Tag Archives: Alt Rock

Weathers Drop New Single “ALL CAPS”

Announce Upcoming New Album ‘Are We Having Fun?’ Out On May 5 via Sumerian Records

Los Angeles-based alt-rock trio Weathers have announced their next album ‘Are We Having Fun?‘ set for release on May 5 via Sumerian Records. Alongside this announcement, the band has dropped a new single “ALL CAPS” (co-produced and featuring John O’Callaghan) aka John The Ghost. When asked about the collaborative process for recording ALL CAPS, Weathers frontman Cameron Boyer shares:

We jumped at the opportunity to work with producer/singer John O’Callaghan (aka John the Ghost). We are big fans and so working together was a trip. After some time soul searching for what this song would sound like, the end result we landed on has a lot of attitude that we didn’t expect to finish with. One of the biggest obstacles was deciding where John would sing. I felt like most projects like this have the featured artist start singing in the second verse. But for me, while it’s a Weathers song, I wanted to throw listeners off and start with John’s voice. He’s got such a unique tone and I thought it would draw listeners in right off the bat and make them go “oh shit?” In a good way.

Weathers describes their upcoming release as the next step for the band creatively.

With our new album, we wanted to not try so hard. Instead we wanted to dig deep from our past and pull from music we listened to growing up. In the end, we got a body of work that’s a little heavier, more raw, and way more emotional and honest than anything we’ve done in the past.

Sumerian Records’ Senior Vice President Mike Jakubow shares the band’s enthusiasm for the new album:

“Weathers is on the verge of making major strides in their career. They have written a brand-new record that is deeply introspective, relatable, and exceedingly catchy. The band combines old and new themes and made it entirely their own. The energy in these songs will make a lasting impact on fans”.

Sumerian’s Head of A&R and Executive Operations Nick Ocean (Walters) chimed in saying:

As an A&R in a crowded music space, it is always the greatest pleasure to partner with a group of artists that feels authentic from the beginning. The new album has many colors, both bright and dark. Their music truly pops from the canvas and they deliver something fresh and nostalgic in a unique way. This is just the beginning for Weathers, and we are thrilled to help build upon what they started.

The album’s lead single Where Do I Sign? has already clocked up over 750,000 streams on Spotify and counting. Pre-order ‘Are We Having Fun?’ here.

ARE WE HAVING FUN?

Weathers

Tracklist:

1. One Of a Kind

2. ALL CAPS

3. She Hates Me

4. Interlude

5. I’m Just Sayin’

6. Where Do I Sign?

7. Nothing To Say

8. Carsick

9. Drama Queen

10. Take Me Home

11. Goodbye To My Friends

12. Little Castaway

Weathers fan will have their chance to see the band hit the stage across the United States starting in April in support of Meg Myers. For ticket information, please click here.

TZIA’S ARC US TOUR

4/17 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne

4/18 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

4/20 – Denver, CO @ Marquis 

4/21 – Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room

4/22 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar

4/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line

4/26 – Chicago, IL @ Park West

4/28 – Detroit, MI @ Loving Touch

4/29 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s

4/30 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird

5/02 – New York, NY @ MHOW

5/03 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair 

5/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts

5/06 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Wonder Bar

5/07 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30

5/09 – Nashville, TN @ Eastside Bowl 

5/10 – Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco

5/12 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft

5/13 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room 

5/14 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar

5/16 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues 

5/17 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues

5/19 – Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory

5/20 – Austin, TX @ The Parish

5/22 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge

5/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent

5/24 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent

Dates With Set It Off

5/26 @ Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spades

5/27 @ Fresno, CA @ Sequoia Brewery

5/28 @ Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues

Weathers cycle through vibes at the speed of life. Text messages to cheaters, actual conversations about mental health among friends, and a shared passion for eighties and nineties nostalgia (coming-of-age comedies, in particular) turn into fodder for their undeniable and unforgettable alternative anthems. The acclaimed Los Angeles trio—Cameron Boyer [vocals, guitar], Cameron Olsen [guitar] and Brennen Bates [bass]—infuse their third full-length offering, Are We Having Fun? [Sumerian Records], with gleeful unpredictability.

“It’s meant to be unpredictable,” affirms Boyer. “Since there’s a cohesive sound, you’re essentially living in the same universe, but you’re listening to a bunch of different stories. We dug into how relationships and love can fuck with your head as much as anything else can. We welcomed the changes in our lives, because it was time to evolve—which is also when you should do a new record.”

