Ekko Astral

I saw Washington D.C. punk band Ekko Astral a couple of years ago at SXSW and really dug the group's queer punk and political aesthetic.  They push that political notion into absurd and surreal places on upcoming new album "The Beltway Is Burning."  Check out this description of the record:

Recorded immediately after the 2024 U.S. General Election, Ekko Astral’s second album the beltway is burning was always intended as a real-time historical document in the form of a dark comedy. Each song plays out like a vignette, with Ekko Astral beckoning listeners into their fictionalized version of The Beltway (the area within I-495), in which Adam Sandler is a god-president and the DMV has become a demilitarized zone, a wasteland run by butt rockers and Soundcloud rappers.

On the surrealist lead single “lil xan goes to washington,” the titular character travels to D.C. to lobby for addiction assistance legislation before succumbing to the cartoonish horror that is K Street (where all major lobbying firms are based), ultimately becoming a sellout himself.

Works for me.  Listen to the aforementioned "Lil Xan Goes to Washington" below and pre-order the LP here from Topshelf Records.

Peel Dream Magazine

LA's Peel Dream Magazine have been kicking around for a few years now and are ready to drop their fourth full-length album "Rose Main Reading Room" next month.  It seems like the band manages to throw some new sounds into the mix on each subsequent record, and the new one is no different, featuring bits and pieces of psychedelia, shoegaze, kosmische pop, krautrock, space age pop, and so much more.  Check out new tune "Lie in the Gutter" below and pre-order the LP here from Topshelf Records.

Ekko Astral

I caught Washington DC punk band Ekko Astral during SXSW a couple weeks ago and dug on their raucous, LGBTQ+ inclusive vibe.  And now they've got a full-length album coming our way next month.  Check out "Devorah" below and pre-order the "Pink Balloons" LP here from Topshelf Records.

Record Setter

Good ol' Denton, Texas.  The northern Texas college town has been pumping out great guitar rock bands for years, and one of the more recent arrivals is the melodic and chaotic Record Setter.  The four-piece make loud and noisy kind of emo or screamo or whatever you want to call it.  Good stuff.  Listen to "An Impression" below and get the new "I Owe You Nothing" LP here via Topshelf Records.