna Holler" (Gary U.S. Bonds)

I love SLEEPiES. Jersey loves Gary U.S. Bonds. This one is from about 20 years before he started collaborating with The Boss, and SLEEPiES give it a western-y vibe for 2017.



8. Jonathan Rado, "Thunder Road" (Bruce Springsteen)

C'mon. This had to be here. It's a pretty faithful rendition of a song for which I have every little vocal inflection from the original committed to memory. It comes from Rado's full-album cover of Born to Run.



7. Low Cut Connie, "Controversy" (Prince)

This one falls into that category of a cover that's a perfect match for the artist (See below). Prince is a clear influence on Low Cut Connie's Adam Weiner, and this is a fitting tribute.



6. Well Wisher, "Teenage Dirtbag" (Wheatus)

Well Wisher, the project of former dollys drummer Natalie Newbold, has been covering this one since they began. The song is like an O. Henry story with that cool twist ending. You can find the studio version featuring Newbold (vocals / guitar), Erik Kase Romero (bass), and Mike Lindardi (drums) over at Well Wisher's website. This is a video shot by YouTube user Nathen Hutchison.



5. Sharif Mekawy of Looms, "Hummingbird" (Wilco)

"Hummingbird" is, by far, my favorite post-Jay Bennett Wilco song. Mekawy did this as part of the I'll Be Around Wilco tribute album (on which, amazingly, nobody covered "Jesus Etc.," the song from which the comp takes its title) to benefit The Project Matters. I could listen to this version 1000 times, and I probably have.



4. dollys, "The Way You Make Me Feel" (Michael Jackson)

I first heard dollys do this one at the Indie Pop Winter Formal I threw at The Saint to start 2016. To kick off 2017, they released this on the Covers tape they put out with Little Game Records to benefit Planned Parenthood. dollys do an amazing job here of translating this very 80s pop classic into their own three-piece format.



3. Charly Bliss, "Steal My Sunshine" (Len)

I went to the release show for Charly Bliss's Guppy back in May, and they busted out this cover of Len's "Steal My Sunshine." I remember thinking back then that the combination of bubblegum pop and 90s nostalgia was a perfect match for Charly Bliss. I guess it was an easy choice for them when they went in to do an A.V. Undercover session.



2. Daddy Issues, "Boys of Summer" (Don Henley)

This is a great, great song. I went to the second or third ever concert of my life (Don Henley / Katrina and The Waves) on the strength of this song alone. Daddy Issues dirty up the pristine, 80s cool of the original.



1. A Giant Dog, "Angst in My Pants" (Sparks)

Confession: I didn't know this was a cover until after I'd been listening to Toy for a while. That's kind of inexcusable considering that I think it's on the Valley Girl soundtrack. Anyway. I loved this one even before I knew it was a cover. It's done kind of double-time when compared to the original, and the building tension and release are cathartic.