The band initially emerged back in 2015. A year later, they released the breakthrough single “Happy Pills”, amassing over 164 million Spotify streams and counting. They parlayed this momentum into Kids in the Night (2018) and Pillows & Therapy (2021). The latter boasted fan favorites such as “Rehab”, “Losing Blood”, and C’est la vie, which reeled in over 28 million Spotify streams and counting. Meanwhile, Billboard proclaimed, “Their message empowers through the acceptance of something we all consider flaws at some point.” Of Pillows & Therapy, Under The Radar noted, “The band married grungey alt rock and synth-laden pop rock, embracing newly anthemic sounds as well as revisiting their ‘90s influences,” while Beyond The Stage Magazine proclaimed, “Weathers’ Pills & Therapy is the best medicine.” 

Throughout 2022, they wrote and recorded what would become Are We Having Fun? with producer Jason Suwito (Sir Sly, Imagine Dragons). They absorbed the ebbs and flows of the Post-Pandemic season in their music as they sonically nodded to classic bands like My Chemical Romance and The Killers.

“We were kids in the two-thousands, so we love over-the-top emotional tunes with a heavier sound,” Boyer goes on. “When we were making the record, we were feeling a bit of rage and sort of doomed. So we asked ourselves, ‘Is this even fun anymore? Or, are we doing this because we’re stuck?’ Since the music encompasses a lot of raw emotion, we decided to be very honest with the title.”

“We want you to walk away feeling like you were heard, and it’s okay to not be okay,” Boyer leaves off. “At the same time, we’re trying to get out of the darkness, because no one wants to be in the dark for too long. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. When you’re on the floor crying, you’re not the only one.”

“To us, Weathers is a lifestyle and a family,” Brennen concludes. “So, it’s important for the three of us to express ourselves, stick together, and support each other as well as everybody out there who supports us.”

LIVE REVIEW: Our Lady Peace The Wonderful Future Tour 2023

One of the Canada’s marquee alt rock bands Our Lady Peace are in the midst of their The Wonderful Future Tour. This is the extension of last year’s run and includes only nine cities. They are supported on this run by These People, an alt rock band from Long Beach, NY. The night before Valentines Day they came to New York City and the newly renovated Irving Plaza.

Written by Andris Jansons

While I didn’t catch the full set of These People, from what I saw and heard, they sounded a bit experimental, maybe a bit psychedelic rock. Their last song was concert goers exclusive, as bands vocalist stated that it is available only via QR code scan within the venue.

Our Lady Peace was formed back in 1992 and gained popularity in 2000 with their fourth studio album Spiritual Machines. They further cemented their place in alt rock music leaderboard with following album called Gravity, which opened OLP to larger audience outside alt rock scene. Bands vocalist Raine Maida is the lone founding member left with the band, though bassist Robert Duncan Coutts has been with the band since 1995 and taken part in all of the albums. They are joined with Steve Mazur on the guitar and Jason Pierce on drums.

Band’s performance was preceded by video intro form Artificial Intelligence being as the bands critically acclaimed release Spiritual Machines is followed last year by sequel Spiritual Machines 2, that continues to explore our future with technology advancements.

They started off with The Message off the new record and followed with One Man Army while Raine Maida enlisted help of megaphone. For the next song they went back to the first edition of Spiritual Machines with In Repair and as the crowd started to get excited OLP turned to Superman’s Dead.

Photo by Andris Jansons

See full Our Lady Peace performance photo gallery here.

The whole set which contained nineteen songs and spanned almost through all of the band’s discography went by in a breeze. Notables included Stop Making Stupid People Famous with Nadia from Pussy Riot singing from the TV screen on the stage, and All My Friends performed with bands co-founder Mike Turner playing guitar on the same TV screen (true pleasure for the bands longtime fans) which was followed by last song of the (regular) set Clumsy.

For the encore band performed The Beatles cover Tomorrow Never Knows and their early days megahits – Naveed, 4am and Starseed.

OLP still have one date left in New York before heading back to Canada to wrap up this tour.

Fencer Announce Self-Titled Debut Album & Release

“Joseph Courtney” Single Out Now Via Blood Blast Distribution

The Los Angeles based rock trio, Fencer, have today announced their long awaited self-titled debut album, set to drop on February 3rd, 2023 via Blood Blast Distribution. This marks the band’s first self-produced release, composed of 10-tracks and what is considered to be their most authentic work yet. Fans can pre-save the album here.

