WEIGHT IN GOLD PT. 1
The build-up to the release of La Cerca's new album Sunrise for Everyone on Fort Lowell Records (label owner James Tritten may have moved to North Carolina, but his label is still representing for Tucson; a Naïm Amor album follows in October) has already begun ahead of the release date on July 29. While a release party is scheduled for Aug. 15 at Congress, the band is playing a show on Saturday, July 12 at Sky Bar. I'm sure we'll end up writing about the album by the end of the summer, but it definitely seems worth looking forward to. Another former Tucsonan, Fred Mills, previewed two tracks on Blurt Magazine's website (blurtonline.com/news/track-premiere-indie-rock-brilliance-tucsons-la-cerca) and they're both great, reminding Mills (and me too) of Australia's Go-Betweens, which is always a good thing. Akron's Space Cat, who sound a little like a stripped-down Alabama Shakes, are also on the bill for the 10 p.m. show. More info at the show's Facebook event page: facebook.com/events/881522348543286 or at skybartucson.com. Also, keep up with Fort Lowell Records at fortlowell.blogspot.com.
ROBES OF A PROPHET
If indie-folk with the feel of the desert is your thing, Tap and Bottle, 403 N. Sixth Ave. Suite 135, is hosting two great Arizona songwriters on Thursday, July 10. Keli Carpenter (of what was the Tryst and is now Keli and the Big Dream) and Sedona's Brandon Decker (of, well, Decker) are teaming up, featuring members of both of their bands, for an evening of music (and, of course, delicious beer). I've spent some time over the last few days trying to think of what Deckersounds like (theyhave a new EP recorded at Wavelab called Patsy coming out later this summer), but there's a touch of seemingly a bunch of influences, from the rhythm and emphatic feel of gospel records, the grandeur of Arcade Fire and the classic Western songwriting of Townes van Zandt. You can hear "Cellars" from the new EP on Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/deckermusic/cellars) and it's really an impressive track, big (in a lot of ways, it clocks in longer than nine minutes) and expressive with an incredible Neil Young-esque guitar solo at the end. Not that Decker was slouching before—the band has four albums out and the most recent, Slider, topped at least one "best of 2013" list—but it seems like the frontman and the band could be on the verge of something notably great. The show's at 8:30 p.m. and, as far as I can tell, there's no cover. More info at facebook.com/events/1431739973762612.
SHADOW DAYS
It's big aggressive riffs night at Gary's Place, 125 W. Ventura, on Friday, July 11, as Napalm Strike are on a bill with Cross Examination, Overdoser, Saint Breaker and Flying Donkey Punch. There a thousand terrible thrash metal bands out there, legato phrasing and double bass drumming all over the place, but Tucson's own Napalm Strike pull it off well with Mustaine-ish vocals and a band that has both the songs and the talent the genre demands. Plus, Napalm Strike is a great name. Sort of stunned no one had gotten to that first. Put down your Exodus bootlegs for a night and bang your head. Admission is $6 at the door and a post on the show's event page (facebook.com/events/489762684479409) mentions both that the venue has air conditioning AND that there will be watermelon eegee's while supplies last. So, there's that to look forward to. Also worth noting, Napalm Strike's late 2013 album, Aiming Down the Sights, is available on a pay-what-you-want basis on Bandcamp: napalmstrike.bandcamp.com.
SPEAK IN TONGUES
In some attempt to make up for our unfortunate typo in our previous print edition, I'd like to point out that you have another opportunity to see Texas Trash and the Trainwrecks this week. This time, the venue changes to the Flycatcher on SATURDAY, JULY 12 at 8 p.m. MuskHog and Back to the Well are also on the bill with a $5 cover. That's SATURDAY, JULY 12. Now, of course, something will happen between writing this and the issue hitting stands, but I've got my fingers crossed.
There are a couple of solid shows at Flycatcher this week besides the TT&T concert, including a triple bill of Austin's weird-synth-psych-drum machine duo Technicolor Hearts, LA skater-garage-rock with a touch of the Replacements trio Criminal Hygiene and local do-everything genius Andrew Collberg on Friday, July 11 with a $5 cover. More info on Flycatcher's much appreciated (by me, at least) website at theflycatchertucson.com.