The album announcement is accompanied by the release of their latest single “Joseph Courtney.” You can stream “Joseph Courtney” here. You can also watch “Joseph Courtney” LIVE at Jam In The Van at the link below.

Speaking on today’s album announcement, vocalist Field Cate shares:

“We are excited to announce our self-titled debut album, “Fencer”. This was entirely produced, written, and performed by the three of us. Every sound, every decision, every minute detail. It was all Cameron, Scott, and I. It’s Fencer through and through and this is the record we wanted to make. Heavy, soft, silly, sad, raw, emotional. Very blue. We will forever be proud of this project and these songs because it’s just us. And it’s been all ours for so long, the idea of release something so intimate is really weird. But I’m glad people will be able to hear what we spent those countless hours doing all alone in our little lockout. I hope it invokes some kind of feelign in you when you hear it, whatever that is. It’s important to feel.

Speaking on the brand new track,“Joseph Courtney,”, vocalist Field Cate continues:

“Oh, well hello! Meet Joseph Courtney. He’s angry, sexy, and utterly intense. Able to control a crowd and thrive off the attention. He’s a star. Someone and something I aspire to be. A concept that cures my insecurities and allows me to lose a bit of sanity. I like that. He’s my alter ego. Why deal with cards I’ve been dealt when I can just pretend to be someone else? He’s perfect. He’s Joseph Courtney. You love him.

Not only was “Joseph Courtney” and the upcoming album self-produced, but it was mixed by Henry Lunetta (5 Seconds Of Summer, State Champs, Grayscale) and mastered by Zach Fisher (Weezer, Rancid, Bad Religion). Prior to today’s release, Fencer had previously dropped tracks “Junebug”, “Sanitarium”, and a cover of Morphine’s “Buena” which had racked up over 1.5 million listens across all streaming platforms.

Fencer

Track Listing:

  1. Come On, Keep Screaming
  2. Couch
  3. Buena
  4. Sleepcount
  5. Fishfriend
  6. Sanitarium
  7. Velvet Jetski
  8. Joseph Courtney
  9. You’re The Prey
  10. Bad Bet

ABOUT FENCER

Fencer, the self-defined garage opera band, is leading a new era of rock music with their own undeniably, dynamic sound. The Los Angeles-based trio consists of vocalist and guitarist Field Cate, bassist Scott Sauve, and drummer Cameron Sauve. Only two years after their inception, they became fan-favorite openers for notable acts such as Badflower, The Wrecks, and Dead Poet Society. Tackling the stigma surrounding mental health and its struggles, Field’s emotive and frenetic vulnerability resonates with listeners to further solidify the band’s electric presence. The trio have racked up an impressive 1.5 million listens across all streaming platforms, despite having not even released their debut album. Field’s synesthesia (seeing music in color), Scott’s vigorous bass-lines, and Cameron’s expertise in self-producing flow together to create an eccentric style that is certain to become rock’s newest novelty.

Weathers Announce Signing To Sumerian Records and Drop New Track & Video “Where Do I Sign?”

SoCal Alt-pop trio, WEATHERS have announced today that they have signed a new deal with world-renowned independent label, Sumerian Records. The band have also dropped their first new single out via their new label home, the aptly named “Where Do I Sign?“. Find the track on streaming platforms HERE and watch the official music video below.

Speaking on the release of the band’s new track, frontman Cameron Boyer shares

“We wanted to make a song as a kind of satire on things we’ve been feeling in the past year. We’ve been joking with each other saying “what’s it gonna take to get to the next level?” And we mentioned selling our souls is our best bet. So we thought we’d turn that into a song and talk about all the things we want in a kind of dark twisted way. It’s a lighthearted mind set with with a darker feel since selling your soul would actually be something very serious.”

On the subject of their new label deal announcement, Boyer adds

“We are stoked to be signing with Sumerian Records. It feels like the perfect fit and we are thrilled to be surrounded by such an excited and dedicated team that believes in our music and vision. We are both inspired and humbled to be a part of their roster alongside some amazing artists including a few that we’ve become friends with on past tours. Calling this a dream come true would be an understatement. We can’t wait for what the future holds.”

ABOUT WEATHERS

Prior to their new record deal with Sumerian, WEATHERS had huge runaway success with track “Happy Pills”. Released in 2016, the track was certified Gold earlier this year and to date has racked up 31 Million YouTube views and over 156 million streams on Spotify alone. They followed their debut release up with a series of self-released singles which lead into their most recent album release, ‘Pillows and Therapy‘ which came out in August of 2021. The lead single from the album, “Ces’t La Vie” peaked at #26 on the Alternative charts. The band have an impressive 280 million cross-platform career streams and over 65 million YouTube views. They have a digital following of 2.5 million across socials and streaming platforms.

WEATHERS have played shows with Cage the Elephant, Jimmy Eat World, Dreamers, Palaye Royale, Badflower, Echosmith and Catfish & The Bottlemen, and have appeared at globally renowned festivals such as Lollapalooza, Firefly and this year’s Riot Fest. The band are currently on tour across the UK and Europe supporting Set It Off.

Pixies New Album “Doggerel” Is Out Now

Pixies’ reputation as alt-rock trailblazers has been reignited in recent months. Their singles ‘Dregs of the Wine’, ‘There’s A Moon On’ and ‘Vault of Heaven’ have reconnected with long-standing fans and inspired newcomers too, a blend reiterated by a series of outdoor headline shows as well as a huge Hyde Park gig as guests to Pearl Jam. Now, Pixies have released their new album ‘Doggerel’, their first studio set since 2019’s ‘Beneath The Eyrie’.

In addition to the recent singles, ‘Doggerel’ is full of new material which lives up to their iconic status. It’s a mature yet visceral record of gruesome folk, ballroom pop and brutal rock, haunted by the ghosts of affairs and indulgences, driven wild by cosmic forces, and envisioning digital afterlives where no God has provided one. And all the while, right there on the news, another distant storm approaches.

‘Doggerel’ Tracklist:

  1. ‘Nomatterday’
  2. ‘Vault of Heaven’
  3. ‘Dregs of the Wine’
  4. ‘Haunted House’
  5. ‘Get Simulated’
  6. ‘The Lord Has Come Back Today’
  7. ‘Thunder & Lightning’
  8. ‘There’s A Moon On’
  9. ‘Pagan Man’
  10. ‘Who’s More Sorry Now?’
  11. ‘You’re Such A Sadducee’
  12. ‘Doggerel’

Produced by Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Ghost), ‘Doggerel’ represents an evolution for Pixies, one that you wouldn’t always associate with a band deep into a storied career. Their famously off-kilter streak is still present, but it’s channelled into songs which are bigger, more orchestrated and in some aspects a little more direct. Black Francis’s lyrics have also altered, his surrealist phrasing playing upon myths, legends, pop culture and a little nostalgia.

A congregation between darkness and beauty consistently emerges throughout the record. Opener and new focus track ‘Nomatterday’ sets the tone, lurching and grinding with an ominous intensity before unfolding into a breezy, power-pop rush. The ‘50s-tinged ‘Haunted House’ is possessed by the spirit of ghosts both literal and metaphoric, while ‘The Lord Has Come Back’ will be familiar to fans who have attended Pixies’ recent shows. Later on, beguiling folk-rock melodies propel ‘Pagan Man’ and then ‘Who’s More Sorry Now?’ asks questions about recriminations while carrying elements that recall guitarist Joey Santiago’s admiration for Ennio Morricone.

Santiago recently had his first Pixies songwriting credit for ‘Dregs of the Wine’, while his second follows with the album’s title track (both alongside Francis). Loosely styled and irregular in measure, it’s a slow burning song which is ‘Doggerel’ both in name and nature.

Pixies’ official store includes album bundles, new merch, and exclusive formats, while HMV and Amazon both have their own exclusive vinyl formats. The album is available HERE

Pixies’ remaining 2022 live shows include shows in North America, South America, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. They have just announced the following 2023 European tour dates, please see their website for ticket details.

FEBRUARY

21st – Stockholm, Cirkus

22nd – Oslo, Sentrum Scene

25th – Copenhagen, DR Koncerthuset

26th – Berlin, Columbiahalle

27th – Hamburg, Sporthalle

28th – Munich, Zenith

MARCH

3rd – Groningen, Oosterpoort

4th – Den Haag, AMARE
5th – Utrecht, Tivoli Vredenburg

7th – Brussels, Forest National

9th – Barcelona, Sant Jordi Club

10th – Madrid, WiZink Center

11th – A Coruña, Coliseum

13th – Lisbon, Campo Pequeno

15th – Paris, L’Olympia

17th – Birmingham, Forum

18th – Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena

20th – London, Roundhouse

21st – London, Roundhouse